Global Hardware 11 August 2018

[0D0]

xbebop said:

0D0 said:

My question doesn't mean that I think that Nintendo hardware won't sell anymore.

My question is: after they release all of their evergreen games (it will have happened in 2019), what else do they have to compete against PS5?

I'm talking in terms of competition, not saying that after 2019 Nintendo will be doomed. 

Although a library is still a library, after all system sellers are released, consoles usually don't peak anymore. That's been the case for all Nintendo consoles. Besides, another iteration for every franchise might sell less than the previous one. It's the case for Majora's Mask for example, the Zelda after the best Zelda. Metroid has never sold tones, million seller yes, but not really Mario or Zelda material.

Pokemon is another story though. I agree that Pokemon has everything to make NSW sell much more than 3DS lifetime (I'd say that Pokemon is the Nintendo strongest IP, Pikachu should be Nintendo's mascot), but I'm still comparing Nintendo performance against Playstation and not saying that Nintendo has no future. 

You've got it the wrong way around. Those "evergreen" titles are evergreens precisely because they keep on attracting consumers to the console year after year. Also, you act like Nintendo doesn't have anything else in the pipeline. They could very well put out second 3D Mario and Zelda games this generation, along with new IPs (or those on the upswing, like Fire Emblem). As the guy said, Pokemon and Animal Crossing, two of the most popular franchises in gaming, are still just waiting in the wings for Nintendo. The last two mobile AC games sold 10m+ each, and mainline Pokemon games are basically a guaranteed 15m+. There's also another Pikmin game in, which could draw in a few more sales. Beyond that, we'll likely get a 2D Mario, a 2D Zelda, another Donkey Kong game, more Pokemon spin-offs (like the Mystery Dungeon games), and so on. 

Nintendo's going to have plenty of stuff for 2019 and beyond. 2018 has been a little bare (barring ports) simply because Nintendo threw everything into 2017, banking on a strong launch lineup carrying the console for the next year. And they were right.

You say it attract customers year after year, but none of those franchises are yearly franchises. We don't get one MK every year, we get one every generation. Zelda, perhaps two, but usually the second one doesn't sell like the first.

You say they have other things in the pipeline, but all your suggestions aren't really strong. Another Zelda and Mario, yes, that'd be good. Would they sell as much as the first ones? I'm not so sure, but I admit that it would be possible. But other than that you say new IPs, but Nintendo isn't really a new IP maker, Splatoon is an exception in a decade. Fire Emblem could be a million seller, but it's not a very popular franchise. The same for DK. 2D Mario and 2D Zelda is hardly great contenders as system sellers.

I've already said that Pokemon is the big monster here, so you agree with me. Animal Crossing is also huge. And then besides those two, I don't see any other franchise as big as Smash, MK and Mario that could work as system sellers.