| Signalstar said: What's with the lack of new IPs from Nintendo. For all of the Switch's success, one area it seems to be lacking in is launching major new 1st party IPs. I think the biggest original 1st party IP on Switch is Ring Fit Adventure, but its appeal is based on its peripheral not really the world and characters it offers. The others I can think of are Arms, Game Builder Garage, and Astral Chain, none of which were massive sellers. |
Also 1-2-Switch, Labo and I think Snipperclips was from them. In cooperation they also made Cadence of Hyrule. Possibly others I forget.
But the thing is: not every new IP can be a Splatoon. It is fine if Arms and Astral Chain don't reach the same heights. There are certainly people loving it and it adds diversity to the library.
| Signalstar said: As of late Nintendo seems to be focusing on sequels, remakes, remasters, and ports. |
Well, we are late in the cycle, I assume Nintendo keeps now every big thing (new releases in established IPs and new IPs) for the next system. Switch took off because it had a strong start with games. People say Breath of the Wild, but that was actually supported by a steady stream of smaller titles until another big bang with Mario Odyssey. That includes the Arms and also Xenoblades. This steady stream of bigger but also smaller stuff was what gave the Switch momentum.
| Signalstar said: I was encouraged to see that Nintendo was beta testing that MMO game the other day, because at least it shows they are trying something new. One thing I will say about Nintendo is that they often use their existing characters for spinoffs to explore new gameplay ideas, such as Princess Peach Showtime. Still this is not the same as creating a new IP from scratch. I'm reminded about how the developers said that Splatoon started out as a Mario game before becoming its own thing. Thank goodness they decided to create a new IP out of it. Actually, Splatoon seems to be their last high profile new IP in a while. |
I don't think that is a bad thing. Showtime is a nice exploration of ideas, why not support it with a known character. People seem to miss a major thing: new in games can mean different things: new story, new tone, new style, new graphics, new gameplay. There is no necessity to change all of it at once. Showtime is an example of experimenting in gameplay, but choosing a tone that is well-established in the Mario universe. So they did go with that. Splatoon takes an older gameplay idea (3D first person shooter), adds a spin on it but then let it ooze a massively different and new tone. The tone doesn't fit established IPs, so they choose a new one.
Having a new IP does not necessarily mean more creativity. It is in the end a coat of paint. It can have interesting lore or worldbuilding, but you can totally make the same game essentially. You could say Bethesda makes Skyrim, Skyrim in post apocalypse and Skyrim in space. I know, it is a bit exaggerated, but you probably can get my point. There is also a reason people talk about the Ubisoft formula, even if it references different IPs. Look at Capcom as a contrast. Street Fighter, Monster Hunter and Resident Evil not only are different IPs in different worlds - they play completely different from each other. And also innovated a lot between games, look at Monster Hunter Generation to World to Rise (and I have still to look at Wilds). Resident Evil 4 and 7 were major innovation points.
| Signalstar said: What do you think? Should Nintendo put more money behind new IPs? |
Hell no. Because big investments suffocating creativity. The reason is, that if investors put big money down they get antsy and meddle with the creative process. That is one major reason indies are full of innovation, while many AAA production look so samey, even if they are supposedly a new IP. You see the same formula over and over with different coats of paint over it through superficial story. Or not even that: Dragon Age Veilguard is supposedly a dark fantasy setting, but feels like people from modern day cities. Tonally off somehow.
So no, more money will not breed more creativity. Same as just making a new IP without having actually new ideas. I want creativity more than forced new IPs or big budget samey, samey slop.
