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curl-6 said:
Wii U first party software did well relative to its small install base, with Splatoon especially becoming a breakout hit. The console itself was just crippled by the same disastrous design and marketing flaws that killed it everywhere else. |
I agree with you both somewhat.
What I'm trying to highlight is there is no easy formula to appeal to Japan. I think translating gameplay focus and playful visuals into a big hit is very hard, especially without Nintendo's brand power, especially across the shifting tastes of each generation. And looking at Nintendo's brand power, I think that is something I think shouldn't be used as a casual benchmark. It doesn't matter how good Astrobot is, its not mario, kirby etc.
Nintendo has stuck to pretty core thematic output for the last 4 decades. The same thing that led home consoles to fall short in the past is also what has been responsible for their recent success. There are too many nuances to discuss here including the fact that that some of these Nintendo IPs like Pikmin would have done average numbers in the past on older Nintendo hardware but blew up on the Switch.
For me its clear that with their very different histories and how they each respectively found success, we shouldn't expect one to simply turn on a switch and become the other, so to go back to the original point; Success in the west/Japan are not mutually exclusively, but largely Playstation was never going to compete with Nintendo as long as Japan shifted its tastes towards handheld, more casual, family friendly experiences. Their Japanese efforts would of inevitably fallen short.
This was not the case in the 90s/2000s where a fighter like Tekken could sell 1m in Japan on Playstation. The safe, family branding is Nintendo's bread and butter, for better and worse. Equally Sonys grounding was always more edgy, mature and diverse experiences often offered by 3rd parties. Again, for better and worse.
My last note in this thread is that Playstation is in fact now trying to do what Nintendo achieved and build ever lasting IPs. Had they started this mission 2 decades earlier, I don't think it would make much difference, as they would only be playing catch up and still sensibly have the majority of the efforts focused on what works for them (mature, cinematic IP). I do not think Japan have much appetite for anyone to try and compete with Nintendo. Sony would need to do something disruptive from left field.
