Twilord said:
So we're all well aware that Nintendo have a selection of really awesome IPs (Metroid, Fire-Emblem, Pikmin, Kirby, and now Xenoblade) that have had incredible titles fall outside the public consciousness. I will admit I am hopeful for Awakening being able to mark the beginning of possible future for Fire-Emblem to join the other group, but I am curious what people think would mark the opportunity for a franchise to move between these too groups.
Lets focus on upward mobility, how would you achieve mainstream interest. You can't change the nature of Nintendo's approach to console design, but you have unlimited marketing funds and get to talk to the individual lead designers for each project. For convienence, lets assume that all these games were pulling constant 88s<->92s on Metacritic...
Ready, set, strategize...
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I say it a lot but make a Pokemon game for Nintendo's home console, use DLC to constantly add new sections and creatures to the game world.
I'd basically have Nintendo developers make a version of those games exclusive for each Nintendo games device/ console.
If I had unlimited marketing funds then I'd do a major Nintendo Direct, but instead of making it just for the internet, I'd put it on a major National TV channel, with exciting, but Spoiler Free sections of the games shown. This direct would be aired on TV around the time of major games conventions, when games are ready to be properly unveiled.
Maybe a Nintendo TV show, here in the UK we have Click which is a BBC News Program centered around Technology, it does show off games consoles. Something like that, but for Nintendo games, shown in a 30 minute segment a few times a year, shown on a major TV Channel, at a time of the day when the target audience for those games are home.
As others have said make Movies and TV Shows, along with good trailers for those games. Have an E3 presence like Microsoft and Sony every year.
Maybe E3 and other games conferences could be broadcast on national TV. Perhaps the likes of IGN and other gaming media could have a TV Channel for showing off games, with reviews, news, previews and general marketing for games and Nintendo could have their presence on that channel.
Get those games properly advertized, put a good amount of focus onto the main characters of those games, give them an identy that people relate too and show those attributes off to the world.
As far as game design goes, listen to the fans, put what they want into the games, provided it of course works, but actually give the fans what they want and actually make games for those particularly franchises that are less well known, because those games aren't going to become mainstream if you don't even have a go at making those products.