How come theres so much anger in this thread? Its just one guys opinion...

From the same roundtable -- a completely counterview:

Billy Pidgeon, IDC

Investing in developing casual games or Triple-A games...

I would not invest in AAA console games unless it was a genre breaker or game changer, and it's hard to identify one of those. It's definitely a bigger risk. The payoff could be major, but I think the risk is too high.
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Opinion of investing in game development for each platform...

I would invest in Wii-packaged goods, but also in downloadable -- indie, not casual -- games for all three consoles and for the DSi, if not the PSP.

I'd invest heavier in PC games, delivered to PC and online wherever possible, and at emerging models such as free-to-play and other micro-transaction-based business models in all regions including North America.

I also see big potential for game developers to make virtual worlds a success by transforming them into something much more game-like.

Investing in game development for any of the mobile platforms...

I would invest in high-end phone games with alternative distribution -- on the PC, outside the carrier.

But these would be developed not just for iPhone, but for all the iPhone competitors and iTunes app store competitors who have a chance of getting it right before Apple does.

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It should also be noted that the analyst who said the Wii was fool's gold also thought that AAA titles was the best way to make money.

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As I said previously, it depends. Depends on how much money there is to invest, how the game controls, what people want to play, etc.

There is no right or wrong answer -- except that it is wrong to say there is a single right answer.

Mike from Morgantown

He's hit the nail on the head, actually. Wii "core" games are having trouble even succeeding in an effective market vacuum (i.e. very little same-platform competition).

Its only the most astoundingly popular 3rd party core franchises and genres which can even hope to hold a candle to their PS360 competition (like CoD:WaW, RE4, RE:UC, etc.). Basically, everything else which succeeds on the Wii is casually oriented.

Until proven otherwise, he is stating the facts, no matter how ugly they are. Making a core game on the Wii is a huge gamble, and there's not much evidence to the contrary.

Bring on The Conduit!  Last chance for hardcore gas, in the eyes of the 3rd party publishers, I think.  If it succeeds (in a return-on-investment fashion), that could turn the boat around.


...I still think the JRPGs will come, and sell well. They're "casual" in Japan, and they are niche here, but have enough fanbase to warrant NTSC ports, I think.

@ Procrastinato: I think it needs to be noted that when we say core and Nintendo say core the meanings are entirely different. Nintendo Core fans are people who owned the GC for example, and when people on Vgchartz talk core its more about likeminded individuals.

Realistically, who would follow the advice of analysts on what to invest in when they demonstrated their complete lack of understanding of the market by predicting the Wii would be in last place with less than 20 Million units sold; and advized third party publishers to ignore the Wii in favour of the PS3 which was ensured market dominance ...

From my perspective, there are quite a few traditional/dedicated gamers who own the Wii (and traditional/dedicated gamers are fairly easy to motivate to buy a new console), development costs are low and the userbase is quite large ... I would personally suggest that third party publishers stop focusing so much on targeting a particular demographic as much as focusing on delivering a high quality game with broad appeal to the Wii.

It's all about addressing correctly a particular market. Fans get mad when they're told the Wii is not really after the same money the PS3 and 360 are after, but looking at these FACTS provided in this interview there's little room for denial.

*Quack*

Great analysis, but of course it would get flamed. People can't see that the pattern of who get's most big games is changing. PS3 and x360 will hold that tiltlte, and yes, for the publishers they work as one. You can easily develop the same game for both and expect similar behaviour from it's demo, sience it's basically the same. The Wii is an big interraogation mark, since you can't garantee that a huge title will succeed, unless it has NINTENDO on the cover.

The thing is, the Wii will probably get more games than the HD twins, but they will be mostly small titles that will see profit because they are cheap. The big games will continue to be multiplat, since it's garanteed 1,5mln seller.

I agree very much with this article. Half of nintendo's software sales are 1st party + guitar games, you cant just throw that fact out.

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@shanobi - way to make a post that is 100% incorrect !!

If we throw the whole notion of profit out the window, then this article has a point.