Mr. Gorbachev tear down this wall, tear it down! Reagan Smash! Reagan Smash!

Why did he need a whole article to say that games made with less content tend to do worse than games with more content?

Malstrom has the same idea that I did (or the other way around). My thinking is that 2008 killed momentum and hurt Japan. Japan wasn't strong to begin with as their line up of games (Galaxy, Wii Fit, Mario kart, and Brawl) didn't work like they wanted to. Animal Crossing and Wii Music under preformed. AC was a lot of old content recycled and Wii Music was about user generated content (but I also think that a music game [not rhythm] would still haven't preformed as well as a sport or fitness game). I think it ended becuase 2008 was a lapse year. 2009 may just as well be one two. However, I think Nintendo is spoked by the failure of Wii Music and Animal Crossing. They are going into a saftey mode. NSMB and WSP/Wii Fit Plus are really just caution games. I'm hoping Nintendo gets their act together in 2010.

However, NSMB and Wii Sports Resort could help momentum. I think Nintendo did drop the ball on Wii Fit Plus as it doesn't use motion plus. I don't think the lack of controls will kills NSMB becuase the content of the game is there. There seems to be a demand for 2D Mario, so if Nintendo can just ensure this is a damn good game, they will be fine. I'm skeptical if Wii Fit Plus will do any better then the first one. Sports Resort looks like it can expand by having more games and new controls. Wii Fit Plus is pretty much a sequal (evidence I think Nintendo is playing defence).

I think the best thing Nintendo can do is try and get some new motion games out there. Zelda in 2010 is a must I think. Other games should also be made. There are still more opprotunities to explore with motion control, and I think they need to get moving. I don't think this is a lost cause, but it depends on how they do this.

Avinash_Tyagi said: Squilliam said: Its not a perfect piece but it actually does raise some interesting points. Perhaps Malstrom is following his own advice and providing substance rather than fluff, banter and hate? Oh he's always been doing that, its just that some people don't like hearing the substantial truth

Oh come on. You've got to admit that Malstrom likes to write in a needlessly abrasive style. I'm not sure if it's because he thinks it will get him more attention or if he's just an obnoxious person.

His last couple of articles have been more conciliatory. I hope he realizes that his old tone made it easy for people to discount his arguments and his new tone is more likely to earn him credibility.

As for the content of this article, I think he raises some good points in this one. Especially with regards to user-generated content and Nintendo being skittish with its own 'revolution.' I understand that they walked into this being a little nervous about the risk they were taking, but now that they're raking in the billions they can afford to move forward with more confidence.

Because that would vague and not explain the more importan aspects. Behaviour and Communications, wich are more important than just providing content.

I will however partly disgree on Maelstroms opinion piece. I agree that content is important to excite a market. I will agree that RPG tend to show the leading core console.

I will disgree about the User Generated Content. WiiMusic didn't excite like the others not because WiiMusic is bad, but Nintendo failed to communicate adequalty what WiiMusic is and does, while not providing adequete alternatives. As Kim Chan states in Blue Ocean Strategy it is important to to also support the new value. WiiMusic didn't have any support. Sharing wasn't well done, showing wasn't well done, the song tracks was pretty dull. WiiMusic is about expressing to others, but WiiMusic did that poorely. There is no centralized WiiMusic sharing system. It all relied on FC, which is already designed to limit communications to a safe enviroment. WiiMusic wich would be good as a social experience game seriously lacked support in that area. It's not that's it's bad, but not fleshed out. So Nintendo fails communicating the game and support. 

Drivel.  Most of what Maelstrom has to say in those areas is baseless and, in some cases, flatout wrong.

He's trying to back up his conclusions. If you don't agree with them, you back that up, and at least I'll try to listen to it.

Interesting. He could well be right, although time will tell. An interesting viewpoint though and one very hard to disprove. However, i do feel Nintendo can get the momentum back a bit easier than he expects given the hype surrounding WSR and possibly the new wave of games beyond it. The 1st. day Japanese sales seem to back this up, too.

famousringo said: Avinash_Tyagi said: Squilliam said: Its not a perfect piece but it actually does raise some interesting points. Perhaps Malstrom is following his own advice and providing substance rather than fluff, banter and hate? Oh he's always been doing that, its just that some people don't like hearing the substantial truth Oh come on. You've got to admit that Malstrom likes to write in a needlessly abrasive style. I'm not sure if it's because he thinks it will get him more attention or if he's just an obnoxious person. His last couple of articles have been more conciliatory. I hope he realizes that his old tone made it easy for people to discount his arguments and his new tone is more likely to earn him credibility. As for the content of this article, I think he raises some good points in this one. Especially with regards to user-generated content and Nintendo being skittish with its own 'revolution.' I understand that they walked into this being a little nervous about the risk they were taking, but now that they're raking in the billions they can afford to move forward with more confidence.

Not too long ago Malstrom wrote a blog entry that he was finished writing about the game industry. Despite that post he has been writing as much as ever - more so even - though much of it with  the conciliatory tone you mention.

I think what has happenned is that someone has taken over as a ghost writer for him, probably doing 50% to 80% of his posts. This would explain not only some of his sudden stylistic changes, but also why there have been times he writes seemingly contradictory statements from one day to the next. (say what you will about Malstrom, he usually is consistant in his opinions)

Great article. Actually, really great article.


However, I have the feeling that even though what Malstrom recommends is what Nintendo should be doing, we are just going to watch Nintendo slip into decline with the Wii console in slow motion. Nintendo's giant flaw is never capitalizing.


Sony did that last gen almost flawlessly.