Game

[EmCeeGrammar]

Also, I'm standing by my assertion that calling it anything other than Wii 2 was a huge branding mistake. I still hate saying the name whereas I kinda liked "Wii".

[Human Snorenado]

If either the Durango or Orbis launches with a decent configuration at $399, who the fuck is going to spend in the same ballpark for a gimped console with no games on it?  A price drop would be almost required at that point, right?

[headwalk]

So does Nintendo need a hypothetical mariokart/smash/wildcard trifecta in combination with a pricedrop this holiday season to even get within earshot of the 100bn figure Iwata was leveraging his career on? Pokemon and Animal Crossing might help the 3ds, but I'm not seeing any #gamechangers on the wii u.  It'll be interesting to see how wii fit u fares.

One thing I can say is that software pricing is kinda ridiculous, its no surprise their demographic isn't going to be investing in a console with no marguee games that establish an identity for the thing when everything is 60 bucks across the board (god bless sega for pricing sonickart for 40 though, my first purchase).

Its a neat system from the time I've spent with it, methinks they need to tap in to the warchest and do the american thing of subsidizing relevant support.

i feel like at this point, IP affiliation with the wii u brand does more harm to the IP than it would do good for the wii u.

NSMB has been reduced from a its status of world destroying sales goliath to k-mart edutainment CD-ROM tree fodder within the space of about two months.

[Human Snorenado]

Also, I'm standing by my assertion that calling it anything other than Wii 2 was a huge branding mistake. I still hate saying the name whereas I kinda liked "Wii".

Clearly your devotion to Saint Whimsy is lacking

[EmCeeGrammar]

So does Nintendo need a hypothetical mariokart/smash/wildcard trifecta in combination with a pricedrop this holiday season to even get within earshot of the 100bn figure Iwata was leveraging his career on? Pokemon and Animal Crossing might help the 3ds, but I'm not seeing any #gamechangers on the wii u.  It'll be interesting to see how wii fit u fares.

One thing I can say is that software pricing is kinda ridiculous, its no surprise their demographic isn't going to be investing in a console with no marguee games that establish an identity for the thing when everything is 60 bucks across the board (god bless sega for pricing sonickart for 40 though, my first purchase).

Its a neat system from the time I've spent with it, methinks they need to tap in to the warchest and do the american thing of subsidizing relevant support.

i feel like at this point, IP affiliation with the wii u brand does more harm to the IP than it would do good for the wii u.

NSMB has been reduced from a its status of world destroying sales goliath to k-mart edutainment CD-ROM tree fodder within the space of about two months.

Nah, see the 3ds entry is doing alright, so I think the WiiU version WAS spaced far too close to that release to be effective.

If either the Durango or Orbis launches with a decent configuration at $399, who the fuck is going to spend in the same ballpark for a gimped console with no games on it?  A price drop would be almost required at that point, right?

And this is erroneous thinking too, as I think average consumer doesn't know much about hardware architecture for it to factor into their bias. However, as the Wii U lacks a breakout ip (I was calling Nintendoland being a semi dud when it was revealed for being too catering to an insular fanbase to catch on) they'll suffer as long as they play the metoo game. 

[treythemovie]

I think Nintendo was expecting the tablet controller to draw interest far more than it did, just like they expected the 3DS's 3D to sustain interest for longer than its launch window. Nintendo has found itself caught in a fickle consumer world where yesterday's hotness is boring as fuck by the time Nintendo gets around to it. While the Wii had motion controls and the PS4/NeXbox have the default "next gen graphics", the Wii U is left with pretty much nothing.

Now Iwata keeps claiming that Nintendo's fall games will be the one's to provide the new gameplay experiences to draw attention to the Wii U. And for their own sake, he better be right. Cuz the Wii U can't just ride on "off tv play" being the only interesting thing about the system.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

Nintendo most likely assumed that being the first console with a tablet was enough, much like thinking that a handheld with 3D capability was enough.  That and they launched with a NSMB title, a series that sells ungodly amounts of units.  They probably also knew that they would have to drop the price from $350 before the PS4/Durango launches but knew they could get in several million to buy at that price point.

Everything about the Wii U seems like a mixture of cynicism and "you should be happy we're here" type of mentality.  It backfired.  I doubt the public would go for a Super Wii U in 2014 or 2015.  Nintendo is stuck with this albatross around their neck until at least late 2016.

I don't think Nintendo is going to be all that aggressive either.  They're going to release their 3D Mario, their Zelda, their Mario Kart, etc.  Then if it doesn't take, they'll pull a Gamecube and leave it to fend for itself.

[Joe Molotov]

Also, I'm standing by my assertion that calling it anything other than Wii 2 was a huge branding mistake. I still hate saying the name whereas I kinda liked "Wii".

Like a cop car, weeoo weeoo.

[Phoenix Dark]

I'd bet money right now the WiiU Fit will fail; that ship has sailed. Casual people bought the Wii because it was completely new, I really don't see how Nintendo can possibly strike lightning again with an inferior new product; inferior in terms of the interest and "must have" factor. There is no buzz for this console among gamers or non-gamers, meaning WiiU Fit would likely have no audience; Ntards sure as hell aren't buying it, and their moms are too busy with Kindles and iPads now.

[Great Rumbler]

Nintendo's trying desperately to target two demographics [casual gamers and hardcore gamers] that have long since abandoned them, though the latter longer ago than the former. Casual gamers want smartphones and touchpads they can take anywhere with them and $2 games that they can pick up and play in about five seconds. Hardcore gamers want hardcore games and a competent online infrastructure. Nintendo's got this weird system that's trying to straddle the line and pull in both with halfhearted efforts, instead they will pull in neither.

[treythemovie]

Nintendo's long term goal was probably to market to the inbetween demographic: what we use to call casual gamers in the PS2 era. However this demographic is rather price fixated and currently ambivalent towards gaming, so they aren't the type to buy into a $350 Wii U with no games. A $200 Wii U with the right games might have some success with them, but I can't see Nintendo cutting price enough to reach them.

I'm curious what's going to happen with that demographic actually. They're the type that I imagine could still be swayed away from tablet/iphone gaming (for those that went there) if the right product came along. Microsoft had some minimal success courting them, and they're pretty much the only ones who cared about the Wii and DS for a long while now. But they aren't the type to care about the next generation and Sony seems to have fucked up their stated attempt to go after them with a cheaper PS3. Perhaps Nintendo will get lucky and finally catch them with the 3DS 

[Eel O'Brian]

Wii U was pretty much Hubris: The Console™

too bad, i think the tablet controller had a lot of potential had they not cheaped out on it so much

[Eel O'Brian]

well, i'm just getting the hubris vibe from the whole "let's just shit out a bunch of uprezzed clones of our popular stuff, and name a launch game after our company" deal

but yeah, Kutaragi's "get a second job, dirtpeople, $599dealwithit" is a more clear-cut case of hubris

split the difference? 50% dumb, 50% sniffing their own buttholes?

[etiolate]

Yeah, the Wii U seems like the product of Nintendo living inside whatever bubble they have created. The system looked like it had no purpose for existing once details started coming. I understood the Wii and the market being there for it at the time(and really, it had been there for a long time). But the Wii U wasn't really supplying anything new or filling any vacancy.

[Flannel Boy]

i can live with that, eel.

Nintendo, bringing people together.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

The best part was after the lukewarm reception of the Wii U at E3 2011, Nintendo just decided to go ahead with it anyway.  Who the fuck thought that only having one tablet controller per console was a good idea?

[Flannel Boy]

Who the fuck thought that only having one tablet controller per console was a good idea?

R and D Dude: There's another problem--we can only get one tablet working with the console. Even if we could get another working, it would be extremely expensive for consumers.
Iwata: That's no problem; we'll create a "pro" controller without tablet functions. And, in certain situations, a second player can use a wiimote, wiimote with nunchuck, wimote plus, wii wheel, wii classic controller, or wii board. 
R and D Dude: Wouldn't consumers become confused or angry that they're forced to use a controller missing the system's unique functions.
Iwata: Please understand.

[EmCeeGrammar]

They are implementing two tablet play, the counterpoint being that it looks like the one genre that would greatly benefit from that- sports games- isn't going to exist on the WiiU this year as per EA's cold should shoulder.

[Momo]

Two tablet play would be good for like battleship too

[Don Flamenco]

maybe they saw their new "blue ocean" fans as people who would stick around and pay attention to the next Nintendo console release. 

don't forget what Iwata said at E3 2012: "We're bigger than Apple."

[Phoenix Dark]

The controller situation contradicts the casual friendly goal IMO. People already don't know what the system does, plus there are three complrtely different controllers you can use for it which adds even more confusion. No wonder developers are dismissing it.

Nintendo knew they had a small window of time, they certainly knew the PS4 was likely coming out in 4Q 2013. Their focus should have been to throw out as much content as possible to win over consumers and reassure third parties. We wouldn't be having this conversation if Nintendo simply copied Live (and made it free), and released a couple games people actually wanted (launches need racing games, why not F-Zero). Hell they could have introduced their game market service with a bang: a Nintendo moba with a cast of free characters plus some you have to buy for cheap. Bam.

[tiesto]

I have no interest whatsoever in mobas, but I think the concept would lend great to a Japanese company coming in and streamlining it, Nintendo especially with all their IPs.

[radioheadrule83]

Isn't EA giving the Dreamcast the cold shoulder one of the major reasons the Dreamcast lost to the PS2? We got the awesome 2K series of sports games out of that, but no Madden was a major issue if I remember. And so is no Fifa, not sure if the Dreamcast had Winning Elever or not, and I loved Virtua Striker but that isn't going to sell a lot.

The Dreamcast actually did pretty decently in terms of HW sales - they managed to hit 10m before anyone else, at a pace that in retrospect - was arguably better traction than the Xbox or Gamecube had -- but they just didn't have the money to sustain it. Nor did they have a userbase to a point where analysts and devs would be happy when PS2 arrived.

EA didn't help matters, but the real problems started on Saturn. Sony completely butt-raped them at the original PlayStation's E3 unveiling -- nobody was expecting Sony to price them into oblivion. They'd already sustained losses on endeavours like 32X. With Saturn things just want from bad to worse. EA decided to play hardball on license fees because they saw SEGA were in a weak position. They claimed they they'd made huge losses on Saturn due to early discontinuation and reportedly demanded they be given a 5 year license where they were the only sports-game licensee on the Dreamcast. ie. Nobody else would be allowed to make sports games on the machine. Not 2K, not SEGA's own teams, nobody. SEGA offered them lower royalty fees but Larry Probst at EA didn't wanna play ball. With waning interest in the face of PS2s ridiculous Toy Story / Jack Into the Matrix / DVD hype machine, they cut the price to half that of PS2. They'd already bled all sorts of money on SegaNet when they did that too. Sadly, they were just a little too far ahead of the game on that one. With no broadband penetration they were trying to run it like an ISP. Costly. Anyway, they couldn't even eat a loss of less than 200 million at that stage, and they knew Microsoft were coming in. When you look at the losses Sony and Microsoft were prepared to take this generation (between 2 and 5 BILLION) - they probably made the right call... I suspect Okawa's health may have played a part in CSKs decision to get out of SEGA as well, Okawa died shortly after they discontinued in North America. I wonder how different things would have been if they'd sold to someone with decent management and some capital to burn?


EAs behaviour with SEGA is one reason I can believe the rumours about EA trying to forcibly persuade Nintendo to use Origin. That wouldn't surprise me at all.

[Phoenix Dark]

Seriously Nintendo dropped the ball with their online/market.  A cheap Nintendo moba (Nintendo Legends or some shit), a 2D Zelda, maybe get a multiplayer Contra or new Techmo Bowl type game, multiplayer Pac Man etc. Give people an oppurtunity to make impulsive cheap purchases and they'll do it every time.

[EmCeeGrammar]

Nintendo doesn't really believe in counter-programming, so you won't see a Nintendo MOBA ever. 

Anyway, I've  being playing NSMBu, and although i was starting to feel like all the cruddy jaded nerds who feel I've been down this road before, I started enjoying myself a lot by world 2.   It continually amazes me how this team can keep coming up with awesome level concepts containing creative gimmicks and just great layouts all around.  Helps that its decently challenging.  No I will probably never get a game over, but I die enough.

The powerup balance is still in good force too (unless this p-acorn I haven't used yet breaks things).  I expected stuff like the baby yoshis and the squirrel suit to be easy mode, but they've been hard to keep and have some drawbacks.  The baby yoshis for instance remove your ability to use powers and wallkick while being held.

[Cerveza mas fina]

The problem with a Nintendo Moba would be that it would appeal to Nintendo fans only again. It wouldn't make people buy a Nintendo console.

[Eric P]

any bets on next month? i'm gonna say 40k

inna the grim future of war, there is only mar...io

[AdmiralViscen]

Seriously Nintendo dropped the ball with their online/market.  A cheap Nintendo moba (Nintendo Legends or some shit), a 2D Zelda, maybe get a multiplayer Contra or new Techmo Bowl type game, multiplayer Pac Man etc. Give people an oppurtunity to make impulsive cheap purchases and they'll do it every time.

Wii U needed to be $199

[treythemovie]

The wii U not getting Madden is weird. Really weird. Madden is usually spammed out to every systems under the sun. Hell, Madden 12 went to the PSP and PS2 even. So for Madden 14 to be only on the PS3 and Xbox (no iOS, no Wii, no next gen systems for now), its just really weird. EA was already cutting back on their SKUs but now they must be doubling down on that. They obviously expect the industry to further contract (rather than expand) but I'm not sure where they're going to divert their development resources to since they already have a huge presence on iOS.

[Huff]

The wii U not getting Madden is weird. Really weird. Madden is usually spammed out to every systems under the sun. Hell, Madden 12 went to the PSP and PS2 even. So for Madden 14 to be only on the PS3 and Xbox (no iOS, no Wii, no next gen systems for now), its just really weird. EA was already cutting back on their SKUs but now they must be doubling down on that. They obviously expect the industry to further contract (rather than expand) but I'm not sure where they're going to divert their development resources to since they already have a huge presence on iOS.

I think it was rumored that they didn't have enough time to shit out a port this year, but expect future iterations (well maybe not if sales continue like as)

[treythemovie]

The wii U not getting Madden is weird. Really weird. Madden is usually spammed out to every systems under the sun. Hell, Madden 12 went to the PSP and PS2 even. So for Madden 14 to be only on the PS3 and Xbox (no iOS, no Wii, no next gen systems for now), its just really weird. EA was already cutting back on their SKUs but now they must be doubling down on that. They obviously expect the industry to further contract (rather than expand) but I'm not sure where they're going to divert their development resources to since they already have a huge presence on iOS.

I think it was rumored that they didn't have enough time to shit out a port this year, but expect future iterations (well maybe not if sales continue like as)

I'm sure EA Tiburon is busy as hell trying to make their engine work for next gen so that they're not stuck the whole gen with a shit engine and games again. But usually EA would farm out the Wii U/iOS/everything else versions to contract developers, just like they did this whole generation for the Wii/everything else.

[Human Snorenado]

Having the playbook or whatever on the gamepad is actually something that makes sense and would be borderline, you know, useful or whatever. 

EA not touching the weeeeeooooooooooooooooo speaks volumes.

[Phoenix Dark]

Having the playbook or whatever on the gamepad is actually something that makes sense and would be borderline, you know, useful or whatever. 

EA not touching the weeeeeooooooooooooooooo speaks volumes.

To be fair people said the same thing about the DS ("you can draw your own plays!") and never amounted to anything. EA is probably looking at the WiiU's weak online player base and wondering what's the point in wasting money (right now). The next Madden will certainly be on the system

[Joe Molotov]

Having the playbook or whatever on the gamepad is actually something that makes sense and would be borderline, you know, useful or whatever. 

EA not touching the weeeeeooooooooooooooooo speaks volumes.

To be fair people said the same thing about the DS ("you can draw your own plays!") and never amounted to anything. EA is probably looking at the WiiU's weak online player base and wondering what's the point in wasting money (right now). The next Madden will certainly be on the system

Yeah, but no one wants to play dogcrap looking sub-N64 Madden on the DS. At least with the Wii U it would be on par with the 360/PS3 version.

[EmCeeGrammar]

The wii U not getting Madden is weird. Really weird. Madden is usually spammed out to every systems under the sun. Hell, Madden 12 went to the PSP and PS2 even. So for Madden 14 to be only on the PS3 and Xbox (no iOS, no Wii, no next gen systems for now), its just really weird. EA was already cutting back on their SKUs but now they must be doubling down on that. They obviously expect the industry to further contract (rather than expand) but I'm not sure where they're going to divert their development resources to since they already have a huge presence on iOS.

I think it was rumored that they didn't have enough time to shit out a port this year, but expect future iterations (well maybe not if sales continue like as)

Apparently this came from some junior member on GAF who was speaking for EA in a non official way.  Even if s/he did work for EA though, without substantial support coming from multiple parties it puts the console in  a hypothetical situation where it claws its away along and by next August EA decides the userbase isn't there. 

[radioheadrule83]

Rayman Challenge Mode coming to Wii U in April. Online leaderboards, up to five players and an exclusive mode - oh and its free

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151460128936211

This is actually kind of awesome. The right response from Ubi. I'm placated anyway!

[radioheadrule83]

Ha, the videos addressing Wii U concerns, but at 1:20 you clearly see an Xbox "RT" button logo -- it's not even the Wii U version!

Still they didn't have to do anything  really. Its kind of nice to be getting this 4 months ahead of the actual game and for free. 1-5 players with leaderboards and ghosts - it actually looks quite cool!


edit: some in this thread would question you wanting to buy a Wii U, but if you want to buy one and you're in the UK - you can get the Wii U Premium Pack + Nintendo Land for £202 - sign up at Zavvi and use code ZV16870409 -- if it doesn't work, it's still cheaper than normal at £224. http://goo.gl/caktG

[hampster]

Seriously Nintendo dropped the ball with their online/market.  A cheap Nintendo moba (Nintendo Legends or some shit), a 2D Zelda, maybe get a multiplayer Contra or new Techmo Bowl type game, multiplayer Pac Man etc. Give people an oppurtunity to make impulsive cheap purchases and they'll do it every time.

I would throw a good F2P MMO in there as well. My kid spends more time playing F2P MMOs than Nintendo stuff these days despite having a WiiU and 3DS. And so far hasn't spent any money (but they do want some Wizard 101 quest for $10).

Free on the PC you own or $300 for a console. Poor Nintendo, they are screwed 

Rayman Challenge Mode coming to Wii U in April. Online leaderboards, up to five players and an exclusive mode - oh and its free

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151460128936211

This is actually kind of awesome. The right response from Ubi. I'm placated anyway!

This is nice because a few challenge levels for free is about all the Rayman I want anyway

[archie4208]

A F2P Nintendota makes too much sense.  Which means it'll never happen.

[bork]

[Joe Molotov]

I can almost taste the whimsy.

[DCharlieJP]

Iwata : "W-What are you doing?!"

Senile old goat : ".... sucking you off?"

[mjemirzian]

What's the point of having Iwata stand there in those presentations like an awkward cardboard cutout?

[Great Rumbler]

What's the point of having Iwata stand there in those presentations like an awkward cardboard cutout?

Apparently gamers like pitch-men/corporate executives these days, I don't know.

[tiesto]

What's the point of having Iwata stand there in those presentations like an awkward cardboard cutout?

Apparently gamers like pitch-men/corporate executives these days, I don't know.

Well, I could tell you why I'd want to see Kaz stand around there giving the presentation

[pilonv1]

He's in a suit but he's wearing a Luigi hat

[Great Rumbler]

He's in a suit but he's wearing a Luigi hat

#whimsy

[MyNameIsMethodis]

that gif alienates me more than anything. Nintendo thinks its funny but it's really pedantic and insulting

[radioheadrule83]

that gif alienates me more than anything. Nintendo thinks its funny but it's really pedantic and insulting

Did you mean to say pedantic? To engage in pedantry is to pretentiously, pompously or overtly display knowledge or strict adherence to details or rules. Me saying this to you is pedantic. 

Why do you find it insulting?

[MyNameIsMethodis]

because it's them trying to feel like they're cool and down to earth when they're not. it's not funny or cute or anything. to anyone who isn't a mouthbreathing nintendo fan it's lame and stupid, same with Miyamotor coming out on stage with a zelda sword. it's just trying hard.

and I did mean pedantic. THey're being pedantic to nintendo fans pretending they care about htem.

[radioheadrule83]

because it's them trying to feel like they're cool and down to earth when they're not.

Isn't that pretty much a great description of them all though? Iwata, Reggie, Mattrick, Tretton, Kaz Hirai -- PR things are awful. I kind of get it though. I feel as though Nintendo became a little too aware of meme potential following the early Reggie days... stuff like that non-specific action figure thing, Iwata holding bananas and this poltergust skit- all seem like deliberate attempts to make more. In one sense, I'm uncomfortable about that -- they're not there to make jokes -- but I don't see any great harm in it TBH.

[Eel O'Brian]

Miyamotor

[DCharlieJP]

Entire Yama Direct :
"You want a new F Zero game?................ Suck my dick"

[Human Snorenado]

Those videos are made for ten year old Japanese children.  I'm not sure why people go memetastic over them, nor why people here are so wounded by them.

Because the people who go memetastic over them at heart want to be 10 year old Japanese children

spoiler (click to show/hide)

or fuck one

[close]

And because that's offensive.  We didn't drop two atom bombs on Japan to have our citizens fetishize lame dipshittery!

[Joe Molotov]

I am kinda pumped for Luigi's Mansion 2 tho, real talk.

[Shaka Khan]

You take that real talk back.

[Joe Molotov]

Luigi's Mansion

[Great Rumbler]

Luigi's Mansion was a solid launch title, people just complained endlessly about it because it wasn't a Mario platformer. Get that noise outta here.

[AdmiralViscen]

Mario Tennis/Golf/Kart were all half assed on Cube and better on GBA. SMS and WW sucked. All the other games rocked. MP2 sucked too and also LM ya

[Great Rumbler]

EDIT: I'll probably catch a ton of shit for this, but I enjoyed the wii line up from launch up till Brawl which was my first real disappointment with the system other than Galaxy not blowing me away like it did others. The only difference was I downright hated Brawl.

The Wii had a good number of decent games in the first 18 months or so, but Nintendo finally realized that they could shove out cheap junk and people would still buy it in droves. Third parties realized the same thing.