Nintendo has hit a brick wall.

[finalark]

Link to original post: Nintendo has hit a brick wall.



I wanted to write something up about this, but at the time of the news I was too busy with my schooling to do so. But hey, better late than never, right? So little over a week ago, reports say that Wii sales plummeted. Iwata, the President of Nintendo, says that "the Wii has stalled" and that "games of high demand could not be continually released."

Okay, no, that's not the case. I think that Nintendo has just hit a wall and is pretty **** close to being out of ideas. Think about it, Mario Galaxy 2, New Super Mario Bros Wii, The Metroid Prime Trilogy, what do these all have in common? The billion-dollar answer is that they're all rehashes of some sort. It might be because I'm pretty critical-minded, but I am the only one who thought that Nintendo was running out of ideas when they announced Super Mario Galaxy 2? It's like they're saying "we have no ideas for a fresh and inventive Mario title so we're just going to give you the last game only with more levels and OMG IT HAZ YOSHIZ!1!!1" And they already put out a remake of classic Mario so why must you make a Wii version? No new ideas to milk the Mario cash cow with? And the Prime trilogy, okay, if you can't see how this is a rehash then you should go hit your head against something hard. And let's not forget "play on Wii" or whatever it's called, porting Game Cube games with Wii controls, really, Nintendo? Nintendo has hit a dead end, a good amount of their fan base has left them for Sony or Microsoft, casual gamers (or as I like to call them, "those with the attention span of the Japanese public") seem to have gotten over the Wii and moved on. At this point, it really feels like Nintendo as just hit a brick wall, their casual cash-cows don't seem to be as interested in the Wii as they once were and too many disappointments have caused a number of Nintendo fans to move on.

I already wrote another blog talking about what I think Nintendo should do to try and get their fans back. So I'll keep those comments to a minimum. But with casual gamers getting bored and moving on, "core" gamers giving up and moving on and Nintendo running out of ideas, one must wonder what will happen to Nintendo. I believe that now is the time for Nintendo to get their heads straight and try and earn its fans back with the games that they want to play, not Wii (insert noun/verb here), but F-Zero, Star Fox, and other series. To me, it feels like Nintendo doesn't really know what do with their other franchises besides their three biggest money makers, Mario, Zelda and Pokemon. And even with those, their starting to run dry. As stated earlier, Mario has now become the king of rehashes, Zelda... well, okay, they're doing a great job with Zelda (PEOPLE DID NOT GIVE TWILIGHT PRINCESS A CHANCE) but Pokemon is pretty much the rehash god. So if they're running dry there, then why don't they actually give what fans are asking for and make new games from their other franchises? Actually, at this point it would be nice to see Nintendo put some effort out and actually make several new franchises rather than just making the same games year after year. However, that new Punch Out game was a step in the right direction. Ultimately boiling everything down, I think that if Nintendo doesn't get its act together, then by the time that next-gen rolls around we may find that the Wii ends up being Nintendo's last console.

[DJBrowny]

For as long as these 'rehashes' continue to obliterate every other video game in sales, what reason do ninty have to make new games? watch NSMBWii be the biggest selling wii game, make more money than you can comprehend and counter your argument rather well.

I really dont see where you are getting these opinions from "their casual cash-cows don't seem to be as interested in the Wii as they once were and too many disappointments have caused a number of Nintendo fans to move on."

Have you not seen sales figures from the likes of pokemon and mario games? its insane, galaxy might even overtake WoW in a few years (Ok it looks like Halo 3 is setting the pace for home consoles actually, Pokemon D/P is way infront though lol). This brick wall of yours is looking pretty imaginary

The 20 best-selling console/handheld games, not originally bundled.
1. Wii Play (Wii – 24.43 million)
2. Wii Fit (Wii – 22.5 million)
3. Nintendogs (DS – 22.27 million, all five versions combined)
4. Pokémon Red, Blue, and Green (Game Boy – 20.08 million approximately)
5. New Super Mario Bros. (DS – 19.94 million)
6. Mario Kart Wii (Wii – 18.36 million)
7. Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES – 18 million)
8. Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! (DS – 17.41 million)
9. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2 - 17.33 million)
10. Pokémon Diamond and Pearl (DS – 16.81 million)

get @ that

[Rudementry]

IDK theres like no badass games coming for wii. And they don't have downloadable content. And like nothing cool. Not even anything cool in the future. Hell, ps3 and xbox have soo much cool stuff coming out. God of War 3 just makes me melt. Assassin's Creed 2 gonna be sooo gud and MAG256 is gonna be so amazing. The conduit failed my last hope in Nintendo. I never even finished the game I got so bored with it I went and playing FF7 and Fat Princess.

Only good thing about wii right now is hackability lol. Its the only thing that keeps me going is brawl hacks.

[finalark]

Originally Posted by DJBrowny

For as long as these 'rehashes' continue to obliterate every other video game in sales, what reason do ninty have to make new games? watch NSMBWii be the biggest selling wii game, make more money than you can comprehend and counter your argument rather well.

I really dont see where you are getting these opinions from "their casual cash-cows don't seem to be as interested in the Wii as they once were and too many disappointments have caused a number of Nintendo fans to move on."

Have you not seen sales figures from the likes of pokemon and mario games? its insane, galaxy might even overtake WoW in a few years. This brick wall of yours is looking pretty imaginary

Yes, Mario Galaxy sold amazingly. Yes, Mario Galaxy was good. Pokemon will continue to sell becuase it's an idea that works regardless of what generation you grew up in (kids like animals, kids like action, mix the two together and...) but that's not the point. My point is that they're running low on ideas, and look how well the Pokemon games sell. Proving that rehashes do indeed print money. But how about you pay attention to what's going on in the gamming community. Let me ask you, how many Nintendo fans do you know who have pretty much become indifferent toward the Wii? How many casual gamers do you know have lost interest in the Wii? I know more than enough to prove my point. Yes, Nintendo has hit a wall in terms of ideas, money? Probably not (but don't forget the plumetting sales), but ideas, yes.

[DJBrowny]

Nintendo are in this business for ONE reason: To make money

If they can minimise costs by rehashing old ideas which, amazingly, generate MORE sales than original games, how can you criticise their methods. They can run low on ideas, you will continue to buy them. if you dont and /ragequit nintendo, 2 people will take your place.

The sooner people realise that nintendo have no obligation to anyone other than to make money, the less anger we will feel towards them.

Even if they are running out of ideas, how is that nintendo unique. have you seen the top selling ps3/360/pc and even movie titles these days? no surprises what you'll find there

[finalark]

Originally Posted by DJBrowny

Nintendo are in this business for ONE reason: To make money

If they can minimise costs by rehashing old ideas which, amazingly, generate MORE sales than original games, how can you criticise their methods. They can run low on ideas, you will continue to buy them. if you dont and /ragequit nintendo, 2 people will take your place.

The sooner people realise that nintendo have no obligation to anyone other than to make money, the less anger we will feel towards them.

Yeah yeah, I know. Corporate *******s and all of that. But you are compleately missing the point. Yes, Nintendo is in this to make money, that's what every last corporate scumbag is in for. But I'm not talking about how awesome their market strategy is, I'm talking about how they are almost out of ideas for games and possible reasons why sales have dropped. I'm not talking about how they're in this to make money. I'm not talking about a finacal brick wall, I'm talking about a brick wall for ideas for new games.

[Umbreon]

to be fair, muramasa was rape.

the wii has way too much shovelware and they know it.

[DJBrowny]

eh i wrote a big post but cbf trying to explain myself in words lol, too much proof required. so ill ask this instead;

What makes you think that original ideas correlates to successful game sales? Take a look at any sales chart for any console and notice the sheer number of sequels/rehashes.

[PassWurD]

Ah Super Mario Bros. 3, gotta rep that NES!

[finalark]

Originally Posted by DJBrowny

What makes you think that original ideas correlates to successful game sales? Take a look at any sales chart for any console and notice the sheer number of sequels/rehashes.

Four words: Compleately. Missing. The Point.

I thought I already said that I'm not talking about a sales brick wall, but rather, an ideas brick awll. Anyway, no, original ideas only sometimes work. Because people are stupid and can't stand anything that isn't "safe" or "familiar."

Well, in this generation anyway, back in the old days you could put out pretty much anything you wanted and still have a pretty good shot a success. These days a game's sales probably won't set the world on fire unless its a new Pokemon, Zelda or Mario title.

Or you know, if someone's head doesn't explode.

[Man of Popsicle]

But they'tre doing better than ever, they're putting out less effort, using, less money, and turning more profit. There's nothing wrong with Nintendo, unless you actually play games.

[DJBrowny]

ugh ok...

but WHY is it a problem they have hit a brick wall of ideas. and show me some examples of what nintendo should be doing.

And because I can, if you continue to refute my points on missing the point regarding money being the prime motive, reconsider your use of the following phrases

No new ideas to milk the Mario cash cow with?

their casual cash-cows don't seem to be as interested

Wii ends up being Nintendo's last console.

and this one especially

Nintendo doesn't really know what do with their other franchises besides their three biggest money makers, Mario, Zelda and Pokemon

Becuase they DEFINITELY know what to do with these titles, they almost cant go wrong

[Frown]

Making a new franchise = Might fail

Making a new Mario game = $$$

[Onishiba]

Nintendo has tried making several new franchises numerous times, most of them either fail horribly or go almost unnoticed.

Examples? Just look at Brawl's stickers or trophies and you'll see tons of them:
Captain Rainbow, Magical Starsign, Chousouju Mecha MG, and so on.

New franchises simply won't sell good. But they keep on developing them. Just because you don't know them doesn't mean they're not there. It just proves my point even further.

[superyoshi888]

You know, I have one thing to say about this blog.

It doesn't matter.

All games are, in essence, rehashes of other games, except with a new twist. Mario basically created the platforming game, and if you cannot find his influence in at least one platforming game, then you need to look closer. Alright, maybe Mario creating the genre is a bit of a stretch, but you cannot deny that most platforming games today, if not ALL, had part of their roots in the Mario series.

Heck, look at the FPS genre. That is basically built AROUND rehashing other ideas. How many games from their where you have played as a space marine? Now, how many games outside of Mario have you played as a plumber?

Let's take a look at the Kirby franchise in Japan, for example. He is VERY popular in Japan, yet all of his games are rehashes of each other(not including spin-offs). All that changes are slight differences in physics and what copy abilities(or lack of) are avaible.

While we are on the subject of Kirby, I'll look at a title that probably is what you would like to see. Canvas Curse. I'd say it was the first DS game to truely take advantage of the stylus, and I haven't really seen a game like this or since. However, how far can Mario be taken away from platforming when the only connections it has with the main series is the word Mario? Can he be thrusted into a unique game that no one else has done before?

I could go on and on about this subject, but right now it probably already looks like a giant, incoherent wall of text, so I'll stop here.