Opiate said:
The bottom line is: I think most publishers are losing money on their Wii and DS efforts, and making money on iPhone, ps3, 360 and PC.
If you want to know WHY that's true -- that is, why publishers seem incapable of profitting on Wii and DS, which absolutely are successful platforms -- I think they Dont suit their black and white views. Major publishers seem to be the primary drivers and creators of the core/casual divide: the Wii and DS are deliberately trying to straddle both. They aren't as cheap and casual as the iPhone, and aren't as powerful and "core" as the PS3. I think most publishers understand the market better when they cleanly separate the two demographics, and an iPhone/Xbox support method makes it easy to say, "this game is super cheap and for casuals," or "this is a big epic game for the core." It makes the world simple and organized. I just don't think they ever wrapped their heads around the Wii or DS, by and large.
Note: I'm not ignoring gerg in this reply, as you both make essentially the same point.
You're probably right, Opiate. If we leave the Wii out of the debate for a moment though, the whole DS situation still makes me scratch my head. Although it's true that it tries to pander to multiple audiences, the costs, I imagine, are still very low, aren't they? Besides, I can understand (sorta) ignoring the Wii, but why ignore the DS with its continued record-shattering sales? If the Wii is a juggernaut, the DS is the second coming. The DS has been out for so long with practically no signs of slowing down. It also provides both traditional controls and a very functional touch-screen. So why? I see your point, I really do, but to me, it applies mostly to the Wii. The DS isn't really a middle-ground solution, except maybe for its inferface and its physical distribution of games. Besides, Japanese developers have shown that it's possible to find success with traditional games (J-RPGs) and expanded audience games (Cooking Mama, Professor Layton).
I wonder if this isn't all a matter of perception (beyond the simple black and white divide you rightfully mention) in the end. Namely, that Apple has been so successful ever since the iPod gained momentum, and that Nintendo has often been pictured as this weird gluttonous company that will die sooner or later. I might be wrong of course, but at some point, I do have to wonder if this line of thinking is confined to forum dwellers or if it really permeates the industry as a whole, and more specifically Western companies.
Also, I don't dispute the bottom line. Indeed, all I wonder is the why (thanks for addressing it), as the what and how seem very obvious by now.
