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[LordRaptor]

So who has been waiting for NX to come out so they can play EA/Take2/Acti/Ubi's offerings? The answer is nobody - AAA publishers have laser-focused the console market around a limited demographic to the point where only 1 platform holder is having sustainable success, and the other is weighing up their very existence as a "console" platform.

Sure, I don't disagree; what I do disagree with is the implication inherent in the statement that its a platform owners 'job' to 'build an audience' for certain types of titles, because that implication is that those titles aren't very good in the first place and the only reason people buy them is due to conditioned marketing.

There might very well be an element of truth to that, I just find it difficult to believe that a good game marketed well cannot sell on specific platforms 'because demographics tho'

 

[RedSwirl]

If Nintendo just puts out hardware capable of running their high-end games, getting back Japanese 3rd parties will be the easiest part. Capcom, SEGA, and especially Square Enix are the most likely publishers to get back on board. They're already talking about Dragon Quest IX, and if the NX console did end up being at PS4 level or beyond, a Final Fantasy XV port would probably be within reach. The shared software library idea would likely get Japanese dedicated handheld games onto the console (through the handheld NX) as well.

Earlier I said Nintendo would need to get it's own western-oriented games on the platform to appeal more to the EA/Ubisoft/Take-Two customer. Perhaps Capcom could help with that, either through ports or at least one original game. Either way, Nintendo's entire strategy right now has hinged on first party killer apps. It would need a first party killer app directly appealing to the aforementioned market to start to turn things around in regards to relations with the biggest third party publishers.

And I'm not gonna say Nintendo will never again have a platform that can attract that market. Market dominance flips all the time in the console gaming world. All it takes is for one side to fuck up or one side to come up with the next big thing. Sony's in a position of strength right now because it's the only platform holder that didn't fuck up, both in terms of marketing to consumers and providing an environment agreeable to developers. Nintendo really just has to do the same thing. That might take a while, but I don't think it's impossible for Nintendo to get there at this point.

That said, we still have to consider that we know Nintendo is trying some "new concept" with NX. There's a good chance there will still be some new interface gimmick to be revealed. Nintendo hast to know however that a big new interface gimmick by itself isn't going to attract developers. Neither will first party hits alone and neither will powerful hardware alone.

 

[big black woman]

Nintendo is the best developer so I will buy the console they make games for...

 

[old manatee]

I've already written off 3rd party support, and modern Nintendo games are a mixed bag for me. The deciding factor on whether or not I get an NX will be a huge library of cheap, well emulated games from old Nintendo consoles, with cross-buy.

 

[Sakura]

I only buy Nintendo systems for the exclusives anyways, if third parties aren't putting their games on it, it won't make much of a difference to me.

 

[zoukka]

I only buy Nintendo systems for the exclusives anyways, if third parties aren't putting their games on it, it won't make much of a difference to me.

Third parties make exclusives.

 

[NOLA_Gaffer]

A lot of you are forgetting.

The Wii U launched in 2012 and it had almost all the major third parties on board.

There was FIFA, there was COD, there was Assassin's Creed, there was Tekken Tag, there was Skylanders, there was Warriors Orochi, there was a Batman Arkham game and there was Mass Effect.

Plus we had a few exclusives (Zombi U) and Nintendo's games.

These third parties left and generally never came back. The mindset with gamers and publishers is that Nintendo home consoles are a platform for Nintendo made games only. That mindset won't change with NX, no matter what Nintendo does or doesn't do.

I think a lot of publishers supported the Wii U early on just in case in managed another Wii-level success. Most of 'em got caught with their pants down when they banked on the HD Twins last generation for their software sales and then the Wii exploded out of the gate instead.

Once the Wii U proved that it wasn't going to be anywhere near that level of success, most of them bailed, with EA being the first to do so. (Their last game for the platform having released only five months after the console launched.)

 

[Kssio_Aug]

I have personal things to deal with, rather than buying something just to support a big corporation that doesn't need my humble support alone.

If they offer something I want, I may buy it. Otherwise, why should I??

However, I think they have a strong enough hardware that's not too complex to deal with, the 3rd party support comes naturally. And as others have said, Nintendo exclusives are what matters the most to me in their console

 

[Sakura]

Third parties make exclusives.

Yes. But in that case Nintendo is the one who is typically paying for them. In which case "winning over 3rd parties" is irrelevant.

 

[Maztorre]

Sure, I don't disagree; what I do disagree with is the implication inherent in the statement that its a platform owners 'job' to 'build an audience' for certain types of titles, because that implication is that those titles aren't very good in the first place and the only reason people buy them is due to conditioned marketing.

There might very well be an element of truth to that, I just find it difficult to believe that a good game marketed well cannot sell on specific platforms 'because demographics tho'

I agree with you, but my point is more that the customers Acti/Ubi/EA etc are catering towards now have massive inertia on Sony/MS/PC. We're at a point where your average enthusiast Steam user is most likely going to buy every multiplatform title on PC for the forseeable future for the obvious performance benefits, and is just never going to go back to purchasing non-exclusive titles on any console. Likewise, the "sunk cost" mentality is kicking in for XBL/PSN customers who are more likely to keep buying Assassin's Creed titles on their "main" platform rather than NX, now that they've spent a few hundred dollars on AC titles and season passes. This is exactly why both console platforms now gate content behind subscription paywalls, they're trying to make customers second-guess switching platforms every few years.

In any case, I'm not trying to paint Nintendo as somehow screwed by this, because they have other options in the industry that are friendlier to their business model than what AAA publishers are offering.

 

[perfectchaos007]

Considering I own 10 physical Wii U games, and 9 of them are Nintendo published, I'll buy Nintendo's console either way.

 

[Cuburt]

It's like asking, "would you buy an Xbox One if it was only multiplats and no exclusive content?"

Most people that want value or that want a well rounded console will say no, but people that are looking for that specific experience will get it anyways.

Nintendo is setting up NX to have there most consistent first party output, probably since before they put resources into handheld development. That could be a guarantee of content that is actually on par with 3rd party support (since that doesn't alway equal a constant flow of quality) and for people who love Nintendo games, that could be even more of a draw.

If that helps Nintendo win back 3rd parties, that is great, but regardless of all the excuses of power and controls and whatever else that devs site for not supporting Nintendo consoles, there will always be the old stand by that they can't compete with Nintendo games on a Nintendo console. If anyone believes that, even with a great selling powerful console that gets great software sales, some devs will refuse to work with them.

It's hard to imagine a scenario where Nintendo could ever have the same support as MS and Sony, even if they did everything "right".

In terms of a Nintendo supported console, this will have the best support yet. Nintendo fans should be in for a treat.

 

[AgeEighty]

As a nod for trying, no. As a means to play their first party games, yes.

But I really hope they attract the third party support this time, at least some of it. I'm sure not everyone will jump back on board right away, but if they made porting to the system as painless as has been reported, I do expect some third party support.

 

[papo]

I really don't the sentiment both behind supporting for nostalgia sake or not because it won't sell well.

The games will be there from Nintendo if the WiiU is anything to go by. It may be even better supported than that if rumors about development ease are true. So if the games came, the games I want and expect from them, then I am there day 1 as should any Nintendo fan. If they release their usual amount of game from the Mario, Smash, Kart, Metroid Zelda etc series then it will be totally worth it even if 3rd party is not there.

I totally don't get the whole "I'm not gonna buy it unless it sells well" comments I've seen from some of you here. Do you only care for something if it's popular? It's not like some new unproven developer it is Nintendo. And yeah even with all their troubles they have always put out solid entries into most of their franchises. So if it has to sell well so that word of mouth gets out there for it to sell well then it will never be successful.

What I am saying is buy it because it has the games you want. Not because of nostalgia, not because of 3rd party and not because it is selling well. $300 to get to play 10-15 Nintendo games over a 4-5 years period is totally worth it.

 

[Platinumstorm]

I find myself asking the opposite question of the other consoles. I know I'm going to buy a Nintendo console for high quality first party development. With the PS4, XBOX, I have to ask what are they going to do for me that PC can't, since the third party titles are on PC.

If you ask me, the console I'm most disappointed in, so far, is PS4.

 

[Intheflorsh]

I do (my current Wii U games).

None of the third party games on there are very current.

 

[Aces&Eights]

I've never received a free game from a company beside they wanted to stand with me as I went through some hard times financially. Goes both ways.

 

[AzaK]

The 'work' Steam put in was offering games for sale. That's it. That's as it should be.

Its up to third parties to build an audience.
Its up to third parties to not charge a high price for a port that is months late, or that is plagued with technical issues, or that skips DLC on that platform, or that skips a sequel to a game that sold well because Sony or MS bribe them.
Because they hurt their own sales now, and they hurt their consumer trust in future sales in the long term.
That's not "Oh, Steam user demographics, they only buy Valve games anyway, how can we compete?". That's "Oh shit, if we treat a customer base badly they don't buy our products no matter how much whitespace we replace with video advertising on IGN?"

Not really. It's not up to third parties to do shit.

They can sell their games on the current consoles like PS4 and XBO and make tonnes of money, knowing that those two consoles serve probably 99.9% of their potential market. Why go the whole hog on a console that's expensive, with shitty tech and a proven record of not having sales of third party games due to the platform holders policies and lack of concern about third parties over the last few decades?

 

[Mithos]

None of the third party games on there are very current.

Neither is the thirdparty support with that type of games.

 

[LordRaptor]

They can sell their games on the current consoles like PS4 and XBO and make tonnes of money, knowing that those two consoles serve probably 99.9% of their potential market.

I don't know why you made it 99.9%.

Only putting a title out on two consoles means those two consoles literally comprise 100% of their potential market.
Only putting a title out on one console makes that one console comprise literally 100% of their potential market.

 

[tanooki27]

I don't care about third party games on Nintendo devices. I understand how more third parties might help prop up the business, but as a player they mean jack shit to me.

 

[baddvision]

i'll consider buying the nx when they release metroid, but must likely i'll just borrow my friends nx