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[alr1ght]

The only shocking thing about Nintendo these days is Iwata still having a job.

 

[Mysterious]

Hopefully soon.

Scratch that. In reality. I don't want anyone to fired. Even Iwata.

I was talking about the investor presentation, that will inevitably have lots of "thank you for understanding" where he bows, repeatedly.

 

[Randolph Freelander]

If their attach rate is so high, why not sell the existing stock at cost?

What, and raise the price?

 

[Stone Ocean]

Hopefully soon.

Scratch that. In reality. I don't want anyone to fired. Even Iwata.

Do people actually want Iwata fired? lol

I mean, I agree that he should step down, but I don't mean step down from the company completely, just from the helm.

 

[slit]

I hope they have a major strategy change soon, they have to know what they're doing is not working. I don't want Ninty to go down like this.

 

[Sid]

None, but the expectation is that if said console had similar specs and architecture to the others, it would get multiplats by default because publishers would port their game to toasters if they could.

Even then I don't think a significant portion of that crowd would buy a 3rd party game on a Nintendo system over their preferred platform.

 

[MikeE21286]

Do people actually want Iwata fired? lol

I mean, I agree that he should step down, but I don't mean step down from the company completely, just from the helm.

Once you're that high in a company you don't get demoted and stay around.

It's out completely or nothing.

 

[dreamer3kx]

Wii U, what a stupid stupid name, who thought of that one?

 

[EatinOlives]

Can't believe how much they turned things around for 3DS, but somehow can't do it for WiiU.
PS4/Xbone sales show there's hunger for new hardware and 3DS sales show there's life in the Nintendo brand. I just don't get it.

It's Nintendo's bizarre assumption that it can continue its slow drip feed of safe franchise installments, Mario Kart and Smash Bros, and expect that to make a difference. Neither game will significantly move the needle in the long term.

Nintendo isn't doing anything to turn the collective heads of the industry with sequels like that. They need to bring back exciting installments of series that haven't been seen in years. They need a new F-Zero that's a visual showstopper, a new StarFox that greatly expands on the classic arcade goodness, a new re-imagining of 3D Metroid, a soft reboot (gameplay-wise I mean) of Zelda, and a myriad of new IPs that are quirky and take as much advantage of the WiiU's hardware as possible. Pikmin 3 was a step in the right direction, but Nintendo failed to capitalize on that momentum. They also need something like Tomodachi Life on the WiiU. Not a port, mind you, but something equally as creative and as attention grabbing.

Mario Kart and Smash won't be games that "save" the platform. Nintendo needs to wake up and start being aggressive with their software. They're being frustratingly sluggish in kicking their software development into high gear. They're sitting on mountains of IPs and ideas that can turn heads and charge the console with new buzz and instead the best thing they can do is continue hyping Mario Kart and Smash for years?

 

[block tower]

Nintendo isn't Doomed, there's just no obvious way to reverse the decline. The wiiu is in terrible shape, but their handheld sector long term is in worse shape.

The 3DS is not selling like the DS, and is operating in a market where there is no real competition from Sony. The vita may as well not exist at ALL in the west.

Smartphones are just killing that market, and the decline is clear and irreversible. Smartphones are viewed as a necessity and will only get cheaper and more powerful. There is no strategy or game Nintendo can make to reverse that. Dedicated handhelds are dead men walking, the only question is time.

this. smartphones/tablets in five years will be a massive leap from what is out now. gaming on smartphones/tablets can only get better. Nintendo has to then compete with a dedicated handheld in a market were everyone owns a smartphone/tablet that'll easily be able to play games that are similar to what the Vita can offer in quality now. any big publisher could put out a hardcore or casual game capable of delivering almost console quality experiences, smartphones/tablets all the while still being a phone with apps, and other features. how does Nintendo compete?

-releasing a smartphone? sounds costly and unfruitful. i don't know any adult that would be a "Nintendo phone" compared to whats already on the established market, not to mention the amount of money competing with cell phone service providers would cost.

-releasing a high end dedicated handheld? not unless dedicated handheld gaming becomes really niche. it still has to be affordable, expensive handhelds that do nothing but game don't offer much in value compared to consoles, PC's, or tablet/smartphone gaming.

-the kids market? in five years time kids and tablet/smartphone gaming will be even more prevalent than it is now, which is saying a lot because it's already extremely mainstream. also kids are playing run-away-success type of games, which can't just be manufactured with any proven formula, so it's a constant guess as to what will become the next Angry Birds or Minecraft, either way the tablet/smartphone ecosystem seems to be getting more complex with online gaming and features, so i only think kids will become that much more invested into whatever smartphones/tablets have to offer.

And this. Handheld's market will be dead soon enough and there's no way Nintendo can compete with Apple, Samsung and all the others in the smartphone hardware business.

I never thought I would say this one day, but I think it's time (in some years) for Nintendo to move on the smartphone market by releasing their IPs on Apple Store/Google Play. Most of the games are utter shit right now anyways, so it would be good timing to lead with quality there. They could release some gaming devices too.

And Wii U never had a direction or a specific audience. I'm not even sure Nintendo really know what they're doing.

Nintendo's best bet in my opinion is transforming themselves into the Japanese Disney. make animated or live action films based on established Nintendo IP's and hire talented writers and directors to make the films a success. (ala Marvel as a recent example of how to manage a portfolio of characters.) then after a decade or so build a theme park in either Japan or the US and reap the rewards. video gaming for Nintendo is inevitably not going to work out, the console space is just not something Nintendo is going to figure out any time soon, and the handheld market is going to evaporate soon due the mobile market become more complex and versatile. so Nintendo will be left out of both the console and handheld/mobile or do terribly in both.

Nintendo would be very wise to start the process of capitalizing on its rich portfolio of characters and IP's while Nintendo is still relevant in pop culture. Movies, TV shows, and Comics would all be a great way to explore their portfolio, becoming a third party developer/publisher in gaming would also do them better if they start to be phased out of console and the handheld market in the near future.

 

[Stone Ocean]

Even then I don't think a significant portion of that crowd would buy a 3rd party game on a Nintendo system over their preferred platform.

The idea would be the people that have a Nintendo system as their preferred platform to buy them, I guess.

Once you're that high in a company you don't get demoted and stay around.

It's out completely or nothing.

Can't they make a "compulsory retirement" or some shit?

 

[cyberheater]

It was their hope that they would view gaming as an alternative to tv, reading, etc. Some probably did, but they are still playing the Wii .

They certainly didn't wait outside stores waiting for WiiU to be released.

 

[zruben]

I love when Nintendo reveals their financial results.

 

[Squalor]

Last gen hardware got them record sales with the Wii.

They weren't going to fool people two systems in a row.

 

[Yamauchi]

Brutal. The Segafication of Nintendo.

Wonder where they'll go next? Tablets and kids' software? Surely Iwata is not foolish enough to blow through all of Nintendo's warchest while pursuing this tired, dying business model. Course he did say he would resign if Nintendo didn't make 100B yen in profit this year...

 

[MikeE21286]

Can't they make a "compulsory retirement" or some shit?

If I'm understanding what you're meaning, kinda like a window seat/job? Sort of like what happened to Kutaragi at Sony?

Yeah they seemingly could do that

 

[Interceptor]

Do people actually want Iwata fired? lol

I mean, I agree that he should step down, but I don't mean step down from the company completely, just from the helm.

People in here wish him to commit suicide. Seriously.

 

[DrROBschiz]

Brutal. The Segafication of Nintendo.

Wonder where they'll go next? Tablets and kids' software? Surely Iwata is not foolish enough to blow through all of Nintendo's warchest while pursuing this tired, dying business model. Course he did say he would resign if Nintendo didn't make 100B yen in profit this year...

I would Much rather them go third party then Mobile

Cant imagine not having them make big budget franchise games anymore

 

[Hugstable]

It's Nintendo's bizarre assumption that it can continue its slow drip feed of safe franchise installments, Mario Kart and Smash Bros, and expect that to make a difference. Neither game will significantly move the needle in the long term.

The Slow drip feed of VC titles I understand, but do you really expect them to pump out games faster? It takes time for games to be made and to come out free of bugs and glitches. The 3rd parties aren't there so you see alot of holes in how often games come out on the Wii U, but Nintendo themselves has been releasing quite a bit of games on both the Wii U and 3DS themselves. If they just worked on games and rushed them out without taking the time they do, then games would all turn out like the mess that was Battlefield 4 in the beginning.

 

[Stone Ocean]

If I'm understanding what you're meaning, kinda like a window seat/job? Sort of like what happened to Kutaragi at Sony?

Yeah they seemingly could do that

Yeah, that's the idea. Change the leadership but no need to boot people, specially since he had a few successes under his belt

 

[AniHawk]

Brutal. The Segafication of Nintendo.

Wonder where they'll go next? Tablets and kids' software? Surely Iwata is not foolish enough to blow through all of Nintendo's warchest while pursuing this tired, dying business model. Course he did say he would resign if Nintendo didn't make 100B yen in profit this year...

i am guessing another handheld and console, plus some sort of expansion into the fitness industry.

these are just guesses though.

 

[Dictator93]

Nintendo's swan song is not too great... just sounds like money being flushed down the toilet.

 

[Mysterious]

People in here wish him to commit suicide. Seriously.

Please find an example in this thread.

 

[ec0ec0]

I love when Nintendo reveals their financial results.

sarcasm!? if not, why??

 

[Yamauchi]

I would Much rather them go third party then Mobile

Cant imagine not having them make big budget franchise games anymore

The problem with going 3rd party is that it limits them to an industry that is already stagnant. The growth potential for the home console market is not impressive, and it seems to be very quickly dying in Japan, which is the market Nintendo focuses on.

i am guessing another handheld and console, plus some sort of expansion into the fitness industry.

these are just guesses though.

Could be, though I'd say it wouldn't be the wisest move given that Konami has already beaten them on the fitness front.

 

[Interceptor]

i am guessing another handheld and console, plus some sort of expansion into the fitness industry.

these are just guesses though.

Thats almost 100% confirmed to happen. Stated by Iwata himself this year. Fitness is just a start though, future endevours into education etc are planned as well. All still gaming related / gaming supported. Iwata wants to build up synergies and spread the portfolio, not cut it down.

 

[Aquamarine]

I hope they have a major strategy change soon, they have to know what they're doing is not working. I don't want Ninty to go down like this.

Already announced. It's called QoL.

With the very low sales guidance, it's clear Nintendo has little faith in the Wii U. That's not an area of significant growth for the company.

Nintendo is just riding it out at this point.

 

[Trey]

Even though it's killing them financially, I'm loving what they're doing. The Wii U and especially the 3DS have been great purchases for me.

 

[Guevara]

Brutal. The Segafication of Nintendo.

Wonder where they'll go next? Tablets and kids' software? Surely Iwata is not foolish enough to blow through all of Nintendo's warchest while pursuing this tired, dying business model. Course he did say he would resign if Nintendo didn't make 100B yen in profit this year...

Unless Iwata is removed I just about guarantee Nintendo will try to release another home console. They just don't get it and they'll spend the next few years chasing the Wii success.

 

[inky]

What I really don't understand is how the Wii U is still $450 where I live. Fucking console is over and they still can't have it at a fair price.

 

[Interceptor]

Please find an example in this thread.

Oh you can find them yourself, it´s not that hard. I have seen several "kill himself" or "let´s hope tomorrow (the briefing) is the day Iwata falls in his own sword" etc etc.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Thats almost 100% confirmed to happen. Stated by Iwata himself this year. Fitness is just a start though, future endevours into education etc are planned as well.

Oh Iwata will be familiar with future endeavors soon enough.

 

[Phoenician_Viking]

The other part I don't understand is why they have been staffing up over the last few years but their output has decreased. They must really be struggling with HD development given that they have added around 1,000 people over the last 5 years and the games are still somewhere in the ether.

They should have opened a western games studios and hired those 1000 people.

 

[EatinOlives]

The Slow drip feed of VC titles I understand, but do you really expect them to pump out games faster? It takes time for games to be made and to come out free of bugs and glitches. The 3rd parties aren't there so you see alot of holes in how often games come out on the Wii U, but Nintendo themselves has been releasing quite a bit of games on both the Wii U and 3DS themselves. If they just worked on games and rushed them out without taking the time they do, then games would all turn out like the mess that was Battlefield 4 in the beginning.

They did very little at all with the Wii on the second half of its life. This first wave of new software is taking too long because they did both jack and squat to actually get comfortable with HD development, and now they're suffering a massive drought in software because they're just now doing what they should have done 5 years ago.

At this point we'll still get this drip feed, I'm sure. I don't know when they'll hit their stride and start offering a solid second wave of new titles at a much faster pace, but I guarantee they'll be spending this year's E3 stalling their Direct conference with more X news, more Smash news, more Pokemon News. If I see a solid revival of a dead series or a new, creative IP this year I'll be genuinely surprised and will gladly admit I was wrong.

 

[Mysterious]

Oh you can find them yourself, it´s not that hard. I have seen several "kill himself" or "let´s hope tomorrow (the briefing) is the day Iwata falls in his own sword" etc etc.

If you are making the claim, you must find the evidence to support your claim.

 

[Squalor]

sarcasm!? if not, why??

He likes the hilariously terrible news.

He likes reading the comments when people react to the hilariously terrible news.

It's one or both.

 

[slit]

Already announced. It's called QoL.

With the very low sales guidance, it's clear Nintendo has little faith in the Wii U. That's not an area of significant growth for the company.

Nintendo is just riding it out at this point.

I know about QoL but at this point those plans are pretty vague, at least publicly and anyway I meant from a more traditonal gaming perspective. I believe they are branching out but not abdoning their core business.

 

[SmokyDave]

Oh you can find them yourself, it´s not that hard. I have seen several "kill himself" or "let´s hope tomorrow (the briefing) is the day Iwata falls in his own sword" etc etc.

No, you haven't. Are you beta-testing some Nintendo Persecution Goggles or something?

 

[AniHawk]

Could be, though I'd say it wouldn't be the wisest move given that Konami has already beaten them on the fitness front.

that doesn't make sense.

 

[Aquamarine]

I know about QoL but at this point that plans are pretty vague, at least publicly and anyway I meant from their the more traditonal gaming perspective. I believe they are branching out but not abdoning their core business.

You said "I hope they have a major strategy change soon, they have to know what they're doing is not working."

QoL IS the major strategy change. Nintendo is going to be pursuing the same strategy with handhelds because the 3DS is at least moderately successful.

Who knows where Nintendo is going with a next console...if they're even planning on releasing another home console after the Wii U disaster.

 

[Stone Ocean]

Oh you can find them yourself, it´s not that hard. I have seen several "kill himself" or "let´s hope tomorrow (the briefing) is the day Iwata falls in his own sword" etc etc.

You do realize that's a figure of speech, right?

 

[AstroNut325]

No, you haven't. Are you beta-testing some Nintendo Persecution Goggles or something?

LOL... I will have to remember this one!

Edit:
Wait... is that QOL?

 

[Opiate]

It was great idea of Nintendo to appeal directly to the most unloyal demography on the planet. Good going Nintendo.

It's not like those consumers are especially or particularly disloyal -- this is just the nature of emerging markets. Think of the early days of "traditional" or "hardcore" gaming: empires rose and fell rapidly (Colecovision, Intellivision, SNK, and of course Atari. Did you know Sears made a console back in the day too?) but as markets solidify and consolidate you get increased brand loyalty and stability. There isn't any reason to think the casual market will be different, we just don't know who the long term winners will be yet. Obviously, Nintendo is not one of those long term winners.

 

[Graphics Horse]

Brutal. The Segafication of Nintendo.

Wonder where they'll go next? Tablets and kids' software? Surely Iwata is not foolish enough to blow through all of Nintendo's warchest while pursuing this tired, dying business model. Course he did say he would resign if Nintendo didn't make 100B yen in profit this year...

I don't recall him saying he'd resign.

Spoiler

I recall him saying he didn't recall saying he'd resign.
He did emphasise that he was ' commited' to make the 100bn yen, which sounds like something was at stake. Maybe now he has to shave his head.

 

[Mengy]

People in here wish him to commit suicide. Seriously.

No one has wished for that, not once in this entire thread. Stop being so morbidly dramatic.

 

[slit]

You said "I hope they have a major strategy change soon, they have to know what they're doing is not working."
QoL IS the major strategy change. Nintendo is going to be pursuing the same strategy with handhelds because the 3DS is at least moderately successful.

Who knows where Nintendo is going with a next console...if they're even planning on releasing another home console after the Wii U disaster.

Ok, I'm saying I mispoke. I just wasn't really talking about QoL. I hope they are not done with consoles though, or at least are going the hybrid route.

 

[Snaku]

Already announced. It's called QoL.

And it'll be their last pathetic gasp for life, just like THQ's uDraw.

 

[Interceptor]

No, you haven't. Are you beta-testing some Nintendo Persecution Goggles or something?

Those would be wearable. Iwata doesn´t like wearables. Thats why you rarely see pictures from insides Nintendo buildings.

 

[theprodigy]

No, you haven't. Are you beta-testing some Nintendo Persecution Goggles or something?

beta-testing? the final release was out a long time ago

 

[jetjevons]

Roll out the Nintendo gamephone already!