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[chadboban]

sure, will be interesting to see what 5+ years of irrelevance does to their brand. The Wii died well before the wiiu launched, and now they'll have to cling to a shitty product for 4-5 years because the handful of customers that bought one would get mad.

I love Nintendo, but they deserve this.

Seriously they do, I know I'm gonna love my Wii U but they just handled everything so badly, especially that damn name. They could've broken off from the Wii line entirely or could've at least called it the Wii 2, then maybe people wouldn't be so confused about what the Wii U actually is.

Also they should've asked third parties exactly what sort of hardware they wanted that would be able to run their engines for the next 5+ years but nope, it seems Nintendo only likes to make hardware only they can work with these days.

 

[Cygnus X-1]

Iwata will be leaving Nintendo by june 30, 2014.

Why June? The end of fiscal year is March you know.

 

[Cess007]

Why don't we have PS4 numbers? What the hell, Sony?

Yeah, i was wondering the same thing. Dunno what's going on on Sony that they didn't release the PS4 numbers? PSVita numbers are that bad that they rather not release any numbers whatsoever? :/

 

[Sneds]

I'm not so sure that's going to be a huge boost.

Me neither and then they'll be completely out of ideas.

It doesn't make me happy because I really do think Nintendo are a positive influence in the industry but I really worry about their short and long term future.

The Wii U cannot be salvaged and I don't know what they could do to get support for their next console. One thing's for sure - they would need third party support because it's clear that they can't carry a console with their own games.

 

[Jarmel]

Has Bayonetta even had a release date announced yet?

I feel kinda bad for Platinum as that's going to crater no matter when they release it.

 

[Manmademan]

So did the Vita make a big turn around in sales, with the PS4 remote play stuff or no?...

nah. it's basically dead in the US, and SCEA isn't trying to push it either.

I would look at japan for any signs of life there.

 

[marrec]

I'd love to see some new gen-only software sales broken down by title and platform

I'd like to see a breakdown of software per console per title.

People are complaining about the top ten with it's an aggregate of 6 different consoles. I want to see how Killzone on PS4 compared to COD on PS4.

 

[CCIE]

The Vita must have sold something awful... can't believe we don't have Sony's numbers yet. The 360 still is doing amazingly well, which means we will probably see more cross-gen stuff this next year.

What about the PS3?

 

[Ashodin]

You can laugh, but it would be the best course of action, Sony did it with the PS3 (obviously the PS3 wasn't nearly as bad as the Wii U's state) and look how the PS4 has turned out for them? I don't expect Nintendo to fix as many issues with the Wii U compared to the number of issues fixed from the PS3 to the PS4, but there should be a realization.

Anyways, you can wait as long as you want for this turnaround to good numbers is impossible. Something happening once is not setting a precedent. This is never true for anything. Only way the Wii U will start selling at GCN numbers is if the price is at $199.

Only the numbers for the PS4 is good.

I just have a hard time believing they won't do SOMETHING. I already got the gist of Nintendo's reaction to numbers during VGX when Reggie said they're looking towards Cranky Kong to sell some systems, and Kart and Smash later. Surely in the background something is going on, leadership wise.

 

[Gartooth]

Shitty top 10, and I wish 3ds would have been higher given the great software library and highly competitive price.

Wii U is fucked though, as an owner I guess I ended up with a 3 year console which is upsetting, but at least I got some good games out of it.

 

[ShadowkillXNA]

See my last post, he's just some fanboy who doesn't actually care about the numbers.

Wait, what ? Sure hes engaging in hyperbole, so what ? Is what he said factually wrong ?
And a big lol at not caring about the numbers. What numbers do you care about ? The ones Pennello/Maj Nelson/Microsoft pr is spinning out of of their asses like a spider weaving a web of denial and misinformation to catch as much good press and damage control as possible ?

 

[Nothing1016]

Nintendo has to create something that we don't know we want. It's how they have survived till now and it's led to their best selling devices: NES, DS, and Wii. They need to be like a gaming version of Apple which is easier said than done.

 

[Glorified G]

Funny how many automatically asnwered "Microsoft" in that thread about "Who is in worse shape, Nintendo ro Microsoft".

OR words to that effect.

This sucks though. Nintendo was going ot be the onyl manufacturer making a "traditional" console next gen. I wasn't interested in the Sony and Microsoft streaming boxes they'll be making.

How is Nintendo going to be making a traditional console next gen when there last two weren't? Wii U comes with pre loaded apps like netflix, amazon video, hulu plus. And the whole point of the Wii U is that it's a streaming box with using content on the gamepad, from gaming to movies.

 

[bananas]

Sony's been doing this for years with their consoles taking losses from their console sales.

Sony doesn't only make consoles, though. And usually you can sell hardware at a loss if you're making money back through selling software.

Nintendo isn't really selling much software. They're not selling a lot of Wii U's and they're selling them at a loss.

That's not good business.

 

[thezerofire]

Sony's been doing this for years with their consoles taking losses from their console sales.

Sony makes things other than videogames

 

[cafemomo]

This post about the Vita makes me laugh.

Why is that? The Vita now has a higher chance of success than the WiiU. Even if it turn out to be some glorified PS4 controller.

 

[Usobuko]

So did the Vita make a big turn around in sales, with the PS4 remote play stuff or no?...

Not yet. The last vital potential turn around is when Sony bundling it with the PS4. If that's fail, then there's nothing left for it to cling on.

 

[Ashodin]

Shitty top 10, and I wish 3ds would have been higher given the great software library and highly competitive price.

Wii U is fucked though, as an owner I guess I ended up with a 3 year console which is upsetting, but at least I got some good games out of it.

At least we'll get X out of it.

 

[Toki767]

Yeah, i was wondering the same thing. Dunno what's going on on Sony that they didn't release the PS4 numbers? PSVita numbers are that bad that they rather not release any numbers whatsoever? :/

They've never released NPD numbers before. In a way I respect them for not all of a sudden releasing numbers now that they're in the lead.

 

[marrec]

nah. it's basically dead in the US, and SCEA isn't trying to push it either.

I would look at japan for any signs of life there.

SCEJ is still trying very hard in Japan and it's getting some great 3rd party software support. Now if only Sony could supplement that with some more 1st party stuff. Vita still alive and kicking for sure in JP.

 

[zeopower6]

nah. it's basically dead in the US, and SCEA isn't trying to push it either.

I would look at japan for any signs of life there.

Japan is the only place that is constantly getting new software.

 

[theprodigy]

That is way too generous imo.



Super loaded first month?

the low, low projections of 750k/year in Japan and the US separately is far from impossible, seeing as they're both on track I think
of course, that might not even get it to 9 million by January 2016
hmm
LOL

 

[oatmeal]

Man, a lot of ninnies in here regarding Nintendo.

They aren't dead, you all have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[bidoof01]

I was gonna buy a Wii U but no longer now because it is inevitable when Nintendo will drop support in 1 or 2 years.

 

[B.O.O.M]

Why June? The end of fiscal year is March you know.

Needs time to pack those extra bananas

 

[ZealousD]

They should just re-brand and re-launch the console. Most people don't know what a wii u is anyways. Just call it the "Nintendo U" add new colors, lower price to $250 + a game(3D World) and relaunch it like new.

I don't know why people suggest a "relaunch".

That's not even polishing a turd. That's just taking a turd and calling it something else.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

There's Mario Kart although it's hard to be optimistic that it will change much.

It's a big title but it can't overcome this inertia. I don't think there's any existing Nintendo property that can now. Their best "hope" is a huge stroke of luck: a brand new, out-of-nowhere lightning-in-a-bottle phenomenon.

Basically, they need a new Pokemon.

 

[aly]

At least Sony is consistent with not releasing numbers :/

 

[Delio]

I thought price was the thing holding the 3DS back but it doesn't seem to be the case at all. ~200k increase over a bland 2012 November is a bad result with a floundering (at best) WiiU to also consider. Nintendo needs to rethink their entire strategy. Playing it safe with their key franchises and playing chance with a new hardware 'hook' is not a reliable strategy. Sooner or later they'll have to pay attention to what the competition out there is doing (Iwata do this or be booted).

But what exactly can they change with the next Handheld to make it fight head and head with the phones people seem content to play on? I know the standard response will be "more power" but I honestly dont think that's enough. They put out thier second wave of big guns and it didnt do anything. It's honestly frustrating.

 

[Manmademan]

I meant "worst" by whatever measure Manmademan was using.

strictly in terms of sales and hardware.

Every system, even the Jag has software people love. Tempest and Aliens get a few mentions now and then as actually decent games. Some people LIKE Mario Clash and Red Alarm. doesn't mean the VB wasn't a horrible console.

But losing 90% of your audience due to marketing and hardware fuckups and ending SUB dreamcast and saturn is definitely grounds for WOAT territory.

 

[ethomaz]

I miss creamsugar.

 

[RedSwirl]

That is about right basically, they will ride it out for the next 2 or 3 years just like how they rode out the N64 and Gamecube for an entire generation.

This is pretty much what I was going to say. It's Nintendo's only realistic option in the short term. Hopefully they can still keep the Wii U profitable which, along with the 3DS, should keep it in business or lose it very little money. Maybe hope a surprise killer app shows up in the next two years. Console killer apps in the past have appeared in their second or third years.

Right now, in this moment, my feeling is that come 2016 Nintendo is going to again try something drastically different and unexpected, hoping it'll create a new shift. That's just Nintendo's mentality, and they've already lost faith in the strategy of copying everyone else. The problem is balancing innovation and staying up to par with the competition. Even if Iwata's and other heads roll at Kyoto, what changes could actually be made given the economics of how Nintendo has survived these past 30 years compared to Sony's and Microsoft's business. A crucial difference Nintendo can never get past is the fact that it can't run a loss-leading video game business like Sony and Microsoft do.

 

[Jabba]

I guess you missed Sony's monthly spin in 2007 and the years after.

Yeah, there were alot of 'Playstation family' moments also iirc.

 

[Cygnus X-1]

I'm not talking about what we don't know about consoles in the future. I'm talking about what we DO know. And what we do know is that despite rolling out major, major guns, the 3DS had a very weak performance after an utterly stellar year of software.

If you look at that and go, "Oh, yes, not worried!" then you are more calm headed than I am. Sirens should be going off at Nintendo. This is the time they need to start planning for the next platform that will probably determine whether or not they remain relevant in the west and that is not an exaggeration.

Definitely. Definitely.

The point is actually simple conceptually. They need to stop copying Apple and Samsung and go their own way, like with the Wii.

For the handhelds, I think this is maybe a good time to think bringing back the GameBoy brand.

 

[Magicpaint]

Aren't Pokemon numbers pretty low? Or is that how they normally are? I've never been interested in the franchise so I haven't followed sales much, but with how much of a juggernaut people make it out to be, I imagined that they would be much higher.

They kinda are but Pokemon games are very leggy so I wouldn't worry about it just yet.

But what exactly can they change with the next Handheld to make it fight head and head with the phones people seem content to play on? I know the standard response will be "more power" but I honestly dont think that's enough. They put out thier second wave of big guns and it didnt do anything. It's honestly frustrating.

I honestly don't know either. It's not a fair competition since it's not a direct one and one they can't possibly hope to truly overcome. I guess the best thing would be to not completely stumble out the gates next time, so price friendly hardware from the start and a push for more western third party support; one thing hurting the 3DS compared to GBA/DS apart from its high ceiling asking price for software is the lack of third party support -- Nintendo is the only one carrying the thing. Even the giant publishers that supplied kid friendly shovelware and licensed titles en masse are largely missing now. As far as moving forward, it's their console business that's more in peril. 3DS wouldn't look so bad if the WiiU wasn't so pathetic.

 

[Liha]

Vita has already topped 10 million hasn't it? Like really recently.

6,3 Millionen are not 10 million

Crappy fighting game, boring rehash, yearly sports game, 900p QTE fest, shooting game, mascot game, another shooting game and one decent (money hat) game.

A lot of people didn't buy the console for the lineup. Hell it's been 8 years since last gen's launch.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Nothing annoys me more when people bring up the Gamecube when it is suggested Nintendo release a powerful console.

Were people not there at the time? Perception is key! The fact is that since the n64 Nintendo systems have been gimped in a major way one way or the other. They have not released a system that in eyes of the media/core players is equal or better than their counterparts. This along with the shitty 3d party relations, and Marketing are the reason they are failing.


n64 - Carts
GC - No DVD when DVD were the hot shit, Purple, Handle
Wii - No HD, Shitty Online, Weak
Wii U - Weak, Shitty online

 

[ZeroX03]

So much spite in this thread. Anger/laughing/finger pointing doesn't achieve anything.

We should wish for the best for Wii U and Vita, despite their sales shortcomings. A healthy industry is better for all of us. Congrats to PS4 and XB1. And ACIV, for being a damn good game at third place.

 

[Sneds]

Nintendo has to create something that we don't know we want. It's how they have survived till now and it's led to their best selling devices: NES, DS, and Wii. They need to be like a gaming version of Apple which is easier said than done.

I agree.

I really hope that they can pull if off. Th really didn't do a good job of keeping up the momentum they got from the Wii.

 

[CCIE]

Nintendo is in big trouble... the 3DS didn't even do well. As a Nintendo fan growing up, this saddens me. However, maybe their next console won't resemble a Fisher Price toy, and have some "oomph" as far as specs are concerned.

Or Nintendo will just go third party. Both of those results are good ones for gaming

 

[HoJu]

making this The Year of Luigi was Nintendo's fatal mistake, I think.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

i wonder if iwata's game of projections chicken will go on as we get closer to march

 

[Sanjuro]

Dreamcast is from a different generation, which is a bit harder to compare directly to this one.

The biggest takeaway here is that Nintendo has blown their load for the Wii U. Unless they can introduce a new powerhouse hardware with a popular first party franchise that can spill into the casual market, and launch with an exclusive GTA or CoD, things look pretty dire for their NA console market.

 

[LetoAtreides82]

Your chalkboard is missing Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and X. Not that it matters, nothing is saving that trainwreck of a console.

 

[markom58]

Did the 360 surpass Wii in LTD in NA?

 

[Nirolak]

That's a scary fucking picture. I like some of those games and it still scares me shitless in terms of where we're heading...

Honestly they could have went to 2011 and 2010 and not seen that much difference either.

 

[Pain]

So did the Vita make a big turn around in sales, with the PS4 remote play stuff or no?...

Of course not and you're a fool if you thought that would turn things around.
You know what Vita needs? Games. Games that I can't get better versions of on console.

 

[Guevara]

We need a chart to evaluate how quickly the dedicated handheld market is shrinking.

> The PSP reached 80M, the Vita is around 10M (?) apparently well under 10M

> The DS reached more than 150M, the 3DS is at 34M and might get to 70M

Seems like it's shrinking really fast, albeit mostly on the Sony side.

 

[Sakura]

That is way too generous imo.

How so? They've already sold to consumers about at least 1.5 million this year between Japan and US.

 

[gregor7777]

I guess you missed Sony's monthly spin in 2007 and the years after.

Exactly. This is what these companies do. Sony is the grandmaster of silly spin.