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[CurseoftheGods]

I don't think of the Wii U as a failure. In fact, it's my favourite of the current gen systems. However, there's no denying that it's not nearly as successful as Nintendo's previous consoles.

I think doing these things might help their next system:

-ditch gimmicks, focus on traditional controls
-make similar hardware to the competition for more 3rd party support akin to the GameCube
-more online features, the stuff on Wii U was a great start

I think Nintendo trapped themselves in a niche where only the hardcore gamers will buy their home consoles. It might be profitable, but I don't see why Nintendo shouldn't be a little more aggressive in the console market.

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

Spend an unreasonable amount of money that they would never earn back on marketing and securing exclusives titles and support.

There are a lot of minds that would need to change and Nintendo alone isn't capable of doing so. So they need to spend to get those that can. But they won't.

 

[Squall5042]

A 'me too' approach would be a disaster in my opinion. Be creative, be fresh, pump out those first party gems.

 

[Canis lupus]

Go hardcore
Release a powerful console, advertise it as such, get same architecture as the others, make some exclusivity dlc deal with a few big 3rd party games
Ditch gimmicks, Pro controller only

 

[Mobile Suit Gooch]

Getting third parties on board this time.

 

[TheMoon]

Say the right things that early adopters want to hear. Make a big, confident marketing splash. Win.

 

[KingSnake]

They can't!

Unless they get Google or Apple to finance them.

 

[Fox_Mulder]

more Amiibo

 

[Linkstrikesback]

-ditch gimmicks, focus on traditional controls
-make similar hardware to the competition for more 3rd party support akin to the GameCube
-more online features, the stuff on Wii U was a great start

Nintendo really does need to make a console that can significantly compete with whatever Sony/MS have out, so that they can get 3rd party ports. That much a can agree with.

But a traditional controller/ no gimmick nintendo console will be dead on arrival. There isn't room for 3 traditional controller consoles+PC to be successful, that much should be obvious by now.

 

[ProvenDeadly]

Not be a 300$ exclusive machine.

 

[shadyspace]

Go hardcore

They're doing that right now.

 

[piggychan]

They killed the wii too early and I think that has hurt their sales for wii U. Even with MS xbox one and Sony's PS4 currently in stores. When I visit any game stores here in the UK I can clearly see there still spaces for ps3 and x360 games, consoles and accessories.

 

[Balb]

Getting third parties on board this time.

Western ones, specifically. They keep banking on random 2nd tier Japanese third party publishers like Koei-Tecmo but they need full Western support if they want to be a strong international force. For example, there's absolutely no reason why their next console shouldn't get the latest GTA games.

 

[The Sarcastic Dude]

Make a console with comparable specs to the competition with no stupid drawbacks.

 

[samn]

They killed the wii too early. Even with MS xbox one and Sony's PS4 currently in stores. When I visit any game stores here in the UK I can clearly see there still spaces for ps3 and x360 games, consoles and accessories.

I think they killed it too late. They should have let it go out on a high and moved smoothly over to a Wii HD in 2010 just as the fad was fading and they still had some brand power with the Wii name.

 

[Kathian]

Something more in line with One/4 might manage Gamecube numbers but I don't see it as clear cut as some say. Certainly I don't think if their system did everything the PS4 did they would suddenly sell systems.

Sometimes you have a USP; Nintendo have that - its actually for them to make that USP a bigger strength that helps them. Online in Nintendo games is really helping them stay fresh and provide good quality.

They need to do what their good at to really get back to even N64 numbers; Nintendo has not had that many massive home console successes.

Make a console with comparable specs to the competition with no stupid drawbacks.

It won't work and then people will make up drawbacks to fit their argument.

 

[jkanownik]

Steam integration/online network, standard 3rd party controller support and PC cross play.

 

[Banjotanooki]

Getting third parties on board this time.

That will not make a difference. At this point, consumers will end up picking Sony and Microsoft for their third party fix.

Honestly, all I want are unique games from them and a unified account.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

Nintendo really does need to make a console that can significantly compete with whatever Sony/MS have out, so that they can get 3rd party ports. That much a can agree with.

But a traditional controller/ no gimmick nintendo console will be dead on arrival. There isn't room for 3 traditional controller consoles+PC to be successful, that much should be obvious by now.

I'm not convinced this is true. I didn't buy either the Wii or the Wii U because the controllers looked particularly enticing, and even if this was true with respect to the Wii for many consumers, I don't think it has been for the Wii U. People largely buy Nintendo consoles because Nintendo consoles are the only way to access Nintendo games, which are amongst the best in the market. A Nintendo console with a more traditional controller that directly competed from a graphical perspective with the relevant Sony and Microsoft consoles with the necessary advertising would probably do quite well - it can get all the third parties, so the choice of which console to purchase would largely devolve down to issues such as exclusives, UI, percevied 'cool factor', and so on. Nintendo, at the very least, can corner exclusives in that respect.

 

[rdaneel72]

-ditch gimmicks, focus on traditional controls
-make similar hardware to the competition for more 3rd party support akin to the GameCube
-more online features, the stuff on Wii U was a great start.

?!?!?!?

Even if Nintendo's next console is identical, spec-wise, to the PS5, with the same exact controller and a comparable online infrastructure, 3rd parties will not support it, because Nintendo fans only buy Nintendo games!!!

 

[Lombax]

Stop making fans in North America feel like they are not important, get supply chain issues worked out and get a handle on how online gaming works.

 

[Synless]

Buy Sony.

 

[braves01]

Partner with Steam, release games on PC and also make a Nintendo steambox for retail.

 

[Jotamide]

• Fully-fledged account system
• No region-locking
• Easy to develop/port to
• Third party support, even if it takes money hats
• Overhaul the Virtual Console, get more publishers on board
• MARKETING

 

[Kozak]

I think they should still pursue the Tablet thing.

 

[Kathian]

Steam integration/online network, standard 3rd party controller support and PC cross play.

People will likely ignore this but fall all the talk of tablets and phones, PC is an area Nintendo can do well in without giving share of earnings to the publisher.

It would be completely alien to them though but I don't think its an insane way to reach a wider audience - then sell their consoles as more complete packages which they optimise their games for. Fits nicely with making games work across handhelds and consoles.

Quick Edit: This is not partnering with Steam btw, people are too quick to just shout 'STEAM' for not actual reason, Nintendo are strong enough a brand to go it alone (and maybe with a strong PC partner, i.e. SEGA) and Steam has a poor enough service for someone to compete with them.

 

[Canis lupus]

Buy Sony.

Sony is worth more than Nintendo.

They killed the wii too early

They didn't kill it, the WIi phenomenon just stopped.

 

[mrhej]

Sell a rare amiibo with every console.

Scalpers then buy all the consoles.

 

[amnesiac]

They need to make people think Nintendo is 'cool' again... Don't know if they can do that.

 

[Frecklestein]

Stop doing limited releases. Sales deeper than just $10 off five years after release for most of your games.

 

[Biker19]

Great ideas.

And also, make their next console region free. Region locking is so 80's-90's.

 

[Illucio]

• Fully-fledged account system
• No region-locking
• Easy to develop/port to
• Third party support, even if it takes money hats
• Overhaul the Virtual Console, get more publishers on board
• MARKETING

Let me fix and add something to that list...

GOOD MARKETING
And to fire whoever came up with Wii U, 3DS, and New 3DS's names.

 

[Producer]

give it a nice name.

Have a really good launch or pack in title

 

[Duxxy3]

More standardized equipment.

Standard controller (not some weird device that developers hate)
1080p (this will be the standard next generation, again)
Equal power
Hard drive
Upgraded network (this is the biggest challenge)

Basically make an SNES 2 - the last Nintendo console that got wide third party support, and was considered the standard. Since then it's been weird console after weird console.

 

[LegalEagleMike]

similar hardware capabilities as competition. Low price point. Lower 3rd party royalties. Lots of marketing.

None of this will happen.

 

[VariantX]

Just do what is considered to be a standard first then, and only then, build any differences and innovations off of that standard. That means the things every other console does, Nintendos machine should do. Also remove the barrier between players and their accounts and allow them to manage their own purchases. People should not have to call a third party to ask them permission to transfer their own purchases to another piece of hardware.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

They need to do something outside the box. They nailed it with Wii. They failed miserably with Wii U. They need some kind of unique "hook". It doesn't have to be a hardware gimmick like the Wii-motes were, but they need something that allows them to stand out. Trying to chase what Sony and MS are doing will only lead them to further ruin. This idea that all they have to do is make a console that's as powerful as PS4 and it will magically have tons of third party support and win "core" gamers over is pure fantasy.

 

[KingSnake]

?!?!?!?

Even if Nintendo's next console is identical, spec-wise, to the PS5, with the same exact controller and a comparable online infrastructure, 3rd parties will not support it, because Nintendo fans only buy Nintendo games!!!

Pretty much. Hell, Nintendo fans are only buying Mario games and the rest of the 1st party games struggle somehow. That's why Nintendo needed to invent Amiibo in fact.

Unless Nintendo will invest a ton of money (which they don't have) into bringing 3rd party games on it, the next console will launch with "safe" 3rd party game (like Lego) because no one sane will green light ports for it under current known situation.

 

[Sephiroth_GR_]

Go hardcore
Release a powerful console, advertise it as such, get same architecture as the others, make some exclusivity dlc deal with a few big 3rd party games
Ditch gimmicks, Pro controller only

Getting third parties on board this time.

Steam integration/online network, standard 3rd party controller support and PC cross play.

Buy Sony.

Partner with Steam, release games on PC and also make a Nintendo steambox for retail.

I think they should still pursue the Tablet thing.

Oh man..some of the responses here...

 

[thewhitehawk]

They need similar hardware, competitive pricing third-parties onboard and killer launch titles. Something great that will drive units like a Mario Kart or Smash Bros to drive early install units much faster.

 

[Cipherr]

Getting third parties on board this time.

Offering me a ticket to a cruise I'm not interested in attending in the first place isn't going to do you any good. Third parties are not interested in releasing games on Nintendo consoles IMO. Whether or not the stigma surrounding 3rd party potential on Nintendo hardware is true or not, the publishers themselves believe it.... so theres nothing to be done there.

They can release an equally powerful console with a pro controller all they want; we would still see PS5 and XBT ports with missing Nintendo versions.

 

[flatearthpandas]

Spend an unreasonable amount of money that they would never earn back on marketing and securing exclusives titles and support.

Basically.

Nintendo will need to spend the war chest and put themselves out of business to match Sony and Microsoft's tactics. The industry darlings have both lost their companies billions of dollars. The plus side is that they will likely go out with a bang.

I think Nintendo needs to just find themselves a comfortable, profitable niche and continue making games for the people that enjoy them without worrying about the hardcore crowd. They can't afford to loss-lead hardware unless QOL can be their Sony Insurance or Microsoft Windows.

 

[RisesRises]

They need another gimmick to reach a 80M or more figure. Something that will appeal to casual and young.
If they can achieve a WII 2, third party will come back with massive casual games.

They can't attract the COD/FIFA players (most of them), so it would be suicide to throw money here.

 

[BLACK AMERICAN PSYCHO]

?!?!?!?

Even if Nintendo's next console is identical, spec-wise, to the PS5, with the same exact controller and a comparable online infrastructure, 3rd parties will not support it, because Nintendo fans only buy Nintendo games!!!

Which is why the console wouldn't be targeted at Nintendo fans, it would be targeted a xb/ps4 fans.

 

[ArkhamFantasy]

Third party support isnt happening.

 

[EndlessFloydian]

Ditch the Wii branding. Offer motion controllers & Gamepads as optional accessories, and pack the main units with Pro Controllers. x86 architecture. Better VC service.

 

[Woffls]

The bulk of the core market simply doesn't identify with the Nintendo brand, and no amount of pandering to 3rd parties and targeting competitor hardware is going to change that.

Nintendo gaining market share isn't about just the console, or just the software - it's about both and it always has been. It's the ideas that drive their market share, not giving people yet another way of playing GTA.

Also, there isn't a magic "get 3rd parties on board" switch. 3rd parties are interested in selling games, and that's driven by a lot of variables. The platform's capabilities are irrelevant if the publisher doesn't think they'll get a return on investment.

 

[KingSnake]

Which is why the console wouldn't be targeted at Nintendo fans, it would be targeted a xb/ps4 fans.

Why would the XB/PS fans buy a Nintendo console?

 

[Roo]

Nintendo really does need to make a console that can significantly compete with whatever Sony/MS have out, so that they can get 3rd party ports. That much a can agree with.

I keep reading this but I don't understand what makes people think a "me too" console from Nintendo would magically bring third party support back.
Yes, games would be easier to create/port but it doesn't mean developing a third (or 4th if you count PC) version of a game makes sense from a financial point of view, especially with a Nintendo console

Sadly, most developers are perfectly fine working the way they have been doing it so far without adding Nintendo to the equation and I honestly don't see that changing anytime soon, powerful console or not.

 

[JaseMath]

They need to market themselves as something other than family friendly and casual—that ship sailed with the Wii. They need to cast a narrower net and a attract a more core audience. Their next console won't be able to make it with Nintendo fanboys alone.