Support NeoGAF

[Cheebo]

Strangely, this is exactly what makes me think that releasing a 4DS in the near future would be disastrous. Nintendo can't spare the resources to produce tons of games for a brand new platform right now. If we've learned anything from the DS's and 3DS's early years at life, it should be that new nintendo handheld push 3rd parties away.

I think a lot of people have forgotten how disastrous the 3DS's launch was. It was priced too high yes, but that wasn't the only problem. It didn't begin selling well until Nintendo released a stream of heavy hitters. And as they did so, the Wii lay dormant.

2016 gives them more than enough time. 3DS has performed well under expectations and they need to move on sooner rather than later.

 

[MagnesD3]

What do you mean? What if it all works well together?

If they are all good sure.. I guess, I just want starfox to feel like a full cared about nintendo game..

 

[scamander]

Because NoE has recently let go lots of people and they're probably understaffed in the localization department: http://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/30/nintendo-of-europe-layoffs-involve-320-employees/

Absolutely nothing indicates that's the case. They are outsourcing more of their translation work than before, that's true. But the only game we'll get significantly later than the US is "Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush" and that can be translated in half a day.

 

[Axass]

Absolutely nothing indicates that's the case. They are outsourcing more of their translation work than before, that's true. But the only game we'll get significantly later than the US is "Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush" and that can be translated in half a day.

We were getting most games on a timely manner before, some even many months before NA (Xenoblade, Bravely Default, PLvsAA), now we got Captain Toad one month late, while we're also getting S.T.E.A.M after 2 months and Kirby who knows when (minimum 4 months late).

Sure it could be a matter of strategy, however I wonder what kind of strategy creates a big empty void on the 3DS and Wii U release schedule from the middle of February to May (!!) on purpose. Doesn't seem a winning one, I could be wrong, but I doubt they're going willing in it. I think they're focusing on other, much longer and harder to translate games, so that they can guarantee worldwide releases for those, while the minor ones end up delayed.

Besides I doubt they can localize Kirby in half a day: you don't know how much text there really is (it's not only about dialogues, there are in game descriptions, menus, packaging, ads), they have to translate it in lots of languages, they have to do a pretty strict quality check, especially if the translation was outsourced, there's the PEGI certification, possible changes to make besides the translation to adapt the game, etc.

 

[jariw]

Sure it could be a matter of strategy, however I wonder what kind of strategy creates a big empty void on the 3DS and Wii U release schedule from the middle of February to May (!!) on purpose.

NoE releases 2 Wii U games on March 20th . There are at least 2 Wii U games scheduled for the first half 2015, but with currently unknown release dates.

 

[scamander]

We were getting most games on a timely manner before, some even many months before NA (Xenoblade, Bravely Default, PLvsAA), now we got Captain Toad one month late, while we're also getting S.T.E.A.M after 2 months and Kirby who knows when (minimum 4 months late).

Sure it could be a matter of strategy, however I wonder what kind of strategy creates a big empty void on the 3DS and Wii U release schedule from the middle of February to May (!!) on purpose. Doesn't seem a winning one, I could be wrong, but I doubt they're going willing in it. I think they're focusing on other, much longer and harder to translate games, so that they can guarantee worldwide releases for those, while the minor ones end up delayed.

1. European reviewers received their review copies of Captain Toad in late October/ early November. Those copies have been identical to the finished game.

2. Kirby isn't a popular franchise in Europe. Maybe they have data proving the game will sell better later in the year.

3. There is a demo for Code Name S.T.E.A.M. available on the European eShop. Why would they even work on a demo right now, if they're behind the schedule of the translation of the actual game?

4. Nintendo published 3DS games:
February:
-TLoZ: Majora's Mask 3D
-Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate

March:
-Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars
-Cooking Mama: Bon Appétit (You've forgotten to list this as well as the next three entries btw)
-Gardening Mama: Forest Friends
-Inazuma Eleven GO Chrono Stones: Wildfire
-Inazuma Eleven GO Chrono Stones: Thunderflash

April:
-Xenoblade Chronicles

May:
-Code Name S.T.E.A.M.
-Puzzle & Dragons Z + Puzzle & Dragons Super Mario Bros. Edition

Nintendo published Wii U games:
March:
-Mario Party 10
-Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars

May:
-Splatoon

First Half of 2015:
-Yoshi's Woolly World
-Project Giant Robot

Even now both release lists are not barren, but knowing Nintendo those aren't even complete yet. I can imagine additional releases of Art Academy U, Youkai Watch and Project Zero 5 all within the first half of 2015 as well as some third party published games not listed above.

 

[Lionel Richie]

They gotta do something. The Wii U's situation is pretty hopeless unless the can somehow put out a mega hit. If Mario Kart and Smash isn't gonna save the system, the chances of something else doing so are slim.

I've heard this argument before, but what I really don't get is why releasing a new console would make people buy what they are not buying right now, while it may even alienate the few customers that did buy. If they are not selling right now, how releasing another system (that they would need to spend more money trying to sell) completely off the reality from the closest competition is going to help?

I agree they gotta do something, but releasing straight successors to their current consoles right now would do more harm than good.

2016 gives them more than enough time. 3DS has performed well under expectations and they need to move on sooner rather than later.

Move on to what?

You see, nothing against the two of you or the points you make. It's just that every single Nintendo thread nowadays eventually become about their next consoles and I've seen people getting bitter they are not announced or not going to be announced any time soon.

 

[Cheebo]

Move on to what?

You see, nothing against the two of you or the points you make. It's just that every single Nintendo thread nowadays eventually become about their next consoles and I've seen people getting bitter they are not announced or not going to be announced any time soon.

The people keep pushing for them to focus on next systems is 3DS is a disappointment (not in game quality of course) and has missed every single sales target Nintendo has set for it.

It just is not possible to turn the 3DS around, it continues to miss their targets more and more each year. FY2015 is tracking to be the 3DS's worst year by a significant margin.

The reason they need to move on is the situation continues to grow worse each quarter we pass, the rate of decline of the system has been accelerating. These are signs that it is time to move to the next generation and attempt to fix the mistakes they made with 3DS.

 

[Lionel Richie]

The people keep pushing for them to focus on next systems is 3DS is a disappointment (not in game quality of course) and has missed every single sales target Nintendo has set for it.

It just is not possible to turn the 3DS around, it continues to miss their targets more and more each year. FY2015 is tracking to be the 3DS's worst year by a significant margin.

The reason they need to move on is the situation continues to grow worse each quarter we pass, the rate of decline of the system has been accelerating. These are signs that it is time to move to the next generation and attempt to fix the mistakes they made with 3DS.

I agree it has been a dissappointment in terms of sales, but isn't the New 3DS a mean of trying to fix that? It's releasing in NA this february, how can they come into E3 and basically say fuck that noise and announce a new one?

You can disagree with the way they dealt with it, but you can't ignore it. Even the short interval between the DSi and the 3DS was of only 2 years, and see how well that turned out.

 

[Spyder_Monkey]

They won't wait till 2017 for a new handheld. 3DS sales have been plummeting, it won't last that long. They need it out in 16.

2016 still feels a bit too soon though. There's also the fact that new Nintendo consoles tend to be announced a year in advance, and considering Nintendo is going to release the N3DS they're going to promote that over announcing a new console. So no, 2017 at the earliest.