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[test_account]

well what are they gonna do with them? spend 3 or 4 times as much money to put them on ps360 with half the userbase?

Put them for the DS and/or for the PSP instead

Seriously though, i do think that both of those games are still coming to the Wii, and i think that Dragon Quest X will sell really well, and maybe Tales of Ten as well. But seeing how the latest Tales game sold on the PSP, maybe Bandai Namco will port Tales of Ten over to the PSP if the Wii version doesnt sell as much as Bandai Namco have hoped for? I think it is an interesting though that Delio mentioned

By the way, has any games been announced for a system and then been canceled and released for another system instead? Then i think of systems within the same generation, not about games that were announced for for example the Playstation 1 at first, and then several of years later the game gets released on for example the Xbox 360 instead.

 

[frankie_baby]

Well said. One year ago it may have seen unthinkable, but it really wouldn't surprise me if a few months from now, the PS3 start to take over......unless Nintendo really has something up their sleave.

At the moment right now, and from the future release list. The Wii just doesn't have enough attractive games to lure the core gamer. One midtier game every once in a while just won't cut it.

dont forget though however little the wii has, the ps3 has less

 

[Dascu]

What would be a effective way to fix that though? Did Another code have a good ad campaign in japan? I'd really like to know that .

The way to fix that is to create a core userbase that keeps up to date on game releases on their own, without the need for a big advertising campaign.

 

[frankie_baby]

Put them for the DS and/or for the PSP instead

Seriously though, i do think that both of those games are still coming to the Wii, and i think that Dragon Quest X will sell really well, and maybe Tales of Ten as well. But seeing how the latest Tales game sold on the PSP, maybe Bandai Namco will port Tales of Ten over to the PSP if the Wii version doesnt sell as much as Bandai Namco have hoped for? I think it is an interesting though that Delio mentioned

By the way, has any games been announced for a system and then been canceled and released for another system instead? Then i think of systems within the same generation, not about games that were announced for for example the Playstation 1 at first, and then several of years later the game gets released on for example the Xbox 360 instead.

monster hunter 3

 

[Delio]

By the way, has any games been announced for a system and then been canceled and released for another system instead? Then i think of systems within the same generation, not about games that were announced for for example the Playstation 1 at first, and then several of years later the game gets released on for example the Xbox 360 instead.

Monster Hunter? Course i dont think that was ever announced for the PS3 at any point so probably doesnt count. And porting over Tales to the PSP would be interesting but i would hope namco is building the game to benefit fully from the Wii.

 

[frankie_baby]

Monster Hunter? Course i dont think that was ever announced for the PS3 at any point so probably doesnt count. And porting over Tales to the PSP would be interesting but i would hope namco is building the game to benefit fully from the Wii.

monster hunter 3 was announced maybe not with a big announcement but was on capcoms release schedule for the ps3

 

[timetokill]

I doubt Iwata is going to want to dive back into the red oceans after the success Nintendo has had. But things are looking a little down right now.

He's mentioned needing more software like Wii Sports and such, that ignites the fanbase to show it to their friends and get them to purchase it as well. I wonder if they'll try another installment in the Wii _____ lineup or if they'll try for another bridge game like Mario Kart. You'd think they could perhaps throw some money at a few developers to push some games forward or at least get some core titles out there at least announced -- to get core gamers to start considering the system again.

But I doubt it. As long as Nintendo is profitable I don't know that they're going to want to start fighting over core titles anytime soon.

 

[test_account]

monster hunter 3

Monster Hunter?

Ah yes, i totally forgot about that Monster Hunter 3 was first announced for the PS3 and the later on moved over to the Wii. Thanks for the info to the both of you, frankie_baby and Delio!

Course i dont think that was ever announced for the PS3 at any point so probably doesnt count. And porting over Tales to the PSP would be interesting but i would hope namco is building the game to benefit fully from the Wii.

I am not sure if Monster Hunter 3 was announced for the PS3 at any point as you say, but Capcom did mention that they switched Monster Hunter 3 to the Wii instead of the PS3 because of the high development cost of titles for the PS3.

A report from Thompson Financial News quotes Capcom's Katsuhiko Ichii as saying, "Due to high development cost of titles for PS3, we have decided to switch the platform to which we release our Monster Hunter 3 title."

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=15806

EDIT: I now see that frankie_baby already mentioned that Monster Hunter 3 was announced to be released for the PS3


Ye, i also hope that Bandai Namco will develope Tales of Ten to take fully benefit from the Wii as you say, i agree!

 

[EDarkness]

And porting over Tales to the PSP would be interesting but i would hope namco is building the game to benefit fully from the Wii.

I think that concept is killing the Wii as it cripples games that should be made specifically for the Wii and taking advantage of it's strengths. The recent announcement of Tenchu 4 just shows that the game was not made with the Wii in mind. They had to leverage the game against the PSP version for porting.

He's mentioned needing more software like Wii Sports and such, that ignites the fanbase to show it to their friends and get them to purchase it as well. I wonder if they'll try another installment in the Wii _____ lineup or if they'll try for another bridge game like Mario Kart. You'd think they could perhaps throw some money at a few developers to push some games forward or at least get some core titles out there at least announced -- to get core gamers to start considering the system again.

But I doubt it. As long as Nintendo is profitable I don't know that they're going to want to start fighting over core titles anytime soon.

Well, they've got to do something or games released in between huge games are gonna get left in the dust. Games like Fragile, Sky Crawlers, and such should have a home on the Wii, but the "core" group is just not big enough to support games like that. And if these games can't sell, then I don't think companies are going to be compelled to make them for the system. It's a bad cycle to go start. Nintendo is gonna have to do something, even if it's just money-hatting a few projects to get interest up.

 

[Scum]

So it looks like the PS3 > Wii for at least the next 2 months or so, eh? Hmmm...
I've always wondered whether remakes of titles that N64 and Gamecube missed out on could help bring in the "core" gamers the Wii needs. Say, top notch remakes of SNES, PS1 & PS2 titles to lure them in before dumping new IPs or sequels on the Wii.

Then again, I hear Iwata is aware of the sluggish sales. So I'd like to hear/see what he intends on doing...

 

[duckroll]

Damn, seems over for Wii as a serious games machine. Those are some dreadful sales for Another Code. Perhaps people didn't realise it was a sequel or something?

I wonder if Famitsu's 7/7/7/7 review factored in the public perception of the title...

 

[Cosmonaut X]

I doubt Iwata is going to want to dive back into the red oceans after the success Nintendo has had. But things are looking a little down right now.

No, I think his comments recently - and over the past 6-12 months - together with announcements like Monster Hunter 3, Dragon Quest X, Tales of Ten, Sengoku Musou 3 etc. (not to mention Nintendo-published titles like Punch-Out and Sin and Punishment) indicate that Nintendo are very serious about going after the core market.

What they have counting against them right now - globally, but particularly in Japan, I think - is that there's a very strong image of the console as being weak for the core gamer, caused partly by Nintendo's heavy promotion (note: not publishing bias) of more casual titles like Wii Fit, and partly by the lack of quality third-party titles outside of certain genres and the lack of promotion for the decent third-party titles that do get published.

It will take a lot of effort, and a number of larger releases, to turn that perception around (in this I think they have a more difficult task than they did with the DS when the perception among certain groups was that it was a clunky, outdated and dominated by "non-games") but I think it can be done, and the public comments from Iwata suggest it is something that Nintendo are very concerned about.

 

[goompapa]

dont forget though however little the wii has, the ps3 has less

It won't stay that way forever. The PS3 together with the 360 have the backing from nearly every 3rd party developper. You can't fight that.

 

[EDarkness]

It won't stay that way forever. The PS3 together with the 360 have the backing from nearly every 3rd party developper. You can't fight that.

So very true. In Japan, that's making a lot of difference. Strangely enough, not so much everywhere else. Heh, heh.

 

[pgtl_10]

I think consoles in Japan is simply to niche for even Nintendo to make it big. Sure DQ10, Crystal Bearers, and maybe MH3 might do well but not even the Wii could get consoles out of their slump. Consoles in Japan have gone the way of comics in the US.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

Famitsu Software Stuff
Kirby Super Star Ultra (3265) passes 1 million, becoming the second modern Kirby to do so. It still has about 60K to go to pass up Squeak Squad and become the top modern Kirby

Taiko no Tatsujin Wii apparently had some supply issues, but its legs are holding out. Its low was two weeks ago. Last week nearly doubled it. This week nearly tripled it.

It is interesting to note that while Wii hardware sales are floundering, software on the whole remains decent--at least relative to the market as a whole. Going by the Famitsu software pie, this is the seventh week in a row that Wii has accounted for more than 20% of software sales, and the eighth week in a row that it's the #2 software pusher. Of course, DS sits in a near-permanent first place doing double what anything else can individually.

It won't stay that way forever. The PS3 together with the 360 have the backing from nearly every 3rd party developper. You can't fight that.

They really can. This is a cutoff point that definitely doesn't include everything, but in the 2008 Top 100 the 33 Nintendo/Pokémon-published games outsold the 67 others.

 

[Durante]

[PS3] Demon's Souls (SCE) - 23,000 (80%)

I guess the best comparison would be King's Field IV?

 

[test_account]

I think that concept is killing the Wii as it cripples games that should be made specifically for the Wii and taking advantage of it's strengths. The recent announcement of Tenchu 4 just shows that the game was not made with the Wii in mind. They had to leverage the game against the PSP version for porting.

If someone makes a Wii game that is taking advantage of the Wii's strengths, would it be difficult to port this game over to another system and change the waggle to button combinations instead? (i guess you are thinking of the Wii control scheme when you are saying "taking advantage of it's strengths"?). Or will this be a difficult porting process? It is a genuine question, i am really wondering

 

[schuelma]

Wow, let's not get completely ridiculous here. Yes, Wii has problems. Big ones. But I hesitate to use Another Code as an indictment of the system. :lol

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

If someone makes a Wii game that is taking advantage of the Wii's strengths, would it be difficult to port this game over to another system and change the waggle to button combinations instead? (i guess you are thinking of the Wii control scheme when you are saying "taking advantage of it's strengths"?). Or will this be a difficult porting process? It is a genuine question, i am really wondering

It really depends. Certainly there have been games that worked competently with standard pad controls but have been praised for their pointer/waggle conversion: Resident Evil 4, The Godfather, Mario Kart come to mind. Definitely it can go the other way, that a game that begins using Wii's controls well could work competently on a normal pad. However, that's never going to work with a Wii Sports, WarioWare Smooth Moves, or Wii Music.

 

[Rock_Man]

According to Dengeki PSP software sales exceeded DS software sales this week. Looking at the graph below, that hasn´t happened since April 2008 around the release of MHP2G. The graph doesn't include this week however.

Current Wii hardware sales shares are ~50% I expect it to go down quite a lot in February/March.

 

[EDarkness]

It really depends. Certainly there have been games that worked competently with standard pad controls but have been praised for their pointer/waggle conversion: Resident Evil 4, The Godfather, Mario Kart coem to mind. Definitely it can go the other way, that a game that begins using Wii's controls well could work competently on a normal pad. However, that's never going to work with a Wii Sports, WarioWare Smooth Moves, or Wii Music.

Didn't Ubisoft make a version of the first Rabbids game for the PS2 and 360? Trying to think of some other games that were Wii exclusive with heavy motion controls and such that were ported to other systems.

Technically, it is possible to move a Wii game to another system, but I would imagine something could be lost in the translation.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

Didn't Ubisoft make a version of the first Rabbids game for the PS2 and 360?

:lol Yeah, they did. I guess they didn't do enough to make it worth continuing on those platforms, though. Searching around I see that the PC of all things got a version of Rabbids 2, but maybe the mouse allowed for better conversion of pointer-based gameplay.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

Yay FFCC.

 

[goompapa]

Famitsu Software Stuff
.....

They really can. This is a cutoff point that definitely doesn't include everything, but in the 2008 Top 100 the 33 Nintendo/Pokémon-published games outsold the 67 others.

I was more talking about the home-console front. But even if numbers show Nintendo published wii-games > everything else, can they keep it up ? 2008 saw the trident of smash, kart and wiifit. Will they have something like that to drive sales every year ?

 

[C.T.]

Well at launch time and first year Wii was in high demand, but third parties failed to deliver.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

I was more talking about the home-console front. But even if numbers show Nintendo published wii-games > everything else, can they keep it up ? 2008 saw the trident of smash, kart and wiifit. Will they have something like that to drive sales every year ?

It was a combined home/portable number I was looking at, but snipping out DS/PSP numbers now it appears the home version is even more lopsided; 9.68 million for 12 Nintendo/Pokémon games on Wii versus 6.41 million for 26 third party games on PS2/PS3/X360/Wii.

It's also worth pointing out that 4.28 million of those first party Wii sales came from games released in 2006 or 2007. They don't always need so many major titles to keep the software numbers flowing, but the hardware numbers certainly hurt without them.

 

[test_account]

It really depends. Certainly there have been games that worked competently with standard pad controls but have been praised for their pointer/waggle conversion: Resident Evil 4, The Godfather, Mario Kart come to mind. Definitely it can go the other way, that a game that begins using Wii's controls well could work competently on a normal pad. However, that's never going to work with a Wii Sports, WarioWare Smooth Moves, or Wii Music.

Ye, playing Wii Sports, WarioWare Smooth Moves, or Wii Music with a normal pad probably wouldnt exactly work out too well, and those games probably wouldnt feel like the same games if it for the motion controls i agree

I wonder how it would be with an RPG game like Tales of Ten, if it is possible to implement a rather special way to use the Wii controller that wouldnt work too well if the game should be ported over to a system that uses button combinations instead of using motion controls like the Wii does.

Didn't Ubisoft make a version of the first Rabbids game for the PS2 and 360? Trying to think of some other games that were Wii exclusive with heavy motion controls and such that were ported to other systems.

Technically, it is possible to move a Wii game to another system, but I would imagine something could be lost in the translation.

Ye, if a Wii game uses the Wii motion controls alot and then the game is ported over to another system that only uses button combinations, then somthing might be lost in the translation as you say, i agree

 

[Cosmonaut X]

Ye, that is true, playing Wii Sports, WarioWare Smooth Moves, or Wii Music with a normal pad probably wouldnt exactly work out too well I wonder how it would be with an RPG game like Tales of Ten, if it is possible to implement a rather special way to use the Wii controller that wouldnt work too well if the game should be ported over to a system that uses button combinations instead of waggle like the Wii does.

Just thinking of "waggle" is rather shortsighted. The IR pointing functionality is of far more interest in an RPG, and the recent gameplay trailer of The Crystal Bearers suggests how it could be used in that type of game.

 

[[Nintex]]

So when is Kirby Wii coming out in Japan? It's been on their release schedule for ages and based on Kirby Super Star sales it could do really well(from the GCN trailer it looked like it was Kirby Super Star in 3D).

 

[apujanata]

After reading Iwata's Q&A session (http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/090130qa/index.html), Q5 and A5, I am not surprised by the bad showing of Fragile and Another Code

For sometime now, I have repeatedly said that the game business is comparatively less susceptible to the changes in the economy but the gap between what sells and what doesn’t sell become obvious (in an economic downturn.) The products that are listed at the top of a consumers’ wish list can sell at the same level in a good economic time as during a bad economy. But those ranked #5 or #10 on the list become the receiving end of the impact of the changing economies. As a result, I am pretty certain that there must be software that our third parties have prepared to sell, which did not live up to their original expectations. The rather conservative impression Nintendo received during our preliminary meetings with software publishers must have reflected such background (as software publishers are making a purchase order plan based upon the intentions of their distributors and retailers as well as by taking into considerations the situations surrounding the distributors.)

When we analyze the Japanese market, for example, and look at the top 100 best selling software in 2008, last year’s sales of the top 5 software were even more than that of a year ago, but other software around the middle of the list showed significant sales decreases on a year-on-year basis, which attests to our point that the gap between what sells and what doesn’t is widening. So, when the distributors hold significant inventories, that can affect many aspects in this industry.

The only thing to watch out is whether those same things also happen to PS3, X360, PSP and NDS in 2009.

 

[stilgar]

This Q&A merits its own thread.

 

[Dascu]

This Q&A merits his own thread.

Go ahead and make it.

 

[Sage00]

Didn't it already have a thread?

 

[Stormbringer]

Didn't it already have a thread?

Yes it did :
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=351404

 

[Zoe]

Didn't it already have a thread?

Probably explains the ""

 

[stilgar]

Go ahead and make it.

Yes it did :
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=351404

Found it before clicking on the "new thread" button
But this interview is really interesting. Oh, and Iwata is a genius.

EDIT : :-( bad, bad guy.

 

[Dascu]

Thanks for spoiling it, guys. :lol

 

[PantherLotus]

Let's step back from the ledge, folks.

Do a software comparison of the DSSP :: WiiS3 and tell me what you see in their first two-three comparative years.

 

[John Harker]

Nice, Demon's Souls has an excellent start!!

 

[markatisu]

Christ, the way some of you are spouting off we need to load up the charts that were featured in NPD for a while where the Wii will begin selling in the negatives and the PS3 will increase its sales 150% in order to somehow gain on the 5m its currently behind

 

[Tmac]

Something i dont understand. In north america where the xbox is one of the strongest competitors, it is cheaper than the wii.

While in japan, where its tracking behind in a distant 3rd, its more expensive than the wii.

Whats wrong with microsoft? Exactly where they should put a bigger effort in sales, it doesnt seem to be the case.

 

[frankie_baby]

Something i dont understand. In north america where the xbox is one of the strongest competitors, it is cheaper than the wii.

While in japan, where its tracking behind in a distant 3rd, its more expensive than the wii.

Whats wrong with microsoft? Exactly where they should put a bigger effort in sales, it doesnt seem to be the case.

there's barely any difference in the price of the 2

 

[Die Squirrel Die]

Something i dont understand. In north america where the xbox is one of the strongest competitors, it is cheaper than the wii.

While in japan, where its tracking behind in a distant 3rd, its more expensive than the wii.

Whats wrong with microsoft? Exactly where they should put a bigger effort in sales, it doesnt seem to be the case.

It's a mindshare thing. In Japan the 360 is so far out of the mindset of consumers, that even a drastically reduced price would do little to stimulate hardware and software sales. MS would end up losing a lot of money for little gain.

In the US though, the 360's mindshare is exponentially healthier, to the point that a drastic price reduction can stimulate sales. It also has the benefit of excellent software sales and attach rate to subsidise losses on hardware.

 

[Spiegel]

Dengeki Software Totals

Hardware |  This Week |  Last Week |    YTD
NDS      |    422,172 |    362,216 |  3,090,192
Wii      |    168,744 |    215,920 |  1,558,375
PS3      |     87,903 |    107,169 |    753,662
PS2      |    193,494 |     76,308 |    639,745
PSP      |    462,247 |    161,193 |  1,414,510
X360     |     42,869 |     41,990 |    217,789
Total    |  1,377,429 |    964,796 |  7,674,273

Good software sales for psp this week. If medium/big games continue coming on a monthly basis (and it seems that way) it's going to be interesting to see the total sofware sales at the end of the year.

PD Enkaku Sousa bombed hard. SCE this is not the way

 

[AranhaHunter]

I believe it was about this time last year though that the PS3 sales dropped considerably, straight after DMC4 if I am not mistaken, with the games due for the PS3 in Japan over the next few weeks should delay the big drop for the PS3 until April at least. I'm hoping anyway. :lol


Konami seem to have it all figured out. PES09 PS3/360 drive their profits Q4 2008 and PES09 (PS2/PSP) drive their profits Q1 2009. Nice strategy from a profit point of view but I don't like it personally as it screws gamers because of waiting.

The PS3 should be relatively safe in April because of FFVII ACC bundle.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Something i dont understand. In north america where the xbox is one of the strongest competitors, it is cheaper than the wii.

While in japan, where its tracking behind in a distant 3rd, its more expensive than the wii.

xbox 360 19800 yen
wii (?) 24900 yen?

 

[AranhaHunter]

I wonder if Famitsu's 7/7/7/7 review factored in the public perception of the title...

Maybe, but then again WKC and Demon's Soul got 29/40.

 

[test_account]

Just thinking of "waggle" is rather shortsighted. The IR pointing functionality is of far more interest in an RPG, and the recent gameplay trailer of The Crystal Bearers suggests how it could be used in that type of game.

Ah yes, that is true I did changed my previous post earlier to "motion controls" instead of "waggle", but to be honest i didnt remember about the IR pointing that the Wii controllers have. I didnt mean to be shortsigthed, i just forgot about the IR pointing function, i am sorry about that :\ Thanks for mentioning the IR pointing function on the Wii controller!

When you factor in the IR pointing that the Wii has, then this does indeed opens up for more gameplay opportunities instead of "just" having to waggle the controller

 

[Jokeropia]

That would be mixing Famitsu and MC data but I see your point. What's sure is that its at 6400 for the week in the best case, being generous.

I also don't see where the 'sold-out', '2nd shipment' discussion comes from.

First day - 16,000 (45% - ~35,000)
First week - 22,640 (65% of the first day figure - Surely on the 50-75% sell through going by Famitsu running guy icon)
Second week - Best case 6400 -> 29040 (83%)

Thats a sold out? Really? What are we looking at for a 2nd shipment? 2,000 units for all Japan? And you expect it to notice it in shops? Or worse, you expect Namco to advertise it? :lol

Well, by Media-Create it did 26,055 first week which with a hypothetical 6.4k this week equals 32,455 or 93%.

If you're a Wii owner in Japan and a "core" gamer, what have you really had to look forward to since Dragon Quest Swords came out?

Mario Galaxy, Zack & Wiki, Mario Strikers Charged, Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, No More Heroes, NIGHTS, Chocobo Mystery Dungeon, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Metroid Prime 3, Mario Kart Wii, House of the Dead 2&3, Shiren 3, RE0, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World, Fatal Frame, Wario Land, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom…

Let's not exaggerate here.

Well Vesperia did ok.

But not as much as the Wii Tales, so I wouldn't use that as an example.

It won't stay that way forever. The PS3 together with the 360 have the backing from nearly every 3rd party developper.

In addition to what Joshua said, this is not true, especially not in Japan.