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[Mr.Squirrel]

360's launch/first year:

Elder Scrolls Oblivion
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
Dead Rising
Saints Row
Chromehounds
Rainbow Six Vegas
Gears of War
Kameo
Condemned
Fight Night Round 3
Viva Pinata
Amped 3

Most of these are 1st party games or were exclusive at the time.

Most of the notable games in the first year, saying these games were crappy at the time in 2006 seems very disingenuous. These experiences were fresh and new for console owners, I don't know if the same will be said about Wii-U's first year.

THere were only 3 games on that list that interested me, GRAW, Fight Night, and Gears. I bought Elder Scrolls and sold it a month later because the game was pretty shitty to me. As I said earlier, I learned my lesson when it comes to launch consoles. I'll wait until year 2 to jump in. Launches suck.

On the Wii U from what's announced and dated, the only things that interests me is MH3, Mario, and Zombi U. By the time I get it, hopefully there'll be a price cut and a bunch of games that actually take advantage of the Wii U.

 

[Mr.Squirrel]

Haha calm down buddy, I probaby won't own any of these systems at launch. You did ignore my comment about both Durango and Orbis having a much better 3rd party backing than the Wii U .

I won't own any of the launch systems either, but the point you made is still ridiculous. Saying that at least Sony has the excuse of releasing PS3 games won't make a difference when your PS4 is sitting there with not much to play the first year.

PS4 owners won't care about what's coming out on the PS3 because they want games for the new system they just bought.

 

[taizuke]

No Animal Crossing? Why must there be a longer wait.

This.

 

[Mr.Squirrel]

No Pikmin 3? Hope that and Bayonetta 2 comes out in April or May like it's listed (but I doubt it).

Good stuff for 3DS! My Vita's crying in the corner right now...but I still love it!

Why do that to yourself? You'll be lucky if Bayonetta 2 releases this November.

 

[Mr.Squirrel]

Hypebole much? Can you name me a single successfull system that had an absolutely amazing first year? This is how launches are. It's just been so long since we've had a console one, people just seem to have short memories.

I for one, have really enjoyed my Wii U, and have had awesome mp fun with friends in Nintendo Land, NSMBU, Zombi U, Scribblenauts, Nano Assault, Mighty Switch Force, etc.

The best launch I remember was the Dreamcast, and we all know how that turned out lol.

 

[AniHawk]

The best launch I remember was the Dreamcast, and we all know how that turned out lol.

in america, the dreamcast had the benefit of actually being closer to the second year of the system. 2000 was the year of the dreamcast, but it was on the back of a lot of long-planned titles finally hitting all at once.

 

[Alcibiades]

The lineup is pretty barren, but I agree with those saying it could have looked better a little more spaced out. If they had put Most Wanted out in January (considering the game has is finished), they could have then done 3 games in February and 3 games in March for a more staggered lineup and fewer games competing directly against all the big 360/PS3 hitters in March.

 

[trinest]

Well least I know I wont be spending anything this Q and I can save up my money.

Nintendo has done some bad things launch wise, they needed to consitrate on padding the launch period and having a continued flow of titles. Which they failed on both the 3DS and Wii U. Also what the fuck is this thing of no games in December, Jan and Feb.

 

[Busaiku]

A lot sure is riding on E3 for Nintendo, at least for fans not content with Pokemon and Animal Crossing.

Nintendo doesn't really need to release too much themselves for the holiday, we just need more announcements from 3rd parties.
I imagine we'll see Shin Megami Tensei for a late Q3 relase. There's also the possibility of getting Devil Survivor Overclocked 2 (it seems pretty likely that this will be a thing), though I dunno if Atlus wants 3 Shin Megami Tensei games on a single system in one year.
Natsume's localizations have sped up lately, so we could probably see Rune Factory 4 for Q3.
We'll probably get Samurai Warriors Chronicles 2nd for Q2/Q3.
It's hard to tell if Square Enix will bother, as well as Capcom after Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate.

But again, they've left Q2/Q3 completely barren.
I imagine they can set up Professor Layton And The Azran Legacies for August or September.
Maybe we'll get a The Legend of Zelda title during GDC, leading into December, but still, those 4-5 months could be brutal.

 

[ArynCrinn]

Honestly, I'll need some time to completely master and speedrun Rayman....any word on if this one will have leaderboards?

Anyway, disappointing but not unexpected. We'll probably get hard dates at E3 for W101 and Pikmin 3. Along with a bunch of other megatons if Nintendo is smart. But on the whole I can handle a new Rayman game all by itself and some MH3U on the side.

 

[Mpl90]

Nintendo doesn't really need to release too much themselves for the holiday, we just need more announcements from 3rd parties.
I imagine we'll see Shin Megami Tensei for a late Q3 relase. There's also the possibility of getting Devil Survivor Overclocked 2, though I dunno if Atlus wants 3 Shin Megami Tensei games on a single system in one year.
Natsume's localizations have sped up lately, so we could probably see Rune Factory 4 for Q3.
We'll probably get Samurai Warriors Chronicles 2nd for Q2/Q3.
It's hard to tell if Square Enix will bother, as well as Capcom after Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate.

But again, they've left Q2/Q3 completely barren.
I imagine they can set up Professor Layton And The Azran Legacies for August or September.
Maybe we'll get a The Legend of Zelda title during GDC, leading into December, but still, those 4-5 months could be brutal.

Again, it's still too soon to talk about Q2 releases, seriously. We're in January, we'll hear more about it in the next months for sure, just like it happened with Q1. Before October, we just knew that Luigi was a generic Spring release ( so, it could have been for Q2 and not Q1), Castlevania was just early 2013 as well as Fire Emblem, and MH for March. Then, we've got EO4 for February, FE confirmed for February, Naruto announced for March, Pokèmon announced for March, Luigi's release date in March, and already two new titles to look at in Q2: Soul Hackers and LCU both in April. It's seriously too soon to judge Q2 lineup now in January, especially given we'll have two Nintendo Directs (February and April) that will talk about Q2. And what I'm saying is even more valid for Q3.

 

[Busaiku]

I mean, I'm not too worried about 3rd party titles, as they've probably got their strategies on when to launch the games, and there's a lot of stuff.

But from Nintendo, it's unlikely we'll hear of anything big outside of GDC, that isn't already on its way, and not slated for Q2/Q3.
Animal Crossing can be May or June, sure, but without a new title announcement entirely, it would still mean pretty big gaps till Pokemon X/Y.
They've got their localizations in track, so they'd need to announce new titles, and it would need to be soon to properly build upon them.

 

[Somnid]

Surely, I am not the only one who thinks: Wii U, what's the point?

Mediocre 3rd party games.
Barely as powerful as 6year old consoles.
Laughable network strategy.

I bought the Wii day one and actually sold my 360 to get a Wii U but I seriously think what's the fucking point.

Games? Specifically of the Nintendo variety.

 

[Mpl90]

I mean, I'm not too worried about 3rd party titles, as they've probably got their strategies on when to launch the games, and there's a lot of stuff.

But from Nintendo, it's unlikely we'll hear of anything big outside of GDC, that isn't already on its way, and not slated for Q2/Q3.
Animal Crossing can be May or June, sure, but without a new title announcement entirely, it would still mean pretty big gaps till Pokemon X/Y.
They've got their localizations in track, so they'd need to announce new titles, and it would need to be soon to properly build upon them.

I wouldn't underestimate Nintendo Directs for big Nintendo announcements. NSMB2, Brain Training, 3DS XL, Bayonetta 2, MH3U for Wii U...all announced at Nintendo Directs. It's possible we'll see a big announcement for Q3 without waiting for E3.

 

[Aostia]

I wouldn't underestimate Nintendo Directs for big Nintendo announcements. NSMB2, Brain Training, 3DS XL, Bayonetta 2, MH3U for Wii U...all announced at Nintendo Directs. It's possible we'll see a big announcement for Q3 without waiting for E3.

Something somethin...X&Y?

Plus also some third party games as CoD, Ken's rage, Warriors Orochi in addition to the MH3U and Bayonetta you alraedy cited.

I think that Nsmb2 and Pokemon XY are the bigger ones in terms of first party, with Bayonetta, MH and CoD coming at top about third parties.

let's see if there will be some other additional big first party game announced in Directs for Wii U, and third party games for 3DS (switching the aformentioned roles)

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

Laughable network strategy.

I'm continually dumbfounded at why people keep saying this? Are people really that attached to achievements/trophies?

 

[netBuff]

I'm continually dumbfounded at why people keep saying this? Are people really that attached to achievements/trophies?

We're talking about an online system that doesn't even have pop-up notifications in games to tell me when someone is coming online or messaging, an online system that isn't account based in any way that benefits the user.

 

[Striek]

I'm continually dumbfounded at why people keep saying this? Are people really that attached to achievements/trophies?

Its probably got far more to do with the account system, notifications, slow downloads, hardlocks associated with network activity etc.

Also achievements/trophies can only add to games. I have a lot of games with 2-5% achievements complete but a couple with 100% because they're great games and the achievements push you to explore more. Xenoblade is a game where I enjoyed getting achievements but they would've been so much better if attached to an account.

 

[woo and indeed hoo]

Forgive me for not reading all 13 pages but do we have a release list for NOE yet please?

 

[Napophis]

I'm continually dumbfounded at why people keep saying this? Are people really that attached to achievements/trophies?

I've been waiting almost a week for a call back so that i can get my NNID account back with my 3 digital games. Fuck their bogus network system.

 

[Fox Mulder]

Surely, I am not the only one who thinks: Wii U, what's the point?

Mediocre 3rd party games.
Barely as powerful as 6year old consoles.
Laughable network strategy.

I bought the Wii day one and actually sold my 360 to get a Wii U but I seriously think what's the fucking point.

Nintendo's first party games, and the gampad is a nice feature that creates unique gameplay experiences.

It just feels like a waste of $400 right now because they can't get compelling games out fast enough. I wouldn't recommend anyone I know to buy one until the holidays, but Sony and/or MS will have new stuff out by then too.

 

[Aostia]

Forgive me for not reading all 13 pages but do we have a release list for NOE yet please?

NoE?
is it still active?
LOL


(I'm Italian...)

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

Its probably got far more to do with the account system, notifications, slow downloads, hardlocks associated with network activity etc.

Also achievements/trophies can only add to games. I have a lot of games with 2-5% achievements complete but a couple with 100% because they're great games and the achievements push you to explore more. Xenoblade is a game where I enjoyed getting achievements but they would've been so much better if attached to an account.

Yeah, I'm guessing complaints are really directed at the archaic account system rather than the network infrasctructure, which aren't wholly unrelated but also aren't the same thing either. The latter is perfectly sound.

I think Miiverse is a nice substitute for Achievements/Trophies. It has different aims and accomplishes some different things but I think a case can be made for it similarly adding value to games. Nintendo also having the most developer friendly store policies among the console makers is a notable plus too imo (free patches, selfpublishing, lower royalties/licensing, free Unity/Havok, full price control, etc).

 

[DrWong]

I wouldn't underestimate Nintendo Directs for big Nintendo announcements. NSMB2, Brain Training, 3DS XL, Bayonetta 2, MH3U for Wii U...all announced at Nintendo Directs. It's possible we'll see a big announcement for Q3 without waiting for E3.

I'd be less cautious

 

[Chromie]

I'm continually dumbfounded at why people keep saying this? Are people really that attached to achievements/trophies?

From a developer's point of view achievements can be very useful as a research tool. Achievements like "played with all classes", "beated the game once", "beated the game with all classes", "died once with all classes", and some for hard quest solutions, like that chest on the palace, and you'll have a very clear ideia of how people are playing, what worked and what didn't, who's your audience and all that. While I don't care for achievements its an invaluable tool for developers.

 

[BruiserBear]

I'm continually dumbfounded at why people keep saying this? Are people really that attached to achievements/trophies?

Yes.


The simple question that should be asked is "why not"? It's not like adding achievements to games is hard work. Most developers are already doing it for every other gaming platform in existence. So why shouldn't Nintendo have them too? This is where Nintendo's Japanese roots show. Sony at least had the smarts to realize how popular they had become in the west, but Nintendo is just so hard headed and arrogant they ignored them.

It just seems like a missed opportunity to me. It's become very clear they push some people to buy/rent more games, etc. They only enhance people's enjoyment of the product.

 

[woo and indeed hoo]

NoE?
is it still active?
LOL


(I'm Italian...)

It's been more active than NOA the last few years . In the UK at least; sorry if your mileage has varied in Italy.

 

[Mileena]

Yeah, I'm guessing complaints are really directed at the archaic account system rather than the network infrasctructure, which aren't wholly unrelated but also aren't the same thing either. The latter is perfectly sound.

I think Miiverse is a nice substitute for Achievements/Trophies. It has different aims and accomplishes some different things but I think a case can be made for it similarly adding value to games. Nintendo also having the most developer friendly store policies among the console makers is a notable plus too imo (free patches, selfpublishing, lower royalties/licensing, free Unity/Havok, full price control, etc).

Miiverse doesn't even act anything like trophies, so I don't see how its a nice substitute. And if its supposed to be a substitute, its a damn shitty one. I just want a ZombiU platinum.

 

[Aostia]

It's been more active than NOA the last few years . In the UK at least; sorry if your mileage has varied in Italy.

No, as I was saying, they were great in the "Trinity" period (Xeno, Pandora and TLS), with the nice addition of Japanese sub for Rhythm Heaven.
After that, with 3DS (software-wise, considering that they brought us more colors and bundles for the consoles compared to the US) and Wii U, they seems sleepy.

After the Fire Emblem bundle for the 3DS (with artbook for preorders), the 3DS lineup (we are still missing a couple of Devil survivor games, code of princess and now the US have the announcments for Etrian Oddissey and another Devil survivor game, and Fire Emblem will be out two months before us) and the Wii U PAL delays (Ninja gaiden missed the launch, Scribblenauts is coming out just on February, still no firm news about Q1 firm dates and so on), they seem to have missed the right path they were following..

 

[dampflokfreund]

Really horrible Lineup for the Wii U. I only would pick up Rayman and MH. Too bad Aliens will release later than PS360 versions, so I won't get Aliens.

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

From a developer's point of view achievements can be very useful as a research tool. Achievements like "played with all classes", "beated the game once", "beated the game with all classes", "died once with all classes", and some for hard quest solutions, like that chest on the palace, and you'll have a very clear ideia of how people are playing, what worked and what didn't, who's your audience and all that. While I don't care for achievements its an invaluable tool for developers.

A case can be made for Miiverse too in this regard by allowing more direct user interfacing and feedback, in fact Frozenbyte commented on it being a surprisingly invaluable tool already and something they'd like to see other services adopt. Again, a little different from the automated metrics one would get from achievements/trophies, but still covering some of the same ground.

 

[AntMurda]

A case can be made for Miiverse too in this regard by allowing more direct user interfacing and feedback, in fact Frozenbyte commented on it being a surprisingly invaluable tool already and something they'd like to see other services adopt. Again, a little different from the automated metrics one would get from achievements/trophies, but still covering some of the same ground.

They can already scour forums for that stuff. Miiverse as is, is just about the most grandiose thing I've ever seen hyped. It is cute, but that's about it. Just play Motorstorm RC, and you get a better sense of community and competition than Miiverse could ever dream of.

 

[outunderthestars]

I really want to want a Wii U, but Nintendo is making it rather hard. Also, not really seeing much to keep the Wii U sales numbers up. Sales GAF is going to go nuts this Spring.

It really seems like Nintendo is struggling in the transition to HD gaming.

 

[radcliff]

So no MLB 2k13 baseball game for Wii U? No baseball game at all? Maybe in April? Or maybe an "All-Stars" Edition in July so no one will buy it?

 

[marc^o^]

Oh, and what about Panorama view?

 

[TheCongressman1]

Well, having a Wii U is pretty pointless for me right now.

 

[evilromero]

I hope Nintendo doesn't ignore the Metroid franchise like they did through the late 90s. I'm still waiting for Metroid 64. I can only imagine what wonders an EAD-developed 3D Metroid would have been like (Sakamoto himself said he wouldn't be the one to develop it then).

 

[gamergirly]

Surprised by the number of people saying there's nothing to buy in Q1. I can understand skipping over Lego but are you skipping Rayman TOO?

 

[evilromero]

Surprised by the number of people saying there's nothing to buy in Q1. I can understand skipping over Lego but are you skipping Rayman TOO?

Rayman is a solid game but it's nothing spectacular. It features one of the lamest cast of characters in a modern platformer. So despite it being a rather good game, it'll never be the kind of endearing franchise that will sell at high volumes.

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

Miiverse doesn't even act anything like trophies, so I don't see how its a nice substitute. And if its supposed to be a substitute, its a damn shitty one. I just want a ZombiU platinum.

It's different, but it can accomplish similar things with game integration. Audience goal comparison basically, NSMBU already does this to an extent and it could be refined further pretty easily.

They can already scour forums for that stuff. Miiverse as is, is just about the most grandiose thing I've ever seen hyped. It is cute, but that's about it. Just play Motorstorm RC, and you get a better sense of community and competition than Miiverse could ever dream of.

Scouring forums? That's like saying scoreboards can accomplish the same things as Achievements/Trophies. It's true only from an exceeding narrow viewpoint.

 

[Preble]

Cool, I wanna pick up Rayman, Need for Speed and Lego City.

 

[evilromero]

Still waiting for the announcement of an original 3D platformer/adventure. It's the main thing the system is lacking for me. Everything else out right now is nice, but it would be icing on the cake with a core killer app.

 

[Rich!]

Holy shit.

I just realised I haven't even had the Wii U hooked up since I took it round the relatives' house on boxing day.

That was almost a month ago. Fuck me. Nintendo - announce some games, please.

 

[Barrel Cannon]

fire emblem, castlevania and monster hunter will keep my busy through the wii u drought. Sad to see the Big N failed to bring in all those delayed titles.

 

[Always-honest]

Surely, I am not the only one who thinks: Wii U, what's the point?

Mediocre 3rd party games.
Barely as powerful as 6year old consoles.
Laughable network strategy.

I bought the Wii day one and actually sold my 360 to get a Wii U but I seriously think what's the fucking point.

First party games in HD. Worth it in the long run. But yeah... A bit more powerfull would have been nice.

 

[outunderthestars]

Surprised by the number of people saying there's nothing to buy in Q1. I can understand skipping over Lego but are you skipping Rayman TOO?

Rayman Origins came out what, 14 months ago? Surely you can understand how seeing another Rayman game that is basically more of the same could be underwhelming to people.

First party games in HD. Worth it in the long run. But yeah... A bit more powerfull would have been nice.

This is pretty much how I feel.

 

[Black Door]

Christ, nothing but Rayman and Lego City until fall (and Monster Hunter, but I will never buy a Capcom game new ever again) and after that the releases are basically up in the air. I honestly hope that Nintendo doesnt think they're going to fight PS4/720 with ports and barely a handful of first/second party stuff...

 

[hydragonwarrior]

Luigi's mansion.... honestly, I don't know why they have it as a Wii U game. I was hoping they'd devote their resources to a larger title.

I mean... even hardcore N-fans know that this is not a big enough name release to sell consoles. Might have been better to release this a year down the line.

 

[Fox Mulder]

Luigi's mansion.... honestly, I don't know why they have it as a Wii U game. I was hoping they'd devote their resources to a larger title.

I mean... even hardcore N-fans know that this is not a big enough name release to sell consoles. Might have been better to release this a year down the line.

luigi's mansion was great on the gamecube, and the sequel is a 3ds game.

 

[liger05]

http://gamasutra.com/view/news/185024/Breaking_down_Wii_Us_postlaunch_software_lull.php#.UPm2midLMY1

Just shows that the number of titles isnt the problem but more that we have expensive old 3rd party ports.