Agreed, although it does make me a very jealous person. Insulting is not the word I would use for it. On the positive side, us physical only buyers are going to have copies in a thinner market place. Our games will sustain value longer. Hurray.
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Nintendo's two week digital download exclusivity for Wind Waker is an insulting bribe
- Thread starter Tiktaalik
- Start date
Agreed, although it does make me a very jealous person. Insulting is not the word I would use for it. On the positive side, us physical only buyers are going to have copies in a thinner market place. Our games will sustain value longer. Hurray.
Zen_Arcade
Banned
It's not screwing up. I'd wager that every publisher waits until the game is actually finished before giving the OK to print and package all the retails aspects.
It's also a smart business tactic because the people that need it as soon as it's available now have a copy they can't trade in or resell. Bitching about having to wait a couple weeks to get a boxed copy of something really is an over reaction. At most it's an extremely mild inconvenience.
I don't even care enough to own a WiiU, but you people still make my head hurt.
If a game is done, and it takes time to print and ship copies of it, why is there a problem with releasing the game on digital platforms before the physical release date?
You want them to literally stop releasing games on the service until they get the whole platform up to what you want it to be? Who does that help? It doesn't help consumers, because it gives them less of a choice about where and when to get the game. It doesn't help Nintendo, because putting a game up on the store does not slow them from making any back end changes they need to.
But no, it is literally a personal insult to you that they offer the game digitally early.
Unbelievable.
If a game is done, and it takes time to print and ship copies of it, why is there a problem with releasing the game on digital platforms before the physical release date?
You want them to literally stop releasing games on the service until they get the whole platform up to what you want it to be? Who does that help? It doesn't help consumers, because it gives them less of a choice about where and when to get the game. It doesn't help Nintendo, because putting a game up on the store does not slow them from making any back end changes they need to.
But no, it is literally a personal insult to you that they offer the game digitally early.
Unbelievable.
Yeah. This.. Its just stupid and doesn't connect at all. Their online sucks, but WWHD releasing a few weeks early is fucking fine.
In the end, not everyone shares the same level of concern about the lack of an account system. For those willing to take on the "risk," they can take advantage of the fact that a digital copy exists before its retail version does.
This thread is the definition of entitlement in its assumption that everyone prioritizes issues the same way you do and that we all should not be able to take advantage of one aspect of digital downloads because of another aspect of digital downloads that you value more than us.
This thread is the definition of entitlement in its assumption that everyone prioritizes issues the same way you do and that we all should not be able to take advantage of one aspect of digital downloads because of another aspect of digital downloads that you value more than us.
Coffee Dog
Banned
In time for what? They will have it ready for the product's release date in October. The only reason you would think that releasing the product on time is a screwup is if you thought that september 20th was the release date, which you would be sadly mistaken about. See, if they released the physical game on september 20th, the digital version would have been held back. You get that right?
That's because they have to make enough discs for a shipment, at which point they are sent to the stores, which a few days later release on their release date. I am astounded that you don't really understand this at all lol. Your point about "release dates" is proving mine, in that it takes time to manufacture a physical version of the game while the digital is ready to release.
Such a ridiculous, inflammatory title, and a redundant topic. Yes, the eShop needs improvement. And a unified account system would be great.
What this boils down to is you not getting exactly what you want. It's not a consumer rights issue, or whatever point these topics are driving at.
What this boils down to is you not getting exactly what you want. It's not a consumer rights issue, or whatever point these topics are driving at.
Consoles getting stolen or breaking are very unlikely events, but if they do happen Nintendo will transfer your account to a new Wii U and you can redownload your purchases. It's more hassle than you should have to go through, but it's not like there's nothing you can do. Selling your console is the only one with no real recourse at the moment, but there's really no reason to want to switch your account to a new console that doesn't involve the old one breaking or getting stolen. You could be worried that in a few years Nintendo will release a new version of Wii U with some kind of integral feature that you'll want but that's unlikely and letting fears of what could happen harm your present. It's like not going outside because something out there COULD kill you.
Would you have been happier the WiiU had no BC, no Wiiware/VC transfer, made you repurchase all of your VC titles again BUT it now has an account setup?
If your intent was to lend your copy of Ace Attorney 5 to your sister, well, it is too bad there isn't a retail release- but the idea of lending digital purchases is pretty new to all parties. Having her login to your account to download the game (like what is done with PSN game sharing) is a backend solution I don't think publishers really want that. I expect PS4/Xbone to have a sharing-for-subsidized cost model coming soon anyways, and it's easily something they can implement on WiiU.
iamvin22
Industry Verified
Vane_MagicCity
Banned
My Wal Mart is packed with the Wii U Wind Waker bundle. They are actively helping to promote this.
InsaneZero
Member
A release date is simply the earliest date where consumers can expect to have access to a game. Naturally copies of a retail release would not be thrown into shelves the moment they're manufactured, since they still need to be packaged and shipped to stores. All of this takes time.
Since a digital release doesn't involve any of this logistical stuff, it takes far less time to actually make a release. Software that is digitally distributed should not be taking more than a day to go from RTM to GA.
Nothing1016
Member
Lol I don't really care for a unified account system to be honest. I have never lost a system from damage or burglary nor have I ever sold any of my systems. So Nintendo can keep feeding me digital titles, and at the same time I will be ruining some of your lives because I embrace their policies. I'm an enabler and one of the reasons nintendo hasn't changed yet.
Yeah fair.
Coffee Dog
Banned
lOL, yea, this is funny. sorry
What's funny about it? Do you disagree that discs and packaging takes time to make?
Vane_MagicCity
Banned
This is not ok.
What's so absurd about this? By definition a digital version is going to be complete and ready to download before a retail version is printed and shipped. When a digital version comes out day and date with retail that's because it's being held back, not vice versa.
lOL, yea, this is funny. sorry
Getting my system stolen or broken isn't really what I'm worried about either. But it'd be nice to cross-buy games on 3DS and WiiU Virtual Console games that are available on both. And it'd be nice to know that I'll have my digital games on next generation's Nintendo console. Or, say, I buy a 2DS and am able to play the digital games I've bought on my XL and my 2DS. Stuff like that.
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
Correct. I haven't been directly involved in a game going through RTM for a couple years, but I highly doubt things have changed since then: After getting platform approval games are sent to manufacturing for disc pressing and packaging, these days the image is usually FTP'd to the facilities directly (before the GM discs were sent physically). The company gets sent back test disc samples of the final burns (sometimes referred to as "green discs") to verify everything looks good before they proceed with mass production.
There's almost always a couple weeks of time between final approval and shelf date since this all takes time for manufacturing/shipping to retailers. This is also where release day patch work is finished up. If there's no need for such a patch, pretty much anyone if they felt like it can put a digital version of the title up early while the retail version is still in manufacturing. I don't understand how a developer doing so would be considered
?
Read the post I just put up, I don't get what's funny? I mean, manufacturing facilities usually get a digital version of the game for duplication in the first place.
At least you're willing to be reasonable about it. Sorry if I came across harshly.
peanutbutterlatte
Member
Like if they released Pokemon X/Y as a download next weekend anybody would fucking complain.
It just seems so unlikely that this would be the reason for a digital version first. It's pretty clear that Nintendo is pushing their digital games. They're trying to get people to bite on the digital download by offering it early. It's nothing sinister really.
Vane_MagicCity
Banned
...and it should be discounted due to not having the costs of manufacturing a disc and a case. Not having to ship to stores probably saves them a little bit too.
Of course, the excuse is that discounting digital downloads would piss off retailers but somehow, this doesn't?
Let's examine this, the most important game sales are in the first couple of weeks, correct? So by the time retailers get a chance to sell it, the most important time for game sales is over.
PigSpeakers
Member
That's okay. It felt like it took about two weeks to get my console set up, controller charged and the game downloaded and installed. Okay, more like, 5 hours, but still.
I don't know why I keep refreshing this thread. It boggles my mind really. Anyway.
If WW comes out early on digital and you don't want a digital copy for whatever reason, don't buy it.
If you still want the game, buy the physical copy when it comes out.
We don't need to be conspiracy theorists, we can assume the physical copies aren't ready. If you feel that you don't want a physical copy because you don't like the eshop, but can't resist, and feel your will power breaking, that's your problem, not Nintendo's. It's a perfectly viable strategy, when looked at by itself it's PRO-CONSUMER and smart business. (assuming physical copies aren't ready, which I would bet is a safe assumption)
If Nintendo's polices are so disgusting, repulsive, and (insert hyperbole here) to you, then don't buy Nintendo products. They'll be fine without you.
If WW comes out early on digital and you don't want a digital copy for whatever reason, don't buy it.
If you still want the game, buy the physical copy when it comes out.
We don't need to be conspiracy theorists, we can assume the physical copies aren't ready. If you feel that you don't want a physical copy because you don't like the eshop, but can't resist, and feel your will power breaking, that's your problem, not Nintendo's. It's a perfectly viable strategy, when looked at by itself it's PRO-CONSUMER and smart business. (assuming physical copies aren't ready, which I would bet is a safe assumption)
If Nintendo's polices are so disgusting, repulsive, and (insert hyperbole here) to you, then don't buy Nintendo products. They'll be fine without you.
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
It's something ALL developers can do, and really could have been doing for years. As I posted earlier, manufacturing facilities get a digital verison of the game (albeit in a ISO type of format better suited for duplication) in the first place weeks (sometimes months) before shelf date. Deals made with retailers likely prevented it from happening at a larger scale.
The first couple of weeks the game hits the stores. That study was never done on digital games.
They both do of course. That's why they're choosing to do this with a smaller profile title and only in one region.
I think this would only have a negative impact on sales if the userbase is overwhelmingly in the digital sector, and I don't think that's the case at all for the Wii U.
lOL, yea, this is funny. sorry
Yeah, you're the only one laughing. Sorry.
The bolded is and will be wrong until the majority of console game sales become digital as opposed to physical. The "first few weeks" rule only applies if the consumers are actually bothering to BUY them. Digital sales for console titles (likely especially Nintendos) are still LARGELY weighed towards physical sales versus digital.
Its not the case for any of the consoles AFAIK. Physical still rules.
WrenchNinja
Member
Why the heck would I be happier about that? Why is this an either or choice? I have to choose bc or an account system and not both? Yknow you keep talking about how its great that they kept BC but ignore that they dropped Gamecube compatability entirely with the Wii revision and the Wii U. But that's okay apparently cause you can play Wii games!
I rather have a problem that was fucking solved already when their new platforms launched instead of waiting what's going to be 2 and half years with the 3DS and a year with the Wii U and longer to get their shit together, personally.
It's not new. Ive been able to do it since the launch of the 360 and PS3. What do I fucking care about what publishers want? And you're expecting something that isn't going to happen since theyve already made it a point that youre library moves with you and you can still bring your download games to your friend's place. Something that still can't be done with the Wii U for whatever reason.
Why can't there be multiple reasons for a course of action? Yes they want people on the eshop. Yes they can offer digital versions by definition earlier than retail.
Nothing1016
Member
Now cross buy would be a joy to have but this is Nintendo here. They'd probably offer a cross buy edition at a premium price if they ever went to a unified account system and I'd probably pay for it because I'm a sucker. I agree though. Cross buy is the best reason.
You're being ridiculous.
Hey, have you ever wondered why Steam and other download services allow you to pre-load games before the release date?
Sorry, let me back up. Pre-loading is when you buy a game before it's released, and the digital store allows you to download most of the game's files before the release date. Then, when the game is released, you download a little bit instead of the whole thing, so you can play it faster.
This is because when a game is finished and ready for retail, it takes time to make discs and ship them out, because the physical laws of this universe dictate that burning discs, creating packaging, and shipping to many different locations involve the passage of linear time. This time is greater than the time it takes to transfer a few gigabytes of data to a server. So in between the time when the game is finished at the dev studio and when it arrives at physical stores, the game is usually sitting on a drive somewhere at the digital services where the game is going to be sold. As a convenience measure, these digital services allow users to pre-load.
You're literally saying that Steam, all the publishers involved with Steam and developers who make the game are "screwing up by not having the retail version in time", since they let people pre-load before the game is ready. Literally the only difference with this early eshop release is that they aren't holding back the small files that let the game actually execute.
tl;dr You have no idea what you're talking about, and you look ridiculous. Stop.
Didn't even comment on that, did I? I even said that it's a good move for Nintendo before!?
Did EA ever comment on the early access stuff they've done in the past for their sports games? I'm curious if that ever got any traction at all, since EA themselves have never crowed about it, which might be as telling as the situation needs to be.
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
This is GAF. Just like you can't have an opinion in-between two extreme ends of a topic. It must be firmly entrenched on one side or the other.
You sir are a gentleman and a scholar. For this post at least.
InsaneZero
Member
What's stopping a retailer from selling download codes?
In the same way why is releasing it for download early a bad thing and releasing for download at a lower price not? I don't see how you can have an issue with one and not the other.
razoftblend
Member
There are many reasons why they do this. The one they've openly stated is to increase eShop visits. However, they also benefit from other things, like the time between going gold and arriving to store shelves. This way, they release early for those who want digital. If you want physical, then you can wait for it. It's not like it's a competitive online game anyways.
Another reason could be to send a mesage to retailers. Retailers often release games ahead of time. This can cause problem if the publisher want to do something. For example, a retailer in Europe, GAME I think, started selli.g game codes of TW 101 a week earlier. This became a proble because of the promo going that was starting on release day, but people were not getting this promo because they entered the codes earlier. There was some fault on Nintendo for allowing these codes to work, though it was likely they did it for reviewers, but the problem was resolved. However, people were freaking out before that.
Another reason could be to send a mesage to retailers. Retailers often release games ahead of time. This can cause problem if the publisher want to do something. For example, a retailer in Europe, GAME I think, started selli.g game codes of TW 101 a week earlier. This became a proble because of the promo going that was starting on release day, but people were not getting this promo because they entered the codes earlier. There was some fault on Nintendo for allowing these codes to work, though it was likely they did it for reviewers, but the problem was resolved. However, people were freaking out before that.
In other Nintendo-going-digital news, this Kotaku article has some interesting insight into the Wii Fit U direct info. Especially interesting is its conclusion that Nintendo a year ago did not anticipate what it is doing (strategy, marketing, pricing etc.) now.
Coffee Dog
Banned
hahahaha, thank you for this post.