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[[Nintex]]

No, it's a controller with a screen.
It can not function as a tablet.
It can not be used beyond the living room.
Anyone that is trying to make it act like a tablet is being stupid.

There might be a box zooming in the background but you can still use it as a tablet. The picture shows it, that's not different from playing with an app on your tablet really.

 

[epmode]

One thing that I'm certain of after so many years of watching the industry: EA is bad for videogames. Nearly every time they're in a position of power, they fuck it up for everyone but their own bottom line.

 

[hyduK]

Well, it has to do with online so Nintendo will definitely choose whatever the worst option happens to be...

 

[Dabanton]

Hopefully Nintendo won't outsource the online business to someone else. Even if it's good on WiiU, it won't have a future on all Nintendo platforms. I don't understand Nintendos problem. It's not that hard to build a own online service...

It is when your competitors quite frankly outclass you in every way on that front. An online service as such as Steam ,Xbox Live and more recently PSN takes time , money and effort to get right and even then it will never be perfect.

It will take years for Nintendo to have something even approaching decent even buying in some help won't speed up that process.

 

[Boney]

oh billy

 

[Zombie James]

An Origin-only console?

 

[[Nintex]]

One thing that I'm certain of after so many years of watching the industry: EA is bad for videogames. Nearly every time they're in a position of power, they fuck it up for everyone but their own bottom line.

You, me and EatChildren are really onto something here.

 

[Emitan]

oh billy

:<

why must you always do this

 

[Phoenician_Viking]

EA want Origin everywhere, because more people owning Origin = more potential customers.

Nintendo wants third party support. Valve interested in bringing Steam to the system, EA interested in Origin.
EA cracks the shits over Steam, and wants Origin exclusivity on the platform.
Nintendo goes "herp derp EA is a huge publisher what is Valve? EA what can you give us?"
EA makes a bunch of suss promises and commits 'support' to the platform.
Nintendo is stupid and thinks they've got a sweet deal and lets EA dominate with Origin.
EA lols all the way to the bank as their 'support' consists of shitty iStore style apps and c-tier games targeted for iPhone/iPad like touch screen devices, treating the Wii U as just another overpriced tablet.

Oh come on. Would really think that Nintendo would not have an iron clad contract over the deal with EA? Promises in the game industry without contracts mean nothing.

 

[Jocchan]

Has EA announced any Wii U games 'officially' yet?

THQ and Warner Bros. did and they just signed with Origin too.

I dare to say I seriously doubt it's a coincidence.

 

[EatChildren]

One thing that I'm certain of after so many years of watching the industry: EA is bad for videogames. Nearly every time they're in a position of power, they fuck it up for everyone but their own bottom line.

EA need to be treated as EA are; a third party publisher and nothing more. EA is, by default, in the best possible position. They have numerous talented studios developing highly anticipated games guaranteed to turn profit, ownership of many AAA franchises, and the ability to do whatever they want with these games/franchises and put them on any platform they desire.

I don't know why anybody would even consider striking a deal with them. EA has nothing to lose nor reason to be interested in supporting a platform exclusively. I get that console manufacturers obviously want support from the biggest publishers, but that will come naturally if you create an environment that they see as profitable and easy to develop for.

 

[Araxen]

Hrmmmm...if Wii U had Steam the system would turn into a must buy for me.

 

[Green Biker Dude]

if i have no interest in ea's shit games, i'm not affected by this, right?

 

[JosephManderley]

Lets not forget, a lack of EA support played a major role in the death of the Dreamcast...

 

[Emitan]

Lets not forget, a lack of EA support played a major role in the death of the Dreamcast...

And Sega's horrible business decisions and Sony's powerful marketing had nothing to do with it?

If Nintendo makes a deal with EA the best thing they can possible get are games they would already be getting in the first place.

 

[brain_stew]

An Origin-only console?

No, that would be a console where Nintendo run the online service.

 

[Boney]

You, me and EatChildren are really onto something here.

the dutch the australian and the uh epmode

I'd go watch that movie

 

[rpmurphy]

Wait, if this is just talking about the digital distribution infrastructure, how would that even work, considering Nintendo has its own system in place already for Virtual Console and WiiWare that needs to be transferred into the new system? Would they give management of that content over to EA?

 

[Nuclear Muffin]

You, me and EatChildren are really onto something here.

Hey hey hey, what about meeee?!

I figured out this Origin partnership the very second that EA came to stage during E3!!!

I deserve credit too!

 

[bgassassin]

Sneaky hidden clauses that get lost in translation can go a long way, especially if they're presented to a company who is absolutely desperate for your support...

Then Nintendo would need to fire and then sue their lawyers if that happened.

if i have no interest in ea's shit games, i'm not affected by this, right?

Only if this actually happened and you wanted to do DDs for games. Nintendo has to know that not all companies wouldn't want to put their games on Origin.

 

[Cerebral Assassin]

EA need to be treated as EA are; a third party publisher and nothing more.

Only Activision would have more stroke than EA.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

I think before I form a solid opinion, I'll need to see why exactly Steam wants to be on Wii U. Both are PC-based. Nintendo has Virtual Console.

 

[Phoenician_Viking]

Nintendo says they don't have the resources to make competent net code without disrupting game development...

the goddamn buy the resources with your mountain of cash.

I really don't get why nintendo hasn't expanded their operations more heavily since they struck gold with the wii/DS

Pretty much. I don´t understand Nintendo´s attitude towards online at all. Even if they started like PSN started and then improve it over time, it would be a great start for a first time effort.

 

[Nuclear Muffin]

Then Nintendo needs to fire and then sue their lawyers if that happened.

Its happened before and it can happen again!

if i have no interest in ea's shit games, i'm not affected by this, right?

Not by a longshot, you bet it'll affect you!

Do you like Valve's games? Well don't count on seeing any of Valve's games hit the Wii U then! (and they'll be plenty of others who wont want to hand over control to EA and will subsequently not make games for the Wii U)

Like EA's terms of service? Well good! Because you'll see games' online services get shut down with little to no notice after only a year on the shelves! (well, maybe)

Hope you like paying inflated prices for downloadable games too!

 

[Emitan]

I think before I form a solid opinion, I'll need to see why exactly Steam wants to be on Wii U.

To make money? Either getting paid upfront to develop the online backend or making money off each game sold.

 

[hellclerk]

Sneaky hidden clauses that get lost in translation can go a long way, especially if they're presented to a company who is absolutely desperate for your support...

It's assumptions like this that are driving logical discussion off the deep end here. Nintendo has more than a few very good American lawyers, and unless these contracts are being drafted in Liturgical Greek, there's really very little for those hidden clauses to hide behind.

Also, there's the assumption of EA not making games for a Nintendo platform. If EA doesn't make games for the WiiU, their stockholders are gonna have them by the throat, especially after the success of the Wii. Nintendo isn't desperate for EA's support. Nintendo makes tons of money without EA's spin-off sports games selling much, and did perfectly fine when Mirror's Edge, Dead Space, Mass Effect, and Battlefield all missed the Nintendo platform. I don't think I own a single EA 3rd party Wii game, even though my 3rd to 1st party ratio is well above 2:1. Nintendo doesn't need EA to thrive, and EA not putting their sports games on the WiiU is out of the question thanks to stockholders, so I really don't get how people can even imply that Nintendo needs EA when EA provides such a minuscule portion of Wii 3rd party sales. It just doesn't make any logical sense.

 

[Darryl]

Well, an EA & Nintendo partnership could easily end the console war right now.

 

[JosephManderley]

And Sega's horrible business decisions and Sony's powerful marketing had nothing to do with it?

If Nintendo makes a deal with EA the best thing they can possible get are games they would already be getting in the first place.

I didn't say it was the only factor, but it definately made a big difference to the DC.

Nintendo would be wise to keep EA sweet. Like it or not, Madden and FIFA are a big deal.

 

[Cerebral Assassin]

Pretty much. I don´t understand Nintendo´s attitude towards online at all. Even if they started like PSN started and then grew over time, it would be a great start for a first time effort.

Because they don't have the luxury of this, like no MMO will ever be "allowed" to grow in the way WOW did.

 

[Emitan]

I didn't say it was the only factor, but it definately made a big difference to the DC.

Nintendo would be wise to keep EA sweet. Like it or not, Madden and FIFA are a big deal.

EA still puts Madden on the PS2, I don't think Nintendo will have troubles getting it on the Wii U.

 

[Nekofrog]

Lets not forget, a lack of EA support played a major role in the death of the Dreamcast...

Not as big as you'd think.

Bernie Stolar pretty much singlehandedly destroyed Sega, including the Dreamcast.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

Telling Nintendo "Yo, just do like PSN" right now will cause them to turtle up and go backwards ten more years on online infrastructure.

 

[RedSwirl]

Look no further than the Dreamcast http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/4128/the_rise_and_fall_of_the_dreamcast.php?print=1

I thought about that, but I don't see many, if any similarities between the Wii-U and Dremacast in terms of the situation with EA.

That Gamasutra article cites Sega's indecision on the hardware and ultimately deciding on something EA's teams didn't want to work with. That doesn't sound at all like Nintendo. Even if they haven't finalized their hardware yet, the one thing they keep stressing is ease of use compared to the other machines.

Even the whole EA/Genesis thing kinda confuses me, because I'm pretty sure all of EA's 16bit Sports games were multiplatform.

I can't see how they would demand an exclusive deal for control of all digital content on Nintendo's console with their entire software support at ransom.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

To make money? Either getting paid upfront to develop the online backend or making money off each game sold.

I still don't get it. Both are PC-based platforms. What could they possibly bring to consoles with their current mission statements?

I mean, yes, I get that they would build console-based stuff, but it just seems counter-productive.

 

[Phoenician_Viking]

Because they don't have the luxury of this, like no MMO will ever be "allowed" to grow in the way WOW did.

Nintendo has the money. If they hire a couple of 100 experienced people to start their own online service, it would be a good start. It won´t rival the competition at first but they can always improve the service.

 

[Zoramon089]

Pretty much. I don´t understand Nintendo´s attitude towards online at all. Even if they started like PSN started and then improve it over time, it would be a great start for a first time effort.

They're doing this with the 3DS and people are still complaining. I think they want a fully featured system right at launch and don't have the time/manpower/expertise to do so all on their own

 

[Dunlop]

I will gladly take any company that can manage an on-line infrastructure over whatever abomination Nintendo would create

 

[bgassassin]

Its happened before and it can happen again!

Sega isn't a good example though. They were the epitome of business incompetence at that time.

It's assumptions like this that are driving logical discussion off the deep end here. Nintendo has more than a few very good American lawyers, and unless these contracts are being drafted in Liturgical Greek, there's really very little for those hidden clauses to hide behind.

Also, there's the assumption of EA not making games for a Nintendo platform. If EA doesn't make games for the WiiU, their stockholders are gonna have them by the throat, especially after the success of the Wii. Nintendo isn't desperate for EA's support. Nintendo makes tons of money without EA's spin-off sports games selling much, and did perfectly fine when Mirror's Edge, Dead Space, Mass Effect, and Battlefield all missed the Nintendo platform. I don't think I own a single EA 3rd party Wii game, even though my 3rd to 1st party ratio is well above 2:1. Nintendo doesn't need EA to thrive, and EA not putting their sports games on the WiiU is out of the question thanks to stockholders, so I really don't get how people can even imply that Nintendo needs EA when EA provides such a minuscule portion of Wii 3rd party sales. It just doesn't make any logical sense.

This as well.

 

[Cerebral Assassin]

I still don't get it. Both are PC-based platforms. What could they possibly bring to consoles with their current mission statements?

I mean, yes, I get that they would build console-based stuff, but it just seems counter-productive.

Well Valve are planning to release a "couch mode" for Steam so it may help with that(in terms of research).

Nintendo has the money. If they hire a couple of 100 experienced people to start their own online service, it would be a good start. It won´t rival the competition at first but they can always improve the service.

Or they can just hire a company to do it instead.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

For the respective third parties, the benefit of EA's Origin or Ubisoft's Uplay as a fundamental part of a console is really simple: e-mail addresses and marketing data.

They want that. If inputting your e-mail address is the gateway to getting to play Madden online, then EA will be as happy as a pig in mud. If it's to play any game online, then EA will be in the throes of some sort of auto-erotic quasi-orgasmic ecstasy for the remainder of the next generation.

 

[Forsaken82]

Given Nintendo's history in the online space I can't see why anyone would be clamoring to get exclusivity.

Thats the point though. Imagine being the company that got Nintendo on track.

 

[Phoenician_Viking]

Telling Nintendo "Yo, just do like PSN" right now will cause them to turtle up and go backwards ten more years on online infrastructure.

I just meant they need to start somewhere. They can always improve their online service.

They're doing this with the 3DS and people are still complaining. I think they want a fully featured system right at launch and don't have the time/manpower/expertise to do so all on their own

I do realize that Nintendo does not have the man power for it, but they sure have the money. Nintendo doing their own online infrastructure is an investment in the long for the company. They could hire/employ experienced people to set up their online service. This move will put Nintendo in the MP playing field, and will generate a lot of money from software. It´s a win win for both Nintendo and consumers.

 

[akilshohen]

Steamworks would be the trump card if they were serious. Beyond that, only thing better or even would be XBL.

 

[Nuclear Muffin]

Sega isn't a good example though. They were the epitome of business incompetence at that time.

I was actually referring to the Nintendo Playstation deal. There was a hidden clause in the contract with Sony that Nintendo and their lawyers didn't pick up on, that enabled Sony to take the entirety of the licensing royalties from CD software all for themselves, leaving Nintendo with nothing. That's what caused Nintendo to whelch on the deal (when Yamauchi found out afterwards and hastily partnered with Phillips instead...)

 

[bgassassin]

^ But they still caught it though. Maybe it's just me, but I wouldn't allow myself to be almost burned a second time. Plus that was like what 15 years ago? I like conspiracies and all, but thinking that could happen again isn't something I see.

I do realize that Nintendo does not have the man power for it, but they sure have the money. Nintendo doing their own online infrastructure is an investment in the long for the company. They could hire/employ experienced people to set up their online service. This move will put Nintendo in the MP playing field, and will generate a lot of money from software. It´s a win win for both Nintendo and consumers.

They are doing their own infrastructure though. The "Wild West" stuff started from a misinterpretation talking about that (it wasn't Reggie's comment).

 

[ShockingAlberto]

I was actually referring to the Nintendo Playstation deal. There was a hidden clause that Nintendo and their lawyers didn't pick up on that enabled Sony to take all of the licensing royalties from CD software. That's what caused Nintendo to whelch on the deal (when Yamauchi found out afterwards and hastily partnered with Phillips instead...)

Sony would have also owned all new IPs produced for the CD system.

So they wouldn't get Mario, but if they made a new character named Blario for the SNES CD, Sony would have retained ownership.

It was a pretty fucking crazy clause and Nintendo was stupid not to see it.

 

[Chinner]

imagine if ea got wii u as origin exclusive and then half way through they start to half-ass it like they do with anything they do.

 

[markot]

They could easily have 'one log in' but to each seperate service as you use them.

As a PC gamer, I am in favour of this yes ^_^

And yeah this basically means they need a decent HDD, or at least easy upgrade/usb ability.

 

[AceBandage]

They could easily have 'one log in' but to each seperate service as you use them.

As a PC gamer, I am in favour of this yes ^_^

And yeah this basically means they need a decent HDD, or at least easy upgrade/usb ability.

It's already confirmed that you can use USB HDDs.

 

[DCKing]

Even if the Wii U will get Origin only, what's the big deal? For what reasons would it be bad?

I'd prefer Steam sure, but wouldn't it be an incredible partnership?