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[Coen]

Serious question by the way: is there money in analyzing these analysts? You'd think Pachter would've been dumped by Wedbush by now for doing a horrible job (assuming he's saying the same things to his clients). There's even weirder stuff like this analyst claiming GTA V would be a digital release only. Why do these people still have a job?

 

[Tookay]

Not that it makes him more respectable, but wasn't some of that due to the early hoopla surrounding online pre-orders? I kind of vaguely recall some information from around September to October that was going a little crazy with "new console hype" where stories would trickle in indicating things like "GameStop's waitlist will extend well into the new year." I'm not sure whether such stories were based on hearsay, people who pre-ordered one or multiple units they didn't pick up, or speculation that Nintendo might deliver far fewer units than they actually did. But obviously, the notion that it would be hard to get your hands on one didn't pan out.

Yeah, you're correct about that. GameStop did send out press releases about the waitlists filling up and unprecedented demand, etc.

And while it's possible that there was truth to it and maybe some people didn't pick it up, I just always took it as PR trying to drum up their own sales, by making it seem like scarcity was going to be a big deal.

 

[Steve Youngblood]

Serious question by the way: is there money in analyzing these analysts? You'd think Pachter would've been dumped by Wedbush by now for doing a horrible job (assuming he's saying the same things to his clients). There's even weirder stuff like this analyst claiming GTA V would be a digital release only. Why do these people still have a job?

He doesn't say the same thing to his clients.

 

[Kouriozan]

Hi, Nintendo will be in trouble.

Spoiler

Can I get my money now?

 

[Schnozberry]

Serious question by the way: is there money in analyzing these analysts? You'd think Pachter would've been dumped by Wedbush by now for doing a horrible job (assuming he's saying the same things to his clients). There's even weirder stuff like this analyst claiming GTA V would be a digital release only. Why do these people still have a job?

Analyst is just another term for gazing at a crystal ball most of the time. These guys are trying to pull trends out of hat for a market that is difficult to predict and understand. They are wrong almost as a rule. And when they are right it is usually hindsight after the fact, like Pachter stating the obvious that the Wii U is below Nintendo's original lofty expectations.

They have jobs because analyzing games is probably a hobby and very little of what they actually do.

 

[TheGreatMightyPoo]

Pachter is the Skip Bayless of whatever it is Pachter does.

I actually see a lot of parallels but Skip knows more about videogames.

 

[The Horror the horror]

Lol. I know it. I derive great enjoyment watching Nintendo fans throw themselves into the fire trying to get you to change your position pointlessly. I'd say that it's surprising watching them do it over and over again, but it's not. What is surprising is when you say, "How'd you get that from my post?" when you know that they didn't even read your post. They saw your name and avatar and trotted out their prefab response. I guess that's not even surprising.



I get what you're saying. That's what Baconsammy and I are discussing (^). He continues to enter the threads, restate what he's previously stated a million times and he gets responses thus validating the cycle. He's absolutely right when he says that if people don't want to see his posts that they can just ignore him. Why he feels so strongly that everyone knows his opinions on the subject is irrelevant as there will never be a reason good enough to sate the hordes he engages.

Are you his hype man or something? Why not just get a room and giggle on about N-things in private. Stick with the thread topic.

Anyway, as wrong as Pratcher has been about many things, his opinion isn't entirely baseless. Nintendo had 2+ years to prepare the Wii U, with their blatant and premature abandonment of its predecessor, and they have little to show for. The latest Nintendo Direct was decent, but I felt they could have focused more on delivering new hardcore IPs and experiences.

 

[Alligatorjandro]

Isn't it kind of early to call the Wii U dead?I mean its barely been out for 2 months.

 

[Xellos]

He's pretty much right. Before launch I thought Wii U would be OK at $299, but now it's apparent that even $299 is too high. Nintendo needs Ambassador Program, take 2, or Wii U is going to have a very rough 2013.

The one point I disagree with is motion control vs. the gamepad (the "doesn't capture the imagination" comment). He's correct that the gamepad isn't as immediately appealing as motion controls, but I think it still has a chance to catch on in the future. The software isn't there yet. Wii U's gamepad/TV setup is very similar to DS. DS didn't take off until games tailored to the console showed up (Nintendogs, Brain Training, etc). To me, the jury is out on the gamepad (as a hook for the console) until next year.

 

[Servbot24]

I want to agree with Pachter on this one, but honestly I don't know if I'll be able to resist buying a Wii U when Zelda, Smash and new Retro games are out. I'm sure there have got to be a decent amount of people who feel the same (though perhaps not, since GameCube exists).

 

[Gahiggidy]

Michael Pachter is graceless.

 

[Portugeezer]

2 months.

 

[Tookay]

2 months.

I used to agree with these sorts of comments (especially during the 3DS's first year), but there's not much in the next several months to turn it around. Extrapolating is okay.

 

[Herb Alpert]

What did he say about the 3DS? Before he corrected himself, then re-corrected, the stated the obvious, then corrected...
And each time everyone runs. We feed the troll. He's gotten pretty damn fat lately.

 

[pvpness]

Are you his hype man or something? Why not just get a room and giggle on about N-things in private. Stick with the thread topic.

Anyway, as wrong as Pratcher has been about many things, his opinion isn't entirely baseless. Nintendo had 2+ years to prepare the Wii U, with their blatant and premature abandonment of its predecessor, and they have little to show for. The latest Nintendo Direct was decent, but I felt they could have focused more on delivering new hardcore IPs and experiences.

He couldn't afford me as a hype man.

 

[Nugg]

Pachter is always wrong, so Wii U saved I guess?

 

[Steve Youngblood]

I used to agree with these sorts of comments (especially during the 3DS's first year), but there's not much in the next several months to turn it around. Extrapolating is okay.

There's also the fact that -- Pachter's often poor phrasings and hyperbole aside -- for the average person assessing the situation, there's nothing irresponsible about reevaluating constantly as the situation changes. Personally, I think the situation for the Wii U looks pretty dim in the near term, but I'm certainly not writing off that they could get things into overdrive and manage a successful holiday 2013 season. If they do, that doesn't retroactively invalidate any pessimistic assessments from now.

For right now, the situation is what it is. There's no reason to not call the current state of affairs underwhelming just because things might improve in six months.

 

[airmangataosenai]

Is there a list of things that he has predicted correctly? It doesn't seem like he is a very good analyst based on gaming stuff.

He actually is incredibly accurate in his predictions in Sales-Age. He's won the top picks several times.

 

[Tookay]

There's also the fact that -- Pachter's often poor phrasings and hyperbole aside -- for the average person assessing the situation, there's nothing irresponsible about reevaluating constantly as the situation improves. Personally, I think the situation for the Wii U looks pretty dim in the near term, but I'm certainly not writing off that they could get things into overdrive and manage a successful holiday 2013 season. If they do, that doesn't retroactively invalidate any pessimistic assessments from now.

For right now, the situation is what it is. There's no reason to not call the current state of affairs underwhelming just because things might improve in six months.

Exactly. Given what we know now, there's nothing ridiculous being asserted by Pachter. There's always the possibility of improvement in the future hanging over all predictions; that doesn't make them premature, especially when the immediate future offers no relief in sight. Situations will change accordingly when we learn what's in store of holiday 2013.

 

[Boerseun]

Michael Pachter is full of shit.

 

[AndrewDean84xX]

I would love to see the ratio of pachter being right/wrong with his guesses.

 

[Beermeister]

Michael Pachter

 

[Kunan]

I've never seen so many doom and gloom predictions so early in a consoles life :/

Nintendo DS. Until the Lite came, it was the red-headed stepchild on forums and in the media.