Could someone please explain to me what the hell is wrong with Nintendo?

[RaikuFA]

1) They release a underpowered overpriced console with the worst launch line up ever only one single games worth playing.
2) They discontinue the insanely popular NES classic for no reason.
3) Charge ?35 for ultra street fighter which was ?9 on xbox 360 several years ago.
4) Deliberately under stock their product the Switch.

When did this fall from grace happen and why? please someone explain how the powerhouse that produced the Snes and N64 beasts became the lame ducks they are now...please someone explain?? Do Nintendo want to actually fail because I defy anyone with half a brain to think this isn't done on purpose for some reason? It just seems they dont care anymore relying on releasing the same crap over and over and showing no signs of breathing life into their products.

1) 3DS had nothing but ports. Switch is not the worst.

2) Cause they're fucking morons that think they're not encouraging piracy but they totally are.

3) That's on Capcom, complain to them. Add in some Megaman, Breath of Fire and Ace Attorney for me, would you? Thanks.

4) See number 2.

 

[Fox12]

Well, here's the Nintendo defense force sigh

The answer is simple. I have come to a very obvious solution. They aren't a real company. They're a bunch of fucking trolls. That's while they'll produce 3 SNES minis, and continue to spit on their fans.

 

[Yoshi178]

2) the Mini NES was never intended to be continously produced, duh

actually i was just chatting to mate this afternoon about the whole NES mini stock levels and my mate actually made a whole lot more sense to me about why the limited run stock levels of the NES Mini were so low.

My mate works in IT and according to him the biggest reason why the NES Mini had such low amounts of stock produced is actually because most of the components Nintendo uses to build NES Minis are old Nintendo Wii parts that have just been sitting in a warehouse in Japan somewhere and this is basically Nintendos way of getting rid of all those old Wii parts they still have in their Warehouse.

the NES Mini use's parts like the exact same controller connecters and ports that the Wii Motes and Wii Classic Controllers use. and because the Wii isn't in production anymore and hasn't been for quite awhile now, Nintendo would much rather use those parts to make a novelty product like NES Mini, that way they can sell and get rid of those old parts. there are taxes whenever you get rid of electrical parts as it's illegal to simply dump them and Nintendo would much rather use those parts to make a profit off of something rather than lose money on them through them.


so basically TL;DR Nintendo not only wanted to celebrate the NES anniversary but also to get rid of their old electrical parts that are still sitting in their warehouse rather than lose money on getting rid of the parts.

 

[Rangaman]

Okay, dude, stop. You're as obsessed with Nintendo as Yoshi and LordTerminal are. Perhaps you should go do something else for a change.

1) They release a underpowered overpriced console with the worst launch line up ever only one single games worth playing.
2) They discontinue the insanely popular NES classic for no reason.
3) Charge ?35 for ultra street fighter which was ?9 on xbox 360 several years ago.
4) Deliberately under stock their product the Switch.

To answer your questions:
1)It's not fantastic but it's hardly the worst. I mean, the PS4. Your beloved N64. Those had godawful line-ups.
2)From what I can deduce, they're doing it to focus more on the Switch. Besides that, it's a glorified Plug-N-Play and the Switch isn't doing to bad so far.
3)Nintendo is Nintendo. That's just what they do.
4)I don't think it was deliberate, I think they're just being conservative. I mean, they thought they'd sell 100 million Wii Us and...well, you know the rest.

When did this fall from grace happen and why? please someone explain how the powerhouse that produced the Snes and N64 beasts became the lame ducks they are now...please someone explain?? Do Nintendo want to actually fail because I defy anyone with half a brain to think this isn't done on purpose for some reason? It just seems they dont care anymore relying on releasing the same crap over and over and showing no signs of breathing life into their products.

I think you're forgetting that the N64 was a failure in a number of areas. It failed to sell even half as many units as its primary competitor. It used cartridges that, when compared to disks, were not only more much more expensive and time-consuming to produce, but also extremely limited in terms of space (a standard N64 cart could hold only 32MB). It had a laughably shit controller and it released a full year after its competitors.

I think that Nintendo are trying to have their cake and eat it by releasing a handheld/home console hybrid. I mean, if it pays off, all the more power to them. But I don't think they're actively trying to fail (What business is?) and the system seems to be doing alright.

 

[totheendofsin]

1) They release a underpowered overpriced console with the worst launch line up ever only one single games worth playing.
2) They discontinue the insanely popular NES classic for no reason.
3) Charge ?35 for ultra street fighter which was ?9 on xbox 360 several years ago.
4) Deliberately under stock their product the Switch.

When did this fall from grace happen and why? please someone explain how the powerhouse that produced the Snes and N64 beasts became the lame ducks they are now...please someone explain?? Do Nintendo want to actually fail because I defy anyone with half a brain to think this isn't done on purpose for some reason? It just seems they dont care anymore relying on releasing the same crap over and over and showing no signs of breathing life into their products.

1: Lets be real shitty launch line ups are nothing new in the industry, and certainly not exclusively a nintendo problem (though I will say there's no reason Mario Kart couldn't have been a launch title

2: I was unaware it was extremely popular, nor that it was intended as anything other than a collectors item

3: I love how it's Nintendo's fault for Capcom's pricing decision

4: source? because I find it hard to believe they are deliberately understocking when it's sold over a million in a little over a month

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

I'm just chalking it up to "NINTENDO IS ... WEIRD!"

For those who remember Moviebob's The Big Picture, read the above the way he would.

 

[Fonejackerjon]

Ever since Satoru Iwata died, his replacement (Tatsumi Kimishima) has been hell-bent on maximizing Nintendo's profits. Problem is, he worked for a bank for 27 years and really has no idea how to make a video game company profitable. It requires a different mindset than most companies, and it practically requires that you have extensive and personal knowledge of your products. Iwata had it, since he worked on video games for almost all of his adult life. Nintendo's current CEO just doesn't have that experience, and it shows.

Nintendo isn't lacking in businessmen. Problem is, those businessmen haven't quite figured out the video game market, and are making mistakes because of it.

Sounds like he'd be good buds with Konami's CEO.

 

[TrulyBritish]

I'm not entirely sure the "Sony and Microsoft's systems had shitty launch lineups as well" argument really works outside of comparing the two. Both Sony and Microsoft have the support of nearly every other AAA publisher out there, even if the launch line up is week consumers at least know they just have to wait for the next big release from EA/Ubisoft/WB/whatever or whatever indie stuff gets on those consoles.
I just feel that a weak line up of Nintendo games has a little more impact when that's what mostly supports their system.

 

[Hades]

I think that Nintendo is still more a company of developers than actual businessmen which can lead to bad decisions. Also they seem quite arrogant, willing to trust their own judgement and take great risks but also to stubbornly follow the designated course no matter where it leads.

I think you have that backwards.

Ever since Satoru Iwata died, his replacement (Tatsumi Kimishima) has been hell-bent on maximizing Nintendo's profits. Problem is, he worked for a bank for 27 years and really has no idea how to make a video game company profitable. It requires a different mindset than most companies, and it practically requires that you have extensive and personal knowledge of your products. Iwata had it, since he worked on video games for almost all of his adult life. Nintendo's current CEO just doesn't have that experience, and it shows.

Nintendo isn't lacking in businessmen. Problem is, those businessmen haven't quite figured out the video game market, and are making mistakes because of it.

But most of these complaints aren't new, they are the very same we heard during Iwata's time as CEO.

The Switch being underpowered and potentially missing out on third party support is in the same boat as Iwata's consoles, just more competently marketed and the scarcity which haunts the NES classic was already a thing during Iwata's Amiibo's.

 

[Saelune]

I'm not entirely sure the "Sony and Microsoft's systems had shitty launch lineups as well" argument really works outside of comparing the two. Both Sony and Microsoft have the support of nearly every other AAA publisher out there, even if the launch line up is week consumers at least know they just have to wait for the next big release from EA/Ubisoft/WB/whatever or whatever indie stuff gets on those consoles.
I just feel that a weak line up of Nintendo games has a little more impact when that's what mostly supports their system.

You can count on the Switch to have tons of exclusives that no competitor will have.

Why get a PS4 when you have an Xbox One? Why get an Xbox One when you have a PS4? And for you PC elitists, Why buy a console when its better on PC?! (Not my own view)

But Nintendo games? Only on Nintendo...outside of these mobile games that just make you want to play the real versions.

 

[Imre Csete]

There is nothing wrong with them. They know their fans very well and their business decisions reflect that.

 

[C14N]

1) They release a underpowered overpriced console with the worst launch line up ever only one single games worth playing.
2) They discontinue the insanely popular NES classic for no reason.
3) Charge ?35 for ultra street fighter which was ?9 on xbox 360 several years ago.
4) Deliberately under stock their product the Switch.

When did this fall from grace happen and why? please someone explain how the powerhouse that produced the Snes and N64 beasts became the lame ducks they are now...please someone explain?? Do Nintendo want to actually fail because I defy anyone with half a brain to think this isn't done on purpose for some reason? It just seems they dont care anymore relying on releasing the same crap over and over and showing no signs of breathing life into their products.

The fact that there is one game worth playing at launch means it had the strongest launch lineup of any console in years. Switch has one more must-play launch game than the PS4, Xbox One, PS3 or Xbox 360.

 

[Randomosity]

1) They release a underpowered overpriced console with the worst launch line up ever only one single games worth playing.
2) They discontinue the insanely popular NES classic for no reason.
3) Charge ?35 for ultra street fighter which was ?9 on xbox 360 several years ago.
4) Deliberately under stock their product the Switch.

When did this fall from grace happen and why? please someone explain how the powerhouse that produced the Snes and N64 beasts became the lame ducks they are now...please someone explain?? Do Nintendo want to actually fail because I defy anyone with half a brain to think this isn't done on purpose for some reason? It just seems they dont care anymore relying on releasing the same crap over and over and showing no signs of breathing life into their products.

The fact that there is one game worth playing at launch means it had the strongest launch lineup of any console in years. Switch has one more must-play launch game than the PS4, Xbox One, PS3 or Xbox 360.

I'd argue this... While I will say that BotW is one of the best launch titles in a very long time (Super Mario World takes the cake for the best launch title imo) I will say that the Xbox One had Killer Instinct for free as a launch title. I'd consider it a must play launch title.

Other than that, yeah I'd say launch line ups tend to be pretty weak sauce.

 

[hermes]

Their new management seems to be, well not too good.

New?

There is nothing *new* about Nintendo's management. They have put forward some of those practices since their NES days... only, most people didn't care at that point, because there was barely any competition, and kids don't care about "business practices", only when people grow up they start realizing they have issues. In fact, most of the things the OT complains about can be summed up as "they had policies in place since the late 80s, and didn't feel the need to change them at this point."

To answer the original points:
1- Lets be honest, ever since the N64 days, Nintendo's lineup has been dwarfed by their competition. Nintendo was very unfriendly to third party developers since the NES days (part of it motivated for monopoly reasons, part of it to avoid the overflow of numerous and poorly produced games that were the common denominator of the console bubble in the Atari days), and when they kept those policies for years too late it, they created an environment where third party developers would prefer to support the competition instead of having to deal with Nintendo's restrictions, even at the cost of losing market share. It became such a prevalent issue that, even at the N64 days, it was established that Nintendo games (or second party games) were the only games worth playing on Nintendo systems.

2- The NES classic was always meant to be a novelty item. Sure, they seriously (and intentionally) underestimated public demand, but it was not like Nintendo would start producing minis like they were a new console. Besides, they had a service almost ready for you to buy and play those old games and a brand new console that has less than a couple months. The last thing they want is, come holiday season, to be forced to support too many systems and give the audience too many options that would distract them from their shinny new console.

3- Nintendo has the idea that sales (as in saling for cheap) negatively affect the value of their properties. To them, the mere idea of Nintendo games in a bargain bin (both literally and figuratively) is akin to an insult. That is, again, rooted on the idea of preventing the situation that drove Atari to near bankruptcy and Atari games to be nearly worthless by not overflowing the market, but they were established in the 80s (when things like online sales, ebay or Internet didn't exist) and hasn't been revised since then. That is why you rarely see sales of (new copies of) old Nintendo games in sites like amazon, or games getting discounted in their digital stores even years after release. That is also why when Nintendo released mobile games, they make it at several times the price of regular mobile games.

4- Nintendo has the idea that scarcity helps regulate the market (see point 3), so they intentionally underproduce their products. In their eyes, it is better to have people looking for the switch, people that are unable to buy them (even if they might take their money elsewhere) and people that spread the gossip of "how rare and highly valued this new toy is", than having shelves full of unsold units on display in stores.

 

[C14N]

I'd argue this... While I will say that BotW is one of the best launch titles in a very long time (Super Mario World takes the cake for the best launch title imo) I will say that the Xbox One had Killer Instinct for free as a launch title. I'd consider it a must play launch title.

Other than that, yeah I'd say launch line ups tend to be pretty weak sauce.

Maybe if you're a big fan of fighting games or the previous Killer Instinct, but it's definitely a lot more niche than a new Zelda game, as exemplified by the very fact that they were able to give it away for free.

 

[C14N]

3- Nintendo has the idea that sales (as in saling for cheap) negatively affect the value of their properties. To them, the mere idea of Nintendo games in a bargain bin (both literally and figuratively) is akin to an insult. That is, again, rooted on the idea of preventing the situation that drove Atari to near bankruptcy and Atari games to be nearly worthless by not overflowing the market, but they were established in the 80s (when things like online sales, ebay or Internet didn't exist) and hasn't been revised since then. That is why you rarely see sales of (new copies of) old Nintendo games in sites like amazon, or games getting discounted in their digital stores even years after release. That is also why when Nintendo released mobile games, they make it at several times the price of regular mobile games.

Nintendo aren't alone in this. Apple has had the exact same philosophy ever since Steve Jobs became CEO again. iPhones, iPads, Macbooks and iPods are not the kind of things you see on sale very often Tesla also have a similar policy in that Musk places a lot of weight on the idea that everyone must pay the same amount for one of their cars; the people selling them aren't allowed to negotiate and cut deals like most car dealers. You'll also see it with films from Disney, which tend to be consistently expensive on Blu-ray, even when they're years old (that includes their franchises like The Avengers and Star Wars, as well as their western releases of Ghibli films).

In terms of console pricing, I don't think Nintendo can really afford to eat a loss on consoles the way their competitors can. Sony and Microsoft have the infrastructure and expertise needed to make powerful multi-media machines (both on the hardware and software side) and then make money dealing with other companies on services for those machines. Nintendo really just have the games and the consoles, so they need them to make profits.

I think this also kind of leads to them understocking. If they figure out what they need to sell and then stock enough to meet that, they'll be safe. Having them selling out costs less than producing too much stock, and they probably figure most people will buy later anyway when they come back in stock. That said, they've still clearly improved in this regard. The Switch has outsold the Wii on opening weekend and given that they both sold out, that obviously means there was more Switch stock to go around.

 

[darkrage6]

They arent. You (and many others) just think that because Nintendo dont act like Sony and Microsoft, they must be failing...

Them not being Microsoft and Sony is a good thing.

Yes. Purposefully causing scarcity and enabling scalpers is such a great thing.

Cause only Nintendo has ever done that.

Ah ah ah, what did I just say?

3) uhhhh something about other studios' business practices

Nintendo isnt perfect, but they are way better than Microsoft and Sony.

And all the naysayers and doom predictors are just as obnoxious as the Nintendo super fans (which I admit I am more similar to than not).

If people want to have a proper discussion on this and Nintendo in general, best not to start with excessive panic or "end of Nintendo" BS. They could survive on Pokemon alone.

I don't believe for a second that Nintendo is "ending" anywhere near soon. What I don't understand is why the fans mention this every time criticisms are brought up against them. Here we are talking about weak launch line-ups and discontinued products and every other shitty business decision Nintendo has taken as of late, and it feels that for lack of a good response people default to "pfff whatever, they're not going anywhere". Okay... nobody said they did? "They can afford sucking for sooooo long" is not a good compliment. I'm sure they can. And they will.

I think they will at least soon be ending as a console manufacturer and will soon move over to mobile devices.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

They arent. You (and many others) just think that because Nintendo dont act like Sony and Microsoft, they must be failing...

Them not being Microsoft and Sony is a good thing.

Yes. Purposefully causing scarcity and enabling scalpers is such a great thing.

Cause only Nintendo has ever done that.

Ah ah ah, what did I just say?

3) uhhhh something about other studios' business practices

Nintendo isnt perfect, but they are way better than Microsoft and Sony.

And all the naysayers and doom predictors are just as obnoxious as the Nintendo super fans (which I admit I am more similar to than not).

If people want to have a proper discussion on this and Nintendo in general, best not to start with excessive panic or "end of Nintendo" BS. They could survive on Pokemon alone.

I don't believe for a second that Nintendo is "ending" anywhere near soon. What I don't understand is why the fans mention this every time criticisms are brought up against them. Here we are talking about weak launch line-ups and discontinued products and every other shitty business decision Nintendo has taken as of late, and it feels that for lack of a good response people default to "pfff whatever, they're not going anywhere". Okay... nobody said they did? "They can afford sucking for sooooo long" is not a good compliment. I'm sure they can. And they will.

I think they will at least soon be ending as a console manufacturer and will soon move over to mobile devices.

Yeah, the Switch feels a lot like they're testing the waters for that.

 

[hermes]

1) They release a underpowered overpriced console with the worst launch line up ever only one single games worth playing.
2) They discontinue the insanely popular NES classic for no reason.
3) Charge ?35 for ultra street fighter which was ?9 on xbox 360 several years ago.
4) Deliberately under stock their product the Switch.

When did this fall from grace happen and why? please someone explain how the powerhouse that produced the Snes and N64 beasts became the lame ducks they are now...please someone explain?? Do Nintendo want to actually fail because I defy anyone with half a brain to think this isn't done on purpose for some reason? It just seems they dont care anymore relying on releasing the same crap over and over and showing no signs of breathing life into their products.

The fact that there is one game worth playing at launch means it had the strongest launch lineup of any console in years. Switch has one more must-play launch game than the PS4, Xbox One, PS3 or Xbox 360.

I'd argue this... While I will say that BotW is one of the best launch titles in a very long time (Super Mario World takes the cake for the best launch title imo) I will say that the Xbox One had Killer Instinct for free as a launch title. I'd consider it a must play launch title.

Other than that, yeah I'd say launch line ups tend to be pretty weak sauce.

Also, if we are going to count "games worth playing at launch" to titles that are available in the previous generation with only marginal improvements, the Wii had Marvel Ultimate Alliance; the PS2 had Tekken Tag; the PS3 had Call of Duty 3; the PS4 had Battlefield 4, Black Flag, DC Universe Online, Flower and Injustice; the Wii U had Batman Arkham City and Mass Effect 3; and the XBox One had those plus Killer Instict, Ryse and Ground Zero, among many others...

 

[hermes]

3- Nintendo has the idea that sales (as in saling for cheap) negatively affect the value of their properties. To them, the mere idea of Nintendo games in a bargain bin (both literally and figuratively) is akin to an insult. That is, again, rooted on the idea of preventing the situation that drove Atari to near bankruptcy and Atari games to be nearly worthless by not overflowing the market, but they were established in the 80s (when things like online sales, ebay or Internet didn't exist) and hasn't been revised since then. That is why you rarely see sales of (new copies of) old Nintendo games in sites like amazon, or games getting discounted in their digital stores even years after release. That is also why when Nintendo released mobile games, they make it at several times the price of regular mobile games.

Nintendo aren't alone in this. Apple has had the exact same philosophy ever since Steve Jobs became CEO again. iPhones, iPads, Macbooks and iPods are not the kind of things you see on sale very often Tesla also have a similar policy in that Musk places a lot of weight on the idea that everyone must pay the same amount for one of their cars; the people selling them aren't allowed to negotiate and cut deals like most car dealers. You'll also see it with films from Disney, which tend to be consistently expensive on Blu-ray, even when they're years old (that includes their franchises like The Avengers and Star Wars, as well as their western releases of Ghibli films).

In terms of console pricing, I don't think Nintendo can really afford to eat a loss on consoles the way their competitors can. Sony and Microsoft have the infrastructure and expertise needed to make powerful multi-media machines (both on the hardware and software side) and then make money dealing with other companies on services for those machines. Nintendo really just have the games and the consoles, so they need them to make profits.

I think this also kind of leads to them understocking. If they figure out what they need to sell and then stock enough to meet that, they'll be safe. Having them selling out costs less than producing too much stock, and they probably figure most people will buy later anyway when they come back in stock. That said, they've still clearly improved in this regard. The Switch has outsold the Wii on opening weekend and given that they both sold out, that obviously means there was more Switch stock to go around.

I never said they were alone, just alone among gaming hardware (and software) producers. I also found the fake scarcity of Apple products to be rather pathetic.

Also, Nintendo is on a better position to afford it than the others. While it is true they don't have the same raw capital as Microsoft, they are on par with Sony and, most importantly, are the only ones that, since a couple generations ago, were not producing their consoles at a lost. Unlike the competition, every console they sold is a net gain.