Nintendo Records First-Ever Full Year Loss in 2011

[Mild_en_Snakz]

As much as I love Nintendo for what they've done in the past, I have to say they had this coming. It's absolutely pathetic.

I don't see things getting any better for the Wii U. I think it'll follow a similar fate as the Wii, a good start with system sellers like Smash Bros and Mario, then a another 3 or four years of slow death. I have no faith in their business strategy changing for the better anytime soon. If they do end up coming back strong, I'll be glad to say I was wrong.

 

[Signa]

If Nintendo dies, I'll be the saddest I have ever been when a company disappears. Not because they have been good recently, mind you, but for what they were. As they are now, I almost hope they do die. It's nearly as soul-crushing as watching the zombie that is Interplay thrash around in its death-throws.

 

[The Pinray]

I grew up with Nintendo, and I gotta say, they just don't make em like they used to.

But good lord do they keep trying. And that is a huge part of the problem.

Cashing in on nostalgia can only last so long.

 

[poiuppx]

Good. And not in the hateful sense, or in the 'Do it my way!' sense. In the sense that Nintendo, like every big company, needed a shot in the arm.

I've seen Nintendo over the course of my life rise and fall. A lot. The one thing the company is damn good at, though, is rising to the challenge when they take a haymaker to the face. This is probably gonna hurt them, and result in some cuts, some changes. That's good. Because companies NEED that to stay competitive. Microsoft and Sony won't be lazing around; both felt the sting of being shuffled into a distant second behind the motion-control monolith. If Nintendo wants to avoid being shuffled to the back of the line yet again, they need something to put the fear of god into them, and this might do it.

Mind you, if their corporate culture has changed too much since the heady days of yore, instead of rebound they might become even more isolated and insular... in which case, expect a year or two of the most insane rehashing of older properties you have ever seen in your life, followed by a buy-out unless they manage to get at least a couple AMAZING gems in the mix.

 

[cryogeist]

Maybe they should make some decent fucking games for the Western side then.

YES
cmon Nintendo release Fire Emblem for fucks sake
the other ones have sold...

 

[Something Amyss]

So THIS is why Movie Bob is so upset!

Well, that and people care about things he doesn't care about.

 

[Horben]

lol why didn't they try to hedge those foreign exchange losses? With all those sales they could afford someone who understands how to use forward purchase contracts on cash balances.

My first thought was: earnings management! That they washed deadwood assets off their books through their costs, and accrued semi-bogus expenses that reverse next year, so that next year will look super awesomesauce! Then I read the line about sales. And you only fake that by under-recording receivables. And who does that?

 

[TheVioletBandit]

It saddens me, I wish Nintendo would stop making so many kiddy games, and gimmicky consoles, and get back in the game.

 

[natster43]

Sad to hear, but Nintendo will keep standing, at least for now.

 

[MPerce]

Ouch. Maybe this'll help Nintendo realize that it takes more than early massive hardware sales to keep things going. After everyone buys your console, you gotta give them games to play on it.

Still, at least they're not doing as bad as Sony. Those poor guys are tanking in nearly every category but videogames.

 

[Taunta]

I love Nintendo, and I grew up on them, but as soon as I saw that they're expecting fucking Brain Age to save their sales...I...just I...

Spoiler

[/spoiler]

Dear Nintendo,
Please stop squashing my hopes and dreams and go back to making great innovative games, please.
Love,
Mizzy

 

[Grey Day for Elcia]

Nintendo Wii: no games.

Nintendo DSi: slowed to an agonized crawl.

Nintendo 3DS: no games.

Gee, who would have thought Nintendo would be doing so poorly. Heads up, Nintendo: you actually have to continue to release content for your platforms if you want people to keep giving you money.

 

[Shia-Neko-Chan]

you know what this means, guys? Another OOT re-release! What doesn't have OOT on it? They'll port it there.

OH! PC version.

 

[TephlonPrice]

Not to say much, but it was kinda bound to happen.

The Wii has had the problem of excessive shovelware on it instead of some decent games. It's also the problem of bad 3rd party support, seeing how the Wii had a good idea with Red Steel & Red Steel 2 (gunplay + sword fighting), but they've never really capitalized on what people would buy. It's kinda bad when you can look in a game store and overlook bunches of games, not because of lack of interest or funds, but because of some mind-boggling bad crap.

Hopefully Nintendo responds accordingly and realizes you can't just rely on the casual crowd; you need more than that if you dare to stay afloat these days. You can't just use gimmicks which do show some promise but not to the degree we'd like and expect it to keep selling; you have to integrate them PROPERLY. You can't just rely on the initial hit; you have to keep giving something to come back to and some new bait to get the fish outta the water. You can't keep letting excessive crap flood your market; you have to put some quality control out there.

I hope they bounce back from this one and really make a good impression this year tho.

 

[lionday]

Nintendo has no gam....es?
Animal crossing, Kid Icarus, Luigi's mansion 2, Mario kart 7, Super Mario 3D land. And thats only on there handheld.
Not to mention the Wii U which we can assume is coming out this year or next and if the rumors are right it will have PIKMIN 3!!! And an HD mario game.
Oh and there still making games for the wii. They've released Xenoblades for the American audience which will certainly appreciate that, and they released Skyward sword for the wii to. It might not seem like there pushing the wii to hard but they have another console and another in the oven.
Nintendo reached out to the Hard core fans becuase they knew they couldn't beat Microsoft and Sony or at least didn't want to play that game. Instead of being hurt by that you can aknowladge that fact that Nintendo was trying to gain new coustomers. There probabally the only AAA company that is still freindly to those who've stucked with them. When the 3D's got a price cut they actually gave free stuff to those who bought before the cut. Did they have to do that? Nope. They did it cause nintendo cares.
Look I just want people to get that Nintendo isn't going anywhere and that just becuase there 3rd parties suck, most of there games are top notched. Sure they make a lot of Mario games but most of there Mario games are fun. (3D land was pure Joy)

 

[TheAngryMonkey]

I was a huge Nintendo fan boy, started with the NES and grew up with them.
Probably wont buy another Nintendo console, they seem to always be a step behind in core concepts, but a step ahead in gimmicks.

Its funny every time I read a Nintendo article, it always reminds me that I gave mine away to a chick friend of mine 4 years ago. And the only things I want back, are my GameCube controllers.

The fact is when I heard that the WiiU wont be able to play the new Crisis game, red flags went up everywhere. I mean the writing is on the wall, if it cant even play a demanding game now what will it be able to handle 4 years from now. This thing is going onto the store shelf obsolete.

 

[babinro]

Not surprising. There were very few Wii titles to be excited about in 2011. Besides, with the Wii global boom having passed, it doesn't seem realistic to maintain those crazy numbers.

2012 should be interesting in that the first 2 quarters seems as though they are equally slow for the Wii. But the launch of the Wii-U has potential to be huge for them again (despite my lack of personal interest in the console).

 

[Woodsey]

Oh no. I can barely contain my sadness. Whatever would we do if they were no longer able to put out crap like the Wii and still rake it in, or yet another Mario/Zelda?

 

[OldNewNewOld]

Nintendo will get back up. The WiiU will be a success. Don't worry about them.

They had a bad start with the 3DS, now they are paying for it. But they knew this would happen, they prepaired them self.

Also, the second problem, beside the loses on every 3DS sold are that Nintendo is developing many game at the same time. If you follow just some Nintendo news, you will see that they are talking about many projects, for the WiiU, the 3DS and the DS. And they haven't released much.
So once they finish with the development, they will start earning again.
Add to that the development costs of the WiiU.

The spread their finances to much, but they knew that they will be losing until they prepair the ground. Unlike the other companies, Nintendo wants to keep 3/4 consoles (can't remember what they said about the DS) alive, which take a lot of money at the start until they start earning.

And to those ignorant brats, get your fucking facts right.
There are many great games on the Wii, especially in the last 2 years. Just because you don't like them doesn't mean they are bad. Your opinion isn't the Word of Notch, it's just your opinion. Same goes for the 3DS.

But no. Keep judging Nintendo based on Yahtzee's reviews. That will bring you far.

And funny how you can dismiss almost all posts that start with "I was a Nintendo fan". You know it will end with some of the worlds most crappies arguments ever made.

 

[xPixelatedx]

Well here is a crazy thought Nintendo, try putting out some games and don't rely so much on hardware and shovel-ware to support that hardware. It should have been damned obvious that was a terrible business model you dumbasses. So, we got a few Mario games and (technically) a few zeldas for the wii. Sadly, there is a whole lot more time in a system's lifespan then that. Maybe a few more Smash bros., Mario karts and even another Metroid game would help? Don't limit yourself by a weird motto: "oh, we can only release this many of this game on this system"... just, just stop. You know people only buy your hardware for the AAA games, and only giving us a few can't possibly give you the revenue you need to stay in business. What do you expect everyone to do, buy Skyward sword 5x?

Oh, a drop the fucking mii's. Get off your lazy asses and make characters again. Yeah, I noticed you've been using them as filler in every other game of yours. It's obvious now whats going on.

Also, lol at you realising you actually needed the hardcore gamers after all.

Spoiler

Yeah casuals got sick of your stuff and moved on to the next shiny thing. That's what casuals do.