Nintendo Will "Never" Develop For Other Platforms, Says Iwata

[BlackMageBob]

...really? Does anybody here not remember that this was said during the Gamecube years?

 

[FootloosePhoenix]

People like Eidos President-For-Life Ian Livingstone, for instance, who said in June that "a whole generation of young people will miss out on their games" if Nintendo keeps its IP exclusive to its own platforms.

Well that generation isn't missing out on much if you ask me. Despite never owning a Nintendo console aside from a DS Lite, I've still had the chance to sample some of their most highly acclaimed exclusives thanks to having a childhood friend who owned a SNES and N64: Super Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, A Link to the Past. I also played the demo for (Super?) Mario Galaxy (2? I think it was the first one, but I can't be sure) for the Wii. I can't say any of these did anything for me, even though I've always been interested in Zelda in particular; that's a series that seemed right up my ally but I suffered from such an utter lack of enjoyment or enthusiasm actually playing them. The only Nintendo exclusive that I think kids could potentially be "missing out on" (I don't like that term, for the record; it's rather arrogant to say people who haven't experienced everything you have are "missing out" in some way) if they never got the chance to play it is Pokemon, but their handheld division is still doing just fine.

But hey, that's me. I'm not going to go off about Nintendo making the same games over and over, because that would first of all be hugely hypocritical of a Ratchet and Clank fan such as myself, and secondly I do realize people actually like the franchises. I just don't understand it at all and think everything Nintendo's done has been achieved just as well or better by other game makers by now, aside from creating an incredibly obnoxious and recognizable mascot. I don't hold a grudge against or think any less of people who still enjoy Nintendo's stuff, but please, stop trying to act like they're the immortal gods of the gaming industry.

My only concern is that kid-friendly games aren't nearly as prevalent these days as they were even one generation ago, if you exclude the Nintendo factor. Chances are if it's a triple-A title, it's rated Mature or your country's equivalent. Certain indie games are helping with that a little, but even then they're still aimed primarily at an older audience. Video games are very much a big kid's club these days because that's where the money's at.

 

[Hero of Lime]

I wish this would end the calls for Nintendo to go third party, but I know it won't. If anything this will just make that camp want Nintendo to hit rock bottom sooner so they can play Zelda, Mario, Metroid, etc. on the other consoles.

I would be curious to see how well a Zelda game for example would do if it was on all three consoles, but I would rather not see that happen and keep it as just a curiosity.

 

[CriticalMiss]

So we won't (legally) get the pokeymans on PC

I guess I'll just have to give my money to a company that wants it instead.

 

[Norix596]

Exactly the right move in the long haul. Yeah maybe whatever the new Mario or Zelda game is in a given year or a new Mario Kart or Smash Bros isn't enough of a reason for all gamers but it is for some to get a Nintendo console. And if they stopped their total exclusivity there would then be zero reason to get one.

 

[Lightknight]

I wish this would end the calls for Nintendo to go third party, but I know it won't. If anything this will just make that camp want Nintendo to hit rock bottom sooner so they can play Zelda, Mario, Metroid, etc. on the other consoles.

I would be curious to see how well a Zelda game for example would do if it was on all three consoles, but I would rather not see that happen and keep it as just a curiosity.

Hey, at least we're not saying Nintendo sucks. It's novel to think that our complaint is out of a place that we WANT to play their software. We're just tired of paying a special console tax just to play the handful of games on their system we like when my other consoles and pc provide mountains of entertainment.

I mean, seriously, if every major publisher had their very own console then that would be really disappointing.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

But hey, that's me. I'm not going to go off about Nintendo making the same games over and over, because that would first of all be hugely hypocritical of a Ratchet and Clank fan such as myself, and secondly I do realize people actually like the franchises. I just don't understand it at all and think everything Nintendo's done has been achieved just as well or better by other game makers by now, aside from creating an incredibly obnoxious and recognizable mascot. I don't hold a grudge against or think any less of people who still enjoy Nintendo's stuff, but please, stop trying to act like they're the immortal gods of the gaming industry.

Show me a single developer who made a gravity-and-planetoid based three dimensional platformer before Super Mario Galaxy. A single platformer which played with gravity to the same extent Gravity did.

Or show me another large-scale fantasy adventure game which has gameplay ideas as leftfield as Timeskip Stones and 1:1 sword combat as in Skyward Sword. Skyrim didn't have anything like that. Hell, the combat in Skyrim was atrocious.

Nintendo's status as developers is still very much deserved, which you would know if you actually went out and played some more of their games. They don't just make the same game over and over, they inject their franchises with new gameplay mechanics, often mechanics that have never been seen before.

I know you didn't quote me, but I feel like responding to this:

Show me a single developer who made a gravity-and-planetoid based three dimensional platformer before Super Mario Galaxy. A single platformer which played with gravity to the same extent Gravity did.

Or show me another large-scale fantasy adventure game which has gameplay ideas as leftfield as Timeskip Stones and 1:1 sword combat as in Skyward Sword. Skyrim didn't have anything like that. Hell, the combat in Skyrim was atrocious.

When you describe Galaxy and SS like that, then no, most games haven't done things like that, but you know what? (This is coming from someone who really doesn't care for bethesda btw) Skyrim did have one thing that those other two games didn't....fun, SS and Galaxy were as boring to me as watching paint dry, while skyrim I actually did have fun with, and continue to have fun with due to open ended mechanics and mods that build on those mechanics.

They don't just make the same game over and over, they inject their franchises with new gameplay mechanics, often mechanics that have never been seen before.

new gameplay mechanics =/= good gameplay mechanics or even a good game for that matter.

 

[OldNewNewOld]

"However, I'm really responsible for the long-term future of Nintendo as well, so I would never think about providing our precious resources for other platforms at all."

What. An. Idiot. You know, Mr. Iwata, there's another word for "providing your precious resources": SALES. You know, the way companies make money? As opposed to selling your console at a loss, which, as the phrase "at a loss" implies, isn't exactly making you any money. Let me reiterate that: your money is coming from your games, not your hardware. If you could sell your games without having to eat the expense of making your own console, you would be better off. Seriously, this isn't exactly rocket science.

EDIT:

Heh, that's cool Iwata, it seems other companies don't wanna develop for you either.

Heh. Well played.

You have to remember licencing fees which are high.
While Nintendo could sell more copies, they would earn the same or even less simply because they earn less per sold copy.
Even if it was just 1% of the price, some Nintendo games sell well over 30 million. 1% of that is 300.000 units.
Now image if it was 10%. That's 3 million units worth of money they are giving away.
And lets not forget about the licences of 3rd party games.

While they do lose on hardware units being sold, they earn more with each game. So the first 2 games you buy from them, they earned less than normally, but each next game, they get the full price.

There is also a psychological factor in this. If you buy a Nintendo console you're more likely to buy a Nintendo game you weren't really interested much. While if you have a Sony console, you will only buy the Nintendo game you really want.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

snip

Mods don't count as a point in favour of developers, given that they are made by the community. In Bethesda's case, they are made by the community to make up for the flaws left in the game by the developers. Hardly an endorsement of their pedigree.

If you had fun with Skyrim, fair play to you. I got bored after about 30 hours. Sure, the world was open, but the combat was broken, the animations terrible, the dungeons and caves repetitive and boring, and everything just became one long slog. Whereas Skyward Sword not only had incredibly intuitive combat and sublime in-game animations, but each temple and dungeon felt new, and had some unique gameplay requirement to go with it. As well as that, the bosses were well designed and actually required clever, thoughtful use of the gameplay mechanics, rather than running up to them and spamming attacks while guzzling health potions.

I shouldn't have included the mods part, I wasn't intending that to be used as a positive in bethesda vs nintendo, just sort of rambled, but my point still stands that vanilla skyrim was much more enticing to me, even in combat, vs SS or Galaxy. Skyrim isn't remotely my favorite game, far from it, I was just using it because that is what you had used in your comparison.

They don't just make the same game over and over, they inject their franchises with new gameplay mechanics, often mechanics that have never been seen before.

new gameplay mechanics =/= good gameplay mechanics or even a good game for that matter.

Because as the legion of COD sequels and knock-offs has shown, rehashing the same gameplay mechanics works so much better.

I have zero interest in COD, so...yeah? COD still sells like hotcakes though, regardless of how similar it is gameplay wise to it's previous iterations.

 

[Lightknight]

When every other major publisher single-handedly each revive the gaming industry, and put out games that go on to dictate the fundamental of game design, then maybe the comparison will be apt.

Are you suggesting that Nintendo's past actions warrant an infinite number of get out of jail free cards? That's a lofty claim. Business is a lot more about "What have you done for me lately?" and more specifically "What are you doing for me now?".

Nintendo have more than earned their right to manufacture consoles. Moreso than Microsoft, who essentially bought their way into the console market, and have been sinking billions in losses in order to stay there.

Earning a right to be somewhere is not the same as maintaining a right to be there.

 

[Lightknight]

I know you didn't quote me, but I feel like responding to this:



When you describe Galaxy and SS like that, then no, most games haven't done things like that, but you know what? (This is coming from someone who really doesn't care for bethesda btw) Skyrim did have one thing that those other two games didn't....fun, SS and Galaxy were as boring to me as watching paint dry, while skyrim I actually did have fun with, and continue to have fun with due to open ended mechanics and mods that build on those mechanics.

Mods don't count as a point in favour of developers, given that they are made by the community. In Bethesda's case, they are made by the community to make up for the flaws left in the game by the developers. Hardly an endorsement of their pedigree.

First off, I had absolutely 0 issues on my pc version of the game. No noticeable problems whatsoever. My ps3 version was a different story but that isn't anything a modder could help.

Secondly, modding opens the world up to huge crowdsourced fun and IS an asset to the game. I've enjoyed using mods since the Morrowind days and they can actually extend my enjoyment for YEARS. No Nintendo game has ever been able to hold that claim. A robust modding community would only have served to improve Nintendo's brand but that door's closed tightly.

Look at this one mod as a shining example: http://www.geek.com/games/19-year-old-makes-skyrim-mod-13-the-size-of-skyrim-to-get-job-at-bethesda-1562687/

Just one mod added 1/3rd the landmass that was in the original game and added around 25 hours of additional content including legitimate voice acting, new items, and even an original sound track. For people who enjoy the game (even if you got bored), this is ridiculously beneficial and free.

 

[Edguy]

..so I won't ever have that high graphics 3D reboot of Pokémon for my Xbox?

 

[Lightknight]

When every other major publisher single-handedly each revive the gaming industry, and put out games that go on to dictate the fundamental of game design, then maybe the comparison will be apt.

Are you suggesting that Nintendo's past actions warrant an infinite number of get out of jail free cards? That's a lofty claim. Business is a lot more about "What have you done for me lately?" and more specifically "What are you doing for me now?".

You're right. So what are Nintendo doing for me now?
*snip*
I'm pretty dang happy.

Yay, two games, one that's only a demo. Surely that's worth buying an entire system. Would you consider these titles to be console sellers? Really?

More importantly, is it worth passing up the AAA titles that will only come out on the other consoles and the pc if you can only afford to (justify) getting one?

Earning a right to be somewhere is not the same as maintaining a right to be there.

True. Thankfully from now until next year, they've got a bunch of games to do exactly that: maintain their position.

Hopefully that's all the problem is. Though Sega Saturn and the Dreamcast both managed to eventually deliver on new games. In the Saturn's case it didn't help to revive the system that launched several months too early without games and with the Dreamcast it couldn't repair the damage the Saturn Generation had done and likewise couldn't keep up what traction it had by the time the ps2 came out.

Let's see if Nintendo can fare better. I vastly prefer Nintendo games to Sega games and I assume the general gaming population does too albeit with Sonic soft spots.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

I know you didn't quote me, but I feel like responding to this:



When you describe Galaxy and SS like that, then no, most games haven't done things like that, but you know what? (This is coming from someone who really doesn't care for bethesda btw) Skyrim did have one thing that those other two games didn't....fun, SS and Galaxy were as boring to me as watching paint dry, while skyrim I actually did have fun with, and continue to have fun with due to open ended mechanics and mods that build on those mechanics.

Mods don't count as a point in favour of developers, given that they are made by the community. In Bethesda's case, they are made by the community to make up for the flaws left in the game by the developers. Hardly an endorsement of their pedigree.

First off, I had absolutely 0 issues on my pc version of the game. No noticeable problems whatsoever. My ps3 version was a different story but that isn't anything a modder could help.

Secondly, modding opens the world up to huge crowdsourced fun and IS an asset to the game. I've enjoyed using mods since the Morrowind days and they can actually extend my enjoyment for YEARS. No Nintendo game has ever been able to hold that claim. A robust modding community would only have served to improve Nintendo's brand but that door's closed tightly.

Shhh...don't say that, nintendo might sue you for making deeper mechanics and stories and customization than they do, not to mention having no reason to buy their next game when the current "mod-able" one can do all of that plus more.


(hint to jeffers, if you feel like hulk smashing me for that comment, I feel that way about all console games, including microsoft and sony...however nintendo has been in the news as of late alot more for suing and shutting things down that aren't under their personal control and profit)

 

[Lightknight]

Shhh...don't say that, nintendo might sue you for making deeper mechanics and stories and customization than they do, not to mention having no reason to buy their next game when the current "mod-able" one can do all of that plus more.

Hopefully if they think that someone can continuously point their fingers at Bethesda's immense success with this model any time they give a reason why it's a bad idea.

Heck, even strongly filtered mods would be great. But console mods are a lot riskier than pc mods so I don't know if this would even be legitimate to ask. This is more of a pc vs console argument than anything to be said specifically against Nintendo.