Poll: Should Nintendo Stop Making Consoles?

[Pedro The Hutt]

I think the real problem with the Wii were the lazy third party developers, they'd basically use PS2 games, slap some lazy or poorly conceived waggle controls on them and call it a Wii game. Too few tried to actually capitalise on what the Wii had to offer, both with its controller and even with the hardware, it might not be a 360 but it could certainly perform well above PS2 standards. So I think a lot more could've been done with the Wii if more third party developers actually bothered with it.

 

[Twilight_guy]

No. I want to stave off the day consoles are made by the gaming division of electronics companies and not game companies for as long as possible. Also, I don't think the PS3 and X-box apply to casual gamers (yet) as much as stuff Nintendo is doing. It's changing though.

 

[Grygor]

Although I personally don't have any interest in the Wii, and would love Nintendo to focus on xbox/ps3 games... No. It's the highest selling console, so there's actually more interest in that then there is xbox/ps3. Why would I want to deny others fun, especially when it barely impacts me.

Plus, I love their 3DS. Not to mention most of their classics wouldn't work well on the other consoles.

Yes, the Wii is the highest-selling console, but it also has the lowest tie ratio - i.e. people buy fewer games for their Wiis than for their 360s and PS3s (also note that the Wii's tie ratio is inflated due to Wii Sports being an unavoidable pack-in in most regions). In particular, the trend for the past year has been that the Wii is selling less software in total than the other 2 consoles, despite have a 50% larger installed base. And the Wii games that ARE selling well are overwhelmingly Nintendo-made. (Games published by Nintendo make up 9 of the top 10 best-selling Wii games, and 16 of the top 25; the first non-Nintendo game in the Wii best-seller list comes in at #10.)

This is what publishers really care about - and its publishers, after all, who control what games appear on what systems, and the tie ratio shows how easy it is to sell games to console owners.

---

Now it makes perfect business sense for Nintendo to stay in the console hardware business - they make lots of money selling hardware, and even more selling their own games on that hardware.

But I would argue that ultimately, as long as Nintendo uses hardware gimickry rather than JUST their library of exclusive titles to differentiate their systems from the competition, it's bad for Nintendo fans.

I think the real problem with the Wii were the lazy third party developers, they'd basically use PS2 games, slap some lazy or poorly conceived waggle controls on them and call it a Wii game. Too few tried to actually capitalise on what the Wii had to offer, both with its controller and even with the hardware, it might not be a 360 but it could certainly perform well above PS2 standards. So I think a lot more could've been done with the Wii if more third party developers actually bothered with it.

Motion controls are very hard to program, and take lots of testing to get right - in short, they are significantly more difficult to develop for than traditional controls or touch-screen controls.

Granted, a Wii game could ignore motion control altogether, but let's be realistic - if you're making a Wii game, you're certainly going to use motion control if only to justify your choice of platform.

 

[F4LL3N]

Yes, the Wii is the highest-selling console, but it also has the lowest tie ratio - i.e. people buy fewer games for their Wiis than for their 360s and PS3s (also note that the Wii's tie ratio is inflated due to Wii Sports being an unavoidable pack-in in most regions). In particular, the trend for the past year has been that the Wii is selling less software in total than the other 2 consoles, despite have a 50% larger installed base. And the Wii games that ARE selling well are overwhelmingly Nintendo-made. (Games published by Nintendo make up 9 of the top 10 best-selling Wii games, and 16 of the top 25; the first non-Nintendo game in the Wii best-seller list comes in at #10.)

This is what publishers really care about - and its publishers, after all, who control what games appear on what systems, and the tie ratio shows how easy it is to sell games to console owners.

---

Now it makes perfect business sense for Nintendo to stay in the console hardware business - they make lots of money selling hardware, and even more selling their own games on that hardware.

But I would argue that ultimately, as long as Nintendo uses hardware gimickry rather than JUST their library of exclusive titles to differentiate their systems from the competition, it's bad for Nintendo fans.

I think if Nintendo made a "proper", "hardcore (in comparison)" console, removing any "gimmicks", it would be a godsend for most gamers. But I doubt that'll ever happen. Nintendo's got that many strong titles to work with, with huge fanbases, even ignoring Mario and the likes... They could make some really sick games if they wanted to.

I'd love that. But really. They've got it in their head that there's a specific audience they must develop for, and I really don't think they've got any interest in appealling to anyone else.

Nintendo could steamroll Sony and Microsoft if they actually used those beautiful brains they've got. Why won't they use their brains? Guuuh!

 

[Soxafloppin]

YES! I want them to make there games for Consoles and PC

It'l never happen though, If you could get Nintendo games on other consoles then no one would buy there consoles.

Still Pokemon MMO!, Or a full blown AAA Metriod game!

I don't think the PS3 and X-box apply to casual gamers (yet)

I'd have to disagree, COD and FIFA are as casual as it gets.

 

[Zhadramekel]

Ok here's my take on things. Just because Nintendo are trying new things and not everyone likes them that doesn't make them bad ideas. Personally I'm looking forward to the Wii U and how they incorporate the touch screen controls into Wii Gameplay cos it's probably gonna be different to how they did it with the DS.

 

[Lukeje]

First it was the Wii with its clunky and frustrating controls that no hardcore gamer in their right mind would actually like.

Anyone who likes motion controls is obviously no true gamer. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman]

Did you not consider that one of the reasons the games are so great is that they are so intimately linked with the hardware?

I'd love that. But really. They've got it in their head that there's a specific audience they must develop for, and I really don't think they've got any interest in appealling to anyone else.

Ah, yes. I guess I must have just imagined their implementation of features [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Super_Mario_Bros._Wii#Super_Guide] that allow them to make their games harder to appeal to `hardcore' gamers.

 

[Lukeje]

Double post.

 

[Plumerou]

anyone who knows some of the history behind consoles will tell you this, never bet against nintendo, there is a reason they have been in this industry the longest, and while i dont believe motion controls are the future gaming should take, they have proved that there are games that can use this feature and work.

 

[Lev The Red]

they make great handhelds, but i don't particularly enjoy the Wii. don't get me wrong, i loved the N64 and the GameCube, but i didn't like the fact that the Wii depended on the motion controls so heavily. i hope the WiiU will be different, but i won't be buying one that i can't get dirt-cheap.

 

[everythingbeeps]

I've thought for a long time they should stop making consoles and just stick with games, the way Sega did.

But then I realized something: ever since Sega stopped making consoles, the quality of their games have gone largely down the toilet. I might worry about that with Nintendo.

Plus, Nintendo consoles have always had their own charm. So they may as well stick with it. The Wii U looks pretty gimmicky, and I hated the motion controls of the Wii, but beyond that I can't really complain.

Playing a Mario game on an Xbox would just feel wrong.

 

[Farther than stars]

No way. They're selling them, so obviously there are people who enjoy playing on Nintendo consoles. Why would they stop making fun things for those people if Nintendo are still making money off their sales. And after all, if you don't like one of their consoles, you don't have to buy it.
Personally, I would have to say that the Wii isn't my thing, but I remember having some really good times on their Gamecube. And who knows, maybe their next generation will be something for me again. I'd like to at least see what that future holds and I don't see any reason for them to stop now that they're still doing really well.

 

[Grygor]

anyone who knows some of the history behind consoles will tell you this, never bet against nintendo, there is a reason they have been in this industry the longest, and while i dont believe motion controls are the future gaming should take, they have proved that there are games that can use this feature and work.

And that "reason" is the handheld market, their dominance of which allowed them to survive 15 years of massive blunders in the console market without going out of business.

Let's also not forget that Nintendo's strongest grip on the market (the NES era) required anti-trust violations...

 

[ultrabiome]

i'd rather see microsoft drop out of the console market than ever see nintendo leave. nintendo brings the innovation (yes, motion controls and all) and sony the power. there is nothing on xbox that makes me want one and i think gaming took a major downhill turn when they entered the market - when major developers discovered that pandering to legions of FPS playing idiots with yearly trash was more profitable than spending the time creating masterpieces of gaming that will actually be remembered.

 

[dimensional]

Dont see why they should stop making consoles with the exception of the NES (which I didnt own but was apparently a bit tempremental) all their consoles have been solid which is more than I can say for some of their competitors like some of sonys products (my ps2 crashed twice and apparently a lot of people had problems with psx disc drives) and good god, microsoft (xbox died twice and the 360 is just a joke looking looking purely at the failure rate).

Nintendo make solid affordable (usually) consoles which house some great games, yes the wii got filled with shovelware but for me mario galaxy and xenoblade chronicles more than justified the price plus there is also Skyward sword and hopefully last story to get.

 

[ssgt splatter]

I'm willing to give Nintendo the benefit of the doubt for now. Depending on how the wiiu does will determine whether they should stop making consoles.

 

[Rednog]

As a consumer I think they should stop making consoles, one of the biggest problems I have with Nintendo games is that they basically require me to drop well over a $100 to just play those games. Seriously, their 3rd party games are garbage and the only real appeal is their first party games. I personally don't want to buy a whole other console just to play the few exclusives that roll out every other quarter and have it sitting as a paper weight in the dry periods. I'd honestly be more inclined to drop $60 on a Nintendo game if it didn't mean having to buy their console.

From a business point of view, we'll see.
To be honest I'm wondering if they've saturated the market and the Wii-U won't pull the insane amounts of money they expect.
The reason the Wii was such a huge success was because it was bought by a slew of people who weren't gamers.
The question now is whether or not these previous non gamers will drop money on the new console, in my personal opinion, I don't think they will.

 

[chstens]

If they stop making consoles they should concentrate on making games for smartphones. Just to be dicks.

Why would that make them dicks? Mario and Zelda games, not to mention Pokémon would great for smartphones.

 

[Phoenix09215]

What a ridiculous thing to ask. Although Nintendo did not originally plan for their target audience for the Wii to be families, because of the content in the games they released and the motion control "gimmick" thats who found the console most appealing. I might be wrong here, but as far as I am aware the Wii is the best selling console of all time, and if not then its definitely one of the most profitable products in the entire videogame industry.

Now I am aware that its target demographic is not one that matches the majority of users on this website but its not fair to say Nintendo should stop making consoles simply because you or people of a similar age or taste don't find them to be appealing. I won't lie, I do not like the Wii as a console, but there are some games I have that I have had great fun playing such as Twilight Princess, Okami, Smash Bros, Animal Crossing, Mario Kart, Mario Galaxy 1 and 2 and most recently Skyward Sword, which is awesome with the motion+ by the way.

I realise the majority of the games I play on the Wii are based on what I played when I was younger but one of the biggest contributors to Nintendo's appeal is nostalgia. The fact is people whose favourite game was Mario 64 or OOT when they were younger, will buy the latest game of that same series if they still enjoy playing it. If you don't like the Wii then don't play it, same goes for the WiiU. There is a reason why there is more than one choice of console.

 

[Matt9102]

The DS was the highest selling console this generation. I'd say they're good.