What the big N should do next ?

[Souplex]

1. Stop making WiiUs.
2. Stop publishing games for WiiU.
3. Make more games for the 3DS and its successors which are quite profitable.
4. Profit!

Yehah, and fuck the 5 million or so Wii U owners.

I didn't say it was a nice thing to do, but the WiiU is costing them a lot of money, and is beyond saving at this point.
People work at Nintendo for a living. They have families to feed. Nintendo has shareholders who expect a return on their investment.
The right business decision is not always the nice thing to do.

 

[King Aragorn]

Those 5 million users over what...2-3 years? the PS4/Xbone are almost at 2 million and it's been just a few months. C'mon man, that's definitely not a success, and they said it and they know it.
Also, those arguments of ''they shouldn't change for you'' are just as bad as ''You don't like it, don't buy it''.
Nobody is asking them to change for us but then no one should complain why the WiiU isn't getting a single shred of support.

 

[Seracen]

I always say this, but Nintendo has a unique chance to appeal to developers who fear "HD budgets." They just need to market themselves to 3rd Parties properly.

Again, Nintendo's Wii-U would make a killing as the last bastion of JRPG's (a status the 3DS enjoys). Furthermore, if they'd allow 3DS to stream to TV's via Wii-U, that could be another feather in the cap.

Also, perhaps an alternate controller, once which offers a larger battery life, minus the touchscreen (for developers who don't want to deal with the current one).

Of course, the problem is marketing a game for a "nonstandard" controller, but I don't see how it would be any different from how they incorporated Motion Plus last gen.

 

[Souplex]

Also, perhaps an alternate controller, once which offers a larger battery life, minus the touchscreen (for developers who don't want to deal with the current one).

It exists.
It's called the "Wii U Pro Controller"

 

[Seracen]

Also, perhaps an alternate controller, once which offers a larger battery life, minus the touchscreen (for developers who don't want to deal with the current one).

It exists.
It's called the "Wii U Pro Controller"

Oh wow, that's cool.

You know what, that brings me to another point...

Ninty NEEDS to do a better job at marketing these damn things!!!

 

[Xman490]

They should get through their thick skulls that the Gamepad is too unintuitive to be the centerpiece of the console. Maybe they can have Wii U consoles come with the Pro Controller instead of the Gamepad.
Basically, motion controls and touch screens should be OPTIONAL, not necessary components of the system. This goes for Xbox One too:

Spoiler: Take Kinect Away

 

[Racecarlock]

I know this is hardly a revolutionary idea but maybe they should make a first-party game that isn't aimed at children or nostalgia-fans (Zelda, Metroid, Mario etc). As someone who isn't a child and isn't a Nintendo fan, I really don't have a reason to care about them and I want that to change.

Ok. I'll bite. What kinds of games do you have in mind?

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

Nintendo have a handful of options. In no particular order:

- Create a new X86/64 console platform similar to the existing PS4/XB1. It should have similar hardware and online functionality the same as Live/PSN. This would mean that theirs is "just another console" for the big studios to port their multiplatform AAA action-adventure bullshit onto. It's simply another choice, no different than the existing two. At the moment, Wii U and its controller are too different so they don't see any third-party titles.

- Go after the casual/children market fiercely. They can give up on trying to woo EA, Activision and Ubi. By making their console and games cheaper than the competition, it will be the first choice for a parent looking to put a games machine into the living room and having a large, family friendly library will corner this market.

- Zelda and Mario have progressed as far as they can and Megaman/other Nintendo IPs never even made it out of the 2D era. Maybe it's time to try innovating, something very, very, very difficult for Nintendo who probably don't know the meaning of the word.

- Get Japanese. They can lose a bit of market share in the West and concentrate on Japanese games designed to appeal to the local audience. Encourage/Fund more local development and fill a niche Microsoft cannot.

- Lastly, make advances to smaller publishers/developers. Forget the "big three" completely and instead get smaller devs making mid-range, modest budget titles tailored for the Wii U.

 

[Tom_green_day]

I know this is hardly a revolutionary idea but maybe they should make a first-party game that isn't aimed at children or nostalgia-fans (Zelda, Metroid, Mario etc). As someone who isn't a child and isn't a Nintendo fan, I really don't have a reason to care about them and I want that to change.

Ok. I'll bite. What kinds of games do you have in mind?

I wasn't thinking, as other quoters have been quick to imagine, something bloody or gory or full of dismemberment. Also I'll point out I've only played one Zelda game and I can't even remember which so I don't have much to say about them except what I know from reputation, so we'll ignore them. But it seems to me that we need something that evokes feelings beyond nostalgia, such as Uncharted giving a feeling of exploration and adventure, or Skyrim giving a feeling of freedom and again exploration, or Mirror's Edge giving a flowing and adrenaline-filled rush. None of those was particularly gory (well Skyrim was but tbh I didn't play for the combat, it was the world that was great). But Something alone these lines, it doesn't even have to have combat.
Saying that there's nothing wrong with kiddie games. I love Locoroco and the Simpsons games and Worms as much as the next guy.

 

[Flutterguy]

No, Xbox and Playstation consoles are pretty much the same thing, we don't need a 3rd one. It's false competition.

Well then that's too bad for Nintendo, but it doesn't mean that "we" need a weak, two-generations-behind-on-features console because that's "real" competition somehow.

That doesn't seem blown highly out of proportion to make a bad point seem reasonable at all.

OT: Nintendo made a reasonable choice with the touchscreen. Every kid in a developed nation with working parents is incredibly fascinated with their parents smart phone and love playing games on them. Sure as an adult gamer I thought it was just a dumb gimmick, but who cares PC master-race. Why would I ever buy a console again outside of nostalgia trip N64.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

Ignore the plebian market that whines for mobiles, ignore the third partty chanting crowd (seriously they don't support N at all and never did to begin with).

Make it easy to download older titles from Wii U to 3DS and make more games cross device playable, actually slash prices on some if not a lot of games so people will be more likely to purchase more for their systems.

Also redesign the look and title of the Wii U with more improved marketing since the general crowd are still not sure that it's a totally different console.

Also those that don't want to support Nintendo unless Nintendo bows to their very whims (huge ass fantasies) need to seriously get to grips with the world not revolving around their selfish little minds, support or get out.

That is kind of the hilarious thing; the best advice to give Nintendo is to tell them not to listen to "hardcore" gamers and to do the exact opposite of what the HUNDREDS of armchair analysts are doing. For instance:

Catering to "hardcore" gamers: Turns out this was a bad idea as "hardcore" gamers have turned out to be a bunch of bald-faced liars who shed crocodile tears when reality sets in and never, ever back up their words with action. Time to cut them off because they're not worth it, especially since they're swiftly shrinking as a market.

3rd parties: By all means, try to garner relations with them, but DON'T let them screw over you customers and don't let them walk all over you. I hope by the time Nintendo releases their next systems that they go merciless with their 1st party titles because 3rd parties have proven to be cowards who have to be FORCED to act like professionals and treat you with respect. Get legitimate 3rd party partnerships, not some parasitic situation where they expect you to do all the work and refuse to do any themselves.

Going "mature": Garbage. We have enough insecure companies pandering to the puerile crowd, we especially don't need Nintendo doing that. Especially since, let's face it, the type of people crying for that wouldn't buy those types of games on a Nintendo system anyway because they would just not buy a Nintendo system no matter what

Making a "powerful" console:...WHY? Are people so naive that they honestly believe 3rd parties would have jumped on the system if it had been on the XB1 and PS4's level? Because that is completely gullible. It has NEVER been about power, it's been about politics. They keep believing that 2010s Nintendo is the same as 1990's Nintendo even though it's repeatedly been proven that they AREN'T. But hey, if 3rd parties still wanna be irrationally terrified of Yamauchi's imaginary ghost then go ahead.

So yeah, basically Nintendo should just ignore everything people are telling them to do. We don't deserve Nintendo and they are nothing short of saints for tolerating us.

 

[omega 616]

I know this is hardly a revolutionary idea but maybe they should make a first-party game that isn't aimed at children or nostalgia-fans (Zelda, Metroid, Mario etc). As someone who isn't a child and isn't a Nintendo fan, I really don't have a reason to care about them and I want that to change.

Nintendo should not change for you. That's like me asking Coca-Cola to change their drink because I hate it.
Just like Nintendo is not for you.

I, and many people don't play Mario and Zelda for nostalgia, but because they are always some of the best games of the generation.

From what I've read, Mario and Zelda aren't the best of this generation ... they are the best of the generation when they came out. Reskinning with HD paint and adding the odd thing don't keep games great ... just ask activision how COD is doing.

If I was Nintendo I would make a new Mario/Zelda/Metroid/donkey Kong. I think a new mascot they will milk will increase it's standing, they are the only ones who still use mascots after all and they love milking things.

 

[ShaqLevick]

Nintendo really just needs to change it's notions of what hardware should be.

I love Nintendo games personally. Playing Pokemon on my 3DS is a blast, even if just a small dose of 3D gives me a headache. I'll probably get a WiiU in a couple years just to play a few Zelda and Mario games... but in the end I guess I'm trying to say that I hate these bloody consoles.

The big N must stand for Nicotine, because I'm hooked on that sweet N. I've been buying shitty consoles that I barely play for years, just to play those games that for some reason I need to play. On my PC I can get access to anything that could satisfy the most rabid gamer. I owned an Xbox360, and I don't think I'd be buying an Xbone just because a new Halo is coming out. Nintendo games are my crack (that and you know crack) and if they were in the competition of making the same console as the other guy. Well they would probably make a lot more money than they're estimating. People want to play Mario, they also want to play COD, Battlefield, etc... but they really want to play Mario. If they could do both on one "Normal" console. You know you'd buy it.

Honestly I think Nintendo could do a lot of damage crowding the other consoles out of the market on the merits of their exclusives. I don't imagine the PS4 or Xbone have any better exclusives than what Nintendo develops. It just makes me kind of sad that I might pick up an Xbone or PS4 just to play a bunch of games that will be on either one of them... games that won't be available on the piece a crap WiiU that I only pull out to use for 40 hours every 3-5 months.

 

[King Aragorn]

Wait wait wait, unless i'm getting this wrong how are ''hardcore'' gamers *god I hate this term, couldn't somebody come up with something better like movie goers have Cinephile? Gamephile?* bad and shrinking as a market. From where i'm looking, Nintendo promised a more dedicated system that supports the people who want more out of their games and they didn't. All they got were just old ports and then all was cut off save for the few rare games or two.
Also they definitely aren't shrinking as a market. Unless you're including the mobile games group Gamephiles represent a very proportionate section of the market.

It was Nintendo who dropped the ball with third party relations. They didn't really try like Microsoft and Sony were, they didn't try to establish those legitimate relationships, which is what leads to a weak system. Most games people care about are third party with the exclusives being the cherry on top. No matter how god your first party titles are without third party titles that compose most of the market? gone.

Also, it may have not exactly catapulted across the charts but it sure as hell would have helped. Are you really trying to justify making a weaker system when your competition has stronger ones thus more potential?

Also going mature =/= guts and gore.

 

[KazeAizen]

Buying up other studios isn't a great idea. It won't solve their core problem (Third party developers; they need EA, Ubisoft, and Activision) and the studios they buy will be a money pit trying to make games with the current budgets and only selling them on the Wii U.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Nintendo needs to either man up and release a console that's competitive with MS and Sony's as a gaming platform or get out of the home console business.

They did. It was called the Wii.

 

[The_Echo]

Well, it seems like Iwata isn't really helping the company at all.

I wonder what getting rid of him would change.

Other than that, I dunno... I kind of don't care about Nintendo at this point. Frankly one of their biggest issues is the Wii U, which nobody really wants to develop for for a multitude of reasons. The 3DS is doing fine; maybe they should try focusing on that.

Sorry Wii U owners, but it kind of feels like a lost cause.

 

[Something Amyss]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Nintendo needs to either man up and release a console that's competitive with MS and Sony's as a gaming platform or get out of the home console business.

That's a bad idea. Abandoning a console this soon in its life cycle will only hurt consumer confidence and piss off/alienate Wii U owners.

Also, those arguments of ''they shouldn't change for you'' are just as bad as ''You don't like it, don't buy it''.
Nobody is asking them to change for us but then no one should complain why the WiiU isn't getting a single shred of support.

You know what? We're the fucking consumer. They should damn well change for us if they want us to buy it.

And that's the thing. Nintendo wants us buying games and buying their hrdware to play those games. This isn't the Wii era Nintendo that could go "we can afford to lose you as consumers," it's a Nintendo who has finally posted an annual loss. It's a Nintendo who has had to revise all its forecasts down. It's a Nintendo who has shareholders breathing down their necks.

So yeah, it's probably worse than the "don't like it? Don't buy it" defense.

 

[Something Amyss]

Catering to "hardcore" gamers: Turns out this was a bad idea as "hardcore" gamers have turned out to be a bunch of bald-faced liars who shed crocodile tears when reality sets in and never, ever back up their words with action. Time to cut them off because they're not worth it, especially since they're swiftly shrinking as a market.

I'd like to know where you came to these conclusions.

 

[BloodSquirrel]

They did. It was called the Wii.

The Wii completely died out during the second half of last generation. It was during the Wii's reign that Nintendo first started posting a loss, with both the 360 and the PS3 quickly catching up to it and having a robust software business to match. On a strategic level, it was a solid third place among the the three consoles, which directly lead to the current situation Nintendo is in.

The fantasy of the Wii being some golden age success is just that- a fantasy. It was short-term windfall before the fickle casual market found new toys to play with. It was the piece of crap flung at the wall that actually stuck for a few minutes, not a shining example of how to build a sustainable business.

That doesn't seem blown highly out of proportion to make a bad point seem reasonable at all.

Probably because it isn't, seeing how the Wii's online isn't even close the Xbox Live when the 360 launched, let alone now. And it's got about as much storage as the original Xbox. Oh yeah, and it can't play DvDs. That's not two generations behind, though- it's three.

 

[KazeAizen]

The Wii completely died out during the second half of last generation. It was during the Wii's reign that Nintendo first started posting a loss, with both the 360 and the PS3 quickly catching up to it and having a robust software business to match. On a strategic level, it was a solid third place among the the three consoles, which directly lead to the current situation Nintendo is in.

The fantasy of the Wii being some golden age success is just that- a fantasy. It was short-term windfall before the fickle casual market found new toys to play with. It was the piece of crap flung at the wall that actually stuck for a few minutes, not a shining example of how to build a sustainable business.

Except it wasn't a piece of crap. It was also Nintendo saying "Here's a brand new toy for the world! Someone do something cool with it besides us!" to which anyone in power firmly steered clear of trying to have some modicum of fun or innovation when it came to controls. The Wii was a success, broke down the door for the mobile phone market, and still delivered on extremely high quality games. At this point I'm chalking up lack of third party to support to paranoid, uncreative company CEOs that want to play it safe instead of actually do something fun or innovative. They have literally 0 excuse for not developing for the Wii U this time around. It has traditional controls plus a kick ass game pad that anyone with half a brain could figure out how to make fun.