Wii - what is keeping the demand so high?

[elkatas]

But to be fair, being the biggest Nintendo fanboy in the World your view is hardly unbiased is it?

I'm hardly biggest Nintendo fanboy in the world, and I can be quite reasonable if compared to many others. And I do appreciate other console's games too.

[elkatas]

Let's be serious here, take off your Nintendo hat for a second, look at the situation and you'll know it's not a very good one regarding games at the moment.

Situation does certainly suck if you are only fan of one or two genres, but I really do like all kinds of games (I think that's quite rare these days). Of course, it does also help that I play less these days and games last longer.

[Good_Shooting_Batman]

Its a sad situation for gamers like myself (and most people here) who have been playing Nintendo games for years. Although, i own a Wii and other Nintendo systems, i don't like where Nintendo are going with the Wii. i.e. dumbing down there games for the mainstream.

If the game situation on the Wii remains much longer i wouldn't think twice about selling the console (i've thought about it many times). Nintendo maybe making tons of money just now with the DS/Wii, but i'll tell you what...they aren't half the company they use to be.

[elkatas]

Although, i own a Wii and other Nintendo systems, i don't like where Nintendo are going with the Wii. i.e. dumbing down there games for the mainstream.

How they have dumbed games down? This is honest question, because those more gamer oriented games that Nintendo has released so far have been quite much comparable to Gamecube era. And before we go into traditional "only non-games" territory in our discussion, remember that next seven months are quite "HC" oriented. In fact, this year is easily greatest for Nintendo fans since year 1992.

If the game situation on the Wii remains much longer i wouldn't think twice about selling the console (i've thought about it many times).

I heard that song many times during PS2's and X360's first year. People don't really seem to have any kind of patience these days, and also seem to have extremely short (or selective) memory.

[Good_Shooting_Batman]

How they have dumbed games down? This is honest question, because those more gamer oriented games that Nintendo has released so far have been quite much normal Gamecube era.

Why aren't they? Let face facts here, Nintendo no longer give a **** about the gamers who made them into the company they are now. Now, in terms of demographics they are after your dad, your mum, feck even your papa and grandma. Wii fit anyone!

I heard that song many times during PS2's and X360's first year. People don't really seem to have any kind of patience these days, and also seem to have extremely short (or selective) memory.

I don't know about short (or selective) memory as you put it, but this isn't the 16-Bit days anymore (or even last gen) gamers expect results, by that i mean good games ASAP. Waiting a year (or more) is not an option.

Personally, i think i've waited long enough for more than 2/3 decent Wii games to come along my way. And don't mention the VC, i've been there and did that over a decade ago.

[rmoxon]

well recently its been my most played console so no dusting off needed, but again its only been becuase of the VC mainly.

still any console that lets more people play gamecube games is a good thing... although you have to wonder how many "mainstream" people know it even plays them

[elkatas]

Wii fit anyone!

Ah, the Wii Fit demon. What about these games?

July 20: Mario Strikers Charged
August 20: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
October 29: Battalion Wars II
October 29: Eternal Blue
November 5: Fire Emblem: Goddess of Dawn
November 11: Super Mario Galaxy
December 3: Smash Bros Brawl
January: Mario Kart Wii
February or march: Disaster: Day of Crisis

These don't count anymore because of Wii Fit? Or are these those dreaded non-games that are targeted to your granny? Tell me.

[rmoxon]

Why aren't they? Let face facts here, Nintendo no longer give a **** about the gamers who made them into the company they are now. Now, in terms of demographics they are after your dad, your mum, feck even your papa and grandma. Wii fit anyone!



I don't know about short (or selective) memory as you put it, but this isn't the 16-Bit days anymore (or even last gen) gamers expect results, by that i mean good games ASAP. Waiting a year (or more) is not an option.

Personally, i think i've waited long enough for more than 2/3 decent Wii games to come along my way. And don't mention the VC, i've been there and did that over a decade ago.

Nintendo have and always will be a company for people who love games, I would bet any money that to 100% Mario Galaxy will give me just as great a sense of achivement as finding all 96 exits of super mario world or finding 120 starts in Mario 64.

Just becuase they like to cater for everyone who currently plays games dosnet make them any less brilliant. It just means that maybe (as well as wanting to make money) they actually care about their audience

[Concept]

Not terrible games by any means (Eternal Blue, Metroid Prime 3 look excellent), but to me -and this is personal preference -, most of them are second tier stuff compared to what's coming out for the 360 and PS3 this winter.

Hopefully we'll start seeing some more games in a few months which helped make the Cube stand out. Eternal Darkness, Killer7, RE4, Chibi Robo, Viewtiful Joe, F-Zero GX, Tales of Symphonia... games like that.

The new Soul Calibur and Resident Evil titles are a good start, and hopefully more meatier original titles will start to appear too. Certainly Tomb Raider: Anniversary (with what's said to be up to three hours of addition content) sounds interesting on the Wii, and if Manhunt 2 hadn't been taken off the release schedules I'd already be owning one.

Things will pick up software wise, but outside of two games from Nintendo, not this year (imo).

[elkatas]

Just becuase the like to cater for everyone who currently plays games dosnet make them any less brilliant. It just means that maybe (as well as wanting to make money) they actually care about their audience

Exactly. Like Iwata himself said about non-gamers:

It does seem that there is a level of misunderstanding among some people, and I am truly concerned about this. It's true that Nintendo is reaching out to non-gamers, but this does not mean that we are ignoring game fans. I believe that if we don't make moves to get people who don't play games to understand them, then the position of video games in society will never improve.

Society's image of games will remain largely negative, including that stuff about playing games all the time badly damaging you or rotting your brain or whatever. If that happens, then even people who enjoy games will start to feel a strange guilt when they play them. If people who haven't played games up til now start playing them, and appreciate how enjoyable they are, it is highly likely this situation will change. Society will be more accommodating towards people who play games, and it will become even easier to produce more conventional games.

In reality, while Nintendo is looking to reach out to people who don't play games, it's not as if we've become less committed to Zelda. On the contrary, we've invested four years and a huge amount of effort into developing the new Zelda. There's no question that we are passionate about it. For the people who are willing to wait for them, we will absolutely continue to produce games like that. But I think if we don't also develop things for non-gamers, the future for game fans will become bleak.

He also stated quite frankly that he wasn't satisfied at all with Wii launch, and titles they could get out.

[Concept]

It's not really Nintendo's first-party output which is the problem. Nintendo need to be agressively courting other third-party developers to make both casual and core market games, with everything in between. I'm sure it's already happening - we just haven't seen the fruits yet.

That's what keeps people like myself sitting on the fence. We know Nintendo will deliver the goods with the usual franchises... but will third-parties start giving the system more attention instead of porting crap over?

Money talks on that one. Doesn't make the waiting game any less 'fun' though.

[elkatas]

but will third-parties start giving the system more attention instead of porting crap over?

What else they can do? Alternatives are getting quite thin. X360 is tracking below original Xbox, PS3 is selling less than Dreamcast, and Wii is going to reach 15 million units benchmark before next christmas. Budgets have quadrupled for next-gen consoles*, but actual software sales are worse. If companies won't evolve, they are simply going to die.

* if compared against last gen

[Concept]

Create better games for the Wii of course.

[elkatas]

Create better games for the Wii of course.

It was rhetoric question.

[mekanor]

in terms of the software drought, i was just thinking how little time im going to have between now and brawl. i went through igns release list for the wii and picked out the games i was on some level interested in and its massive:

August 27, 2007 Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
September 25, 2007 Dragon Blade: Wrath of Fire
October 8, 2007 Donkey Kong Barrel Blast
October 9, 2007 Bleach: Shattered Blade
October 16, 2007 Brothers in Arms: Double Time
October 16, 2007 Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
October 23, 2007 Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution
October 29, 2007 Battalion Wars 2
October 29, 2007 Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
October 30, 2007 Need for Speed ProStreet
November 5, 2007 Fire Emblem: Goddess of Dawn
November 6, 2007 LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
November 12, 2007 Super Mario Galaxy
November 13, 2007 Nitrobike
November 13, 2007 Rayman Raving Rabbids 2
November 13, 2007 Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles
November 13, 2007 Soulcalibur Legends
November 13, 2007 Trauma Center: New Blood
November 20, 2007 Bully: Scholarship Edition
November 20, 2007 Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
November 20, 2007 Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis
December 3, 2007 Super Smash Bros. Brawl

true these are all american release dates but it shouldnt be that long untill they see a pal release (except maybe trauma centre if the first ones anything to go by)

so with all this goodness coming im quite content to wait untill september for the floodgates to open