1st time without a Nintendo console in god knows how many years. What would you buy?

[Neon Ignition]

I'd hate most of that They just need to make a well powered cheap system and heavily invest in software output. For every trick they pull off they miss ten lately. Really Nintendo formats should be pretty front loaded software wise, the big franchises quickly driving hardware sales, then due to the fast growing install base third parties can cover the following years knowing theirs enough owners to warrant development.

[wakka]

Just to be clear, the implication is not that Nintendo shouldn't ramp up development of games. They should. It's just an idea of how they could change tack with their next home console. We've seen with the Wii U that if the hardware gimmick doesn't appeal, Mario isn't going to sell it.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Nor should they release a super powerful beast console with a Wii U pro controller style pad. That market is saturated. There are already two virtually identical systems with virtually identical lineups of games. There's no room for Nintendo in that space any more.

Not entirely sure that I agree with this part, Joe.

I think there is an argument to be had that many "core" gamers, and top third-party devs, would actually want this from Nintendo now - a console that could match current-gen tech like XB1 & PS4. It would ensure that top third-party devs would at the very least consider porting to a Nintendo console properly and Nintendo would be able to entice "core" customers by having a top third-party library of games. This plus Nintendo's software IP (surely best in the industry?) would make the difference for them, no?

Not that this will ever happen, imo - NCL have never really massively spent on R&D, or at least not since their early home console days. It's how they've kept costs down to allow for large profit margins.

That aside, your post is a pretty bloody good one. I'd probably take up something like what you've proposed if Nintendo ever did something like that.

[Nu-Eclipse]

For me, the hardware gimmick with the Wii U doesn't appeal partly because it is archaic hardware - a sentiment shared by many consumers, customers and developers.

[Lebowski]

I think a combined handheld/home system is unlikely. There would seem to be a risk that the Wii U's failure could pollute the profitable handheld line.

I think Nintendo's best bet is to ditch the tablet aspect entirely. It doesn't appeal, because most families that would buy a Wii U already have an iPad or at least some kind of Tesco Hudl or something in the house. Nintendo don't have the engineering expertise to produce a tablet that realistically competes with iOS or Android products, even if it was a gaming-first device.

Nor should they release a super powerful beast console with a Wii U pro controller style pad. That market is saturated. There are already two virtually identical systems with virtually identical lineups of games. There's no room for Nintendo in that space any more.

Here's what I think they should do:

- Release another console with the power of the Wii U. Give it a 'puck' style form factor like the Apple TV/FireTV/NowTV. At most it could be the size of a Mac mini.
- Make it use Wiimotes and nunchuks, and bundle one of each in the box. Despite what the haters might say, I think the Wiimote is one of the best Nintendo controller designs ever. It was amazingly versatile for a wide range of games (in conjunction with the nunchuk) and could be used by anyone. Maybe juice the motion controls a bit again to make them more accurate.
- Make the games digital-only. It would hopefully be too small for discs. Sales via traditional distribution channels would still occur of course, and they'd still come in DVD cases so Gran wouldn't get confused. Inside the box would be a download code. Would a lack of trade-ins affect a Nintendo system? Probably not nearly as much as its competitors. They hold their value so well that a copy of a five year old Pok?mon DS game is still ?30 in CeX.
- Build in Netflix, Amazon Prime, iPlayer, 4OD, Spotify, all of those other apps, and have some of its marketing focus on its capabilities as a smart TV box competing with FireTV, AppleTV etc. Nintendo could speed this process by co-developing these apps with the providers or developing them in-house and having them approved (Microsoft have done this before to get key services on the Windows Phone platform).
- Create a Nintendo+ system. I would see this as a clone of PS+. Every month you get free VC and indie games. As time goes on larger titles could be added to the service too. ?40 per year - everyone who subs in the first year gets the major launch game for free.
- Create a great storefront. NOT a crappy HTML page that is half designed for a tablet, half designed for a TV. Something swishy, modern and intuitive. Implement a proper accounts system to go with this.
- Launch it with a great game. NOT an NSMB game.
- Sell it for ?99, or ?139 and you get a year of Nintendo+ and the key launch game thrown in.
- Continue to sell their major titles for ?34.99 - ?44.99 and accessories for the price that they're currently sold at.

I'd buy that despite thinking that there are too many of these boxes all fighting for limited Market space, sky and virgin control this and Unless you get this sort of technology into a cable box its never going to be the media hub under the TV. Microsoft's HDMI pass through idea, tried to combat this but its just to faffy for most people to bother with turning two boxes on, and to baffling for most of the general public.

My wife's response to putting the Virgin Cable box via the xbox one was a look of sheer horror and a firm NO! .

[EvilBoris]

Wait.. so the burglars took your 3DS but left your X-box one? Rofl!

That probably sounded funny in your head.

[Brad]

A PS4/XBone spec-matching Nintendo console could make sense. Once the machine specs are at least similar I guess most of us choose a console based on its exclusives but then also play the multiplatform games on that system. Nintendo's current strategy negates that option. That wouldn't have been a problem in the past as they had so many decent exclusives, many from their own top-tier dev teams. I don't think that's true today so their options really are to either go back to the super imaginative Nintendo of old with loads (well, enough anyway) exclusives that we all want the machine anyway (at less cost than PS4 and Xbox, assuming the machine is underpowered) or to have specs that allow the same 3rd party games as PS4 and Xbone get. This way more of us would choose the Nintendo console, knowing we would get our Marios, Zeldas and Metroids but would also be able to play battlefield, GTA etc. They'd need to follow suit regarding their online strategy as well though i.e. online multiplayer, digital games tied to a login etc.

[Lebowski]

That probably sounded funny in your head.

why dident they nick it though it's because to the untrained eye it looks like an old VCR not a device which is worth ?250 in your local crime converters.

[wakka]

As I say, it's just an idea for a potential direction that Nintendo could go in.

I think there is an argument to be had that many "core" gamers, and top third-party devs, would actually want this from Nintendo now - a console that could match current-gen tech like XB1 & PS4. It would ensure that top third-party devs would at the very least consider porting to a Nintendo console properly and Nintendo would be able to entice "core" customers by having a top third-party library of games. This plus Nintendo's software IP (surely best in the industry?) would make the difference for them, no?

A PS4/XBone spec-matching Nintendo console could make sense. Once the machine specs are at least similar I guess most of us choose a console based on its exclusives but then also play the multiplatform games on that system.

Firstly Harrison, no question many of us and many devs would love to see a powerful system on par with the Bone and PS4 in terms of specs. That would be awesome. I would love that. But I don't think it would be a financially responsible decision for Nintendo to develop such a lavish piece of hardware. And as you point out, the chances of this happening are basically nil anyway.

Secondly Brad, yes, in theory. However there are roadblocks to such a strategy. One of those you point out - online infrastructure. Nintendo's is poor at best, and I'm not sure they have the expertise or experience to create a LIVE/PSN grade service in the near term. Both of those services have also had years and years to refine their experiences and iron out bugs. Nintendo would be building on a very basic service and would probably encounter many problems.

Online is paramount to so many players, and this creates two problems for Nintendo. Firstly the above, that their system would almost certainly not be as good as LIVE/PSN. Secondly that people go where their friends are. 2/3 years into this gen when the next Nintendo system arrives, people won't want to switch to some new platform that has no one they know on it.

The other major issue (I reckon) is what I mentioned before, market saturation. Is there really room for a third console that offers exactly the same thing, again, but with a few different exclusives? Maybe there is, maybe there isn't. My money is on the latter.

While it would be great to see a full power system, I think Nintendo are better off differentiating themselves. Particularly on price. A ?99 price point for a piece of Nintendo hardware could be a very powerful thing. If they could shift enough units, the third party software would come, just as it did with the Wii.

It's an interesting discussion because it's a real 'where do they go from here?' moment for them.

[Crinkles]

It's an interesting discussion because it's a real 'where do they go from here?' moment for them.

I'd be in for a powerful Nintendo handheld. If they could put out a system that'd be able to play WiiU quality titles on the TV, as has been mooted a few times, and was able to be played on the move I think they might do ok.

This is dependent on them putting something high quality out there. They need to up the ante vs the Vita. If they ship a system that's compromised they may as well not bother. The card they've always had up their sleeve is the incredible software they produce. Turns out, nobody cares anymore (in any great numbers). If they produce a system that's weaker than PS4/Xbox they don't get any 3rd party support. Like WiiU.

If they produce a handheld that's not technically impressive, they may as well keep on with 3DS.

I think a single format Nintendo system with loads of regular game releases (facilitated by all Nintendo's developers working on a single format) and the ability to play those WiiU/PS3/360 quality titles on the move OR on the big tv in the lounge is something different and a market they could own.

But it'd be expensive so they'd have to be aggressive. I'm not sure Nintendo have got it in them tbh.

Also: save a bit of money so you don't have to start selling all your possessions next time an unexpected expense pops up.

Apologies if that sounded harsh!

[fishbowlhead]

There's nothing really wrong with the console. It's powerful enough for pretty much most things barring the very top in house devs that push things to the limits.

Decent advertising.
Price slash so it's well under the xbone and ps4.
More games.

It's not rocket science. Also buying back their shares so there's no share holders to answer to would be a good move too, they can start to look at the future in a more creative way instead of making figures for each quarter then.

[Crinkles]

There's nothing really wrong with the console. It's powerful enough for pretty much most things barring the very top in house devs that push things to the limits.

Decent advertising.
Price slash so it's well under the xbone and ps4.
More games.

It's not rocket science. Also buying back their shares so there's no share holders to answer to would be a good move too, they can start to look at the future in a more creative way instead of making figures for each quarter then.

There may be nothing wrong with it, but "nothing wrong with it" isn't a strong enough argument to get people to buy it. People need to be wowed.

Look at how PS4 is heralded as the most powerful thing in the world and the Xbox One (running the exact same games at an often indistinguishably lower [something]) is deemed to be incredibly underpowered.

Perception is all that's happening there, the cold hard facts aren't important, Nintendo may have a great system out there but they need to be aggressive and seduce people. The only reason to buy Nintendo is the exclusives and 1) they're not putting many out, 2) not enough people seem to care. Time for change is here!

This E3 is probably the most important one in years, everyone's got something to play for. I hope Nintendo show up.

[Asura]

We've seen with the Wii U that if the hardware gimmick doesn't appeal, Mario isn't going to sell it.

We've also seen with the 3DS that if the hardware gimmick doesn't appeal, Mario absolutely can sell it. The 3DS picked up hugely around the time of 3D Land and Mario Kart.

[EvilBoris]

why dident they nick it though it's because to the untrained eye it looks like an old VCR not a device which is worth ?250 in your local crime converters.

"WTF do I need a Betamax player for? I'll take this Xbox One controller from the Coffee table though!"

[J0e Musashi]

It's a new Wii-U is dead thread.