January NPD Thread! PS4 ~192k , XB1~152k, WiiU~64k, Dying Light #1

[Raven]

BTW, I'm not sure how Nintendo could survive till 2017 with the wii u. It's pretty much irrelevant 2.5 years before that. If Nintendo waits that long for a new console then they run the risk of that just being irrelevant too from no mind share for years before releasing it. So they should either A. Rush out another console that's more powerful than ps4 or B. Wait till Ps5 launches and do a LOT of hyping pre release

Nintendo's rabid fanbase and 3DS sales will make sure the company stays in the minds of gamers. Rushing a console out the door now might backfire as we're now knee deep in the current generation and the Wii U is already a very unpopular name generally speaking. I'd say the best thing Nintendo can do is let this generation run its course. Create a console that is beefy, doesn't rely on incredibly unique controls as a standard, has a relatively robust online infrastructure, and has a lot more edgy games on the platform. Nintendo needs to create an image that they've "grown up" while still offering the games Nintendo fans and families enjoy. It's all in the presentation. As long as Nintendo still presents itself as being a company of childlike wonder they will never achieve control of the console market. They also really must get themselves back on the good side of third-parties and one very good way to do that is making sure your console is on the same level of performance as others. Also, let Shigeru Miyamoto out of his cage and let him do different things. The more I see him the more the poor guy looks like he wants to commit suicide for having to do yet another Mario or Zelda game. I remember an article I read where someone ran into him in public and during the conversation he asked the guy what game he would next like to see from Nintendo. The guy told him Zelda and I guess Miyamoto was noticeably disappointed by the answer.

[darkknightkryta]

How about Nintendo just drops out of the hardware market completely? That's a sentiment that I thought for some time would be worth thinking about for Nintendo, but mentioning that has almost always gotten me flak.

Thing is, there's no justification for Nintendo to stay in the hardware space.  The reason you'd want to sell hardware is to get licensing  money or sell the hardware at profit.  The way the prices of electronics have been driven down, there's very little way to sell a game machine at profit.  The 3DS priced at 170 lost Nintendo a lot of money.  The Wii U is probably still losing money.  I think Sony lucked out with the PS4 or else that would have been losing money.  So Nintendo can't sell hardware at a profit anymore, what's left?  Licensing money.  Hey, guess what doesn't sell well on Nintendo platforms?  Third party software.  Guess what's not making Nintendo money?  Licensing.  They've relied to long on selling electronics at profit that when that became impossible, it bit them in the dog.  The only reason why they didn't lose money when they had the Gamecube was because the Gameboy Advance was being sold at profit while generating a lot of third party licensing money.  This scenario will not exist again.  Hardware is, financially, a dead end for Nintendo.  There's literally no reason to stay in the hardware business other than old men's pride.  Cause you know, when it doesn't work, they're gonna keep on trying until it does.  Which is why all of Nintendo's upper management need to retire.
@Raven
I disagree, Nintendo's current business plan is to milk their fanbase dry.  They can only do that for so long before even more people say "Screw it".  Their new 3DS is exactly that.  They made a new 3DS that's going to be replaced within a two year time period, have exclusive games in the pipeline for it, but for what?  To fudge over their fanbase plain and simple.  The majority of the people have moved on from the 3DS but the people who they can sell cardboard to.  And even then, how much longer can they last?  All of what I mentioned above is a recipe for disaster for Nintendo and it's only going to get exponentially worse of them as time goes on.

[Cute Pikachu]

ehh dont worry iwata will retire eventually and hopefully someone who wasnt with nintendo in the 90s takes head(maybe sak... oh wait nintendo made him milk kirby so he left)

[Raven]

Thing is, there's no justification for Nintendo to stay in the hardware space.  The reason you'd want to sell hardware is to get licensing  money or sell the hardware at profit.  The way the prices of electronics have been driven down, there's very little way to sell a game machine at profit.  The 3DS priced at 170 lost Nintendo a lot of money.  The Wii U is probably still losing money.  I think Sony lucked out with the PS4 or else that would have been losing money.  So Nintendo can't sell hardware at a profit anymore, what's left?  Licensing money.  Hey, guess what doesn't sell well on Nintendo platforms?  Third party software.  Guess what's not making Nintendo money?  Licensing.  They've relied to long on selling electronics at profit that when that became impossible, it bit them in the dog.  The only reason why they didn't lose money when they had the Gamecube was because the Gameboy Advance was being sold at profit while generating a lot of third party licensing money.  This scenario will not exist again.  Hardware is, financially, a dead end for Nintendo.  There's literally no reason to stay in the hardware business other than old men's pride.  Cause you know, when it doesn't work, they're gonna keep on trying until it does.  Which is why all of Nintendo's upper management need to retire.
@Raven
I disagree, Nintendo's current business plan is to milk their fanbase dry.  They can only do that for so long before even more people say "Screw it".  Their new 3DS is exactly that.  They made a new 3DS that's going to be replaced within a two year time period, have exclusive games in the pipeline for it, but for what?  To fudge over their fanbase plain and simple.  The majority of the people have moved on from the 3DS but the people who they can sell cardboard to.  And even then, how much longer can they last?  All of what I mentioned above is a recipe for disaster for Nintendo and it's only going to get exponentially worse of them as time goes on.

The thing is, Nintendo has proven me wrong in the past. So I'm not eager to say for certain that they'll fall. They went from a downward spiral with the Nintendo 64 and Gamecube to selling the most consoles in the previous generation. Yes, they did that on the back of the casual crowd, well marketed novelty, and a low price point during an economic recession but the results speak for themselves. I was convinced that the Wii would fail. I was also convinced that the 3DS would flop when it was first announced. Needless to say, I was wrong. If it were any other company in this position I would be more likely to say the end is here for them. But with Nintendo's legacy, their past success at managing to get people to buy into their products when they need them to, and a rabid fanbase... I just can't bring myself to be as sure as you are.

[darkknightkryta]

The thing is, Nintendo has proven me wrong in the past. So I'm not eager to say for certain that they'll fall. They went from a downward spiral with the Nintendo 64 and Gamecube to selling the most consoles in the previous generation. Yes, they did that on the back of the casual crowd, well marketed novelty, and a low price point during an economic recession but the results speak for themselves. I was convinced that the Wii would fail. I was also convinced that the 3DS would flop when it was first announced. Needless to say, I was wrong. If it were any other company in this position I would be more likely to say the end is here for them. But with Nintendo's legacy, their past success at managing to get people to buy into their products when they need them to, and a rabid fanbase... I just can't bring myself to be as sure as you are.

The 3DS didn't flop? It's not gonna even pass psp sales. It flopped worse than  the ps3.  Reason why  sure Nintendo's console won't help them is because management is so out of touch and they're so controlling. What the he'll is Iwata doing in charge of NOA? When even he admitted to not understanding the American market. He'll I wouldn't be surprised if it was Yamauchi who set the Wii to success before he stepped down.

[Raven]

The 3DS didn't flop? It's not gonna even pass psp sales. It flopped worse than  the ps3.  Reason why  sure Nintendo's console won't help them is because management is so out of touch and they're so controlling. What the he'll is Iwata doing in charge of NOA? When even he admitted to not understanding the American market. He'll I wouldn't be surprised if it was Yamauchi who set the Wii to success before he stepped down.

I don't think you and I have the same definition of flop. In fact, I don't think your definition of flop fits with most people. It has sold, what, 50 million or so in 4 years? The PSP sold 80 million over 10 years and that was before the explosion of tablets and smartphones flooded the mobile market.

[FLGibsonIII]

I don't think you and I have the same definition of flop. In fact, I don't think your definition of flop fits with most people. It has sold, what, 50 million or so in 4 years? The PSP sold 80 million over 10 years and that was before the explosion of tablets and smartphones flooded the mobile market.

PSP sold because it was easy to pirate.
Edit: While I agree mostly with darkknight in this discussion I think most would consider the 3ds a success

[Legend]

3DS is a dissapointment for Nintendo sure, but a flop? Noooo. Vita is a flop.

[Mmm_fish_tacos]

3DS is a dissapointment for Nintendo sure, but a flop? Noooo. Vita is a flop.

Legend is a flop!! *shakes fist

[Xevross]

There's no way 3DS is a flop. Its still a success, even though it has fallen hard from the mighty heights on the DS

[FLGibsonIII]

I'm still a bit upset with the lack of 1st party support from vita.

[Xevross]

I'm still a bit upset with the lack of 1st party support from vita.

It'd be a poor move for Sony if they put any effort into vita

[FLGibsonIII]

It'd be a poor move for Sony if they put any effort into vita

At this point yes, but they should have done way more around launch.

[Raven]

I'm just not going to bother making any assertions that Nintendo is done. I said that about the Wii. I said that about the 3DS. I expected both to bomb. I did not expect the Wii to sell over 100 million and I did not expect the 3DS to sell about 50 million so far and especially not in the current mobile market. Both of them well exceeded my expectations, regardless of the reasons.

[darkknightkryta]

There's no way 3DS is a flop. Its still a success, even though it has fallen hard from the mighty heights on the DS

What success though?  It's been losing Nintendo money for years, hell the 3DS is the reason why Nintendo lost money for the first time in 100 years.  It also failed to do what the previous handhelds used to do and stop their consoles from bleeding money.  Personally, I consider it as successful as the n64.  If you wanna call it a "success" then the 3DS is a success.  I personally don't.