To see the slightly edited version, click here: http://cinemablend.com/games/Nintendo-Worried-About-Future-As-PS3-Beats-Them-In-Sales-In-Japan-16765.html
In a recent article on Kotaku, they comment on how the Wii may be losing its grip on the precipice that is the console war in Japan. Nintendo president, Satoru Iwata, said that the Wii is in a very “unhealthy condition,” right now, and that the PS3 is actually outselling the Wii for the first time ever in 16 months. That’s a big deal!
The article also goes on to say that the one thing Nintendo DOESN’T want to do is have a price cut, as a price cut in a economicly vulnerable time like today wouldn’t really bare any fruits in the long run, so it’s not even worth doing. They might be right on that one.
People on the message boards have been jumping on Nintendo for making their games too casual, alienating the hardcore crowd that’s crucial to maintaining a staying audience. I agree about that point on many levels, but have to put the brakes on a bit here before we start saying things that don’t entirely add up.
While it IS true that the Wii is pretty much lopsided when it comes to hardcore games to shovelware garbage, the games that ARE hardcore aren’t selling like apple fritters, either. Madworld, a game I reviewed on this site, isn’t posting up Wii Play like numbers, and neither was No More Heroes (In fact, with the latter, it’s amazing that they’re even making a sequel AT ALL for that one, as the first game didn’t do well). I mean, seriously, even a tried and true franchise like Resident Evil wasn’t posting big boy figures on the Wii. Granted, it was a game that was a couple of years old already, but still. Nintendo has TRIED its hand with the hardcore and has landed smack dab on its nosebone. In other words, my girlfriend, who doesn’t really like video games unless they have the words, “Cooking,” and “Mama” in them, did not buy a Wii to impale people on a moving train in Madworld. She bought it for Wii Sports and Wii Resort and any other trash with the words Wii and, add your own word for monotony here.
The Wii might be faltering, but I don’t think it’s because of a lack of hardcore games, as those don’t sell anyway. Really, all Nintendo has to do is make their casual games better. Only then will they retain their grip on the edge that they seem to be slipping from.
The article also goes on to say that the one thing Nintendo DOESN’T want to do is have a price cut, as a price cut in a economicly vulnerable time like today wouldn’t really bare any fruits in the long run, so it’s not even worth doing. They might be right on that one.
People on the message boards have been jumping on Nintendo for making their games too casual, alienating the hardcore crowd that’s crucial to maintaining a staying audience. I agree about that point on many levels, but have to put the brakes on a bit here before we start saying things that don’t entirely add up.
While it IS true that the Wii is pretty much lopsided when it comes to hardcore games to shovelware garbage, the games that ARE hardcore aren’t selling like apple fritters, either. Madworld, a game I reviewed on this site, isn’t posting up Wii Play like numbers, and neither was No More Heroes (In fact, with the latter, it’s amazing that they’re even making a sequel AT ALL for that one, as the first game didn’t do well). I mean, seriously, even a tried and true franchise like Resident Evil wasn’t posting big boy figures on the Wii. Granted, it was a game that was a couple of years old already, but still. Nintendo has TRIED its hand with the hardcore and has landed smack dab on its nosebone. In other words, my girlfriend, who doesn’t really like video games unless they have the words, “Cooking,” and “Mama” in them, did not buy a Wii to impale people on a moving train in Madworld. She bought it for Wii Sports and Wii Resort and any other trash with the words Wii and, add your own word for monotony here.
The Wii might be faltering, but I don’t think it’s because of a lack of hardcore games, as those don’t sell anyway. Really, all Nintendo has to do is make their casual games better. Only then will they retain their grip on the edge that they seem to be slipping from.
No comments:
Post a Comment