Nintendo Blog

Nintendo have had used up all their chances with gamers. The Wii is the final bid to win back a decent share in the console market. What effect would a gamer-friendly console miscarriage have on Nintendo?

State of Affairs
Nintendo have made all the right moves so far. A new controller, a new ethos, new marketing tactics and a brand new name. Nintendo have concentrated on one word. Fun.

The name is easy, and makes primary schoolers and football jocks of all ages giggle. The games are bright and exciting, and the controls can be muzzled by all ages. It’s small, cute and cheap.

The Wii is hot, and not just with hate filled Zelda junkies slavouring for a fix after the long wait. The public is learning about the Wii. And somewhere, deep inside each and every person that learns about the new ‘video game computer’ is a yearning. They want to play.

Enter Wired, Rolling Stone, the New York Times and even the Official Land Rover Magazine. These publications have each had a feature on the Nintendo Wii. New demographics are being exposed to, and infected by the Nintendo Wii.

What do gamers think of Nintendo?
To be honest, alot of gamers were not impressed with the GameCube. In fact, it wouldn’t be outrageous to claim that the GameCube was a major mistake, plunging the future of the influential game industry founder into the abyssal depth of failure.

Gamers feel betrayed by Nintendo.

If the Nintendo Wii doesn’t reach certain levels of gameplay, the Wii-mote doesn’t pay off as a serious controller and if popular companies avoid producing games for the ‘gimmicky’ console, then gamers will desert Nintendo.

There is a point where an abusive relationship becomes too much. Those with their hearts pledged to Nintendo may stick around, but as an open minded gamer, with expectations of how to be treated in a consociation, I will be packing my bags and running away. Forever.

But.. the DS!
The Nintendo DS fused public appeal, gimicks and quality gameplay into a unique, delightful hand held system. The console appeals to gamers and the public alike. In fact, Nintendo has reported a 72% gain in profit directly linked to sales of the Nintendo DS and New Super Mario Bros.

Why has the DS been such a runaway success? Because for the first time, an entire console was designed to be accessible and entertaining for anyone. The DS can be switched on and off easily and tucked away. It is designed elegantly enough to produce on a Subway, or on an airplane.

Previous attempts to familiarise new demographics with the Game Industry have resulted in scabruos attempts to design niche games. By designing a completely friendly console and fun, often social games that do not require, but can accept total immersion, Nintendo suddenly ‘did it‘ for the public, and reaped the rewards from their venture.

With 26,000,000 units already sold, and millions more being manufactured, Nintendo has locked itself into the game industry. A New Super Game Industry.

The New Super Game Industry?
The conventions of the Game Industry have changed. Consoles are designed for the masses. Gone are the days of ‘fun’ consoles, that only a semi-serious gamer or a gaggle of kids could play. Nintendo aims to produce consoles that can be played by any demographic with stepping outside the targets comfort zone.

Unfortunately, the evolution of gaming has come at a price. Multitudes of past-gen gamers are not required to purchase Nintendo to make the Wii successful.

By spreading a virtual net over grandparents, the middle aged and other non-gaming demographics, Nintendo has set itself up for the future. Children will grow up with new gaming styles, technology Monkey see, monkey do.

It’s us of them
Nintendo have chosen to continue to appeal to gamers with a solid array of game titles and content. They want to hold onto both markets, both old and new. But in the end there is to be an ultimatum. Nintendo must make a decision on which course is better for the company’s future.

The future, progress and profit, or fanboys and failure?

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 29th, 2006 at 4:10 am and is filed under News, Feature. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.