NCL needs a strategy for the WiiU and a new long term plans but, you can't just assume that the new boy or girl will do the "right" thing either.
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Media Create Sales: Week 47, 2013 (Nov 18 - Nov 24)
- Thread starter Chris1964
- Start date
NCL needs a strategy for the WiiU and a new long term plans but, you can't just assume that the new boy or girl will do the "right" thing either.
That just means it has more games
I didn't expect it to sell for the same market, but for the low end. People who don't have a lot of money for a new console. Sadly they'd probably have to go for the Value pack which is just 5k yen less than the regular Vita.
Hmm, totally OT,but I wonder how a Brazilian made PSVita would do if the price could be low enough and possibly other low end markets. Sega Master System and Mega Drive sold well in Brazil (5 and 3 million) when they were dead elsewhere thanks to a low price.
It amazes me that because a guy puts on wacky outfits for nintendo directs he should somehow be judged differently to any other CEO of a company.
I'm not doing that but whats the alternitative? Carry on the same road with same CEO and execs hoping that they finally get it and adapt. As a Nintendo fan I dont have faith in these guys anymore.
Spieler Eins
Member
I wonder who'd really care about him getting replaced if he was still kept for hosting that kind of stuff.
Because, if it's someone who you would want, to shake things up and change, it'd deviate from the Nintendo philosophy and thus they'd start trying to please the investors and thinking even more like a business. As such, creativity could be compromise to churn out sequels, games could become third party, as mobile gaming is big in Japan it'd be likely that they go mobile too.
Mark my words, if Iwata goes, this will happen.
I'm not saying that Nintendo don't need to act. I'm saying that changing the CEO is more likely to be detrimental.
Mario Kart won't change shit if the console itself is unattractive, especially in terms of pricing
SSB 3DS will be the final nail in the coffin for WiiU in Japan.
Psycho_Mantis
Banned
Care to elaborate instead of avoiding the question?
It only sold 20-40% of it's total shipment. Maybe it's too early to call it a complete flop yet because a large proportion of the 3DS user base are children so it's sales might pick up during Christmas time.
I'm surprised Vita TV is a failure, it's like $99. I thought people would buy one just for the sake of owning one.
This gets annoying after some point. I tend to see a bunch of posters who act that way. If someone can do a better job then Iwata then I'm all in. I want more games, not a direct of a game we've seen multiple times and already know what to expect out of it.
The Horror the horror
Banned
Nintendo needs a Tywin Lannister, instead they have a Renly.
Exactly. I don't know why people thought VitaTV would success. Like you said it is a handheld that is not portable. To make things even stranger, VitaTV mostly marketed along with GE2, a monster hunter game. We know that GE2 currently not having online mode, and hunter game is popular with ad-hoc play. All of this VitaTV just don't make fucking sense.
anon_mastermind
Member
Disappointing Mario sales, but let's see what word of mouth can do for the legs. It should sell a lot in December too.
metalslimer
Member
And yes while Wii U deserves its props for how bad it did, Vita TV is going to be a complete failure and that drop off for God Eater is horrendous for a game like that. I hope Sony has something planned in January/Feb to hold the system up
Glass Rebel
Member
Meh, Iwata Asks is his best work. Shibata is tje true Direct champion.
What philosophy is that? Nintendo are no different from any other company where a CEO is employed to execute ideas and plans to make the company a success and profitable. I dont see how that means that things like creativity then suffer.
This so called phliosophy you talk about seems to ignore the fact the current CEO isnt doing that great of a job but hey thats ok as nintendo are creative.
Father_Brain
Banned
Per interviews with Sony execs, it was conceived largely as a way to get the Japanese into video streaming services. Can't say I'm surprised that it hasn't worked out, but I don't see it being much more successful in the West, even as a PS4 accessory.
I really doubt it.
The concept behind the Vita TV is flawed because it's based on the premise that Vita is a healthy new platform with tons of new games and PS3 ports of the all the latest releases.
In that case you'd get at a console that can play PSone, PSP, new Vita exclusives and slightly dowgraded versions of new PS3 games at 99$. That would work well in the discount and kids market.
But Vita is not such console, Japan is the market where they're closest to that and yet the numbers are disappoiting.
In the west why people should spend 100$ to play a PSone/PSP back-catalogue and indie games?
Honestly just get a PSP, PS2 or Wii with a 50$ deal...shinra-bansho
Member
If Iwata goes then Nintendo might start acting like a business? You'll see, you'll all see!!! :/
Executives say a lot of things. I don't think they'd outright say the Vita is an abysmal failure and we needed to do something with it to at least try to recoup the investment made into creating the device. And I don't think it will be a resounding success as a PS4 accessory either, but I can still see it being a more viable product long term considering how poorly the handheld system is selling and how the handheld market is going in general in the West.
Vita's situation in Japan is better than it is elsewhere, and unlike Wii U it is getting software from third parties that sell in Japan. If Vita is going to recover anywhere in the world, it'll be in Japan.
Days like these...
Have a Blessed Day
Are you being obtuse? Declining #'s mean nothing? How'd that ps tripple fair against the ps2? how's the Wii u doing against the Wii? How about final fantasy lightning whatever vs. other ff's? But I'm not having this conversation with you again. Ps 4 will save Japan! Better?
That base price only gets you a Vita TV. No controller to play games with and no memory card to store them. You have to pay 149 for those extras in the Value pack and by that time the 3DS is the same, the XL is 179 (18k yen) and the Vita is 199.
Vita is not a lost cause in Japan. Unlike the WiiU, it has decent enough 3rd party support.
WiiU's only salvation at this point is NA.
opticalmace
Member
Yeah, I didn't mean 3D Mario on its own... just that some people say to wait for {insert game here}, that it'll turn the system around. Not looking good IMO.
Low hardware sales indicate that core gamers probably bought hardware used rather than new. Many are probably waiting for the game itself to become available used as well.
NSMBU boosting despite it being part of a bundle that is hardly more expensive than the basic model and NSMBU together must mean that this week is really a core gamer Wii U week. They either bought used or avoided the bundle just to save 2000 yen.
Core gamers are likely treating the Wii U like they did the Wii in the later years. For lack of 3rd party support and thus steady releases they don't need to keep the console but rather buy it for a game that interests them and sell it off again. It's a second hand console now.
Casuals buy mostly new, without 3rd party support Nintendo needs to cater to them. And that's what they are doing.
2D Mario and casual games are what are actually selling Wii Us even today. The bundle that didn't particular interest core gamers (also this week's 3D World buyers) bumped sales more than any core game release. And if you listen to Vinnk it's what could give Nintendo a decent holiday.
Core games seem more of a lost cause on Wii U, 3D World is just more part of that failing segment.
It does have the advantage of being 2D like enough to become more popular later if the Wii U can become more popular first. It could sell on the strength of the console, if it ever gets that strength, but it won't convince a core gamer to invest in a Wii U.
I was suggesting something like that to my brother months ago. The only advantage of the super low electricity consumption and the system designed around the off screen feature would be to easily turn it into a real handheld.
Two possible steps on the way to such a DSU: A Wii U Lite with updated controller and a 3DS player for the Wii U of some form.
Well, I'm not going to pretend I have an idea as to what goes on at NCL, :lol, but I'm just saying that tossing out the company president isn't suddenly going to equate to all the problems Nintendo have, disappearing in a blink of an eye.
Now, obviously, something has to be done. I personally think a better thing to do is to think globally, where NCL involves the head honchos of NoA and NoE more instead of relying on someone like Miyamoto, whom I think should be head of a development team again instead of anywhere near the board.
Edit: I'm not exempting Iwata from all of this, by the way. The others on the Board are his responsibility, but maybe he should take a leave out of "Young Man" Yamauchi's book and toss out his senior management.
Mario will do much better in the west.
As for LR, the question is still up in the air, but I (sadly) think it's not going to fare better over here.
michaelius
Banned
I've heard there were also Heat waves in Japan last week.
I'm not saying Iwata needs to stay, but I also don't see how an Iwata-less Nintendo is automatically a better Nintendo. This guy made Wii, DS and 3DS after all. If he truly is Nintendo's problem at the moment, then yeah, get rid of him, but I don't get why people think he has been a total failure. Now, let's say he gets kicked out - what do you think Nintendo should be doing differently right now to improve WiiU's situation? Kill it? Release a new console mid-cycle?
InsaneZero
Member
I agree with the points being made here regarding the similarity between the 3DS and Wii U offerings. There's just far too much overlap and not much of an incentive to buy both. The Wii U is going to have a really short life, but at the very least Nintendo should be refocusing their marketing and product requirements for their in-development Wii U projects to completely break away from the 3DS offerings as much as possible.
For next-gen, Nintendo needs to really push the cross-platform infrastructure hard so that projects for their next handheld platform are also being simultaneously made for the next console. Projects specifically for the next console needs to distinguish itself from any of its handheld offerings to make the console stand out. This will probably be the best way for Nintendo to leverage their handheld's strength for their console, instead of having similar products the way they're doing now.
For next-gen, Nintendo needs to really push the cross-platform infrastructure hard so that projects for their next handheld platform are also being simultaneously made for the next console. Projects specifically for the next console needs to distinguish itself from any of its handheld offerings to make the console stand out. This will probably be the best way for Nintendo to leverage their handheld's strength for their console, instead of having similar products the way they're doing now.
Sakura
Member
I dunno, Wii U and 3D World sales seem fine to me. When is the last time the Wii U has sold as many units per capita in a week any where else in the world? Sales of 20k a week in Japan would be equivalent to like, 200k in a month in America. And 3D World is a game that will have long legs. Vita TV sales are pretty expected.
Hey people were hating on Ballmer and that fucker lead MS to record profits and share price. LOTS of people wanted him gone. RECORD PROFITS BTW.
....and how did that work out for them again?? That's kind my whole point dude: they evidentaly can't do the same thing again this time. There will be no Wii success story to fall back on. I'm only spitballing, but it's a legitimate suggestion.
Please think before replying in a rude manner next time
I agree. I had sort of a knee jerk reaction to Wind Waker HD's sales in Japan, but it sold much better in the west. Judging by a lot of the posts in this thread, it looks like people are having a similar reaction to things haha. The sales numbers everywhere else aren't out yet but we're declaring doom?
As for Lightening Returns, it's anyone's guess. I wish that game wasn't another FF13, because the battle system looks interesting.
shinra-bansho
Member
Cut cost and reduce price. It's really the only thing they can do, and it probably means getting rid of the controller nobody cares about. I'm also in that terrible camp of people who think that it wouldn't mean oblivion if Nintendo (or Sony or Microsoft for that matter) released legacy titles or more tie-ins to their products on the iOS and Android ecosystems - at worst this provides additional revenue, and it could provide some brand exposure to a generation of people (particularly young people) passing on dedicated gaming hardware.
As to the query about Iwata, you're really only as good as your last launch. And as noted by others the problems inherent to the Wii U aren't isolated to the Wii U.
Sorry, I meant to say Wii U is a lost cause in Japan, and Vita is a lost cause in NA.
The WiiU HW is way too expensive to be viable for the casual market though. It was sold at a loss when it was 350 and because only Nintendo buys most of the components they will probably not go down in price any time soon.
The WiiU is low power, but for a handheld device it is insanely high power. A tablet usually peaks at 8 watts while the WiiU uses 32 watts. If they somehow managed to to lower that to 22 watts including the screen it would drain the iPad 4 battery (43Wh) in just under two hours and need fan cooling similar to a laptop (slim ultrabooks have 17W CPUs). The iPad 4 is pretty much a battery with a screen under the hood:
It's a modern day Saturn and the faster Nintendo makes a Dreamcast the better.
But some major publishers already abandoned Wii U. And I don't see any attempt by Nintendo to gain some major 3rd party support in NA, which makes thing even dire.
megabytecr
Member
Wow everyone just look at the numbers for SM3DW without context. Comparing the Galaxies to SM3DW, I mean Wii userbase against 1.1 million Wii Us, I actually think it did just decent (10% attach rate) and it is a title that might have legs. 3D Mario generally do OK but this is not NSMB series.
What is worrying is that it did not have a major impact in Wii U sales from the start, but maybe it can keep Wii U numbers above 10k and have an impact in the long run.
The 3DS is killing everything in Japan.
Lol at VitaTV, so much potential.
What is worrying is that it did not have a major impact in Wii U sales from the start, but maybe it can keep Wii U numbers above 10k and have an impact in the long run.
The 3DS is killing everything in Japan.
Lol at VitaTV, so much potential.
Make me wonder what makes it so expensive. Why won't Nintendo remodel the Gamepad instead?
Not forgetting the horrible 3DS launch which Iwata claimed Nintendo learnt from.
The X1 was going to do horrible numbers regardless. Its a waste of time releasing the console in Japan.
AranhaHunter
Banned
The only thing limiting chromecast compared to vitatv now is the lack of apps and the fact that google refuses to take the thing out of beta.
airmangataosenai
Member
Every thread: The game industry is doomed when the Wii U fails to meet even the most modest of sales goals. It never fails.
Price cuts are dangerous because well, WiiU has the potential to never be appealing, lol, and Nintendo would be losing even more money with each unit sold. At this point I'm not sure they can just remove the controller without a pretty drastic OS change. Also, they sell legacy titles... on 3DS, at way higher prices than most games that sell well on iOS. Particularly in Japan, I saw flyers of Virtual Console being basically a system-selling feature for Wii. Some people buy systems for those, so I am one of those who think losing exclusivity could be quite harmful.
InsaneZero
Member
Iwata needs to go. It's not his positions or his values that matter, it's the results.
The idea that Nintendo should be going with a combination of hardware and software is not necessarily wrong, but Iwata has really botched the execution of this strategy. I still believe that they should stick to this idea instead of becoming a strictly third-party publisher, but Iwata has demonstrated that he cannot be trusted to make this happen. Actually, the top management as a whole will need to be shaken up, since it's a lot of things that've gone wrong for the Wii U (and the 3DS on a smaller scale).
Now, while we don't know Nintendo might do with new management, but Nintendo really needs to be overhauled right now because their current course is untenable.
The idea that Nintendo should be going with a combination of hardware and software is not necessarily wrong, but Iwata has really botched the execution of this strategy. I still believe that they should stick to this idea instead of becoming a strictly third-party publisher, but Iwata has demonstrated that he cannot be trusted to make this happen. Actually, the top management as a whole will need to be shaken up, since it's a lot of things that've gone wrong for the Wii U (and the 3DS on a smaller scale).
Now, while we don't know Nintendo might do with new management, but Nintendo really needs to be overhauled right now because their current course is untenable.