Topic: Nintendo of America Comments on Lack of 3DS Virtual Console

[Pandareus]

and as far as not wanting customers to pay less, that ship has sailed. and sales and bundles increase revenues by large factors. Steam has done the leg work here. if NES games were 1 or 2 dollars a peice, I'd probably own 30 or 50 dollars by now, instead of the... well, zero dollars worth I have now. and during a sale, I spend way more than usual during a steam sale. and it's not like valve or the publisher is out a copy sold at a discount that otherwise would have sold at full price, that's the magic of digital.

On a very fundamental level, nintendo just does not understand digital. they don't get it.

Right, they would have your money instead of not having your money. But then again, maybe they wouldn't have made as much on their games from people like me, who buy them as they come, as I feel like playing them that week. Mane people like me would likely start waiting for sales instead of paying the full price.

[supergtt]

and as far as not wanting customers to pay less, that ship has sailed. and sales and bundles increase revenues by large factors. Steam has done the leg work here. if NES games were 1 or 2 dollars a peice, I'd probably own 30 or 50 dollars by now, instead of the... well, zero dollars worth I have now. and during a sale, I spend way more than usual during a steam sale. and it's not like valve or the publisher is out a copy sold at a discount that otherwise would have sold at full price, that's the magic of digital.

On a very fundamental level, nintendo just does not understand digital. they don't get it.

Right, they would have your money instead of not having your money. But then again, maybe they wouldn't have made as much on their games from people like me, who buy them as they come, as I feel like playing them that week. Mane people like me would likely start waiting for sales instead of paying the full price.

there is no reason you can't still buy them as they come out. but you can't do that if they don't put things out. and steam data says the better the sale = even more overall money. you get people in the door, get them invested in your digital ecosystem.

valve has the highest profit per employee of any company on earth(something like, 2.5M per employee).  they didn't get that way selling half-life, it's all from taking a cut from items sold on steam. They are doing it right. Nintendo wouldn't go wrong to copy some of their ideas.

[Ceric]

and as far as not wanting customers to pay less, that ship has sailed. and sales and bundles increase revenues by large factors. Steam has done the leg work here. if NES games were 1 or 2 dollars a peice, I'd probably own 30 or 50 dollars by now, instead of the... well, zero dollars worth I have now. and during a sale, I spend way more than usual during a steam sale. and it's not like valve or the publisher is out a copy sold at a discount that otherwise would have sold at full price, that's the magic of digital.

On a very fundamental level, nintendo just does not understand digital. they don't get it.

Right, they would have your money instead of not having your money. But then again, maybe they wouldn't have made as much on their games from people like me, who buy them as they come, as I feel like playing them that week. Mane people like me would likely start waiting for sales instead of paying the full price.

there is no reason you can't still buy them as they come out. but you can't do that if they don't put things out. and steam data says the better the sale = even more overall money. you get people in the door, get them invested in your digital ecosystem.

valve has the highest profit per employee of any company on earth(something like, 2.5M per employee).  they didn't get that way selling half-life, it's all from taking a cut from items sold on steam. They are doing it right. Nintendo wouldn't go wrong to copy some of their ideas.

Here's a link to the original Forbes article that says that. It is a big claim so I thought it would help the case if the source of the information was found and linked.

[Kairon]

valve has the highest profit per employee of any company on earth(something like, 2.5M per employee).  they didn't get that way selling half-life, it's all from taking a cut from items sold on steam.

While I'm sure that Nintendo wants profits, I still think they see themselves first as a developer, second as a publisher, and then only after all that as an online retailer. It just might not be in Nintendo's psychology to prioritize earning royalties off of other people's products over enabling themselves to make and sell the sort of game experiences that they want to make. That's why Nintendo is the most first-party centric of the three hardware manufacturer's.

[supergtt]

valve has the highest profit per employee of any company on earth(something like, 2.5M per employee).  they didn't get that way selling half-life, it's all from taking a cut from items sold on steam.

While I'm sure that Nintendo wants profits, I still think they see themselves first as a developer, second as a publisher, and then only after all that as an online retailer. It just might not be in Nintendo's psychology to prioritize earning royalties off of other people's products over enabling themselves to make and sell the sort of game experiences that they want to make. That's why Nintendo is the most first-party centric of the three hardware manufacturer's.

that's true, but they are leaving money on the table and upsetting their most loyal fans. that money on the table, it could enable them to release awesome hardware (don't kid yourselves that it's an 'artistic choice' to go with weaker hardware, nintendo was all about the specs back before they started to drop in market share') it could allow them to take more risk creatively as developers(how nice would that be to see again). I don't want to see them backed into making safe, samey games all the time.

The fact of the matter is they are at a crossroads mobile and social are eating their casual lunch, they aren't even in  the universe of the hardcore. they either get on board with the future and suddenly have the problem of not having enough moneybins, or stay 10 years behind the curve forever and wither away slowly.

[Mop it up]

This is pretty much the answer I would expect from Nintendo.

[FZeroBoyo]

So basically, "keep playing what you have until we bring out another big game."


Suppose that can be done. Won't stop the whining, though.

[plufim]

Wonder what the Nintendo Australia excuse is?


"You're having no new content what-so-ever again this week because... uh.... selling videogames is hard, guys."

[soberanalyst]

They want the ratio of old/new games to make the eshop look like it's "fresh" with lots of "new" games.

They also don't want to compete too much with 3rd party *new* releases developed specifically for the 3DS and it's hardware.

They are also willing to upset die-hard nintendo fans for these very things ... it's a shame. They should do a big-silent release of old GB and GBA games ... they can advertise and market the 3rd party and *new* titles more, but i want to purchase old Nintendo software!

Basically, they're using a very old business model ... the music industry seems to be ahead of nintendo's thinking - if you can believe that.

[Kairon]

Nintendo still strikes me very much as a toy company instead of a tech company.

... That's why I love them so. ^_^

[NWR_Neal]

Wonder what the Nintendo Australia excuse is?


"You're having no new content what-so-ever again this week because... uh.... selling videogames is hard, guys."

Fact: Nintendo Australia has more GB VC games than North America

[Ian Sane]

The easiest way to look at this is the rule of Nintendo: the more routine and obvious the solution, the greater the chance of Nintendo fucking it up.  I'm amazed they figured out how to properly harness electricity to make their products work in the first place considering how conventional that idea is.

A big problem with owning Nintendo systems is that the crappy third party support makes for slim pickings.  You can go months without a title interesting you being released.  Of course if you bring this up with Nintendo they'll be all "what are you talking about?  We released..." and then they'll list everything released in the last year.  Of course they'll include games for both their console and handheld and online games and any sort of re-release or remake.  Remember how all the NPC games came out in a blob during a time where the Wii had like no games for months and months?  In Nintendo's mind those "counted" even though someone who already owns the Gamecube versions probably doesn't want to buy them again.

Other things Nintendo fails to realize:
-Not everyone owns both their handheld and console
-Not everyone is interested in buying old games
-Not everyone shops online
-Not everyone has the same tastes

Nintendo just lumps us all into a big group.  That's why they sucked at releasing "mature" games.  That's why they really don't seem to get this core gamer vs. non-gamer thing.  That's why they don't really seem to understand why third party support matters.  A good videogame system accomodates many tastes.  So you'll have different titles that appear to different skill levels, different ages, different genders, interest in different genres, etc.  Nintendo talks a lot about being an "everyone" console but there is no videogame company that outright sucks at that more than them.

They blob us all together and then come to the conclusions that if they're not careful the different products will eat into each others profits.  That can happen but only when those products are all aimed at the same market.  Xenoblade and Wii Fit DO NOT EAT INTO OTHER.  The crossover market for that is limited to Nintendo fanboys.  The two games are so different that a demographic that liked one would almost certainly dislike the other.  They think if they release too many VC games that people won't buy new games, which is nuts.  Not everyone likes the same stuff.  You can't completely prevent games from eating into each other's sales but pleasing NO ONE by assuming every title has the same appeal to everyone is worse.

[Tora]

I know how Nintendo gets with there online systems.  Wii Virtual console was really lackluster in it's latter quarter. 

It makes one think that the 3DS's apparent "no new VC games" this early a good thing.  At least Nintendo will hopefully have a balance life cycle of games for the 3DS.   

Anyhow, I don't have a 3DS yet, waiting for my birthday/E3 before I get one.  :

[SMWiz]

A lot has been said, and it seems a lot of people have strong opinions. In regards to the original question in the article, which do I prefer, I'd have to say that I prefer good Virtual Console releases. That having been said, I;m not saying anything against the eShop--there are many great titles there--but this boils down to a matter of opinion for gamers everywhere. What I would say on the subject of "what Nintendo should do" is that the voice of the consumer should tell them what to do. It's good business. Let the 3rd party and indy people handle the eShop--Nintendo has a responsibility to us Virtual Console shoppers.