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NWR Interactive => TalkBack => Topic started by: alexosborn on February 14, 2015, 11:15:52 AM

Title: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: alexosborn on February 14, 2015, 11:15:52 AM

Want to play iOS games on your 3DS? No? Well you're getting them anyway!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/39633/iwata-talks-wii-u-growth-smartphone-gaming

Nintendo president and CEO Satoru Iwata believes there is room for Wii U to grow in the months to come.

With major releases like a new The Legend of Zelda and Xenoblade Chronicles X, the Nintendo boss is confident this year will be a promising one for its home console. "I believe the Wii U business still has considerable room for growth, as a number of software titles that are compatible with the console are slated for release in 2015," Iwata told Nikkei.

With regard to the future of 3DS, Iwata sees smartphone games as a great way to build out the handheld's library and extend its life. "It is also possible to turn smartphone games from other software makers into 3DS-compatible games and offer them for relatively low prices. We intend to pursue a variety of options. Only those products and services that receive strong support from customers will survive."

Do you see a bright and promising future for Wii U and 3DS? Should Nintendo think about releasing new hardware sooner rather than later?

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: Graynold on February 14, 2015, 10:00:04 PM

Given that they just came out with the "new" 3DS, I can't imagine Nintendo releasing another "new" handheld platform this year. I would guess last half of 2016 at the earliest.

As for the a home console, Maybe end of 2016. If not then the end of 2017. But if they launch a new handheld in 2016 they probably wouldn't also launch a new home console.

That is unless they did something to tie those two platforms together in a much better way to make it worth while to release them in the same time frame.

I believe Nintendo has stated a while back that they combined the development teams for handheld and home to better leverage a single platform or some such.

It would be awesome to be able to play new games and virtual console games on both platforms and seamlessly transfer save state between the two.

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: Adrock on February 14, 2015, 10:11:17 PM

With New 3DS just released, I can't see Nintendo launching a true 3DS successor until 2017 at the earliest. I think a Q4 2016 Wii U successor launch is inevitable. Zelda is Wii U's last hurrah with a few smaller titles hitting next year. I just hope Nintendo is ready to launch a new console this time.

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: Luigi Dude on February 14, 2015, 11:04:27 PM

The New 3DS is just a way to increase 3DS sales which took a worse then expected drop last year.  If 3DS sales continue to underperform this year like they did last year, they're not waiting until 2017 to release a new handheld.  Unless the New 3DS really lights the world on fire this year, their new handheld is coming out in 2016.  Handhelds have been Nintendo's main business for almost 20 years now, even during the insane the Wii years the DS was actually the bigger system.  Nintendo is not going to release a home console first which could end up taking away resources for the 3DS successor, like the 3DS ended up taking away a lot of Wii U resources.

Especially with smartphones really eating away a lot of the handheld market in Japan the last few years, while the home console market is dying over there, I doubt a new home console is their main concern right now.  Making sure the next handheld is still successful is going to be more important to them then a home console.

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: marvel_moviefan_2012 on February 15, 2015, 03:49:07 PM

how can that idiot be so damn dumb? His investors want him to release THEIR games on iOS as a way to reach a broader market and he wants to bring the garbage that is on iOS to 3DS to do what exactly? How the hell does that guy still have a job?

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: Soren on February 15, 2015, 11:53:09 PM

Because even if you really think he's dumb, he's still smarter than you.


I saw a trailer for Badland GOTY Edition on YouTube earlier today. That, and the release of Blek means that yes, smartphone and tablet gaming is coming to Wii U, but we're getting some of the really good games. That and Puzzle and Dragons.


I disagree with him on Wii U's growth. It's not going to grow anymore. When people like RCMADIAX are scaling back their Wii U releases, you know stuff's gone bad. It's time to seriously think about moving on.

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: marvel_moviefan_2012 on February 16, 2015, 01:08:52 AM

Quote from: Soren on February 15, 2015, 11:53:09 PM

Because even if you really think he's dumb, he's still smarter than you.


I saw a trailer for Badland GOTY Edition on YouTube earlier today. That, and the release of Blek means that yes, smartphone and tablet gaming is coming to Wii U, but we're getting some of the really good games. That and Puzzle and Dragons.


I disagree with him on Wii U's growth. It's not going to grow anymore. When people like RCMADIAX are scaling back their Wii U releases, you know stuff's gone bad. It's time to seriously think about moving on.

Even if that were true, I am not running his company into the ground and If I were I would expect to be fired long ago if I made the same mistakes he has.

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: Ian Sane on February 16, 2015, 12:57:52 PM

The Wii U isn't going to grow worth **** (though Zelda and Xenoblade might finally get me to buy one; hey that's one sale!) but I don't expect Iwata to publicly say anything else.  You expect him to cheerlead for his team.

I don't know what to think about the iOS stuff.  So crappy cellphone games that cost like $1 or are free to play are going to be released on the 3DS at what will certainly be a much higher price point?  Who is going to go for that?  The phone is the item most people already have.  The 3DS is the extra purchase.  Very few people are going to be a situation where the 3DS is their only outlet to get an iOS game.  And for people that own both (ie: at least 90% of the 3DS userbase) what incentive is there to buy what will certainly be a more expensive 3DS version?  Also a good selling point for the 3DS is that its games are meatier than phone games.  So phone games will either flood the 3DS with crap or they'll be good and thus suggest that a separate handheld videogame system is not necessary.  It's better for Nintendo that it not be widely know that not all iOS games are junk.

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: Soren on February 16, 2015, 01:14:56 PM

Quote from: Ian Sane on February 16, 2015, 12:57:52 PM

So phone games will either flood the 3DS with crap or they'll be good and thus suggest that a separate handheld videogame system is not necessary.  It's better for Nintendo that it not be widely know that not all iOS games are junk.

This times a thousand.

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: Luigi Dude on February 16, 2015, 03:36:45 PM

Actually the Wii U is growing since sales for January in the West were higher last month then they were in January 2014.  Last year people have to remember the system only had during the first half of the year, Donkey Kong in February which didn't do much for hardware sales and then Mario Kart which actually did boast sales but didn't release til the end of May, almost 6 months into the year.  Smash Bros and Mario Kart have already shown to have greater legs then any game previously released on the Wii U so realistically the sales for the Wii U in the first half of 2015 will be greater then the sales during the first half last year.

Of course the second half will be interesting since nothing coming out will have the same impact as Mario Kart and Smash, but if Nintendo drops the price during the holiday and bundles Smash Bros around the same time Zelda comes out, that could get the second half of 2015 similar numbers to last year.  Either way, 2015 will probably be the systems best selling year so Iwata isn't wrong to say the system is still growing.

Yes it's not going to be major growth, but still enough to make sure games like Smash Bros and Mario Kart sell a few million more copies which at this point is the thing Nintendo cares most about with the system.

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: marvel_moviefan_2012 on February 16, 2015, 09:43:42 PM

Luigi Dude you are forgetting that last year Xbox One and PS4 had nothing to speak of and still sold quite well this year they are getting their big hitters and theirs will probably get them far more momentum than those fanbase facturing niche games Nintendo is releasing. Wii U had momentum because of Mario Kart and Smash the only big franchises they have left, Zelda is a sinking ship and has been for a while its no longer the sales monster it used to be and with the fanbase so divided lately it might turn out to be a dud anyways. It will sell to the crowd it might grow the base it might not, Star Fox is not going to grow ****, Spaltoon has potential but everything else is typical Nintendo niche all the way. Some of this stuff is far less mainstream than Smash and Kart so no it is not a guarantee that it will grow this year. Not to mention that at this point it is a solid bet there will be no major 3rd party games to get released this year, last year still saw a handful of releases even though they were few and far between this year is a wasteland in that area so new sales riding on a yarn-based game starring a second rate character and a Kirby that while does look good does not look anywhere close to mainstream.

the next-gen consoles are getting Mortal Kombat X and a Resident Evil HD Remake those two alone will move consoles and that is not counting all the great new games coming out or the yearly sequels that new comers can safely expect rather than on Wii U there is no hope for.

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: NWR_insanolord on February 16, 2015, 10:22:25 PM

You're crazy if you think a new Mortal Kombat and a remake of a remake are going to move hardware. I'm not completely sure what they are getting, but there's gotta be something more compelling than that. If not, the Wii U might actually pull it out.

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: azeke on February 16, 2015, 10:29:47 PM

Mobile games have been on on Nintendo platforms FOR YEARS already. DSiWare, WiiWare and now eShop was chock full of them for years.

Puzzle and Dragons sold a million in Japan. A million. Nintendo is also pushing it by releasing Mario crossover this year in Japan and in NA. Both GungHo and Nintendo won by barely doing anything.

That is how stupid Iwata is.

Iwata is going to cherry pick popular games on mobile to coattail on their popularity and prop up his own platform.

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: NWR_insanolord on February 16, 2015, 10:34:23 PM

Wanting a game that's incredibly popular and will likely sell millions of copies on his platform is clearly grounds for Iwata's termination.

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: Luigi Dude on February 17, 2015, 12:53:43 AM

Quote from: marvel_moviefan_2012 on February 16, 2015, 09:43:42 PM

Zelda is a sinking ship and has been for a while its no longer the sales monster it used to be and with the fanbase so divided lately it might turn out to be a dud anyways.

Twilight Princess sold over 8 million copies worldwide and is the best selling Zelda of all time.  Skyward Sword only sold around 4 million but the second Zelda on consoles historically sell worse then the first.  Ocarina of Time did 7.6 million while Majora's Mask which came out only 2 years later did only 3.3 million.

Just because the Zelda fanbase on the internet is a total clusterfuck doesn't mean the general audience is.  Wind Waker HD which is literally just an enhanced HD port sold over a million copies.  Hyrule Warriors which isn't even a real Zelda game did over a million just from the Zelda name and character in it alone.  Nintendo just revealed Link is the best selling Amiibo worldwide.  The upcoming Zelda Wii U is already guaranteed at least 3 million copies based of the fact it's a new Zelda game anyway, and it'll just increase depending on if Nintendo can really deliver on the open world aspects which will create a huge amount of hype if they do.

Yes the Wii U is never going to match the PS4/One sales, but a new Zelda with a ton of hype does at least allow the system to have similar sales to last holiday, which was only between 700-800k in America.  That's not exactly a high bar to pass when even the Gamecube was doing better then that each holiday.

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: marvel_moviefan_2012 on February 17, 2015, 11:48:01 AM

Well why is it crazy to think a NEW Mortal Kombat that has actual hype will sell consoles when last year we didn't have hardly anything worth noting and the console still sold quite well? That is my point last year there weren't many new games this year the games are coming out at a steady stream and it will only get better. And have you NOT been following the Hype of MK X hello that game is going to move units on and RE Remake won't sell much on its own but coupled with the existing hype and growing fanbase and yeah its a much easier sell than it was last year which was an apparently pretty easy sell anyways.

Wii U could do better than last if it had more than just Zelda coming but Zelda games have been declining and both TP and Skyward Sword were unique cases Skyward was released on the best selling hit Wii and TP had a lot of hype and was on two consoles it sold quite well but Zelda games are over saturated and Hyrule Warriors did not sell because it was Zelda it sold because Zelda fans are growing tired of the same old same old and it was actually something different for a change, exactly why I got the game BTW and the game that sold me on a Wii U so it certainly had some appeal.

There is a large fanbase of Zelda gamers that have grown tired of what the franchise has turned into that base is shrinking, pointing to a game that sold well on Wii is erroneous thinking because Wii U won't even sell in its lifetime a fraction of what Wii sold.


There are plenty of other games coming to PS4 and Xbox to get people hyped for them and none of them have to be killer apps that is the point its just an endless sea of great games whereas with Nintendo they bank everything on one or two big hits, which is starting to diminish last years big hitters were the biggest they have and even those didn't move record breaking numbers, they did well for Wii U not well overall.

Again those games have come and gone aside from Zelda there is nothing else that has mass appeal and Zelda's days of mass appeal are behind it, this new one is open world it has people already turned off so you can not assume it will sell a lot of Nintendo gamers who do not like PS4 HATE open world games are you tellng me the typical gamer who hates that type of game will still enjoy Zelda no matter what? those people are nuts and shrinking the Zelda name has lost a lot of its power in recent years as fewer people want the main game and the former Zelda fans have largely moved on.

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: broodwars on February 17, 2015, 12:19:21 PM

I'm just going to say this: the Wii U sold...what...around 100,000 units in January 2014 in NA? Maybe less? So is having a slight sales increase year-over-year in January 2015 really something you can boast about? It's like saying you sold 2 units instead of 1. Yes, that's technically an increase. That's technically growth. But it's still utterly pathetic, and means absolutely nothing in terms of proving a stronger user base.

As for the 3DS, I don't see any way that Nintendo avoids putting out the real next Nintendo handheld next year. Nintendo's 3rd party software support comes almost exclusively from Japan, and all the Japanese developers have abandoned the traditional games market for mobile. Even Sega, one of Nintendo's strongest supporters, recently stated they were transitioning out of the traditional games market when they laid off those 300 workers. The 3DS isn't turning the tide against developers moving to mobile, and segmenting the userbase with an incremental new model isn't going to change that. Putting $40 versions of free mobile games isn't going to change that. Hell, I'm not sure even releasing a real next Nintendo handheld is going to change that, but I think Nintendo's going to try by the end of 2016.

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: Ian Sane on February 17, 2015, 01:00:50 PM

The PS4/XB1 killer app is simply that if a third party game you're interested in is released you can just assume it will be on one of those consoles and you're usually right.  That's what owning a PS3 was like for me.  When a new game not published by Microsoft or Nintendo was announced I just assumed it was going to be available on the console I owned and that was most often the case.  That's what healthy third party support is.

Nintendo is in the most need of killer apps because their games have to make up for the very large amount of games you don't get if you buy a Wii U.  The game has to be worth giving up a lot of other games or worth buying a Wii U as a second console purchase.  For Sony and MS, their exclusives are just to sway your "general console" purchase in their direction.

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: azeke on February 17, 2015, 01:16:55 PM

Because this is obviously just a thread to vent about random things, i will note that a peron who buys MKX day one is not only a moron but actively helps killing videogames by supporting WB's **** DLC practices.

The only right way to get MKX is to wait for GOTY edition that will come merely few months later.

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: Adrock on February 17, 2015, 03:11:14 PM

Quote from: azeke on February 17, 2015, 01:16:55 PM

Because this is obviously just a thread to vent about random things...

That describes like 95% of the threads on these forums.

Title: Re: Iwata Talks Wii U Growth, Smartphone Gaming
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on February 17, 2015, 04:15:52 PM

Ctrl F - Flappy Bird

nope. just had to check though.