Messages

126

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Batman: Arkham Origins: Batman doesn't play (online) well with others.

« on: January 31, 2014, 09:44:56 PM »

The problem is a problem of third party sales.  Other systems have all third party games and complete series.  So most people will continue to buy third party games for those systems. 


Wii U sales of Batman Origins are much less than the other versions.  As such, even if DLC demand is the same(% wise), Wii U will have much less DLC demand.  I think that is the main driver.  Although not putting a Hard Drive in the Wii U is another reason that people may avoid games with DLC on the Wii U. 

127

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo 'Quality of Life' Platform Coming in 2015

« on: January 30, 2014, 01:30:05 PM »

But is the new Kinect accurate enough for a healthcare setting.

The roadblock in a clinical setting is the physician's time. Most items have already been transferred to the nursing staff. A nurse would have to help the patient utilize the device, enter in patient chart info into the device, and make a determination of priority for the patient. I don't see how this would use any less nursing time and unless this is 100% accurate, vitals would often have to be checked by the nurse to ensure the machine wasnt giving faulty info.

128

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo DS Games Coming to Wii U Virtual Console

« on: January 30, 2014, 01:17:51 PM »

Have you been a Nintendo fan for a while? I would love them to have a massive vc update, but the only thing likely that you predicted is the quick start delay.

Universal accounts just mean that I can buy 2 Wii Us and have the same content on both without paying twice. It doesn't mean buy 1 vc game and have it on 3ds and wii u. Universal accounts are certainly no reason to gimp vc now. If Nintendo can sell me the same game twice they'd do it in a second.

@Adrock there are ways Nintendo could give you credit for your 3ds games, but I'm sure they won't. I'm curious on the pricing. DS games are cheap and playable on a current console and are still sold in stores. Would they sell them at > $10?

129

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo 'Quality of Life' Platform Coming in 2015

« on: January 30, 2014, 12:29:53 PM »

@Cleric - I think your idea is too grandiose.  It sounds expensive and it is replacing all things that a nurse can do in under 5 min. Clinics are typically prioritized by who gets there first. If waiting 20 min to see a doctor puts you in jeopardy, you should go to an ER not a clinic.

Nintendo has delved into cheap fitness tech (fit meter/Wii fit board).  They would need to invest billions in R&D to come up with D ME that is accurate enough to use in a healthcare setting. Notwithstanding, they would need to create service departments across the country to service the equipment when it breaks.

130

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Sees a Drop in Profits for Q3

« on: January 30, 2014, 11:08:02 AM »

wait, waitwaitwait.... weren't we complaining about the Yen's high strengh in comparison to the USD and Euro hurting business the previous years??? O_o;;

Nintendo has many vendors they pay in us $.  It's true that a weak yen would increase these costs. It's also true that weak yen should result in favorable revenues for sales made in the us/Europe. However, Nintendo is trying to explain the loss to investors so they are focusing on the negative items.

131

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo 'Quality of Life' Platform Coming in 2015

« on: January 30, 2014, 10:19:39 AM »

The more I think about it, the more I think this has to be more "unnoticeable" than unwearable. Maybe a pedometer the size of a credit card that fits in your wallet or socks that can detect pulse/possibly blood pressure. Instead of having screens these items would have a wireless chip to upload vital information to either a Nintendo console or the internet automatically.

132

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo 'Quality of Life' Platform Coming in 2015

« on: January 30, 2014, 07:40:41 AM »

Now what the heck is a non-wearable??? I swear, if Iwata tries to implant a chip in my brain so the NSA can track me, I AM GOING FULL PC ONLY

I think about this article on yahoo.com (joke article/ I think).  Where this lady was asking for something like $200 to not watch your kids.  It was one of those kids need to get outside and have interaction articles.  So you pay this lady and she takes your kids to a part and plays on the internet at a coffee house across the street. 


Another alternative (admittedly bad) is it's a game of surveys.  So it tells you to go outside and run/play catch/anything for 30 minutes and come back and fill out a survey of how you feel or do some activities to show how hard you works.  Lame I know, I just can't think of how unwearable works.

I think it's encouraging. If this works out, Nintendo isn't going to suddenly abandon gaming. It will have more money to create more games and take more risks.

I liked Wii Fit U and some of the exercise games for the Wii.  But I just don't see how those types of games will endear me to Nintendo.  I bought the Wii U for NSMB, Mario Kart, Zelda, Metroid.  Nintendo is becoming less and less of the company that I fell in love with.  If they are successful in fitness niche, I doubt it will convince me that I need the next console or that I couldn't live without Nintendo in my life. 


More money doesn't equal more risks.  Nintendo raked in money from the Wii/DS generation and most people would argue they took fewer risks and became cookie-cutter.  More profits just means bigger distributions to shareholders.  I don't hate them for that, but I'm not going to get excited about a bunch of investors getting rich. 

133

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Something Something Wii U Successor Somethng

« on: January 30, 2014, 07:24:20 AM »

The Wii helps alot with patients that have balance issues or neurological issues that would make them a fall risk.  It can also help them with gaining muscle memory if they have had an injury and have been forced to be inactive for a long time.  I think the Wii fit a nice niche in the healthcare industry.  The Wii U doesn't really fit the same niche as touchscreens don't help with the same things that the Wii uses. 


I'm skeptical that a third pillar in healthcare is the way to go.  Maybe I'm the only one, but I thought the Wii Fit meter was redundant.  There are tons of pedometers on the market, some have more bells/whistles than others.  In my Nintendo survey, I told them I'd rather pay $20 for Wii Fit U than have to have another accessory that isn't going to be used. 


In healthcare there are also a ton of competitors.  If Nintendo were to find a niche item I think the industry would find a way to do it better.

134

Nintendo Gaming / Re: “The Wii U isn’t in good shape,” Iwata said.

« on: January 30, 2014, 07:15:40 AM »

Lol, I don't think Nintendo would be quite that aggressive.


I could see them doing what Sony does.  Spend $50 in the month, get a $5 or $10 eshop card.  Or buy 3 eshop games get 10% off your entire purchase.  Maybe 10% off games once you hit platinum status.  I wouldn't see them giving any rewards for physical games or giving rewards based on anything purchased over a year old.  They want you to purchase new content after all. 

135

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo 'Quality of Life' Platform Coming in 2015

« on: January 29, 2014, 10:37:35 PM »

@Phil


I think the disappointing thing is we are all interested in Nintendo the gaming company.  Nothing Iwata said can be determined to be even remotely interesting on the video game side of things even though they are struggling badly there.  Then they announce this?  It's ackward, doesn't fit, and doesn't give me much hope that the games division will go in the right direction. 


The right time for this announcement would be either in the fall or spring or maybe when they have something to discuss about this project.  It feels like an attempt to misdirect from Nintendo's poor sales and it's not a very good misdirect at that because there was no information released on this. 

136

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo DS Games Coming to Wii U Virtual Console

« on: January 29, 2014, 09:58:14 PM »

I'm not really excited.  My 3DS plays my dozens of DS games fine.  No way I'm rebuying them unless they do a $.20 sale like the original VC games on Wii U. 


I'd really like them to expand their Arcade/Neo Geo/Turbo Graphx/MSX, you know systems will games that I'd be interested in playing that I don't own. 

137

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Is 3rd-party support on handhelds important?

« on: January 29, 2014, 09:54:40 PM »

TIE ratio is typically quite a bit lower on handheld than console.  So in Japan, where handhelds are more popular, they may button down and play Monster Hunter for 100's of hours versus focusing on other available software.  In the US, it's likely that handhelds are viewed more as travel companions and the expectation is that a couple of quality titles a year are sufficient, vs. a console where the expectation is that you need a steady stream of games. 

138

TalkBack / Re: Mario Kart 8 Due Out in May Worldwide

« on: January 29, 2014, 09:33:28 PM »

The speed boot looks nice.  But I don't understand why you need a gamepad for that feature.  My guess is the O/S is still booting in the background and by clicking the button you are going straight to loading a game.  Couldn't you have that option with a pro controller?  The quick start games show on the TV while the O/S is loading.  Then use analog/buttons to select and go right to game? 

139

Nintendo Gaming / Re: “The Wii U isn’t in good shape,” Iwata said.

« on: January 29, 2014, 09:20:59 PM »

Thats part of being a company, learning how to manage loses while creating strategies to recuperate, I am sure Nintendo has it under control.

Good companies/management would have the understanding of the market and the foresight to release products that the consumers want.  Then they could gain market share and have the upper hand on their competitors. 


The business market constantly changes as consumers needs and lifestyles change.  I have no confidence in Nintendo to "right" the ship.  Take out Wii (anomaly) and every home console has sold less than the previous iteration as Nintendo loses ground each generation to their competitors.  NES 62M > SNES 49M > N64 33M > Gamecube 22M > Wii U?

140

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo to Buy Back Almost 8% of Company Stock

« on: January 29, 2014, 06:56:35 PM »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasury_stock


"A company cannot own itself. The possession of treasury shares does not give the company the right to vote, to exercise preemptive rights as a shareholder, to receive cash dividends, or to receive assets on company liquidation. Treasury shares are essentially the same as unissued capital and no one advocates classifying unissued share capital as an asset on the balance sheet, as an asset should have probable future economic benefits. Treasury shares simply reduce ordinary share capital."
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[/size]Nintendo can't buy itself into becoming a private company.  A group of investors (really rich investors) could buy up Nintendo stock and take them private, but this is little more than trying to prop up their share price.  If a company had 2 shares, I owned 1 and Adrock owned 1 (resulting in each of us being 50% owners) and the company bought Adrock's share I am defacto 100% owner of the company. 

141

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Official Sales Thread

« on: January 26, 2014, 10:07:40 PM »

@Adrock.  Nintendo has $11.6B in cash and $2.0B in debt.  That would be good for just over 38 years of $250M annual loss, but no $6B additional loss.  That's why I laugh when people think Nintendo can't compete with Sony/Microsoft.  It's even sillier because in the technology industry, high quality/new tech typically drives the market.  I.E. make a good quality product the market will pay the price(within reason).  Not make the cheapest thing possible and hope to not lose money.  You've already lost in the market if you feel you can't match basic technology that is industry standard. 

But the more important thing is we are the few Nintendo fans left (based on sales).  If Nintendo continues their current trajectory, will anybody care what they are doing with video games in 10 years (even if they are still around)?

142

TalkBack / Re: With Wii U's Failures, Nintendo Lacks a Fail-Safe

« on: January 22, 2014, 02:57:50 PM »

Miyamoto talks out of his ass a lot of the time because he has a huge ego and thinks he can do better than almost every other developer.

"You guys like Halo? Well I could make that too! I'll show you!"

Actually Miyamoto comes off as one of the most personable people in interviews.  He is probably the most influential people in video games so I would say that his games do better in the market than most almost every other developer.  You are taking the Halo comment out of context.  The comment was in question to other games push realistic visuals and the FPS revolution.  He said he could design a game like Halo (since that was the question) but he didn't want to.  He continued that he doesn't try to copy other games on the market but he pushes to find new game-play elements or controls that people will find fun in the future.  Like it or not, his games are some of the highest selling games (such as Wii Sports) and we wouldn't have many of them if he spent his time copying others ideas.  I would like it if Nintendo did come to market with a FPS, but I wouldn't put Miyamoto on it.  I'd let him do his own projects and supplement these types of games with other developers.   

143

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Cuts Wii U Sales Forecast

« on: January 20, 2014, 10:08:13 PM »

The Wii U is literally set up to be a 3DS player, and yet, that bit of obviousness (to us, since E3 2011 reveal) has yet to dawn on them, as I'm sure they surely could have capitalized on it in some way or another at this point.

I think the problem is that their are no expansion ports on the Wii U to allow for playing 3DS cartridges and their online systems are far from being able to allow people who own 3DS titles to be able to download them for free.  Sure they could release 3DS games for $40, but what incentive would 3DS owners have to re-buy their games. 

if Nintendo was ready to drop new hardware this summer to replace the Wii U, it still wouldn't have any software ready to go till the maybe next year as 3rd parties would be slow to port and hesitant to support.

I think this is the biggest argument for keeping the Wii U.  You can argue consumers would get over the Wii U getting cut early, but it's hard to argue that 3rd parties will suddenly support the next system after this failure.  And reality is the Wii U has sold about 5.8 million units.  That's not a colossal failure.  It's almost a third of gamecube sales already.  Sure, in the modern era that's a disappointment, but far from a vitual boy which didn't even crack 1 million units sold. 

(I know,  I know, not this damn hybrid talk again,

Must....resist....urge....to argue about hybrid. 

144

TalkBack / Re: Shigeru Miyamoto Speaks: An Interview Between Itoi and Miyamoto from 1999

« on: January 20, 2014, 09:37:19 PM »

I'd love to meet Miyamoto and spend a day with him.  The guy seems genuinely happy and sees things in everyday life that others don't.  The guy saved Nintendo with Donkey Kong and then created the Nintendo empire with Mario/Zelda.  The gameplay elements he added during the years are incredible and they are pervasive in almost all the popular games today. 


I really like his interviews.  He comes across as a classy guy, who family is important to him.  I love that his creativeness is grounded in fantasy and he chose to focus on items that he could play with his family during his career.  I'm hard on Nintendo for avoiding mature titles and not pushing great hardware, but Miyamoto was never going to to take them to that promised land.  Nintendo was blinded by his visions and chose to ignore the developing game markets.  That said, I'm glad he chose to focus on games that made him happy.  He was truly epic in his gaming approach and his games will forever be hailed among the best ever. 

145

TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Cuts Wii U Sales Forecast

« on: January 20, 2014, 08:46:34 PM »

Or we could do a true deluxe release with the Wii U XL and make the Gamepad capable of playing 3DS games.

Gamepad is the bottom screen, 3d tv is the top screen.  Wii U is capable of replicating 3d games now.  Assassins Creed 3 (Wii U edition) has stereoscopic 3d option.  Besides, now that Nintendo is promoting the 2ds, certainly the 3ds games could be presented on the wii u. 

Who here owns a Wii U and would be so offended by it being discontinued that they would not buy Nintendo's next console?  And Nintendo did do this before with the Virtual Boy.  They decided that killing the thing and pretending it never existed was the best course of action and it didn't seem to have any negative impact on consumer trust.

You owned a Wii but not a Wii U.  I own a Wii U.  If they kill it within 2 years, I won't own a successor for many years.  It just took me longer than you to realize Nintendo isn't the company, anymore, that gave me my love of video games.  I'm not going to argue the Wii U is great hardware, it isn't.  But it's not terrible hardware either.  Nintendo has a serious software problem.  Just releasing a new console doesn't fix that.  A new console could be part of that fix, but nothing I've seen from Nintendo recently indicates that they can fix the problem.  You seem to indicate yourself that the Wii U hardware isn't necessarily the problem. 

The hell with marketing and name changes, how about Nintendo do something to get some fucking games released and actually make the Wii U a decent product?

I have a feeling most of the existing Wii U owners are such Nintendo nuts that Miyamoto could **** in a box and they would buy it.

Miyamoto should have been in Iwata's shoes, but he didn't want it.  He's had an incredible career even if every game he's produced isn't solid gold.  That said, he's told Nintendo to prepare for a future without him.  He's more a visionary than a lover of video games.  My guess is he doesn't make the jump to Nintendo's next console, especially as pressure increases on Nintendo to conform to industry standards. 

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TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Cuts Wii U Sales Forecast

« on: January 19, 2014, 10:41:34 PM »

The name, no marketing, very similar console design and complete focus on the GamePad is what led to lackluster initial sales, because a lot of the general public was confused as to what Nintendo was selling.

While I don't disagree that those were mistakes, I think it comes back to games and Nintendo doesn't have the games the market wants.  Wii Sports sold the Wii because it was reasonably priced and motion controls were the "new" (innovative) thing when they came out.  Now they aren't and the best selling console (PS4) put motion controls in the back seat. 


Nintendo thought the gamepad was innovative and it isn't.  I know it's not a tablet, but it's hard not to compare the two since most people have both (or at least a tablet).  Tablets have much higher res screens, multi-touch, much better OS systems, and much cheaper (and more extensive) software.  That's not to say the gamepad is bad (I like it mostly), but people aren't going to buy a Wii U for the gamepad.  They are going to buy a Wii U for games and many people find it lacking in that regard. 

147

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Wii U in Review (News & Rumor Consolidation)

« on: January 18, 2014, 10:54:50 PM »

Seems quick to replace the 3DS to me.  The DS lasted 2004-2011 (unless you count the DSI as a separate platform).  3DS was the best selling console last year so it seems too early to replace to me.  I know we talk alot about hybrids here, but I've seen nothing hinting at it from an industry level or from Nintendo themselves so I'm skeptical that is their plan. 

148

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Wii U in Review (News & Rumor Consolidation)

« on: January 18, 2014, 10:45:24 PM »

I'm not as optimistic as you that good changes are coming.  Nintendo has historically said the right things but failed to react.  Such as VC that is on another discussion.  They have admitted they've done a poor job taking advantage of their back-catalog of games and note that consumers demand it.  I know every Nintendo survey I do now I express my displeasure in the offerings.  But nothing has changed on the VC front. 


The bolded quote that Nintendo is out of touch is from a non-Nintendo employee and that part of the article expresses skepticism that Nintendo will change.  That is where I am at, I'll believe Nintendo change when I see it.


I'm really concerned about the Wii U.  They have a strategic meeting in January, planned titles may not hit the Wii U. 


There was this in the article, "Some analysts say Nintendo appears to be stepping up its research and development spending, and may even be working on a new gaming system." 

I hate to say it, but Wii U 2 will most likely be as big of a failure as Wii U 1.  I think they are overestimating the Wii U success in Japan.  Had the PS4 been released there, I think the Wii U would be flagging there as well.

149

TalkBack / Re: With Wii U's Failures, Nintendo Lacks a Fail-Safe

« on: January 18, 2014, 10:26:41 PM »

2009 Revenue for Nintendo was almost $19B.  Wow, they've fallen a long way in a short time. 


I looked into the Rovio situation a little bit.  Seems they don't get the freemium model.  Their games are high on the download chart, but low on revenue as few consumers feel the need to buy.  The article I read implied downloads are not equal to revenue in the mobile market.  So highest revenue games are not necessarily the highest downloaded games.


There is certainly alot of room for growth in the mobile/tablet market which is why many companies are bullish on it.  What I could find is mobile ap revenue was $26B in 2013 projected to grow to $100B by 2017. 

150

TalkBack / Re: With Wii U's Failures, Nintendo Lacks a Fail-Safe

« on: January 18, 2014, 10:09:06 PM »

I don't think anyone (even Nintendo) is implying that mobile only is their future.  I believe EA is a better target because they are diversified with franchises like Nintendo.  EA made $4B in revenue from their software last year.


The problem I have with Revenue for Nintendo is most of the revenue comes from hardware is not profitable so that is not necessarily "good" revenue.  Yes, if they could sell their hardware (at a profit) it would be good, but they haven't proven they can. 


Also, in 2008 they had almost $17B in revenue.  They are on a pretty sharp downward trend so it would seem they have to do something because they are in danger of becoming irrelevant and being unable to support their corporate structure which has grown as their revenue grew.