Topic: M$ and Nintendo?

[DrGAKMAN]

I agree with you MadMan...seriously a chip provider like ATi (or anyone else involved in making parts for game systems) isn't going to reject Nintendo over another customer (Microsoft).  ATi wants to make money AND they wanna shut out nVidia, by working with Nintendo & Microsoft they have two PAYING customers and they keep nVidia from competing with them.  Believe me if someone were to reject Nintendo they'd basically be signing away a paying customer to the competition 'cos there's plenty of companies out there who want in on this business.

It really dazzles me how I read on all kinds of boards the Nintendo-naysaying that goes on.  They say in one breath that someone will dump them for something better (PSX3 or X-BOX NEXT) and then they say that Nintendo would be lost and have no one else to go to.  To me, it looks like IBM *might* have ditched Nintendo for Sony, but that doesn't mean that Nintendo has no one to turn to.  Before the GAMECUBE was made NEC was going to create the CPU for "Dolphin", but something happened and Nintendo used IBM instead.  So right there Nintendo has an option for this next generation.  Cray is also working on similar CPU tech. to The CELL...do you think that Cray would deny Nintendo (a paying customer) in on it and thusly let their competition (IBM) get more headway into such technology?  I beg to differ.  Smaller companies SHOULD band together and compete with these giants in order to keep them in check.

Anyways, back on the topic of Microsoft & Nintendo getting together...

I'm beginning to think that Microsoft may be getting slightly desperate.  They're not making a profit at all (in fact they're just bleeding) and are struggling with Nintendo for 2ND place this generation and the PSX3 threat makes their struggle in gaming seem bleak on hype alone.  I mean the only reason why anyone supports Microsoft in games is 'cos Microsoft pays them to or the Microsoft name helps sell it to people.  The stockholders at Microsoft are surely complaining.

I'm not one of those Nintendo fanatics who thinks Microsoft should or is leaving the gaming industry.  I just think that them losing SO much money just to get them a close 2ND or 3RD place in people's minds may have not been worth it.  Microsoft is an OS company, they're not known for hardware, let alone as an electronics giant like Sony is.  They can't do things like Sony can either (create HUGE format standerds or create groundbreaking CPU's) so they may be in a bit of a situation here.  I mean they can lose tons of cash next generation (like this one), but how many generations can they continue to do this against two competitors who actually make tons of profits in games instead?

I think their plan of course called for themselves to SPEND tons of cash to make a name for themselves in gaming but also do something else: swallow Nintendo.  Nintendo would be a major ASSET to Microsoft in the games business.  They tried to BUY them before this generation even started, they've appealed greatly to the N64 audience as the alternative to Sony, N64 was known for it's console FPS's...X-BOX seems to be the FPS console this generation, they aquired RARE (which turned ALOT of Nintendo fans heads), then they go to ATi (one of Nintendo's console partners) and now there's this talk of them "shaking hands" together!  To me, this sounds like they WANT Nintendo to help them in their fight against Sony.

Thing is...Nintendo DOESN'T need Microsoft to be and remain profitable.  In fact Nintendo would be more profitable to stay far away from Microsoft.  Besides, Nintendo could see Micrsoft's desperation to get them working on their system as a sign of weakness for them next generation.  I mean, Microsoft NEEDS to do something to appease shareholders and to turn their games business model into a profitable one without having to constantly spend and bleed so much money.  Nintendo, on the other hand, doesn't need Microsoft as they've done just as well as them this generation without having to advertise as much, without spending a FRACTION of the money Microsoft has AND against all the "Nintendo iz t3h kiddie" attitude that hangs over them from the gamers, press, developers and retailers.  So maybe Nintendo might see Microsoft leaving this industry in a matter of time if they can't get Nintendo to work with them and Nintendo themselves can break away from competing on Microsoft's level for 2ND place and start competing more against the market leader instead.

It'd be funny if Nintendo led Microsoft on like as if they might get together and then instead back down later on (possibly hurting Microsoft's plans).  They (as in NOA) could talk with Microsoft like as if it could happen and then say: "nope...NCL doesn't want to"!  Of course, if Nintendo did this purposely that might be considered illegal.  Oh well, one thing's for sure it's a Sony VS Nintendo game in Japan, why possibly hurt themselves (or help Microsoft) in this region by partnering them?  Besides...Japanese developers are gonna eventually shun the X-BOX 'cos it can't get anywhere in the homeland...so Nintendo shouldn't do anything for Microsoft 'cos of this market (and the games that are created here) especially.

I'm more likin' the idea that Nintendo would create a software AND hardware standerd that other companies like NEC, Panasonic & Hitachi could use in their various future products to compete on Microsoft & Sony's level next generation.

[Ian Sane]

I just had to go on vacation when DrGAKMAN made his return.  I've been reading through this thread and I've got to say the idea of Nintendo and MS teaming up was sounding pretty enticing... until GAKMAN killed his original arguement by listing all of the cons of such an idea.  Whoops.

However the idea of trying to create a console standard is a fantastic idea and I think that it's the exact sort of thing that could really allow Nintendo to compete with Sony.  Sony has always gotten their asses whupped by sticking to their own thing while all their competitors follow a different standard.  Right now is the perfect time for a standard.  Graphics and sound capabilities are right now at such a point where they can't really get noticeably better so a standard console design could easily last for over ten years without developers getting held back by hardware restrictions.

Such an idea would easily help Nintendo's image since different companies would be making different hardware models for different demographics.  Don't like the purple Cube Nintendo made?  No problem because Panasonic incorporates the console into their DVD players.  Where as before Sony was able to use DVD playback as a selling point for the PS2, other electronic companies could now use N5 game playback as a selling point for their DVD players.  That alone would easily help Nintendo's userbase because they could use standard electronic devices as a trojan horse to get N5s into people's homes.

The best part about this idea is that Nintendo maintains what they like about being a console maker: control.  Though other companies would be free to create N5s Nintendo would get paid royalties and would still be able to get licensing fees for all games developed.  Naturally if they teamed with MS they wouldn't have this luxury.  The only problem with this idea is that Nintendo would still need to attract third parties to support their standard.  In order for the idea to truly take off companies like Capcom, Sega, Namco, Square Enix, EA, and Konami would have to support the machine.  Fortunately these deals Nintendo has been making lately with third parties may make it easier to convince these companies to support their design.

[DrGAKMAN]

Well don't worry I had just recently "came back" 'cos I got a trial AOL disc...anyways...

Thanks for posting Ian Sane, I always like your posts.

I agree with some of your points in the last post.  #1-Yes I did make it seem enticing for a Microsoft/Nintendo team up, but then I blasted my own wild theories with the simple fact that I saw in everyone elses posts...Nintendo doesn't need Microsoft.  The big thing that would help Nintendo by teaming with Microsoft is improving mindshare and appeal...but really...Nintendo should do this themselves their own way and let Microsoft fend for themselves.  #2-I totally agree with the point that Sony sticks to their own standerds while ignoring all others even when other companies abandon their formats.  Beta, MD, DD-CD, Memory Stick, UMD were ALL created and supplied by Sony and most are or may become failures 'cos of Sony's control-freakness.  They could possibly be hurting themselves by making it to where their games can only be played on their machines/formats 'cos another company (like Nintendo) could make their technology available to the giants that Sony compete's against in the electronics world with a universal format that plays across all the systems these companies create.  #3-I agree, and as you'll note in past Mr. Iwata quotes, Nintendo agrees that graphics really can't get much better than they are...I mean really, the leap from this generation to the next won't be as big as the leap from PSX/N64 to now...let alone 2D to 3D.  Creating a standerd games format now could really work for Nintendo and may make it to where another generation won't start for a while now.  #4-Garnering support would be the only problem for such a business model, but I'm sure there's plenty of electronics companies (who are competing with Sony in other electronics markets) who would implement this into their products (for the right price) and thusly, give Nintendo a bigger userbase which would up their 3RD party software support since there's more hardware the games would sell to.  3RD party software especially will grow for Nintendo with deals like Nintendo has been making recently continue.  I mean the GAMECUBE may not be competing with PSX2 on even ground BUT it was a system that brought alot of 3RD parties back after the stubborn N64 approach AND it's done alot better for Nintendo in the homeland which can only mean good things next generation.  GAMECUBE, to me, was like a bridge system to open up 3RD party relations again after the mistake that was the N64.

Imagine having a choice between a barebones, set-top-box, portable, DVD-RW enabled, iMac or iBook to play "NES Discs" on...that would really broaden Nintendo's audience & userbase.