Topic: Reggie's A Rockstar

[ThePerm]

http://cube.ign.com/articles/664/664495p1.html

[nemo_83]

Thanks for the heads up; I havn't finished reading it yet, but he is confirming my every belief that the industry was headed towards a self destructive crash until Nintendo showed the Revolution controller.  All they need to do now is back the controller up with traditional games that show it is the new way to control games; it is the new standard.


Edit: It was not a good idea to use Nintendogs as an example of "expanding" the market as that piece of software only speaks to me of abandoning the core audience software wise.  Nintendo is addressing the needs of the core audience with the Revolution controller, but they are not going to address the wants of the core audience if they chose to use it to release software like Nintendogs on it.

Jebus Christ!  The adapter is fourty dollars!  You could probably find two wifi modems for that much.  

[KnowsNothing]

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It is interesting the stories that we are taking Electroplankton online so that we don't have to sell it into retail and not give into retail margins. It is a bunch of hooie. The reason that we are selling this online is that we believe online is the best way to go after the target consumer that is going to play this game. It is the most efficient way to go.

At first I was like 'That doesn't make any sense, limiting yourself to selling exclusivley online can't possibly better attract an audience than selling it both online and in stores," but then I read that last sentance.  Basically it's what most of us expected, it's much more cost-effective to sell it online-only.

I read the whole thing but don't feel like commenting on it any more.  It was a good read, I just wish I could have seen all of the visual tools he used.

[nemo_83]

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Originally posted by: KnowsNothing

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It is interesting the stories that we are taking Electroplankton online so that we don't have to sell it into retail and not give into retail margins. It is a bunch of hooie. The reason that we are selling this online is that we believe online is the best way to go after the target consumer that is going to play this game. It is the most efficient way to go.

At first I was like 'That doesn't make any sense, limiting yourself to selling exclusivley online can't possibly better attract an audience than selling it both online and in stores," but then I read that last sentance.  Basically it's what most of us expected, it's much more cost-effective to sell it online-only.

I read the whole thing but don't feel like commenting on it any more.  It was a good read, I just wish I could have seen all of the visual tools he used.

But how do they expect to sell a noncore game to noncore gamers when only core gamers know its out and how to get it.  Part of the advantage of having physical stores is that noncore gamers can come in and look around knowing nothing as they do and happen upon something queer like Electroplankton that applies to them that they can actually understand and enjoy.  Non gamers are not going to scavenge the internet for rare niche music games.  Non gamers are going to go into EB and look around; when gamers go to buy a game, usually they have an idea of what they are going to get or at least know what they won't be getting.

[ThePerm]

well  they know us nintendophiles have a need to  demonstrate to people...i have gotten lazy..back in the n64 days i  showed my stuff  off to everybody. Now noone wants me to bring my gamecube to parties.

i just imagine the first adopter will create many adopters later on. It worked for psx  suprisingly. There was a  time when n64 outsold playstation by a million. Then FFVII came out....

[TMW]

Oh wow. That was such a great read.  

I loved it when Reggie was all "I take my orders directly from Iwata and Miyamoto".  

[Ian Sane]

Selling Electroplankton online-only because it's more efficient for the target demographic is a load of crap.  Nintendo constantly talks about how games are largely an impulse purchase and that relates to the non-gamer market who is more likely going to buy a game because they liked the in-store demo than buy it after months of looking at previews.  Online shopping isn't an impulse buy.  It's calculated.  You have to intentionally look for something and then buy it sight-unseen with the knowledge that it will take at least a few days for it to arrive.  Only hardcore gamers do that.  Non-gamers wouldn't be doing searches for "Electroplankton" on Amazon.  They're selling it online because the game was a flop in Japan but they still want to please the Nintendo fans who are interested in it.  This is the best way to give those fans the game with less financial risk.

Well I guess if hardcore Nintendo nuts are the target demographic then what he's saying is true but non-gamers were supposed to be the target when they first debuted the game.

[IceCold]

But, but, Reggie contradicted himself. First he said that the notion that they didn't put it in stores because then they wouldn't have to sell it into retail and not give into retail margins was nonsense. But later he said that they did it because it was the most efficient way to go, which obviously means that it was cost-effective.

[PaLaDiN]

"Well I guess if hardcore Nintendo nuts are the target demographic then what he's saying is true but non-gamers were supposed to be the target when they first debuted the game. "

So, you'd rather they stuck to marketing it towards non-gamers after non-gamers failed to buy it? You can't hit the target every time, you know. At least they're not continuing in a failed effort... if they did that, we both know you'd start comparing it to connectivity and start that crap up all over again, Ian. You have a contingency bitching plan for every single possible outcome of Nintendo's decisions.

So, how about those brain games? I hear they're not being sold online.

"But later he said that they did it because it was the most efficient way to go, which obviously means that it was cost-effective."

No, it means the people they're trying to sell the game to will buy it online. The medium suits the target, hence, more efficiency.  

"That's exactly what I don't want. Zelda isn't about swinging a sword. It's about an adventure."

You're right. Swinging swords has no place in adventures. Adventures preclude sword swinging. If there is sword swinging in a game, it is completely safe and valid to assume that that game is not an adventure. At no point in any adventure has sword swinging been involved, hence, making sword swinging more fun and intuitive completely shifts the focus from adventure to sword swinging. Zelda isn't Zelda anymore. Miyamoto no longer knows what he's doing and is content to let Nintendo butcher the Zelda experience into this horrible sword swinging travesty instead. Nintendo is doomed and the REAL Zelda fans are tossed aside in favor of degenerate scum of the earth who actually enjoy crap like swinging a sword. Damn you Nintendo, damn you to hell.

Oh, wait, I'm a Zelda fan and the talk of sword swinging intrigues me. How do I fit into your worldview, Ian? Am I an exception? Because I can think of a number of people who are positively giddy at the thought of sword swinging in Zelda. In fact, I would wager that you're the only exception I've seen or heard of.

[Ian Sane]

I'm reading through this and he's doing a really good job of explaining Nintendo's strategy.  I'm definitely more confident in how well it could do reading this.  BUT that doesn't mean I like it because it doesn't target me.  This whole strategy revolves around Nintendo abandoning me and going after a different market.  Okay so the iPod beat the Discman.  Great.  What about those of us who PREFER the Discman?  I don't like MP3s.  I like owning and collecting CDs and having albums instead of a few downloaded songs here and there.  At the same time I like games as they are.  So maybe this remote stuff is going to take off but the hell I'll care when Nintendo isn't making games primarily for me anymore.  I don't care if Nintendo is the most successful company in the world or on the brink of bankruptcy.  All I care about is them making games I love and I only care about their success if it means more games I love.

Yeah Reggie says "we're not either/or" but I don't believe him.  The next sentence he's talking about the FREAKING CUBE like that's some valid alternative for traditional gamers.  Yeah, um, the Cube is practically finished and by this time next year it will be dead.  That's how consoles work.  The new ones replace the old.  This disrupt the market stuff is a solid strategy but we're not part of it.

If I was an investor this stuff would really excite me but as a gamer I see myself getting tossed aside.  Thanks for the years of loyality now excuse me while I dump you for a new market.

"So imagine what a Zelda game might look like with sword and shield that you can use all at the same time."

Ugh.  That's exactly what I don't want.  Zelda isn't about swinging a sword.  It's about an adventure.

[Artimus]

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Originally posted by: Ian Sane
I'm reading through this and he's doing a really good job of explaining Nintendo's strategy.  I'm definitely more confident in how well it could do reading this.  BUT that doesn't mean I like it because it doesn't target me.  This whole strategy revolves around Nintendo abandoning me and going after a different market.  Okay so the iPod beat the Discman.  Great.  What about those of us who PREFER the Discman?  I don't like MP3s.  I like owning and collecting CDs and having albums instead of a few downloaded songs here and there.  At the same time I like games as they are.  So maybe this remote stuff is going to take off but the hell I'll care when Nintendo isn't making games primarily for me anymore.  I don't care if Nintendo is the most successful company in the world or on the brink of bankruptcy.  All I care about is them making games I love and I only care about their success if it means more games I love.

So you think you matter more than everyone else? Ian, if 99% of people are happy, does it really matter if you are? NO.

Plus, the advtange of MP3s are that you can rip CDs onto your MP3 player. That way you have the joy of all those wonderful albums, but the advantage of portability and size with your portable player. I'm not sure how your argument works...

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Yeah Reggie says "we're not either/or" but I don't believe him.  The next sentence he's talking about the FREAKING CUBE like that's some valid alternative for traditional gamers.  Yeah, um, the Cube is practically finished and by this time next year it will be dead.  That's how consoles work.  The new ones replace the old.  This disrupt the market stuff is a solid strategy but we're not part of it.

If I was an investor this stuff would really excite me but as a gamer I see myself getting tossed aside.  Thanks for the years of loyality now excuse me while I dump you for a new market.

"So imagine what a Zelda game might look like with sword and shield that you can use all at the same time."

Ugh.  That's exactly what I don't want.  Zelda isn't about swinging a sword.  It's about an adventure.

I think you should buy an XBOX360. I think it's more what you like. If the Revolution ends up ok, then you could trade in your 360. But I'd say Nintendo no longer offers what you want.  

[Ian Sane]

"Ian, if 99% of people are happy, does it really matter if you are? NO."

What is this Star Trek?  This is entertainment.  It's not like I'm hoarding food from starving people.  Nintendo has entertained me for over ten years so I want them to continue to.  Thus I'm going to get upset if they decide to ditch me particularly when I've been a loyal customer providing them with MONEY all this time.

"I think you should buy an XBOX360. I think it's more what you like. If the Revolution ends up ok, then you could trade in your 360. But I'd say Nintendo no longer offers what you want."

MS doesn't really offer what I want either.  If they did I would just go to them.  Ever since Sega went third party Nintendo is the only console maker that offers what I want.  That's why I don't want them making such an abrupt change because then I'm in limbo, squeezed out of a hobby I love.

[PaLaDiN]

"It's not like I'm hoarding food from starving people. Nintendo has entertained me for over ten years so I want them to continue to. Thus I'm going to get upset if they decide to ditch me particularly when I've been a loyal customer providing them with MONEY all this time."

Yeah, we've been providing them with MONEY too Ian, and we like the thought of the changes they're making. Money gives you voting power, not veto power.

[Mario]

Noooooo why did Reggie have to make that Electroplankton comment? Now my faith in his words has been slightly damaged!

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[vudu]

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Originally posted by: IceCold
But, but, Reggie contradicted himself. First he said that the notion that they didn't put it in stores because then they wouldn't have to sell it into retail and not give into retail margins was nonsense. But later he said that they did it because it was the most efficient way to go, which obviously means that it was cost-effective.

It's more effecient because let's say there are 20,000 people who want to buy the game.  How are they going to reach those people?  Unless they know where exactly they're located they won't know where to ship the games to.  So they're either going to (A) print 20,000 copies and people in South Carolina who don't like good games won't buy their alloted copies, but people in Chicago won't have enough copies or (B) have to print a Hell of a lot more than 20,000 copies.  Neither is very effecient.

However, the target audience for this game is most likely those who are fairly technical and computer/Internet savvy.  Most of them shouldn't have a hard time purchasing the game online.

[KnowsNothing]

About Electroplankton, yeah I don't think the target demographic in the US are non-gamers.  After seeing how badly it bombed in Japan (well, relative to the cost to make it, it probably could be a "success") it makes sense to assume that it won't do well in the States either.  So yes, I think online is going after the new target demographic, which are people who care enough to follow Japan-only releases and know where to go to find them.

Not that I completely agree with all of this, I do actually think that it should be sold in stores, but I can definitely see why they did this.  

[King of Twitch]

Who was the bonehead that called the DS a kid's platform and how did Reggie not rip his internal organs out

[couchmonkey]

Electroplankton: I agree with KnowsNothing, I think it should be sold in stores, but I see why Nintendo is doing it online.

Zelda sword-swinging: I have to say, I kind of agree with Ian on this one.  Now to be fair, I have no idea what Miyamoto and co. have planned and it's very possible they could make sword-swinging in Zelda totally awesome.  On the other hand, I agree with Ian that having sword-swinging as one of the main mechanics of the game seems to go against what really matters in the series.  Of course adventure games don't preclude sword-swinging, but can sword-swinging be made an important part of the game without seeming disjointed?  I'm skeptical.

Reggie: He's just a PR guy.  He's an awesome one, one that does a great job of getting people pumped about Nintendo, but his opinions aren't 100% perfect, and what he says isn't 100% honest, because nobody is 100% perfect, and it doesn't pay for PR people to be 100% honest.

[mantidor]

Ian, Reggie said explicitly they are a BOTH company and they want to cater both audiences, I dont see how you ommited that part.

Its funny him mentioning that the dongle is going to be the way to introduce wifi here in latin america because of the lack of hotspots ( and in truth, theres barely none) but, with that price point, youve got to be kidding me Reggie, just say you wont support online in latinamerica and it would look better.  

[Artimus]

I would image at the very base sword swining in Zelda would be...a combat system. You know, like there is currently a combat system? I highly doubt it would revolve around sword battles...

[stevey]

Electroplankton isn't in stores because unless you are the reincarnation(sp?) of beethoven no one would buy a music making game.

[PaLaDiN]

"but can sword-swinging be made an important part of the game without seeming disjointed? I'm skeptical."

Who said sword-swinging is being made an important part of the game? Where are you getting this from? Just because they're making it more fun doesn't mean they're making it more important... it's like Nintendo bought better cheese for their pepperoni pizza and now you're complaining that it's not a pepperoni pizza anymore.

[mantidor]

I see zelda for revolution still using the B button to draw the sword, the motion sensing will probably give it some nifty effects to the movements made by Link, but it will retain its simplicity.

[ThePerm]

i think  nintendo should play it safe.....make a new franchise. I hate how  Nintendo  considers playing  it safe by using an existing franchise....they should have sacrificial lamb franchises...and if their a hit..then they don't  touch a good formula. I mean I am a tremendous clownboat. honestly.
For most people that killed Nintendo's credibility to alot of people. Alot of my Nintendo freidns are now xbox friends ...its  really weird.

[ShyGuy]

What killed Nintendos credibility? that fact that Metroid isn't 2d anymore?