Topic: Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime Says Gamers are Impossible to Satisfy

[UncleBob]

Would that have stopped all the complaining about the lackluster E3? No. But it would have reduced it. It isn't the only thing that Nintendo should have done differently, but its definitely one of the things.

...

Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime Says Gamers are Impossible to Satisfy

[Ian Sane]

I agree with Chozo in that even if the customer is wrong it doesn't make much sense to call them on it.  Reggie kind of insulted us and here we are talking negatively about him and Nintendo.  NOA might think internally that gamers are unreasonable and can never be pleased.  Fine, be bitter in private, and continue on your way.  There is no reason for Reggie to call us out.  He better truly believe we can't be satisfied because we're certainly not going to have a high opinon of him for this comment.

I'll admit however that I give Nintendo very little slack these days but I think like trust, mistrust is earned.  The Wii was like Nintendo digging the grave for my Nintendo fandom.  The mountain the Wii U has to climb has like a 88 degree incline.  For me, Nintendo's in the dog house and is thus under harsher scrutiny than they would have been years ago.  But it's not like I'm just being mean.  They made it this way, eating away at any good will they had built up with me over the years.  The guy who had to have his arm twisted to release Xenoblade here has no right to act like we're just meanies picking on him.

[NWR_insanolord]

You mean like they just did with The Last Story? The way that sold, I'd be surprised if it got a sequel.

That game isn't even out yet...

It is in Japan, Europe and Australia, and it didn't do that well based on what I've heard. I suppose it's possible that it will do a lot better in America, but I doubt it.


EDIT: There was something I said in the staff email thread for this that I don't think I've said here: I don't remember anyone being insatiable in 2010. Nintendo knocked it out of the park two years ago, delivering a slew of big announcements, and I don't remember people complaining that it wasn't enough. Now, that crazy year came at the expense of last year and this year, with Nintendo's studios having to reload, but I think it shows that we're not totally insatiable.

[Chozo Ghost]

Would that have stopped all the complaining about the lackluster E3? No. But it would have reduced it. It isn't the only thing that Nintendo should have done differently, but its definitely one of the things.

...

Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime Says Gamers are Impossible to Satisfy

Just because it would take more than launch/price info doesn't mean its impossible. I could compile a list of bullet points of what Nintendo could/should have done differently that would have satisfied 99.9% of gamers. Reggie thinks its impossible, but I don't. He just doesn't understand gamers because he isn't one himself, so in that sense I guess he's right that it is impossible, but only impossible for him... someone who is a gamer would know exactly what to do and would know its not impossible. Reggie is in the wrong business. He doesn't understand it, and since he doesn't understand it he isn't qualified for the job. He should go back to Pizza Hut and VH1. Maybe those markets are easier for him to satisfy.

[UncleBob]

Just because it would take more than launch/price info doesn't mean its impossible. I could compile a list of bullet points of what Nintendo could/should have done differently that would have satisfied 99.9% of gamers. Reggie thinks its impossible, but I don't.

How's your multi-billion dollar video game development company going?

[Chozo Ghost]

Just because it would take more than launch/price info doesn't mean its impossible. I could compile a list of bullet points of what Nintendo could/should have done differently that would have satisfied 99.9% of gamers. Reggie thinks its impossible, but I don't.

How's your multi-billion dollar video game development company going?

I don't have one... but you know who else doesn't have one? Reggie. He's just a "yes man" and he only runs NOA. He's subordinate to Iwata, and even Iwata isn't the one who put the company on the map. That was the great Yamauchi. Reggie is just some little piss ant compared to Yamauchi. Yamauchi did things right. He was the reason why I became a Nintendo fan.

Do I think I could do a better job than Yamauchi? Probably not. But could I do a better job than Reggie? Absolutely. I think most people on this board could do a better job than Reggie, and you know why? Because unlike Reggie we actually care about video games. Reggie doesn't care or have any passion or understanding about what he does. To him its just a job like Pizza Hut and VH1 before that. Tomorrow he might leave Nintendo and move on to something else... he has no loyalty or passion for Nintendo. He's just there for the pay check. He doesn't love what he does. He may have a degree in business or marketing or whatever and that's something most of us here probably don't have, but that doesn't make up for his lack of enthusiasm or understanding of the video game industry.

[Louieturkey]

I seem to recall in March or April (might have been May), Nintendo stated that they would not reveal the release date or price of the Wii U at E3.  If one thought that would actually happen after they said otherwise, that is on them.

I will say that this E3 was to get hype about the system to the mainstream media, not to gamers.  When one new game is showcased for the system that is a core gamer game (NSMBU is as much a core game as Wii Sports Resort, it's made to play casually with family members) and a bunch of ports from third parties (ZombiU being the one exception) and the rest of the games being casual faire, they were trying to get the mainstream media to hype the system with the moms and grandmas and casuals they lost to cell phones and tablets.

Gamers want games, not just Pikmin, despite Reggie's comments.  I don't think he was insulting gamers but if he thought that gamers only want Pikmin and nothing else, he's really not listening at all.

Really what gamers want is to know that the 3rd party games won't dry up after 2 years on the market.  Unfortunately, that is something Nintendo cannot answer as they do not have a crystal ball.  So really gamers won't be satisfied until they know the Wii U will continue to get the majority of 3rd party games in 2013 as well as 2014 and 2015 and through until 2018 when the next Wii is released.

[Louieturkey]

Just because it would take more than launch/price info doesn't mean its impossible. I could compile a list of bullet points of what Nintendo could/should have done differently that would have satisfied 99.9% of gamers. Reggie thinks its impossible, but I don't.

How's your multi-billion dollar video game development company going?

I don't have one... but you know who else doesn't have one? Reggie. He's just a "yes man" and he only runs NOA. He's subordinate to Iwata, and even Iwata isn't the one who put the company on the map. That was the great Yamauchi. Reggie is just some little piss ant compared to Yamauchi. Yamauchi did things right. He was the reason why I became a Nintendo fan.

Do I think I could do a better job than Yamauchi? Probably not. But could I do a better job than Reggie? Absolutely. I think most people on this board could do a better job than Reggie, and you know why? Because unlike Reggie we actually care about video games. Reggie doesn't care or have any passion or understanding about what he does. To him its just a job like Pizza Hut and VH1 before that. Tomorrow he might leave Nintendo and move on to something else... he has no loyalty or passion for Nintendo. He's just there for the pay check. He doesn't love what he does. He may have a degree in business or marketing or whatever and that's something most of us here probably don't have, but that doesn't make up for his lack of enthusiasm or understanding of the video game industry.

And you know Reggie so well that he's told you he has no love for Nintendo and it's just a paycheck to him?

[UncleBob]

I don't have one... but you know who else doesn't have one? Reggie. He's just a "yes man" and he only runs NOA. He's subordinate to Iwata

So... all your calls for the head of Reggie on a stick are silly then.  You say Reggie doesn't perform his job, but from your description of his job, it sounds like he's doing it fairly well.

That was the great Yamauchi. Reggie is just some little piss ant compared to Yamauchi. Yamauchi did things right. He was the reason why I became a Nintendo fan.

You mean the same Yamauchi that basically told third parties to **** themselves, creating a divide between third parties and Nintendo that has lasted for 20+ years?

And you want more third party support?

[Chozo Ghost]

And you know Reggie so well that he's told you he has no love for Nintendo and it's just a paycheck to him?

Of course he's never said that, but he doesn't need to. Actions speak louder than words. He deliberately caters to the lowest common denominator because this is where the easy money is. Trying to please loyal core gamers apparently takes too much effort, so he'd rather just throw in the towel on them and say "its impossible" even though Microsoft and Sony and even Nintendo themselves in years past were able to consistently satisfy gamers. His "its impossible" statement falls flat on its face when you consider its already been done in the past. Why is 2012 different than previous years? It wasn't impossible for Nintendo to please gamers in the past, so why is it now?

I'll tell you why, its because Reggie is either too lazy to do it or he's too ignorant to know what needs to be done (or both).

So... all your calls for the head of Reggie on a stick are silly then.  You say Reggie doesn't perform his job, but from your description of his job, it sounds like he's doing it fairly well.

It used to be that the North American region got more games than Europe (although generally less than Japan), but ever since Reggie's tenure now Europe is getting more games than North America does. I don't know who Reggie's European counterpart is, but whoever it is seems to actually get stuff done instead of doing nothing and then blaming the fans for complaining about it. So no, Reggie is not going his job "fairly well".

You mean the same Yamauchi that basically told third parties to **** themselves, creating a divide between third parties and Nintendo that has lasted for 20+ years?

And you want more third party support?

I didn't say Yamauchi was infallible, but just like with Miyamoto many of his blunders seem to have come about later in his career probably because of his age.

But you need to keep in mind when Yamauchi inherited the company back in 1949 or whatever it was Nintendo was a small time company that made cards and that's it. He's the one who made it into the multi-billion dollar video gaming giant from the 1980s to the present. Reggie and Iwata may have inherited that, but they are riding on his coat tails. I don't think Reggie has what it would take to do what Yamauchi did. Iwata probably couldn't either.

[UncleBob]

It used to be that the North American region got more games than Europe (although generally less than Japan), but ever since Reggie's tenure now Europe is getting more games than North America does. I don't know who Reggie's European counterpart is, but whoever it is seems to actually get stuff done instead of doing nothing and then blaming the fans for complaining about it. So no, Reggie is not going his job "fairly well".

On one hand, Reggie is a "yes man", doing exactly what Iwata says.  On the other hand, he hates Nintendo, America, Mom and Apple Pie, so Iwata should fire him...

I see your logic there.

I don't think Reggie has what it would take to do what Yamauchi did.

Again, alienate third parties for 20+ years?  Why would you want Reggie or Iwata to do that?

[Chozo Ghost]

On one hand, Reggie is a "yes man", doing exactly what Iwata says.

I meant he is a "yes man" to the lowest common denominator, not necessarily Iwata. Reggie is doing to Nintendo exactly what he did at VH1: compromising core fans in order to make a quick buck. I read on Wikipedia about how he boosted VH1's ratings by making it more appealing to younger viewers. That's fine and dandy for younger viewers, but what about the older ones who were alienated? And that's basically the same principle that's he's done with NOA as well, except in this case its the "casual blue ocean" market.

You said Yamauchi told third parties to "go **** themselves", but isn't this essentially what Reggie has done with the loyal core Nintendo fans? He hasn't so much said that in his words, but in his actions that's sure what it feels like.

I think over the next 5 or so years Nintendo and Reggie are going to be in for a very rude awakening. I think they are going to discover that this casual market they sold their souls over is no longer going to stick around. Many of them will have left for greener pastures of the Kinect and Ipad and so on. They are going to wake up to the fact that core gamers DO matter, but having spent the last 6 years alienating them now they have to scramble to win them back.

This might not be something they've realized yet, but they are going to find out soon enough. I think even at best the Wii U isn't going to come close to achieving the Wii's success. At worst it will be an outright failure. Most likely its going to be somewhere in between those two extremes.

[UncleBob]

I read on Wikipedia [...]

lol.

You said Yamauchi told third parties to "go **** themselves", but isn't this essentially what Reggie has done with the loyal core Nintendo fans?

The difference is, you're talking up Yamauchi - who sewed the seeds for virtually every bad relationship Nintendo has had, destroying the possibility for Nintendo/Third Party relationships for years to come... then whining about the lack of third party support and how Nintendo isn't doing enough.

Damn you, Reggie and Iwata!  You should build a time machine to go back and stop Yamauchi from alienating third parties from Nintendo...

[Kairon]

EDIT: There was something I said in the staff email thread for this that I don't think I've said here: I don't remember anyone being insatiable in 2010. Nintendo knocked it out of the park two years ago, delivering a slew of big announcements, and I don't remember people complaining that it wasn't enough. Now, that crazy year came at the expense of last year and this year, with Nintendo's studios having to reload, but I think it shows that we're not totally insatiable.

I guess we're not asking too much then if all it takes is for Nintendo to mortgage their future. That's a great economic plan for the future. They'll never end up posting a historic loss!

[NWR_insanolord]

I wasn't suggesting that is was a good option, but merely pointing out that what he said is only true to a point.

[rlse9]

Really what gamers want is to know that the 3rd party games won't dry up after 2 years on the market.  Unfortunately, that is something Nintendo cannot answer as they do not have a crystal ball.  So really gamers won't be satisfied until they know the Wii U will continue to get the majority of 3rd party games in 2013 as well as 2014 and 2015 and through until 2018 when the next Wii is released.

This seems to be the biggest obstacle for Nintendo, especially with core gamers.  The problem I see is that if gamers taker a wait and see approach, the early 3rd party games are more likely to not sell well, resulting in 3rd parties being less likely to release games, and off the vicious cycle goes.  That's why I think Nintendo really needed to wow gamers, convince them that there's going to be so many amazing games that they should buy as soon as possible, not give them a reason to wait and see what happens.

[Ian Sane]

I think the Xenoblade thing just killed Reggie's image with gamers.  Last year the Wii was a barren wasteland.  They had months and months to fit Xenoblade in to tide us over for Zelda.  The game was already in ENGLISH and here was this huge ass release gap that needed to be filled and NOA just sat on their hands for a whole year until Gamestop got involved.  Nothing says "we don't care" then leaving your userbase to rot with nothing to play while a game is RIGHT FUCKIN' THERE to put in the gap.  I remember when Reggie was considered to be pretty cool but this just destroyed his image.

Though NOA did do something like this prior to Reggie.  Sin & Punishment is in English and could have easily been slotted during the very large gap between the last N64 games and the Cube launch.  Instead we got nothing.  Later the game sold well enough on the VC that it spawned a sequel so in retrospect that was probably the wrong move.

Ideally you want your customers to have a smooth transition from one system to the next.  You can't do that if the releases dry up for the predecessor before the successor comes out.  You lose all momentum then and essentially have to start over each time.  Though I guess if they released Xenoblade in the gap of 2011, it couldn't fill the gap in 2012.  NCL assured that the Wii was going to die with a whimper no matter what.

[Chozo Ghost]

I'm not sure how much of a gap Xenoblade actually fills, considering its receiving a very limited release as a Gamestop exclusive with little or no marketing behind it. Basically the only people buying it are those who already knew about it. It isn't doing as well as it could have if it had better backing by Nintendo... who do we blame for that? If that's not Reggie's fault, then whose fault is it?

[Adrock]

Dude, Xenoblade is a Japanese RPG not named Final Fantasy released after 2004. Marketing would have done next to nothing for this game. The only people who would have bought it with more marketing are pretty much the people who ended up buying it. Why does it have to be somebody's fault? The state of Japanese RPGs just is. The RPG bubble that started with Final Fantasy VII's entirely CG commercials burst a long time ago. It's a niche genre. It's going to stay that way unless some company releases a game that redefines gaming and shatters expectations. I don't see that happening ever. Xenoblade is a great game, but it's not groundbreaking by any means.

[Chozo Ghost]

shatters expectations.

I think Xenoblade has done that. The problem is not enough people even know about it.

[ShyGuy]

Bono equals TEH GAMERS

[Ian Sane]

Gamers aren't content with a couple big blockbusters a year with little in between.  The systems that were really successful with gamers not only had a stready release schedule but also catered to niche tastes as well.  Xenoblade was never going to be a big hit but that isn't its only value.  Having great games on your system is good publicity.  It looks good to have the gaming media giving high reviews.  Localizing it backs up the claim of trying to win back core gamers.  It is also is good for customer satisfaction.  Nintendo might lose money on Xenoblade today but make that up with a Wii U sale tomorrow due to satisfied customers continuing to give Nintendo their business.  A good product builds customer loyality.  Unless localizing niche titles is bleeding the company dry, there is no real damage in making a good product.

[Adrock]

The problem

Yeah, yeah... To you, everything is.

[UncleBob]

Later [Sin and Punishment] sold well enough on the VC that it spawned a sequel [...]

...that bombed so low on the sales charts that most stores renamed their "Discount Bin" to the "Sin and Punishment Bin" about a month after release...

[Ian Sane]

Later [Sin and Punishment] sold well enough on the VC that it spawned a sequel [...]

...that bombed so low on the sales charts that most stores renamed their "Discount Bin" to the "Sin and Punishment Bin" about a month after release...

Yeah, I guess Reggie should have blocked it then.  Still the original was successful enough on the VC for Nintendo to greenlight a sequel in the first place.

Doesn't matter anyway.  Reggie can say "well that won't sell" and we'll just say "fine, then I'll just go buy one of the competing systems where niche games still get released."  If Nintendo is going to only stick with the sure things well then they're the casual guys.  That's all they'll be and they claim they don't want to just be that.  They can't claim to want to win back the core gamers and then block niche releases that appeal to that group at the same time.  If they just want to be the mainstream casual company, fine, but they shouldn't pretend they want to be anything else.