Author Topic: How would you Nintendo sell the N5? (Read 3984 times)

Procession · « **on:** December 11, 2003, 03:11:14 AM »

What sort of style would you like to see Nintendo take on for the N5? Who do you think they could use in terms of designers, artists etc.

Here is my take...

Hardware Design: I mentioned this in another thread, but I believe Jonathon Ives from Apple would design a nice Nintendo. His works with Apple such as the G5 and iMac G4 are the sort of designs that make people desire them. They're revolutionary. The sort of designs people write articles about. The Gamecube is a gorgeous piece of work, no doubt (especially compared to the Xbox, but let's not even go there!) but it is rather kiddy with the purple. It would have been stunning if Nintendo released more kitch colours and even perhaps patterns. I must say I thought the hot pink one they had originally at E3 was exciting. The N5 should be cool. Consoles have changed barely at all in the past 25 years, smoother edges, brighter colours and that is about it. I want a console that on the outside at least makes it's competitors look like old hat, like yesterday's news and when I see it for the first time, redefines consoles for me just like the iMac G4 did for me and computers. Demanding for sure, but I can dream can't I?

Image Design/Artwork: Gamecube also has some nice logos with it and box design. But not exceptional and nothing that when you see it will make you marvel at it and want it. I would hire some decent designers. Get someone cool, someone like Designer's Republic. They made WipEout 2097 cool. It every other game look boring and unrefined. Don't let them touch the games, but logos etc. they could do a fantastic job. Nintendo's biggest problem is image - even most ten years olds think Nintendo is lame in my experience, wanting to emulate older siblings, the desire to grow up ecetra. I suspect once children are past the age they think Disney is cool, they're past the age they think Nintendo is cool and kids who think Disney is cool most likely find today's games to complicated due to their age. That is a massive over-generalisation but I think some of it holds true. With fantastic branding, Nintendo would sell alot more consoles and as a Nintendo fan, I figure that is a good thing.

Other good designers who create cool things IMHO are Peter Saville and this guy, who I think is great.

TV Advertising: Greatest thing about the PS2 launch: getting David Lynch to direct a commercial for it. The world does not need more children running around pretending to be in FFT. Nintendo should have (they may have now) sacked their advertising agency long ago. Some of the most stupid ads ever came from Nintendo in the last few years. The FFT one being a prime example - they missed their target audience by two country miles. People like Spike Jonze, David Fincher, Jean Pierre Jeunet, Tim Burton, Ridley Scott (Apple again - 1984, legendary) are the sort of people I would like to see direct a Nintendo commercial.

So basically, if you were launching the N5 how would you sell it?

Ian Sane · « **Reply #1 on:** December 11, 2003, 09:20:36 AM »

Hardware Design - well obviously you have the hardware requirements like four controller ports, memory card slots, broadband adapter, etc. In terms of just appearance I would make it look more electronics like. The Cube looks too much like a toy. Kids are willing to use a console that looks like a piece of electronics while adults are less likely to use something that looks like a toy. It's just safer to go with the more "mature" design. I would go with something a little more stout and flat in design. The Cube is a little too tall. I want it to be stackable so I would make it have a flat bottom and top. In order to be stackable the disc drive has to be front loading. It it was cost feasible I would have one of the disc drives like they have in cars where the disc just goes in and out without a tray. I would keep the idea of multiple colours but I would use black as the advertised colour and the other colours at first would more generic like silver or white. Brighter colours can come later. One thing I really would like to add would be a window design where a large part of the case is a clear window so you can see the "guts" and when it's on a light glows from within. Little stuff like that just makes it seem cooler. I would also make it so that some parts of the outer case are removable and can be replaced with custom designs. I think that ability to add personality to the console would be really popular. People would love to be able to get a Zelda or Too Human panel on the front.

Image Design - the logo has to look hi-tech. Again something that looks "cool" appeals to everyone. The word "Nintendo" would not be used as often as just "N5" like how it's just "Xbox" instead of "Microsoft Xbox". Since Nintendo has a "kiddy" image it would work better if people knew it was Nintendo but didn't have that shoved in their face. The Nintendo logo would be in the top corner of the box and it would say "Published by Nintendo" on the game boxes but the N5 logo would be front and centre.

TV Advertising - See the advertising thread. Show more game footage and less actors in dumb costumes.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #2 on:** December 11, 2003, 09:28:03 AM »

I'd give it a chessboard pattern with five black squares on the top. That way there are a LOT of possibilities for advertising and the device would look damn cool. N5 - Challenge your brain!

nickmitch · « **Reply #3 on:** December 17, 2003, 03:33:10 PM »

If microsoft and sony are really that predictable to not come up with new names for their consoles, with xbox2 and PS3, then I'd use the tag line: Hey, 2 + 3 does equal 5 right? or something like that.

Guitar Smasher · « **Reply #4 on:** December 18, 2003, 04:35:12 PM »

Actually, I think that's pretty clever. Not that I think it will sell systems necessarily, but still interesting.

Now that I think about it, the next gen system should be called N5, not nexus or whatever. Some ignorant people will say things like "wow a third playstation? That's got to be the ultimate gaming machine!" But if you had N5, then people will realize how much more experience and expertise Nintendo has.

dus · « **Reply #5 on:** December 18, 2003, 05:20:36 PM »

Whoa... that's really cool. When you say N5, it sounds professional. Tight.
Anyways, I think that for marketing (I will be getting a degree in marketing soon) they sould use someone like Samus, with her helmet off- her hair is blowing in the warm, blood-ridden, dusty air, and she's holding the head of some Space Pirate. It's not excatly "Nintendo-ish", but this could be a good thing, right? Then again, turning Samus into a sex symbol might be a bad idea.
They should aim for comedy in thier commercials- anything from Nintendo can't be that cool (heck, we all remember the idiotic Metroid Prime/Fusion commercials!). The next-gen console's look should be silver- not platinum- , and it should have an awsome name. N5 is good, but it doesn't really roll off the tongue, capice? Maybe something like NES.5 or N.5 (anything with a "." in it.). Multiple colors is a bad idea, for it creates an inconsistent image. When I think Gamecube I don't think Platinum, or Indigo, or Jet. Releasing different colors later isn't a bad idea, though.

ThePerm · « **Reply #6 on:** December 20, 2003, 12:22:05 PM »

Famicom 5? it has alliteration....

Guitar Smasher · « **Reply #7 on:** December 20, 2003, 12:29:19 PM »

...yeah but it isn't the easiest name to pronounce. 'xbox' is simple and 'playstation' has rhyming within it. I could even imagine some ignorant fanboys saying things like "famicom is short for family computer, how kiddie is that!" I think N5 is much more 'cool' or 'fresh'.

ThePerm · « **Reply #8 on:** December 20, 2003, 05:11:35 PM »

dude you know Famicom sounds cool in its own right
like intercom but like Famitastic

Guitar Smasher · « **Reply #9 on:** December 21, 2003, 08:35:26 AM »

No, I don't think Famicom sounds cool.

Jale · « **Reply #10 on:** December 21, 2003, 08:49:51 AM »

It doesn't sound cool, and it doesn't look cool. It just is undeniably cool.

Guitar Smasher · « **Reply #11 on:** December 22, 2003, 09:51:57 AM »

Oh, I know it's cool, it's just that ps2 and xbox gamers are blind to its coolness.

Jale · « **Reply #12 on:** December 22, 2003, 10:00:48 AM »

Well ps2 doesnt sound all that cool. Try saying it ten times as quickly as possible. You start out with "ps2" then go quickly to "piss-two" and end up on "bistooooo". How cool i think not

B00tleg · « **Reply #13 on:** January 05, 2004, 08:43:17 PM »

Launch: I'd package the console like the old days with at least two controllers and one new game ready for you to play when you hook everything and monetary loss on the hardware be damned! Secondly I'd have a fresh and invigorating line up of games ready for launch. First of all, a new Mario game at launch...its TRADITION!!! Heck I'd even make the new Mario game the one that comes prepackaged with the new console. For the game lineup I'd have one or two new sports titles ready to go and a new RPG. I'd say for a decent launch 7-10 games would need to be ready at launch.

Third Party Support: The one thing I'd do to hamstring the competition is court and get the exclusive third party liscences in bed with Nintendo. The next Metal Gear Solid game...only on Nintendo!! The new Capcom horror survival game, be it another resident evil or something new, only on Nintendo. The next Sqaure Enix game to come out, only on Nintendo. I think if Nintendo can secure the third party games that attract all the attention from the mainstream crowd, they might just pull it off and come out on top.

Online: For connectivity features I'd make the tools and software available to all the doityourselfers out there so they can play online. To cut costs though there would be no support for the features or documentation. What that means is the Nintendo won't put out the money to make it work, but that means the game developers that want to put online play or LAN play into a game can provide their own documentation and support for it.

Advertising: Have a budget for advertising, hit the primetime spots on MTV, during sitcoms, during the superbowl. TV spots would have a budget for more interesting and varied commercials that just don't suck. Also get advertising in print, radio and on the internet.

Nintendo can slam dunk this new console. I'd try new and crazy things. Nintendo has the wavebird, best wireless controller out there....but it just kind of sits there. Why not reissue a gamecube release with one or two wavebirds included with all required components so their ready to use out of the box? Or create a new game that relies heavily on gameboy advanced connectivity and release the new game for the Nintendo console, and bundle it with a gameboy advance with everything needed?

I also think Nintendo migh need to bring to life some old ideas that got shotdown due to public opinion. Anyone remember the gameboy camera, also remember the plan ability to use the camera to take your picture and then upload your pic to Perfect Dark (I think it was) so you could play a character in multiplayer that had your face...fairly revolutionary in my opinion. But it got axed due to all the news surrounding Columbine and video game violence at the time.

So anyways those are my ideas. They probably suck and would end up putting Nintendo in bankruptcy but its nice to imagine what if?
Never Happening

the whatz that? · « **Reply #14 on:** January 06, 2004, 03:57:53 PM »

alright, with all this talk with Apple... I would think of something along the lines of platnum(i know thats not spelled rt.). The shape of a rectangle, about an inch high and about a 12"x6". The the drive slot would be on the side and would be like the car radio ones - slot loading i believe it's called. It would have to some multifuntionality though - thats where apple and IBM comes in.

Hostile Creation · « **Reply #15 on:** January 07, 2004, 02:18:00 AM »

I think I would sell it in stores.

And over TEH INTERNET!!!1!1!!

odifiend · « **Reply #16 on:** January 07, 2004, 09:19:01 AM »

HC: Take your pills cuz that's the craziest plan EVAR!!!

Ian Sane · « **Reply #17 on:** January 07, 2004, 10:05:34 AM »

"I think I would sell it in stores.

And over TEH INTERNET!!!1!1!!"

Or even better give the console away for FREE thus ensuring a huge userbase from the get go. The losses on the hardware are then made up by game sales.

Well I doubt that would work well but it would be an interesting idea at least. I believe when the Xbox was first announced it was rumoured that MS was going to do that.

A more economically feasible idea is to allow people to trade in their own Gamecube (assuming it still works and isn't modded) for a $100-off coupon for the N5. This of course assumes the N5 is backwards compatible. The idea is that you only have to pay to upgrade to the new console instead of paying full price. If backwards compatibility isn't a feature then make it an online registration thing where everyone who has registered a Cube on Nintendo's web site gets the coupon sent to them in the mail. Actually since my Cube is modded let's just do the online thing.

the whatz that? · « **Reply #18 on:** January 07, 2004, 01:09:15 PM »

thats not such a bad idea - the upgrade thing. You keep your user base that already has your system which selling like crazy cuz of your price break - it'll never happen but not a bad idea...

manunited4eva22 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 07, 2004, 03:35:56 PM »

I want there to be an Apple white color console. If nothing else for a final fanatasy release, and don't make it so limited, like say so I wouldn't have to spend 800 god dam dollars on the stupid bundle.

the whatz that? · « **Reply #20 on:** January 08, 2004, 11:18:29 AM »

k, more on my design idea... i think a white gloish apple design about an inch to an inch and half high. about a foot and half to two feet wide. and also about six inches deep. I would have titanium bands that go all the way around the ends. (Have some imagination here). The rest would be done in that silky smooth clear lining on top of the white. On the center on the top would simply have a lower case n in a circle with a five a bit smaller than the n in subscript to it.(jn light grey) Then the slot-loading drive would go on the front. This would look good on a coffee table and around your other electronics. If white wasn't your taste the white could easily be changed to black. So not only would it look sharp, but also stackable. Wireless controllers at launch would be a must...

Edisim · « **Reply #21 on:** January 09, 2004, 05:27:57 PM »

Wow. Give away the console, and sell games. A good idea. Not a new one, but still good. I think the biggest concern when applying that strategy to game consoles is software piracy. Huge losses. I think Nintendo's stance on Gameboy, at least a while back in Asia, was that since they couldn't make money on software there, that as long as they made money on the hardware, that was enough.. or something.

The upgrade thing sounds cool. Obviously not happening either--as we all know. But it would still be super cool. Except that it wouldn't make much sense for Nintendo to system accept your GCN and give you a big ol' discount unless they were going to use parts from your GC to put together your new N5 (or someone else's N5)... Even then, it wouldn't amount to much of a discount, and the labor costs.. Well, consoles aren't really meant to be like personal computers.. I don't think we have to worry much about how much a new system will cost when it comes to Nintendo. They've always been consistent with their commitment/opinion in regards to selling game systems at "mass market" prices. And they have a good history (at least going back as far as Gamecube and n64) in terms of getting the most computing/gaming power out of their systems without spending too much on hardware... Nintendo has always been about games and substance rather than flash and numbers. Miyamoto and some other guy (sorry, don't remember the name) have even said recently that they believe systems are plenty powerful today, and that new gaming innovations/experiences won't come about because of more computing power but through better game design.

As far as image and hardware design, even if Nintendo's next machine looks like the Xbox, I'll still buy it and play it so long as they give me Zelda, and to a lesser extent, Mario and the others...

News:

Author Topic: How would you Nintendo sell the N5? (Read 3984 times)