Topic: The Sexual History Between Nintendo and Electronic Arts

[UncleBob]

Emily Rogers (yeah, that Emily Rogers) has a wonderfully well-written piece that I think many folks around here should read.

Now, we know about the rumors and speculation about EA trying to talk Nintendo into using Origin for their online services and how everything went to **** between the two when Nintendo said "No.".  And this article does discuss that.

But, more important, is that this article goes into details that those of us who have been around awhile already knew, but many people either don't know or seem to forget.

Nintendo and EA have NEVER been BFFs.

This goes back to ol' school NES/SNES days (you know, the days where so many folks seem to think Nintendo needs to go back to with regards to third party relations).

Nintendo, virtually single-handed, revived the video game market that was destroyed in the wake of Atari (with a little help from Mattel, Coleco and what little third parties were around at the time, like Activision).

One of the ways they did this was by brow-beating third parties into submission by what we now would call insane third party agreements.  Basically, in order to release games for a Nintendo console, you had to give your first born to Yamauchi and pledge an undying oath to Nintendo.  That second one isn't bad though.

Anyway, EA knew these policies where pretty bull**** from the beginning - and thus, they've always had issues with Nintendo.

http://www.notenoughshaders.com/2013/03/25/the-sexual-history-between-nintendo-and-electronic-arts/

Go, read the article.  It's pretty well researched and contains lots of quotes and links.

Then, remember, a lot of the big companies today (Activision, Capcom, Square, etc.) were around back then... and dealt with the same issues.  There's a reason that these old guards of the gaming industry are reluctant to jump into the sack with Nintendo at the drop of a hat - and I don't blame them.

However, it'd be awesome if they realized that New Nintendo isn't exactly like Old Nintendo (and is getting better, although slowly) and realized that, in the business world, running a successful company working with someone you don't like is better than closing an unsuccessful company from working with someone you do.

[TJ Spyke]

It wasnt just because of Nintendo's policies, during the NES era EA was mainly a PC company and released very few console games period. They didnt like the idea of having to share revenue with the platform holder. Hell, their first Genesis game was unlicensed.

[Adrock]

1. While I knew Nintendo's policies were bad, I didn't realize that they were that bad back then. Those companies didn't really have a choice but to accept those terms. Nintendo didn't even buy them dinner before bending them over the coffee table...

2. Still, many of the people who ran those companies back then are not even with their respective companies anymore. Satoru Iwata has held his position for over a decade now. It's silly that Nintendo today would still have answer for sins made over a decade before Iwata was even promoted.

2. Regardless of the quality of Dead Space Extraction, using an on-rails shooter to "test the adult core market" is at best misguided and at worst, insulting.

3. I wonder, in hindsight, if Nintendo would have been better off using Origin. They would alienate third parties, but those same third parties are still shunning Nintendo now. The difference is that Nintendo would, presumably, have EA in their corner. Of course, it could have still backfired. Nintendo could have been stuck with Origin (possibly having to pay EA for its use) while EA offered no additional benefits.

[NWR_insanolord]

You say they would have alienated third parties as if they've got so many of them in their camp right now. Basically you just trade having Ubisoft 100% in with you (people might scoff at this given the Rayman situation, but we're getting Watch Dogs and AC4 despite how badly the system is doing so I'm counting them in) for having EA, with everything else probably being about the same, if not better.

[Adrock]

You say they would have alienated third parties as if they've got so many of them in their camp right now.

No, I didn't.

They would alienate third parties, but those same third parties are still shunning Nintendo now. The difference is that Nintendo would, presumably, have EA in their corner. Of course, it could have still backfired. Nintendo could have been stuck with Origin (possibly having to pay EA for its use) while EA offered no additional benefits.

[marty]

2. Regardless of the quality of Dead Space Extraction, using an on-rails shooter to "test the adult core market" is at best misguided and at worst, insulting.

Considering the chorus of "we won't make wii games" coming from developers, EA's included, I'd be surprised if DS:E was a valid attempt to actually make money.  Why make and brand a rail-shooter with the title of a 3rd person action/horror game that didn't come out on the Wii?  It's clearly a bad proposition with no financial motivation behind it.  Did they think the weak/non-existant Dead Space brand would sell it?  Did they think the tiny audience that ever bought rail-shooters would make it a hit?  I'd think no.  The fact that it DIDN'T sell on any other system proves that it has nothing to do with the tastes of Wii owners and everything to do with the fact that this game couldn't sell to anyone, regardless of platform.


I'm never surprised when developers/publishers go under; I see so few of them actually trying to make money in any sort of logical way.  It always seems to be about what developers want rather than what customers want.

[Ian Sane]

Dead Space Extraction was like a carefully planned insult.  It was EA telling us to "get your fucking shinebox".  We had spent the last year complaining that we get nothing but dumb spinoffs while the other systems got the REAL game and that we were getting a disproportionate amount of on-rails shooters because third parties couldn't think of anything else to do with the Wii remote.  So EA then combines all of those elements into one game?  You couldn't  come up with a more precise way to give every Wii owner the finger.

[Stogi]

All the specs, bullshit and bitching. When did the video game industry turn into a "grass is greener" scenario?

[azeke]

All the specs, bullshit and bitching. When did the video game industry turn into a "grass is greener" scenario?

Since early 80s?

[Stogi]

Eh...

Just too much animosity in general.

[Louieturkey]

What changed? The fact that we have to pay for our hobby now or people have less friends?

Eh...

Just too much animosity in general.

Guess you changed your post.

I'd say it's the opposite though.  People have more "friends" due to social networks and the internet.  There are less in person friends I'm guessing.  Plus with the internet, you can play online if you have the same system.

Nintendo is the only one left that really is fighting to keep that playing together in the same room feel.

[Oblivion]

This has nothing to do with friends. It's probably because you were all little shits at the time, and now you're all big shits with money that you've earned. You don't want to "settle" for a console, you want to buy a console and hope that everything that can release on it will release on it so you don't have to buy 5 machines just to play everything.

[pokepal148]

This has nothing to do with friends. It's probably because you were all little shits at the time, and now you're all big shits with money that you've earned. You don't want to "settle" for a console, you want to buy a console and hope that everything that can release on it will release on it so you don't have to buy 5 machines just to play everything.

woah now, getting a little violent oblivion
don't you think you're being a bit OBLIVIOUS to other peoples situations right now... and yes, i shouldn't have to get another system to play a game that the one i have can already run, i don't want everything but i shouldn't be denied a working version of Crysis 3 just because EA can't get their heads out of their asses

[Adrock]

And pokepal takes the bait...

[alegoicoe]

Dead Space Extraction was like a carefully planned insult.  It was EA telling us to "get your fucking shinebox".  We had spent the last year complaining that we get nothing but dumb spinoffs while the other systems got the REAL game and that we were getting a disproportionate amount of on-rails shooters because third parties couldn't think of anything else to do with the Wii remote.  So EA then combines all of those elements into one game?  You couldn't  come up with a more precise way to give every Wii owner the finger.

That's why I never even considered playing the game. I don't know who the f*ck is running public relations at EA, but it's definitely not somebody who understands Nintendo gamers. I mean, if their definition of hardcore Nintendo games is an on-rails shooter based on a franchise that built is reputation as a 3d action-horror game, then it is definitely as Ian Sane said giving Wii owners the middle finger. The same thing is also happening with Wii U, EA made time to develop NFS Most Wanted, but oh no!! We don't have enough people to do a Wii U port of battlefield 4, Bullsh*t. How can EA expects sustainable sales on Nintendo platforms if most of the time they put little or no effort in what they publish on Nintendo platforms, and on top of that expect sh*t to sell like pancakes.

[Oblivion]

I actually wasn't being a troll. I'm being serious. I also think we should have console exclusives or else we might as well have one system.

[MagicCow64]

Having played Dead Space 1, 2, and Extraction, Extraction is honestly my favorite. Regardless of the optics/politics, it was a great and unique game. I was more irritated that Capcom didn't make a Resident Evil spin off with the RE:4 Wii engine instead of those Umbrella Chronicles Games.