*In the home console world that is...
Nintendo is dead. They're dead in the home console business. They know this. Video game enthusiasts know this. Everyone knows this. That's the reason for the Nintendo NX home/portable hybrid. Once the new 'system' drops, so will Nintendo out of the home console market. I'm happy about it and you should be too!
Nintendo's demise has been a long time coming. Starting with the Nintendo GameCube, and ending with the Wii U, the Wii was an anomaly that'll never be duplicated again, the writing has been on the wall. The GameCube sold around a measly 22 million units in its lifespan. For comparison, Microsoft's first Xbox sold around 24 million. Nintendo had a juggernaut with the Wii and it tapped into a starving niche market that ended up spreading like wildfire. Sadly, Nintendo tried to be different again and took a bigger gamble with the Wii U and it has bit them in the ass.
To date, the Wii U has sold just over 13 million units in its nearly four years on the market. Microsoft's Xbox One is estimated to have sold nearly 27 million and Sony's PlayStation 4 eclipsed 40 million units as of May 2016. Both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 have been on sale for a year less than the Wii U has been, but they have sold double, and nearly quadruple, respectively, than Nintendo's latest console. The sales have been so poor that publishers, and developers, have dropped support for the Wii U leaving Nintendo as the only big publisher for it.
With the utter disappointment that the Wii U is, developers aren't rushing to Japan to get their hands on the NX development kit. At least that’s what people are saying. You tell me. Without third party support, Nintendo will be left to have the goods at the NX launch to push the new console. Sadly, history isn't on Nintendo's side. Their support for the Wii U was anything but stellar. It's received one Zelda game, well, it will receive one Zelda game in its lifespan. The NX gets a benefit from that as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild should be ready to go at the NX's launch. While that may seem like a surefire console mover, remember, the highest selling Zelda game racks in in under eight million units sold on a home console, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. That was over the life of the game on the Wii. Breath of the Wild will move consoles on day one, but it won't sell more than five million consoles, a very high guestimate, in a year. Given Nintendo's track record, they won't have much else in the first year to try and push more console sales.
Gone are the days, long gone, where the masses look forward to a new Nintendo console. Now, gamers look at a new Nintendo console with a pessimistic slant wondering what gimmick they will come up with next. A console/portable hybrid is up next. Nintendo is on record as saying they're not looking to be the technological leader in the home console market, and, if rumors are true, they'll be a distant third in that regard even with consoles that have been out for over three years prior to the rumored NX launch.
The SNES was a solid beast of a console, and, overall, the technological leader of the home TV. The Nintendo 64 was, for all intents and purposes, the go to home console, with Sega screwing up at every possibility with the Sega Saturn launch and support. The GameCube stunted any inroads the Nintendo 64 had and was dwarfed by the PlayStation 1. Then came along Microsoft, with the vision for the future path of the home console market, and the, and Sony, ran with it. Again, the Wii was an anomaly that'll never happen again. It was the first time ever that the worst spec console, by a large margin, led a generation in sales. Those times are over.
Competition in the home console market is a great thing. Having three powerhouses vying for the top spot spurs innovation and advancement. Unfortunately, Nintendo didn't get the memo. They're trying to ride the back of their very profitable handheld division into the home console market this time. It won't work. If the rumors are true, the NX is dead. While three console makers is a good thing for the industry, I'm eagerly looking forward to Nintendo's departure from the home console market and you should too.
With no home console market, and the mobile game industry steadily moving towards mobile devices, the 3DS, and the forthcoming flop, the Nintendo DX, Nintendo will have no choice but to start looking to become a third party publisher. They've already toyed with iOS, though it wasn't what gamers were expecting (As of yesterday they’re publishing a new Super Mario game designed for iOS). Nintendo will have to look seriously at publishing games on Sony's and Microsoft's home consoles and also for the PC. With Nintendo being forced to do that, or fold as a company since they no longer own their only guaranteed moneymaker, Pokemon, their audience will be much greater than it has ever been at any point in their existence when they go third party.
Imagine a true successor to Super Mario 64 on the Xbox 'Scorpio'? Imagine a Zelda game where no graphical compromises will have to be made with the already legendary gameplay and story telling we’ve all come to live? Imagine Nintendo not having to build, and maintain, their own multiplayer network. They can just use Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. Going third party will allow Nintendo to just focus on games. After all, it's all about the games.
Obviously, much of the above is my opinion and not everything will come to fruition. While it may not, I really hope it does, and, as a gamer, you should be hoping for the same. It will open Nintendo to a world of creative focus that few of their game designers have ever been exposed to. Their creative juices can run wild and create games they had always envisioned with no restrictions. The gaming world will be at their disposable and Mario, Link and Samus will have an audience they never dreamed possible. I, for one, am looking forward to it!
Nintendo is dead. They're dead in the home console business. They know this. Video game enthusiasts know this. Everyone knows this. That's the reason for the Nintendo NX home/portable hybrid. Once the new 'system' drops, so will Nintendo out of the home console market. I'm happy about it and you should be too!
Nintendo's demise has been a long time coming. Starting with the Nintendo GameCube, and ending with the Wii U, the Wii was an anomaly that'll never be duplicated again, the writing has been on the wall. The GameCube sold around a measly 22 million units in its lifespan. For comparison, Microsoft's first Xbox sold around 24 million. Nintendo had a juggernaut with the Wii and it tapped into a starving niche market that ended up spreading like wildfire. Sadly, Nintendo tried to be different again and took a bigger gamble with the Wii U and it has bit them in the ass.
To date, the Wii U has sold just over 13 million units in its nearly four years on the market. Microsoft's Xbox One is estimated to have sold nearly 27 million and Sony's PlayStation 4 eclipsed 40 million units as of May 2016. Both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 have been on sale for a year less than the Wii U has been, but they have sold double, and nearly quadruple, respectively, than Nintendo's latest console. The sales have been so poor that publishers, and developers, have dropped support for the Wii U leaving Nintendo as the only big publisher for it.
With the utter disappointment that the Wii U is, developers aren't rushing to Japan to get their hands on the NX development kit. At least that’s what people are saying. You tell me. Without third party support, Nintendo will be left to have the goods at the NX launch to push the new console. Sadly, history isn't on Nintendo's side. Their support for the Wii U was anything but stellar. It's received one Zelda game, well, it will receive one Zelda game in its lifespan. The NX gets a benefit from that as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild should be ready to go at the NX's launch. While that may seem like a surefire console mover, remember, the highest selling Zelda game racks in in under eight million units sold on a home console, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. That was over the life of the game on the Wii. Breath of the Wild will move consoles on day one, but it won't sell more than five million consoles, a very high guestimate, in a year. Given Nintendo's track record, they won't have much else in the first year to try and push more console sales.
Gone are the days, long gone, where the masses look forward to a new Nintendo console. Now, gamers look at a new Nintendo console with a pessimistic slant wondering what gimmick they will come up with next. A console/portable hybrid is up next. Nintendo is on record as saying they're not looking to be the technological leader in the home console market, and, if rumors are true, they'll be a distant third in that regard even with consoles that have been out for over three years prior to the rumored NX launch.
The SNES was a solid beast of a console, and, overall, the technological leader of the home TV. The Nintendo 64 was, for all intents and purposes, the go to home console, with Sega screwing up at every possibility with the Sega Saturn launch and support. The GameCube stunted any inroads the Nintendo 64 had and was dwarfed by the PlayStation 1. Then came along Microsoft, with the vision for the future path of the home console market, and the, and Sony, ran with it. Again, the Wii was an anomaly that'll never happen again. It was the first time ever that the worst spec console, by a large margin, led a generation in sales. Those times are over.
Competition in the home console market is a great thing. Having three powerhouses vying for the top spot spurs innovation and advancement. Unfortunately, Nintendo didn't get the memo. They're trying to ride the back of their very profitable handheld division into the home console market this time. It won't work. If the rumors are true, the NX is dead. While three console makers is a good thing for the industry, I'm eagerly looking forward to Nintendo's departure from the home console market and you should too.
With no home console market, and the mobile game industry steadily moving towards mobile devices, the 3DS, and the forthcoming flop, the Nintendo DX, Nintendo will have no choice but to start looking to become a third party publisher. They've already toyed with iOS, though it wasn't what gamers were expecting (As of yesterday they’re publishing a new Super Mario game designed for iOS). Nintendo will have to look seriously at publishing games on Sony's and Microsoft's home consoles and also for the PC. With Nintendo being forced to do that, or fold as a company since they no longer own their only guaranteed moneymaker, Pokemon, their audience will be much greater than it has ever been at any point in their existence when they go third party.
Imagine a true successor to Super Mario 64 on the Xbox 'Scorpio'? Imagine a Zelda game where no graphical compromises will have to be made with the already legendary gameplay and story telling we’ve all come to live? Imagine Nintendo not having to build, and maintain, their own multiplayer network. They can just use Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. Going third party will allow Nintendo to just focus on games. After all, it's all about the games.
Obviously, much of the above is my opinion and not everything will come to fruition. While it may not, I really hope it does, and, as a gamer, you should be hoping for the same. It will open Nintendo to a world of creative focus that few of their game designers have ever been exposed to. Their creative juices can run wild and create games they had always envisioned with no restrictions. The gaming world will be at their disposable and Mario, Link and Samus will have an audience they never dreamed possible. I, for one, am looking forward to it!