Well, not really the end of the world, but for us “gamers” well, we have virtually saved the world hundreds if not thousands of times. We’ve also saved princesses, won wars – World War II a minimum of 50 times; yet we don’t get the respect we deserve for our biggest accomplishment. We have saved an industry and with it several companies.
Nintendo wouldn’t be Nintendo today if it weren’t for gamers who stuck with it after being defeated the loser of the past two video game console wars generations. Nintendo saved the video game industry in 1985, after The Great Crash of 1982-1984, by developing the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Of course Nintendo didn’t do it alone – almost alone, but not really; there were other key players such as Atari and Sega and with it bringing some much needed competition to Nintendo, while introducing some great franchises and characters such as Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog.
Nintendo eventually reigned supreme in the video game market, until 1994 when it launched the Nintendo 64. In the late 80’s – early 90’s, Sony and Nintendo held talks to develop a new console and after Nintendo backing down and going at it alone, it pushed Sony to develop a console of their own, with improved graphics and storage systems. Out were the cartridges, in was the CD-ROM. Sega went the same route as Sony and released the Dreamcast, which after this generation war was out of the picture (well, it kept developing games but no longer consoles), Sony’s Playstation came out the winner of this generation, Nintendo was a sad runner up.
After Sega being defeated, and a new iterations of consoles approaching; Nintendo and Sony would find out a new competitor, Microsoft had announced the Xbox console. Nintendo learning (somewhat) from their mistakes developed a new console (the Gamecube) which worked with the Nintendo Gamecube Disc, a smaller version of a CD, but it fared poorly against aggressive competition from Microsoft and Sony. Sony coming out on top improved it’s new console, the Playstation 2, with better graphics technology and LAN connection; however, Microsoft ,even though it finished on second place, had an Ace on it’s hand by developing the Xbox Live service, which provided gamers services such as downloading game demos, information and most importantly online play. However, Sony had many exclusive games that made it the winner once again, right now in 2008 the Playstation 2 is most played console in the market, proving Sony’s success with this console.
I have to bring to the attention the fact that the past two iterations of Nintendo console’s have failed and I mean failed. However, they still had a share of the market because of “hardcore” (yes hardcore) fans. Nintendo had the reputation (which still does) of being a “kiddie” console, because most of its games only appealed to five years old – ouch! Fans stuck with Nintendo because when Nintendo develops a game, they develop an experience. It’s most well known franchises, Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Mario Kat and new franchises as of late Super Smash Bro’s and Pokemon, kept Nintendo afloat and fans semi-happy.
Nintendo used to be on top, but for two generations has been on the lower end of the food system. So Nintendo created a new strategy, bring casual players in. After all it was a market that hadn’t really been tapped. Nintendo first released the Nintendo DS (dual screen) to critics and gamers praise. Non-gamers started playing and creativity and innovation were now integral part of gameplay. However, it would end up having a ratio of one good game to three crappy rip-offs (minimum). For every Nintendogs, there’s a SimAnimals, Littlest Pet Shop and Petz game. To keep up with Nintendo’s new found gold mine strategy, they launched the Nintendo Wii, which is just a bit more powerful in terms of graphics (compared to the Gamecube), which now provides online service (and allegedly multiplayer games online), but a new control mechanic which separates it from it’s more advanced competitors.
The Nintendo Wii provides motion controls, last year they announced the Wii MotionPlus, which will provide the play an accurate representation on screen of his movements. This was what Nintendo promised before, but at least now (although late) they are delivering.
Nintendo has the best selling console of this generation (so far), but is lacking on two big aspects:
1- Nintendo forgot hardcore gamers (you know the ones that kept them alive)
Nintendo has pushed the envelope for what is now considered “casual.” A lot of companies have tried to develop games that appeal both to the casual gamer and hardcore gamer alike, some results such as Bioshock and Prince of Persia (the new one) end up succeeding. But when you look at the awful amount of Nintendo’s Wii line up, you can tell they don’t care about hardcore gamers.
Last year there were only two first party games worth a hardcore gamers money, Super Smash Bros Brawl and Mario Kart Wii. That’s it, few months before the end of 2007 Nintendo released Super Mario Galaxy.
That was it, Nintendo expect its loyal fans to be happy with them and expect nothing else. There were some dubious games – Wii Fit anyone? But still Nintendo didn’t deliver the goods, and complaint about its own fans, calling us “insatiable.” I’m sorry Reggis (Nintendo of America CEO), two games a year don’t cut it, especially when there’s nothing for the Holidays.
2- There aren’t really any good “games” for the Nintendo Wii. (neither first party or third party).
Here it gets a little bit tricky, as I said, when Nintendo makes a game, Nintendo delivers. However, Nintendo didn’t really publish many games last year, and the ones it did came with a very cold welcome. There were using mascots in twenty different ways: Mario Super Sluggers comes to mind, also Mario Kart etc. There were some points that the games, are not really games Endless Ocean.
Then come all the shovel ware, either being some rip-offs from established franchises, or old PS2 ports that everyone has already played, or new franchises and IPs that people should be ashamed to even make on the first place. Game developers are not stupid, and they notice how fast and well the Nintendo Wii is selling so they start producing en-mass these awful pieces of art – yes games are art, that hardcore gamers won’t buy and uninformed “casual” gamers do.
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What worries me the most as a gamer I’m afraid that developers are going to get lazy, are going to try and get more casual gamers into the market, and by going “mainstream” are going to dumb things down. The industry that has survived, thrived and gotten millionaire is about to be forever changed for the worse. People are buying the Nintendo Wii, but not the games, they have at the most one or two games. Check how many games someone who owns and Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 has. If developers go down the road of dumbing things down, Nintendo will be rich indeed and everyone else will be out of business and the industry will be dead.
Can we gamers save the world again?
4 Comments
February 2, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Fuck youhardcore gamers. You have both the PS3 and Xbox 360, just give ‘em time to develop your so beloved fancy games. Stop whining.The gaming industry is getting to be like any other entertainment industry. Where would you be without Buffy or your summer bluckbusters?
February 2, 2009 at 3:08 pm
hey hey hey, language ! :p
Thing is though, they have some good game, but the rest of them are just plain old shovelware, and yes we do have the PS3 and Xbox 360, but because of the success (in console sales) of the Wii, worse can come to worst if developers start creating crappy games to appeal to casual gamers. Again I said crappy games, not crappy casual gamers hum..!
February 25, 2009 at 3:02 pm
[...] Today while reading the New York Times, I came across an article which claims that: “perhaps it no longer made sense to use the term gamer as it has traditionally been used.” Guess why? Yes, because of Nintendo! Well, they didn’t mention it was Nintendo’s fault, but they attribute it to the fact that a majority of Americans are now playing video-games, thanks to (in no small part) the expansion of the game industry to reach casual gamers. So again, the destruction of our industry and favorite past time is Nintendo’s fault. [...]
March 6, 2009 at 3:51 pm
[...] lately whenever I touch upon the changes that our beloved game industry is going through. From The end of the world as we know it? Are Casual games destroying the Video-Game Industry? to Are Gamers no longer “Gamers?” and yesterday’s Latest Video Game Trend: Trade-ins [...]