Nintendo rips X360, PS3, and cellphone gaming

I seen this posted on GAF and figured it should also be here. It's a great article. The following article was written in Germany's FAZ daily newspaper. The paper talked to Jim Merrick (NOE) and he seemed quite positive about the direction of Nintendo. I in no way I'm against him saying these things, but I wonder how many people actually feel the same way he does.

Snipplets of the article.

The short story:
Merrick reiterates that Hardware/HDTV isn't important, attacks Microsoft, says he hopes Revolution will be cheaper than Xbox 360, states that there's a high chance for Nintendo to attain world leadership in late 2007 (if their strategy works out), disses mobile phone gaming.

The long story (translation):

Nintendo skips high-tech race with Sony and Microsoft
October 24th 2005 The market for video games is preparing for a quantum leap: Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are about to release the next generation of video consoles shortly. While Sony and Microsoft are taking on a fierce battle for the fastest processor or the best graphics, Nintendo deliberately heads down a different path. "Our approach lies in opening up to new users - not new technology", says Jim Merrick, NoE's head of marketing.

"Hardware is irrelevant"

While Microsoft and Sony gear up their gaming consoles to turn into multimedia devices that also allow users to listen to music, watch films or surfing the net, Nintendo is reclaiming their roots. "Nintendo is an entertainment company. We don't own any film studios and we are no hardware company either. The Revolution is capable to play DVD films - but that isn't an important functions to us. We offer good interactive entertainment instead. But that's not a question of the hardware or power. This is all irrelevant. It's all about the games", Merrick said.

"Nothing for average people"

The problem of the industry according to Merrick: "An average person today can't make head or tails of a video game." Instead of the usual input devices (controllers), Nintendo would be focussing on a sort of remote device similar to TV remotes average people are used to. "Wenn thinking about a gamer today, you picture a pale tennager, drinking cola and eating chips. This shouldn't be." A way in the direction of new users would be Nintendogs. "In Japan, more than a half of the registered Nintendogs gamers is female. Additionally the age spread is much greater", Merrick says. In Germany, Nintendo sold 50,000 Nintendogs games in the first eight days after release.

The company traditionally has a strong position among young consumers, backed up by games like 'Pokemon' or 'Mario'. "The youngest gamers are 4 to 5 years old. We won't give up our position for this group, but we also want to score with older people. In Japan, brain training games are strong with gamers who are 35 years or older. That are not the people that are traditionally referred to as video gamers", Merrick says.

Revolution cheaper than Xbox 360

Beside the games, the price is also supposed to broaden the user base: "We are very aware of the price sensitivity of the gaming market, especially when going for the mass market. I strongly hope that the Revolution will be cheaper than the 400 Euros of the Xbox 360.", Merrick says. The new Microsoft console is that expensive, because it supports HDTV, for example. "But only few people are benefitting from that. We won't do that", Merrick says. However, in one area, Microsoft has set new standards: building online communities. "Nintendo is also going to establish an online community. But we don't wont to make the mistake of monetarizing the service first and put in value for the customers only later. We want to go the other way with our mobile console Nintendo DS: when we're starting the online service for the game 'Mario Kart', it is free for the gamers", says Merrick. The online games for the Nintendo DS, which has sold 200,000 units so far in Germany, are not regarded as a self-contained source of income, but as a catalyst, to sell more games. "With the Nintendo-'Revolution', not all online games will be free for the users", Merrick notes.

"We don't worry too much about Xbox 360"

For christmas season, Nintendo doesn't intend to lower the price for their current console Gamecube at 99 Euros. Nintendo sold 800,000 consoles in Germany so far and is expecting good christmas sales - even with the Gamecube at the end of its lifespan and a strong competitor with the Xbox 360. "We don't worry too much about Xbox 360. The supply will be limited and the types of games offered won't appeal to all target groups. There will always be a group of technology fans, that buys any next-generation console on release. But there won't be an impact on the mass market - at least not until they see what is offered to them by Sony and Nintendo next year. When our strategy of expanding on the customer base works out, we have a very good chance to achieve world leadership by late 2007", Merrick hopes. Since March, the company has sold about 1,5 million Nintendo DS. They want to have sold 3 million DS in Europe by end of the year.

Merrick hasn't high hopes for games for mobile phones, though. "Every year mobile gaming is expected to go big business. This didn't happen so far. Only few consumers buy cell phone games. Most consumers play the games already preinstalled on their cell phone. So far we didn't see any mobile phone which our games could be played on properly. The second generation of the Nokia N-Gage was much better than the first generation, but its reputation is already tarnished.


I bolded the parts that stuck out to me. This is not crazy talk that Nintendo is doing here, but does anybody else feel like Nintendo will always miss the mark with next-gen gaming every 5 years?:???: They always seem to do things one or two generations too late. To me down playing power is just not smart.

Isn't it power that can give the end user a great expirence. Isn't it the CELL processor in the PS3 and the Xenos GPU in the X360 that can give us these great beautiful games? Is talking about power really THAT bad? I do agree with his view on cell phone games though. With the DS bringing us great 2D and innovative games and the PSP giving us a console like expirence on a handheld why would people buy cell phone games?


Edited: I can't help that the above is all bolded. I can't change it so work with me.:smile:

Link to the article: http://tinyurl.com/9lec9
 
mckmas8808 said:
To me down playing power is just not smart.

Isn't it power that can give the end user a great expirence.

no.Too much talk about power makes less room for gaming.Nextgen is probably way enough power for this argument don't have to be an excuse for poor gaming.
Power is so 'last-gens' :)

Power = overated
 
Power

mckmas8808 said:
I bolded the parts that stuck out to me. This is not crazy talk that Nintendo is doing here, but does anybody else feel like Nintendo will always miss the mark with next-gen gaming every 5 years?:???: They always seem to do things one or two generations too late. To me down playing power is just not smart.

Isn't it power that can give the end user a great expirence. Isn't it the CELL processor in the PS3 and the Xenos GPU in the X360 that can give us these great beautiful games? Is talking about power really THAT bad? I do agree with his view on cell phone games though. With the DS bringing us great 2D and innovative games and the PSP giving us a console like expirence on a handheld why would people buy cell phone games?[/B]

Power is important for graphics, physics, animation, AI, etc which makes better gameplay possible but only developer creativity can determine actual gameplay improvement. Look at Quake4, which is just same game but better graphics.

Nintendogs is very good example where very little power has very big impact and Shadow of the Colossus and Okami are good examples where even last gen console power can create very new and unusual gaming experiences.

Nintendo cannot compete on power and advertising with Microsoft or Sony due to smaller financial resources therefore they find different ways to find better gameplay possibilities and consumer knowledge. New controller is key to this Because it is so different, it is self-advertising and also gives unique gameplay possibilities.

However, less power means less flashy image and for many consumers flashy image is everything ... "bling-bling" style, but if competitor games are like Quake4 and are the same games but with better graphics, then Nintendo might have a chance. Given constraints, Nintendo has very good strategy.
 
_phil_ said:
no.Too much talk about power makes less room for gaming.Nextgen is probably way enough power for this argument don't have to be an excuse for poor gaming.
Power is so 'last-gens' :)

Power = overated

Nintendo is downplaying power because they do not want to invest money and lsoe on every unit like the others will most likely did. Just for fun, considering I'm a Nintendo advocate :)


"Our approach lies in opening up to new users"

because we are rejected by the old users.

"This is all irrelevant. It's all about the games"

That is why we are offering a DVD addon. Schizophrenie.

"In Japan, more than a half of the registered Nintendogs gamers is female"

That is a good point, but many females were supporting the "classic" ps1 as well in Japan.

"Nintendo sold 50,000 Nintendogs games in the first eight days after release."

How many units for PES or GTA or GT4 in Germany in the same timeframe ?. Nintendo should start doing soccer games as well.

"We don't worry too much about Xbox 360. The supply will be limited and the types of games offered won't appeal to all target groups."

It would be funny if the amount od Xbox360 hardware was the same as the amount of GC software sold at Christmas. Where a my games Nintendo ??

"we have a very good chance to achieve world leadership by late 2007"

A very good of not achieving also.
 
If nintendo rips cellphone gaming then I am all for it. :D Gaming on a tiny screen with tiny buttons and sucking juice better used for more stand-by hours or talktime isn't a great proposition in my opinion.

This thread really is a bit redundant in my opinion, we already know Nintendo's position on power, they spoke the same way at the start of this generation, and the Cube was hardly underpowered in most respects that matter.
 
Guden Oden said:
If nintendo rips cellphone gaming then I am all for it. :D Gaming on a tiny screen with tiny buttons and sucking juice better used for more stand-by hours or talktime isn't a great proposition in my opinion.

This thread really is a bit redundant in my opinion, we already know Nintendo's position on power, they spoke the same way at the start of this generation, and the Cube was hardly underpowered in most respects that matter.

You haven't seen the newest Japanese cellphones. The biggest problem with cellphone games is there is no real standards across cellphone makers and models.
 
ihamoitc2005 said:
However, less power means less flashy image and for many consumers flashy image is everything ... "bling-bling" style, but if competitor games are like Quake4 and are the same games but with better graphics, then Nintendo might have a chance. Given constraints, Nintendo has very good strategy.

I will bet $1,000 that the competitor's games are not like Quake4 (which is the same game with upgraded graphics). And if Nintendo is banking on this happening than they will be in last place in marketshare again. Gears of War is already starting that off for the X360.
 
What I find interesting is that he "hopes" Revolution will be cheaper than the 400 Euros of the X360. So not only he isn't even sure if Rev will indeed come cheaper than that price at launch, he doesn't even factor in that A) there'll already a 100$ cheaper version of X360 available at its launch and B) by the time Rev hits the market X360 will most likely have been through at least 1 pricecut (pre- or post-christmas 2006)...
 
As long as there's people making games like SOTC, hardware won't matter. And it shouldn't.


Does anyone think i can mention SOTC in every single post i make until xmas? Who wants to bet...
 
Gollum said:
What I find interesting is that he "hopes" Revolution will be cheaper than the 400 Euros of the X360. So not only he isn't even sure if Rev will indeed come cheaper than that price at launch, he doesn't even factor in that A) there'll already a 100$ cheaper version of X360 available at its launch and B) by the time Rev hits the market X360 will most likely have been through at least 1 pricecut (pre- or post-christmas 2006)...
Like any such regional division he won't know a price until the main HQ releases it. To say Revolution will be cheaper is second guessing what the senior management decide. It's likely Nintendo don't yet know how much Revolution will sell for, as they don't know how much it'll cost until design is finished and production runs tested (eg will they have 65nm or not?), so the head of a continental department certainly won't know at this point where Revolution will be priced.
 
The problem of the industry according to Merrick: "An average person today can't make head or tails of a video game."

Can't? Or doesn't want to?

I've found very few games that were simply beyong the average humans abilities to learn. Most don't simply because they don't want to, and just because you wrap the same game in a new package isn't going to make them want to play video games any more.
 
I agree, many people just don't want to play games, just like some just can't be bothered to read books or play a boardgame.

The gaming market certainly didn't become as huge as it is because all games are bad or too complicated in general - yet that's the message Nintendo, amongst others, sometimes seem to convey - it's always "games are too complicated" this and "they demand too much time and attention" that. Yeah right, that's why millions and millions of people have been playing and enjoying games for decades now. :rolleyes:

IMO there's not going to be a "revolution" in gaming anytime soon - pun intended - and no matter how much more approachable they may think they're making their games (Nintendo with the new controller, MS with Live Arcade, Sony with EyeToy to name some examples), there's always going to be peple who just won't play 'em. The best they can do is expand their audience a little, but they should try not to alienate the foundation their empires are built upon in the process...
 
I find it strange that Nintendo criticizes game controllers for being too complicated with too many buttons and then go and base the Revolution controller design around one of the most complicated control devices one can find in a home.

Things average people use every day like cell phones and TV remotes have far more buttons and functions than a game controller, yet it's not a barrier to them watching TV or calling each other.
 
robofunk said:
You haven't seen the newest Japanese cellphones.
I don't need to. :D Either the phone's too small to game on effectively, or else it'll be so large it looks rediculous to hold it up to one's ear to talk into.

The PSP really is what I'd call a bare minimum when it comes to screen size, and just the PSP screen is bigger than most phones, not to mention any buttons, speakers etc that will be needed to play on a device like that. The incompatibility problems between phone models is just the icing on the cake that kills cellphone gaming.

Just as carpenters don't have one tool to do everything, I don't really believe in having one supertoy that plays music and videos, makes calls and plays games, seems to me a device like that would be a perfect case of jack of all trades, master of none.
 
Confidence-Man said:
I find it strange that Nintendo criticizes game controllers for being too complicated with too many buttons and then go and base the Revolution controller design around one of the most complicated control devices one can find in a home.

Things average people use every day like cell phones and TV remotes have far more buttons and functions than a game controller, yet it's not a barrier to them watching TV or calling each other.
Though using a TV remote or texting someone isn't a time-critical operation like gaming. If you need to stop and look at a TV remote to the find the button you need, that's fine. But in the midst of a computer game where you're looking at the screen, not the controller, you need to naturally know where the buttons are. It's more akin to playing a piano or woodwind instrument. You need to learn the keys to press in combination without looking at them. And that's the bit that makes playing the piano or clarinet a bit to tricky to just pick-up-and-play' ;)
 
Shifty Geezer said:
Though using a TV remote or texting someone isn't a time-critical operation like gaming. If you need to stop and look at a TV remote to the find the button you need, that's fine. But in the midst of a computer game where you're looking at the screen, not the controller, you need to naturally know where the buttons are. It's more akin to playing a piano or woodwind instrument. You need to learn the keys to press in combination without looking at them. And that's the bit that makes playing the piano or clarinet a bit to tricky to just pick-up-and-play' ;)

That's a good point, but wouldn't that also apply to the revolution controller as it has buttons on it as well?

I don't think simple games with simple controls would pose a problem for people, even on a regular controller. The real problem is getting the average person to care about playing a game in the first place. I see making non-games like Nintendogs as the solution to that rather than a new controller.
 
This sounds a lot like Howard Lincoln's dissertation right before they launched the gamecube. (or was it N64?) I distinctly remember how it wasnt about the "quantity of games but the quality". THis of course made the bold assumption that the 'quantity' of games coming for the other systems would have NO quality, which was of course incorrect.

IMO, this is marketing talk. However, I so honestly believe that nintendo has decided to NOT compete on hardware. WIth their business model though they dont have to. The best recognized franchises and a huge handheld market is all they need to remain solvent and profitable. My guess is that theyll turn a profit on hardware day one.

I do think the 'market leader' quote is posturing becuase there is nothing that would indicate that would happen. Maybe just in handhelds?

FWIW i agreee with Shifty on the controller. The 'gamepad' has been around long enough that people are not firightened or confused by it.
 
Im actually quite fond of having a more-than-just-gaming box. Its not like movies arent entertainment and thus not important, calling themselfes an entertainment-company in the same sentence is ironic. In fact the only thing that could get me to buy a PS3 early is the possible option of being able to programm it (supposed it turns out to be indeed unrestricted enough), else I`ll likely pass on nextgen for the next 1-2 Years.

Power: More never hurts, if even the most ridicolus programmed Games on PS3/XBox360 beat anything the Rev offers in term of Graphics and interactivity, then theres lill`sense to actually start coding on Rev. As long the gap is narrow enough to stay competive its prolly a minor issue, but I doubt they`d talk about it as much if it was that case. If power aint an issue why even care for nextgen
 
Confidence-Man said:
That's a good point, but wouldn't that also apply to the revolution controller as it has buttons on it as well?
Stripping buttons to a minimum means only both thumbs are needed which are pretty versatile, unlike the more usual shoulder button+face button combos. And in theory most of those buttons will only see a passing use as the majority of interface is based around instinctive natural motions of one arm (and no patting head and rubbing tummy complexities!)
I don't think simple games with simple controls would pose a problem for people, even on a regular controller. The real problem is getting the average person to care about playing a game in the first place. I see making non-games like Nintendogs as the solution to that rather than a new controller.
I agree, but I think there's a limit as to how many simple games you can get on a standard controller that are worth playing. We've had the likes of Tetris and Mario platformers but they've somewhat been done and no longer offer the originality that made them so appealing in their heyday. Nintendogs is garnering lots of attention and isn't possible on a standard controller, which shows where a new unique interface can create unique games (or more entertainments perhaps?) with simple interactive that appeal on a broad scale. I think the Rev controller provides the simple, easy interface with the right amount of versatility to encourage a mass of simple yet engaging titles. I think EyeToy could also manage this if really pushed, but it's questionable whether it'll see the same support (and accuracy. Mine doesn't work half the time in my room as it can't tell the difference between my hand and the pale blue wall) the Revolution's controller will get. I also think using the next-gen processing power to make unique games, maybe things based on fluid dynamics or something demanding and not yet possible, might also find some simple-yet-engaging mass-appeal titles. So it's probably not a one-horse race with Revolution's controller owning the world.
 
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