Nintendo 3DS business/general talk *spin-off feat. 3DS as a P.I. in New Orleans

[Sigfried1977]

The PS3 case is different because Sony was already selling at a loss. They couldn't afford or didn't want to drop it lower, although they did cut the PS3 launch price in Japan quickly.

That only makes it more sad. Nintendo is almost certainly making a killing on every 3ds hardware that's being sold, yet they still refuse to lower the price of the damned thing despite the sluggish sales. Then they expect me to be grateful for having the ability to purchase ancient Game Boy Color roms for 6€ in the Estore. And then they bitch about cheap apps destroying the value of software while having the nerve to ask 40€ for something like Steeldiver.

 

[(((interference)))]

I'll agree and say that "most" titles are a bit lackluster, but there are a handful, like the RE games, that push the hardware a lot harder, and it's nice to see examples of what the system is really capable of. Hopefully the other devs will figure that out over the next couple of years. Especially since I actually own a 3DS, I don't normally buy handhelds.. hehe.

Yes, titles like Luigi's Mansion, Metal Gear Solid and RE Revelations look more advanced than similar PSP titles.

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

That only makes it more sad. Nintendo is almost certainly making a killing on every 3ds hardware that's being sold, yet they still refuse to lower the price of the damned thing despite the sluggish sales. Then they expect me to be grateful for having the ability to purchase ancient Game Boy Color roms for 6€ in the Estore. And then they bitch about cheap apps destroying the value of software while having the nerve to ask 40€ for something like Steeldiver.

They probably figured that the extra money they earn on each unit sold right now is worth more than lowering the price and selling more units. At the moment I can see why they won't care about relative slow sales. There is no competition (in the form on the vita) and still a lack of decent software. I can see them lowering the price once they near vita launch or near the end of the year when some of the big titels are supposed to come out.

 

[Sigfried1977]

No competition? At least in Japan they are getting hammered month after month by the PSP.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

I think Nintendo is holding off the price reduction until they have a decent games library.

That way, they'll spend money on marketing the price reduction and the shiny new games at the same time, thus creating a "press thunder".

 

[patsu]

3DS Tales of the Abyss Tops the Charts:
http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2011/07/07/media_create_sales/

Backed by its first major RPG in Tales of the Abyss, 3DS grabbed the top spot in both hardware and software this week. PSP narrowly missed the top hardware spot (aided little by PSP go which apparently managed to sell just 7 systems this week).

...

Nintendo Firm on Software Exclusivity Following Smartphone Pokemon App:
http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2011/07/07/nintendo_software_exclusivity/

Earlier this week, The Pokmon Company announced a free Pokemon rhythm game called Pokemon Ie Tap?, to be released this summer on iPhone and Android smartphones. With a Pokemon game appearing on a non Nintendo platform, does this mean Nintendo has changed its firm policy about releasing its IPs on other platforms?

Bloomberg reports that company PR head Yasuhiro Minagawa played down the smartphone app in comments released on the 6th. Minagawa stressed that The Pokmon Company is a separate company from Nintendo. With regards to offering Nintendo's own software on other makers' hardware, he said "there is no change, and no plans for a change in the future."

...

Bloomberg notes that Nintendo's stock rose following reports of the Pokemon smartphone game on the morning of the 6th, at one point rising 4.9% above the prior day. However, following Minagawa's comments, the stocks suddenly fell, ending at 1.2% above the prior day.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

Tales of the Abyss? The game that looks like this?

 

[Deleted member 13524]

I think Nintendo may already be on their way to lower the 3DS' price.

The portuguese pixmania has started to sell the console for 205€, 45€ less than the launch price.

 

[function]

Tales of the Abyss? The game that looks like this?

I can't decide whether seeing that in 3D would make it better, or more horrific.

 

[V3]

I think Nintendo may already be on their way to lower the 3DS' price.

The portuguese pixmania has started to sell the console for 205€, 45€ less than the launch price.

I am sure 3DS will be less than $200 soon. For me 3DS is price alright but it is just too small, its freaking smaller than DSi and coming from XL, its just freaking small. Their top 3D screen should be at least 5" for 3DS XL While I find the Wii U controller screen is too small for it, it would have been a perfect size 3D screen for 3DS XL.

Anyway I was so close to buying OOT with 3DS, but arghh its just too small while I was demoing the thing. It got upcoming games like a new Mario that I just have to play later on, so I am really hoping for an XL version soonish. I hope PS Vita kick its ass so Nintendo will response somehow.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

I can't decide whether seeing that in 3D would make it better, or more horrific.

Those are DS visuals imo.
But it seems most of the games coming out for the 3DS are just that, either lazy productions that look like they were initially DS projects and at a late stage they decided to copy&paste the content to the 3DS, or 15 year-old ported 2D games with a rushed out 3D mode that only gives the feeling that you're watching a puppet show made of cardboards.

I am sure 3DS will be less than $200 soon. For me 3DS is price alright but it is just too small, its freaking smaller than DSi and coming from XL, its just freaking small. Their top 3D screen should be at least 5" for 3DS XL While I find the Wii U controller screen is too small for it, it would have been a perfect size 3D screen for 3DS XL.

Anyway I was so close to buying OOT with 3DS, but arghh its just too small while I was demoing the thing. It got upcoming games like a new Mario that I just have to play later on, so I am really hoping for an XL version soonish. I hope PS Vita kick its ass so Nintendo will response somehow.

For me, the price is "alright" too, in an "I could afford it" way.I just don't think it's worth 250€. Looking at what I could do with it, I wonder if I would give even €150 for the console. I know the hardware per-se isn't worth it at all, but the DS wasn't about the hardware either and I got one on day one of the DS Lite..

Regarding OOT, there's this one time when I played it in the N64. And then I found it interesting to play it again when it was bundled with Twilight Princess, as the revamped visuals made it a bit more pleasant (I wasn't patient enough to play until the end, though).
But a 3rd time? Unless it's an actual remake with drastically different visuals, orchestral music (non-MIDI for god's sake... it's 2011, give the professional musicians a job..) and voice recordings, I won't even bother with it.

 

[Xenus]

You are thinking rather fondly of the DS if you call those DS level Visuals they are far closer to PSP level considering it's an almost 1 to 1 port of a PS2 game. The biggest problem I heard about that game is some changes in lighting make it worse and the lack of any AA whatsoever.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

You are thinking rather fondly of the DS if you call those DS level Visuals they are far closer to PSP level considering it's an almost 1 to 1 port of a PS2 game. The biggest problem I heard about that game is some changes in lighting make it worse and the lack of any AA whatsoever.

Well it looks a lot worse than most PSP titles I've seen so far and it doesn't look like a generational leap from some of the best-looking DS titles either...

I have no doubts the 3DS can do graphics a lot better than that, it's just that it seems the developers aren't bothering with decent visuals and optimizations so far.

 

[Xenus]

Not really though. It's jaggy as hell due to the resolution and sure the 3ds can do better. It's a launch window 1-1 port of a PS2game but it's definitely a lever above the DS.

 

[sfried]

But a 3rd time? Unless it's an actual remake with drastically different visuals, orchestral music (non-MIDI for god's sake... it's 2011, give the professional musicians a job..) and voice recordings, I won't even bother with it.

It actually has remastered visuals. Orchestral music was actually considered but they wanted it to be true to the original so they resampled the midi instead.

As for voice recordings, do you know how much the fans would complain? Zelda is one of those games where grunts are sufficient voicework, as I'm not sure if they could find suitable voice acting without making it sound...terrible in English (since Zelda games don't exactly have the best dialogue out there).

 

[Shifty Geezer]

But a 3rd time? Unless it's an actual remake with drastically different visuals, orchestral music (non-MIDI for god's sake... it's 2011, give the professional musicians a job..)

Just an OT aside, of the game music I've heard, very little is recorded from a real orchestra. It's almost all artificial orchestra-simulation.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

It seems there's a wave of 3DS titles being cancelled:

Maybe it's bad timing or just bad luck. But there's a growing list of cancelled 3DS games. That's not good.

On the list of canned 3DS games, there's My Garden, which was supposed to be a 3DS launch title. There's also Saints Row: Drive-By, also apparently canned.

Four Hudson games for the 3DS were canned, including Omega Five, Kororinpa: Marble Mania, Bonk, and Bomberman. However, these cancellations could be due to the current situation at Hudson.

BloodRayne: The Shroud wasn't canned outright, but it's development is currently on hold. Also, DJ Hero 3 hasn't been officially cancelled, but it seems like this game is going to fall by the wayside. Blame the flagging popularity of music games for that!

Assassin's Creed: Lost Legacy was officially canned, and as of yesterday, Mega Man Legends 3 bit the dust.

To add insult to injury, it was revealed this week that 3DS game Crush 3D was delayed due to uncertainly over whether or not the 3DS is going to succeed.

The Nintendo 3DS was released in late February in Japan and in late March in the West. It's only been out a few months, and it's already being battered by bad luck and strong headwinds. There are big 3DS games on the horizon, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D is currently out.

The issue that plagues Nintendo hardware isn't traditionally a lack of good Nintendo games, but a lack of good games from outside developers—not to say these canned games were amazing. However, if developer after developer jumps ship, what kind of message does it send studios thinking about making a 3DS title?

Source.

 

[Squilliam]

I feel Nintendo's problem is that their handheld is too expensive for what it is or too cheap for what they charge for it and they've positioned it badly. If you're a smaller developer you already have the big temptation to develop for iOS and Android. If you're a larger developer, and you're trying to make core games then you'll probably be more interested in the NGP.

Note: Im not saying the NGP will do well, but it may be getting a few of the bets from some of the larger software development teams whom may skip straight to that device and skip the 3DS initially unless something happens in the interim.

 

[V3]

Damn Bonk 3DS got canned

Come on Ninty, release the 3DS XL, I'll buy it, even if the 3D is drop. 6.5" top screen.

 

[RudeCurve]

I feel Nintendo's problem is that their handheld is too expensive for what it is or too cheap for what they charge for it and they've positioned it badly. If you're a smaller developer you already have the big temptation to develop for iOS and Android. If you're a larger developer, and you're trying to make core games then you'll probably be more interested in the NGP.

Note: Im not saying the NGP will do well, but it may be getting a few of the bets from some of the larger software development teams whom may skip straight to that device and skip the 3DS initially unless something happens in the interim.

I agree, the NGP will start at $250 which is only slightly higher in price than the 3DS.