Nintendo GOing Forward.

[BRiT]

So Nintendo is not getting any reinforcement for the idea of going software-only on other devices than their own.

Nintendo is clueless. That's because they're not releasing the same type of software on other platforms. Release genuine Zelda and Mario and MarioKart on consoles, not fluff Runner style games on only Apple iOS, and then they'll see sales far exceeding WiiU numbers.

 

[Goodtwin]

Whatever Nintendo has done to restructure the company in order to maximize profits, it is working. Nintendo only sold 200k Wii U system in the previous quarter, and 3DS hardware sold 3.7 million units. Nintendo most likely gets a good chuckle when they see people suggesting they need to go third party. Nintendo was able to make fantastic profits with basically one platform, the 3DS, carrying the load.

I know most people see the sales for Mario Run as being terrible, but I still look at it from a return on investment standpoint. How much money did it cost to make Mario Run? I cant fathom more than a million bucks at the very most, probably a lot less. They have taken in 40 million dollars, and will release on Android in a little over a month. This is great way to supplement their revenue. If they can roll out 3-5 games a year with this type of cash flow, that's a nice chunk of change. So while I am sure Nintendo was disappointed with Mario Run's performance, it in no way suggest that Nintendo didn't make a lot of money on the game.

Nintendo confirmed to investors that Switch will be sold for a profit, ensuring there is no negative impact on the fiscal years profits. Nintendo expects to net over a half billion dollars for the fiscal year. 3DS is still a viable platform with life left in it, and Switch pre orders suggest a fast start in March. Its great to see Nintendo healthy.

Edit:
I forgot about Nintendo's sale of their stock in the Seattle Mariners baseball team. It looks like profits from product sales will net them close to 176 million dollars in profit.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

How much would Mario Run have sold on 3DS?

 

[Goodtwin]

How much would Mario Run have sold on 3DS?

Magic 8 Ball......Outlook looks cloudy, ask again later.

I don't know. Leaving the game entirely intact as it currently is, meaning it stays a runner style game, then I would bet it could sell a million units on the 3DS eshop. New Super Mario Bros 2 sold about 10 million units, but that's a full fledged Mario game.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I don't know. Leaving the game entirely intact as it currently is, meaning it stays a runner style game.

Not only runner style game, but one button only. I think 5 million sales of a single-button runner to be pretty exceptional! I think the reason it got so many sales was the large audience, and probably, possibly, maybe, the conventional 3DS gamer wouldn't have been satisfied with such a simple interface on a 3DS title. Any evaluations of Marion Run's performance need to look at a lot of variables in trying to determine the value to Nintendo for going mobile.

 

[Goodtwin]

Not only runner style game, but one button only. I think 5 million sales of a single-button runner to be pretty exceptional! I think the reason it got so many sales was the large audience, and probably, possibly, maybe, the conventional 3DS gamer wouldn't have been satisfied with such a simple interface on a 3DS title. Any evaluations of Marion Run's performance need to look at a lot of variables in trying to determine the value to Nintendo for going mobile.

Simple gameplay defines mobile gaming, so Super Mario Run certainly had a bigger audience with that crowd than they would on 3DS. For $10, I still believe Nintendo could move some units on 3DS if they chose to do it.

Sent from my SM-G360V using Tapatalk

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Also Mario Run still isn't out for Android, so that'll probably be a few more million sales.

 

[Goodtwin]

Mobile gaming seems to be an important part of Nintendo's future. Pokémon Go spurred sales of Pokémon Alpha and Ruby on 3DS, and certainly had a positive impact on the sales of Pokémon Sun and Moon. It will be interesting to see how well Mario Run does on Android, and if it has a better buy ratio than on IOS. Regardless, its obvious that Mobile has the ability to be a good source of revenue for Nintendo. Its not yet clear just how much of a bridge Nintendo's mobile games will provide in order to convert mobile gamers to their dedicated hardware.

@Shifty Geezer
What were you trying to allude to with your comment about Mario Run on 3DS?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

@Shifty Geezer
What were you trying to allude to with your comment about Mario Run on 3DS?

You already picked up on the theory. It's questionable that the same game would receive the same interest on 3DS where the expectations for gameplay are very different. ie. "I've got four face buttons, a D pad, two shoulder buttons, the circle pad, but all I'm supposed to do is press B? And I paid ten bucks for this??" I reckon the game got way more money from mobile than it ever would from 3DS, so comparing uptake on iThings versus uptake of other Mario titles on 3DS would be incomparable.

 

[Goodtwin]

Nintendo's messaging is so much better with Switch than it was with Wii U. The decision to buy a commercial spot during the Super Bowl is a big deal. This will bring awareness and visibility to over a 100 million consumers in the US. Marketing was such a sore spot for Nintendo, and so far it seems like their marketing department is doing a far better job.

 

[Rootax]

I like this spot too, because they sell it as a handheld that you can connect to your tv. And not a "home console first" like before.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

It showcases the concept nicely and looks pretty classy. However, what was shown is a $300 console, $70 pro controller, and $60 game, so $430 to do what was shown (excluding tax).

 

[Goodtwin]

It showcases the concept nicely and looks pretty classy. However, what was shown is a $300 console, $70 pro controller, and $60 game, so $430 to do what was shown (excluding tax).

Yep, consoles are always the worst value proposition at launch. Xbox One was a $600 proposition at launch, and PS4 was over $500. I don't see why the Pro Controller is perceived by so many to be a necessity. Don't get me wrong, I will eventually buy one. But my day one purchase is the $300 console plus $60 for Zelda BoTW. From what I have heard, the Joy Con grip is a comfortable controller. I will want a Pro Controller for Street Fighter 2, but I do not need one day one. Nintendo Switch, at least initially seems to be targeting young adults. People with busy life styles and a decent amount of disposable income. The marketing is spot on in my opinion. Sticking to Zelda for the Super Bowl commercial communicates a focus on console quality gaming that is mobile. The messaging is so much better this time around.

 

[tuna]

I know most people see the sales for Mario Run as being terrible, but I still look at it from a return on investment standpoint. How much money did it cost to make Mario Run? I cant fathom more than a million bucks at the very most, probably a lot less. They have taken in 40 million dollars, and will release on Android in a little over a month. This is great way to supplement their revenue. If they can roll out 3-5 games a year with this type of cash flow, that's a nice chunk of change. So while I am sure Nintendo was disappointed with Mario Run's performance, it in no way suggest that Nintendo didn't make a lot of money on the game.

Mario Run was an exception (they got extreme amounts of exposure and special deals on the App store). Future releases will not have the same commercial impact unless it is as novel and fresh.

 

[Goodtwin]

Mario Run was an exception (they got extreme amounts of exposure and special deals on the App store). Future releases will not have the same commercial impact unless it is as novel and fresh.

Sure, but it still comes back around to return on investment. If they can continue to create a few mobile games a year that can deliver fantastic returns, they will continue to do so. Its not like they are bogging down their internal resources to deliver these games. Its supplemental income for Nintendo. Same goes with their partnership with Universal Studios and potentially using their IP's for movies.

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

It showcases the concept nicely and looks pretty classy. However, what was shown is a $300 console, $70 pro controller, and $60 game, so $430 to do what was shown (excluding tax).

They showed a TV, sofa and house as well. OHHH MYY GOOODDD Switch is actually costing you 200.430 (excl. tax) bucks before you can do what was shown in the commercial!!

 

[Shifty Geezer]

They showed a TV, sofa and house as well. OHHH MYY GOOODDD Switch is actually costing you 200.430 (excl. tax) bucks before you can do what was shown in the commercial!!

One assumes you already have those things before (thinking of) buying a Switch...

 

[tuna]

Sure, but it still comes back around to return on investment. If they can continue to create a few mobile games a year that can deliver fantastic returns, they will continue to do so. Its not like they are bogging down their internal resources to deliver these games. Its supplemental income for Nintendo. Same goes with their partnership with Universal Studios and potentially using their IP's for movies.

Mario Run was developed by the most experienced Nintendo developers (Miyamoto and Tezuka). That is a drain on Nintendo's most important resources.

Also, future iOS games will most likely not deliver the same returns since Mario Run was an exception.

 

[BRiT]

Mario Run was developed by the most experienced Nintendo developers (Miyamoto and Tezuka). That is a drain on Nintendo's most important resources.

Also, future iOS games will most likely not deliver the same returns since Mario Run was an exception.

If they weren't doing that, what would they have been doing?

 

[Goodtwin]

Mario Run was developed by the most experienced Nintendo developers (Miyamoto and Tezuka). That is a drain on Nintendo's most important resources.

Also, future iOS games will most likely not deliver the same returns since Mario Run was an exception.

Miyamoto oversees tons of projects, its not like Mario Run was his full time job. I'm certain it was a small team of members creating Mario Run.

Perhaps most games wont do as well as Mario Run, but they can still be significant on return on investment. If Nintendo can turn a million dollar investment into 20 million, they should continue to do that. I would imagine a simplified Mario Kart will arrive on mobile at some point, and that could be bigger than Mario Run. For Nintendo, mobile gaming gets a lot of people interacting with their IP's, and they believe this can help influence people to transition to their dedicated gaming platforms.