Nintendo Wii U

[Vidocq]

One of Nintendo's big "secrets" (not really a secret) is that all the money that other companies pour into R&D to get better clock speeds and performance and such, they pour into refinement and power-efficiency and lowering production cost (and thus, unit cost)

That's why Nintendo systems are always a little bit underpowered, but always make money. (Although the Gamecube wasn't really that underpowered, it was about halfway between the PS2 and the Xbox in performance)

Yeah, the problem though it's that they take a huge investment from their shareholders into making a certain number of consoles. So, even if they win from every individual console it's still not enough to pay for the costs that went into making the whole order, they also now had to deal with overstocking, which can't look good.

[Endless_Legend]

Yeah, the problem though it's that they take a huge investment from their shareholders into making a certain number of consoles. So, even if they win from every individual console it's still not enough to pay for the costs that went into making the whole order, they also now had to deal with overstocking, which can't look good.

It did for every single Nintendo console prior to this one, and then some. They were hugely profitable on everything including quote-unquote "failures" like the N64 (still a huge success financially) and the Gamecube.

The Wii-U is the first time *ever* that they've had losses. They've only been operating losses. Big-N has the cash reserves to carry those losses forward for a long, long time.

It's looking like those losses are over, considering the absurb increase in sales the Wii U is having right now, after just one major First-party release.

[Spider-Prime]

People do just wait sometimes for that main game they want to come out before buying the console.

Look at the 3DS, Nobody bought it the first year it was out, well mostly cause of the absurd price of it back then being 250, just cause fanboys swooned over it at E3, they fought they could over price it :P

I got it for 150 at launch day, so the price drop didn't really affect me, it was a plus for me cause I got 20 free VC games for it

I got it that cheap cause Bestbuy had a deal going, trade in 3 games and get a DSi XL for free, only 1 of those games were actually mine and I got it for 20 dollars :P Ravin Rabbits on the Wii... oh how I don't miss you!

and then Gamestop had a deal, trade in your old DSi XL and get the 3DS for 150.... SOLD!

[jump]

It did for every single Nintendo console prior to this one, and then some. They were hugely profitable on everything including quote-unquote "failures" like the N64 (still a huge success financially) and the Gamecube.

The Wii-U is the first time *ever* that they've had losses. They've only been operating losses. Big-N has the cash reserves to carry those losses forward for a long, long time.

It's looking like those losses are over, considering the absurb increase in sales the Wii U is having right now, after just one major First-party release.

I agree with what you're saying but it's not just one first party release, alot of Ninty top titles are now out on the Wii U like 2D & 3D Mario, Donkey Kong, Maro Kart etc so the Wii U now has a decent catalogue of games where as before it did look like a barren console. My main concern is will enough top tier titles come out after New Zelda, Smash Bro, Xenoblade Chronicles X etc as the major franchises will have come out on the Wii U but with Ninty being more adventures with stuff like Spatoon and Retro working on something new it should be fine.

[jump]

One of Nintendo's big "secrets" (not really a secret) is that all the money that other companies pour into R&D to get better clock speeds and performance and such, they pour into refinement and power-efficiency and lowering production cost (and thus, unit cost)

That's why Nintendo systems are always a little bit underpowered, but always make money. (Although the Gamecube wasn't really that underpowered, it was about halfway between the PS2 and the Xbox in performance)

I disagree with that, Ninty invest into R&D for things like motion controls and it's only really the Wii & Wii U that have been underpowered.

[Vibranium]

the WiiU has a proper controller now so that may bring some people back

I have ZERO interest in motion control or any of that rot

[Endless_Legend]

The Wiimote, which is a hybrid of traditional controller and motion-control, had so much potential. I kinda wish they'd kept with that for the Wii U. It worked absolutely perfectly in Metroid Prime 3, Skyward Sword, and Metroid: Other M.

I really loved Metroid: Other M's mechanic of using the Wiimote sideways like an old fashioned NES controller, only pointing at the screen for missile targeting. (Yes, I liked alot about that game, I never joined the mob-narrative mentality of hating on it, which was largely just fanboy-bandwagon. The only thing wrong about the game were a couple of bad cutscenes)

I wish they'd released more games like that, with just the Wiimote being used and the pointing feature. Nintendo was originally going to do that, but relented and included the Nunchuk (and it's analog stick) after a horde of complaints from Third-party developers.

Third-party developers who then abandoned them anyway.

[Vibranium]

and third party devs abandoned because its cost prohibitive to develop one game for 2 platforms and then have to retool it for Nintendo and the Wiimote

[Endless_Legend]

and third party devs abandoned because its cost prohibitive to develop one game for 2 platforms and then have to retool it for Nintendo and the Wiimote

The point I was making is that Nintendo should never have listened to or counted on Third-party developers anyway. They always do better when they go it alone.

[Vibranium]

that's where the big money is now

Mario Kart and hopefully the new Zelda will move WiiUs off the shelves now that Nintendo is giving people what they want

[Endless_Legend]

that's where the big money is now

That's the refrain that Third-parties keep telling us. That doesn't mean it's actually true, or as true as they say it is. Which company in gaming made the most profit during the 2000s? Nintendo. Not Sony, not Microsoft, not EA, not Activision.

You only need third-party sales if you take losses on your hardware and you depend on the income from liscensing fees to make a profit. Both Microsoft and Sony do that.

[Vibranium]

the business model has shifted...consoles aren't just for gaming anymore

I use my Xbox for games + Netflix + ESPN + various other tv/movie watching

and on a personal level, Nintendo promised the people a proper Zelda years ago when the N64 came out, and ever since Ocarina of Time...I personally have been waiting for a proper Zelda and am now getting it

so yay

that's happening now

[Endless_Legend]

so yay

that's happening now

My sympathies for your closemindedness, then. Every Zelda game released in that period, including Ocarina itself, has been outstanding and memorable.

[Vibranium]

I disagree...Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, and Skyward Sword were just entries in the Zelda universe...nothing terribly special about any of them

the 3DS titles were a touch better, but this new title looks to walk in the path of the truly GREAT Zelda entries like Link to the Past and Ocarina

[Endless_Legend]

Wind Waker was fantastic. Twilight Princess was dark, ominous, and beautiful. It was also content rich, the longest Zelda game I've ever played, over 45 hours and that's with no sidequesting, just making a beeline from one Main Quest object to another.

Skyward Sword was enchanting and sad and unforgettable.

I enjoyed all of these way more than LTTP or Ocarina, which I still loved but found extremely frustrating and wierdly paced. They did not tell a story as well as the recent games, either.