Nintendo Going Online, Releasing New Games

GamesIndustry.biz has an article up about the Big N's future plans. Shigeru Miyamoto stated recently that Nintendo plans to be fully supporting online play within a few years, with the DS leading the way. From the article: "Miyamoto, credited as the design genius behind key Nintendo franchises including Zelda and Mario, told the magazine that online gaming will reach the mainstream within three to four years, and that Nintendo will be moving in that direction as a result." Gamespot also has details on upcoming Gamecube games, including another Mario, the next Legend of Zelda, Donkey Konga 3, Mario Baseball, and a new Kirby game.

Comments

At least it's a start...

[tktk]

I always wondered if Nintendo didn't want to go online since they didn't have as much computer/server experience as Microsoft or Sony. In a pinch, Microsoft and Sony could probably pull workers from other divisions to set up game servers.

Online support for the DS would give them an easy chance to practice. It's a small group of users. And besides, it wouldn't take much bandwidth to serve DS games.

Dreamcast?

[pluke]

does that name ring a bell? And the lucky people in the states got 56k modems us Europeans were treated to 33k modems. To be honest they should have sold it as an add on over here, there were a host of games that didn't even go online whilst the US versions did, i think UT was one of them and they never even released Bomberman in the UK, i had to get it on import.

Hmmm

[MC Negro]

Honestly, I would expect this. I don't think Nintendo is really out to piss off their consumers. I think what they're after is quality. Think about it - Nintendo is frequently the last console company to implement something, but it's almost always a high-quality implementation. Remember the SNES' dying days where it was fighting off both SEGA's and Sony's CD-based 32-bit consoles? I remember frustration as my friends played games like Tomb Raider and Virtua Fighter in full 3D while I was left with Donkey Kong Country and its 2D, side-scrolling action. But then came the N64, and while it didn't even scratch the surface of the PSone's success, it definitely blew it away in quality. Games like Super Mario 64 and Legend of Zelda : OoT were rendered in full 3D without load times and pixelated graphics and still maintained the Nintendo quality of gameplay from the 16-bit days. It set a new standard for console 3D games and gameplay.

When Nintendo finally moved to disc-based media with the GCN, they moved because load-times were far less of an issue with the current technology. They waited for it so they wouldn't rub their consumers the wrong way. While I loved the PSone, looking back, the load times were atrocious. Piracy of GCN games is near impossible and they're still able to keep up with the pack in most areas (with only the biggest games suffering from the proprietary media size limit).

The DS is another fine example waiting to unfold. Nintendo is just now doing 3D pocket gaming. There have been plenty of technologically superior portable game consoles capable of 3D, yet Nintendo's gameboy series has always done better in the market. There's no question that the DS is less powerful than the PSP, but I think Nintendo is more concerned with the quality of the game rather than the graphical superiority.

This is not to say that Nintendo made the right choice in waiting to advance their technologies, but I am saying that when Nintendo does enter the online arena, it will be a high-quality entrance, as history has proved. They might lose some sales because online console capabilities is a selling point for some people, but I think Nintendo has sent the message time and time again that they're not after the gamers who want bleeding edge technology; they're after the gamers who want high-quality, rich gaming experiences.

(and yes, I'm aware of Nintendo's forays into the online and CD-based markets)

Re:Hmmm

[AzraelKans]

"Hmmm...?" are more likely my thoughts. Sorry to dissapoint you, but I was one of the quite many N-followers that patiently waited for a N64 instead of buying a psx and then realized they had commited a huge mistake in doing so

Nintendo 64 basically had basically the same graphics, the games were very small,simple and childish (with RARE and N exceptions!), quite expensive (zelda 64==$99!) and worst of all extremely scarce! worthwhile games came each 6 months to a full year!

Meanwhile the neighbours (teens lime me btw) were playing FF VII,KOF,SF,TEKKEN3 and Resident evil 2 and watching demos of the coming MGS in their PSX. It took me just one (1) visit to the home next door to realize that the n64 had to go. YES the psx had load times but by my 20th consecutive hours playing FFVII (and no, not replaying the same levels 10 times which was the n64 case), I simply couldnt care less.

Nintendo did many great things in their time (specially in the snes) and did great games for the n64 (not many but they did), however not placing a CD tray in the n64 because of "load times" thus giving birth to the psx, has to be one of the greatest mistakes in game history.

IMO announcing they are going online now is the equivalent of a big: "OOOOOPS!"

Why thank you! btw why didnt you thought that BEFORE everybody with a cube had to buy 4 fucking gameboys just to play zelda 4 swords? and crystal chronicles?!

Are you feeling lucky? Go ahead MOD my day!

Re:Hmmm

[NanoGator]

"Nintendo did many great things in their time (specially in the snes) and did great games for the n64 (not many but they did), however not placing a CD tray in the n64 because of "load times" thus giving birth to the psx, has to be one of the greatest mistakes in game history."

Nintendo sold 30 million of those 'greatest mistakes in game history'. Frankly, if the N64 had been more like the Playstation, it really isn't all that clear they would have done better.

a.) Sony flooded stores with 3rd party crap games, making it seem like the 'must have' system to own. Nintendo wouldn't have done that.

b.) The Saturn's butt was kicked to the point of failure (unlike the 30 million N64s sold) and it had a CD drive.

c.) Nintendo made money on every cartridge sold, that would not have been the case with CDs. Sucks for the customer, great for Nintendo. The point is, the N64 is not a sour note in Nintendo's history. Gamers like the PS1 better, but Nintendo still made quite a healthy profit on it.

"IMO announcing they are going online now is the equivalent of a big: "OOOOOPS!""

I doubt it. Going on-line isn't exactly causing Sony or MS to build a 3 cubic acre money bin to swim in.

Does Miyamoto Have Some Ideas?

[blueZhift]

If Miyamoto is starting to talk about online gaming, then I think that means that he may already have some game ideas in mind. Up until now, Nintendo has been famously against online gaming. But given the string of Miyamoto hits that have supported the company over the years, if he is talking about online play, then the wheels are finally starting to turn at Nintendo. But I don't really believe it will be 3 or 4 years. If they are serious, I'd guess we'll see some serious NDS online play within about 18 months, maybe something related to Pikmin or Pokemon. Maybe they'll have a bundle with a GameCube wireless router add-on or something. I think an online multiplayer Mario might be interesting, but a real challenge to design and keep the Mario flavor.

Heck, if they're working with Square Enix, we might even see some kind of FFIX NDS connectivity as a proof of concept (wild speculation!). This might be followed by a version of Crystal Chronicles with online elements or full blown online multiplayer.

Re:hmm

[basscomm]

Not innovate? Nintendo is responsible for the D-Pad, Rumbling controllers, the Virtual Boy, the e-reader, wireless controllers for the NES, and the Game & Watch, among other things. Granted, not all of those were particularly successful, but they were innovative.