Slashdot Mirror
How Apple Is Beating Nintendo At Its Own Game
Zothecula writes "In an industry obsessed with polygon counts and frame rates, Nintendo's Wii console and DS handheld were the proverbial knives at a gunfight. They were grossly underpowered compared to the competition, meaning Nintendo could sell them at a profit from day one. Their innovative control methods ensured they still sold like hotcakes. An animated GIF of Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto and Satoru Iwata holding a DS that printed money became the go to picture to run alongside quarterly announcements of Nintendo's gargantuan profits. If a disheveled man emerged from a time-traveling DeLorean with tales of a near-future Nintendo struggling to sell its latest handheld, I'd have been more surprised about the Nintendo thing. So what on earth happened?"
Because iPhones & iPod Touches can do a lot more than just play games?
This is the reason I will never buy a 3DS (until it is cracked, then..maybe) Every previous nintendo handheld was not region locked, I could safely travel anywhere in the world, purchase a game locally and not have to worry about it not working on my DS/GBA/GB. Now suddenly, Nintendo has decided to region lock 3DS games so if I go overseas I can't buy games for my console.
The title should read "Apple is Beating Nintendo at a Completely Different Game".
Honestly, it's not even comparable. People want iPhones because it consolidates multiple devices into one, eliminating the desire to carry a GameBoy around, and games from the app store hold an entirely different niche in the market than handheld console games. While yes, that niche is dominating the video game market, I don't think it's safe to call them "video games" as well.
But of course, naming the title this is a way to get more hits, so I really shouldn't be surprised.
A Nintendo 3DS that sells for a couple hundred, but costs $20-$30 for cheap little games?
Or the iPad2, costs $500-$600, but costs $1-$5 for cheap little games. Oh, and you can watch Netflix on it.
We should not forget that people tend to associate handheld gaming consoles with nerds and children, whereas mobile phones are *cool*. Every day I see high powered businessmen suited up for a day at work playing Angry Birds on the subway, but I have never seen an adult using a Nintendo.
I love how everyone acts like this really has something to do with Apple. The reality is it would of happened no matter what. Nobody wants to carry an extra device.
The moment selling graphically powerful phones became normal was the moment handhelds were doomed. Apple brought this about earlier perhaps but Moore's law said it was going to happen no matter what.
The sales figures for the 3DS were respectable, and the price drop will continue those sales.
Electronics (and everything, it seems) have taken on the blockbuster movie vibe -- if it doesn't hit BIG IMMEDIATELY then it's a total flop.
So, Nintendo brought a knife to a gunfight (bad) except that they could sell these knives for a profit (good) because they were underpowered (underpowered knives ?), so they could print money (good), except that if a disheveled man emerged from a time machine (say what ?) he would be surprised that they weren't selling after all, or something. And then
A wild STEVE JOBS appears! STEVE JOBS uses DESTROY VALUE. It's super effective!
And they say you don't need editors on the Internet.
I'm actually interested in the 3DS, and the reason I haven't bought one isn't because of the 3D being a "gimmick" - its simply that there aren't any "must own" titles out for it. This is really the same problem the Wii had as well, and it looks like the WiiU might have next year. There launch lineups for the last few systems have been fairly weak. In the old days, every Nintendo system launched with a brand new Mario title to show off what the system could do, and a lot of other Nintendo properties were available shortly after launch as well. What Nintendo really needs to do for all of their new systems is make sure one of their main properties has a title out at launch, like a new Mario, Zelda or Metroid, or for the handhelds, there should probably be a Pokemon game at launch.
On the contrary, I bet Nintendo thought they had bottled lightning with the new take on the virtual boy.
Look at it this way. Nintendo had tried motion control before (who had a power glove? I did! looked awesome, worked like complete shit), and it was a dismal failure. They tried it again with newer technology and hit the unexpected console home run of the decade with the Wii. they had console shortages like 3 holiday seasons in a row. You'll never convince me that they didn't purposely orchestrate the lack of supply to drive up demand, but you have to admit that the constant demand over that long a time period was unprecedented. I'm sure Nintendo was just trying to do the same thing again with the 3DS.
I remember reading (cant find source) that some of the big wigs at Nintendo told their stock holders that the hardware was done, but they wanted to hold off the release of the 3DS till they had an impressive line up of launch titles. Stockholders wanted a quick pay day from the successor to the system that printed money, and forced it out early.
The system then launched with no games. And gamers, well as much as we like cool new hardware, we actually seem to like games more. No games? No sale. Sorry, that's just how it works. Now the 3DS isn't selling well and there's this sentiment that it won't sell well in the future and everyone (stockholders) is all up in a panic. Actual gamers? Well when that must play game comes out around Christmas then I'll jump, till then... why?
I'm not convinced that iPhones are killing the dedicated hand held market. Maybe diluting it a bit, but nothing like the scare tactics that we're seeing. You're not going to find a game with depth on your iDevice or android that you will with a 3DS or a Vita. If only for the reason that even last gen portable games often went over a gig in size (UMD discs could hold 1.9 gig on them). Your iPhone would be able to realistically hold about 5 games of psp quality before you'd have to delete the old ones to make room for the new. When you start looking at the vita, you're looking at 6 to 8 gig per game. You'd fit one? Maybe two games on your phone?
This is all over inflated.
I can't speak for everyone, and I know that there exist many /. UIDs with a strong preference for dedicated devices... but for myself and the people I know, it's all about portability and flexibility.
There's an old saying in photography that the best camera to use is the one you have with you. The same thing goes for personal electronics. A few years ago, I used to carry around a backpack with the following in it:
- Spiral bound note pad
- Paperback book
- 10" laptop
- hand-held GPS unit
- cell phone
- portable CD player
- CD wallet case
- Canon Elph camera
- assorted and sundry other stuff
- extra batteries and charging cables for the above
- (I never got into portable game players, my bag was full--and HEAVY)
Today, I have two options. Either I just carry my iPhone in my pocket, or I include a small bag just big enough for my iPad and an external battery pack which can be used by either device. (if I bring the bag, I also tuck in a bottle of Ghost Pepper sauce--sealed up super tightly--because it's awesome.)
The crazy thing is, I haven't really lost much if any functionality over my previous carry, and at the very worst, it weighs less than 1/4 what it used to. I've also added a ton of functionality: always-on internet access is a big one. Also video recording and conferencing. (And 650k scoville hot sauce, but I digress.)
The absolute last thing I want at this point is to add yet one more device I would have to keep charged and haul around. I don't care if the games are 50 times better, 90% of the time that I play games I'm waiting in line somewhere and don't want a deep gaming experience anyway in the 2 minutes I have.
You catch enchiladas by picking them up behind the head and holding them underwater until they don't kick anymore -VeGas
.... the Nintendo DS became a non-starter for me. My middle "hyper-active" child destroyed 2 Nintendo DSes then after a Craigslist buy of a used DS went badly - the screen was broken - I had had enough of the overhead of the DS. I would find the cartridges all over the house and each new game was typically $35-$45 a pop (yes I know there are used games that can be had much more cheaply and there's also the flash drive attachment) but the fact was my kids were always losing the carts and/or simply breaking the DS much too easily.
I was almost ready to get a new DS for my eldest child at Costco when I scanned over to the iPod Touch for another $30 or so and it occurred to me it was ultimately way, way cheaper to own the iPod and just use the free app store games - and the occasional $0.99 game as a "treat." I practically started a trend with my friends and relatives as suddenly all their kids had iPod touches after that.
Now roughly 3 years later the Touch is still around - unbroken! - and we never lose games, pay only a buck here or there when we want a bit nicer game, and those paid games are stored in iTunes so we never lose them regardless. The iPod Touch just seems a whole lot sturdier too, if only because it doesn't have a swiveling base. Overall, for a family when you want your kids to have a road trip gadget, the iPod Touch is a way saner and ultimately less expensive choice - not to mention your kids can also have videos and music on the same device, which is also a huge win for those long road trips.
I remember the Power Glove. I even remember the Mattel logo on the box. Nintendo didn't have anything to do with its development.
I can play Pirates! on my iPad - WTF would I want any other gaming device,?
They just don't have the controls necessary to allow much in the way of gaming.
A touchscreen has infinite possible variations of controls.
If you must have hardware buttons - buy them.
But frankly even FPS games do not HAVE to have hardware buttons...
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Nintendo got greedy and instead of producing high quality games worth a few tenners it charges 50 euro's for games that are free on phones. Play Ridge Racer. It is an insult at the price. It is the same exact game you paid for decades ago at full price. Where are the triple A titles? Zelda? A remake of an old game that wasn't exactly the best to begin with.
And while I think there is a market for a GOOD handheld console, the 3DS just wasn't it. 3D and gyro's in the same system. How insane can you get? The screen brightness is a joke in even dim sunlight, the battery life is abysmal and the screen is smaller then the DSi XL. The styling? Decades out of date. This is a kids device but is harmfull for kids eyes according to Nintendo itself and costs a fortune and the games are insanely expensive.
The GB and GBA came into a world with no competition at the their price point. The quality sucked but hey, they were cheap. Now the 3DS ain't cheap and there is plenty of competition.
And I am not going to struggle with an insane 3D camera control in Splinter Cell all the while having to hold the machine perfectly still while trying to make anything out on a blackscreen blasted by sunlight.
Meantime I can play free games all I want on a high-rez amoled screen that automatically adjusts its brightness according to the environment and not worry about the battery draining before it has booted up.
Back to the drawing board Nintendo or you might just see Sony produce a handheld that does better then a gameboy.
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.
Not to be "that guy," but it's time to be that guy. How do you justify buying your kids replacements for stuff they don't take care of?
If you teach your kids to take care of their stuff, you avoid many, many future battles. Teaching kids a little responsibility and the value of a dollar is your job as a parent. If you choose not to fight that battle, you are failing your children.
Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
How do you justify buying your kids replacements for stuff they don't take care of?
It is in the nature of children to be immature.
Adults tend to forget that fact, especially if they are (a) between 18 and 30 or (b) live in a relatively childless hipster haven such as the Bay area or Manhattan. Those demographics are relatively unexposed to children.
Immaturity manifests itself in many ways that, in adult behavior, is clearly irksome. These include loud speech, intransigence, rambunctiousness, lack of foresight, and reckless or dangerous behavior. If you hold children to adult behavior standards, you will be irked.
I try to see the good and ignore the faults in everyone. In the case of children, that means allowing for their immaturity (and even sometimes reveling in it). It's made easier because the good side of most kids includes such endearing traits as cuteness and enthusiasm.
Specific to something like a broken toy, I would tend to use its breakage as a teaching moment. But if the value proposition is still there, I would also replace it.