Nintendo to the Core
I’ll admit it straight up: Writing an article of this type a month before an E3 is a very bad idea… mostly because you just don’t know what kind of surprises will pop up during the event. That said, let’s hope Nintendo does make a fool of me with whatever it is they have planned at E3.
Throughout Wii’s lifespan there has been a considerable amount of talk about whether Nintendo is still a traditional video game company, or if their new found audience has turned them into something entirely different. Of course, these kinds of criticisms are not unknown to the company since they’ve had a certain image problem with certain groups of gamers ever since they became a video game industry giant.
Nintendo has been striving to create new experiences on its console with the different control method. So far we’ve seen some interesting results. Unfortunately, these results are being produced on games that more traditionalist gamers have trouble appreciating. Not because they’re unwilling to try them but because it just doesn’t fall within their tastes.
Through all of this, Nintendo continuously tries to assure those who they have described as “core” gamers that they are making the kind of games core gamers will enjoy. It is true that Nintendo has been making more traditionally based games, however the most they’re coming up with is just the same old thing with added Wii functionality… so much so that they’re even re-releasing GameCube games on Wii for that purpose.
I haven’t been seeing many surprises from Nintendo on Wii when it comes to games more aligned with my own tastes. The most I’m seeing is sequels with added Wii functionality, remakes with added Wii functionality and the revival of an older generation game, Punch-Out! with added Wii functionality. I think the thing people are craving for the most at the moment is really just… something brand new.
Disaster: Day of Crisis, Fatal Frame 4: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse and Another Code (aka Trace Memory) R: A Journey into Lost Memories. These three games currently have little to no hope of ever being released officially in North America. But why? The simple truth is that Nintendo of America has no interest in investing their money on these titles for a niche market when they could be spending their money promoting Wii Fit and Wii Music.
With all the criticisms aside, you can see why Nintendo doesn’t bother to invest money on new franchises for the “core” gamer. Just have a look at how MadWorld and Zack & Wiki have faired… not very well. The Internet hype machine isn’t going to make them money and the niche is too small to make that kind of a risk with new franchises. Nintendo has already made their share of risks this generation by reaching out to a new audience… to add to that, back in the last generation with the GameCube, Nintendo was doing all it could to reach out to the “core” gamer and it didn’t get them anywhere.
When E3 comes around the corner, chances are we’ll be seeing a lot of sequels announced and possibly one brand new IP. However, I seriously doubt that new IP will have any real impact and will probably be met with a fair amount of scepticism. However, Nintendo will run with that one new game franchise and use it to say “Yes, we are supporting the core gamer, look at this new IP we’ve just announced, this is for all of you who have been waiting patiently.”… but will it be enough? Surprise me Nintendo, at the moment I’m growing bored with the same old thing… and please, don’t try to surprise me with a new Wii Sports or Wii Fit, I’m not a part of that particular audience group.
I appreciate this particular entry and its subject, which is completely contemporary to the industry. It's fair to start assuming Wii's initial hype has diminished significantly or disappeared completely (although it doesn't mean it can't ressurrect). Following the entry line of tought that the hardcore niche of the market are facing tough times since the last big First Party Nintendo hits reached the White, Blue striped console, or, I daresay, since the console was released, Big N hasn't done much to change this picture.
While it's true that a desperate Nintendo was right twofold on this generation, Wii and DS, the first came with a significant loss for the Nintendo traditional consumers, however, I disagree that those two bold choices are enough to say Big N has risked enough. Because if that makes legit a series of continuous Wiimakes, of often arguable quality, and casual-oriented games, which are sometimes fun, but more than a bit ordinary, the company can keep churning those out for all eternity until they stop making money and move on to a newer system with the same, now old, characteristics.
One could say that hardcore games don't sell well on the Wii, though. That may be true, but this can be changed if a massive investment is applied on the niche.
As a matter of fact, I never liked Nintendo much, but I recognize their importance to the industry, and it's a pity where its going.
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