Nintendo Finally Considers Smartphone Move After Third Straight Annual Loss

[Lennholm]

I own a Wii U. Do you know why I held out on buying one for so long and why Nintendo hasn't gotten any money from me since? It's because THEY HAVE NO GAMES! They have six freaking studios and nothing to show for it! They haven't even previewed any upcoming games!

Borrowing a line from Iron Man, They're a Game Company Not Making Games! It's not freaking rocket science. There's no defense for Nintendo - they have a huge catalog of franchises to call upon and revisit and they're sitting on all of them. Make a freaking sequel to ANY of them! Use the same damn engine - who cares? I don't need anything revolutionary - it doesn't need to be beautiful, it needs to be fun. Which I realize isn't the easiest thing, but it seems like the only thing harder than that when you have such a talented team of game makers is to NOT MAKE GAMES, but somehow they're managing it.

What the heck are you talking about? They have Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros and Donkey Kong coming in the near future, all of which have been previewed regularly. They will also reveal the new Zelda game pretty soon.
The Wii U currently has 200+ games, among them one of the best Mario games ever.

 

[dec.]

A lot of my friends who got into gaming through the wii have no clue why they are supposed to buy a new console, the casual gamer that Nintendo might have appealed to with the original wii doesn't work like the usual gamer who goes with the newest tech.
And while I loved the NES/SNES/N64 Marios, it did wear off for me big time, I'm having a hard time completing New Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Donkey Kong Country Returns on the wii after buying them, I have zero interest in continuing this ever repetitive trip right now. Although the xbox one and PS4 definitely don't convince me right now either, I'm back to PC gaming for a while.

 

[dampfnudel]

I've owned several Nintendo consoles from the N64 & Gameboy Color to the Wii & DS Lite. I stayed away from both the 3DS and Wii U for several reasons ranging from the crappy low-resolution screen of the 3DS to the continued lack of 3rd party support for the Wii U. Actually, 3rd party support is worse now. I wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo struck a deal with Apple, Google and possibly Sony in the future to bring their games to other platforms. That may be their last option and it could come sooner than some people think.

 

[jshulman10]

They should just remake the gamecube.

 

[macs4nw]

Always kinda sad to see a decent company struggle, if for no other reason than nostalgia's sake. They were there, pretty much since shortly after the dawn of game consoles such as Atari, Amiga, Commodore, Tandy and the like.

It's a dog-eat-dog world out there, and any company that so much as blinks, or misreads where the market is heading, could find themselves in deep trouble.

I'm glad they've finally decided to join the smartphone revolution; many of their games can be ported there.
After all, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

They should just remake the gamecube.

That was probably their worst generation... did it have any redeeming qualities about it at all? It had Geist and F-Zero GX and a few other good games... but there was no reason those games couldn't have been done on any other console.

 

[Salvor Hardin]

They should just remake the gamecube.

They did it's called the Wii U and boy is it doing wonders for them!

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

What the heck are you talking about? They have Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros and Donkey Kong coming in the near future, all of which have been previewed regularly. They will also reveal the new Zelda game pretty soon.

Mario Kart, Smash Brothers, Mario Party, and their 2D platformers are all very casual multiplayer oriented. It's a bizarre niche.

The systems been out for 14 months and they'll be revealing a new Zelda game soon? What the hell does that mean? They normally reveal a game over a year before the release, which means we won't be seeing a good game besides Pikmin 3 for the system until its been out for over two years.

The Wii U currently has 200+ games, among them one of the best Mario games ever.

Yeah, but how many of them are worth playing? I have Zelda: WW HD, Pikmin 3, and Rayman Legends. I'm pretty sure I already have every single good game for the Wii U.

Rayman Legends, by the way, is freaking amazing. You repeatedly brought up Nintendo's 2D platformers - you really need to try Rayman (Origins or Legends, although Legends improves upon Origins - which was already an amazing game - in just about every way) before you make the mistake of thinking Nintendo's platformers are anything worth talking about. I tried them on the Wii and they weren't anything special - I seriously doubt Nintendo meaningfully revamped their formula with the Wii U.

 

[crzdcolombian]

google needs to buy Nintendo. Zelda on Andriod will make me switch unless they make games have crazy prices like the 17 dollar final fantasy 6 on my iPhone. It's 10 bucks on PS3 why is it more expensive for IOS. Also I can just just get a rom of those old nintendo games and play them.

It's a little too late. Microsoft has Nokia and Sony makes their own smart phones. Only other suitor would be Samsung

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That was probably their worst generation... did it have any redeeming qualities about it at all? It had Geist and F-Zero GX and a few other good games... but there was no reason those games couldn't have been done on any other console.

Nintendo sucked since the Super Nintendo. Sega was way better.

32 bit generation. Can any one really say that the N64 was better than the playstation? You have Ocarina of time, Mario Parties, Golden Eye, WWF No Mercy(awesome game) and Mario 64. Not much to choose from. I don't even think the N64 was better than the Sega Saturn

128 bit gen. Seriously Gamecube was Mario Prime and that was it. Was kind of cool to play as Link in Soul Cailbur 2.

Last Generation....... All the Zeldas since Ocarina have sucked. Metroid other M was god awful. Can people continue to drop 200+ for a system to play Mario Party and Mario Kart? Only reason I bought a Wii was because it was so easy to hack and download games to. Even then only NBA jam and Mario Kart did I barely touch.

Current Gen..... Wii U still looks worse than PS3

Nintendo hasn't done what gamers wanted since N64. Better graphics, Better online play and 3rd party support. I usually buy every system but Wii U looks like a Sega 32x or Sega CD compared to the new systems

 

[CBlakeston]

I don't understand why everyone covering this is proclaiming Nintendo NEED to start making mobile games? It's the same people screaming that Apple NEED to make a phablet or they will go out of business.

Nintendo are the Apple of the gaming world. They are cash rich with 15 Billion in the bank and can support losses for the next 20 years. They have have had duds before (Virtual Boy?) and will no doubt bounce back with their next console. The one mistake they seem to have made this gen, if any, is that usually they sell the console at a profit and everyone else sells it at a loss - Whereas this go round they are loosing money on every Wii U sold.

Not that I'm a huge Nintendo fan. I just hate to see lazy tech journalism.

 

[djgamble]

Unfortunately for them, they're too late for a big piece of the pie. Not sure who their target market would be....

I'd rather them (creative and Japanese) than Samsung/Google (greedy copycats.)

 

[Starfia]

Um… "finally"?

Didn't Nintendo announce plans to create smartphone apps before the launch of the Wii U, specifically for Miiverse?

 

[Blue Fox]

I said long ago that Nintendo should port the older games over to iOS. StarFox 64, all the old Mario Bros Games, Duck Hunt, etc. They would make more money on iOS than any of their systems make them. And at what cost? Porting games over is far cheaper and easier than developing new hardware trying to compete. This opens your market up to all ages, all demographics. Everyone already has a smartphone, very few of those are going to go out and buy a dedicated mobile gaming device when their phone already does it.

 

[koban4max]

jailbreaking for mario games here i come!

 

[Applebot1]

Iwata stated he wouldn't develop for other platforms. Diversify either by being a third party developer or start again on new hardware/software Eco system.

Really wish Apple would buy them out but won't happen.

Shame as once upon a time they had it all but never really developed a killer system for the new generation of gamers or more importantly overlooked the trend of social networking.

 

[markthrash]

Give me Mario Kart and Pokemon games without a jailbreak and I'll be a happy nerd.

 

[Nevaborn]

Ok I want a back catalogue of N64 including all the old WCW games and Dual Heroes. Goldeneye will probably show up with multiplayer. Pokémon and Mario Kart are no brainers.

Hope they do better than Sega tho. They have been slow releasing games and none bar Sonic getting improvment updates. Streets of Rage still suggerin badly with poor sound and motion. I still await Shenmue trilogy for console so whats my chances for iOS =/

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Omg forgot Smash Brothers ! If I can get Wii and Gamecube ones in a compilation I Would be SOOOOO happy. Chuck multiplayer on that and youve got great fun.

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It really is stupid and short sighted that it took nintendo this long. The DS has been a failure since they favour games for 4 year olds. Give us classica that run super smooth and sound great and the sales will fly in.

 

[laudern]

Ok I want a back catalogue of N64 including all the old WCW games and Dual Heroes. Goldeneye will probably show up with multiplayer. Pokémon and Mario Kart are no brainers.

Hope they do better than Sega tho. They have been slow releasing games and none bar Sonic getting improvment updates. Streets of Rage still suggerin badly with poor sound and motion. I still await Shenmue trilogy for console so whats my chances for iOS =/

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Omg forgot Smash Brothers ! If I can get Wii and Gamecube ones in a compilation I Would be SOOOOO happy. Chuck multiplayer on that and youve got great fun.

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It really is stupid and short sighted that it took nintendo this long. The DS has been a failure since they favour games for 4 year olds. Give us classica that run super smooth and sound great and the sales will fly in.

Duel Heroes. Thats the game you have been waiting to play again? Dual Heroes...... You can't be serious. I've sat here for the last 5min trying to come up with a witty comment...but all I can think of is WHY DUEL HEROES! That game sucked balls....


And for all the people saying "oh his will be great. I want this game and that game...." It's not going to happen...Look at the virtual console. Bugger all games because of licensing and companies that made games not existing anymore...

 

[Nevaborn]

Duel Heroes. Thats the game you have been waiting to play again? Dual Heroes...... You can't be serious. I've sat here for the last 5min trying to come up with a witty comment...but all I can think of is WHY DUEL HEROES! That game sucked balls....


And for all the people saying "oh his will be great. I want this game and that game...." It's not going to happen...Look at the virtual console. Bugger all games because of licensing and companies that made games not existing anymore...

I think it's worse you spent 5 minutes trying to be witty about ridiculeing a game someone liked and just come over as a jerk. It was a 3D power ranger-esque fighting game... When your a kid that is cool. Look at any of the games we enjoyed back then and you can say most ate pretty rubbish however we love them due to sentimentality.
As for licensing there is always a way if they try hard enough and see money in it. So expect Goldeneye, Mario and Pokemon. That's it but we can hope. Should all else fail there is always jailbreaking with emulators and roms.

 

[Mildredop]

Pokemon!!! #noshame

How embarrassing that you confused Macrumors with twitter.

 

[elvisimprsntr]

Suggested Nintendo recovery plan:

1. Build a high quality game controller for the iPhone/iPod Touch. Perhaps a clamshell/case or some other unique hardware feature like a headset for live VoIP during game play or secondary display.
2. Port their existing properties to iOS, integrate with the iOS device hardware and social features.
3. Decide if you want to continue to maintain your own gaming network, or simply integrate with Gamecenter.

Make it so...

 

[vmachiel]

Do it!!

I would pay handsomely for titles like Mario, Zelda and Pokemon on my iPad/iPhone. The only thing stopping me now is not wanting to buy a Wii or 3DS.

 

[Lone Deranger]

Android powered Nintendo phablet.

^^ That's the stuff nightmares are made off.

 

[n8mac]

I would love to see Nintendo come out with a tablet and cloud service to replace the Wii U and 3DS all together. It would act as handheld with touchscreen controls, and have additions like physical buttons to attach to the sides and sensor bar attachment for TVs to act as a console. They already do something similar with the Wii U controller. Out of the three console makers they are the only ones who could do this as Sony and Microsoft have boxed themselves in with graphics as the only good selling point. For Nintendo the gameplay is key. I don't need to see Marios nose hairs, just give me more great gameplay. Since third party developers don't want the Wii U, I say screw them all together and go a new direction.

Another advantage to a single tablet setup is that when version 2 comes out, all the old software including all the classic games that you bought will come along without having to rebuy them via the cloud. Also Nintendo should focus hard on getting more classic games to their online store including non-Nintendo console titles like Sega, all in one unified store.

Let Sony and Microsoft duke it out in the console space with the same old ohheylookanotherfirstpersonshooterohmy! market. Nintendo needs a new direction and I think a tablet which also does the web with third party browsers and more is where they should go. Tablets are powerful enough now.

Oh and you would not even need a TV with the traditional 4 or 5 player limit. You can easily link Nintendos tablets together and multiplay games anywhere. Would be nice to see a tabletop segment in the store with traditional board and card games too.

When the Wii U was released with a tablet controller, it seemed redundant. The tablet was tied to the TV via the system, so not really portable even though you can play without the TV on. Having a separate system would indicate powerful hardware but it only does 1080p. Either go one way or the other; full portable with the option of playing on the TV with a limit in graphics, or full graphics limited to the TV.

Just price the new tablet right, cheaper than the 3DS+Wii U combined with one unified library of games and virtual store games that go along with you in future tablet releases.

 

[Tar Sniffer]

I grew up on SNES and N64, and love Nintendo games to bits, but my last console was the GameCube since so many adult titles were on the PS and XBOX. I would be willing to play Nintendo games again, but I fear moving to iOS will damage the brand. It seems to me that iOS games are highly disposable, like so many other things now adays. I would hate for Mario to be cheapened like that, but it seems they don't have a choice... If Mario was brought to the living room where he belongs, say on an Apple TV then I'd be all for the move.