Apple should move into handheld gaming

[ericrwalker]

Nobody said they "have to" port anything, as if I was suggesting Nintendo was failing. I am talking about expanding sales. We are comparing a $30 game (which has to be produced, packaged, shipped, sold at wholesale (probably $10 to $15 each) then sit on wal-mart's self for you to buy at $30. You make it sound like Nintendo makes $30+ on a sale. They probably make $5 profit on each game after their overhead and for what they sell it for wholesale.

This is giving me a headache trying to explain about the gray market of people who have no interest in buying a nintendo DS or another console. Ok so the DS is the second most popular selling console of all time. Selling 56 million units in the Americas (North,South and Central) The population of the America's is 859 million.

That means 6% of people in the Americas own(ed) a version of Nintendo DS. There are still over 800,000,000 people in the Americas alone that do not own a Nintendo DS.


Now I don't know how many people own an iPhone, but I do know they are saying that Apple might sell 200 million in 2012 alone, and I am sure there are more iOS devices are there (by far) than there are Nintendo DS's.

I suppose they could even try tapping the Android market too, but we already know most people there don't buy apps.

But anyway I give up, I was merely just suggesting I would buy Mario Kart on iOS.

You do know that the DS line is the second best selling console of all time?

They don't need to port anything to anywhere else right now.

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You think Nintendo makes $40 on every mario kart they sell? They probably sell them for about $10 to $15 wholesale. Not to mention the money it cost them to make and ship cartridge. On iOS they only need to make the game. Upload it to Apple and no shipping, packaging or anything. Apple takes what 33%. Seems easy enough.

Right, but then why would someone buy the 3DS version when they could get the (admittedly inferior) iOS version for 15% of the price? Nintendo would be losing out on (potential) hardware sales along with the profit they get for selling the game @39.99.

If it were a zero sum game you could ask why doesn't Apple sell Mac OS for normal PC's? or why doesn't Apple license iOS for non Apple devices?

 

[thenerdal]

This is giving me a headache trying to explain about the gray market of people who have no interest in buying a nintendo DS or another console. Ok so the DS is the second most popular selling console of all time. Selling 56 million units in the Americas (North,South and Central) The population of the America's is 859 million.

That means 6% of people in the Americas own(ed) a version of Nintendo DS. There are still over 800,000,000 people in the Americas alone that do not own a Nintendo DS.


Now I don't know how many people own an iPhone, but I do know they are saying that Apple might sell 200 million in 2012 alone, and I am sure there are more iOS devices are there (by far) than there are Nintendo DS's.

Actually, The DS Line sold 149.00 million worldwide.


Now comparing iPhone sales to Console sales isn't fair since people mainly buy iPhones as phones.

 

[ericrwalker]

Again. 149,000,000 worldwide. World population 6,840,507,000

That's 2% of the world population. So 98% of the world will no access to Mario Kart. Thanks for solidifying my position.

I already knew the worldwide sales, my numbers were accurate for the Americas regardless.

Actually, The DS Line sold 149.00 million worldwide.


Now comparing iPhone sales to Console sales isn't fair since people mainly buy iPhones as phones.

 

[kaizenmx]

Nintendo making Mario games on ios devices is likely to happen as Sony start making Shadow of the Colossus for Nintendo devices. It's also a bad business move for Nintendo.

Meaning it's not going to happen.

 

[thenerdal]

Again. 149,000,000 worldwide. World population 6,840,507,000

That's 2% of the world population. So 98% of the world will no access to Mario Kart. Thanks for solidifying my position.

I already knew the worldwide sales, my numbers were accurate for the Americas regardless.

That's very good sales for a console.

 

[ericrwalker]

I agree, it still doesn't address why it would be a bad idea to sell video games to people who don't own a console.

That's very good sales for a console.

 

[thenerdal]

I agree, it still doesn't address why it would be a bad idea to sell video games to people who don't own a console.

Because consoles are made to play video games.

 

[kaizenmx]

Because consoles are made to play video games.

And watch movies.

 

[ericrwalker]

I agree, it still doesn't address why it would be a bad idea to sell video games to people who don't own a console.

Because consoles are made to play video games.

 

[thenerdal]

I agree, it still doesn't address why it would be a bad idea to sell video games to people who don't own a console.

Because consoles would lose sales.

 

[ericrwalker]

Again, legacy versions would have ZERO effect on current console sales.

Even if it were current versions of games I doubt it, if it had any effect it would be small by offering a game on iOS people aren't going to give up their portable/home gaming consoles. Most people prefer a console (I do), but while I am traveling for work it would be nice to pull out my iPhone and play some games besides NBA Jam and Mortal Kombat all the time. At least a legacy version of Mario Kart would be nice.

Because consoles would lose sales.

 

[thenerdal]

Again, legacy versions would have ZERO effect on current console sales.

Even if it were current versions of games I doubt it, if it had any effect it would be small by offering a game on iOS people aren't going to give up their portable/home gaming consoles. Most people prefer a console (I do), but while I am traveling for work it would be nice to pull out my iPhone and play some games besides NBA Jam and Mortal Kombat all the time. At least a legacy version of Mario Kart would be nice.

Legacy versions would be nice on other platforms, but I doubt it will happen. They're only available for the DS and Wii right now.

I also would like to see Apple software on Windows, but again, doubt it will happen.

 

[ericrwalker]

I agree, but Apple software on Windows is like having Mario Kart on Xbox or PS, It's not the same as having Mario Kart on your phone.

I think we may see legacy nintendo games on iOS soon. If Apple sells the projected 200,000,000 iPhone's in 2012 and whatever the number of iPads, all game makers should be looking at iOS for at least their legacy games.

Legacy versions would be nice on other platforms, but I doubt it will happen. They're only available for the DS and Wii right now.

I also would like to see Apple software on Windows, but again, doubt it will happen.

 

[lordofthereef]

I agree, but Apple software on Windows is like having Mario Kart on Xbox or PS, It's not the same as having Mario Kart on your phone.

Why, exactly, is it different? It just running software on various different forms of hardware. Microsoft is ok with developing their popular windows softwares for OSX. It's Apple who is being stubborn here, likely for the same reasons Nintendo is.

 

[Spectrum Abuser]

All APPL has to do is cater the most towards the casual gamer and they win the overall market dominance. Some will not admit it, but the hardcore gamer has never represented a significant portion of the gaming pie-graph.

 

[ericrwalker]

Apple software on a windows computer: Software on one type of COMPUTER available on another type of COMPUTER.

Video game on a CONSOLE vs video game on a PHONE.

Why, exactly, is it different? It just running software on various different forms of hardware. Microsoft is ok with developing their popular windows softwares for OSX. It's Apple who is being stubborn here, likely for the same reasons Nintendo is.

 

[lordofthereef]

Apple software on a windows computer: Software on one type of COMPUTER available on another type of COMPUTER.

Video game on a CONSOLE vs video game on a PHONE.

Have you seen modern day consoles? They ARE computers... In any case, it's simple semantics at this point. I highly doubt Nintendo's reservations are based on semantics.

 

[ericrwalker]

Have you seen modern day consoles? They ARE computers... In any case, it's simple semantics at this point. I highly doubt Nintendo's reservations are based on semantics.

Another big difference is an iPhone has no buttons that could be used for playing the game. It can't be compared to a gaming console, and that's why I don't think it would take away from people who would buy a console/handheld and the reason I don't think you can compare Apple software on a windows machine, because they are much different devices, but people who like to carry a SINGLE device to replace everything like me, IPHONE (GPS, Phone, iPod, notepad, games, virtual assistant, computer) this makes sense.

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exactly, I am not a hardcore gamer, and many people aren't but would spend $5-$10 for a decent game on a device they already own.

All APPL has to do is cater the most towards the casual gamer and they win the overall market dominance. Some will not admit it, but the hardcore gamer has never represented a significant portion of the gaming pie-graph.

 

[snourse]

Didn't work out too well....

Marathon loads much faster on the iPad/iPhone than it does on the Pippin.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExNz7rTUuI8

 

[lordofthereef]

Another big difference is an iPhone has no buttons that could be used for playing the game. It can't be compared to a gaming console, and that's why I don't think it would take away from people who would buy a console/handheld and the reason I don't think you can compare Apple software on a windows machine, because they are much different devices, but people who like to carry a SINGLE device to replace everything like me, IPHONE (GPS, Phone, iPod, notepad, games, virtual assistant, computer) this makes sense.

I understand how you are comparing these devices. My point is that I don't think Nintendo shares the same views as you do about releasing their software on someone else's hardware. For example, the PC market has existed far longer than the smartphone market, and Nintendo has never, to my knowledge, produced a game for the pc (which you yourself said was different from a console) outside of some licensed use of characters in games such as Mario Teaches Typing, Mario is Missing, etc.

For the record, I think your profit margins on a $30 game a re a bit off. A mere $5 profit is dubious at best. Most official Nintendo games (Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong, etc.) enjoy wonderful sales. The more a copies of a single game are sold, the more profit per copy is enjoyed. On a retail level, there is also almost zero markup.

 

[ericrwalker]

I agree, but I wouldn't doubt Nintendo hasn't thought about or even has a iOS developers account and tested some of their legacy games on iOS. Maybe they will never release anything, but I wonder if they've thought about it.

Just seems logical to keep interest in games that aren't sold on current versions of their hardware. For all the talk about how greedy people/companies are, they seem to ignore a huge market.

I understand how you are comparing these devices. My point is that I don't think Nintendo shares the same views as you do about releasing their software on someone else's hardware. For example, the PC market has existed far longer than the smartphone market, and Nintendo has never, to my knowledge, produced a game for the pc (which you yourself said was different from a console) outside of some licensed use of characters in games such as Mario Teaches Typing, Mario is Missing, etc.

 

[lordofthereef]

I agree, but I wouldn't doubt Nintendo hasn't thought about or even has a iOS developers account and tested some of their legacy games on iOS. Maybe they will never release anything, but I wonder if they've thought about it.

Just seems logical to keep interest in games that aren't sold on current versions of their hardware. For all the talk about how greedy people/companies are, they seem to ignore a huge market.

Thought about it? I am sure someone, somewhere that matters at Nintendo did. Same goes for Apple Software on Windows (outside of Safari and iTunes). I think it is a lot about pride, personally. Certainly could be wrong.

 

[ericrwalker]

nailed it

I think it is a lot about pride, personally.

 

[Bonnyluckydog]

Thought about it? I am sure someone, somewhere that matters at Nintendo did. Same goes for Apple Software on Windows (outside of Safari and iTunes). I think it is a lot about pride, personally. Certainly could be wrong.

Nintendo will never release games for the App Store. They are too stubborn and narrow-minded. The Will U will follow the Sega Dreamcast into the dustbins of history.

If my future grandchild said to me 'what's Nintendo?' I would say an irrelevant company, believing it could take on Apple.

 

[lordofthereef]

Nintendo will never release games for the App Store. They are too stubborn and narrow-minded. The Will U will follow the Sega Dreamcast into the dustbins of history.

If my future grandchild said to me 'what's Nintendo?' I would say an irrelevant company, believing it could take on Apple.

I think they will fail for different reasons. The Dreamcast was a solid system. Third parties dropped development because piracy was as easy as burning a disc image to a CD. I was about 14 when Dreamcast was king I had over 300 games (legally purchased 3)... I was too stubborn and selfish to realize/care that I was contributing to its downfall.

And who knows... maybe you will say something similar about Apple to your future grandkid. Who is Apple? An irrelevant company that believed they could keep on top by lawsuits alone. Six years ago we never would have dreamed about saying the things we are saying in this very thread regarding Nintendo, at least I wouldn't have.