180°

What if... Nintendo turned third party?

Digitally Downloaded writes:

"Recently, Codemasters’ Senior Executive Producer Clive Moody stated: "I think it [Wii U] is the future,” when talking to ABC’s News 10 about the prospects of the upcoming next generation of consoles. Will the Wii U be the “future” of home console gaming like Moody thinks it to be? What if it isn’t – what happens then? Well, let’s take a look through the looking glass, shall we?"

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PopRocks3594083d ago

A lot of people tell me how "awesome" it would be if Nintendo did go third party. But frankly I think it's more detrimental than people believe.

Nintendo makes games very well. On hardware they understand. Why else does Mario Galaxy look so much better than much of its third party Wii brethren. The same came be said about The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker. Taking away their hardware would hinder that process.

I don't know. It seems ludicrous to me. It's like asking "why doesn't Sony go third party." It's not something I like to think about, especially since the big three are a hell of a lot more competent than Sega at making both hardware and software.

Slapshot824083d ago

If you read the article, this isn't a 'pro-Nintendo going third party' article. Instead, it is a 'what if it went third party?.'

This is article is written in a positive manner towards Nintendo and its Wii U. :)

PopRocks3594083d ago

Yeah, I know. Sorry I should have been more clear and acknowledged that. I was just giving my thoughts on the idea and how people here generally say that it should happen.

Slapshot824083d ago

Haha. It's all good.

The idea for this piece stemmed from the recent articles that claim that the Wii U is losing third party support, which if true, could find the console primarily being a first party system only. Thing is, I don't know how sustainable this would be for Nintendo. I'd think it wouldn't be good for them at all, but I also think things will turn around for the Wii U as well.

I think there would be a lot of ups and downs with Nintendo going third party. They could still develop peripherals, but I wonder how much pressure they would get to do things for Sony/Microsoft if they did this?

Deku-Johnny4083d ago

Well Nintendo pretty much carried the Wii by themselves and that system won the 7th gen. If need be I'm sure they can carry the Wii U, that being said the Wii U already has some of the best 3rd part support Nintendo have had in a loooooong time, it's not great but it's a start. I mean the only reason the PS3 and 360 has so much 3rd part support is because Sony and MS have built that support with their previous systems whilst Nintendo used their previous consoles to open the gaming industry up to new demographics. I think in a year or two (if PS4 and 720 aren't too much more powerful than the Wii U, which I doubt they will be) perhaps Nintendo will have the 3rd party support they deserve.

MikeMyers4083d ago

"Why else does Mario Galaxy look so much better than much of its third party Wii brethren."

Nintendo has been known in the past for not giving out the tools that their own in-house studios have access to. They are very secretive and work within their own bubble. Even the full Wii U specs. are a mystery.

I honestly don't think Nintendo would ever become a 3rd party developer. They have too much pride and even now they are the most restrictive of allowing their games on any other platform other than Nintendo systems.

MEsoJD4082d ago (Edited 4082d ago )

I think Nintendo makes better software than they do hardware and like the idea of them doing the same as sega.

stragomccloud4082d ago

Nintendo's hardware is what always makes them unique though.

As the only game company that is actually run be people who were or are still currently developers, I trust them more than anyone else to develop a whole experience. Both Microsoft and Sony are both run by a bunch of out of touch non gamer suits. The only difference is, Microsoft and Sony both have such a vast pool of resources compared to Nintendo, that they use their money to through their weight around.

CaptainN4082d ago

Nintendo makes the most reliable and sturdy hardware out there period. The Wii and the Wii-U might not have been major powerhouses for graphics.....but they are built very well, consume way less power then competitors,and are much more stable (No Red Rings or Yellow Rings)as well. Look at the size of a Wii-U and look at the size of the original 360 and the PS3. The Wii-U is slightly more powerful than last gen, yet look at how much they have reduced the components in today's time. Even the slim 360/PS3 are no where near its size. Nintendo make take longer...but in the end their hardware is always better.

But if your just a graphics whore, then no, Nintendo would seem outdated and not Hi-Tech. But things they do, like how the latency to the Gamepad is almost non existent is amazing tech. The Gamepad actually gets the picture faster than the television.

WiiUsauce4082d ago

Come on, man. Sega was so awesome and they still put out great content. The Dreamcast did not fail gamers. Gamers failed the Dreamcast.

PopRocks3594082d ago

Look at this past generation and, other than Sonic All-Stars Racing and Sonic Unleashed, tell me what "great content" Sega has produced. Unless you seriously count Sonic '06, Sonic Unleashed and the Golden Axe reboot to be quality software.

stragomccloud4082d ago

I think it's ironic how people want Nintendo to go 3rd party to play there games and are just so against buying a Nintendo system to play the games.
single-handedly ended the video game market crash in the mid 1980s and has been going strong ever since. That and Nintendo has been an entertainment company since the 19th century. They've been around a while, and they are going to be around for a while more.

If you want to play Nintendo's awesome franchises, you have to buy the systems to play them on. It's that simple. I didn't buy an Xbox and then express the desire for Uncharted to come to it. No. I bought a PS3 for that. It's really insulting how much people who think they are gamers hate on Nintendo the way they do. I pity them, because that reluctance to really give Nintendo hardware a go, is depriving them of some of the most amazing experiences that graced systems last gen and will grace systems this gen.

That is not to say it was the best and will be the best. That is only to say that a lot of so called "gamers" are voluntarily ignore a huge library of games they might really enjoy just because of the recent and disturbing utter dismissiveness towards especially Nintendo's console hardware.

Anyway, interesting read, that article.

So, can we please get back to playing some games now?

NobodyImportant4082d ago (Edited 4082d ago )

"I didn't buy an Xbox and then express the desire for Uncharted to come to it. No. I bought a PS3 for that. It's really insulting how much people who think they are gamers hate on Nintendo the way they do. I pity them, because that reluctance to really give Nintendo hardware a go"

Why do you need to give Nintendo hardware a go?
Nintendo hardware is f**king sh*t.
When I was a boy it was fantastic!! NES, SNES, N64, even the Gamecube. All that went downhill with the Wii.
Fine, it came with a waggle controller that some loved. And obviously that made it super popular. It didn't work for me.

I liked the games, just not the console. That is why people want Nintendo to go 3rd party. They want Nintendo quality games on a decent console.
Your argument is not valid for Uncharted because both the 360 and PS3 are fairly comparable. There's no need for Uncharted to be recreated on the 360 because the PS3 is a decent machine.
There's no need for Gears to be recreated on the PS3 because the 360 is a decent machine.

It would be better for Mario Galaxy to be on either the 360 or PS3 because the game would be sooooo much better on decent (at the time) hardware.

We're going to find out soon how awesome Mario would've been on PS3 or 360, because now that Nintendo have caught up to the PS3 and 360 with the Wii U we'll see what Mario Galaxy and Zelda should've looked like last gen if Nintendo had kept up with CPUs and GPU hardware.

EDIT: I love Nintendo games BTW. But I've really disliked their hardware from the Wii onwards.

stragomccloud4082d ago

@nobody important.
As a PC gamer first, I think it's ironic when console gamers talk about hardware. The Wii, the 360, and the PS3 were all out of date when they launched, and same is actually true of the Wii U, and will be of the 720/PS4.

That said, if you really didn't pick up a Wii, I highly suggest picking up a Wii U and getting all the old Wii games.

You might scoff at the low resolution, but there were some very impressive games, and the fact of the matter is, if it weren't for the Wii, a number of developers might have ceased to exist. The fact that Wii development cost 20% the cost of an HD game at the time, meant that Suda 51's Grasshopper manufacturer, the the Fatal Frame franchise, and Platinum games(formerly Clover Studios), and even the "Tales of" developers may have all disappeared. At a time when studios were closing left and right because of high developments costs(more than 100 studios closed last gen), Nintendo's console offered a cheaper alternative. Do I wish they went with a little more beef? Yes. However, I think in retrospect I'm glad they went with what they did. Afterall, Platinum games, Grasshopper Manufacturer, and the Tales of developers are here to stay, and are stronger than ever.

The Wii was a decent console, it just wasn't a jaw droppingly good one. That said, you should really get into that back log, everyone knows about the big first party titles, but if you're looking for 3rd party suggestions or other pm and I can give you some recommendations.

NobodyImportant4082d ago

I don't totally agree about the PS3 and 360 being dated at the start of the gen.
They weren't up there with PC max setting graphics, but they were still pretty good.
Obviously PC is now waaaaaaay ahead.
I got the Wii on launch day (like I have with every Nintendo) and I was GUTTED when I played Wii Sports for the first time.

I played and beat Mario Galaxy though. With all stars.
It was great.
Twilight Princess, was alright.
Metroid 3 was pretty good, but only for the control method, the game was just Metroid Prime again and by that point the graphics were really letting the system down.
Graphics need to move on ... at least a little bit.
Mario 64 looked amazing at the time and I 130 starred it twice all the way through. The beautiful graphics kept enticing me back. But graphics have moved on. Mario 64 hasn't changed and I'm sure the game is still just as good, but I've moved on. The game doesn't look as pretty as it used to. I'd struggle to play through a rough pixilated game with zero textures now. Games get dated. And the Wii launched dated.
That's fine for Joe public. They have their waggle controllers. Live and let live.

But for me that was the issue with the Wii. I was playing Metroid with its blocky low res graphics at the same time as jealously looking at my friends who were playing Oblivion, uncharted or Call of Duty 4.

I've no doubt there are plenty of reasonable 3rd party games on the Wii, but there are just as many if not better 3rd party games on the PS3 - plus we get all the multplats.

My time is precious. I don't have time to play every blocky low res Wii game. Even if some of them are good.
PS3 has just as many good games ... and they look good. (Or used to, they are dating quickly!)

Having said that, the PS3 and 360 are getting reeeeeally long in the tooth now and I need the next Sony and Xbox to come out. The PS3 and 360 are starting to look so dated to me and I'm wondering whether to get a gaming rig instead of a next gen console.
But it's the exclusives I'm waiting for.

The only Wii game that I semi-regret missing is Skyward Sword, but that's the way it goes.
It's a shame, but there are more good games out there than I'll ever have time to play.

Play good looking good games
Or play poor looking good games.

I'll take good looking good games.

WiiUsauce4082d ago (Edited 4082d ago )

Are you kidding me? You're saying there haven't been great Sega games in this ending console generation? Sega has put out some amazing stuff and if we're counting published games too, Sega has brought us even more awesome games this ending gen that otherwise would have probably never seen the light of day.

Yakuza 4
House of the Dead: Overkill
Bayonetta
Vanquish
Binary Domain
Valkyria Chronicles
Sonic and Sega Allstars Racing & Allstars Racing Transformed
Alpha Protocol
Sonic Colors & Sonic Generations
Yakuza Dead Souls
Hatsune Miku
Madworld
Resonance of Fate
Knights Journey of Dreams
Yakuza 3
Condemned Criminal Origins
Condemned 2 Bloodshot
Virtua Fighter 5
The Conduit

now imagine all those games as console exclusives on something like a Dreamcast 2, and if they were as successful as they used to be in the 90's, I'm sure they would've had the resources to put out even more great stuff.

PS. Sega also put out a ton of awesome stuff on DS and PSP and they continue to also support handhelds with games like Rhythm Thief on 3DS and Phantasy Star Online 2 on Vita.

TongkatAli4082d ago

I wouldn't bother responding to him. He doesn't make sense to me 80% of the time. I'm not even trying to be mean, he says #### with no research.

PopRocks3594082d ago

@TongkatAli

This coming from the joker who insinuated I was just a dumb fanboy just for stating why I was waiting to get a Playstation Vita.

Take your vendetta elsewhere, kid.

Starfox174082d ago

No mate every developer will admit that Nintendo can make flawless games,something that's not easy in game development.

chukamachine4082d ago

Not sure i'd agree tbh.

Wii hardware is nothing special, and although galaxy and such are decent looking games for cartoons.

I do know one thing, Mario and co on sony/ms hardware would reach a big audience.

But I don't really think Nintendo are that concerned atm.

But they always have an option to go the software route, though I doubt they ever will.

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 4082d ago
1upgamer994083d ago

The reason this will not happen is because Nintendo owns the handeld market. If you look at game sales DS/3DS GENERALLY rule the market. I do not nor have I in 15 years even owned a handheld. I have been thinking about a 3DS though. Perhaps a Vita, IF there were any killer games. Apps do not impress me my phone does all that.

Slapshot824083d ago

Hi 1upgamer99,

Choosing between a 3DS and Vita can be a tough decision, as both of the handhelds have great software. If your big on the Nintendo's first party titles, definitely go with the 3DS XL (the original 3DS screen is just too small). The 3DS eShop hold quite a few fantastic titles as well: Pushmo, Mighty Switch Force and VVVVV to name just a very few.

Vita on the other hand offers a few great home console-like gameplay experiences on a handheld, but the PSN Store for Vita is filling with awesome indie titles like Dokuro, Retro City Rampage, Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack, etc. But, the PSP titles play so much better on Vita with the customisable controls and I spend just as much time playing them, as I do Vita titles.

It's hard to choose one or the other, but I'd recommend both systems to anyone highly. They're both great and they both have great software.

EliteGameKnight4083d ago

It's great to have a non-biased user on here. I'm sure there are others, they are probably just not as liberal or on different threads.

Thank You

CouldHaveYelledUiiW4083d ago

"In our intriguing recent interview with Wedbush Securities analyst, Michael Pachter, one of his statements really stands out in my mind when thinking on this topic: 'I expect to see fewer exclusives next generation.'"

I am so glad that someone mentioned that Article, it's not the only time I have heard that. Ubisoft said the same thing and Nintendo has been warning about this for some time.

LKHGFDSA4083d ago

we'd have more nintendo games and they'd have better graphics.

Deku-Johnny4083d ago

Better graphics than those on the Wii U? As in the same Wii U that can do things PS3 and 360 can only dream of doing?

Show all comments (57)
80°

Nintendo's Massacre Of The 3DS And Wii U Is Finally Complete, Regrettably

Hanzala from eXputer: "The cruel hammer of Nintendo has fallen. Farewell, 3DS and Wii U, you surely brightened my life and many others; you won't be forgotten."

280°

Xbox's Preservation Step Sets A Much-Needed Example, Especially For Nintendo

Hanzla from eXputer inquires: "If Xbox can care about preserving its games and legacy, what exactly is wrong with Nintendo, trying to kill game preservation single-handedly?"

purple1016d ago

Ahh yes the good old game preservation of saving all your games to a removable hhd on the Xbox 360, taking it round your mates house, setting up multiple tvs to
Be met with “save data corrupted, please re download”

Or how about removing 360 games
From the store
, download them now or else, and, better hope to god that save data doesn’t corrupt, or it’s lost for ever

Nice one ☝️

Zeref5d ago

It's better than what Nintendo and Playstation is doing. It might not be perfect but at least they are TRYING. Unlike the others.

DarXyde5d ago

Trying? Take off the blinders for a moment, mate.

1. A failure to preserve games is just that: a failure to preserve games. Don't try to sugarcoat it: NO ONE is doing it properly. Better than awful is nothing to write home about.

2. At the time of this comment, isn't it the case that you need an internet connection to play Xbox games even if you buy physical discs that are hardly in circulation anymore? I don't have a Series X and I can't verify, but I think that is correct. I'm fairly certain you can at least play PS5 games at version 1.0 (not much of a win really when many games require day one patches). I think Microsoft's all digital, licensing approach is by far more aggressive than anyone else's. They really try to push you to game pass where you lose your entire library by umm.... Skipping a month of payments.

I don't think anyone is doing it right whatsoever. Don't get me started on Nintendo, who goes after anyone looking to preserve their games better than they ever would with extreme litigation.

Don't be a simp for any of these companies. Get it together.

PhillyDonJawn5d ago (Edited 5d ago )

@DarX never speak on Xbox again. You lost all credibility with your internet connection comment. Smh you have 0 clue and misinformed yet speaking on something you don't no squat about.

Einhander19725d ago

What has Sony done exactly? You guys keep deflecting to Sony but I am not actually seeing any results, and ai am certain nothing that you can come up with even comes close to what Microsoft has done and what they have tried and failed to do, like tie all your disks to your account on xbone.

Microsoft removed their whole indie section when they moved to the xbone because they were going to only allow games on the service that came from a publisher, id@xbox started after xbone launched and it only exists because Sony embraced indie and Microsoft was forced to cancel their plans and reverse course.

And every single game that was part of games for windows live including disk games (I have gta 4 on disk that won't work) so hundreds of games that use that DRM no longer work unless the company themselves patched it out which of course very few did.

MrBaskerville5d ago

Not trying. Tried. they killed of the backcomp program years ago. They set something up again, but sounds like it's more of an attempt to save the current library on whatever they are planning next. With luck they save everything and more, but let's see. I could see them killing off parts of the OG xbox and 360 libraries. Can't imagine that they would allow us to play Forza 5-7 in the future.

With that said, I do like what they've done and really wish they could have done more.

shinoff21834d ago

Zeref

So killing off physical media is trying what exactly. Ms don't really give a fk if you think they do your kidding yourself.

Profchaos4d ago

They are not trying this team is established for forward compatability the team is. It interested in preserving Xbox or 360 games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4d ago
isarai5d ago

Is that why Hellblade 2 is digital only?

Zeref5d ago

Just because it's digital only doesn't mean you can't preserve it. Just put it on an external and you have the exact same functionality of what a disc does.

MrNinosan5d ago

Guess you're trolling, but if you actually think that's how it works, I'd recommend buying some braincells.

mkis0074d ago (Edited 4d ago )

Volitile vs nonvolitile data. A disc will not corrupt either. A drive can be corrupted.

Einhander19725d ago

This is just a scammy PR move to distract from the fact they are going digital only and trying to push streaming and subscriptions only.

No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft.

Without discs there is no preservation, preservation can't be done by the rights holders it can only be done by the consumers, anything else is a lie.

5d ago Replies(3)
Einhander19725d ago

Anyone remember xblig which Microsoft removed their whole 360 indie section removing hundreds of games from people?

5d ago
5d ago
Zeref5d ago

Do you know you can put your games on an external and preserve them that way? There are no benefits to discs. ZERO. Idk why some of you are still obsessed with them.

DarXyde5d ago

Because games like Persona 5 exist. It's STILL V1.00. On Playstation, that's a win because 1.00 is installed on the disc—no need to download anything.

If a game does not require any updates, it's all on the disc.

Extremely low bar in the modern era, of course. It's not much of a win by any stretch.

But for now, physical media does have a purpose, at least on Playstation.

Einhander19725d ago

That is factually not how game licensing works, try plugging your hard drive into someone else xbox, It's not going to work, and it won't work if the licensing servers ever go down.

Einhander19725d ago

Anyone remember games for windows live.

I have around a dozen games, some on Steam itself that will not work because Microsoft shut off the licensing servers.

BehindTheRows5d ago (Edited 5d ago )

I do. I STILL have games (Gears of War being the big one) I cannot access because Games for Windows LIVE is total garbage and no one has held Microsoft accountable.

Zeref5d ago (Edited 5d ago )

You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership.

Chevalier5d ago

"You don't have an Xbox apparently. Because you can 100 percent plug in your external and play games from it on any Xbox console lol. You just have to be logged in to prove ownership."

Damn how many times do people got to explain your idiocy to you? You can take a copy of Persona 5 like someone used as an example and play that game on ANY console WITHOUT logging in which means I can lend the game to a friend without internet and they can play my game. Can you lend your hard drive to anyone without logging in for them to play? NOPE. That is a huge difference and if you think otherwise then sorry you're an idiot.

Tacoboto5d ago

"No gaming company has pushed harder to remove ownership than Microsoft."

Ubisoft is literally erasing games people bought from their libraries... My PS1-3 discs are useless on modern hardware. Nintendo's re-published and resold almost their entire Wii U library, and the eShop is completely dead with no BC mechanism in the Switch software. Microsoft publishes everything they make today day one on Steam and Xbox/Windows. Sony only brings to PC the titles they think you might want some years later and Nintendo won't even design a functional long-lasting joystick.

You're absolutely trolling and not serious if you think Microsoft today is the worst offender.

shinoff21834d ago

Yay steam

Not everyone fks with computers though. The disc is still the best way as a console player. Period.

Tacoboto4d ago

How do Sony and Nintendo feel about these discs from 2001-2013?

Don't be stupid, you know Xbox is the best at this today.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 4d ago
Hofstaderman5d ago

Nobody wants this. Sales or the lack of it in the case of XBOX is very telling. I wonder how the adorably all digital series X will fare. Adorably dismal perhaps?

crazyCoconuts5d ago

Only time will tell, but for from someone like me suspecting that Xbox is trying to gracefully exit the console market, that "forward compatibility" team is trying to get Xbox games playing on Windows PCs. I mean, it's nice that they're not planning on exiting with a "enjoy your games while the hardware still works" message, so that's nice. They still have a brand to protect via Microsoft so probably feel obligated to have a better exit strategy.

Xeofate5d ago (Edited 5d ago )

That is not their plan, their plan is to transfer users accounts to the cloud.

Phil Spencer himself said as much a few months back, plans could have changed but I think people are reading way too much into one statement where Phil said he would allow Epic on xbox because he wants to be able to sell xbox games directly on other platforms. Aka, instead of selling Sea of Thives through PSN he wants to have an xbox store to sell his games on PlayStation without giving PlayStation any money.

Again, it's extremely unlikely that Phil plans to put PC on xbox and licensing would prevent them from just giving out other publishers games purchased on xbox copies of thier games on PC, Microsoft does not own their games.

crazyCoconuts4d ago

The thing that doesn't align with the cloud strategy is the giving up on exclusives. You'd still need strong exclusives for cloud streaming - it's still a "platform" , just with a lower upfront hardware investment. I feel like they've learned what PS learned with PSNow long ago. We're not ready to stream games and it's only gonna lose them money to try at this point

FinalFantasyFanatic4d ago

I would love that, I'd buy up some of the Xbox games if they could run on PC, like the Rare Replay, Lost Odyssey and Dead or Alive Ultimate, probably a pipe dream though.

Show all comments (43)
90°

Nintendo's War Against Player-Made Content Will Hurt The Company In The End

Danish from eXputer: "Nintendo has historically gone against player-made content and emulation of its games. This has done much to harm the company's image."

XiNatsuDragnel12d ago

I agree nintendo hire some these folks to help in your games it'll help imo.

banger8811d ago

They need to stop announcing these mods and fan remakes until they're finished. Finish it, upload it, and then if Nintendo dmca's it tough shit. Once it's online, people can share it around, even if the original download gets taken down.

Jingsing11d ago

True, but most modders need constant admiration during the process to motivate them.

PRIMORDUS11d ago

Yup, once it's a torrent nothing can be done Nintendo is helpless at that point. But it would be wise if they just had a site on the dark web, it's also easy to use with Tor and no one will bother you.

mastershredder10d ago

This is all coming from the mouth of short-sighted fandom and grifting madness.
No.... it wont. There is a clear defined reason why they don't. This is nothing new. Make your own shi7 from your own original ideas especially if you are trying to capitalize of it it. Duh.

Yeah, hire people that have zero respect or understanding for an established process. Wow. Yep. Totally makes sense.

shinoff218310d ago

Those guys that made that sonic game got a gig from sega or something along those lines and that game was dope as hell. One of the best sonics as of late.