910°

Oh Wow, Amazon Really Hates Nintendo Consoles

Kotaku - For almost two years now, Amazon has not been selling Nintendo's gaming hardware first hand. You can buy a 3DS or Wii U from the massive online retailer, but it will be sold through a third party. Amazon won't sell Nintendo hardware themselves. And neither Nintendo nor Amazon will say why.

guitarded774035d ago (Edited 4035d ago )

LoL... I would love to know what is going on between Amazon and Nintendo. I heard all kinds of crap like they're mad because Nintendo won't give them Wal-Mart's pricing, and/or Nintendo gives preference to retail outlets.

dedicatedtogamers4035d ago (Edited 4035d ago )

This article is pointless...

The reason why this stuff shows up the way it does is because of advertising. The ad for PS4 is also on Amazon's main page. Do you know why it's on the main page? Because Sony does something called "pays for advertising" and then a magical fairy takes the money and converts it into an online ad! Tah-dah! The mystery has been solved.

It would be completely normal for Sony to say "hey Amazon, I'm going to give you an extra $x and I would like you to please put this ad on competitor's pages", which is a very normal thing to do in advertisement. And then Amazon says "hey, Sony, Microsoft pays advertising already, so I'm sorry, we can't put it on their page". Then Sony says "hmmm, what about Nintendo?" Then Amazon replies "oh, look here! Apparently Nintendo does not seem to advertise with us. It's a blank area. I suppose we would happily let you advertise on Nintendo's page since they don't want to advertise at all on our website".

Sony (and Microsoft) partner with Amazon, because if you look at the console listings, there are Amazon-exclusive PS3 bundles and 360 bundles. These bundles are possible because Sony and Microsoft made an arrangement with Amazon. If no such bundles exist for Nintendo, it's not because Amazon is an anti-Nintendo meanie-head. It's because Nintendo didn't want to make a deal with Amazon. It's that simple. It doesn't surprise me they're behind the ball with an online retailer. Nintendo is always a decade behind when it comes to online anything.

Elwenil4035d ago

Hmmm, when I go to Amazon there is an ad for a Kindle on the main page. You do realize that Amazon puts up ads and products based on your search history, don't you? Clear your cookie and you will probably get something completely different.

I'm not saying that various companies don't pay for advertising or special treatment from retailers as it's obvious that they do. All the same I don't think that explains Amazon's avoidance of selling Nintendo products. I also agree that the article is pointless as there are several of these "oddities" going on in the retail world and most of them we will never know the real reasons behind it.

Stroke6664035d ago

the thing is no other online retailer is doing this. its hard to believe sony would pay for amazon to do it but not cover their ground by doing it on some, if not all, other online retailers. just sounds fishy to me but oh well i got my wii u I'm good and nintendo will be fine

dedicatedtogamers4035d ago

@ Stroke666

Amazon is one of the biggest, if not THE biggest, online distributors of videogames and videogame systems. It would make sense that Sony would pour their advertising dollars into Amazon while not giving as much to other lesser-known websites.

ZombieNinjaPanda4035d ago

Hijacking this comment. If you don't want to see Kotaku any longer report all kotaku articles you see as lame. Make sure to rate them as WTF and NO.

BISHOP-BRASIL4035d ago

I always tought it would be something the other way around. Amazon shows competitor products in every product page, be it on ads, what other people viewing this also viewed, what other people viewing this bought, etc... Maybe Nintendo have some kind of contract to not allow any retailer to have a competitor mention in their booth/page, which conflicts with Amazon settings (since even when you are an advertiser, like MS and Sony, a competitor may show up in "people who viewed this page bought that", I had seen this on games and accessories from both Sony and MS, sometimes showing stuff from Wii too), so they don't sell it to avoid legal problems.

Of course I'm just guessing in the dark here... But hey, at least I'm not claiming to be a "gaming journalist".

zeee4035d ago

Kotaku is so pathetic! So very damn pathetic!

Ritsujun4034d ago Show
+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 4034d ago
Seraphim4035d ago

I'd imagine it has something to do with pricing or supply. Oddly enough though there's are PAGES of Nintendo DS's "Fulfilled by Amazon" and you know what that means? They're probably making more off these listings than they would be offering Nintendo products directly. Either way who frekn cares. Amazon customers can still their Nintendo products and Prime customers can still get our free 2 day shipping.... pointless article.

Gamer19824034d ago (Edited 4034d ago )

Me so they probably have a deal with Sony to link to their products in this way its not about hate.. If not then they obviously want money. They make next to nothing off 3rd partys selling nintendo consoles on amazon. But if they sell a Sony product they make a LOT more.

syanara4034d ago

arent the advertisements placed by a computer that dictates what is shown based on how many people are viewing certain pages, if Playstation consoles are getting the most views right now (which makes sense considering the recent PS4 announcements) then they wold probably come up all over the place versus Wii U which has not made any big announcements lately and still has a fuzzy marketing campaign

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4034d ago
SpiralTear4035d ago

It does seem extremely suspicious that Amazon recommends other consoles on Nintendo hardware pages, but not vice versa.

However, very interesting that this article didn't tell us why this is happening. Also, Kotaku has a knack for stupid and misleading headlines as always.

Knushwood Butt4035d ago

Well, Kotaku sucks, but Amazon Japan sell Nintendo hardware directly:

http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E4...

GreenRanger4035d ago

Maybe Nintendo hates Amazon?!

LOL_WUT4035d ago

It could also be the other way around or maybe its due to the fact that it's not selling well. ;)

PygmelionHunter4035d ago

Tell us LOL_WUT. What is it that is not selling well? Oh, you mean the Wii U? That's pretty funny since Amazon has been flipping the bird at Nintendo's face since the last decade.

TRY AGAIN ;)

Theyellowflash304035d ago

This is about the 3DS though, which is selling well. So your assessment is off.

PopRocks3594035d ago

The 3DS, which this article is actually about, is a best selling platform.

*face/palm*

miDnIghtEr20C_SfF4035d ago

Says sold by Amazon on their very own picture they use.

Fail.

OC_MurphysLaw4035d ago

As I recall there was a big falling out between Amazon and Nintendo over returns on the 3DS if my memory serves me right. The original version had an issue with wiring between the clam-shell. Again if my memory serves me right reports were Nintendo stopped accepting returns on it but Amazon was still obligated to take them back via their own policy. Amazon couldn't get Nintendo to honor the returns so they started shipping them back to Nintendo under a different warranty claim. Or something along those lines. In a nut shell, their relationship became very volatile and I have no doubts Amazon and Nintendo are both a bit leery of the other.

delboy4034d ago

You're right, and your memory serves you well.

Show all comments (64)
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
isarai6d 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.