How we’d save Nintendo

Ars editors lay out their ideas to turn the House of Mario around.

[LOL_WUT]

Release a gamepad-less WiiU, throw in a pro controller a free downloadable game and sell it for around $150-$200. If Microsoft can make the kinect an option for the X1 then who's to say Nintendo can't do the same with the WiiU and gamepad. ;)

[M3TR01DFANBOY]

I'll never understand this idea. Some games only work with the gamepad. how could nintendo sell a console that cant play some of its own games without buying a seperate controller.

[rextraordinaire]

The two others do it. Some games are only playable with PS move or Kinect, yet both Sony and Microsoft manage to sell their consoles well.

And people are intelligent enough to look at the box art, where it's clearly stated what's required to play.

[jsslifelike]

@M3TR01DFANBOY

I agree with you. The more I use the Gamepad, the more it makes me WANT to use the Gamepad. It's a core design philosophy of the hardware, and Hell- you still can't even buy it separately. This "Gamepad-less Wii U" stuff has to stop. I hate Microsoft for bringing this topic back into the spotlight. It was the right move for them, but that doesn't automatically mean that holds true for Nintendo.

[KonsoruMasuta]

I hope you never get put in charge of a company. You would make them lose so much money.

First, you want them to take out a piece of the hardware that they invested tons of money in. If it was this alone, I might have agreed with you. They could have lowered the price of the system even though they would have loss a little.

But then you said they should lose even more money by throwing in a pro controller and a free game and selling it for 200? That is one of the most foolish things I have ever read, even compared to your other comments.

[Mikito11]

Because kinect games only require kinect, not all software is affected. wii u games mostly use both screens in some way and are integrate into the UI ect.. It wouldn't work

[BoneBone]

You're still struggling with the idea that you should just admit you're clueless, hey WUT.

[wheresmymonkey]

Because the gamepad is a fundemental part of the WiiUs design you idiot. Without it a ton of the machines basic functions don't work. They'd need to completely redo the OS for a start.

Its like saying ferrai should start selling cars with golf engines in them.

[LOL_WUT]

Typical fanboy having to resort to name calling it was just an opinion. Maybe not even throw in a free game just a pro controller. ;)

[McScroggz]

Nintendo would incur huge loses. I don't know how much the Wii U cost to manufacture, but at your price they might lose $100 per console sold. Not to mention the costs to manufacture existing GamePads. That's a huge risk to take on a console that already has a drastically reduced retail presence and toxic reputation.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

Apparently you're not clued into the fact that the Game Pad is much more traditional, and much more crucial, to the Wii U than the Kinect is to the XBone.
Come back when you've finally realized that the Wii U's controller is far less gimmicky.

[Geobros]

Sony has more financial problems than Nintendo, Sony needs to be saved, Nintendo is healthy...

[Sincere0121]

Well said

[Mikito11]

Don't talk sense on N4G, it's not alowed ;) it winds all the trolls up and hurts their tiny brains too :P :)

[BattleN]

Don't say that or you will start another lil war. Toad's vs trolls lol

[thehobbyist]

The salt is real

[McScroggz]

Sigh...

Sony is a conglomerate, comprised of many divisions. The PlayStation brand is clearly in an excellent spot, and overall the PlayStation brand has been very good besides the initial years of PS3 which, admittedly, was financially disastrous. But the point is the PlayStation brand is very healthy.

Now we could try to discuss Sony as a whole and their prospects, but most people don't even attempt to understand the business side of things.

Of course, what is your retort to the fact that every Nintendo console since the NES has declined in sales other than the fad of the Wii? Don't you think maybe, just maybe, it might be better to discuss how Nintendo can fix their home console issues or would you rather take weak jabs at Sony?

[bleedsoe9mm]

Fire Iwata , give an apology to the fans and build a controller based console that is as strong as the xb1 and ps4 , that will get the 3rd parties back .

[Mikito11]

And how shall we stop all the wars and poverty in the world oh wise one?

[bleedsoe9mm]

let them eat cake

@M3TR01DFANBOY someone needs to fall on the sword and it shows a new direction . Power = quality hell no but they can do all the same nintendo game on a powerful system that has 3rd party games to fill the gaps between releases . its either that or they go super cheap and give up 3rd parties forever .

[M3TR01DFANBOY]

Firing an experienced person like Iwata isnt a good idea, gamepads not a controller?, power=/= quality

[Vegamyster]

Doesn't work that way otherwise the Gamecube would have sold more & 3rd Party devs would have supported the system better.

[lilbroRx]

If any of those things were the issue, then the GC would have succeeded and the Wii would have failed.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

Bullshit.
Gamers have been trained to buy AAA third party multiplatform games on the other two systems for the past two gens now.
That won't change.
Nintendo doesn't need that, they need exclusives built around the system.

[BattleN]

Same could be said of Obama but we have him a few more years :(

[OtakuDJK1NG-Rory]

Isn't obvious BUY Mario Kart 8 Bundle

[InTheZoneAC]

#1 - Announcements and Advertisements...

Start by releasing a commercial and playing it everywhere multiple times, every old school nes, snes, genesis, gba, gbc, gb, n64 game is being immediately released on the eShop.

There is no reason that they are taking their sweet time releasing this bs on the Wii U.

And once they have the Virtual Console updated, immediately price drop every single 1st party game 6 months and older to keep up with the used game pricing found everywhere else. Find out how many 3rd party publishers want to do the same...

Within a day you've already taken care of the two of the three problems that exist on the eShop.

Remove taxes from eShop purchases and include a $50 eShop redemption card with every Wii U console and a $25 eShop card with every 3ds console. I know the 3ds isn't hurting, but entice everyone considering any Nintendo product. It does not hurt any sales including a gift card because you have brought in a customer that you didn't have prior...

Announce that all future games won't require the gamepad for single player games. And make it where you don't even need the gamepad for the Wii U menu or eShop or anything else that requires it.

Announce a full fledged Pokemon RPG for the Wii U. I don't even care if it hasn't started development. Just announce it and get your best guys from Gamefreak to start this project. I don't need an estimated release date, just tell the world that this game is coming out for the Wii U.

This would turn Nintendo around immediately, but they'd rather be stubborn about everything, having one guy run their network it department and thinks that price shops should never happen because it wouldn't be fair to customers 3 years ago who paid full price to see a price drop now.

That is how retarded Nintendo is right now...

[randomass171]

From what bottom do you want Nintendo to pull out the manpower, time and cash to do all of this efficiently?

[InTheZoneAC]

so now nintendo can't make commercials?

I didn't know it took everyone in nintendo to do so....

so now nintendo must have more than one IT guy running the eShop and that's a problem for them?

I'm sorry they have to keep up with times...

It sounds like you're already defending and making excuses for why Nintendo can't turn it around for the Wii U...I guess Nintendo has too many people that think like you and this is why they're in their current state...

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

Making the game pad matter LESS is a STUPID BUSINESS TACTIC for a system that relies upon it to give itself an advantage over other normal controllers.

[InTheZoneAC]

Nintendo doesn't need the gamepad. I know I don't like it and I wouldn't use it if I didn't have to.

The whole reason why I didn't keep the wii was due to gimmicky controls, but I knew some of games coming out for the wii u would support the pro controller.

if Nintendo were to exclude the gamepad they could price drop the system even more. It doesn't even matter if they miss out on old games because nintendo just sold one more console that would've never sold if they included the gamepad.

Do you see how that works? The Wii U isn't selling, they need help asap.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

You're wrong, Zone.
The Wii U DOES need the game pad, and getting rid of it would only make the Wii U sell WORSE.

The Game Pad is the main differentiating factor about the system.
It's already weaker in specs than the others and doesn't do much in terms of multimedia[movies, music, etc].
If you take away the game pad, which allows off-TV play right out of the box on TOP of the touch options that only a nice-sized screen like that can deliver to gameplay, you're left with an ordinary system that third parties wouldn't WANT to support, and would have nothing else to drag it OUT of that position, even if the long-term install base DID rise.

The truth of the matter is that, #1, you're either broke or too cheap, and #2, you're underestimating how good the Game Pad is for games, and passing it off as a "gimmick" to avoid admitting that it's actually a very solid and comfortable controller.

That's it.
That's the whole truth.

If you're not poor, then you don't think the system is worth its price despite all the deals for it online that you COULD search out if you wanted to.

You've even got the option of getting a Pro controller if you hate the game pad so much. Most games support it as it is. But as it is, the game pad is a comfortable controller that has all the buttons a core player needs, on top of added features.

But no, you'd rather see the system suffer under a price drop it cannot afford, while getting rid of its best selling point, because you think "a gimmicky controller" can't do anything special for your games.

You're in the wrong here, bro. It's stupid to ask Nintendo to make a sacrifice that would not bear any fruit just so you can save a few extra bucks.

If you want a Wii U for its games, but feel that the Wii U is too expensive, and you've already spent cash on an even more expensive system with controllers that do even LESS in terms of gameplay, then it's your fault for paying for that more expensive system when you could have just gotten a Wii U and pro controller on the cheap instead.

[rivencleft]

Zelda Wii U or Bust. Spiritual successor to Mario 64 or bust. Come on Nintendo, we've been waiting too long, break your silence.

[MadMax]

How bout just some more classic nintendo games? I wanna see a brand new Mario 64 style game and some ghosts and goblins! A whole new mega man in a 3d style world maybe?

Comon, it's easy! Just some new classic games redone for this generation! That's what will sell consoles! I'm happy with my WiiU right now, but could be much happier with some new games.

[wheresmymonkey]

Save them from what exactly, If Nintendo needs saving than So does Sony.

[McScroggz]

I don't think there is anything that can be done to turn the Wii U around. Maybe it can end up selling GameCube numbers, but it would take a lot of effort to do that.

I honestly don't know what Nintendo should do. But they need to do something different.

[Ck1x]

Man we get the Nintendo needs saving and WiiU needs saving articles all in one day! MK8 must be doing its job then...
The reviews alone have brought out the Troll Force, what will be the aftermath of e3 then.

[thehobbyist]

If I were in charge I'd run a huge smear campaign putting all the "no games" "no third party support" "just a Wii add on" shit to rest. A bunch of commercials being like:
"No third parties you say? Well..." *Montage of third party games* *mic drop*
"We often hear that people say "The Wii U is just a wii add on". Well it's not and it's super cool, now go buy one"
The consumer really just needs clarity on what the Wii U is and what it has to offer. Which they are apparently too lazy to get on the internet and do themselves.