Nintendo's E3 2014 Plans: Or Get Over Yourselves, Gaming Press

Phil Stortzum writes, "Today, Nintendo announced its plans for early June's E3 2014 event. Its plan of attack is to have another presence at E3 just like it did last year. Not only this, but a showing of games via a prerecorded video, a multiple day Super Smash Bros. tournament, a demo for Super Smash Bros. at Best Buy stores across the nation, and various livestreams, the one particularly of the note is the one with Nintendo Treehouse. However, this news has not really been covered so much as it has allowed many members of the gaming press to whine and moan for the sole reason that they aren't being directly catered to like they feel they deserve to be."

[NYC_Gamer]

I feel like Nintendo doesn't want to compete with Sony and MS at E3..

[RPGrinder]

More like Nintendo is treating E3 the way it should be treated. Let the games speak for themselves, leave the hype, marketing fakeness behind.

Nintendo released more games in the beginning of 2014 than Sony and Microsoft combined. That is all any gamer should care about.

[Activemessiah]

I think they always felt that way by releasing a sub-par console and releasing it a full year before the others to say "we are not competing" but I doubt everyone got the message :P

[OtakuDJK1NG-Rory]

N64 is stronger than PS1
Gamecube is stronger than PS2 somewhat on par with Xbox.

Nice try though

[Activemessiah]

@OtakuDJK1NG I was referring to this generation but thanks for the history lesson.

[OtakuDJK1NG-Rory]

Oh really

"I think they always felt that way by releasing a sub-par console"
" they always "

doesn't seem like you were just talking about this gen.

[theshonen8899]

You walked right into that one.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

If that were true, Nintendo would entirely opt out of E3, by not having any booths, not announcing any games, and not even doing a Direct.
This year they're doing everything listed above on top of using Facebook and twitter for more media and public exposure.
They're doing things differently, not abstaining from competition entirely.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

So the writer is basically saying its good Nintendo skipped another E3 so that way Nintendo can stick it it to the press.

Umm no Nintendo not attending a traditional E3 gives the press reason to hate, further.

The rest of the piece is the writer is in damage control.

"The same press that writes continuous articles on how Nintendo should go third-party? The same press that writes that company CEO Satoru Iwata needs to step down? The same press that writes how Nintendo is always behind the times? The same press that basically makes Nintendo damned if they do and damned if they don't?"

Well Nintendo isn't doing anything to shut the press up. A few events, SSM tourney and Directs isn't enough.

The press is all over MS as well. That's why MS will take this time at E3 and tell the naysayers to stick it. I don't see Nintendo doing that here.

I'm tired of these excuses and finger pointing from certain Nintendo fans and finding fault in the press for Nintendo's mistakes.

Stop it.

[Phil32]

First of all, Nintendo has never "skipped an E3." It had just as much a presence on the show floor than any other year last year. It simply didn't host a traditional press conference. You starting off with a falsehood doesn't really help your argument any.

Furthermore, I don't think I ever said Nintendo's mistakes were anyone's fault but its own. I said that Nintendo is right to bypass the media, who seemingly takes any positive news and somehow turns it into a negative or a narrative that Nintendo is doomed or whatever nonsense that would be regurgitated for the umpteenth time. Now, it can be considered both a good thing (Nintendo can give consumers better interaction with E3 by sharing the experience directly to them) and a bad thing (press members getting pissy, the threat of Nintendo not being covered as much). Please don't put words in my mouth.

You saying it gives the press a reason to hate... I thought the press was supposed to put their personal opinions aside when covering NEWS. Instead, many took the opportunity to share Nintendo's NEWS and turn it into an OPINION PIECE on how Nintendo is doomed or is a backwards company. It's something that has no place in a news story. An editorial, yes. But none of these articles by "journalists" were meant to be such.

Simply dismissing the entire opinion piece as "damage control" is quite disingenuous.

I'm personally tired of excuses and people defending the gaming press, which is rather laughable at best and pathetic at worst.

So why don't you "stop it" by not defending a gaming press that is no better than a group of N4G fanboys? It would do the industry so much better if news was covered as news and opinion pieces, which are perfectly fine for sharing one's grievances with Nintendo (and are deserved), are covered as opinion pieces?

[randomass171]

Dang Phil. That was one slick response. Took every last word right out of my mouth. Bubble for intelligence. :)

[X1PS4WiiU]

Hiroshi Yamauchi philosophy for Nintendo was to not copy others, and do your own thing. This shows.

MS and Sony will seem to inevitably knock one or the other out of the video game console business, while Nintendo chugs along being unique, and vastly different from the others.

[RPGrinder]

If the first thing Nintendo shows at its digital event (not a Nintendo Direct, they were very clear), was a brand new trailer for the new Zelda. Do you think gamers will give 2 shakes about how the information was delivered? no.

The only reason why this is a story is because it is Nintendo.

[JuleyJules]

The other thing is they haven't really defined what this 'Digital Event' is going to be. If it was another Nintendo Direct like last year they would have said but this sounds like it's bigger than that. Could it be a streamed event with press there so there is a reaction to what they show? Could it be longer than a traditional Direct? Time will tell.

[randomass171]

The Digital Event, I think is going to be like a Direct but they may ask fans to submit questions in real time. Something along those lines, something interactive. At least that's what I would hope for.

[Activemessiah]

To be honest, if Zelda is gonna be shown, pre-recorded is no way to do it justice at all... *sigh*

[randomass171]

Has Nintendo historically ever presented pre-recorded footage that wasn't a tech demo of some kind? I highly doubt there's any need to worry about that. The Zelda U tech demo from the Wii U's unveiling looked really nice and that was a real time render.

[McScroggz]

E3 is about exposure. The more exposure (the positive kind, Microsoft) the more of an impact it will have for the publisher. As a gamer, it's easy to say all the hype doesn't matter and it's all about the games; but without a "traditional" press conference, it is going to be really difficult to get meaningful exposure - especially considering the Wii U is flopping tremendously for Nintendo.

Don't get me wrong, the Smash Bros. tournament is an awesome idea. However, I feel like Nintendo's E3 plans underscores one of the companies biggest issues going forward: right now Nintendo primarily caters to its existing audience rather than trying to grow its audience.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

Last year, their show didn't have face book, YouTube, and twitter as focus groups for the streams.
This year, they are.

[McScroggz]

There are a lot of points to address, but I'll try stick to three major ones.

Like I said, E3 is about exposure through mainstream media outlets. As big as IGN, GameSpot and GameTrailers are, they aren't "mainstream." They are still fairly dedicated and core gamer centric sites. It's the publications that don't generally cover games like Forbes (too a degree), newspapers like The New York Times, TV outlets like CNN, etc. that attend E3 and report to a large segment of the population that may not keep up with the games industry and its machinations. In short, the types of people that don't know or don't care about the Wii U right now.

And on a similar note, Nintendo circumventing the major gaming sites directly cuts into the profits these gaming sites could make through their coverage and their own streams. Beyond other issues that might come up in a video stream, the sites simply won't give as much attention to a video as they would to a traditional conference.

And lastly, there is the perception issue. Though some will defend the practice and claim its awesome for gamers, what Nintendo is doing makes it look like they don't want to compete with Microsoft and Sony - and possibly that they can't compete. What makes it worse is how poorly the Wii U is doing. It makes Nintendo look weak honestly. That doesn't mean that they are, but it's absolutely going to hurt them. People are already saying Nintendo isn't showing up at E3, despite it being factually incorrect.

I just feel like the cheap way out. I see multiple reasons why it hurts them, and I honestly don't know one meaningful way that it helps them.

[McScroggz]

There is a certain placid nature to a video presentation versus a live one. Think about when you have, presumably, watched some award show. Be it the Oscars, the Grammy's, the Emmy's, whatever, there is a certain electricity with the uncertain nature of show. That is underscored whenever they cut to a video of somebody accepting an award - it just feels, disconnected.

As somebody who is going to be watching through livestreams/TV coverage, it's not drastically different. However, there is a certain nuanced difference that not only will online viewers get, but the people there covering E3 (even more so for them). And this is assuming Nintendo tries to spice up the E3 presentation versus last year, which was just another Nintendo Direct. If Nintendo attempts to make their presentation fun and exciting and hype things in a similar fashion than a live show then it isn't quite as big of a deal; but it's Nintendo, who knows.

As far as the mainstream - yes Forbes still covered Nintendo. Other outlets will have some coverage. But, while I can't substantiate my claims, I feel confident in saying that a traditional press conference garners far more attention through non-gaming centric media than a video presentation. This is what's hard to communicate to enthusiasts. Gaming sites have to cover Nintendo regardless, but if Reader's Digest goes to E3 are they going to be interested in a video presentation? Maybe. Are they going to go out of their way to give Nintendo coverage? Probably not. I know I'm not being specific, and maybe because I'm not being specific you won't agree with me on this; I just feel like the approach Nintendo is taking is one that caters to the core gamer, the people who already own a Wii U or at least keep up with Nintendo stuff.

Again, the point I would make is even if you or another person don't agree with a lot of my points I still don't see the benefits. How is doing a video presentation going to garner more attention than a live conference? That is THE point of E3. Get attention, especially from large gaming sites and really importantly from mainstream media outlets. There is just little to no reason to think a video presentation is going to be better at doing that.

Just my opinion though. I'm not expert.

EDIT: Nintendo's video presentation makes me think of people that go to the Dallas Cowboy's stadium only to watch the game on the jumbo screen. It just doesn't have the same impact, ya know? Hard to explain.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

There's a snag in your theory regarding exposure...
Despite not having a press conference, magazines and online sites like Forbes still wrote articles on what Nintendo revealed.
On top of that, many people, if not the majority, who know and care about E3, tune into it via sites like YouTube and twitch and Facebook, and Nintendo is paying attention to that this year by putting their digital shows onto those sites for coverage on top of the things that the usual news sites will cover after the show.

Nintendo's coverage this year is world's better than last year, even without a press Conference, which is actually a lot less exciting to watch than it used to be, now that the general public at large is barred from it.

The perception issue is the only one I can agree that you have a valid point on, but that's what Nintendo is working on; changing perceptions through doing things differently.
It didn't work last year because they didn't have all their cuckoos in a row, but this year they're doing things a LOT better, even without the press conference.

All I'm saying is, don't look at this as a repeat of last year. They've made strides in a positive direction with their inclusion of mainstream internet sites.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

I understand your point, but you've got to keep the past few years of E3 firmly in mind here.

E3 isn't as exciting as the Oscars or Emmy's, which include the public far more than E3.
It used to be, but not anymore.

Back in the earlier 2000's, E3 was a HUGE deal because the public could join in on it and hype things up to much higher levels.
That ability to include the public, live at the show, garnered the stage presentations much more attention, because both gamers and non-gamers could attend it and see what all the excitement was about.

But now it's limited to the press.
It's not getting the same kind of exposure as it did before, because only media attends to cover it, meaning that without social networking sites like Twitter reporting on it, non-gamers wouldn't even bother with the show.

That's why I keep saying that there's a big difference in their presentation between last year and this year; this year, they're putting a much larger focus upon those non-gamer main-stream media sites, with their digital presentations.
They're re-incorporating the non-gaming audience with that move, making a splash on their own stage where everyone can see them without needing to attend, or even know about, E3, because all of their announcements are going to be popping up on the sites that these average joes and janes use as a part of their daily lives.

It's going to garner more attention than the live conference because it's going to reach sites that non-gamers[and gamers too, for that matter], visit often as their daily routine.

Even without CNN and other news/media sites reporting on it[and there's no guarantee that they won't, seeing as how Twitter stories have also made the news before now. Cranky Kong? Yeah...], Nintendo has set themselves up for a MUCH more cost-and-attention-effective show this year by promising a much bigger presence on these social media sites, especially now that E3 has sort of been knocked off of its once-glorious pedestal by barring the public.

[McScroggz]

I don't see how the Oscars et al are more friendly to the public. Just like E3 the only people at these events, generally speaking, are people from the industry itself.

You say Nintendo will reach more mainstream people, and I just gotta wonder how you came to that conclusion. The same sites you mentioned (Twitter, Facebook, Twitch, etc.) will have just as much coverage of the Sony and Microsoft conferences as Nintendo. Again, the biggest difference is in the mainstream media AT E3. I just don't think somebody like NBC will give as much time to a video presentation from Nintendo as they would a live show. Obviously this is something we disagree on - and that's fine - I just don't see how anybody can think it's beneificial to not have a live conference. It may not make a huge difference, but I refuse to believe it's a positive.

And again there is the perception problem that we agree on, and that goes a long way in helping establishing a narrative.

If somebody can give me reasonably concrete reasons why, from a business/marketing standpoint, a Digital Event is better for Nintendo than a tradition show I'd be happy to hear it. If you think you know, feel free to PM - there could be something I'm missing. As it is, like I've said before, I just don't see how it's better.

[randomass171]

Out of curiosity, don't you think anyone who is interested in whatever Nintendo is showing would probably actively seek out their E3 reveals for themselves? I mean Nintendo's push seems to go far beyond E3 and to a lot of social media outlets. It seems a lot more interactive which is something I like.

[McScroggz]

The type of people Nintendo are communicating with are the type of people who are already invested in their ecosystem. And as we see with the Wii U, it is sadly just not enough of a core to be sustainable.

Let me give an admittedly circumstantial example from last year:

When deciding where to watch E3 last year, I decided to watch Spike TV so my friend (who doesn't follow gaming much) could comfortably watch with me. We watched Microsoft's event, then the 30 minutes of people talking about the reveals and whatnot. Then we watched the third party publisher events similarly (EA, Ubisoft, Activision, etc.). Occasionally we even went online to re-watch a trailer or read a quick article for clarification, Then we watched Sony's conference, listened to the bombs at the end and the 30 minutes afterwards dedicated to discussing the conference. Then, as it wound down, they started talking more broadly about E3 and who had the best press conference.

Do you see what is missing here? Where is Nintendo in the discussion? They were forgotten. An afterthought. Nintendo was at E3, they even had some really big games there (Smash!). They had an E3 Nintendo Direct. But, for whatever reasons, Nintendo didn't make an impact on a large scale.

Now, while I think it's a mistake to not have a live presentation at E3, I will say that Nintendo actually has a chance to do some really cool things. The Smash tournament is a fantastic idea, and if Nintendo capitalizes on that opportunity to reach fans, to air it live on Twitch and other places and smartly get the word out about the Wii U/3DS and key announcements. Nintendo can do some really smart things. With their recent track record I wouldn't expect it, but it is there for the taking.

But I still go back to my main point: Nintendo doesn't gain anything from not doing a live, traditional event at E3; but they could lose something. It may be a big domino effect, or it may just be a small difference. However, I don't understand how Nintendo benefits from being absent in the public image.

[Ck1x]

I don't get why a live stage conference or Digital Event effects the people at home? I didn't mind them doing a Direct last year, but what I didn't like was that it was poorly planned for and the stream would constantly go down. I still would like for Nintendo to come out and announce playable demo's straight to WiiU personally! I know people like seeing a crowds reaction to information being released, but I am not one of those people that need that. Give us a more Direct e3 experience in our living rooms and I'll be all set. They also stated that the Nintendo Digital Event is a new video format, so it's not going to be just a regular Direct like setting. Makes me think that it will be prerecorded, but maybe with an audience. Select journalist maybe...

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

Imo, the reactions at E3 have gone down in quality since they made it a press only deal.
So it won't really matter if there isn't a press conference; the games will bring more than enough Coverage by virtue of how epic their reveal trailers are.

[BosSSyndrome]

Wow. I cant believe you all take it so lightly. "Oh what does it matter, it wont affect anyone watching at home." Bull. When Twilight Princess was revealed, the cheering and spirit of the fans became a piece a gaming history. Whether youre in the crowd or just watching them, its that spirit thats makes the difference at e3. Last years e3 direct was great, but it lacked so much just because there was no live audience. If you want to pretend it no big deal, fine. I for one, am deeply saddened, and would go so far as to say that if Nintendo never does a live show again, it will be a part of them that died. Pathetically. Bring back E3.

[randomass171]

The Twilight Princess reveal was over five years ago. Don't you think Nintendo has too much to cram into one hour long session? A Smash tournament, the digital event, another Best Buy demo event? I mean that's a lot of neat stuff that fans are going to love. Whether or not it works on more exposure we will see, but what I like about this is how much they are giving fans this time. That's something you have to give them credit for.

[Phil32]

Funnily enough, the press is once again mad today because they didn't know about the Mario Kart 8 Nintendo Direct.

This opinion piece works two days in a row.