The Future of Nintendo: Where to go from here?

Gaming Console Network's Editor Aaron Espinoza questions where the gaming giant Nintendo goes from here on out. Nintendo already has created something innovative and fresh with the Wii and DS, but what can they do next after the novelty wears thin?

[Silogon]

Where to go?

Away

[Breakfast]

They had the hardcore market....they now have the casual market...

I think its time for them to break into the pets market.

Theyll go wherever the money takes them.

[Tomdc]

lolz they already hav with nintendogs =P

dunno wat nintendo can do after wii tho... cant revolutionise much from their current position.

[et617]

Maybe they should make more innovative things and defend the criticism of being gimmicky, maybe next-gen could be head tracking gaming just like the one planned for Boom Blox, but was scrapped.. That would be interesting playing games with head tracking especially while for an FPS game.

[N4Gisbiased]

Go the way of Sega.

Seriously Nintendo, you make great games but you suck balls at making hardware.

[gumgum99]

wow. you might have a point here. why not? Only someone like nintendo could be crazy enough to pull this off

just when I thought I was the only living being to think up this idea

pets>gaming= the future= the matrix?

[Condoleezza Rice]

GOLDEN SUN 3.Make it happen Nintendo.

[Rock Bottom]

Once you've reached the top, you can only go back... Or so they say. :p

/jk

[Arsenal4Ever]

The future of nintendo?

What future? They'll just make a Wii 2 or something, but they won't release decent games.

I emphasise "SHOVELWARE" heaps and heaps of it.

[Captain Tuttle]

And every 18-24 months another Mario game

Edit: A little less bitter. Mario games just aren't my cup of tea.

[mepsipax]

Go ahead and criticize the wii and shovelware but never talk sh!t about Nintendo's games, Nintendo doesn't make shovelware, Nintendo makes amazing games that are incredibly polished providing they're at least A titles like SMG,LOZ:TP,SSBB.
edit: @captain more like every 4-6 months, but don't diss the core mario games like 64, Sunshine and Galaxy those games are great and they only come out every 3-4 years.

[doG_beLIEfs]

I do agree that Nintendo does make some very polished games. Let's not kid ouselves however. How hard is it to make the same game over and over? You would think that they would have Mario down by now. Princess Peach gets captured, Mario goes to a castle to save her, only to find out she is in another castle...rinse and repeat and charge another $50.

I practiced the piano for over 2 decades. If I am at a party and someone wants to hear something, it is inevitable that I will end up playing the same songs. Sure I can dress it up a bit and make it appear to sound different, but nevertheless it is still the same song over and over.

For me, Nintendo does not make quality software anymore, since all they do is re-release the same games with the same plots over and over again. Mario and pals are so "polished" by now that if you were to look at him directly you would go blind or turn to stone.

I really would like Nintendo to take a risk and come out with a new IP with new characters that can become just as loveable to the masses as Mario and pals. Maybe someday Shigeru will do just that. Or maybe drastically change up a Mario game. How about Mario in the future, in the past, or a different quest aside from saving Princess Peach for the 15th time?

I am trying not to be negative about Nintendo but I am just sick of hearing how great and polished Nintendo games are and how they are the best developers.

Give me Insomniac, team ICO, Polyphony Digital, and so on.

[Captain Tuttle]

Great post dog. That's how I feel. Unfortunately there's no incentive for Nintendo to change anything...it's like they have a license to print money.

[desolationstorm]

But your talking about polish like its just the story. So the plot for every mario game is the same? Who cares thats not what a polished game is. A polished game is a well playing game and when you get a big in house nintendo game that is exactly what you get. I dont get what your trying to argue here though. Are all sequels just more of the same? Does the fact that its a sequel mean the games requie any less polish to be a playable game? Do you mean because they have the foundation of mario set in place they can just phone it in the polish is already there?

The statement doesnt make sense because their games are polished they might not be your thing but the games are polished playable and enjoyable. I would have taken your comments a little more serious if you hadnt meantioned Polyphony Digital. Really you give me the company that has had basicly the best racing game since pso and done the same thing every time. So it takes more skill to make a race track and model cars? I wont argue that GT is basicly the best racer on the market if thats your type of thing but saying that they are a better developer because you have a biased opinion and prefer their games. When they realse soemthing other then a racing game let me know.

I dont have time to get into it more but try not to let bias opinion annoy you. Every developer you mentioned makes good games great in fact. But none have made games as long as nintendo nor with as much variety. Yes they use the franchises over and over and over again. Though they have a list of a crap ton of franchises and every generation they do come out with a new ip.

[gumgum99]

I think the best analogy here is music notes in general. Sure they're are the same number of notes used in every song, but look at how many songs you can create. Mario games are no different

[Covenant]

Well, the next step should be to incorporate high definition, a hard drive, and better online gameplay, either into the Wii, or into their next system.

[Voozi]

Starfox for the Wii please, my Wii is getting dusty ;_;

Another Zelda game would be nice too

Maybe another Mario eventhough I still havent beaten Galaxy lol

[iceman2885]

Another Metroid game

[Adamalicious]

I would love it if they would just quit making home console hardware and make games for other platforms. Zelda on PS3 would be the hottness. That's right, two Ts.

[SkyGamer]

With all the money they are making, maybe they could compete with the next box and next ps3, in terms of horsepower and graphics.

[fox02]

even with the money they where loosing on the N64 and the Cube; they could still compete (if they wanted to) with Microsoft and Sony.

anyway; I'm pretty sure they're just going to make a WiiHD with better online service and a hard drive.

[mepsipax]

The only reason I buy Nintendo systems is for Nintendo games which IMO are some of the finest games out there, sure every once and a while you get a good exclusive (no more heroes, resident 4(sorta)) but still when nintendo makes a new system, I'll buy it just to play my favorite franchises anew again, criticize Nintendo for being sequel heavy but when they create a new IP (pikmin, animal crossing) it's always good.

[Pornlord]

Nintendo's next console is going to be a chip that you implant in the base of your skull. This chip will make your whole life an interactive gaming experience. You can wash a fake Dog, give a Japanese man a lap dance, or bounce from planet to planet as the Mario of the future unfolds. Behold the power of the Nintendo's new system, S.P.I.N.E (Sychronized Personal Independent Neural Entity)

I think I spelled all that last part right :)

[ChickeyCantor]

...i think just selling a real mushroom does the same trick!
Nintendo invented them!

[Pornlord]

Indeed it does my friend, indeed... Where do you think that idea came from? :)

[lynta]

this is just stupid "what are they going to do next" the same as always "improve" exactly like game companies always did except for SEGA... man they suck, however they will probably just both have motion and non motion sensitive controls kinda like sixaxis but hopefully better. and just as both sony and microsoft they are probably going to do it more powerfull with better graphics and improved online and so on.

i also think they are going to have more hardcore games because when wii came out no third party devs trusted the console because of the failure of gamecube( not that it is a bad consol but it had poor sales)
but now when wii is selling so good third partys are starting to make games to the console ( mostly showelware ) but some good games are starting to come from third partys such as the conduit (coming soon(cant wait)) , boom blox, no more heroes, call of duty 5, the new castlevania (lets hope its any good), skate it, sonic unleashed( dont mess up sega plz), resident evil umbrella chronichles, zack and wiki.

thats why i think on the next consoles more third party devs are going to make games for nintendo due to wii succes.... tired of writing cheers/ a proud owner of wii/xbox and ps3 =D

[ChickeyCantor]

What nintendo should do is make the Wii the ultimate 2d platform, people can say what they want but 2D still rocks.

I would love to see new 2D games on the Wii.

[Ajirikowic]

Mega Man 9 = Wii Ware (not sure if it is a remake don't think so)

Now if they can do it, I really hope everyone else will start back to the roots.

[ChickeyCantor]

yes but Megaman 9 is really 8-bit XD
i was more talking allong the lines of Odin sphere.
...for example Metroid on the Wii would be more then awesome in 2D

[N4g_null]

Yeah 2d gaming is where it's at. I mean new super mario bros sold like crazy. 3d is not really needed in lots of games simply because the developer is sending you to the end of the stage most of the time any way. Isometric and other 2d views would do just fine. A lot of 3d art is starting to look the same also.

[bama]

XD

[ItisI]

Nintendo didn't loose money on the 64 and the Gamecube. Infact they were making more money than Sony(gaming division) right through the PS2/GC gen.

OT I don't know where Nintendo will go in the future but I will be there behind them because they make the BEST games in the business.

[Xiru]

Down.

[Product]

why do so many people bash nintendo remakes?im sorry but metal gear,ff,gta everything for the ps3 that sells the most is a sequal and rehash........people that post such comments as captian turtle or dog reliefs really are just being ignorant imo.

[Vizion26]

Nintendo didn't want to grow up? And you think games that involves violence found in GTA is grown up?

[Vizion26]

Virtual reality may be the next step. Only Nintendo would be bold enough to make that move.

[gumgum99]

lets hope it doesnt go the way of the virtual boy ^_^

[N4g_null]

@gumgum99 or the PS3 for that matter. I wonder who is going to help make the next PS console? After E3 we may here more about what nintendo thinks about the future. Yet wouldn't it be cool if the Wii just stayed around and they made another system? You know sort of like the GB,GBA and DS all selling at the same time but in console terms.

[jacen100]

just do the easiest thing that the other 2 companies have been doing the last couple years fill it with decent hardware like its not as if the hardware is groundbreaking it has been used in pc's for years and as for the comment that some clown made nintendo cant build decent hardware that because they dont have to 3rd parties do that by far nintendo has made the most profit from the wii over any other system and the wii mote is by far the best thing for playing FPS allot batter than a joypad just try MOH HEROES 2 for the wii and ull see , myself i also play COD4 on the 360 and for sure it has better graphics as it uses better hardware but the control scheme SUX the wii controls are more superior in these types of games and i only think sometimes when playing COD4 i wish the wii mote would work on this game. so go on nintendo next time round do the easy thing decent hardware for graphics u have made your money now start spending.

[jacen100]

just do the easiest thing that the other 2 companies have been doing the last couple years fill it with decent hardware like its not as if the hardware is groundbreaking it has been used in pc's for years and as for the comment that some clown made nintendo cant build decent hardware that because they dont have to 3rd parties do that by far nintendo has made the most profit from the wii over any other system and the wii mote is by far the best thing for playing FPS allot batter than a joypad just try MOH HEROES 2 for the wii and ull see , myself i also play COD4 on the 360 and for sure it has better graphics as it uses better hardware but the control scheme SUX the wii controls are more superior in these types of games and i only think sometimes when playing COD4 i wish the wii mote would work on this game. so go on nintendo next time round do the easy thing decent hardware for graphics u have made your money now start spending.

[razorbladelight]

i can assure you that people will still be complaining about how childish they are and how uninovative their games are and how they dont do anything new and how they are a generation behind. and then there will be the inevitable idiot who thinks that saying "yeah i owned the system and then SOLD IT!!!" is a witty remark.
so what I am saying is that nintendo is unpredictable in their hardware (who honestly can say they saw the function of the wii mote coming before its announcement), but what isn't is the nature of 20 something idiots who think that playing dual analogue is the future.