2008 Predicitions - Nintendo

GameRevolver.com finishes their three part series on 'Predictions 2008. This piece looks at the Nintendi Wii.

[Harry190]

look bad for nintendo when they
will try to enter the real next gen
market.

[Intrepid]

I have to disagree. They've already opened up a huge audience. Hardware sales are incredible and more recently, software sales have increased substantially. Also, I think 3rd party support will get better; not flawless, but much better. (It can't go anywhere else but up.)

[saprano]

the wii is a low powered harderware, thats why its so cheap. but like harry said it will be bad for them if they decide to make a real nexgen console nextime around.why? cause the price is not going to be the same as the wii for one. its going to be higher and its not going to sell as good the wii did,and for people that think nintendo can just make another system like the wii, i dont think so. the next round of consoles is gonna be so advanced that nintendo is not going to have a choice but join in on the powerful hardware specs. im sorry but people is not going to accept another outdated system compared to whats gonnabe availible.

[Harry190]

add to that the fact that nintendo is not particularly
favored or known for hardware development.obviously
they don't or no more have the same backing or experience
that ms and sony have for hardware related research and
development.they will have to rely on existing technology
which means standardized blu-ray drive,wi-fi,bluetooth,
substantial hdd and so on,which means additonal costs and expensive
products.as incredible as it seem,nintendo is in a bottleneck when it comes to planning for the future.it simply won't be able to cater for the same casual quick frills low cost audience.and they probably
aren't even considering digital distribution as a viable means to cut down expenditure on future software.there is also very little chance that they do actually possess the know-how to challenge the ps3 in terms of specs or the 360,though it would be easier.

[Leathersoup]

Catering to a market of casual gamers doesn't sound like a future market. Unlike people who buy PS3 and 360 consoles, the new market that Nintendo has garnered are not hardware hungry. I'm guessing that they will be happy with their Wii and their Wiisports.
I'm not saying that there aren't people with Wiis that will want a "next big thing" console, but those people aren't the new market, they're the loyal Nintendo customers.

Although they now have this broader audience, the big trick for Nintendo is figuring out a way to convince their new customer base to get a new console when they're ready to put another one out.
I'm not sure how they're going to do that.

[Harry190]

what i meant.civilized discussions are so enjoyable.
they have failed in 'educating' their current audience.
metroid,zelda and mario sales are superb but not a farcry from
their equivalent gamecube sales.why?because only the same loyal
nintendo fans are buying these games.there may be eventually,
an increase because of the curiosity factor,but nothing substantial
enough to enforce the idea that a future console will
keep up with wii standards.the really impressive sale figures are those of wii play,sports,fit.running out of bubbles now.

[Vizion26]

You fanboys need to sing a new tune. This is getting pretty old. Every time there is some news about the Wii, Sony and Microsoft fanboys come on the thread to post some anti-Wii drivel. If you don't like the Wii, then don't play it. Plain and simple. Spewing irrational hatred towards it is not going to drive down sales of it as it has been outselling the 360 and PS3 combined worldwide for just about every month.

Seriously, what are you doing wasting time hating on the Wii on the internet? Shouldn't you be spending that time playing your awesome 360 or PS3?

[Harry190]

but i do not consider this as an attack.i do not hate it
and i do play a lot.we may heave singled out a particular
group of gamers but have in no way criticized.as far as this discussion goes some sensible points were made on the future of nintendo.i do not hold a grudge against the wii,it has done nothing to me that would have me whining about it.you are entitled to have your own take/perspective on the matter and we do respect that.your frustration is also legitimate due to the fact that biased attacks
on a particular console are profligate on this site lately.but i think we have reached an interesting point in the discussion to which you could share your own welcomed opinion as a nintendo fan.we are onto something nice now,let's just not mitigate it with random ranting.so what does nintendo has up its sleeves for the post-wii era.assuming the lifespan of the machine is shortened.

[SovereignSnaKe]

Seems that Nintendo, is kind of repeating History. They released a Mind Blowing system in the 80's. Then released the Upgraded Legendary SNES. Also when i see Wii Fit arriving in May, it reminds me of the Foot Pad, from the NES...ahhh World Class Track Meet!. So I think the Wii is like a new begining, then the Super Wii or whatever they call the next system..Will have superior graphics, improved motion control, and a massive hard drive. I'm sure Nintendo doubted this whole Wii concept would even take off. No sense in pouring a ton of money into something that could surely crash and burn. (I'm lookin at you 3D0))The Wii is like a stepping stone for Big things to come.

[jinn]

how can u predict anything about it when there is nothing to think about it

[desolationstorm]

My only complaint is that we have jsut really started this generation and people are already talking about what next. Nintendo did capture the casuals this generationa nd its thier job to make gaming a hobby of thiers. We all started out as casuals but were captured by gaming. People act like they were born with a controller in their hands sometimes. The wii is doing an amazing job at bringing in new people to experiance gaming but now its about how many they can convert into gamers not big gamers but you know people that enjoy gaming and will pick up a new console maybe not right away but they have a desire to continue with the hobby.

My other complaint is that poeple talk about the next gen like its just gonna be more and more powerful. I agree it the systems will be more powerful but they are still a few years off and no one has any idea what could happen. The wii changed it to an extent maybe not for the best but its changing the market showing that power and graphics are not everything to everyone. Theres gonna be innovation next gen and hopefully each company will have a basic model of which to base their system around. I dont know what could happen but Im not gonna assume that everyons just gonna cram as much power into a console and call it a day. Power and graphics are great but they tend to curb innovation due to risks and expenses(not all the time).

Nintendo is gonna do what they do best survive maybe not be great but I seriously doubt they could ever die. They are a diverse company that knows how to beat something to death yet still get life out of it. I hope that they can lure better 3rd party games because they do have their gems but it doesnt feel any differnt then n64 or gc. THey had their 3rd party g ems and a bunch of sh!t also.

[Blank1017]

I dont see why people seem to think that Nintendo is going to have to put bleeding edge tech in their next system, it makes no sense to me. Nintendo hasn't been the one to beat tech wise since the original NES days.

They have invested too much in motion at this point to not include it in their next system, which will include a jump in graphics and processing but will not even try to be bleeding edge or probably do anything but be a game system (no DVD etc) basically the highest grade parts they can get without making the console cost more than $200-@250 at the time

it will be the cheapest yet again, will make motion more fluid (even 1:1) and will go to the next step in immersing players in the game. Whether that is perfecting something along the lines of "the eye-toy" from playstation so that teh gamers dont even need a controller for some games or something else, I dont know.

Nintendo is focusing on innovative new ways to have people play, not upping their power specs.

[BrotherNick]

Well first off the people who are buying the games are not casuals but nongamers...people who for the first time bought a videogame and played. Casual gamers are the Madden, GTA and Halo players. Now I expect the next system to have the same level of graphics as the PS3/Xbox360, and yet be the same price as the wii right now...because the other systems have lowered the prices for components it would be a good idea to put them in the next console, for 250 dollars again. It's wise to add such things when costs are down, unless you're trying to get a head start. Sony and Microsoft both have loyal camps, and now Nintendo does. I see the nongamers and nintendo loyalists buying the wii, and maybe one day they'll inch into more of the market.

[wiizy]

im not sure where they get these clowns but im happy with all the games that i have for the wii.