the way of the dodo?

Darth_Jonas

Darth_Jonas

Future Emperor
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Nov 16, 2005
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right behind you
I was thinking of the Dreamcast the other day and I thought about all the recent posts about Nintendo's future. What if, instead of making future consoles, they started making only games? Not that it will happen any time soon (unless Sony or Microsoft swallows them), but is it possible? Could they realize that they would reap a bigger profit by making games for the PS3 or Xbox or even PC?
 
Well that's one of the dangers, isn't it? Sega's move to software-only is fairly recent, so any other companies who are considering will probably watch their progress for severla more years before deciding anything. But I've though about that too, that Nintendo with their constant 3rd share might pull up the stakes and decide to do the same. The consoles would then be MS vs. Sony, and with only two options the market could get a little dangerous for the consumer.
 
It took a while, but Sega has been making lotsa profit since Sonic Heroes. Fortunately, THEY WON'T DO IT BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL MAKING MILLIONS IN HARDWARE. That's the key.
 
Well, Nintendo plans to sell 12 million DS's, 11 million GBA's, and only 2.4 million Gamecubes this year, so that should tell you where the hardware sales are. They're forecasting overall net profit (hardware and software) at $631 million on $3.4 billion in sales.

Of course, it's also noteworthy that same-year profits have dropped significantly. That is, comparing the first half of fiscal year 2005 to the same period in 2004, net profits are down 21%. Looking at the same periods, Gamecube sales are down from $139 million to $71 million. Software sales are also down, for both the GC and handhelds (though much more markedly for the console).

Yes, Nintendo is still pulling a profit. Yes, their profits are dropping sharply. Yes, their software sales are more stable than hardware sales. Yes, we are entering a new generation of console hardware which may have an effect on hardware sales. No, Nintendo cannot afford declining profits indefinitely.
 
If Nintendo made that move I would be dissapointed. Nintendo may not be about Le grapics or Le Ginormous hard Drive but they are different from the others. They put out a lot of solid games and systems and they have my respect. Not that Nintendo doesn't bring in the cash... But I do believe that they cater to an entirely different market of gamers and i enjoy their gaming experience. If they made games for MS and Sony just for the sake of making the extra penny... Gaming would seriously lose it's appeal to me and i would end up at the pond feeding the ducks instead.
 
Thanks for shedding light on that BC. The bottom line for any of these companies is profit. If they can make MORE profit by doing one thing over the other, which is the long-term profit maker, do they want short or long term investments, and so on. I think the Rev will make or break the hardware question.
 
I have been a Nintendo man since the beginning (except for a brief hiatus that I took with a Sega Genesis, which got replaced by a SNES within a year, if I remember correctly). I stick with Nintendo for two reasons.

#1: Their game franchises are fantastic. I love Mario. I love Zelda. I love Metroid. I love Final Fantasy as well, and I hope they bring it back home.

#2: Their controllers are the most comfortable and intuitive. I can pick up a new Nintendo controller and know it perfectly in about 20 minutes. They have designed their controllers like the keyboard is designed, with the most important buttons being the easiest to reach. Their game engines are all designed with this in mind. The A button is the most used button in every game I know, and it's the biggest and right smack where your thumb naturally rests. Perfection.

MS and Sony haven't learned from their controller mistakes, either. Their next-gen controllers are as bad as the originals (or worse, in PS3's case -- boomerang, anyone? Don't make any sudden movements, you might spear yourself with the controller!)

I would be sad if Nintendo stopped its hardware production, simply because we'd be losing the only innovative console maker out there, and the one who knows the business best. I wouldn't mind playing Nintendo games on other consoles, but I'd really miss those well designed controllers.
 
basilmunroe said:
I love Final Fantasy as well, and I hope they bring it back home.
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Outside of GBA and DS titles, and maybe a new Crystal Chronicles, they won't. Especially since they're looking at the 360 for side-software, as well as the fact Sony owns lotsa stock in Square-Enix

MS and Sony haven't learned from their controller mistakes, either. Their next-gen controllers are as bad as the originals (or worse, in PS3's case -- boomerang, anyone? Don't make any sudden movements, you might spear yourself with the controller!)
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Many people consider the GC setup akward because of the buttons being millimeters apart. The PS2 controller has essentially the same button setup as the SNES, except it has 2 L and R buttons. Also, the Boomerang has been scrapped. That's one of the main reasons the PS3 is delayed, again.
 
spudlyff8fan said:
Many people consider the GC setup akward because of the buttons being millimeters apart. The PS2 controller has essentially the same button setup as the SNES, except it has 2 L and R buttons. Also, the Boomerang has been scrapped. That's one of the main reasons the PS3 is delayed, again.
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Really? I find the GC controller to be perfect. I've never hit the wrong button or two buttons when I meant one. The Playstation is the same as the SNES, but if I remember, A and B were convex, while X and Y were concave, I could tell the difference and find the right button without looking. I have to look at the buttons on the PS. The learning curve is simply longer on PS and XBox controllers. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

Now, both XBox and PS are fantastic console brands. I'm not bashing the hardware or the ability to run great games. I just find their controllers less comfy than the GC. We'll see about the Revo's controller. I have high hopes.
 
I will admit, not much. But it's more a matter of duration of the interval. I have to go through the learning curve every single time I play because I don't play often and the controls aren't intuitive.

I guess it all depends on which console you play the most. But I can say, as someone who wasn't used to the GC, PS or XBox controls, when I chose which one to buy, the GC controller had a lot to do with my decision. In comparison to the others, it felt like there wasn't even a controller there!
 
Actually, I've never liked the PS2 controller. It's really uncomfortable, especially on the palms, and the face buttons are too far away from each other... it's really hard to press two buttons simultaneously that are directly across from each other. Sure, you could say that's something software developers should worry about, but it's a core problem of the hardware that software people shouldn't have to adapt to. I also don't like having 4 shoulder buttons, I prefer two triggers. And, I never thought the SNES controller was that great.

I really like the Gamecube controller too, I've never had a problem with the buttons being too close together and I've never heard that complaint before.
 
I completely understand about the feel of the controller. That's why I don't care for the PS one. I feel like it's about to break in my hands. I have big hands. The xbox controller may not fit right for a 6 year old, but it sure felt good to me. I have also held the controller for the 360 and I must say that it is my favorite so far. I've never really jammed on a GC, so I always found it awkward.
 
Jonas, you've hit the nail on the head. It's usually a matter of what you're used to. I find the Xbox buttons to be all over the map, difficult to reach and too small. I have held a demo of the 360's controller and found it was quite comfortable, but the buttons were just as confusing. But then, you're used to the XBox button scheme, I'm not. It's mostly about muscle memory. I'm sure if I played more of PS and XBox, I'd be more comfortable with their controls. But I still think Nintendo's controls are easier for the first timer than the others.
 
Well, if we're talking about first timers, even the Gamecube controller is non-ideal. There's just too much there. A couple of sticks, a ton of buttons... most of us are used to these button-laden controllers because we've followed the progression of the technology. We worked through less complex controllers to what we have today. As they get more and more complex, they become more and more difficult for non-gamers to pick up and use. That's the beauty of the Revolution controller (though I heard there are still some surprises that we don't know about there).
 
BCampbell said:
Well, if we're talking about first timers, even the Gamecube controller is non-ideal. There's just too much there. A couple of sticks, a ton of buttons... most of us are used to these button-laden controllers because we've followed the progression of the technology. We worked through less complex controllers to what we have today. As they get more and more complex, they become more and more difficult for non-gamers to pick up and use. That's the beauty of the Revolution controller (though I heard there are still some surprises that we don't know about there).
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I wasn't talking about first time gamers, per se, but rather, about someone who is new to the current generation of consoles. Like I said, when I was deciding which of the three to buy, the GC controller all but made the decision for me. But I agree, the Revo's controller should be much easier for the uninitiated to "grasp". Please forgive the pun.
 
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