Nintendo sells 10M Virtual Console games, still emphasizes retail channel

by Scott Jon Siegel { Feb 6th 2008 at 9:58AM }

Sales figures for Nintendo's Virtual Console service on the Wii have been hard to come by, but a recent interview with president Satoru Iwata has revealed that the Virtual Console has surpassed 10 million games sold as of December. Even assuming that the majority of sales were at $5 USD (the lowest price point), Nintendo would have still earned over $50 million USD on old, re-released titles alone.

Though Iwata states this as proof of the value of digital distribution, he also reiterates the importance of the retail channel, claiming that boxed games will still be a strong part of the market for the next three-to-five years.

Iwata also admits that the retail chain is not nearly as profitable for Nintendo, with low profit margins on boxed titles, and short shelf life as two of the main contributing problems. In spite of these difficulties, Iwata remains confident on the value of brick-and-mortar retail. With WiiWare due out sometime this year, however, it'll be interesting to see if he begins to change his tune.

[Via GamesIndustry.biz]

Tags: nintendo, virtual-console, virtualconsole

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

WiNG @ Feb 6th 2008 10:06AM

$20 says 93% or more of those 10 million games have the word "Mario" in the title.

Co @ Feb 6th 2008 10:14AM

O....k?

AwesomeStuff @ Feb 6th 2008 12:07PM

Bad thing...?? o___o;

Jhongerkong @ Feb 6th 2008 6:13PM

With the other 6% going to Zelda.

The remaining 1% goes to Soldier Blade.

FidliousWong @ Feb 6th 2008 10:06AM

Now how many of those were regretted purchases? Just kidding... but not really. I recalled Donkey Kong Country being so much better than it was...

FidliousWong @ Feb 6th 2008 10:09AM

But in all fairness, I also fed the machine...

Like I bought Wonder Boy in Monster land just so I can keep my CDX in the bedroom and play the game in the living room... I bought a copy of a game I already owned just because I wanted to be able to play it in two different rooms....

*bangs head*

WiNG @ Feb 6th 2008 10:23AM

Wow, you have a CDX? I always wanted one of those... um, when I was 11.

But I highly regret buying Sonic 2 and Super Mario Bros. I played enough of those games when I was a kid. Now it all seems so tired and done.

FidliousWong @ Feb 6th 2008 10:54AM

Yeah, I had a Sega Genesis Model 1 and a Sega CD model 2 (awkward looking config that was.. especially with 32X added) for a while but as Saturn was floundering, I went in to reserve my N64 and found the fabled CDX's on clearance at my local Toys R Us. Gotta love the $50 price tag. Especially when the system came bundled with Sonic CD. I've had the CDX ever since (although gave away the Gen/CD combo). I love having that little device for anytime I feel like Genesis games. And because it shares the same AV hookups as Saturn, it's a quick swap between those machines. Majority of my classic systems are in the bedroom (something to do while rendering).

Also, yeah, I can see how Sonic 2 could disappoint (And SMB for that matter). I was tempted to snag Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles but without the connect cart tech, it just seems so empty. ESPECIALLY if you play as Knuckles. I did use VC to rediscover some of my TG16 games I used to own only to remember why I sold the system...

baby sea tuna @ Feb 6th 2008 11:16AM

90% of my VC purchases have been regrettable (SMB and Kid Icarus included). That's why I'm so hesitant to buy any more, even though I've had the points in my account forever.

FidliousWong @ Feb 6th 2008 11:23AM

I just consider this more evidence that, despite the supposedly golden era of gaming, nostalgia convinces us more of game quality than the games itself. After all, Castlevania was broken all the way until SOTN.

Mike @ Feb 6th 2008 11:25AM

People remember the games being better than they were. That's probably why there's no demo feature.

baby sea tuna @ Feb 6th 2008 11:33AM

That's exactly why there's no demo feature. Well, that and the laughable amount of flash-memory the Wii has.

t_m @ Feb 6th 2008 1:24PM

I did point out back when the VC was announced that most of the old games don't live up to your memories.. and also don't play like modern games.

Noone ever listens to me... hello?

WiNG @ Feb 6th 2008 2:30PM

On the other hand, I DON'T regret purchasing some top tier games I never played as a kid, such as Super Metroid and Kirby's Adventure. Totally worth it. I think playing the classics I missed is worth it. Might get Sin and Punishment.

bm @ Feb 9th 2008 1:07PM

If you regret any purchases, then you simply played shitty games as a kid. SMB3, Super Metroid, kirby's Adventure, all examples of games that still hold up perfectly well and even rise high above some of the multi-million dollar pieces of shit being produced today.

3cubed minus 3squared plus1 @ Feb 6th 2008 10:10AM

They'd get more sells if they would sell more SNES RPGs and throw in Goemon Mystical Ninja for the 64.

Co @ Feb 6th 2008 10:16AM

"...Goemon Mystical Ninja for the 64."

Yes! Please! And Mishief Makers 64 for good measure. I love Treasure's games.

Hey, BTW, how is the SNES Goemon that's on the VC? I'm thinking about grabbin that one...

3cubed minus 3squared plus1 @ Feb 6th 2008 10:44AM

If you've played Mystical Ninja 2 on the 64, the game play is about the same, just the graphics are in 2D instead of 3D.
Its a very fun side scroller, with the only down side is being kind of on the short side.
It has very fun co-op as well. heres a video for you:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5i0s_jPpok0

Co @ Feb 6th 2008 11:07AM

Didn't even know it had the co-op....i'll be picking this one up.

Jhongerkong @ Feb 6th 2008 6:16PM

You know how many sales they'd get if they released Chrono Trigger?

It'd double XBLA's sales in like 30 minutes.

Zsavior @ Feb 6th 2008 10:10AM

I bought sin a punishment and I love the hell out of that game. So I am guessing there are many others who enjoy games they never got to play also.

one i blind @ Feb 6th 2008 10:12AM

I don't get it. Why not just use an emulator? I mean atleast with XBOX Live Arcade its mostly new content or redone old content (Rez HD). That's quite an expensive price to pay to play through super mario world again.

Draco @ Feb 6th 2008 10:17AM

not everyone has a PC hooked up to their tv. and even if they did, not everyone has a controller hooked up to their PC.

personally I play my NES/SNE era games on my HTPC, but I can see the need for others.

If they could get some good RPG's on there, or the Shinning Force series (the Shinning force of old) they would have alot of sales.

Zsavior @ Feb 6th 2008 10:19AM

Actually I think they do have one shining force game there already.

WiNG @ Feb 6th 2008 10:25AM

Some people also don't like the legal issues of using an emulator.

And by legal issues I mean illegality.

Farseer (GDI) @ Feb 6th 2008 10:29AM

Because the large majority of the Wii userbase has no idea what an emulator is, how to use one, or where to find ROMS.

Co @ Feb 6th 2008 10:34AM

"Because the large majority of the Wii userbase has no idea what an emulator is, how to use one, or where to find ROMS."

That was like the nerdiest cut down I've ever read... I can almost hear your pocket protecter going off.

one i blind @ Feb 6th 2008 10:41AM

@WiNG: I don't believe emulators are illegal if you OWN the game you're playing on it. Alot of these games are pretty much console staples.

deaftly @ Feb 6th 2008 10:44AM

Its so nice to have a modded xbox1 with full roms of just about every system, and guess what, they all play in high def unlike the wii. I do buy some n64 games though just because the emu for xbox is pretty nasty at times.

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Feb 6th 2008 11:26AM

Emulators are not illegal.

Downloading rom dumps is a legal grey area, because court arguments have been made that its legal to preserve media that hasn't moved from its original media type to a modern one. AKA its ok to make a rom dump of an Atari game as long as the same game isn't available on another medium. But even then, it only applies to rom dumps you make yourself, not necessarily ones you can download off the internet. The whole 24 hour thing is a myth and doesn't hold up in court.

And don't come in here telling me Nintendo's stance on roms and emulators. Last I checked, Nintendo wasn't a court of law.

Farseer (GDI) @ Feb 6th 2008 11:48AM

"That was like the nerdiest cut down I've ever read..."

It wasn't a cut-down, I swear!
He just said that he doesn't get why the VC is doing so well when all the games are available through emulators. That's my two cents - Wii Bowing and PC emulation software are almost polar opposites IMHO.

Hell, most casuals seem to have no idea that Wii games outside of Wii Sports even exist...

I can't tell you how many times casuals I work with ask me "what is your favorite Wii game," and I usually say something like "Oh, I'm playing Metroid Prime: Corruption right now, and it's fun," or "I just finished Mario Galaxy, and it was really well done," and they say, with a blank stare, "No, I mean what Wii game do you like the best... I like bowling."

"Yeah... I like bowling too. Later."

bm @ Feb 6th 2008 12:05PM

OH HI GUYS YOURE ALL RETARDS WHY BUY GAMES WHEN YOU CAN STEAL THEM LOL

one i blind @ Feb 6th 2008 1:13PM

@bm et al: alright so maybe bringing up emulators was a bad idea. I of course don't recommend using them, but it was more of an analogy to the fact that there are ways to play old games that don't require paying $5 for them again. Like hooking up your SNES and NES. I was making more of a point that the VC content lacks original titles or updates on the games.

WiNG @ Feb 6th 2008 2:39PM

"@WiNG: I don't believe emulators are illegal if you OWN the game you're playing on it. Alot of these games are pretty much console staples."

Either way, I would bet dollars to power pellets that 99%+ of emulated games downloaded aren't picked by people who already own those games.

bm @ Feb 8th 2008 4:29AM

"Either way, I would bet dollars to power pellets that 99%+ of emulated games downloaded aren't picked by people who already own those games."

Cold, hard, obvious TRUTH.

Demaar @ Feb 6th 2008 10:39AM

Next 3-5 years? So, what? Next gen retail is dead? lol

danny. @ Feb 6th 2008 10:38AM

Since I filled my console up long ago, I haven't bought any games for myself (I'd love to get Wonderboy 3) but I have given out a good amount of gifts... Wonderboy in Monsterland, Kirby, Mario3, Blazin' Lasers, Bubble Bobble, and Air Zonk have all been bought twice by me.

Howard-the-Duck @ Feb 6th 2008 10:58AM

They should fix the 16:9 stretching issue. I know I can just switch the TV mode to pillar box, but that's an extra remote to monkey with. Wii should do it automatically.

baby sea tuna @ Feb 6th 2008 11:19AM

Yeah, that's gonna happen...

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Feb 6th 2008 11:35AM

Unfortunately that WON"T happen due to how Wii actually producing 16:9 widescreen. AKA, it doesn't. It takes a 16:9 images, squishes it into a 4:3 box, and outputs that 4:3 box in 480p. Then you have to tell your TV to scale it properly, which causes you to lose resolution definition.

I guess they could just squish VC screens by the same factor as the 16:9 screen, but then you'd really see a loss in definition.

Qwirk @ Feb 6th 2008 11:16AM

I can't get into playing older games, just feels like a step back. My son loves playing them though.

ThornedVenom @ Feb 6th 2008 11:20AM

Doesn't surprise me at all: they pretty much have all of the damned best old-school exclusives.

It's an excellent feature to be able to re-download the stuff you've already purchased.

But one question still remains on everyone's lips:

WHERE'S THE FUCKING USB HDD SUPPORT?!!

Zsavior @ Feb 6th 2008 11:30AM

AMEN BROTHA! I mean seriously is that not a priority yet? They do know it is easy to run out of room right?

JakubK666 @ Feb 6th 2008 11:44AM

Fall of 2009, only $199.

Mr Khan @ Feb 6th 2008 4:12PM

They'll probably just end up with a proprietary USB Flash Memory expander of some sort

3-4 Gigs, maybe $50 or something

Really the thing that shot them in the foot about the memory space is the fact that that original 512 MB is already about 40% occupied by Wii firmware, right out of the box, so you're down to an even wimpier ~280 MB right out of the box