Nintendo promises 'core' gamers will be happy with E3 showing

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jun 17th 2008 at 12:55PM }

Marc Franklin, director of public relations at Nintendo, tells GamePro that "core gamers" will be interested in what the company has in store for E3. Although Franklin mentions Mario Super Sluggers (we can sense Europe going into fever pitch!), he gives very little detail on what else the company has planned.

There's been plenty of speculation about what Nintendo may reveal, but Franklin's comments come as Nintendo's more casual oriented Wii Fit storms the sales charts and a certain executive takes a jab at the Nintendo faithful. Franklin concludes that third-party publishers are rolling out more titles as they realize the "Wii is the current platform of choice in this generation." True, but these rollouts don't always equal payoffs. We're looking at you, Boom Blox.

Tags: core, e3, e3-2008, franklin, hardcore, nintendo

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

ThePerfectCompanion @ Jun 17th 2008 12:59PM

Lol....you mean those core gamers who abandoned Nintendo eons ago? And now are bitching that Nintendo is done with them?

You mean those hard core gamers Nintendo?

Kuro @ Jun 17th 2008 1:08PM

Wii Sports 2 is not hardcore, Nintendo. Grand Theft Mario? Maybe. Who wants to take bets on epic disappointment? I'll cover all action

Sir Fidlious Wong (Justin T. McElroy Memorial Burn of the Day Award) @ Jun 17th 2008 1:12PM

And here I could have sworn it was those "core gamers" who basically floated Nintendo for two consecutive generations...

samfish @ Jun 17th 2008 1:20PM

That was the Nintendo fanbase that kept them afloat. And they have unarguably been rewarded in spades with the Wii so far.

The self proclaimed "hardcore" gamer told Nintendo to fuck off when they saw their first FFVII cutscene.

4MyFriends @ Jun 17th 2008 1:26PM

Yes, Gotta give it up for Square and Sony for misleading buyers into thinking the cutscenes they were seeing was real time.

ThePerfectCompanion @ Jun 17th 2008 1:26PM

Exactly Samfish

Very few self professed hardcore gamers stuck with Nintendo or even like Nintendo back then. Only the Nintendo faithful (like myself before the 360 came out) and a few die hards like Nintendo.

Lets be real here. "Hardcore" gamers didn't give a damn about Nintendo years ago and now they want Nintendo to give 2 shits about them?

Thats hypocrisy at its finest.

baby sea tuna @ Jun 17th 2008 1:37PM

Did Nintendo really give them (and by 'them' I mean 'us') a reason to stick by them? With the exception of Rogue Squadron II, RE4, Pikmin, Eternal Darkness and a couple of other games, every other title for the Gamecube was a franchise update. While some were noticable improvements over the 64 iterations, most met with a mixed reception (Wind Waker, MK:DD, Sunshine) or worse (R.I.P. StarFox). Honestly, I'm surprised Nintendo retained as many fans as it did from last gen to this one.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Jun 17th 2008 1:38PM

There's a complete difference between the core gamer and the nintendo gamer.

The nintendo gamer have always been the one who supported Nintendo since the nes/snes days. The average core gamer however abandoned Nintendo once the ps1 came out, bitched at the gamecube for being two kiddy, and now they're the ones claiming they supported Nintendo.

zero2dash @ Jun 17th 2008 1:48PM

I'm a lifelong gamer (over 20 years now...I'm 30) and a Nintendo fan since day one.

I bought a Gamecube at launch (waited inside a 24hr Walmart) even though they let me down with the N64 (specifically a lack of 3rd party support and a laundry list of good games that weren't made by themselves).

In this regard, the Gamecube let me down 3 years later. If it wasn't for RE4, I would've thought the Gamecube was the largest waste of time in my videogame life.

So the Wii was announced, renamed, and I cried foul many times at how stupid Wii sounded but how cool Revolution would've been. I had no interest, but I bought one anyway, despite being fked over with the N64 and the Gamecube as well. Nintendo has already let me down with the Wii. It remains the most unused system in my house; we don't even power it on unless there's a system update (and I'm glad I didn't do that today because I'm still need to do the TP hack).

So, you tell me -
what hardcore crowd are they after again? They're certainly not after me because they didn't give a crap about me 4 years ago and they certainly don't know with all the shovelware they're allowing on their system. It's Playstation all over again. When the Playstation had hit it's stride, the shelves were filled with 95% licensed BS and the fans all cried foul. Now the shoe's on the other foot with all these minigames, microgames, waggle etc. nonsense shovelware yet....all I hear is crickets chirping.

Wake me up when Nintendo does something to at least keep up with cutting edge. IE a real online gaming center/experience, graphics that are better than 480p, sound that is better than Pro Logic. Until then, I'll keep enjoying all the other systems I own.

Sir Fidlious Wong (Justin T. McElroy Memorial Burn of the Day Award) @ Jun 17th 2008 1:49PM

bah, that's a load of horseshit. Because I don't consider myself a Nintendo gamer, I consider myself a Core gamer. And I tell you one thing, it sure as fuck wasn't my mother who bought these...

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c237/sheppyboy2000/DSCN0122.jpg

The whole core gamer vs. Nintendo gamer is a nonexistant arguement. The N64 or Gamecube likely wasn't our main console but we were there too preordering so we got the gold Ocarina cartridge.

Kuro @ Jun 17th 2008 1:52PM

For the record, I was always a bigger nintendo fan than sony fan. While I had a PS1, I liked my 64 way more. and While I had a PS2, I had a gamecube too. [but I cant lie and say I prefered gamecube over ps2]. Nintendo was on a gradual decline in hardcore support and I'm not really surprised I guess, just extremely disappointed. The Wii was/is a great idea, but minigame compilations can't drive a fucking system. Once Nintendo fucked up brawl by having a pretty much unplayable online set up [epic lag and rare battles forthelose], I switched to my 360 and never looked back. Actually I'm playing Virtua Fighter 5 right now... Maybe theres hope, but I think 3rd parties only do and will continue to see the wii as a cash cow and never make quality games but endless shitty ports and minigame compilations or just shitty games in general.

so... 360/PS3 forthewin...?

baby sea tuna @ Jun 17th 2008 1:53PM

It isn't every day that I agree with Sheppy, but today is that day.

samfish @ Jun 17th 2008 2:04PM

I'm not saying there was no crossover, obviously. The people who can ACTUALLY call themselves 'hardcore' can probably rightly say they supported Nintendo, too.

But don't kid yourselves...the likely majority people who got Nintendo through the last 10 years or so were the dedicated Nintendo fans more than anyone else, I'd reckon.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Jun 17th 2008 2:13PM

"And they have unarguably been rewarded in spades with the Wii so far."

Exactly:
Legend of Zelda
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Smash bros. Brawl
Mario Kart
Metroid Prime 3.
Plus the library of VC

All of these games are games that your average nintendo fan look for in a nintendo console, and it was a blessing that all of these games released so close to each other. It's why I found the whole, "nintendo doesn't care about the core gamer" argument completely retarded. Those releases prove that nintendo still has its fanbase in mind.

Sir Fidlious Wong (Justin T. McElroy Memorial Burn of the Day Award) @ Jun 17th 2008 2:20PM

Well here comes the more important question. Of those Core gamers that HAD the mass exodus you claim, Samfish, how many lost were rightfully Nintendo's fault?

I mean, I'm sure I'm not the only one who positively hated Hiroshi Yamauchi. Hell, I was a diehard Nintendo fantard the first year of N64's life. I gobbled up every line of shit he spewed and gladly paid $85 for my copy of MK Trilogy with lower res sprites just because "loading times were teh suck" which struck me as hugely ironic in hindsight because I was a major PC gamer at the time.

Let's put it this way.

The complaint arose that N64 lacked RPGs in comparison to Saturn and PSX. Well, that's simple. RPGs are a fad.

Okay, N64 lacked games and was very delay prone. Well, that's okay too. Because here on N64, we emphasis Quality over Quantity but will gladly laugh as Clayfighter 63 1/3 ships for $75.

My breaking point was as Nintendo stated they had a killer RPG lineup incoming and even NP magazine labeled Quest 64 as "one of the finest RPGs ever crafted." Well, before I could end my battle with that merbitch, I was in my Walden Software buying a Playstation, FFVII which I had previously referred to as "watching a game rather than playing" because I never touched it (Nintendo said it was baaaaad), and Xenogears.

Even during last generation, we saw the exact same thing happen. Megagame was a problem inflicting the industry, well... except for Nintendo who obviously hated annual sequels (Mario Party) and spinoffs immune (pokemon). Amazing how Nintendo's now Megagame with the training market.

Not to mention the biggest burn, online gaming is a fad.

Majority of the exodus came from Nintendo never admitting a weakness and their PR line being "fuck you, we're Nintendo." And now we are seeing a return of that line now that they are back on top.

I don't really see it as the Core gamers leaving Nintendo behind, but Nintendo failing to accomidate all those people who had NES and SNES collections. The very notion of "I own a Nintendo console for Nintendo games" didn't even become a concept until N64. Before then, it was "I own a Nintendo Console because I want the BEST games."

redneckvampire @ Jun 17th 2008 2:21PM

I've gotten rid of these classifications a long time ago. There are 2 types of people. Gamers and non-gamers. Out of the gamers you have the ones that are happy whenever they find a game that they like to play. Then you have the type that think that they know how to make a game that's fun to play and all games must live up to their expectations to be considered good. Out of that last group you had the ones that knew, without a doubt, that Nintendo was doing the wrong thing with the Wii. If they aren't still in denial over the success of the Wii then they have accepted it and had to eat sour grapes and realize that the most successful system is not the one they decided to show their support for. If I was in that group I'd be crying foul too. However it wasn't Nintendo abandoning them so much as they abandoning Nintendo.

Mr Khan @ Jun 17th 2008 3:07PM

Nobody's ever saying it isn't Nintendo's fault that they were pushed away in the N64 days, we just feel that the people who mocked the N64 and the GC are now the same people who are complaining that "their loyalty is going unrewarded"

I mean, sure, Nintendo screwed up big in the N64 and GC days, no one said they didn't

zero2dash @ Jun 17th 2008 3:51PM

------------------------------------------------------
"And they have unarguably been rewarded in spades with the Wii so far."

Exactly:
Legend of Zelda
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Smash bros. Brawl
Mario Kart
Metroid Prime 3.
Plus the library of VC
------------------------------------------------------

That's great and all, but I'd like to see some NEW stuff. NEW ideas. Pikmin was brilliant. Nintendogs is good.

Either Nintendo has the reigns on Miyamoto (highly unlikely) or they dump all the sequels on the guy and he has no time to come up with anything new.

Hey look! It's another Nintendo system! With a bunch of Nintendo sequels! Yay!! Sorry if I'm unimpressed. I suppose I'm writing off these games because it's 'another Mario' or 'another Metroid Prime' or whatever, but come on. I even got a kick out of Luigi's Mansion for a bit because it was something different; it wasn't another damned Mario title.

I want more 3rd party support. I want more innovation. The best showcase title on the system is still Wii Sports, a pack-in. If Tiger or any of those hook-right-up-to-the-tv companies came up with a knockoff Wii Sports esque title with sensors and 6 different athletic supplies to swing/throw at the tv for $50, the Wii would not sell as well as it has to all the non-gamer/fad gamers.

The majority of the games so far are either Gamecube titles or halfassed waggle make-a-quick-buck games. Don't even try to tell me that SPM, SMG, MP3 or SSBB couldn't have been done on the Gamecube if they hadn't have given up on the system already. All they did was add motion controls. Sorry, I'm not a Wii fan, that's all.

mr mobius @ Jun 17th 2008 6:05PM

Zero, Nintendo fans demand those sequels. Think I'd want a Nintendo console without any of those games? I demand a Mario platoformer and a Zelda game on every console I buy. They are console selling games and still brilliant, and mostly innovative (same character =/= same game).

There have been many innovative games from Nintendo on the DS and Wii actually.

Superstar90 @ Jun 17th 2008 10:35PM

@zero
Nintendo makes new IP's, people just don't buy them as much. Look at the amazing DS games that have sold poorly, or have not been as widly recognized as others.
Magical Starsign, Golden Sun,Archaic Sealed Heat, Daigasso! Band Brothers and Elite Beat Agents. They are frequently testing out these new IP's but you ("Nintendo fans") who bitch about the lack of new stuff don't buy these games!
The Wii-game line was a new IP tested out on a new audience, and they liked it! They continue buying it, while you continue moaning about lack of original IPs. Go buy Magical Starsign, Elite Beat Agents and Archaic Sealed Heat and maybe you will see sequels and more original IP's.

mr mobius @ Jun 17th 2008 1:01PM

Unless that includes a form of storage for wiiware and vc games, doubtful.

FOXHOUND @ Jun 17th 2008 1:16PM

I swear, I need to get a patent pending for that base storage unit I mentioned so many times before...

mr mobius @ Jun 17th 2008 1:01PM

Unless that includes a form of storage for wiiware and vc games, doubtful.

Monkeys Suck @ Jun 17th 2008 1:06PM

Sounds like they might implement front sd loading, but who knows. Maybe they'll release that at E3...

Fernando Rocker @ Jun 17th 2008 1:10PM

SD loading is all I want...

An 8GB card is about $30 dlls. You will only need the SD card to store games and DLC. Not movies or videos and stuff.

8GB is more than enough.

Mr Khan @ Jun 17th 2008 3:16PM

It makes sense. I mean an idea as simple as my own idea for console-bound software keys would open up SD storage and minimize the possibility of piracy in one, i'm sure Nintendo, masters of horribly restrictive DRM and masters of space-saving, can think of something to do with it

Microswirl (MKWii:1676- 4270-3674) @ Jun 17th 2008 3:37PM

@Fernando Rocker

It will never support anything larger than 2GB SD cards, even with a firmware update. 4GB+ cards are actually SDHC, which uses a physically different interface which is not compatible with existing standard SD slots (which the Wii uses). Sorry, but the only way it could be supported would be a hardware revision.

I should note, howwever, that I have 2006 launch unit, so it's possible (though unlikely) newer models have the SDHC interface. Can anyone confirm this?

Mr Khan @ Jun 23rd 2008 5:02PM

wait, it's a hardware thing?

:(

Fernando Rocker @ Jun 17th 2008 1:02PM

I want from Nintendo first prty games: Star Fox, F-Zero, Pikmin, Animal Crossing, Disaster: Day of Crisis and The Legend of Zelda Wii (Twilight Princess is a port), Kid Icarus, and the Retro and Factor 5 games.

I read somewhere that they are planning to release Super Mario Galaxy 2... I'm not sure about that.

Also, more information about the announced Wario platformer and the Kirby platformer.

=p

John McPoop (PSN:johnnynumber5) @ Jun 17th 2008 1:11PM

that's a big list Fernando ... I would settle for a hdd and more online capabilities like chatting and non numerical profiles

Fernando Rocker @ Jun 17th 2008 1:15PM

Well... the Wario and Kirby games are already announced. Same Disaster.

And they already announced that Retro and Factor 5 are working in some games.

The rest of the list are just wishes.

=p

xFenixKnightx @ Jun 17th 2008 1:15PM

Mcpoop, thankyou.

samfish @ Jun 17th 2008 1:22PM

Factor 5 sure sounds like they're doing Kid Icarus.
Retro is supposedly working on a Zelda spin-off.

John McPoop (PSN:johnnynumber5) @ Jun 17th 2008 1:27PM

Frony loading SD cards would work as well so long as you can launch the data from them. 8 GB is plenty big and as you said they can be found easily from $30.00-$50.00. I would rather them just allow a any USB HDD to be usable as HDD (ala the PS3) space because I have plenty of thumb drives and bigger HDD's at my disposal.

I would also like Nintendo to make some new franchises or at least have more adult oriented content even if it was in the traditional Nintendo style. The game Conkers Bad Fur Day comes to mind or even a new Killer Instinct if they own that IP.

@Fenix

Your welcome! The same thing goes for the PS3 and having an in game XMB that works for all games. It can be the full XMB as rumored or it could even be one similar to the 360 in game XMB. I am anticipating Home but we also need some more basic functionality across the board.

Sony & Nintendo are doing some great things but they can always do better. The same goes for Microsoft adding more functionality across the board. I see no reason why there is not a version of Internet Explorer built into the 360 dashboard. I love being able to watch youtube videos on my PS3 over my older rear projection HDTV.

ComradeTrotskii @ Jun 17th 2008 1:33PM

I cannot comprehend why a Pikmin game has not yet been announced or even hinted at.

1. Pikimin was the best thing Nintendo had done for ages. 2. If you were going to specifically create a control input for a Pikmin game it wouldn't look a million miles away from the Wiimote.

I'm all for another F-Zero, GX is one of the best games ever, as long as they let Sega in on the game as well.

I don't think Nintendo have a clue what to do with the Starfox franchise now other than crank out the same game that was on the SNES and N64. Here's the solution: Crank out the same game that was on the SNES and N64, but make it bigger and better. Either that or put Slippy Toad in an FPS.

Now Zelda. I really want them to take their time with this. I expect nothing less than a reinvention of the franchise as the formula has pretty much been perfected from LttP through TP. I am however worried that they might take it in the wrong direction, over simplify it and force Wii controls where they are unnecessary.

But ultimately I want this promise that the 'core gamer will be satisfied' to be something that will blow us away, something fresh, something using the new control input that would not have been possible before it.

I don't want to be satisfied, I want to be shocked and amazed. I want to be reminded why I fell in love with Nintendo in the first place.

ComradeTrotskii @ Jun 17th 2008 1:45PM

Good news, until right now I hadn't even seen a mention of it.

You have made my day.

ComradeTrotskii @ Jun 17th 2008 1:46PM

Also: I would like to nominate Treasure to make a Starfox (or Satrwing as I have to force myself not to call it) game. That would be the shit.

Fernando Rocker @ Jun 17th 2008 2:08PM

Comrade

That would be nice. But I don't think thats going to happen.

But... at least Treasure is working in two Wii titles.

http://gonintendo.com/?p=40003

mr mobius @ Jun 17th 2008 1:02PM

Unless that includes a form of storage for wiiware and vc games, doubtful.

mr mobius @ Jun 17th 2008 1:04PM

Calm down, thats just too much awesome for one year. It's a purely fanboy dream unfortunately.

A new SMB for DS would also be amazing, along with a post of Goldeneye or Perfect Dark for DS. OoT for DS would be a health issue unfortunately it'd be that awesome.