Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has no problem admitting Wii Music didn't live up to the company's expectations, but he doesn't want you to consider it a failure, either. During a recent Q&A session, he spoke about the company's hopes regarding Wii Music, as well as the difficulty Nintendo has had with consumer reception.
"There are people who highly appreciate it and those who do not appreciate it at all," Iwata said, adding that perceptions can be changed. It's all about word of mouth to him, as he said, "A cycle is born where people who have hands-on experience can immediately understand its appeal, easily explain the positive experience they had to those around them, who then spread that information to the others." That works, unless you're a blog who pretty unanimously hated it and told everyone how you felt.
With Wii Music, the company was never able to achieve this "positive cycle," and Iwata says Nintendo now needs to "reevaluate" why it hasn't been able to "clear that hurdle." Nintendo, here's a protip from us: Emphasize that it has a dog suit and beatboxing. You might sell a few extra copies if you push that.
Reader Comments (56)
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 1:08AM (Unverified) said
They just need to chuff it out, someday everyone will realize what geniuses they were for making this game.
Reply
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 3:35PM (Unverified) said
WHAT?
Just like 'Nam looks like a good idea now. Oh, wait...
Reply
Just like 'Nam looks like a good idea now. Oh, wait...
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 1:10AM Dopple Boppler said
A dog suit and beatbox version of September by Earth, Wind and Fire!? Shit shit shit, why am I just now hearing about these possibilities; Amazon, prepare to receive my credit card number.
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Posted: Feb 7th 2009 1:41AM zuburi said
Wii Music seriously does get a bad rap. How many people have actually played it? It also has some of the best graphics currently on the Wii.
If you're able to look at this gameplay video and still shit on it, then you have a heart of stone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgRriCJARvU
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If you're able to look at this gameplay video and still shit on it, then you have a heart of stone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgRriCJARvU
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 3:00AM LazyMegaMan said
So you're, what, 9 years old? Seriously, ______-rolling people has run it's course. Go back to 4chan.
Reply
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 11:41AM Levi said
Someone explain to me, if there is any reason other than ignorance, the reason that people say "bad rap." I was under the impression the term came from "bad reputation," which would mean it should be spelled "bad rep," but just like everyone in the universe incorrectly says expresso instead of espresso, they say rap instead of rep.
Am I right or am I wrong?
Reply
Am I right or am I wrong?
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 12:16PM Bowser Rogozhin said
http://hubpages.com/hub/Is-it-Bad-Rap-or-Bad-Wrap
I, too, was taught it was based back on Victorian beatings as well.
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I, too, was taught it was based back on Victorian beatings as well.
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 12:24PM (Unverified) said
The dictionary indicates 'bad rap' is probably a misuse of 'bum rap,' so I'd go with bum instead. And "rap" can be slang for "blame or punishment."
The more you know.
Reply
The more you know.
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 8:40PM zuburi said
Really? I always thought it came from "rap sheet." Thanks for the info, I love shit like that.
(Anybody else who does should check out the book "Why Do We Say That?")
I also thought it was funny how LMM flipped out like I pissed in his gas tank :D I may have to give this "trolling" thing a try!
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(Anybody else who does should check out the book "Why Do We Say That?")
I also thought it was funny how LMM flipped out like I pissed in his gas tank :D I may have to give this "trolling" thing a try!
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 1:44AM JoshMilewski said
Of the Wii series...
Sports and Fit have some real value as actual games. Sports is perfect for first-time Wii players, and Fit actually comes close to making exercise entertaining.
Play... only sells because it comes with a Wii Remote, and Chess... does that even count?
(I must preface this last bit by saying I haven't actually played Wii Music yet, but I've read and seen enough of it to get an idea of what people think of it)
But Music, I'm sorry Miyamoto, but is there actually any goal in this game? Your performances don't get measured, the songlist is basically all "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"-esque songs and a few covers, and it's essentially all just wanton freestyle. On the other hand, I can see how all of these things would appeal to little kids who just want to play with a new toy for a little while, and in that sense, the game is perfectly fine.
Hm, I don't like being so harsh on a game that had good intentions... I should really play it before I say any more.
Oh, but one more thing, Nintendo: Why are you complaining about a game that has sold 2.5 million copies so far?
Reply
Sports and Fit have some real value as actual games. Sports is perfect for first-time Wii players, and Fit actually comes close to making exercise entertaining.
Play... only sells because it comes with a Wii Remote, and Chess... does that even count?
(I must preface this last bit by saying I haven't actually played Wii Music yet, but I've read and seen enough of it to get an idea of what people think of it)
But Music, I'm sorry Miyamoto, but is there actually any goal in this game? Your performances don't get measured, the songlist is basically all "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"-esque songs and a few covers, and it's essentially all just wanton freestyle. On the other hand, I can see how all of these things would appeal to little kids who just want to play with a new toy for a little while, and in that sense, the game is perfectly fine.
Hm, I don't like being so harsh on a game that had good intentions... I should really play it before I say any more.
Oh, but one more thing, Nintendo: Why are you complaining about a game that has sold 2.5 million copies so far?
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 1:57AM iofthestorm said
I agree completely. I mean, I can see why some people might find it fun, but I wouldn't ever buy it myself, at least not at full price. Wii sports is actually a pretty good game, but this isn't much of a game at all, in the traditional sense. I'm sure it has the same Nintendo polish as all their other stuff, which is why 2.5million people bought it, but it's just not for me.
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Posted: Feb 7th 2009 12:06PM Mr Khan said
The point of the game is creation. You judge whether you succeed or fail, not the game. If what you created sounds bad to you, then you have failed, but if it sounds awesome, you have succeeded.
Nintendo pitched the game wrong, i think. They encouraged the negative stereotypes about it by showing it as a mindless waggle-fest. There is depth there, but you wouldn't have learned that from that E3 presentation...
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Nintendo pitched the game wrong, i think. They encouraged the negative stereotypes about it by showing it as a mindless waggle-fest. There is depth there, but you wouldn't have learned that from that E3 presentation...
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 1:35PM JoshMilewski said
I see, then it must be how Roto13 described it below:
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/07/nintendo-wii-music-needs-to-clear-the-hurdle/comments/16969449/
Reply
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/07/nintendo-wii-music-needs-to-clear-the-hurdle/comments/16969449/
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 1:52AM phenylketonurics said
"I invented the piano key necktie! I invented it!!"
Seriously though, this game has become punishment to me. My little brothers adore it [13, 10, 7], I can't stand it. I've played it and am forced to play it at least once a week. Repetitive, pointless, mindnumbing.
Of course, I also play Mario Kart, Brawl, and WarioWare to the point of starvation so I'm not sure if it's methodic.
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Seriously though, this game has become punishment to me. My little brothers adore it [13, 10, 7], I can't stand it. I've played it and am forced to play it at least once a week. Repetitive, pointless, mindnumbing.
Of course, I also play Mario Kart, Brawl, and WarioWare to the point of starvation so I'm not sure if it's methodic.
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 2:02AM (Unverified) said
Unfortunately, that "hurdle" is a stack of turns about a mile high.
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Posted: Feb 7th 2009 3:38PM (Unverified) said
We need an edit button. All of you people who are like "Oh noes! They will cheet in a dee-bait!" can shove it up your ass. Ever visit digg? Or a site with an editable comment system? ITS FUCKING TIMED.
/rant
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/rant
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 2:30AM (Unverified) said
The appeal for me and some of my family is really that - instead of being solely timing based like GH or RB, among several of their competing titles, which I enjoy - Wii Music attempts to educate players on rhythm, pitch, etc... some of the basics of music and musical theory.
By and large it succeeds in doing that... but that concept is REALLY not a mass market one. People don't necessarily WANT to learn all the time - don't get me wrong, the few times I've played it it's actually been pretty fun but I'm already pretty musically inclined already. Amateur pianist and vocalist. :D Right up my alley, but it's not going to be for most people. If you haven't actually tried it and are judging it from others' comments, I'd encourage you to give it a shot at least once.
I got hit by the positive cycle Iwata talked about and have given the same basic spiel to a few people, but at the same time the greater world market doesn't really have a clear place for the game... I'm not sure it's something Nintendo needs to overcome, per se, but I think it will definitely give them pause in developing future titles.
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By and large it succeeds in doing that... but that concept is REALLY not a mass market one. People don't necessarily WANT to learn all the time - don't get me wrong, the few times I've played it it's actually been pretty fun but I'm already pretty musically inclined already. Amateur pianist and vocalist. :D Right up my alley, but it's not going to be for most people. If you haven't actually tried it and are judging it from others' comments, I'd encourage you to give it a shot at least once.
I got hit by the positive cycle Iwata talked about and have given the same basic spiel to a few people, but at the same time the greater world market doesn't really have a clear place for the game... I'm not sure it's something Nintendo needs to overcome, per se, but I think it will definitely give them pause in developing future titles.
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 9:53AM (Unverified) said
"Wii Music attempts to educate players on rhythm"
The thing is that, yah, I agree, rhythm is one of the things that Wii Music is really focused around, but the problem is that both Guitar Hero and Rockband do "teach" rhythm as well....
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The thing is that, yah, I agree, rhythm is one of the things that Wii Music is really focused around, but the problem is that both Guitar Hero and Rockband do "teach" rhythm as well....
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 2:27PM blahblah55 said
But not in the same fashion as Wii Music does. In most Guitar Hero and Rock Band songs, if you screw up on the rhythm, the only thing that sounds bad is the boo-ing and the bit of silence on your instruments.
...if you screw up on rhythm on your song in Wii Music, you get this aggravating sound that you can't believe came out of your instrument.
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...if you screw up on rhythm on your song in Wii Music, you get this aggravating sound that you can't believe came out of your instrument.
Posted: Feb 8th 2009 12:05AM BurntMeatloaf said
Don't pretty much all games teach rhythm and eye-hand coordination?
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Posted: Feb 7th 2009 2:46AM (Unverified) said
i don't know how a game sells 2.5 million copies and is somehow a failure. nintendo just had its sights set way too high.
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Posted: Feb 7th 2009 3:33AM (Unverified) said
After reading that, I wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo renamed it Wii Music Vista.
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Posted: Feb 7th 2009 7:35AM PoisonedAl said
I'll probably get grayed out for this, but I have to say "GOOD"! I really wasn't liking the direction Nintendo was taking. I'm hoping this will make them release you can't just make a load of cheap, non games and expect them sell.
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Posted: Feb 7th 2009 3:40PM (Unverified) said
Guitar Hero Rock Band? That sounds incredibly fun! Where can you get it?
Reply
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 10:27AM Bowser Rogozhin said
"Like all Real Time Strategy games, Halo Wars is a complicated war-sim that is really a puzzle game."
Pathetic cliche which means nothing and informs the, unfortunate, reader of anything substantive. That's just one lazy sentence out of hundreds littering that insignificant space you call a blog. Every Nintendo topic shows you lack the critical function to make penetrating commentary on a topic, and it shows up in that silly scrawl. And what silly scrawl it is...
...maybe I'm being harsh, true criticism, after all, should not deal with errors and debase the work down, rather, it should be the reverse; promote the positives, for everyone is prone to an error or two. Even me. But for you, you little sod of a troll, there has to be an exception. In the words of Gen Mugabe: go hang. Really, do it now. Spare us your guttersnipe nothings. Just go away.
Reply
Pathetic cliche which means nothing and informs the, unfortunate, reader of anything substantive. That's just one lazy sentence out of hundreds littering that insignificant space you call a blog. Every Nintendo topic shows you lack the critical function to make penetrating commentary on a topic, and it shows up in that silly scrawl. And what silly scrawl it is...
...maybe I'm being harsh, true criticism, after all, should not deal with errors and debase the work down, rather, it should be the reverse; promote the positives, for everyone is prone to an error or two. Even me. But for you, you little sod of a troll, there has to be an exception. In the words of Gen Mugabe: go hang. Really, do it now. Spare us your guttersnipe nothings. Just go away.
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 10:04AM (Unverified) said
I would/ would have bought it if it wasn't a seemingly $10 priced at $50.
Reply
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 10:33AM hami83 said
The issues I had with it was.
1. It cost too much. It was one of the most expensive Wii games.
2. Song choices were pathetic. More Nintendo themes would've been great.
3. Song maker. SURE most people would skip this option but for those who actually want to create...
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1. It cost too much. It was one of the most expensive Wii games.
2. Song choices were pathetic. More Nintendo themes would've been great.
3. Song maker. SURE most people would skip this option but for those who actually want to create...
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 11:02AM (Unverified) said
The one problem I have with Nintendo, and the one problem I think I will ever have. Sometimes they just don't know how to admit defeat and move on.
Before anybody flames me.
When I say defeat, I mean that it didn't live up to their expectations. 2.5 million is still fantastic, but I can understand why they wanted more. The original Super Mario Bros. is the top selling game of all time with like 40 million games sold. Nintendo's not too used to selling low.
But besides the point. Wii music had a great figure, but with absolutely no backbone. Miyamoto as much as I look up to you, let this be a lesson to you. Don't jump from step 1 to step 10. Tackle steps 2-9 as well. That was not done here.
And so ends my ramble.
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Before anybody flames me.
When I say defeat, I mean that it didn't live up to their expectations. 2.5 million is still fantastic, but I can understand why they wanted more. The original Super Mario Bros. is the top selling game of all time with like 40 million games sold. Nintendo's not too used to selling low.
But besides the point. Wii music had a great figure, but with absolutely no backbone. Miyamoto as much as I look up to you, let this be a lesson to you. Don't jump from step 1 to step 10. Tackle steps 2-9 as well. That was not done here.
And so ends my ramble.
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 11:27AM (Unverified) said
Is it just me, or did they just say that Wii Music was something of a mistake? Not necessarily a HUGE one, but it did seem like they were saying that it needed to be a better product.
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Posted: Feb 7th 2009 12:14PM Mr Khan said
Honestly, i'm quite proud of the joystiq community right now. A thread about Wii Music that is mostly rational and well-founded. Aside from a few of the usual suspects (Zaburi, Jayslacks, and Gavin, in this case), we have actually had a good discussion here
Who'da thunk it?
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Who'da thunk it?
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 2:10PM blahblah55 said
I loved Wii Music, and as Roto13 said, there's no such thing as a middle ground for it.
...I could spend days and hours defending Wii Music, but what's the use if it still isn't people's cup o' tea?
I'll still always claim it's a masterpiece despite the small music library, but only the ones who liked it would agree with me.
*sigh* That, and people who actually play masterpieces need to post their videos up - almost 99% of the YouTube videos placed are crap.
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...I could spend days and hours defending Wii Music, but what's the use if it still isn't people's cup o' tea?
I'll still always claim it's a masterpiece despite the small music library, but only the ones who liked it would agree with me.
*sigh* That, and people who actually play masterpieces need to post their videos up - almost 99% of the YouTube videos placed are crap.
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 2:55PM (Unverified) said
Wii Music DLC would do the game justice. A LOT of DLC.
It isn't that the mechanics are bad, it's just how quickly you get bored of the limited choices.
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It isn't that the mechanics are bad, it's just how quickly you get bored of the limited choices.
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 3:06PM (Unverified) said
I enjoy Wii Music, but it's best played with a group of people.
And yes, children especially like it, though I've played with all adults (all in their 30s except me) and we've had plenty of fun.
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And yes, children especially like it, though I've played with all adults (all in their 30s except me) and we've had plenty of fun.
Posted: Feb 7th 2009 3:39PM (Unverified) said
I still plan on buying this, but no way am I paying £34.99 (STILL that price at GAME, ugh).
Three things that would have made this a much bigger success than it already is (which I'm glad to see, over 2mil. sales worldwide is nothing to sneer at):
1. Normal Wii software price point of £29.99 SRP with most stores discounting to £24.99 would have made a big difference in sales.
The other two things I'd like to have seen just would make it a more compelling offering generally:
2. DLC for more songs/instruments or just having more songs to start with.
3. A way to share videos on the web so that you could create some kind of worldwide WiiMusic community. Having to register friend codes and own copies of the game just to share a video is really really limiting (and lame).
Reply
Three things that would have made this a much bigger success than it already is (which I'm glad to see, over 2mil. sales worldwide is nothing to sneer at):
1. Normal Wii software price point of £29.99 SRP with most stores discounting to £24.99 would have made a big difference in sales.
The other two things I'd like to have seen just would make it a more compelling offering generally:
2. DLC for more songs/instruments or just having more songs to start with.
3. A way to share videos on the web so that you could create some kind of worldwide WiiMusic community. Having to register friend codes and own copies of the game just to share a video is really really limiting (and lame).
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