NMA TV's breakdown of Nintendo's financial situation is as zany as you'd expect

@baddates77

WAAAAHHHHH??!!

If Nintendo ever steps out of the console business, than I'll step out as well.

Sorry but I'll prefer Microsoft to jump out and to a lesser extent Sony. Nintendo is the only gaming-centric company, if they are out. Oh dear no.....

@baddates77
Yes, let's have the only company who actually focuses on providing quality video games and only video games leave. Honestly, if you hate video games just leave Joystiq right now.

@baddates77 Eh... sorry guys. I never really was a Nintendo fan. The NES and SNES were awesome systems, but most of the games I loved on them were third party games. The old Zelda games are amazing, but I haven't really cared for the recent ones. They dumbed them down too much for me. Most of the rest of the Nintendo franchises only have one game at most which I care for. I realize that it's akin to blasphemy to express an opinion of Nintendo that doesn't leave you with a brown streak on your nose, but that's the way I feel.

@baddates77
I disagree. Though if anyone should step out, I'd prefer it to be Microsoft and have them go back to the PC platform in full force with a nice media center PC to help the market. That would be assuming that traditional console games (Soul Calibur, Ace Combat, Final Fantasy, etc.) would end up on PC then too, in competent fashion. HAH!

No, three is a perfect balance. It forces one company to truly innovate and two others to push the tech specs so as to not fall too far behind.

But you may get your wish. If the Wii-U fails and the 3DS isn't selling as fast the DS was in its prime, they could well go under. Mainly due to idiot investors that panic every second someone sneezes at them.

We'll see, though. The Wii-U will be coming out late this year, almost certainly. They're going to push it fast so they can get a cash boost to shut up those idiot investors and stop them from causing a tempest in a teapot. Until the Wii-U sales start to slow down or not "meet expectations", that is.

When Nintendo says it wouldn't ever develop games as a third party. I believe them. So if Nintendo dies, gaming dies a little too.

@baddates77

i can't believe you all wasted time replying back to this comment, even to give essay long replies. He might not have been trolling but his comment is obviously of fanboy delusion.

@baddates77 I disagree. In my opinion, Wii U is shaping up to be a good console upgrade from my current Wii/360 combo, combining the good stuff of both (for example, controls and online).

If Nintendo left the hardware business, I'd leave gaming for good (even if they went 3rd party). Nothing against the other two, but my preference has, and most likely will always be a Nintendo console. It just...gives a sense of style and flair, and above all, uniqueness. I haven't been disappointed by the 3DS, and the way the Wii U is shaping, I'm most likely going back to being a one console guy.

(P.S. dare not speak ill of Zelda, for this fanboy will rip you to shreds!!!! :P)

@baddates77 Actually I think three consoles are "just right." Last generation, when Gamecube, PS2 and Xbox were essentially *the same* console, differing mostly in their games libraries (yes, I realize they had different levels of horsepower and Xbox brought online to the party), then yes--three was too many.

But once Nintendo decided that it was time to *differentiate* from the competition rather than simply run the same race (ie, graphics and little else), the dynamic changed. Three is now the sweet spot.

As for Wii U, when it was first announced I felt somewhat similar, kind of a "Hmmm" with the new controller. I had a bit of a "why the hell would you do that?" moment. But as we've seen more, I started to realize something: I felt the same way about the Wii Remote at first, but then it turned out it was fun and useful in a lot of ways. Wii U looks to repair the two major flaws that Wii had: poor graphical capabilities and online services. Couple that with full Wii compatibility, right down to the accessories, and a new gameplay dynamic that really can make a big difference in how, why and where you play, and I think Wii U has a good shot at being something special (especially if they use that Power7 derived CPU to make some games with half decent AI, unlike almost anything out this generation).

Now if only they have a better name than "Wii U". I get keeping the Wii brand equity--they'd be foolish not to--but the U part really needs something more catchy.

@baddates77
I don't think anyone should step out. Console gaming is profitable and extremely entertaining for the user. Why on Earth would you guys want to reduce competition and choice?
Makes no sense.
Also, this report seems fairly biased against Nintendo- calling mobile gaming the "trend" and claiming Nintendo's stuck in the past. Nintendo is the most innovative of the big 3. And I don't think mobile gaming will ever overtake the dedicated portable gaming system market. I think they can co-exist just fine.

@baddates77 "dumbed them down"

Everything else you just said has become invalid. Get out.

@pluupy

Wow. Really? I"m a nintendo fan too, but what you just said is bull.

@baddates77

Somebody should slap you so hard it renders you sterile.

G T F O

@xiLeShadow

"Can Microsoft and Sony catch up with Nintendo?"

Microsoft has been straight killing it once they released the kinect. I think this gen is cemented for Nintendo but who knows next time around.

Japan.

@Jameseh

Actually Taiwan.

@PR0F3TA
Come on, those animations were pretty funny.

As for the actual content though... well the title is kind of obvious (Nintendo bets on Wii U). Nintendo are a gaming company - they bet the company on every new hardware release.

It's interesting the way Nintendo are responding to the mobile threat (whether or not they admit it exists) - they're still going for some 'casual' players but really the focus in both 3DS and Wii U seems more on traditional gamers.

@Science core
The Wii U has every control input the 360 and PS3 has, and then some! Why are you equating a controller w/ a screen to a tablet w/ only touch controls. Your presence on the Nintendo Network, or lack-there-of, won't be missed. Now's the time to invest in Nintendo; I expect the Wii U to fragment a good portion of the Microsoft and Sony faithful and offer some innovative experiences for the next generation of gaming. My only reservation is the name. Personally, I prefer the NEX; it kinda sounds like NES, it's the siXth home console, and the neXt gen system...that's my two cents.

Buying a game system with a tablet controller is extremely different from buying a tablet to use as a computer/etc

@hami83
Well, they already have Netflix on Wii and 3DS, and supposedly a Hulu app is in development for them, too. So, it's very likely that Wii U will have those, too (if they haven't already been announced).

The announcement of Nintendo Network shows a pretty progressive attitude from Nintendo, with individual user accounts and even downloadable versions of 3DS/Wii U games planned. I think they're well aware of how they've lagged behind the competition in terms of networking, and they have pushed forward with 3DS, and more so with Wii U.

But they need to do something that makes them stand out, that makes them desirable over Sony's and Microsoft's offerings. If they just take a "me, too!" approach, they'll fail to win people over.

@hami83: I don't think it will happen, but part of me hopes they announce the Wii U running Android, with full access to either the Google or Amazon Android Apps marketplace (I'd prefer the Amazon market, frankly, because they do a better job of policing it for malware).

By that logic all new game systems would die.

@imtheman

Way to predict Vita sales with nothing to back it up... It's not exactly flying off the shelves in Japan, so don't hold your breath.

Your argument about people having other consoles is ridiculously flawed. "Why would people ever buy the GameCube, they already had an N64!" etc. Like the Wii U is the same thing. Nintendo innovates, it's kept them on top so far.

@KaBob799: I'm offended that you referred to that thinking as LOGIC :p

@freelancer91
Oh yeah, because everyone's 3DS is collecting dust since a month after purchase. Nobody's playing Mario Land, Mario Kart, or RE: Revelations.

I agree that 3D is a shitty gimmick, but that doesn't matter. Turn the slider off - job done. 3DS is just DS 2, with several awesome Nintendo games, a few great third-party games, and the certain prospect of more in both categories.

There's a period when 3DS was collecting dust, but that's in the past. Consider 3DS officially WIPED CLEAN.

@xxxsam

My family bought a Wii and hasn't been touched in like 2 years.

As for the 3DS, the only reason people ditched their DS's for a 3DS was because they thought the 3D would be more than an agonizing sideshow. Turning off the 3D kinda ruins the reason you bought the device.

The video mentions mobile gaming as a major competitor to Nintendo, but I'm not impressed with that either. The main reason is because I hate gaming on touch screens. While the 3DS is a seizure waiting to happen, at least it has buttons. I'd hate to think what would happen if Nintendo lost the buttons in the next version. Then Nintendo's handheld line up would have no redeeming qualities whatsoever....

My last Nintendo device that I liked was my Advance SP. There was a device that made sense. There were no gimmicks and it had an easy to hold form factor. Nothing was there that didn't need to be there and it had the advantage of being the first Nintendo handheld (to my knowledge) that had a backlight (something that was desperately needed for quite a long time). The backlight didn't feel like a gimmick because it solved a problem that numerous gamers had run into. As for the 3D on the 3DS, I don't remember asking for it. Giving the option to turn it off only illustrates that the developers weren't too excited about it and simply needed a reason to push out a new, more expensive version of what was generally considered to be a solid mobile gaming platform.

@freelancer91
To say that most people bought the 3DS for the 3D is simply wrong. Why not say that most people bought the PS3 because of the Bluray? because it's wrong. Maybe people buy consoles for, I don't know, maybe the GAMES ?
And the reason the 3DS has the ability to turn off/ tone down the 3D is because:
1. Some people get headaches if the 3D is too intense.
2. 3D damages the eyesight of children under whatever age.
3. Its a portable system, 3D requires you to stay still. If you're moving it becomes a blur.
4. It conserves battery life.

@freelancer91

One of the big reasons I bought the 3DS was for the 3D. Is it a gimmick, sure, but I think it's a cooler gimmick than HD (and I really like HD). And the slide isn't there for developers so much as it gives people options. Most of the time I play at about 50% 3D but sometimes I like to crank it.

The 3D had no affect on me wanting a 3DS.

@Super Nintendo Chalmers

All of those sound like good reasons for not including 3D in the product. And here is the thing, those games on the 3DS would have no reason to exist on the 3DS if it weren't for the 3D. So yes, in the end, the only reason for the 3DS to exist is the 3D. And it clearly executes that very poorly...

@freelancer91
3D is the 3DS' selling point to the masses, but its has other abilities that people overlook, and it is way more powerful than the original DS.

Itd not just a DS with 3D, its that and much more.

@A Sandwich

HD just has so many more applications than 3D. I like them both but the amount of HD content compared to quality 3D content is like huge. I don't even watch SD channels anymore unless it's an only option. I'm just still not sold on 3D for portable purposes. I'd probably take higher fidelity and crisp visuals 9/10 times. I have a 3D TV as well and it's absolutely stunning but there still isn't a ton of stuff out there and the 2D --> 3D conversion option is still a long way off from being acceptable. Portable 3D on the 3DS suffers because it's not in HD in my opinion. If you could successfully marry 3D & HD on a better screen it would probably be more visually appealing.

I don't even see HD as a gimmick anymore. It's like saying DVD compared to VHS is a gimmick. It gives a huge upgrade in every area of the experience.

For me HD is like the new minimum standard and anything below that is a burden. The only channel not in HD that I consistently watch that isn't in HD is Investigation Discovery.

I mostly just want to watch sports & cg / action films in 3D. Other than that I'm just not sure the effect is worth it. Specifically on such a small low res screen with a narrow angle of view.

@CrashMan

Their success is based on pricing. We all can go back and forth about personal preference and why x is better than y, but it all boils down to pricing. The initial years of Nintnedo having the least costly system helped bolster their sales worldwide tremendously. Maybe they can repeat this keeping the Wii U under $300 if possible.

@MeAndTheFanboy

I have no hidden desire to see any company fail, makes me no difference. What boggles me is anyone who is of age, 30+, and has been gaming since youth, how do people not evolve?

It's no secret I despised the Wii. From its capabilities to its online services. Never bought, or thought twice about it. So what it had "great games I missed out on. Why should I sacrifice playing 40 other memorable titles as they were never made or ported over into vomit vision on the Wii?

11 years later they want to play ball with the Wii U... Pfffft, enjoy.