Wii-U thoughts so far

[RCBH928]

Mobile phones and tablets play games, but that isn't their primary purpose. If you include smartphones and tablets when discussing portable game system numbers, you should include PCs sold when discussing console numbers sold. They're (generally) static home systems that can play video games too right?

I actually agree with this. PC's should count toward gaming console numbers. After all, what is a gaming console? Something you attach to your tv and play games on it. In fact, the PC version of games is almost always superior in graphics .


I see the next console wars is between Microsoft vs Sony vs Steam (PC)

Plus, to argue that portable games system numbers shouldn't be included when discussing console sales because 'Nintendo has no real competition' is hilariously laughable. Nintendo have had plenty of competition, they've just decimated it, in the same way the PS2 decimated the rival systems in that generation of console gaming.

As I said, PSP is the only real competition Nintendo had in hand held games. I would like to hear what other portables had real competition with Nintendo?

WonderSwan? GameGear? N-gage? Atari Lynx?
The most competition Nintendo had with another company is about 2 generations long I think that is the PSP and PS Vita (Nomad is a Genesis in hand-held form). Before the PSP, the last hand-held to be in competition with Nintendo was discontinued in '97 (game gear).

PS2 , even though sold a lot more than its competitors, the competitors made good effort in competing. Xbox made FPS games popular on consoles by launching the legendary Halo series which sold 13m combined on Xbox. Also it launched the GT competitor, Forza and a respectable new IP which was Fable. On the NGC side we saw the first transition of Metroid into 3D, RE4 was launched first on NGC, Mario Kart and Super Smash sold respectable 7m each(higher than God of War on PS2) .

To add to the situation, both Microsoft and Nintendo competed against Sony on more than one generation. In fact Nintendo beat Sony sales last gen (up until now that is), Microsoft 360's sold just as much as PS3s did .

Remind me where we saw similar situation in the portable market?

[Flake]

Nintendo vs the Smart Phone market?

[RCBH928]

Nintendo vs the Smart Phone market?

I'll accept that, then we have to do iphone/android vs Nintendo to see who decimated who in the portable market.

[fastbilly1]

Nintendo vs the Smart Phone market?

I'll accept that, then we have to do iphone/android vs Nintendo to see who decimated who in the portable market.

You cant say that, since iOS and Android are similar but different in many ways. It would have to be iOS vs Android vs Nintendo, and then the answer would be Android. Since they have something like 80% market share.

[isiolia]

Nintendo vs the Smart Phone market?

I'll accept that, then we have to do iphone/android vs Nintendo to see who decimated who in the portable market.

It's not a contest. Apple sells more iPhones in a year than most game consoles do over their lifespan. They recently broke 500 million sold since the product came out in 2007. iPads add to that for total iOS numbers.
Nintendo has been selling portable consoles since 1989, and has a combined total of about 400 million.

Android broke 1 billion device activations last year, and that's just new devices that are actually registered for service/etc.
For every person out there that owns a 3DS, there are more than two that own a Samsung Galaxy S series device alone.

The best selling 3DS games come in around 10 million (Pokemon X/Y is in the 12-13 range, others are slightly less than 10). Offhand, Angry Birds has had a combined download count around 2 billion or so. Obviously, the market for apps is very different, so it's not all directly comparable, but still.

The proliferation of smartphones has meant less of a demand for more specialized devices, gaming devices among them (though also cameras, MP3 players, GPS, etc).
It might not dip much into the core gamer market, but for the more casual/non-traditional markets that Nintendo started to branch into, it's huge. They don't need to get over that hurdle of a $100+ console and $20+ carts. They can grab a 99 cent app for a device they already own.

[ZeroAX]

Apps are only good for amateur programmers/game developers to gain some valuable experience and as a hobby, and for big companies developing tie in games. The race to the bottom and really baddly designed app stores (on both OSs) killed the market for anyone willing to invest money in developing a game for them.

[FerretGamer]

I don't think you guys understand. I want the Captain Toad game in a "Gonna buy the most expensive, BS filled limited edition CE special plus" kind of way. Everytime I found one of those levels in SM3DW, I promptly lost my shit and ran around the house with my arms up making airplane noises. There are no memes sufficient to the task of explaining my excitement.

I feel you on this one.

[CavZee]

I don't think you guys understand. I want the Captain Toad game in a "Gonna buy the most expensive, BS filled limited edition CE special plus" kind of way. Everytime I found one of those levels in SM3DW, I promptly lost my shit and ran around the house with my arms up making airplane noises. There are no memes sufficient to the task of explaining my excitement.

I feel you on this one.

I'm glad this is one of the few 2014 games, the sooner the better.

[Sload Soap]

Although I still have some reservations about the Wii U's long term future, what was shown yesterday was very promising. Yoshi, Kirby and Captain Toad all looked like cute, fun games, I like the cut of Splatoon's jib and a more open world approach to Zelda is very welcome. Add in Starfox with the current releases and I'm pretty close to a purchase.

My only disappointment was the Xenoblade Chronicles X trailer which made the game look really generic.

[CavZee]

My only disappointment was the Xenoblade Chronicles X trailer which made the game look really generic.

Generic how?

Go skim through the gameplay demonstration that they had at the Treehouse Live stream. Just looking around at what the opening area had to show was impressive enough for me. I avoided looking at too much of the opening cutscenes and whatnot though.