Wii-U thoughts so far

[Tanooki]

Well you know that back and forward on the WiiU makes some good sense. But realistically if Nintendo had done a me-too hardware system with the PS4, they would have been doing much better than they are now, but even yet I can't say for certain they'd still be holding first like the Wii smuggled them into. I know I wrote it before but they were approached (all 3) to have certain specs in the hardware by game makers to get support and Nintendo told them no, do it our way or not at all. They wanted to stay under a cheaper budget, they wanted thet tablet, and the capabilities that thing offed. It could have been a $400-500 system with the tablet still but they didn't. The launch they would have had would have been their games plus the games the PS4 and One had that weren't unique by their 1st/2nd party game makers. It would have been 3 systems, out the same time, same capabilities, selling off namesake and unique games. COnsidering how much Nintendo pissed off people with the Wii, it's hard to argue they'd have done excellent, but easy to say they wouldn't be suffering like they are now either because they'd have all those ported games the other two fish get.


I'm kind of wondering what I'm going to do with my system and I'm really at a loss as I feel stuck. When mine broke the system wrench menu was corrupt but it was usable, just not the eshop since firmware 5.2 couldn't get added. My game data, my saves, extras all there. They sent me back a system and didn't pull the fully accessible data. Right now I have a new WiiU, no usage on it other than setup, and 10 games I really do not wish to replay. Bayonetta 10s or not really isn't my style. Hyrule Warriors is probably fun but any warriors game I've had before I got bored of relatively fast too. Mario Kart 8 I'd get for 1/2 price, don't want to do online and I know I'd do the courses just once. I'm left with Captain Toad, Starfox, and Xenoblade so I am in a spot where I'm not sure if I should keep it or sell it at this rate which sucks.

[Sarge]

I honestly don't know that Nintendo would actually be doing better than now if they'd gone the PS4/XB1 route. Even when third-party devs were supporting their system (GC), they started losing them, and the Wii just finished that cycle. And many "hardcore" gamers had already jumped ship. I feel Nintendo has to pretty much swing for the fences every console cycle right now, or they'll forever be doomed to third place. At least that home run shot came through with the Wii, and the tablet just didn't pan out... yet. I'm not even completely ready to write 'em off this generation. There's still time to get back to respectability, and there's already some excellent games on the system.

Actually, maybe they would have sold more systems by now... but I don't think they would be anything but last, still. So I think your original statement is probably correct. Playing "what if" is always fun, but dicey. (I like to imagine a world where the Dreamcast went toe-to-toe with the PS2, honestly.)

[ZeroAX]

(I like to imagine a world where the Dreamcast went toe-to-toe with the PS2, honestly.)

It would have probably done better than the gamecube and xbox imo.

[alienjesus]

(I like to imagine a world where the Dreamcast went toe-to-toe with the PS2, honestly.)

It would have probably done better than the gamecube and xbox imo.

I'm pretty doubtful myself. The types of games that the Dreamcast is remembered for now weren't particularly mainstream during that era, they didn't have support from EA (say what you like about them, I'm under no doubts that having FIFA and Madden titles on a system contributes heavily to console sales) and their hardware already looked very underpowered by the time they stopped releasing games for the system imo - Nintendo and Microsoft's consoles make the Dreamcast look like it's from a different generation, which it practically was - having really directly competed with an aging Playstation and Nintendo 64.


I like the Dreamcast, but honestly I don't think it would have worked out if they'd kept selling it.

[ZeroAX]

I like the Dreamcast, but honestly I don't think it would have worked out if they'd kept selling it.

Well it sold 11 million units in 2 years, and seeing how consoles really depend on momentum I was more thinking it would have reached the 20+ million mark easier than the gamecube and xbox which barely did. (well the gamecube, and if I was microsoft I would never brag about the pyrrhic victory that was the oxbox)

[Sarge]

I still think, more than anything, the PS2's success hinged on doubling as a DVD player at a time where they were uncommon. I know it was a factor in my purchase.

Quite a few Dreamcast games looked better than their PS2 brethren (I remember all the talk of no anti-aliasing in Dead or Alive 2, for instance.) I don't know, though, if they'd already hit a high point with the system, or if there was more to squeeze out of it. It was supposed to be pretty easy to develop for, especially compared to the PS2. I mean, in some ways, the PS2 wasn't unlike the Saturn. But Sony had built up so much mindshare that it didn't matter, I suppose.

[Tanooki]

In Japan I think you're definitely right. Something I learned working back in those early 2000s years in the industry was stories about the PS2 and Japan. The big one being was that they had a hell of a time selling games, but no trouble selling the hardware, only a hard time keeping it stocked. Seems the industry over there for movies were greedy bastards and charged a heap for DVD players, yet the PS2 came out which ran movies and sold at a huge discount over a stand alone player. Lots of smart people were like F-that and bought the PS2, later buying games or maybe buying a game for it when they got it and it just took off with a huge base and the games to follow complimenting it cementing it super solidly as the #1 system.

Sony also did actively work to put Sega out to pasture as they were aware of their situation. They brought out the PS2 fast, and for the year leading up to it, constant JP and NA market ad blitzes and info leaks/stories to the press on how it was such a superior system, to save up for it that the DC was trash and dead as it would kill it. They also went and bought up games (like how those pigs at MS did to Tomb Raider on the One for a timed release) such as that Half Life+Blue SHift game which was 100% finished for DC and slated for a later PS2 release. They bought it out entirely, canceled the project, and put out the PS2 game when it was done, the actual (coder) developers were pissed off by it and leaked it online which is why you can download that fully functional game for DC in a ready to burn state.

[ZeroAX]

Sony also did actively work to put Sega out to pasture as they were aware of their situation. They brought out the PS2 fast, and for the year leading up to it, constant JP and NA market ad blitzes and info leaks/stories to the press on how it was such a superior system, to save up for it that the DC was trash and dead as it would kill it. They also went and bought up games (like how those pigs at MS did to Tomb Raider on the One for a timed release) such as that Half Life+Blue SHift game which was 100% finished for DC and slated for a later PS2 release. They bought it out entirely, canceled the project, and put out the PS2 game when it was done, the actual (coder) developers were pissed off by it and leaked it online which is why you can download that fully functional game for DC in a ready to burn state.

Source please? And exclusive deals are fair game imo. Timed exclusives are what piss me off, cause it feels so petty (I'm getting the game anyway and I'm a fucking adult I don't have a problem waiting 6 months for it, why don't you buy some actual exclusives to get me to want your console and have no other choice than to buy one?)

[alienjesus]

Source please? And exclusive deals are fair game imo. Timed exclusives are what piss me off, cause it feels so petty (I'm getting the game anyway and I'm a fucking adult I don't have a problem waiting 6 months for it, why don't you buy some actual exclusives to get me to want your console and have no other choice than to buy one?)

In a lot of timed exclusives's case, it's all about the multiplayer. If one version already has an online community and all your friends are there, it makes sense to buy that system.

Tomb Raider seems like a pretty odd choice for a timed exclusive personally, but whatever. I'm sure there will be people who will buy an XBox One for it, but I've never really seen people getting so excited for the new Tomb Raider that they can't wait a few months. At least not since Tomb Raider 2 on the PS1.

[Tanooki]

Sorry I can't source it. Back in 2001 through 2002 I worked for Midway in San Diego, down the street from us was SCEA and we had many of their employees jump ship to work in our space because back then Sony had some of the most reprehensible employee management setup (you basically work 2x the hours or more (80+) even on other projects if yours was light, or they'd make up a random reason to soft fire you by not placing your name on the next project list internally.) We ended up with a good split of console people and also everquest team people too. When you're working long hours and doing the same repetitive shit people talk about stuff and that's where it comes from. It's nothing anyone would bluntly put their name on and publish online out of fear of reprisals or being known as 'chatty' and a security risk on upcoming stuff.

I think the timed deal with the new Tomb Raider is entirely slimy and sketchy, but I get it. If you're MS you have to realize you stupidly don't make many franchises at all people want. You got Gears, Halo, and Forza, that's really about it. Fanboys will say Titanfall, and I'll say get the better PC version. With how amazing TR sold, it sold far nicer on PS3 and then even nicer so with the definitive upgrade on the PS4 many times over. They get it's popular and has been repaired from making so many terrible games in the past, so they decided to be dicks and buy a 6-12mo exclusive deal on it hoping to sway people into buying The One by lying and saying it was exclusive until the media and gamers called them on their shit and they had to clarify it indirectly even still that it's timed. The thing is it's doing no one any favors really other than Crystal Dynamics and PS4 owners. Sure MS can lie it's exclusive, few will buy that shit. When it's out it'll go up against Uncharted 4 (OOPS!) and then months later it'll show up on the PS4 when Uncharted mania dies down. It will allow people to finish U4, have the money and the free time to buy far more copies of TR (instead of having to choose as U4 would win being exclusive) which means PS4 owners win as does the developer selling more units. MS screwed the pooch and wasted a bundle of cash buying them off as CD will get paid TWICE on it from the Sony side of things (bribe+real release without Uncharted in the way.)