[karajorma]

I don't think Nintendo really care much. They cater to their Japanese fan base first. The rest of the world is mostly an afterthought.

[Admiral LSD]

Nintendos bad reputation is entirely their own fault. Basically, their marketing head is stuck in 1984. Now, that was OK when their only major competitor was Sega and the average age of console gamers was 12 but that all changed when Sony released the original PlayStation. Sony changed the face of the console market. It's never been about the hardware, it's not even really about the games anymore. Mainstream popular culture is the new battlefield and brand strength, recognition and loyalty are the new weapons. Sony created that, MS get it (even if it's only through "monkey see, monkey do" with MS trying to replicate Sony's success by simply copying what they percieve to be the root of it) but unless Nintendo recognise that times have drastically changed and change their tactics to suit then they're destined to languish at the bottom of sales charts.

[aldo_14]

Actually, I think Nintendos current tactics are spot on; they're targeting pretty much everyone but the 15-30 male age demographic that Sony and Microsoft are fighting over.  The DS has been a massive success, for example, because of that.

[Admiral LSD]

Nintendo have always targeted the "everyone but the 15-30 male age demographic", they never really thought that their buyers would grow up and want games/consoles that reflected that. Sony snuck up behind them and launched the console markets own version of Pearl Harbour. The DS has only really been successful due to the strength of Nintendo's Game Boy brand, if Nintendo's hold on the handheld market wasn't anywhere near as strong as it is then the DS would be destined to the same fate as such things as the Atari Lynx, the Sega Game Gear and more than likely the Sony PSP.

[Genryu]

IMO, Nintendo would be able to survive only by their handeld system. And frankly, I like them for the way they make fun and innovative game time and time again, instead of always shipping out variations of the same game.

[Admiral LSD]

Nintendo are just as guilty as shipping variations on the same game as anybody else, they've been whoring the same 3 or 4 franchises (Mario, Donkey Kong, Zelda and possibly Metroid) out for the past twenty years.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Admiral LSD
Nintendo have always targeted the "everyone but the 15-30 male age demographic", they never really thought that their buyers would grow up and want games/consoles that reflected that. Sony snuck up behind them and launched the console markets own version of Pearl Harbour. The DS has only really been successful due to the strength of Nintendo's Game Boy brand, if Nintendo's hold on the handheld market wasn't anywhere near as strong as it is then the DS would be destined to the same fate as such things as the Atari Lynx, the Sega Game Gear and more than likely the Sony PSP.

I think you'll find that 'outside the 15-30 male demographic' refers to both older and younger.  And particularly female (I've read a lot of stories indicating that the Ds is popular with female, older and more casual gamers due to it's simplicity of control).  And it's sold a ****load, too, even with direct competition from the PSP.  So I think it'd be a bit stupid to dismiss it that casually.

Do bear in mind i said 'current strategy'.  Nintendos marketing was screwed up all the way since the N64, and they're now making a concentrated shift in targeting this area, and through specific hardware design.

[Martinus]

[color=66ff00]From the last statistics I saw about a month ago the big N hold a 4% share of the western world's console market, Sony have a little over 50% IIRC.

Nintendo have always catered for gamers primarily, their machines are testament to that. I for one thought the cartoonish style of windwaker was fantastic, pseudo-realistic dungeon games are being released in hordes, Shigeru has always been about style and substance; Windwaker personifies both.

BTW I'll be playing Shenmue 3 on whatever console it comes out on, some games push themselves above the platforms they are released on and demand playing.
[/color]

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Maeglamor
[color=66ff00]From the last statistics I saw about a month ago the big N hold a 4% share of the western world's console market, Sony have a little over 50% IIRC.

Nintendo have always catered for gamers primarily, their machines are testament to that. I for one thought the cartoonish style of windwaker was fantastic, pseudo-realistic dungeon games are being released in hordes, Shigeru has always been about style and substance; Windwaker personifies both.

BTW I'll be playing Shenmue 3 on whatever console it comes out on, some games push themselves above the platforms they are released on and demand playing.
[/color]

Western, though.  I think the global (non-portable) Market would be something like 55 25 20 (Sony, MS, Nintendo), given the relative parity of the Xbox and Gamecube in overall sales.

Albiet maybe that's the point (good in Japan, bad in west).  Although if they're doing well in Japan but not the US, and MS' situation is the exact reverse.... why criticise only one of the 2?

[Nico]

Originally posted by Genryu
IMO, Nintendo would be able to survive only by their handeld system. And frankly, I like them for the way they make fun and innovative game time and time again, instead of always shipping out variations of the same game.

That's right, they're so original with mario golf, mario tennis, mario kart, mario swimming pool and mario kitchen
"next month on nintendo DS: Mario Laundry!!!!!1111"

Hem, sorry, sometimes they're doing a donkey kong game or a zelda game too

[Kamikaze]

Actually, it seems to me like the Playstation has the most unique, innovative games. Partly due to the sheer volume of games for it.

[Ford Prefect]

Don't listen to Mario's lies.

[Taristin]

Originally posted by Ford Prefect
Don't listen to Mario's lies.

[Grug]

RoFL @ communist Mario.

Although if they're doing well in Japan but not the US, and MS' situation is the exact reverse.... why criticise only one of the 2?

Because us round eye's don't understand the Japanese tastes \ culture, and they don't fully understand ours. It's two very different cultures destined to clash.

I wonder how popular Halo is over in the east.
In the west, there is that whole yankee attitude of a big tanked out unstoppable force kicking the crap out of everything.
In the east, well I'm not sure entirely, but I think it involves bright flashing colours and collectible items?

Just different perspectives and customs I guess, as there always have been, and always will be.

[Taristin]

Originally posted by Grug
Never buy an EA game, they are corporate whores and deserve to die.

Originally posted by Grug

Never buy from Harvey Norman, they are corporate whores and deserve to die.

Communist Grug?

[adwight]

Originally posted by Admiral LSD
Nintendo are just as guilty as shipping variations on the same game as anybody else, they've been whoring the same 3 or 4 franchises (Mario, Donkey Kong, Zelda and possibly Metroid) out for the past twenty years.

I can agree with the whoring of Mario and Donkey Kong, but how can you say they are whoring Zelda and Metroid, 2 of the best game franchises out there, with none of the games actually sucking (except for a really old zelda...)?

[Grug]

Originally posted by Raa

Communist Grug?

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Grug
RoFL @ communist Mario.


Because us round eye's don't understand the Japanese tastes \ culture, and they don't fully understand ours. It's two very different cultures destined to clash.

I wonder how popular Halo is over in the east.
In the west, there is that whole yankee attitude of a big tanked out unstoppable force kicking the crap out of everything.
In the east, well I'm not sure entirely, but I think it involves bright flashing colours and collectible items?

Just different perspectives and customs I guess, as there always have been, and always will be.

I don't think Halo is popular atall.  Neither is GTA AFAIK.

[cannon_fodder]

Originally posted by Kamikaze
Actually, it seems to me like the Playstation has the most unique, innovative games. Partly due to the sheer volume of games for it.

have you seen some of the games out for gc and ds?
WarioWare has got to be one of the oddest and most unique games out there (and addicting).

I really don't see too many games out from Sony that make me think them as original or innovative