As I look forward to the release of such games as Metal Gear Solid 4, Killzone 2, Final Fantasy XIII, Grand Theft Auto 4 and Assassin's Creed, I worry about what could possibly be the next casualty in the video game wars. I don't want Play Station to be out. I love RPGs and quirky Japanese games. My issues are first and foremost, the price and the requirements. I was here in San Francisco during the launch of the PS3. Due to my work and school schedule, I was unable to wait in line with the extra money I had made working overtime. Now, I can go to just about any store and find one. The problem is, I can no longer afford to just buy it. $600 dollars is a lot of money. And that doesn't even include a game.
In addition to all this. In order to truly appreciate the system and all its glory, you would need an HD TV. I also cannot afford that at the moment. I have an X Box 360 and after having played Dead Rising, the Elderscrolls IV Oblivion and Gears of War without an HD TV and knowing that I'm missing out on so much, I cannot invest in a PS3 until I get an HD TV first.
I just have to know what was going through Sony's head when they released the PS3.
"Let's make it so expensive that most of the die hard fans can't even afford one."
"Good thinking Johnson, but we also have to make it hard to get"
"But won't we sell less systems?"
"Yes, but we are guaranteed to sell out before anyone!"
Nice going geniuses.
I still hold on to hope though that the games will bring people back, but I also fear that the Dreamcast may be getting a new grave mate.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Nintendo Wii: Redefining an Industry
Nintendo’s latest home console system was released in North America on November 19th 2006. Nintendo’s goal seems to focus on casual games which entertain a broad demographic of gamers and non-gamers. Nintendo’s product is the cheapest new generation home console system on the market, retailing for USD $249.99, and challenges to change the way people think about gaming.
A Kid’s Console?
Historically, Nintendo has produced “kid safe” console designs where most games were innocent and cute. Nintendo has changed their target audience to a broader audience with different styles of gaming. You can purchase a first-person shooter, such as, Call of Duty 3 or you can purchase child centric games, such as Barnyard, Cars or Cooking Mama. There are also many middle-of-the road games that all ages can enjoy, such as Wario Ware: Smooth Moves, Elebits and Wii Play.
This “kid’s console” has morphed into the “casual gaming console.” This is a device where a gamer can invest fifteen minutes to fifteen hours of playtime. A father of two can find time to play Tennis in Wii Sports or get in a game of nine-ball in Wii Play. A teenager can snowboard down a hill in SSX Blur and a younger child may yearn for Avatar: The Last Airbender.
The Nintendo Wii is well suited for kids but it goes beyond children. Grandparents are picking up the product after watching their children and grandchildren play. It might be for a golf game or a racing game, but it shows the attractive nature of the Wii. Just as many houses are equipped with a version of Monopoly and Scrabble the Wii becomes something to bring out when friends are over.
The Control Scheme
All features seem to fall second to the most overpowering aspect of the console: The controller. Nintendo, and their customers, have invested a huge risk in the Nintendo Wii controller, known as the “wiimote” by fans. This device will make or break the system and its future in the market.
Some skeptics say the Wii remote is just another “novelty device” doomed to fail and become replaced with a standard controller. Although the Wii controller can be tilted sideways to play in “classic” mode this isn’t the intended interface for the majority of games. The fate of the Wii controller will fall into the hands of the software developers.
The Wii controller is unique and requires special attention to detail and design to be implemented in a game correctly, especially a game ported from another system without such a control design. The game is only as fun as its design and implementation. A game which utilizes the controller in a poor fashion will push customers away. Too many games utilizing the controller badly can look bad on the system overall.
The system offers gamers an experience unlike a standard console, primarily because of its unique control scheme. The gamer is controlling the game in true 3D by moving the Wii controller and its secondary Wii nunchuck in 3d-space. The learning curve should be high, the complexity great, but oddly enough, a well designed game makes learning the control scheme easy.
The Demand
Like a viral youtube video the Nintendo Wii is contagious between relatives, close friends and acquaintances. One gamer has a Nintendo Wii and a few friends come over to visit and play – before they know it their asking where to buy one themselves. Their reason for purchasing is all the same: it is fun.
Console demand will give rise to game demand. The true success in the console will be in giving the customers what they want: fun games with great use of the controller functionality. In many cases, this may limit the games that can be ported from other consoles to this unique platform. Graphics can be reduced to fit the console design but an entirely unique control scheme can cut developers interest in releasing a title for this platform.
Third Party Support
Many people look at the last few Nintendo consoles as market failures. The Nintendo 64 failed to capture a large audience and most adults couldn’t find a use for their Nintendo GameCube after purchasing Mario Kart, Zelda, Super Smash Brothers and Mario Sunshine. All hit titles were in-house “first party” development efforts.
Nintendo must be able to draw a large quantity of third party development support to their system. Publishers like Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, Take-Two, THQ, Konami, and Square Enix are a few hot publishers that produce many first-class games each year. These publishers, along with others, will be needed to furnish the console with power-packed titles to keep the system valuable in the years to come.
Keep It Fun
If Nintendo can continually keep gamers having fun with the console it will be a solid success story. Games need to take complete advantage of the controller and not develop it as an after-thought. Ported games will take longer to produce to satisfy the controller design or the game will be more frustrating than fun.
Nintendo should use their successful game titles as proving grounds for full bodied release titles. Wii Sports was a great tech-demo but each game within the bundle could be fleshed out into a stand along product. Wii Tennis and Wii Bowling are two great examples of a franchise that could draw in casual gamers.
Keep It Fresh
Nintendo has relied greatly on their franchises: Mario, Zelda, Metroid and Donkey Kong. They cannot rely on these franchises to keep the system alive in an expanding market. These titles can be used to drive initial sales with a new release each year, but new innovative titles and creative new franchises must be developed to continue the sales trends.
Consumers have three strong consoles to consider purchasing with Microsoft Xbox 360 holding the lead for the titles. Sony will no doubt triple their game line by Christmas of 2007; Nintendo will have to fight to keep an edge. They may put themselves in their on niche industry of “interactive entertainment” but, unlike the portable Nintendo DS, they have strong competition for the home entertainment dollar.
Jennifer and Derrick Schommer are gaming enthusiasts that write many gaming articles. They decided to take their passion to the next level and started an online gaming e-commerce site at
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