The 10th Hour 07.25.08: Nintendo's Focus

Posted by Derek Robbins on 07.25.2008

This week the 10th Hour takes a break from list making and looks at where Nintendo has its sights set on in the future. 411's Derek Robbins breaks down where he sees the focus of Nintendo heading.

Hello and welcome to the 10th Hour! As always, there are a couple of tangents I would like to branch out on before I start.

-Rich Harden pitched an absolutely fantastic game and came away with the loss Monday night. It just goes to show that W/L is one of the most over-rated statistics in baseball.

-My brother got Rock Band recently…unfortunately it's the Wii version. On top of being totally gimped they also have a letter limit for your band name. We tried to name our band: "Nuns in a Blender", but it wouldn't fit…so we had to settle on something less. Something that wasn't a Critic reference. It was a shame.

-Playing through Pokemon Mystery Dungeon 2 shows me I have a serious problem. I know the game is mind-numbingly average with a below-average story but I can't help but love it. I think I may enjoy Pokemon too much. This is a problem.

Since last week Drew filled in for me, I'm not going to comment on his comments. I agree with his list for the most part – with the HUGE exception of Animal Crossing, a game I am fairly apathetic towards – so I am going to give him a compliment for filling in. Good job Drew.



10th hour: Nintendo's focus

This week I am trying something a little different. Instead of a top-10 list I am writing a column on Nintendo. Don't worry though! Next week the 10th hour will be back to normal and cater to your videogame list needs. Before I get started I would like to state that both Sony and Microsoft make games aimed towards non-gamers. For evidence of that, check PSN or X-Box LIVE…but their FOCUS does not seem to be on that audience. This is an article about Nintendo though, so Sony and Microsoft won't get mentioned much.


The actions a company takes often shows the direction they are going as opposed to what they may be seeing. In major league baseball, when a team trades for a big-player at the trade-deadline it sends the message that this year that team intends to win it. This is the year for that team to try to make a stretch run. Using this logic, judging Nintendo by the actions they took at E3 gives insight on where they are headed in the future and who they are marketing towards. While Nintendo still intends to make money off of their core fan-base which have followed them since the early days, their main focus appears to no longer be those gamers, but instead a different breed. The focus is now shifted towards a group of gamers who have next to no experience.

While it's no surprise that the wii is a system intended to be accessible to everyone, this is really the first E3 that there wasn't a big title geared towards their "more hardcore" fanbase. In the past couple of years they've had Smash Brothers, Mario, and Zelda to fall back on…to please the Nintendo loyalists. As if to say: "Don't worry guys, no matter what direction we go in we still support you."…but this year the closest Nintendo got to that would be the announcement of a new Animal Crossing. While Animal Crossing is a quality franchise, it is by no means in leagues with Mario, Metroid, and Zelda. Sure, it's a game Nintendo loyalists will enjoy but it seems to fit in with the "Non-gamer approach". For those who don't know, Animal Crossing is a game in which you co-exist in a town with a bunch of animals. You write letters to them, you participate in activities with them…indeed, you live amongst them. The big draw of Animal Crossing is the fact it's a living, breathing world. If you mail a letter to one of your neighbors they could possibly show that very letter off to one of your friends. Indeed, everything that takes place in that game actually happens. If you do it, others will see it. It's really meant as a game with an appeal to both gamers and non-gamers alike. If Animal Crossing is the title that you showcase to cater to your long-time fans at E3 (which, while diminished…is still the most mainstream of the video game conventions) it just further goes to prove that Nintendo is moving away from their old user base and looking towards a user-base featuring new gamers.

To further this point, there is an old saying that goes: "Save the best for last"…and the other two companies. At Microsoft's press conference they ended with a bang as they unveiled Final Fantasy XIII, a title previously thought to be exclusive for the Playstation 3, as coming to the 360. This caused quite an uproar as this will be the first core Final Fantasy – not counting XI – to appear on a console not affiliated with the Sony-brand since Final Fantasy VII. Oh sure, FF VII and VIII appeared on the PC but PC-gaming and console gaming aren't really in competition with each other. Sony un-veiled a game entitled MAG which is short for Massive Action Game. It's a new title which features squad-based combat and promised an online with over 200 players. This would feel pretty impressive for a shooting title. What does Nintendo unveil after the other two companies unveil their behemoths? Wii Music. This game is a rhythm based title where you control various instruments using the wii-mote and even the balance board. While the concept seems interesting, it's hardly considered a blockbuster. Of course, things only got worse for this title. It turns out that there is no way for the player to lose during a song. While games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero force you to play to the rhythm to succeed…Wii Music just essentially says: "Do whatever you want, you'll still pass." It's essentially an interactive toy. A matter of fact, even Shigeru Miyamoto himself called it a toy, following that statement with "that's why it'll be more fun than a video game." So we have two video games and one toy. What did you purchase your console for? To play games or to play with toys? That's your call.

While looking at the Nintendo conference you will actually find some titles that appeal to more than just fledgling gamers. Franchises like Guitar Hero and Grand Theft Auto were on display…but one thing was in common with these titles: they were made by third party developers. Looking at the wii too, titles such as Dead Rising and Mad World appear to make up the lifeblood of the console as far as "gaming" titles are conserned.. Those are also third-party titles. Nintendo has nothing to do with them. All the games that were on display that were first-party for the Nintendo brand basically appealed to anyone who hasn't played videogames for a very long time. There isn't anything wrong trying to appeal to non-gamers, actually…it's a GOOD thing…but forgetting your core audience and focusing on an entirely different group isn't. The Nintendo Wii is currently the most popular platform on the market. Fanboys may claim their system is better, but a fact is a fact. Right now, the Nintendo Wii is winning and according to Nintendo's numbers…is on track to sell more than the Playstation 2. The thing is, when something gets so popular it is bound to create imitation. Street Fighter popularized the fighting genre and many franchises jumped on the bandwagon in order to take advantage of said popularity. Looking through a game store listing several years ago, there was actually a listing for "Street Fighter Clones". The Nintendo Wii is bound to draw imitation and could possibly lead to an over-saturation of easily accessible games. Yes, of course, there will always be games designed for people who have been playing them forever. For every source of media there is always a niche…but the deal is that right at this very moment games featuring a focus on gameplay…games that aren't necessarily marketed towards people who have never played before…are the norm. The niche right now is dedicated to more "hardcore" titles such as God Hand or Killer 7. With the way the Wii is selling, perhaps games that appeal to everyone as opposed to games that appeal to gamers will become the norm, and that's not a good thing.

Another big thing that sends a message to your user-base is who you trot out there to talk about your products. While Nintendo sent out very big names to discuss their products – such as Reggie, Miyamoto, and Iwata – one person in particular sort of dumbstruck me. Cammie Dunaway. While the other people in this group have a storied past involving video games…Cammie really doesn't. In fact, in an interview, she claims that her first video game she ever played was Professor Layton. While Professor Layton is a quality title that is worthy of your time…it is fairly recent for your first title. Now, she can't be too high up in the company right? I mean…no way somebody who hasn't played a game before Layton is sitting up there pretty…right? Wrong. She's the vice-president of sales and marketing. Well, this explains why the advertisements Nintendo runs are focusing primarily on new gamers…but it's kind of unsettling and telling that someone who has very little experience in gaming is so high. On top of that, throughout the conference she seemed more interested in telling anecdotes as opposed to informing us about the features in games. It's kind of like she had no idea who would be watching and caring about these conferences in California. The biggest problem is her response to a question from Gametrailers.com. When asked: "What do you have to say to your hardcore gamers who may be disappointed by your E3 conference?" she replied: "Keep playing Mario Kart, keep playing Smash Brothers Brawl…" and proceeded to prattle on, telling us to try out Animal Crossing. W-wait a minute? You're telling your hardcore gamers to stand-pat and wait? In a business that's all about what's coming next, telling your fans to simply wait is a sign that…well…it could be a while before something comes for you. This is even further exemplified later.

A fact that was being trumpeted around by Nintendo fans following their conference is the fact that Smash Brothers Brawl was not revealed at the E3 press conference…but AFTER it. That's right! Possibly one of the biggest titles the wii will ever have and one that appeals to long-time Nintendo fans was not revealed at their conference so surely this is a beacon of hope…right? Well…wrong. From first party sources nothing new was revealed that would lessen the foul taste left in the mouths of many following the Nintendo conference. It was just more of the same, and as mentioned earlier…actions speak louder than words. Through Nintendo showcasing these titles it shows that their focus is no longer on gamers…but non-gamers. To further this point, the only non-Animal Crossing pre-established Nintendo IP that was revealed for the first time at E3 was Pikmin 3. Many of you will remember that Pikmin 3 topped the 10th hour's list of games most wanted to be seen at E3. Understand, the fact that Pikmin 3 is being developed is a wonderful thing…but it's how it was announced that is disturbing. Miyamoto confirmed it through passing…almost so it seemed like he was saying: "Play our family friendly titles and oh yeah a new Pikmin is coming." It's like they're saying – "We have a new focus, but we'll throw a bone to you guys once in a while…" This is a shame, since many Nintendo fans have remained loyal due to Nintendo's focus on their desires.

Without a doubt, the E3 conference has shown us one very specific thing. While Nintendo will make games that cater to their long-time fans their focus is no longer on those fans. Through their actions they have shown that for the time being – through the duration of this year at least – the focus has been shifted from "gamer" to "non-gamer". While games like Wii Music will be enjoyable in short bursts, Nintendo is banking on that title being a huge seller because it simply appeals to those who don't play games…and that's an issue. It poises the risk that our gaming market could become over-saturated with non-gamer titles and the new-niche could be normal gaming titles. This is not an issue of casual-gaming versus hardcore gaming. This is different than the Halos of the world versus Prince of Persia. This is gaming against non-gaming. If current market trends continue, these "toys" as Miyamoto described them could over-take our industry and ‘pure' gaming experiences could be hard to come by. While it's not set in stone that Nintendo will remain this way, their actions have spoken louder than their words. Though they claim to have hardcore gamers in mind, they showcase titles that aren't aimed towards that group at all. Nintendo indeed has undergone a paradigm shift…and it could very well change everything.

Well that's it for this week. As always send me an e-mail at [e-mail] or simply leave me a comment below.

There are currently only three new columns listed since the last 10th hour took place and in the interest of fairness I can't link to them since I generally like to link to everyone. See, I am writing this on Monday night as I leave for Tennessee on Tuesday and didn't want to miss out on another 10th hour. So I'm writing this ahead of time. That said, I will go ahead and link to two places. One since he's my brother and the other since they discuss my writing week-end and week-out.

Coming Attractions written by my brother Drew talks about games that are coming out in the following week. My beef with him is that he only gave MVP Baseball 2005 a three and a half stars. Yeah, you call it a good game Drew but it's got to be at least a four. Step your game up. Anyhow, good work by Drew.

Since it is Monday night, I have no clue what this week's podcast will be about, but I do know one thing: Mike and AJ will do an amazing job and deserve your attention span. Seriously, one week and you'll be hooked. Thanks for providing good background listening for Team Fortress 2, guys.

That's it. I'm out.

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