So based on the reaction of everyone here...

[Tupin]

It's not a fad. The Wii has sold more than any other system in 19 months.

Yeah, I just realized that Nintendo doesn't like TGS.

If the hardcore gamer got exactly everything they wanted, all there would be were FPSs and rehashes. If there's one thing you can say about Nintendo, it's that they are good at shaking up the industry.

Still, they should be more respectful to the people that kept them alive no matter their faults for seven long years of getting owned week after week after week in sales with the GCN.

[Nayrman]

Alienating? By doing what? Serving both hardcore and casual? By giving us downloadable games? Giving us some form of online?

They aren't alienating themselves or anyone. Unless your someone who expects Mario on Monday, Zelda on Tuesday, and the more Metroid games by friday.

Alienating: Not letting developers do what they want (they rarely give Mii support to anyone), terrible online (three years to get voice chat when that was standard on the PS2 and Xbox...really?), and I can count the number of true hardcore games on my two hands:
Galaxy, Zelda, Metroid, Brawl, No More Heroes, MoH (CoD STILL better), MKWii (only because of Cube support), and Okami...
Theyre too busy trying to get little kids, grandma, and middle aged women to play to care about us.
360 and PS3 had downloadable games since their launch. Yes, VC is awesome, but that's pretty much it.
Why should I be grateful to even have online? The Xbox1 still has better online than Nintendo does...and for a company gunning for #1 I expect more.

[Nayrman]

Ya, differentiating yourself is bad. That's why they have the number one console and portable, both of which are twins to the others. Foolish me.

at the expense of the group that supported them when they were doing crap.
Again, I wouldn't be so mad if they at least pretended to care. "We're about EVERYONE!" - Reggie.
Is that why the biggest game announcements you had were a life sim and mini-game package?

[Tupin]

They aren't gunning for #1. They're already there.

Once again, there are actually games for everyone like Animal Crossing City Folk and Wii Sports Resort. Those can be played by anyone, hardcore or not.

[Macawmoses]

Those sim and mini game packages are selling millions, and considering I love economics, that means a lot. Where else can you buy a house from a raccoon that used to be an fighter? Where else can you get a rhythm game that goes beyond guitars and drums?

[Nayrman]

Those sim and mini game packages are selling millions, and considering I love economics, that means a lot. Where else can you buy a house from a raccoon that used to be an fighter? Where else can you get a rhythm game that goes beyond guitars and drums?

It's sad they're selling millions (in regards to the mini-game stuff) because it takes away from actual games. Why spent time and money making a good, deep, hardcore game when you can shuffle together a mini-game "blech"-athon and sell millions? X_X;;
Besides guitars and drums? Samba de Amigo senior, es una videojuego con maracas.
I've never cared for life sims they seem like a chore.

[Macawmoses]

That change in the market reflects new gamers being introduced. Take Sega Superstars Tennis. It had appeal, a Wii Sports like interface, plus that familiar hedgehog. It brings gamers in. However, now they see new characters they haven't seen before, Samba, Zombies as a field, AiAi, etc. Now they go and research those characters, and they'll cause a demand for a new title with them in it. Sure, the next one will likely be a mini-game compilation, or something comparative in nature, but the process happens again. This process builds core gamers, which in turn stems demand for the characters in those compilations.

[Tupin]

Wii Sports is not a 'blech-a-thon" it's a fun game that you play when you are bored or when you have friends over.

Deep, unique, hardcore games don't sell well. That's been proven time and time again. Remember Psychonauts? Okami? Beyond Good and Evil? Geist? Ico? Shadow of the Colossus?

Why should a company spend a year making a game that won't sell well when they can spend half of that time making a game that will sell millions that is good? Video game companies are corporations. They are about making money and giving people what they want.

If they want mini game collections, why deny them? Oh, and there's always the little fling they have that they release games that appeal to a specific audience.

[Nayrman]

That change in the market reflects new gamers being introduced. Take Sega Superstars Tennis. It had appeal, a Wii Sports like interface, plus that familiar hedgehog. It brings gamers in. However, now they see new characters they haven't seen before, Samba, Zombies as a field, AiAi, etc. Now they go and research those characters, and they'll cause a demand for a new title with them in it. Sure, the next one will likely be a mini-game compilation, or something comparative in nature, but the process happens again. This process builds core gamers, which in turn stems demand for the characters in those compilations.

You're missing their point altogether. They're not trying to build more core gamers, they're just trying to make more money from people who haven't given theirs to Nintendo yet. I doubt granny and the soccermom are going to get invested into games, or take it seriously. It's basically a money making idea because Nintendo knows they can't compete with Sony and Microsoft in terms of entertainment systems which they learned in the Cube crash. It's smart on their part, but horrible for Nintendo fans who are core gamers...I'm not strictly blaming Nintendo (third parties sure as hell aren't helping), but their not appealing to "everyone" like they say they are...

Wii Sports is not a 'blech-a-thon" it's a fun game that you play when you are bored or when you have friends over.

Deep, unique, hardcore games don't sell well. That's been proven time and time again. Remember Psychonauts? Okami? Beyond Good and Evil? Geist? Ico? Shadow of the Colossus?

Why should a company spend a year making a game that won't sell well when they can spend half of that time making a game that will sell millions that is good? Video game companies are corporations. They are about making money and giving people what they want.

If they want mini game collections, why deny them? Oh, and there's always the little fling they have that they release games that appeal to a specific audience.

Yes they do, CoD4, God of War, GTA, and MGS4 sold great. Oh, and Shadow sold very well mind you X_X;;

It is a blech-a-thon because I can't play it by myself and with friends... It's either one or the other with this company.
Give people what they want? America wants Mother 3, do we get it? We've wanted a new Kid Icarus for years, do we get it? Hell, I want an online compareable to the other systems, do I get it?

"If they wnat minigames, why deny them?" - This is why I hate casual gamers...

[Gwen Khan]

Wii Sports is not a 'blech-a-thon" it's a fun game that you play when you are bored or when you have friends over.

Deep, unique, hardcore games don't sell well. That's been proven time and time again. Remember Psychonauts? Okami? Beyond Good and Evil? Geist? Ico? Shadow of the Colossus?

Why should a company spend a year making a game that won't sell well when they can spend half of that time making a game that will sell millions that is good? Video game companies are corporations. They are about making money and giving people what they want.

If they want mini game collections, why deny them? Oh, and there's always the little fling they have that they release games that appeal to a specific audience.

and that's not just Nintendo it's every corporation

[Tupin]

I believe there was another statistic saying that hardcore gamers barely buy games. Why make games for a market that doesn't buy?

They are doing the opposite of what they are saying. Very few games they have actually appeal to everyone. They are either super casual or super hardcore. Occasionally, we'll get a so called "bridge game" like Mario Kart Wii or Animal Crossing. Those are supposed to get people into gaming and onto franchises like Mario and Zelda. The problem is, they aren't. The casuals are either staying with the games they have now or playing for about a month and getting bored with it.

[Mystic]

CoD and GTA are not deep and unique. GTA was unique 10 years ago, but not anymore. And wars games are so common, calling them unique is a laugh.

Deep and unique would be No More Heroes and Mad World. NMH didn't sell well in Japan, but well in NA. Mad World will probably have the same outcome. "Deep and unique" games are a risk, because they are different. Whereas Petz is not. You know what your getting, and it's simple and easy and straightforward. Plus kids love it. Money maker.

[Nayrman]

I believe there was another statistic saying that hardcore gamers barely buy games. Why make games for a market that doesn't buy?

They are doing the opposite of what they are saying. Very few games they have actually appeal to everyone. They are either super casual or super hardcore. Occasionally, we'll get a so called "bridge game" like Mario Kart Wii or Animal Crossing. Those are supposed to get people into gaming and onto franchises like Mario and Zelda. The problem is, they aren't. The casuals are either staying with the games they have now or playing for about a month and getting bored with it.

Do you know why they don't buy, becaue they're playing the really good games that last...like online ones with DLC *hinthintwinkwinknintendoGETONIT*
Um...have you listened to what they're saying the last few years? They're trying to reach everyone when really they're jsut reaching out to new people to make money. They're basically winning because casuals don't know any better *WiiPlay*. You mean they're doing planned obsolete-ness? When did Microsoft buy them? *lol windows joke*

CoD and GTA are not deep and unique. GTA was unique 10 years ago, but not anymore. And wars games are so common, calling them unique is a laugh.

Deep and unique would be No More Heroes and Mad World. NMH didn't sell well in Japan, but well in NA. Mad World will probably have the same outcome. "Deep and unique" games are a risk, because they are different. Whereas Petz is not. You know what your getting, and it's simple and easy and straightforward. Plus kids love it. Money maker.

CoD and GTA can make themselves unique while keeping the core gameplay. CoD may be an FPS, but it has full customization, and even RPG elements (can't say that for Halo and Medal of Honor), same goes for GTA.

That's the problem, agian, with casuals. They only go for what they know (like "Petz" and other terrible licensed crap) and don't try new things nad be pleasently surprised. I didn't care for Psychonauts until I tried it.

[Tupin]

If anything, they are against planned obsolescence. They believe in what Gunpei Yokoi called "lateral thinking of withered technology."

Gamers are the ones that don't buy unique titles like Psychonauts. Because they are too busy with the same old FPS to care.

Why wouldn't you take advantage of people who don't know better? Who needs integrity when you have money? That's how many companies these days think.

They just need an aggressive marketing campaign for games like Psychonauts and Okami. That can sell anything. Just ask Nintendo.  ;)

[Nayrman]

If anything, they are against planned obsolescence. They believe in what Gunpei Yokoi called "lateral thinking of withered technology."

Gamers are the ones that don't buy unique titles like Psychonauts. Because they are too busy with the same old FPS to care.

Why wouldn't you take advantage of people who don't know better? Who needs integrity when you have money? That's how many companies these days think.

They just need an aggressive marketing campaign for games like Psychonauts and Okami. That can sell anything. Just ask Nintendo.  ;)

Hooray corporate greed...no wonder we're in the second coming of the great depression if stuff isn't changed quick X_X;;
I meant planned obsolesnce for games...I think I got bored of every game after a short period of time on the Wii besides Brawl while I still play PS3 stuff even though it's sort of old.

Actually, Nintnedo has the worst ad campaigns of the big three...