SydLexia.com - The Forums :: View topic - Nintendo profit to fall for first time in 6 years

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Syd Lexia wrote:

Nintendo has turned a profit on all Wii hardware sales since launch. I don't know what their numbers are now, but Sony and MS were losing money on each console sale at launch.

I did a bit of searching and it seems as though most sites are reporting the same figures: Wii units cost about $150-$160 to produce.

I am seeing widely varying results for PS3 & 360s.

It seems as though the PS3's are closer to a wash because Sony is able to use their own chip making facilities to produce many of the parts they would otherwise need to buy or build factories for. It is also worth noting that a PS3 helps Sony with both game sales as well as Blu-Ray movie sales.

Everything I read says that Microsoft takes a huge loss on each console. I have seen loss numbers ranging from $150-$300 per unit.

Posted: May 11 2010 10:46 pm

GPFontaine wrote:

Everything I read says that Microsoft takes a huge loss on each console. I have seen loss numbers ranging from $150-$300 per unit.

I believe the original Xbox had huge losses as well. Basically Microsoft wanted a presence in the marketplace and were willing to take losses for a few generations
if needed. The 360 is a success in my opinion because it seems to be the primary system people have outside of the Wii.

Posted: May 12 2010 12:06 am

IGN wrote:

"We believe there's still more we can do with the Wii," Iwata said when an analyst asked him about the release of a Wii successor. On the possibility of Nintendo limiting its Wii resources in favor of development for a new console, he said, "We are in no way thinking 'the Wii is near the end of its platform cycle so we will limit our investments.'"

I really hope Iwata is flatout lying. Nintendo was reportedly very upset that news of the 3DS leaked before E3. They begrudingly admitted existed as rumor control.

Really, there doesn't seem to be much Nintendo can still do with the Wii in terms of new games. The A-list titles (Mario, Zelda, Metroid) have been trotted out not once, but twice, already as have the popular casual titles Wii Sports and Wii Fit. I mean, where else is there to go? Wii Play 2? The first one was, at best, okay, and its sales numbers hinged entirely on the fact that it came with a second controller. Wii Music 2? The first one was a critical and commercial failure. Another Animal Crossing? Fucking kill me. StarFox, Kirby, and F-Zero? A little late to be bringing out the secondary titles, isn't it?

GameStop employees have reported that Zelda Wii is showing up with a November release in their computer system, and that date seems legitimate to me. It also sounds like the last A-list title the Wii will get. If Nintendo doesn't have another console in the works, they are in serious trouble.

Posted: May 12 2010 01:47 am

Syd Lexia wrote:

StarFox, Kirby, and F-Zero? A little late to be bringing out the secondary titles, isn't it?

Pssh, you would eat a new Kirby game up (no pun intended) if it were to come out, day one more than likely. As would I.

Also, you know that Nintendo has an HD console being tweaked at R&D at this very moment in which they are just waiting for the perfect time to unveil.

Posted: May 12 2010 01:57 am

You'd think a new F-Zero game would have been a no brainer for the Wii.

Posted: May 12 2010 03:32 am

sidewaydriver wrote:

You'd think a new F-Zero game would have been a no brainer for the Wii.

Same with Pilotwings...

Joined: Oct 01 2009 Posts: 5316

Same with Earthbound, Donkey Kong, Pokemon, Pikmin...etc etc.

It's just fucking amazing that Nintendo doesn't push for more titles for the Wii, I know it's very easy to depend on Mario....but Christ does that limit things.

Speaking of Mario...why is it that North America is getting a Mario Galaxy 2 release before Japan? They did the same for NSMB, what's the deal?

Posted: May 12 2010 06:13 am

I would definitely play new Kirby and F-Zero games. Kirby's platforming adventures never fail to satisfy, and F-Zero while frustrating, generally ranks among the prettiest games on each console its on. I also wouldn't mind a second, less crappy Mario Kart game.

StarFox, I dunno. His last two StarFox-y games kinda sucked. Ocarina of StarFox was pretty good though.

As for Pokemon, what exactly do you want? There are Pokemon games on the Wii. Pikmin 3 would be cool, but it's not an A-List title. Earthbound will never happen, unless Nintendo decided to be nice and give us Mother 3 as a WiiWare title.

Joined: Oct 01 2009 Posts: 5316

It seems they just gave up on Kirby after the awfulness that was Kirby 64. I'd definately enjoy a sidescrolling adventure in the same way they did Super Paper Mario.

I would also love a Mario Kart game...maybe along the lines of Mario Kart 64. And how about they do away with the fucking babies/Dry Bones/Funky Kong and give us some classic characters like Wart, Stanley, Mallow, Donkey Kong Jr. Also make it like Diddy Kong Racing in that you get an Adventure mode...8 Worlds and at the end of each World, you race one on one against one of the Koopa Kids, every World you beat unlocks that Koopa Kid.

Star Fox needs the arcade shooter style. A game you could sit down and beat in about 30 minutes, however have about a dozen different ways of beating it kind of the way the original and SF 64 were. Oh and kill Krystal off...she fucking sucked.

I thought it would be nice to give us a nice 3D environment for Pokemon. Just give us Red or Blue or something, I mean I can't see it being THAT hard to pull off with today's technology. I was never a big fan of Stadium and haven't played any of the other Pokemon games since they're not like the original games.

Pikmin 3...granted I never played the other games, but I would definately welcome these if they got made.

Earthbound would be cool if they made it over using the new technology, in the same vein as Pokemon. Hell...are there any 3D RPG style games like these on the Wii?

Posted: May 13 2010 05:57 am

Doddsino wrote:

It seems they just gave up on Kirby after the awfulness that was Kirby 64.

Kirby still gets games. Canvas Curse was the first DS title I ever bought, and I still rank it as one of the best. The thing about Kirby is that he was originally conceived as a Gameboy character. I think Nintendo has moved him back towards that.

The classic Pokemon RPGs, the way they're designed, are much more desirable and marketable as portable titles as well. Trading is supposed to be a large part of the game, and that's much easier to accomplish on the portable systems than it is on consoles. On could argue that it SHOULD be just as easy on the Wii, but unfortunately it's not.

Posted: May 13 2010 11:52 am

Syd Lexia wrote:

The classic Pokemon RPGs, the way they're designed, are much more desirable and marketable as portable titles as well. Trading is supposed to be a large part of the game, and that's much easier to accomplish on the portable systems than it is on consoles. On could argue that it SHOULD be just as easy on the Wii, but unfortunately it's not.

if they fixed their online crap and got rid of friend codes, it would be easier. if they had a hub where you can meet people outside of the main quest area, then it would be easier to trade, but that reminds too much of an MMO so fuck that idea

Posted: May 13 2010 12:43 pm

Also, it should use WiiSpeak. You can't trade without talking.

Posted: May 13 2010 12:49 pm

well, hunter gatherers traded using grunts and gestures. it would be cool if they implemented that in there.

Joined: Oct 01 2009 Posts: 5316

I know Kirby is a huge hit on DS, but I think they could easily make it good on Wii.

And my idea for Star Fax as far as the look of it, I would love to see them somehow almost use the models they had for the original game's promotional posters:

You gotta admit it would be cool if they used this style in some capacity if they ever made a new game.

Posted: May 13 2010 09:54 pm

...and that is why Nintendo needs to go HD.

Joined: May 12 2010 Posts: 9

why would nintendo go HD? their games have never been about graphics, and they don't need HD artifacts to pollute them even more

Joined: Oct 01 2009 Posts: 5316

I think this could be easily done through FMV via the cockpit conversations as the game goes on. Hell, I've just always loved that Star Fox look which is why I'm so disapointed with the way Star Fox looks now...so pussy.

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

I agree that the Star Fox series would bring some huge attention to a console. I'm not sure why since I personally don't find the series appealing, but I know tons of people are into it.

Also, as far as I understand, the Wii is capable of HD output, it simply doesn't have firmware for it or software setup. Games are also not set for higher resolution. I think they should enable 2D portions of games to run in HD through WiiWare and the overlay should be in HD. Any HUDs should be allowed to have HD resolution, but just keep the 3D portions of games at 480p. It would stretch the system's lifespan out by at least a year.