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Nintendo Can “Win Over The Halo Audience”
Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has outlined the company’s growth strategy, which includes attracting hardcore gamers to the Wii in the near-term.
“We have near-term, mid-term and long-term opportunities,” the exec told CNET. “The near-term opportunity is the consumer who owns a PS3 or an Xbox 360 and has been bad-mouthing Wii to their friends. We can reach that consumer with games like The Conduit or Tiger Woods with Wii MotionPlus.
“We think we [can] win over the Halo audience with something like The Conduit, a multi-player, online, shooting experience, or Dead Space Extraction. And you know what? Once those people buy into Wii, they'll go buy Mario Kart or Wii Fit Plus."
Last week Fils-Aime said that the recently announced Super Mario Galaxy 2 is being designed primarily with core gamers in mind, unlike its predecessor.
The exec also told CNET about Nintendo's desire to capture mainstream consumers and those who don’t currently have an interest in gaming.
“The mid-term opportunity is the more mainstream consumer who saw Wii at a friend's house but just needs a little extra incentive to get into our game. That's what Wii MotionPlus and Wii Fit Plus and new Super Mario Bros. Wii will hopefully achieve.
“And the long-term opportunity is that person who currently says, 'I don't play videogames and I have no interest in playing videogames.'"
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Reggie shouldn't be worrying about getting Xbox 360 owners to buy a Wii. He should be worrying about convincing Wii owners not to buy an Xbox 360. Maybe that's what he meant, but he wasn't going to say it.
I bought a Wii and I do like it, but I have spent more time (and money) with my Xbox 360 which I bought later.
New Super Mario Bros. is fun and the Wii Motion Plus is a lot cooler and really one-to-one--the Wii has some big games coming out for it and if Nintendo launches the Wii HD next year and keeps up the big game releases and is able to get third-parties really on board, then they'll stay on top.
It's probably too late now, Halo is too well established. It came out at the right time with excellent marketing, presenting itself as a cinematic experience, and not a bad game either. It's very easy to get into, anyone can pick up and start shooting. Casual gameplay with a hardcore following, a nice combination.
before Halo, there was Goldeneye. Maybe Nintendo can do it again, they seem to be capable of miracles nowadays.
Very true, Nintendo has made miracles come true. Nintendo not releasing a proper headset for voice communication will always be a barrier to the hardcore, not to mention the decrease in graphic fidelity and lame friend code system. As far as the Wii HD comment from above, I don't know about that one. Maybe they'll release a USB-based graphic card and have games require it (ala the RAM expansion slot in the N64). I wouldn't put it past them, they already are doing it with the wii-motion plus.
I think, in the same way that natal or the playstation motion controller won't steal the casual mass market crowd from nintendo, nintendo won't be able to steal the hardcore crowd from MS and sony.
I'll believe it when I see it.
i.e: never.
I like what I have with my PS3 and 360 combo and I don't really see anything compelling enough to warrant spending money on a Wii when I could just use that money to buy some decent games on either my 360 or my PS3. Also I am a bit of a graphics whore as well and the Wii is slightly lacking in that area- not that its the only thing making me hold off but it does contribute.
I doubt they care that much to be fair, they're raking the cash in anyway.
Wow. You guys sure are something.
Reggie isn't talking about converting 360 and PS3 owners completely to the Wii. They could care less about that. What he is talking about is getting 360 and PS3 owners to either power on their current Wii and play it as much as they do their other consoles, or convincing them to go out an buy one and spending as much time on it as their current console.
I am sure they would appreciate it if the Wii became their primary console, but they are more than happy to have it be a secondary console. AS long as people buy one, they get money. They really don't care if you spend 1 hour a week or 50 hours a week playing Wii games, as long as you own one and spend some time on it.
I think he cares.
There not worried about losing marketshare to new motion-sensing devices, but. They are worried about the possibility of third part publishers leaving if things don't pick up for them.
They can say that developers don't understand the platform - very likely true, but they don't see it that way. At the end of the day; they don't have to. Nintendo isn't too keen about making every game for the system. If they can get gamers to buy more standard fare on the system, dev's wouldn't complain so much.
Zach, while I agree with most of what you say, I think I normally would have argued that Nintendo SHOULD care how much you play because that has a direct correlation to how many games you buy as well. While MS brags constantly about how they've generated more revenue for 3rd parties this gen than the other consoles combined, Nintendo seems to care less about 3rd parties (since they're making so much money off their console and their 1st/2nd party titles).
So I guess I do agree with you after all, they could care less how much you play cause they've already made their money.
Plus, Halo is the most amazing and underrated series; I don't blame Nintendo for trying to copy Microsoft...
That was a joke by the way if I didn't make it obvious enough for certain individuals.
That was a joke by the way if I didn't make it obvious enough for certain individuals.
My reply finger was twitching! CLOSE CALL, Nick. (It was more the "underrated" thing than "Nintendo...trying to copy Microsoft.")
Ha, I bet it was. I hoped the underrated was a big give away since it seems like most of the non-Halo fans tend to think the game is hugely overrated.
I know my fanboy limits, but some people on here think I have none!
Well, I only played Halo on the pc but I didn't see what the fuss was about to be honest, the Warthog was nice though. Of course I am only one person who may be completely wrong, but I couldn't work out how Halo got a 10 from Edge.
I don't mean that Halo was bad or anything, it was solid and fun, but no more than an 8 for me.
I that's a fair mark.
I think (at least for consoles) that Halo did set some nice groundwork for future FPSs. The gameplay foundation, the tweaks, limiting you to only 2 guns, a grenade button, etc. are FPS staples that maybe weren't totally new, but Halo was able to implement all these features on top of a solid foundation. A good campaign, great multiplayer (with system link!!!), and really fun coop on consoles at a time when consoles literally had crap as FPSs (really, what did the PS2/Gamecube have at that time in regards to FPSs?). PC owners probably yawned at Halo, but gamers raised on consoles hadn't played any FPS near Halo's quality (other than some chuggy Goldeneye action on N64).
So for consoles, I think Halo has only been matched by a few FPSs (when considering the whole package). Just my two cents.
PS2 had Half-Life and Red Faction in '01, but I think that if Timesplitters 2 (2002) had come out before Halo, then it would have had more of an even standing, in terms of a multiplayer console FPS with pop culture attention. It had vast customizability in addition to the standards that Halo helped set, and personally I think it's a much better game. I'll never understand why only holding two guns is a popular FPS standard today.
Timesplitters did get some good reviews. It was developed by ex-Rare employees (free-radical if I'm not mistaken). I never played it, but heard good things about it.
I think the two-gun standard forces you to be a bit more strategic with what weapons you want to carry (and though these games expect you to suspend disbelief it is more realistic that you can only carry a couple weapons as opposed to 8 3 of which being huge). When you're stuck between 3 rounds of quick life-ending rockets or a less lethal shotgun with 20 rounds in it it gets you thinking a bit. Your experience is going to change depending on what weapon you decide to carry. I guess it allows you to personalize your experience more.
But I do like carrying around my Chinese assault rifle, combat shotgun, mini-gun, gauss rifle, infiltrator, and sniper rifle in Fallout 3...
Yeah, Timesplitters 2 and 3 are immensely popular among hardcore gamers who were playing in '01, but they weren't a pop culture phenomenon like Halo. It's a shame, really. I'd make all these maps (the first console FPS modding system) and so few people would end up playing them.
On the two-gun standard -- it doesn't really force the player to be more strategic, since the choice is usually obvious, and likewise you can usually backtrack if you need to. It steals away from the developer the ability to use subtlety and unpredictability, however -- every time you see a pre-spawned rocket launcher, you know that something big's going to jump out at you.
Of course, this only really applies in single-player modes. In multiplayer it encourages balance and if it's a game with no weapon limit (Quake, Unreal) you're usually dead before you can build up too much of an inventory anyway. :P
Haha, yeah sometimes games having pre-planned big weapon spawns is annoying. "Oh, look a turret, lemme hop on that and see what happens." Or the, "Look tanks, we need to take them out with some bazookas. Hey look over there, there's 3 glowing bazookas and a box with a never-ending-supply of rockets in it."
To be fair, in Halo there are plenty of different weapons around at various times and you are faced pretty frequently with the, "Do I use the noob combo on the elites or do I sacrifice my shield draining plasma pistol for the shotgun instead?" moments. There are a lot of different ways to attack situations in Halo (in all of them) and rarely do you get just one big gun that you use for a specific situation. Sometimes, but rarely.
I couldn't agree with you more about multiplayer and two weapon limits providing better balance.
I don't think they'll neccesarily be aiming to talk "hardcore" gamers into buying a wii. Just buying the games still helps them out. I'd imagine most of us has access to a Wii, owned by a relative, girlfriend, or maybe even yourself (I do!). Seeing as you have access to one anyway, you might be tempted to go out and buy the new metroid, if it looked good enough (I will!).
The console's already everywhere, so they might as well make games trying to appeal to everybody (I would!)
Comments like md99's just show how pathetic you 'gamers' are. Or I should say the Halo cocks crowd. You're so deluded with what you say. 'Mario Galaxy expansion pack'? OK, how about the same games that get churned out year in and out for the 360 (and PS3 too). How come this is classed as 'fine'?
Look at L4D. Already being milked by the stupid saps that come from this 'Halo audience'. At least some have sense to see it as being a complete rip off since the first game's hardly been out long enough.
XBox owners in particular have this chip on their shoulders that what comes out on everything else is WRONG. Come on! You stupid f*cks play the same shit over and over and yet its OK. Motion sensing is dumb on the Wii yet when your provider come out with something like it, its all OK. Its even more 'casual' than the Wii's interface yet its 'genious'. They can't even make a proper dpad so it'll be interesting to see how they'll pull this off.
Like your console provider ("ooh, ooh, we 'won' E3!"), you morons clearly don't have a clue...
'You gamers'?
Ooooh, check out the enlightened, sophisticated trendy twenty-something homosexual Wii owner. Did you post that from your iMac whilst sitting in your immaculately furnished post modern apartment?
For your information anus, I don't have a 360 or a PS3. I find the constant stream of first/third person shooters, embarrassing 'urban' themed racing games and GTA clones to be almost as mind numbingly dull as any of the shite that seems to be slinging its way from Kyoto these past few years.
Do your pretentious self a favour and stick that Wiimote where the sun doesn't shine.
I don't know why but that sounded like comic book guy in my head when I read it.
Um....Zing?.....I think?
Well they've definitely won over MS and Sony if their new control methods are anything to go by.
There are a lot more casual gamers than harcore gamers. Hardcore gamers are just more vocal. It's also easier & cheaper to make a casual game. What MS & Sony are doing is just good business.
The only really depressing part is it represents a new chapter in gaming where design becomes more of a business, & less of an artform. As lucrative as it is, Wii Fit was nobody's baby.
It's only good business if they can make it a compelling purchase, I'm most interested by Natal, but also a bit worried that it might be too big a step in that direction.
They already established when they built the Wii that everyone can't compete for the hardcore audience. Hardcore gamers fight constanly about who has the better system. Sure, gameplay is a big part, but the arguments do eventually include graphics & sound capabilities.
As long as the Wii isn't HD they can never win over the hardcore audience. End of story. Sorry Reggie.
You know, all I am going to say is NO! Reggie is delusional if he thinks he will win over a PS3 or 360 user.
Who does he think he's going to win over with Tiger Woods? Certainly not the online FPS players.
Who does he think he's going to win over with a rail-shooter version of an average game from last year? We could just get the real thing on the systems we already own.
And who told him that Halo was a hardcore-only game?
It seems Streetsmart Reggie (he reads the blogs, too, remember) is fighting an overseas war without enough support from home.
Yeah, right Reggie. You had your chance last week and made it blatantly obvious who your core audience is.
And even if I were to consider purchasing a Wii it would take something a hell of lot impressive more than The Conduit, a Mario Galaxy expansion pack and a conversion of a DS game with a tacked on 4 player mode to make me part with my pennies.
Begone you silly little man and take your daft heart pulse thingie with you!
Very well said :). Last sentence is pure ambrosia :).