Nintendo To Dominate Next Generation? 194
Via GameSetWatch, an editorial on the site Firing Squad suggesting that Nintendo is poised for a gaming industry coup. Their unique controller and appeal to casual gamers, the author posits, will turn the status quo on its head. From the article: "The cheapness of the console will help it sell and it's unlikely that Nintendo will face production shortages since it won't use exotic and difficult-to-make components. With a large installed owner base, more developers will be inclined to take a shot at it, publishers will feel pressured to release key titles (like Madden) for the Revolution regardless of their past GameCube experience. The controller is standard enough to work for most titles - so Xbox and PlayStation games will most likely work on the Revolution without major trouble, yet that same controller offers unique features that will be difficult to replicate for Microsoft's and Sony's consoles."
My predictions for this generation (Score:2, Interesting)
PS3 will blow the XBox 360 away technically bit will be way too expensive for most gamers to crush the 360.
Revolution will be the "winner", either as the sole gaming machine or next to their XBox 360 or PS3, mainly because it'll be a lot cheaper, but some "killer games" utilizing the controler will lock the deal.
Anyway, I'm not buying any before all of them are released.
Re:A couple of prerequesites (Score:5, Interesting)
This is Nintendo. Nintendo isn't the synonym for video games it used to be (that job is now taken over in popular culture by Playstation or X-Box). But they are still a MAJOR brand. Everyone knows about the GameBoy. They had a very successful system in the GameCube, the N64, the SNES, the NES, and the DS. They weren't always the leaders of the generation (that stopped in home consoles with the SNES), but they have good solid stuff.
Besides, this is Nintendo. That means Mario. Mario Party. Super Smash Brothers. Zelda. Mario Kart. Plus tons of other great little games that will come out like Pikmin. Was there anything even CLOSE to Pikmin on any other system?
Nintendo may not be the post powerful console out there. That's fine with me. As I have said in previous posts, it's not like we are hurting for better graphics with the current generation (and the Rev is supposed to be 4x as powerful as the system that showed us Resident Evil 4). But I know there will be great games. Even if theys system is not the most popular (which could happen this time around, if Nintendo's bets pay off) it will have great games.
Even the Virtual Boy which failed in the market (which I loved) had great games. Mario Crash, Mairo Tennis (about the best tennis game I've played), Wario Land, and more.
The games will keep the afloat if they get stuck as an "also-ran". But I think they will be more successful than there were this generation.
Look at history (Score:5, Interesting)
The only time Sony has been humbled is with the Nintendo DS which decided to change things up dramatically; whereas all systems Sony faced before used conventional input the DS has a Microphone and Touch Screen; all systems Sony faced before pushed for greater graphics whereas the Nintendo DS focused settled on a much more modest graphical level; and finally where every system that faced Sony before lacked decent Backwards compatibility, the Nintendo DS contained a catelog of games from one of the most popular platforms ever.
Now the Revolution has many similar charateristics to the DS, they both use a more conventional game medium (DVD and SD [like] flash memory), they have a well established back catelog, they have new input possibilities, they're both (expected) to be affordable, neither are focused on being the graphical powerhouse, etc.
I actually see a Nintendo backlash brewing. (Score:5, Interesting)
1. We've had a chance to watch the 1st next-gen console launch, with its attendant hardware failure stories, and criticise it (X360)
2. We've seen Sony do ridiculously stupid things with DRM in the music space, and so we hate them, and have possibly boycotted them
3. Nintendo showed us a really wizzy controller... and not much else.
I like Nintendo, they are true innovators, but the way the hype is blowing right now, people are expecting the sun and moon from their next console. If it doesn't deliver, the fan base is going to be incredibly bitter (well, except for the really hardcore fans). Expectations are very high for the Revolution. But its only partially based on that neat demo they did - the rest is bitterness and resentment towards MS and Sony. Nintendo looks good just standing still... but the Revolution had really better be a true revolution, I actually think the hype is higher for that box than any other at the moment.
Re:A couple of prerequesites (Score:5, Interesting)
How many non-"gamers" will plunk down $400 + game + tax if they find something they like on the 360. How many other games do they think they will find on the 360 they like?
This should be interesting to see what happens. I'm hoping the Big-N takes first in the next-gen race (a bit unlikely). But I wouldn't be surprised if they were much more competitive, perhaps taking 2nd place by a small margin.
Re:Did Sony make a new announcement? (Score:1, Interesting)
They released a fairly limited storage medium for their system (DVD) AND compounded it via two models that included or excluded a hard drive. Standardization is part of what makes consoles good. MS realizes this themselves with their methods and standards for releases BUT they failed to create a unified single base because they wanted options. The system is very limited versus the PS3 at least initially and really I have my doubts about whether MS can get people to upgrade. Both systems have caps on their max polygons but the PS3 has more leeway on textures, prerendered video and sound. Having seen some PS3 games in action (UT2007 and others) I have to say that while the 360 may have the benefit of an initial ease to develop for the PS3 is a better console both in potential and in practise assuming HD output. On standard deffinition televisions the results are similar and in some cases (at least right now) the 360 has the edge. Thing is as the systems evolve the 360's limitations in both storage and polygons will likely hamstring developers compared to those on the PS3.
Finally the new Sony controller is quite the improvement over their initial albatross. It's not a Revolution quality improvement to how games are played but it is marginally better than the 360. The whole tactile feel of the trim (three colours initially) replete with preasure sensitive buttons that just beg for racing games (gass and brakes) and a more clunky botton (5 stages of depress and a thunk as you hit each one) that I believe will lend more immersion to the games. When you press down you really feel the depress and the controller is comfortable to feel like you are losing your fingers in the buttons caverns. It's very unique and at first unsettling.
Finally I am not a Sony fangirl and will likely sit this whole stage of systems out. I just don't have time for these games.