Nintendo Niche?

[TRIFORCE89]

Q: Sony (SNE (javascript: void showTicker('SNE'))) is the hands-down leader in the current generation of video-game consoles. Can Microsoft surpass Sony in the next generation?
A: Well, our goal in the last generation was to be in the game. And there were three companies -- Nintendo (NTDOY (javascript: void showTicker('NTDOY'))), Sony, and Microsoft -- who were in this round. We came out of this round a very strong No. 2. But as you say, Sony's installed base is more than double ours. They shipped before we did, and that gave them some momentum.

What we got this round -- at some significant financial cost -- was the opportunity to play again. But play again with greater credibility, credibility in terms of the strength of our team, the software developers, our understanding of the market.

And so now people are looking really at two companies. I'd say that everyone's watching what Sony will come out with for this next generation, and what will we come out with, and who can be the leader this time around. Both companies will be very big on it. Nintendo is more likely to be a niche player this time around.
Bill Gate's Game Plan - BusinessWeek Online (http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/may2005/tc2005054_5262_PG2.htm)

A niche?!?! @@ How are we niche? You haven't even seen the Revolution yet, how can you dismiss it so easily Mr. Confident. I don't think Nintendo would end up at number one for a long time, but we aren't a niche. The Phantom (is that even real? I can't remember. Well if it is...) and the N-Gage (same goes here, is there still development for it?) are niches. Not Nintendo. I have more to say, but I have to go.

[Dark Penguin]

NOT AT ALL. I love NIntendo and even though they aren't as recognized, they really have revolutionized the video game and i am expecting VERY big things from teh revolution, made by easily the most innovative company.

[Kipkip]

:laugh: Go, Bill Gates! :laugh:
Anyway, I don't think Nintendo will be a niche. I think Nintendo will be there and no one will care. At least real gamers won't. Fanboys will. Just like the Gamecube. Being the last console to come out will only make it worse for Nintendo. Especially being a few months behind and with little third party support.

[TRIFORCE89]

:laugh: Go, Bill Gates! :laugh:
Anyway, I don't think Nintendo will be a niche. I think Nintendo will be there and no one will care. At least real gamers won't. Fanboys will. Just like the Gamecube. Being the last console to come out will only make it worse for Nintendo. Especially being a few months behind and with little third party support.
You have it backwards. Sony and Microsoft Fanboys won't care, but real gamers (those who play all) will. Where'd you get Nintendo will release last. They're planning to be first or right after Sony (that is if Sony's first). I think they have more 3rd party support with Revolution than the GCN, although that could change depending on how much of a revolution the Revolution is.

[Kipkip]

You have it backwards. Sony and Microsoft Fanboys won't care, but real gamers (those who play all) will. Where'd you get Nintendo will release last. They're planning to be first or right after Sony (that is if Sony's first). I think they have more 3rd party support with Revolution than the GCN, although that could change depending on how much of a revolution the Revolution is.
Sony most likely won't be first. Microsoft will most likely be first. Nintendo says that the Revolution, the actual hardware, might not be shown at E3. They may only show concepts. This lowers the chance for Nintendo actually releasing Revolution this year. Sony, if they're smart, will release the PS3 this year near Microsoft's next Xbox's release date. I will still doubt that Nintendo will have a wide third party support. Which will not attract gamers attention. But if they do, they will atttract attention.

[TRIFORCE89]

Not wide support, but better than what they had with the GCN. I don't think the Revolution will be released this year, I've never thought that, there's still big name titles like Zelda coming out. 360 I can see coming out this year. At E3, Nintendo has said that don't want others to take their ideas. If that were the case, then nothing for anything would ever be shown. That not at E3 stuff is really recent, and it's more of "were not sure yet", but for a year it's been "yes". They want to beat Sony to release or be really close to it, they don't want to be far behind like last time.

[Kyosuke]

As much as I am for the PSP, and Microsoft's success, I find it odd how people growing up with GB, SNES, NES are so quick to bash Nintendo >>'.

I'm not a fanboy in anyway, in fact I don't care much for this silly competiton thats going on between DS vs. PSP, vs. N-gage vs. PS2 vs. Xbox or whatever. I'll admit that Nintendo made some mistakes in the past, (and still might have a few today), but thats no reason to just dump on them and say they are going to fail and whatnot, because something better is available... think of all the things that Nintendo has done in the gaming industry....

[Dark Penguin]

Sony most likely won't be first. Microsoft will most likely be first. Nintendo says that the Revolution, the actual hardware, might not be shown at E3. They may only show concepts. This lowers the chance for Nintendo actually releasing Revolution this year. Sony, if they're smart, will release the PS3 this year near Microsoft's next Xbox's release date. I will still doubt that Nintendo will have a wide third party support. Which will not attract gamers attention. But if they do, they will atttract attention.

Nintendo has said that they will demonstrate the games, as well as the concepts, so at least we willl see what is to come from teh Revolution (well, game-wise). And Nintendo has said that they WILL release the Rev. before the PS3, because they felt it gave Sony an advantage that they could never overcome. It was in an interview on ign.com. And in response to what Bill Gates said, it is typical Bill Gates talk, about how his stuff is always better than anyone else, but he shoudl spend less time talking about video games he doesn't have much knowledge about and instead work on improving Windows (which so despretely needs it; esp. with file cleaning up and spyware protection).

[Brittany]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but Revolution's specs aren't even finalized yet. Sony and Microsoft were the first to send out devkits, which means not only is their console information concrete(or near-concrete), they already have the console prototypes and technology to mass produce them.

Have we seen or heard anything out of Nintendo to even bring up the possibility of them being released first? No. It isn't even a 100% of them showing it at e3.And in response to what Bill Gates said, it is typical Bill Gates talk, about how his stuff is always better than anyone else, but he shoudl spend less time talking about video games he doesn't have much knowledge about and instead work on improving Windows (which so despretely needs it; esp. with file cleaning up and spyware protection).
Did you take a look at the article? He was talking about coming in second, and not having half the base of Sony's. When asked if Microsoft would come in first, he said "We will win this generation." That doesn't mean we'll win. But they come to work every day thinking that. So we'll just do our best job, and we'll see how that stacks up.
Sounds like they're hoping for the best, but still being humble about it.

[rikanai.]

The point is that Nintendo does not need Third-Parties to be the best. In our actual Generation [GCN, PS2 and Box] most of the best games for Gamecube were Nintendo. Now have a look at PS2 and XBox. The best game for PS2 which I have heard about is Grand Theft Auto, and its from Rockstar, not Sony. XBox's best is Halo 2, which it isnt from Microsoft. Even that Nintendo can do better with Third-Parties, it doesnt really need it to suceed. What comes first and what comes last, we have to expect the best~

[TRIFORCE89]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but Revolution's specs aren't even finalized yet. Sony and Microsoft were the first to send out devkits, which means not only is their console information concrete(or near-concrete), they already have the console prototypes and technology to mass produce them.

Have we seen or heard anything out of Nintendo to even bring up the possibility of them being released first? No. It isn't even a 100% of them showing it at e3.
Nintendo's is basing it's release timetable around Sony's and wants to release it around Sony's, but they are also aware that Microsoft may launch this year. The recent news however is that the Revolution'll be release mid-06. Which, despite what prior statements have said, makes it a while after Sony (I think. I don't read into the others outside Nintendo that much, but I *think* that it's early '06) and even more so after Microsoft if it launches this year.

Nintendo is tricky with news. All we ever get are rumours or news sites that claim "from our PR correspondent". But yeah... the latest "news" is that the system's name, tech specs, and the actual system (minus the controller for some reason, and that scares me.). But not showing the system now, when it's supposedly going to be released midway next year is ridiculous. The only exposure would be next year's E3 and would be even less time from the unveiling to the shelves than the DS has. :\

Anyway...all of that aside. My question is why Nintendo's a niche. Nintendo's E3 presentation showed (albeit, that's enough reason to not believe. Pro-Nintendo, by Nintendo, yeah...it'll be biased. Maybe even inaccurate, I don't know) that there wouldn't have been any growth in the market had it not been for Nintendo. Yes, they aren't doing as well as they would've liked, but they aren't doing absolutely awful either. They make games that people enjoy and had a system that probably could've created some more technically superb games than the PS2 if it was ever fully used (just look at Spider-Man 2. The detail on buildings and such progress from Sony being the worst to Microsoft being the best).

What Nintendo lacks/ed is online support (in which there are theories - that I support - as to why it was dropped) and third party support. Nintendo has been gaining third party support this last generation, and still trying to get more. No, they don't have a grand amount, but it's better than before. Online is coming (and hopefully staying this time, and what Nintendo has mentioned of it, Square-Enix loves apparently). If they get some more mature games (which I doubt will be a lot more, I expect some slight improve), well... we probably still be in third but it should prove that Nintendo isn't a niche.[/font]

[Casual Billy]

A niche?!?! @@ How are we niche? You haven't even seen the Revolution yet, how can you dismiss it so easily Mr. Confident. I don't think Nintendo would end up at number one for a long time, but we aren't a niche. The Phantom (is that even real? I can't remember. Well if it is...) and the N-Gage (same goes here, is there still development for it?) are niches. Not Nintendo. I have more to say, but I have to go.

I think there is a misunderstanding of what he meant by "niche player". Heck, judging by the way people are talking, I think there's a misunderstanding about what a niche is, period. A niche is like something that someone/some company is best suited at doing. Nintendo has found its niche in making hard-core and retro gamers happy. That's Nintendo's niche in the market. It's not neccessarily a bad thing either. Sony's niche just happens to be making games for a wider audience. The fact that Nintendo lacks the third-party support that Sony and Microsoft have means that if you buy a Nintendo system, you're basically buying a Mario, Metroid, Zelda machine whereas the others will offer games from hundreds of other developers that Nintendo's machine may never see.

Nintendo's games are good. They are extremely good. Most of them are system movers. The fact is though, that without the big third-party titles and exclusives, people who own Nintendo's systems will usually end up waiting many months in between game releases whereas the flow is more steady on the other systems.

Gates didn't sound as arrogant as you seem to be implying either. He stated a lot of factual information and even acknowledged Sony as the winner last time. You all are so quick to get so defensive when there is even a hint of Nintendo not being the best. Chill out. The facts are that Nintendo IS LIVING OFF OF ITS NICHE.

[TRIFORCE89]

billy5772 - Ah, yes. Lol I'm stupid. It means that too. *forgot* I took it as something small and undesireable. Ooops. That makes much more sense. Wow, I'm an idiot. Lol

"You all are so quick to get so defensive when there is even a hint of Nintendo not being the best"

Although...I don't think they're the best. I'd be even more of an idiot if I though the haven't made mistakes.

[Brittany]

The facts are that Nintendo IS LIVING OFF OF ITS NICHE.Exactly. If they didn't keep to their own games and innovations, the other's would easily take them over. Why? The other's take care of 3rd party developers better. If Nintendo put less focus on what they've been living off for years, and tried to move over to 3rd party developers, they would have nearly nothing to sell.

Seriously, who bought a GCN because of sports games? Who bought a GCN purely for RPGs? First-Person Shooters?
The average consumer buys them on the side. Zelda, Mario, Donkey Kong- These are what people are willing to dish out the money to buy a relatively expensive console for.

[rikanai.]

Seriously, who bought a GCN because of sports games? Who bought a GCN purely for RPGs? First-Person Shooters?
The average consumer buys them on the side. Zelda, Mario, Donkey Kong- These are what people are willing to dish out the money to buy a relatively expensive console for.

Yes. Thats why I bought a GCN. And know what? Im happy with every cent I spent on it. I bought it to get Mario, Zelda and Pokémon, bur I can see at my collection Soul Calibur, Sonic, Harvest Moon, Tales of Symphonia, and there it goes. Most of those games I have, ya will never be playing at a PS2, or 3, or 5 billion. Neither at Xbox, neither at Box 360, neither at Phantom [wtf xD]. I dont really like Sport Games, I dont FPS either. And I've got Tales of Symphonia, which is one of the best RPG I ever played, if not the best.
Now tell me, who bought a PS2 purely for RPG games? Dont come with those Final Fantasy talk, because who bought it just for Final Fantasy is a Square-Enix fan, not Sony.

And those are my 25 Cents, or my 2 Wavebirds...