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Where does the Wii go from here?
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The Wii needs its big console defining title. The DS had Nintendogs, New Super Mario Bros and Brain Age. Until those titles started hitting many were down on the DS.
The Wii needs something like that. Games that draw in people and legitimize the console. Wii Sports is a start, but they have to find a few more. Super Paper Mario will sell, but it is still a GameCube game ported over. The Wii has to find some original software that elevates the Wii Remote beyond a gimmick. The third parties by and large are not getting that done. I'm very down on the Wii right now as a console. I hate the software, I hate the overpriced Virtual Console and I'm already bored with the limited features like Voting and Weather. Nintendo needs to grab my attention again with software. Hopefully that happens sooner rather than later. Right now I'm hearing the call of the competition and my money may end up on the PS3 or PC instead. |
I think you pretty much nailed it. I love that everything you say is targeted to what the Wii needs to have done to sustain and justify itself as an innovation and not as needing to compete with the other systems.
"Hardcore" gamers need to be given something by someone that allows them to embrace the controller and not curse it for "ruining" every Mario, Zelda, and Metroid game this generatoin. The non-gamers they're apparently succeeding in attracting need new games that are simple and fun and they need a way to discover these things since the video game aisle or websites are not their usual haunts. Online is a big deal if they can do something based around a Mii community like the PS3's Home (which I think Reggie has hinted at recently). A place where people can meet and chat and possibly play some Clubhouse Games in a casual and easily accessible manner. Plug a headset into the bottom of the Wiimote and you've got everything you need for that. The Wii is at an interesting point in its history. It has the potential to be as big and revolutionary as Nintendo believes it can be and at the same time has the biggest chance of outright failure (from a viability standpoint, not profitability). |
I'm hoping it follows the DS.
By that I mean that buy this fall we'll start seeing less gimmicky games/tech demos that are over using the motion controls, and start seeing games that put them to good use, as well as games that aren't afraid to use more traditional control schemes if the motion control isn't a good fit. On top of that, I hope they start getting some good third party games. I don't want this to be the GC all over again--aka a "mario, zelda and metroid playign machine." In otherwords, just like what we saw happen with stylus control on the DS. I want more games like Zelda that make good use of the motion controls blended with traditional controls, and less games like Sonic that IMO make a pretty stupid use of the controls. |
I want a REAL Viva Pinata game for the Wii :(
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I agree with darkside, as i'm down on the Wii as well right now. At first I totally felt Wii Sports had me sold, but after a couple weeks I'm pretty much "over it."
I want to see Nintendo do something interesting with their channels. The current ones have been useless to me, and I want to see them come up with something genuinely cool that will make want to use it every day or week. I also want something new with the Mii's. Everyone that i've shown the Wii has gotten a kick out of creating them. I want to see something that takes advantage of them and keep on making people feel like they're part of the game or system. Finally, I hope Nintendo finds a way to market other games for the non-gamers that purchased it after playing Wii Sports. While some will probably try out a Mario game due to recognition, i'm not so sure the interest for other games will be there. |
Originally Posted by GatorDeb
I want a REAL Viva Pinata game for the Wii :(
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Originally Posted by taffer
Never going to happen. Microsoft owns Rare.
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Exercise and fitness applications. Not just video games (or maybe a mix of the two). That's my prediction for what can broaden the Wii market and also go beyond the traditional videogame experience.
Plus games with better and more refined controls. And attachments like a gun casing, a bouncing Wii ball, ski/skateboard/surfboard stuff, etc. (Let's skii on the Wii!) |
Originally Posted by Josh Hinkle
I'm hoping it follows the DS.
By that I mean that buy this fall we'll start seeing less gimmicky games/tech demos that are over using the motion controls, and start seeing games that put them to good use, as well as games that aren't afraid to use more traditional control schemes if the motion control isn't a good fit. On top of that, I hope they start getting some good third party games. I don't want this to be the GC all over again--aka a "mario, zelda and metroid playign machine." In otherwords, just like what we saw happen with stylus control on the DS. I want more games like Zelda that make good use of the motion controls blended with traditional controls, and less games like Sonic that IMO make a pretty stupid use of the controls. |
Originally Posted by GatorDeb
I don't want a port of Viva Pinata. I want a Viva Pinata game in which you use the Wii-mote to whack the heck out of a pinata. How awesome is that?
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Originally Posted by GatorDeb
I don't want a port of Viva Pinata. I want a Viva Pinata game in which you use the Wii-mote to whack the heck out of a pinata. How awesome is that?
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Originally Posted by drmoze
Exercise and fitness applications. Not just video games (or maybe a mix of the two). That's my prediction for what can broaden the Wii market and also go beyond the traditional videogame experience.
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I'll be jumping all over the place here:
As time goes by, I'm hearing more and more grumblings from Wii owners. Let's be honest, 3rd party support on the Wii is terrible. Even Shiggy said one of the main problems is that 3rd and 4th string teams are making games for the Wii. A 3rd Party would be foolish to make an exclusive big budget game for the Wii when the system is under-powered and doesn't even have an online plan. And because the system is under-powered, you won't see games like GRAW 2/R6V. If you're expecting anything more than a Mario/Zelda/Metroid system, than you will be disappointed. Nintendo needs to develop some new IP's. How many more Mario games do we need? We will have SSBB, Mario+Sonic Olympic, SMG, SMStrikers, SPM, Mario Party 8, and I'm sure will get Mario Golf, Mario Tennis, Mario Kart, Mario Baseball, and Mario Dance Dance Revolution. I already get the feeling the Wii is basically another GameCube in terms of horsepower and variety of games. Will somebody tell Nintendo that gamers don't want a Friend's code for online play. Anything less than Xbox Live is unacceptable. I would love to hear somebody ask Reggie how a Friends code is user friendly. I'm not even sure if Wii online games will have voice chat. I'm sure Nintendo wished they came out with games like Guitar Hero, Little Big Planet, Rock Band, and Sing Star first. But even with this said, Nintendo can't be counted out. While the Gamecube was viewed as a failure by many, that system still made money. Nintendo needs to produce more AAA titles while trying to get more quality 3rd Party Games. Nintendo should start rejecting last-gen ports (Blazing Angels, PoP, etc...) from 3rd Parties. It hurts the image of the system. |
Originally Posted by asianflow
I'll be jumping all over the place here:
As time goes by, I'm hearing more and more grumblings from Wii owners. Let's be honest, 3rd party support on the Wii is terrible. Even Shiggy said one of the main problems is that 3rd and 4th string teams are making games for the Wii. A 3rd Party would be foolish to make an exclusive big budget game for the Wii when the system is under-powered and doesn't even have an online plan. And because the system is under-powered, you won't see games like GRAW 2/R6V. If you're expecting anything more than a Mario/Zelda/Metroid system, than you will be disappointed. Nintendo needs to develop some new IP's. How many more Mario games do we need? We will have SSBB, Mario+Sonic Olympic, SMG, SMStrikers, SPM, Mario Party 8, and I'm sure will get Mario Golf, Mario Tennis, Mario Kart, Mario Baseball, and Mario Dance Dance Revolution. I already get the feeling the Wii is basically another GameCube in terms of horsepower and variety of games. Will somebody tell Nintendo that gamers don't want a Friend's code for online play. Anything less than Xbox Live is unacceptable. I would love to hear somebody ask Reggie how a Friends code is user friendly. I'm not even sure if Wii online games will have voice chat. I'm sure Nintendo wished they came out with games like Guitar Hero, Little Big Planet, Rock Band, and Sing Star first. But even with this said, Nintendo can't be counted out. While the Gamecube was viewed as a failure by many, that system still made money. Nintendo needs to produce more AAA titles while trying to get more quality 3rd Party Games. Nintendo should start rejecting last-gen ports (Blazing Angels, PoP, etc...) from 3rd Parties. It hurts the image of the system. I already have a Wii and am considering getting a Xbox360 next. My Wii is fully online, but when I get a 360, I'll be surprised if I use the Live service. So, for someone like me, the Wii online plan is perfect. Yes, it's a bit of a pain to input those long friend codes, but much of the market Nintendo is tapping into is unlikely to see this as that big of a deal, having probably not had any online play experience. And voice chat? I just don't see why I should care about something like that and don't think most people would. For the price, the Wii's online experience looks to be everything that I would want and probably a bit more. And by your third-party logic, I guess no one should be producing PS2 games anymore. After all, it's last generation and underpowered. But the fact is, the PS2 still makes money, and that's what talks. I don't see how producing for the Wii would be any different. There are more and more of them being sold, why not tap into that rapidly growing market? |
Originally Posted by clckworang
I still think that people around here greatly overestimate the importance of online play among regular gamers and especially casual gamers.
If the 'Xbox Live' experience is what "everyone" wants, then the Xbox 360 would be the top selling console every month. But since it continues to get outsold by the PS2 and Wii every single month, obviously the 'Xbox Live' experience is not what the majority wants. I'm a Wii owner and I will never pay one cent to play any game online. I will gladly continue to enter friend codes if it means that Wii online remains free of charge. If I wanted an Xbox Live experience, I would have bought an Xbox 360. -ptth-
Originally Posted by asianflow
And because the system is under-powered, you won't see games like GRAW 2/R6V..
As far as new franchises, Nintendo has already revealed new games such as 'Project Hammer' and 'Disaster: Day of Crisis'. So new IPs are already coming in the future. And as for upcoming exclusive 3rd party games: NiGHTS Final Fantasy Chronicles: Crystal Bearers No More Heroes Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles Dragon Quest Swords These games look to be shaping up well from the previews I've seen. :D |
Originally Posted by pinata242
"Hardcore" gamers need to be given something by someone that allows them to embrace the controller and not curse it for "ruining" every Mario, Zelda, and Metroid game this generatoin.
One of the joystiq bloggers brought up something interesting I hadn't thought about. After RE4 is rereleased we are likely to see a scenario where the top 3 games on the Wii are Gamecube titles(Zelda, Paper Mario, RE4) That's crazy. I have zero doubts about Mario bringing the platforming goodness and setting the new standard for third parties on the Wii. It just needed to come out sooner so that third parties have a bar to strive for. Same with Metroid. |
Originally Posted by Michael Corvin
I think those that think the Wiimote ruined Zelda this gen are in the minority.
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Originally Posted by CreatureX
Exactly.
If the 'Xbox Live' experience is what "everyone" wants, then the Xbox 360 would be the top selling console every month. But since it continues to get outsold by the PS2 and Wii every single month, obviously the 'Xbox Live' experience is not what the majority wants. You know, another poster mentioned the "skewed perspective" of 360 fans in terms of graphics and online play in the closed thread. I think the Wii fans have a similar skewed perspective in many areas of this debate/conversation/pissing/shilling match :p. I have a feeling the truth about online play and graphics is in the middle here. Just because a 40 or 50 dvdtalk wii fans and a few of their friends don't like online play that doesn't mean there aren't lots out there who do. The same goes for the 40 or 50 360 fans and their friend’s going the other way on the issue. Also, it(online play) may or may not be what everyone wants, but you do realize not everyone even has net access. For instance, Minorities are less likely to have computers, let alone net access, than whites but many have still invested in a console gaming systems. I know PS2's are popular with the brothahs :p. Getting a system and going online may or may not be something they want, but they simply don't have access to it. When I had a PS2 going online was the last thing on my mind because I always heard that although it was free, it was shitty. I wanted to, but since it had such a shitty rep I just didn't worry about it. I'm a Wii owner and I will never pay one cent to play any game online. I will gladly continue to enter friend codes if it means that Wii online remains free of charge. If I wanted an Xbox Live experience, I would have bought an Xbox 360. -ptth- You see? That's what I'm talking about. You may not care about online but who's to say that if the Wii came out with a "LIVE" of it's own, free or not,tons of wii fans wouldn't eat it up? |
Wii fanboy here and I can't wait for online play. I can honestly say I would like it to be similar to the 360, which I consider to be a "clinic in how to do online". I would love to have a unified friend list, to be able to see what my friends are playing, and to invite and be invited into games. Am I fine with a different/lesser experience? Sure because these are the games I want to play online or offline.
That's why I don't have a 360 - not because I don't care about online, but because there aren't enough games that I'm dying to play to shell out the cost of the console yet. Right now the only things I would get are XBLA games until Blue Dragon comes out. I have a friend that is basically nagging me to join him, but he knows there needs to be at least two "must-haves" for me before I consider it. Now I'll probably wait until the 120gb model is $400 anyway. |
Originally Posted by DodgingCars
I really don't see this "terrible 3rd party support" people are talking about.
It may get better in the future, but as of right now there isn't a single third party game on the Wii I'd bother playing if someone gave it to me for free. I have a backlog of PS2, PC and Virtual Console games I'd rather play. |
Originally Posted by Josh Hinkle
Shiggy and others are complaining about the quality of 3rd party games. Most so far have been ports of PS2, PSP etc. games with tacked on motion control. Others have been mediocre (Sonic) or had complicated control schemes that many didn't care for (SSX Blur). Godfather seems to be the first third party getting solid reviews and impressions pretty much across the board.
It may get better in the future, but as of right now there isn't a single third party game on the Wii I'd bother playing if someone gave it to me for free. I have a backlog of PS2, PC and Virtual Console games I'd rather play. All the third-party games released currently or coming out in the next few months were planned before the current sales reality. If the Wii keeps selling like it is, I fully expect to see much more third-party support for the Wii (as opposed to the Gamecube). |
Originally Posted by Giantrobo
You know, another poster mentioned the "skewed perspective" of 360 fans in terms of graphics and online play in the closed thread. I think the Wii fans have a similar skewed perspective in many areas of this debate/conversation/pissing/shilling match :p. I have a feeling the truth about online play and graphics is in the middle here. Just because a 40 or 50 dvdtalk wii fans and a few of their friends don't like online play that doesn't mean there aren't lots out there who do. The same goes for the 40 or 50 360 fans and their friend’s going the other way on the issue.
One can argue that the lower price is the reason, but the Gamecube also had a lower price than Xbox, and the GC was still outsold.
Originally Posted by Giantrobo
You see? That's what I'm talking about. You may not care about online but who's to say that if the Wii came out with a "LIVE" of it's own, free or not,tons of wii fans wouldn't eat it up?
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Originally Posted by Tracer Bullet
As I see it, this is only a problem because most (if not all) third-party developers were expecting the Wii to sell like the Gamecube. I don't think anyone saw the Wii as the top-selling console. However, since this is the case, you see more and more third-party games being announced for the Wii.
All the third-party games released currently or coming out in the next few months were planned before the current sales reality. If the Wii keeps selling like it is, I fully expect to see much more third-party support for the Wii (as opposed to the Gamecube). I agree. And I to expect it to get better as time goes on, just like it has on the DS after it unexpectedly took off like hotcakes. I was just saying that I agree that the current third party games are crap. |
Donkey Kong Next-Gen DK Bongo Blast Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors Kirby Adventure *NEW* Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Nights: Journey of Dreams *NEW* No More Heroes Super Paper Mario Super Smash Bros. Brawl Super Mario Galaxy Those are the ones that interest me. Largely first part games with a couple exceptions. There were a couple of games I hadn't heard of before though. But that's a pretty solid list, especially for someone like me that only buys 10 or so games a year across all the platforms I own. :thumbsup: |
First of all, they need to get some units out on the @#$* shelves!
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I wanted a 360 because I had the hankering for some online gaming, and I hoped that XBL was indeed better than the xbox1 's XBL (which I let my subscription expire to). Wife split it with me, she wanted to play Viva Pinata.
I'd gladly have stuck with Wii online gaming. But I don't see any in-game voicechat coming yet, nor any online games soon. Since then I've barely played the Wii single player except to play Star Fox 64 (it's seen play with the wife/friends for multiplayer though). I'm addicted to Gears of war online (and I never liked FPS games on consoles...but the 3rd person POV is better IMO) and playing Dead Rising. But it's expected. Any new console sucks for the first year or so. And I only have 2 games for the 360 - Gears and Dead Rising - with no really interesting games coming up for me except for Blue Dragon - whereas there's a lot of coming-up titles I'm interested in for the Wii. It's the drought period. That's cool. Expected. I played mostly PS1 on our PS2 for over a year when it came out. |
What I have my eyes on:
First Party ====== Super Paper Mario Super Mario Galaxy Metroid Prime: Corruption Mario Party 8 Disaster Mario & Sonic at the Olympics :shrug: I'm intrigued, what can I say? Third Party ======= Nights Orb Thorn Sadness No More Heroes Mercury Meltdown Dewey's Adventure Escape from Bug Island Not bad, surprisingly more third party titles than first. |
Originally Posted by Josh Hinkle
Shiggy and others are complaining about the quality of 3rd party games. Most so far have been ports of PS2, PSP etc. games with tacked on motion control. Others have been mediocre (Sonic) or had complicated control schemes that many didn't care for (SSX Blur). Godfather seems to be the first third party getting solid reviews and impressions pretty much across the board.
It may get better in the future, but as of right now there isn't a single third party game on the Wii I'd bother playing if someone gave it to me for free. I have a backlog of PS2, PC and Virtual Console games I'd rather play. I WELCOME ports of games with good control systems. The Godfather on other systems may be OK (in a GTA kinda way), but it is a whole new level of fun on the Wii IMO. Same with Tiger Woods. Just another video olf game, a few more players, courses and options maybe. On the Wii, you're actually swinging to make shots. And playing with a friend, it is more of a golf-type experience (stepping up to take shots, etc.). Much different than sitting on a couch together tuber-style and wiggling your thumbs. Fight Night looks awesome on the 360. And I watch people playing it. Sitting on their butts, moving their thumbs and fingers a bit. I would jump on a similar game) or even a Punch Out or Mocap Boxing port on the Wii. Those would be killer fitness-promoting games. Wrt 3rd-party support, I think that will increase (quantity and quality) in the coming year. The Wii seems to be selling beyond expectations, and developers go where the user base is. But there is a huge lag time, so it will be a while before we see the newly-motivated 3rd-party apps. |
I feel like we are going in a big circle, so I'll just agree to disagree with you guys about the Wii.
But the one thing I'll add, is that I use to be one of the folks that said online doesn't really matter. After getting Xbox Live Gold, I've done a 180. It's a blast to able to play with friends online while chatting. Having online games also extends the life. Ask any Wii60 owner, and they will you Xbox's online system is amazing while the Wii looks to be lackluster. I'm interested to see how well the Wii sells the rest of the year. Will the system fade out, continue to have strong sales, or meet somewhere in the middle? I hope the Wii continues to do well because the main person that benefits from competition is the consumer. |
Originally Posted by asianflow
I feel like we are going in a big circle, so I'll just agree to disagree with you guys about the Wii.
But the one thing I'll add, is that I use to be one of the folks that said online doesn't really matter. After getting Xbox Live Gold, I've done a 180. It's a blast to able to play with friends online while chatting. Having online games also extends the life. Ask any Wii60 owner, and they will you Xbox's online system is amazing while the Wii looks to be lackluster. We'll see. I may change my mind. But I'm pretty sure I don't want to pay for online. I thought WoW was pretty fun (and I know people who play), but I don't want to spend $13/mo to play it. I'm interested to see how well the Wii sells the rest of the year. Will the system fade out, continue to have strong sales, or meet somewhere in the middle? I hope the Wii continues to do well because the main person that benefits from competition is the consumer. |
Originally Posted by DodgingCars
Playing against friends interests me. I'm not into playing against strangers (mostly because I suck). I've played some online games in the past and they're fun, but I really like to play with people I know. So far, I'm the only one I know with a Wii. If that changes, online gaming will become more interesting to me. I think they'll allow some random matches online gameplay on the Wii... They do it with Tetris DS (you don't need friend codes to play online, but you need friend codes to play against a friend).
We'll see. I may change my mind. But I'm pretty sure I don't want to pay for online. I thought WoW was pretty fun (and I know people who play), but I don't want to spend $13/mo to play it. This is really what matters. If the Wii can sustain this popularity until November, you're going to see MUCH better 3rd party support. If they get a 10million install base by December, I think you'll see some really interesting/good 3rd party exclusives. I wouldn't mind playing some Wii Sports online with friends, but again, it just wouldn't be the same if I didn't know them. |
Originally Posted by CreatureX
But we are not just using our "skewed perspective", we are using the monthly sales data of PS2/Wii vs. the Xbox 360. The PS2 has outsold the 360 since it launched. The Wii is also outselling the 360. These are facts not "skewed perspectives". So the argument is, if everyone supposedly wants 360 type games/HDgraphics/online experience, why are people buying these other consoles instead of the 360? :)
Wii - Price (almost 1/2 that of the 360). Folks want a new console but don't want to pay $400/$600 360 - until the time of Gears I'd say that it wasn't a must own console (and while Gears' online modes weren't up to snuff, R6V certainly picked up the slack). I'd agree that there are those who don't care about the online, but the above is the reason for the sales numbers being lower for the 360. Anything else is a skewed perspective :) |
Originally Posted by DodgingCars
Playing against friends interests me. I'm not into playing against strangers (mostly because I suck). I've played some online games in the past and they're fun, but I really like to play with people I know.
I say start off by trying some co-op type games with the headset (R6V Terrorist Hunts for example). These type games encourage teamwork and communication whereas the versus stuff can actually do the opposite and worse. While certainly not as instantaneously (is that a word ;) ) fun as playing with folks you know, it can be a great experience and lead to meeting others that you enjoy gaming with just as much. From there you can branch out into the other game types and not have to worry as much about your skill (especially if you play with those you've become familiar with). |
Originally Posted by CreatureX
But we are not just using our "skewed perspective", we are using the monthly sales data of PS2/Wii vs. the Xbox 360. The PS2 has outsold the 360 since it launched. The Wii is also outselling the 360. These are facts not "skewed perspectives". So the argument is, if everyone supposedly wants 360 type games/HDgraphics/online experience, why are people buying these other consoles instead of the 360? :)
One can argue that the lower price is the reason, but the Gamecube also had a lower price than Xbox, and the GC was still outsold. I get that. I'm in no way doubting the sales numbers. I'm simply saying just because you and a few other dvdtalkers own a wii and don't want a "Wii LIVE" experience, that doesn't mean many out there feel the same way. Just like me and few other dvdtalkers digging XBOX LIVE doesn't mean every 360 owner wants it as much as us. That's where your "skewing" comes in. |
Originally Posted by Brooklyn
To this and the other poster who had a similar opinion without having tried it,
I say start off by trying some co-op type games with the headset (R6V Terrorist Hunts for example). These type games encourage teamwork and communication whereas the versus stuff can actually do the opposite and worse. While certainly not as instantaneously (is that a word ;) ) fun as playing with folks you know, it can be a great experience and lead to meeting others that you enjoy gaming with just as much. From there you can branch out into the other game types and not have to worry as much about your skill (especially if you play with those you've become familiar with). |
I just realized I could have named this thread:
Where do Wii go from here? :) |
Originally Posted by Brooklyn
To this and the other poster who had a similar opinion without having tried it,
I say start off by trying some co-op type games with the headset (R6V Terrorist Hunts for example). These type games encourage teamwork and communication whereas the versus stuff can actually do the opposite and worse. While certainly not as instantaneously (is that a word ;) ) fun as playing with folks you know, it can be a great experience and lead to meeting others that you enjoy gaming with just as much. From there you can branch out into the other game types and not have to worry as much about your skill (especially if you play with those you've become familiar with). I don't want to work with a team or communicate with others. I just want to play my game and not have to worry about having to speak to another person. That's why I'm in my living room firing up a console. If I wanted to interact with others and meet people, I would actually go somewhere. I'm sure one of the things that automatically makes me less of a candidate for online play is that I really don't care for FPS games, mainly because I can't really control them very well on a console. But even when I start to get better at them, they still interest me very little, and that seems where most people get really excited about online play (or at least that's been my impression). A friend tried to get me into the Halo games, and while I admired the craft of the game, I never once turned the game on after he left them there for me to borrow. I can see why some people really enjoy it, but it's just that I'm not sure if it's for me at all. :shrug: |
They need to release a headset for the Wii. It would instantly open up free VOIP (WiiPhone) services or simply voice messaging instead of text. Couple a video camera and now your kids can video conference with their grandparents that you sold on the Wii last Thanksgiving.
Plus it's pretty much the de facto standard for the "Wii Live" service. |
More about 3rd party publishers:
Electronic Arts Plays Catch-Up After Shrugging Off Wii's Appeal By Michael White April 9 (Bloomberg) -- Video-game designer Nick Earl spent eight months holed up with his development team rushing to adapt ``The Godfather'' for Nintendo Co.'s Wii. The reason for the long hours: Earl's employer, Electronic Arts Inc., like some of its competitors, underestimated demand for the Wii, whose motion-activated wand lets players wield a virtual sword, mimic real golf swings or strangle a victim. Instead, game makers put most of their resources into Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 3, which was released two days earlier in November with a more conventional hand controller. Now, publishers are scrambling to get titles to the 3.56 million U.S. and Japanese Wii owners who have made the machine the top-selling game console this year. ``Those companies are backtracking,'' said Anthony Gikas, an analyst at Piper Jaffray & Co. in Minneapolis. ``They're going to need to get their best-branded product on that platform. That will take a good nine to 12 months.'' A shortage of Wii games contributed to a 25 percent drop in sales in February from a year earlier at Redwood City, California-based Electronic Arts, the world's largest video-game publisher, said Todd Greenwald, an analyst at Nollenberger Capital Partners in San Francisco. Industry sales in February rose 28 percent. Shares of Electronic Arts have risen 3.1 percent this year, the smallest gain among the four biggest publishers. Top Games U.S. and Japanese sales of Wii players totaled 1.47 million in January and February, said market researchers NPD Group Inc. and Enterbrain. PlayStation 3 tallied 604,331, while stores sold 584,329 of Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 consoles. Wii is also leading in Europe, said London-based researcher Screen Digest. Wii games, all produced by Kyoto, Japan-based Nintendo, took three of the top 10 sales spots in the U.S. in February, said NPD, based in Port Washington, New York. Not a single U.S. publisher had a Wii game in the top 20 in February. Nintendo's lead will widen, pressuring companies even more. Researcher IDC predicts Nintendo will ship 16.1 million players this year, outpacing Microsoft's 9.87 million Xbox 360s and Sony's 9.1 million PlayStation 3s. Wii game sales will total $2.2 billion, trailing only Xbox 360, said IDC, based in Framingham, Massachusetts. Electronic Arts wasn't the only publisher slow to see Wii's appeal. New York-based Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., maker of ``Grand Theft Auto'' games, had no Wii titles when the player was released and now plans to have three this year, said spokesman Jim Ankner. Activision Inc., based in Santa Monica, California, plans to release six Wii games this year, giving the second-largest publisher a total of 11, said spokeswoman Maryanne Lataif. Miscalculation Game companies had expected PlayStation 3 to dominate based on the success of PlayStation 2, said John Taylor, an analyst with Arcadia Investment Corp. in Portland, Oregon. Sony has sold more than 100 million PlayStation 2s since 2001, including 37.7 million in the U.S., making it the top-seller. Nintendo's previous console, GameCube, sold 11.7 million units in the U.S. Perceptions changed when Nintendo unveiled Wii last May in Los Angeles. Demonstration consoles attracted long lines of developers waiting to swing a virtual tennis racquet. ``People got their hands on that controller and started playing games and said, `This is fun, this is going to do better than we expected,''' Electronic Arts Chief Executive Officer Lawrence Probst said at a Morgan Stanley conference on March 5. With six months to go before Wii's release and games requiring a year or more to develop, publishers knew they were in trouble. Redeploying Electronic Arts bought Bountiful, Utah-based Headgate Studios Inc. in November to bolster Wii development. With ``Godfather Black Hand Edition'' and ``Tiger Woods Golf 07'' in stores, Electronic Arts has six Wii titles and plans to have about a dozen in total this year. ``We came back and redeployed a lot of our resources,'' said Earl, who heads Electronic Arts' Redwood Shores studio. The results are seen in ``Godfather,'' where players use their hands to shake the wand and an attachment, dubbed a nunchuk, back and forth as if strangling or jostling someone. The wand also can be used to punch or shoot victims. ``You really feel like you grab someone,'' Earl said. The Wii may prove to be a windfall, since games cost just $2 million to $5 million to create, a fraction of the $20 million to $30 million spent on PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 titles, analyst Taylor said. In addition, Wii appears to be expanding the market, rather than stealing sales from rivals, he said. Ubisoft Ubisoft Entertainment SA, maker of ``Rayman'' and ``Tom Clancy,'' was the quickest to recognize Wii's appeal and is reaping the rewards. Wii games helped increase sales for the December quarter by 24 percent to $405 million. In January, the company raised its 2007 forecast for revenue growth to 16 percent from 10 percent to 12 percent previously. Ubisoft, based in the Paris suburb of Montreuil-Sous-Bois, had seven Wii games out by December and plans six more by June, said Tony Key, vice president of marketing. ``It's not really a bet anymore,'' he said. ``It's a viable system that's going to make us money.'' To contact the reporter on this story: Michael White in Los Angeles at [email protected] |
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