The Hot Topic : Whats Next For Nintendo?

[vashivihan]

I guess by now we can finally say that Nintendo have turned it around since the small degrees of success that they had with the Gamecube. The Wii and DS have sold millions worldwide and they still have a few more years in them yet but what is next for Nintendo? Do they stop all this innovating lark and just make the DS 2 or WII (Thats two in roman numerals) or would you like to see even more innovation on the part of the Nintendo? Really you can’t deny the success of both systems. The handheld market was ready to be rocked with the release of Sony’s Playstation Portable and it seemed that Sony where on course to dominate another market until the Nintendo DS hit the scene with its quirky controls and quick pick-up-and-play game aesthetic. Meanwhile Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 where to busy focusing on each other to even think about the Wii’s success.

Obviously we have to go through, Nintendo’s patented iteration-colour-cash-in period yet where we see hardware reproduced in every colour under sun, before we actually hear anything about a new system. Once we’ve seen those we can move on to the next really big announcement by Ninty. Lets be honest they are going to ride on the success of these systems before moving forward but thats nothing new and it makes perfect sense.

In the handheld department could you possibly see another Game Boy type system where you only have one screen and buttons. It would feel like a big step backwards. We all know the only reason its called the Nintendo DS and not the Game Boy DS is because they didn’t know how successful it would be but now the DS has overcome that and maybe even surpassed the Game Boy name. Do we see a DS 2. I predict that we will actually see a second DS with flasher graphics and with Wii-esque motion sensing built in. The possibility for a camera, built in internet support and upgradeable firmware all seem probable. But this is a few years away and I’d expect another slimed down version before another generation. I’d also add that they would wait for Sony to make a move with a PSP2 but at the moment Nintendo seem to be in a world of their own by just focusing on their own products and systems.

The Wii is only a year and a half old so to be talking about another version seems weird and far off. Expect multiple coloured Wii’s before a Wii 2 although is a Wii 2 the next step. People have been talking about the Wii as a constant platform. It can be updated, its key demographic doesn’t care about graphics therefore why do Nintendo need to invest in another platform? The Wii has the install base it needs to just make new controller shells every few months or two to gather interest and to keep momentum until the next shell comes along. This might not please the hardcore Nintendo fan’s but they have games like Smash Bros. to keep them happy.

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[FRuMMaGe]

I'm not really sure where Ninty can go from here game-wise.

Their two biggest releases (SSBB and MKW) are both being released extremely close to each other. Most of the world has SSBB and Mario Kart Wii is released in Europe in less than a month.

 

[wezeles]

The DS I picture something like an Iphone in the future one large screen with touchscreen capabilities controlling the whole thing. In the event of an old school game you would have touchscreen display of the old school button setup. Improved graphics of course. Motion sensing big NO people do not need to be jerking around a handheld..lol That would end up in more deaths then there are broken t.v's do to wii-motes. All Nintendo could do for safety on that end is give you a bottle of super glue and say "apply to hands, place game unit in hands, have fun removing when done" lol won't happen

For the Wii who knows whats next, graphics improived as HDTV picks up market share for sure, but beyond that who knows. Improved controll skeme's? player recognition "eye toy style camera."
The Wii will not last forever!
Like Frummage said they already released the big Titles and unless Nintendo comes up with some new really big hits they need a new generation to bring out the Big guns again. Nintendo doesn't do sequals like everyone else. They come out with an improved version with an improved console everytime. Sequals on would end up killing the very long lasting franchise success Nintendo has had.

 

[surfinrach90]

Interesting read.

For Nintendos next console I'd love to see a proper hardcore gamer one, no fancy motion controls. No stupid friend codes.

Hell, I just want Nintendos version of the 360.

 

[vashivihan]

Interesting read.

For Nintendos next console I'd love to see a proper hardcore gamer one, no fancy motion controls. No stupid friend codes.

Hell, I just want Nintendos version of the 360.

i dont agree with u on one thjing. why not motion controls, why take a step back? if u wanna go back to old "stuff" then i say out with the HD tvs and in wioth the standrd tvs.

 

[Dbomb3]

yeah i would say to keep the motion controls.

 

[wezeles]

For sure the days of button mashing are over. Anyone who comes out with an old school controller next gen is just commiting console suicide.

It's not if motion controll will be included the question is to what extent and what else will they think of to add to it.
It's not just Nintendo but all of them. The other 2 have to also have some crazy concepts in the works after getting their butt handed to them this bad so far by the underdog.
With Nintendo's Motion Controll, Sonys Camera recognition, And Microsoft probably already putting the patent on Mind Controll ha ha, It's pretty safe to say gaming will never be the same again.

Do calloused thumbs go to heaven when they die?

 

[surfinrach90]

i dont agree with u on one thjing. why not motion controls, why take a step back? if u wanna go back to old "stuff" then i say out with the HD tvs and in wioth the standrd tvs.

Well, if they could take a big step from what they got now then sure that would be great. I was sorta just thinking about what they got now, and that I wouldn't want it to be exactly the same. But yeah, if they did take it up a big notch then that would be cool =]

 

[vashivihan]

For sure the days of button mashing are over. Anyone who comes out with an old school controller next gen is just commiting console suicide.

It's not if motion controll will be included the question is to what extent and what else will they think of to add to it.
It's not just Nintendo but all of them. The other 2 have to also have some crazy concepts in the works after getting their butt handed to them this bad so far by the underdog.
With Nintendo's Motion Controll, Sonys Camera recognition, And Microsoft probably already putting the patent on Mind Controll ha ha, It's pretty safe to say gaming will never be the same again.

Do calloused thumbs go to heaven when they die?

ha ha mind control. well i think that ninty will come up with something crazy and unexpected like holographs and sony and ms will have motion controls along the lines of wii. but nothing can be said for sure yet.

 

[jimbo]

^ i dont think ms and sony are stupid they no that the old control scheme isnt as popular but they wont go to motion controls.

like nintendo will do with there next console (hopefully, something new and exciting) and i dont see ms and sony just going for motion sensors.

wezeles----i dont think so, having looked at nintendo's best games, does brawl use much motion controls, i seen on ign that they would rather use a game cube controler than the wii wheel, this shows that nintendo the people that made the console arent using the motion controls that much so i cant see the other 2 just ditching there controls as i no theres people out there who laugh a the wii controls

 

[wezeles]

Sony already implemented motion controls in the PS3. Sure Nintendo and Sony haven't used it on a grand scale but it has played a key role in scooping up casual gamers and this large new audience of non-gamers. Alot of the types of games that use these controlls 100% seemed more aimed at this crowd.
Is it going to be required to operate? Obviously no.
But it will be important for the Casual audience. They use to always follow the hype,advertisement, and the word of the hardcore. Now they choose there own games, make up there own mind no matter how good, bad, or horribal the hardcore gamer views the games or system they choose.

The bigger problem is the hardcore isn't enough on any one console to keep them afloat they will have to cater to the needs of the consumers that make them the most overall money the "casual."
It will be a toss up between MS and Sony if they want to stick with the high end "hardcore niche". But there honestly is not enough money for both of them to survive with high priced low volume consoles. The games sell great but still your tied to the amount of consoles you sell, and the casual arn't buying into the hype as much anymore.

Atleast one of them will have to go a more casual route to compete with Nintendo and the overall consumers, so far it looks like Sony want's it.

Another big thing was the point and click feature, I think alot more will include this aswell. Specailly for FPS.
MOH:H2 may have been one of the cheepest FPS to be released in current times, but the control skeme for Wii with a combo of point to shoot and motion controls that gave it tones of praise. A game that would have been scored about a 5 at best on any other system got an average score of 7.5-8.5 just because of controls! Just goes to show it doesn't have to be pretty to get by. In the future a combo of both of these is what will make the blockbuster games that will sell not only to the hardcore but the casual aswell.

It's a numbers game and the numbers don't lie. For the longest time Gaming was about companies giving the consumer what they said was best.
Now its turning into a more mainstream market where you supply the customer with what they acctually want.

 

[ShawVAuto]

Well, the DS has an upcoming change to it in the form of a newly redesigned DS. Nintendo already stated that it is ready for production. They are simply waiting for the current DS Lite to slow down in sales. It will eliminate the GBA slot for even smaller gaming on the go.

As for the Wii, the innovation has not yet even started. Example: What about the speaker in the remote? Wouldn't it be cool if let's say you could play your favorite songs through it while playing or could have an in game radio (like GTA) play through it during gameplay. The system itself has only BEGUN to get tapped. It has a 4 GB Flash chip in it. That has not been disclosed by Nintendo or any developers yet. Who knows what 4 GB of memory is for. Perhaps updated system memory? Better game storage? Who knows. I think Nintendo has (out of the 3) the brightest future. We all know the 360 has live which can do HD movies, etc. PS3 has the PSN which is live but toned down and free. The Wii has the free setup plus the addition of Pay2Play which no one knows what that holds. Nintendo has THE brightest future with THE most to gain.

 

[CantGetAWii]

Well E3 this year for Nintendo will be huge, the second half of the year games wise is said to be a good one. Theres still StarFox, Animal Crossing, Disaster Day Of Crisis, Pikmin 3..possible new IP. On the game front they are alright.

Whats next for Nintendo, I agree with a new DS coming out.
Middle to late 2009 maybe, with improved visuals? That would be pretty nice.

A new console is a little ways away as people have said already, Wii hasn't been fully optimized and surely Nintendo (and hopefully third party developers) realize that.