Could Nintendo Save Themselves with PC Releases?

[Vausch]

Nintendo's been hit by some hard times as of late with the 3DS lawsuits and the lower than desired Wii U sales. I got to wondering, being a primarily PC gamer, why don't they just release something like an official emulator or online system so you can play some of their games on PC?

I know for some games it might not be feasible, like the ones that require 3D on the 3DS, but an official emulator that runs 3DS and earlier games could lead to an interesting system where a person could play Poke'mon X on their PC and trade with their friend using a DS.

Pipe dream suggested, now let's see how I'm wrong with the replies.

 

[Racecarlock]

I'm going to use some corporate bean counter knowledge with you for a second, so bear with me.

Why give the people an emulator on a PC when you could charge them $100-$500 for a new console and make more money that way?

That's not how I think, that's corporate logic for you. Anything for a quick buck.

 

[krazykidd]

I'm going to use some corporate bean counter knowledge with you for a second, so bear with me.

Why give the people an emulator on a PC when you could charge them $100-$500 for a new console and make more money that way?

That's not how I think, that's corporate logic for you. Anything for a quick buck.

Is the Nintendo even making a profit off WIIU sold? I mean we hear about microsoft and sony selling consoles at a lost, but i don't recall for the WIIU.

OT: something about playing Mario or SSMB on a PC just rubs me the wrong way.

 

[Roxas1359]

Is the Nintendo even making a profit off WIIU sold? I mean we hear about microsoft and sony selling consoles at a lost, but i don't recall for the WIIU.

Total production cost of the Wii U I believe is about $225 for the parts or so, but it doesn't include things like packaging, assembly, and shipping. Right now they've not made a profit on the Wii U at all, so they'll probably halt production of it for a bit and resume it later on like with what they had to do for the GameCube at one point.

This is the same position the 3DS was in, but the thing is that Nintendo suddenly went all out with the 3DS to where it is very strong. Problem now is that they are still doing more advertising for the 3DS and it seems more software is coming out for it more than the Wii U. So what Nintendo needs to do for one is to ease up on the 3DS and show the same amount of advertising and software development they did for the 3DS and do it for the Wii U. I mean heck the last Nintendo Direct showed more of the 3DS and stuff coming for it than the Wii U.

 

[Vausch]

I'm going to use some corporate bean counter knowledge with you for a second, so bear with me.

Why give the people an emulator on a PC when you could charge them $100-$500 for a new console and make more money that way?

That's not how I think, that's corporate logic for you. Anything for a quick buck.

Yes but who's to say they'd lose money on it if they sold it in tandem?

Think about it, if they sold an official emulator for, say, 5 or 10 bucks for android/iphones/tablets that can play 2DS style games and had their games available on a market, the only money loss they have is the initial programming of it which wouldn't be too difficult. Even if this is just for DS games, that's a nice bit for them.

If what I was reading is correct, Nintendo is losing money on each Wii U for the hardware costs. I dunno about the 3DS but losing 1.82% of wholesale on each unit can't be good for them after that recent lawsuit.

 

[Atmos Duality]

Considering the efforts they've committed to fighting piracy and the R4. Nevermind the plethora of emulators on PC already.
I seriously doubt Nintendo is even remotely interesting in publishing on PC.

Something more controlled, like Apple's products however, that might happen.

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

If we're making the assumption that Nintendo is dying (I kinda doubt it, not that I have numbers to prove it - just a gut feeling), then I doubt PC ports of their games would be enough to save them. Not by a long shot.

That said, if they were to release PC ports of their games, I probably would buy at least a couple for nostalgia if nothing else. I've been meaning to dust off my SNES and play Earthbound again for a while now. I can't say I have any real interest in the exclusives they've had in the last decade or so, though.

I know for some games it might not be feasible, like the ones that require 3D on the 3DS...

You can play PC games in 3D, you just need a 3D monitor or TV. Like I know World of WarCraft has a 3D mode, for example.

That said, I've never known anyone to use it. Hell, even when I was working for Best Buy a few years back I don't think I ever actually saw any 3D TVs sell.

 

[Vausch]

If we're making the assumption that Nintendo is dying (I kinda doubt it, not that I have numbers to prove it - just a gut feeling), then I doubt PC ports of their games would be enough to save them. Not by a long shot.

That said, if they were to release PC ports of their games, I probably would buy at least a couple for nostalgia if nothing else. I've been meaning to dust off my SNES and play Earthbound again for a while now. I can't say I have any real interest in the exclusives they've had in the last decade or so, though.

I know for some games it might not be feasible, like the ones that require 3D on the 3DS...

You can play PC games in 3D, you just need a 3D monitor or TV. Like I know World of WarCraft has a 3D mode, for example.

That said, I've never known anyone to use it. Hell, even when I was working for Best Buy a few years back I don't think I ever actually saw any 3D TVs sell.

No no, I don't assume Nintendo is dying, but they have been hit rather hard by sales not meeting their expectations and the recent lawsuit that means 1.82% of the wholesale revenue of every 3DS is lost to royalties. The thing of it is though that Nintendo only releases their games for their own consoles and third party development for the wii U has been rather...lacking.

And yeah, the 3D is there on PCs but like you said hardly anyone uses it. That's why I figure 2DS versions of those games would be better suited.

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

snip

I don't mean to be that guy... but who actually buys Nintendo consoles for third-party games? And I don't just mean this generation, I mean any generation.

People seem to love giving Nintendo shit for lack of third-party support, but I'm not sure third-party support would even do all that much good for them.

My (very) unprofessional opinion is that their sales numbers are simply due to stagnation and over-saturation. It's kinda the same problem I think the Call of Duty franchise is starting to encounter. There are only so many times you can convince people to buy (essentially) the same product over and over again. Eventually people are going to get bored with it, and look for something new. Again, in my (very) unprofessional opinion, Nintendo would probably be better helped by experimenting with new IPs and giving their current first-party lineup a few years of rest. Moreso than PC ports or third-party support.

I know Mario is their mascot and all, but I guarantee if they decided to shelf him for a couple years, the next time they put out a new Mario game it'll print money. And who knows, maybe in the interim period they'll come up with some new franchise that prints money. Then once again they'll be back to having everything they do print money.

EDIT:
Also, some of the disappointing sales figures could be due to the amazing Wii sales. A ton of the people who bought Wii consoles weren't really hardcore gamers or even people who cared at all about Nintendo's first-party franchises. For example, a few of the retirement homes in my area bought a ton of them since Wii Sports was a great way to get the elderly folks some exercise. These aren't the types of people to be particularly impressed with new consoles, because their old consoles still work and still do exactly what they want them to do.

 

[Vausch]

I don't mean to be that guy... but who actually buys Nintendo consoles for third-party games? And I don't just mean this generation, I mean any generation.

People seem to love giving Nintendo shit for lack of third-party support, but I'm not sure third-party support would even do all that much good for them.

My (very) unprofessional opinion is that their sales numbers are simply due to stagnation and over-saturation. It's kinda the same problem I think the Call of Duty franchise is starting to encounter. There are only so many times you can convince people to buy (essentially) the same product over and over again. Eventually people are going to get bored with it, and look for something new. Again, in my (very) unprofessional opinion, Nintendo would probably be better helped by experimenting with new IPs and giving their current first-party lineup a few years of rest. Moreso than PC ports or third-party support.

I know Mario is their mascot and all, but I guarantee if they decided to shelf him for a couple years, the next time they put out a new Mario game it'll print money. And who knows, maybe in the interim period they'll come up with some new franchise that prints money. Then once again they'll be back to having everything they do print money.

Yeah that's not that guy, that's legit.

But here's another way of looking at it: Many of Nintendo's games are made for them by them and rarely if ever reach other consoles. The Nintendo development team could very easily release some of their games on other consoles and profit off of that without hurting themselves in the process.

Capcom ran into this situation as they were one of the last developers to start doing multi-platform gaming, then they released Resident Evil 4 on the PS2 and saw a massive boost in sales.

Nintendo could benefit greatly from some new IP or using their lesser used IP correctly (Mario RPGs have been rather lackluster starting with Sticker Star). I agree, those would be fantastic to release on other consoles and PC.

 

[Eve Charm]

snip

I don't mean to be that guy... but who actually buys Nintendo consoles for third-party games? And I don't just mean this generation, I mean any generation.

People seem to love giving Nintendo shit for lack of third-party support, but I'm not sure third-party support would even do all that much good for them.

When Nintendo started being that odd ball out and last in the console market is when people didn't buy Nintendo consoles for third party games. Your nes and snes weren't just your nintendo games, You had your final fantasies, secret of mana, chrono trigger and the rest of the Square and hell even Enix libraries and stuff like capcom with duck tales, chip and tale and street fighter and the rest. Even the N64 starting the Nintendo is doing bad with consoles had your golden eye and perfect dark. Hell they can still thank Game freak for a big chuck of gameboy and ds sales.


But anyway on topic, PC releases would only be an out for when consoles and handhelds are no more, Then after enough time and money to gather licenses of what they can to resale then maybe they resell somethings? But virtual console can be a good selling point for their consoles done right so for now no with the pc or iphone stuff.

 

[VG_Addict]

No, Nintendo will not, nor should they, put their games on PC. That would cannibalize their hardware sales.

 

[Racecarlock]

I'm going to use some corporate bean counter knowledge with you for a second, so bear with me.

Why give the people an emulator on a PC when you could charge them $100-$500 for a new console and make more money that way?

That's not how I think, that's corporate logic for you. Anything for a quick buck.

Yes but who's to say they'd lose money on it if they sold it in tandem?

Think about it, if they sold an official emulator for, say, 5 or 10 bucks for android/iphones/tablets that can play 2DS style games and had their games available on a market, the only money loss they have is the initial programming of it which wouldn't be too difficult. Even if this is just for DS games, that's a nice bit for them.

If what I was reading is correct, Nintendo is losing money on each Wii U for the hardware costs. I dunno about the 3DS but losing 1.82% of wholesale on each unit can't be good for them after that recent lawsuit.

I never said I liked their logic, just that they use it.

 

[Vausch]

No, Nintendo will not, nor should they, put their games on PC. That would cannibalize their hardware sales.

Most of their hardware sales come at a loss as is. The Wii U sells at a loss and they're planning a price cut.

 

[kilenem]

Probably wont happen because they like forcing their customers to rebuy dlc games every time a new piece of hardware comes out. If they were to have a Virtual Console on the PC, then people would only have to buy a game ONCE...

They seem to have finally figured out that their fans are sick of that bullshit, but it will still be sometime before they rectify it...

Sort of. For the most part their systems are backwards compatible so you don't have to wait for the re-release of that game. Contemplating on buying a old Xbox for X-men legends because I can't play it on 360.

 

[kilenem]

It would make more since for Microsoft to sell there games on PC then Nintendo. They're 3 consoles in and they haven't made a profit on the Xbox brand. Fingers crossed that they finally get in the black with the X1 after selling the 360 and Xbox at a loss and the paying out for RRD.

 

[Doom972]

A lot of people are already playing their games on the PC using emulators. I'm sure that those same people would pay for Nintendo games if they were on Steam. Releasing games for the other consoles and touchscreen devices would also be beneficial.

The problem is that Nintendo will never admit that it should quit the hardware business and stick to software.

 

[gizmo2300]

The last time Nintendo went PC we got Mario is Missing. That is.. A while ago. Just a minute I'm gonna go drink my age realization away.