Wii has its unique set of merits. But a lack of hard drive, minimal online play and awkward friend codes are some of the issues highlighted by gamers. But Nintendo IS listening, insists Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aime.
"We listen to our fans all the time," Reggie said when challenged on Nintendo's attitude towards such complaints.
"Nintendo fans are some of the most passionate in the world, and believe me, they make their opinions heard. We're not claiming our way of doing things is better or worse than anyone else - it's just different," he added.
"We listen very closely to what people have to say, both pro and con, and keep those feelings in mind as we plan ahead," Fils-Aime told GameDaily.
We don't expect any major changes to Wii in the remaining years of its life, but we have high hopes for the next Nintendo console.
Sorry but if Nintendo WERE listing to fans two things would happen 1) Shovelware wouldn't be the main bulk of the Wii AND DS yearly releases and 2) We would actaly be getting NEW games on the Wii not remakes of games we already own (you know you made the Wii backwards compatable for a reason Nintendo)..
Anyone remember the old SNES dats where it had the biggest holiday releases every year?
First post in a long long time and a thought has just occured to me -
why do we need 3 consoles all doing exactly the same thing?
cause alot of the time all the requests I see (yes make sence) are for HDD (external) capability for Wii - better HDD capability xbox 360 (FAT32??) - not sure what the support is like for ps3 for HDD
DVD / HD (failed) / BLU Ray Support for Wii or Xbox 360
Sort out the Wii friends Codes and then M$ go and nick the avatar (Mii) format
If they all keep farting about - making sure each one had every feature avaialble - we'd have 3 identical systems - then I guess it would be a cosmetic issue....
They might listen, they just don't bother doing anything about it. Otherwise they'd have had a WiiHDD out months ago.
I don't want a HDD as it would take up more space, I just want them to get the update out to enable playing games from SD cards. Also would love them to update the support to SDHC.
A nice 8GB sd card would be plenty of space and costs around £12 so no need for a HDD.
Does anyone know when this update is supposed to be released?
First post in a long long time and a thought has just occured to me -
why do we need 3 consoles all doing exactly the same thing?
cause alot of the time all the requests I see (yes make sence) are for HDD (external) capability for Wii - better HDD capability xbox 360 (FAT32??) - not sure what the support is like for ps3 for HDD
DVD / HD (failed) / BLU Ray Support for Wii or Xbox 360
Sort out the Wii friends Codes and then M$ go and nick the avatar (Mii) format
If they all keep farting about - making sure each one had every feature avaialble - we'd have 3 identical systems - then I guess it would be a cosmetic issue....
/discuss....
I suppose so, but was this not really the case for the NES and Master system, Megadrive and SNES, Dreamcast and PS2 etc the big difference has always been the exclusives and then some minor hardware differences. If you go and do something different like release a less powerful console with new controls the pretentious section of the gaming community (mainly those from the Playstation generation) just complain anyway.
Nintendo is listening, but they're struggling to do so, what with those trucks backing up to Nintendo to dump off money bags making it hard to hear and all.
Sorry but if Nintendo WERE listing to fans two things would happen 1) Shovelware wouldn't be the main bulk of the Wii AND DS yearly releases and 2) We would actaly be getting NEW games on the Wii not remakes of games we already own (you know you made the Wii backwards compatable for a reason Nintendo)..
Anyone remember the old SNES dats where it had the biggest holiday releases every year?
Nintendo aren't to blame for third parties releasing shovelware.
Ninty aren't to blame for 3rd-party games. They have released a few really good titles for the console. Of course they also released Wii Fit and Wii Music, which are unforgivable, and Wii Sports which is crap.
What 3rd-party devs need is some kind of incentive to make better games. Something like PEOPLE NOT BUYING THEM JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE NEW. Seriously. The number of people who I've seen go and buy a title they know is crap just because they want something to do is beyond a joke. And if they keep selling, they'll keep making them.
Exercise your right as a member of a capitalist world. If you keep buying what they're spitting out, you have nobody to blame but yourself.
"We would actaly be getting NEW games on the Wii not remakes of games we already own."
There have been plenty of NEW and exclusive games on the Wii over the last 12 months -- it's just that everybody seems to have let this idea of there only being shovelware take over. If you forget to buy any of No More Heroes, de Blob, Blast Works, Zack & Wiki, Brawl, Boom Blox, World of Goo, the Art Style games, Mario Kart Wii, LostWinds, or Fire Emblem, you're missing out.
I understand there's *a lot* of shovelware on the system -- and this tends to be normal for the best-selling console (see PS2, SNES) -- but don't assume there's nothing good for it.
Ninty aren't to blame for 3rd-party games. They have released a few really good titles for the console. Of course they also released Wii Fit and Wii Music, which are unforgivable, and Wii Sports which is crap.
What 3rd-party devs need is some kind of incentive to make better games. Something like PEOPLE NOT BUYING THEM JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE NEW. Seriously. The number of people who I've seen go and buy a title they know is crap just because they want something to do is beyond a joke. And if they keep selling, they'll keep making them.
Exercise your right as a member of a capitalist world. If you keep buying what they're spitting out, you have nobody to blame but yourself.
And this is a problem for the wii only? Fifa has been selling for years while being a very poor game (although the last couple have improved dramatically while pro evo has been getting worse).
I personally don't care about the shovelwear they can release 1000 shovelwear games a day for all I care, as long as I can still get games that I want I am happy.
Also Wii Fit is actually quite good fun. Especially the ski jump and Wii Sports is very good fun. Not sure about Wii music as I have not played it yet.
i you always hear people baning on about the same rubbish in regards to the wii.
Nintendo release shovelware. They don't third paries do because its cheap and gives a fast turn around.
Theres no good games. Utter b******s you just have to look for em. theres just as much crap on the other 2 systems except for niny tend to not force feed you info to remind you every two minutes.
Wii sports is crap. It was free for gods sake. as a tech dmeo it was fantastic. its worth every penny because it was free. anybody who bought a wii and didn't get another retail game or two with it when it first came out shouldn't call themselves a gamer.
The lack of core games is also one that gets me slightly narked. It takes a few years to make core games compared with casual ones and when the wii was first released many developers ignored it as a curio. Therefore they have all been playing catch up to release stuff for it. This is a situation that i feel will be rectified by the end of this year and the next.
While things like FIFA might count as yearly updates rather than full, new, proper games, they aren't shovelware.
It seems to be most prolific on Nintendo consoles and has been since the SNES (possibly before). And for some reason the Nintendo ones seem to attract dodgy porn titles as well - I blame those crazy Japanese
Shovelware is cheap software released with as little polish as possible. Look up Ninjabread Man for a fine example
Nintendo are listening but they are only listening to their new customers. The suckers who see a celebrity playing Brain training or Nintendogs and think they'll be cool or hip by proxy.
This next analogy might sound odd but bear with me. Nintento have turned from a cool indie band to a manufactured pop band. Nintendo used to be a company making games for their Artistic purpose, to push the boundaries of what has gone before and create something new, now they are still promoting games made 2 years ago because they can't create anyrthing new as they are limited by the hardware, so they are forced to make gimmicky games with stupid platic remote holders. In short Nintendo were The Beatles/Bob Dylan/Coldplay of gaming now they are Steps/Girls Aloud/Rhiana, they may sell millions now but will they be around in 10yrs time when
In every previous generation Nintendo has had the most powerful console(ok last gen it was the 2nd most powerful) and as a by product it produced the best games. Nintendo dragged gamers in the world of 3D with Mario64. That game along with others are still revered today. I honestly can't see any Wii games being held in the same high regard in 10-15yrs time. Nintendo are so out of ideas this gen that they are forecd to take last gen games and add waggle features. Now the arguement against all i've just said is that they are making money so why change? Well if Nintendo try the same trick with their next console they'll find that the early adopters who keep a system alive in the early months won't be around. And no matter what situation they put mario in it won't be enough.
A fine point, well made. Although mentioning Coldplay in the same breath as the Beatles and Dylan is an atrocity against music
The thing is, they won't be able to do the same again next-generation. I've said this from the start. The non-gamers who own Wii's will not buy a new console because the one they have already does everything they want it to. Hell, Wii Sports does almost everything they want from their console.
So all they'll have is the die-hard Nintendo fans who will buy it either way. Everyone else is currently on the fence and will either see the next one as a "maybe" if it has improved spec or a "meh" if it's a case of the same again. Remember that the competition has stepped up the game in terms of hardware. Sony especially took a big risk and may benefit in the long term for it. But obviously they'll go even bigger next time, so while it'll be a smallish step for MS and Sony, to catch up Nintendo will need to take a flying leap to keep up.
They'll be around forever though. Japan is very loyal to the brand and since they've never run at a loss they're not in danger of going out of business. Especially if their handhelds keep selling like they do.
well i can't be bothered to play on my Wii at the moment and I'm a big nintendo fan. it's true about there being an abundance of crap titles out for it and this has only come about by the new control method. i'm not suggesting they go back to a normal pad, far from it, but the by-product of the wiimote is an avalanche of crap titles with poor controls and endless bloody mini-games. there are some great titles on the Wii but you really have to search for them. As a catalogue of games the Wii does not compare favourably to the 360. I can't speak for the PS3 as i don't own one.
While things like FIFA might count as yearly updates rather than full, new, proper games, they aren't shovelware.
It seems to be most prolific on Nintendo consoles and has been since the SNES (possibly before). And for some reason the Nintendo ones seem to attract dodgy porn titles as well - I blame those crazy Japanese
Shovelware is cheap software released with as little polish as possible. Look up Ninjabread Man for a fine example
Shovelwear is cheap turnaround rubbish with little thought about gameplay. Fifa up until a couple of revisions ago was exactly this. The PS2 was also flooded with shovelwear as was the PS1 and before that the SNES. Every leading console will get flooded with shovelwear as the developers can bet on enough users to purchase their games to justify the development. However as I have said before, it does not bother me one bit as I am not forced to buy any of it. There are always people that buy rubbish products whether it is due to clever marketing or just ignorance. Look at champagne for instance, people spend loads when there are far better sparkling white wines available for a fraction of the price, then look at Ipods and the fact that there are much better players out there for less money and Norton Internet security is easily the best selling antivirus software even though it is truly rubbish and there are far better ones available for free! However again I am not forced to buy any of these so it makes no difference to me.
Your post reaks of someone who doesn't own a wii or just hasn't attempted to find anything worth playing on it.
Nintendo are as indie as they have ever been. Hell they publish thier own stuff and try and take gaming to different places, which they have yet again.
For every wii fit (which was alright) and brain training (that actually works) there is a core equivalent. Twighlight princess and new super mario brothers.
Have you tried any of the games that have come out for it at all alot of the 3rd party games are as indie as they come. mind bending and a little different.
No more heroes, zack and wiki and trauma centre are hardly mainstream games and some of the best on the console.
I did like your analogy However you should of just compared nintendo to Coldplay and no other band. they started out as a cool indie band and are now a dull pop group that cater mainly to mums and dads.
Also nintendo have never had the most powerful machine of the gen, just the cleverest. (except the n64) which rocked but would have been much more successful had they given it a cd drive. that being the main reason for both final fantasy and metal gear going sony.
I have a feeling nintendo will be around for years to come. The company is over a hundred years old and they've made enough cash on the wii and handhelds over the years to ensure they will survive way into the future.
Yes I did own a Wii until September. The final nail in the Wii confin for me was Mario Kart Wii. They totally F***ked it up so I traded it in as it was taking up valuable shelf space.
Lets take a look at the games you mentioned. Wiifit is a gloried tech demo and should have been a freebie like Wiisports, Twilight Princess is a Gamecube game, No More Heroes was ok but flawed, The other games were either boring or NDS games which when ported to the Wii sufferd from poor contols.
Don't get me wrong I do like and respect Nintendo(although it's waning week by week). When they put their mind and creativity to work they can and have made some amzing genre defining games but as of late they have become stale.
If Nintendo listen to it's fans then we wouldn't have Friends Codes ruining online play, we would have had more than Animal Crossing and Wii Music for the Wii this Christmas and Ninrendo would have used the almighty Yen to get GTA and RE5 on the Wii with it's all new Hard Drive model.
Maybe the definition of a fan by Nintendo standards is the people who buy their casual gamer crap, think it's brilliant for the first 5 minutes and then go back to watching Eastenders and Celebrity Big Brother - I doubt the fact that I've liked Nintendo since the Game and Watch days means f**k all.
Ninty aren't to blame for 3rd-party games. They have released a few really good titles for the console. Of course they also released Wii Fit and Wii Music, which are unforgivable, and Wii Sports which is crap.
What 3rd-party devs need is some kind of incentive to make better games. Something like PEOPLE NOT BUYING THEM JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE NEW. Seriously. The number of people who I've seen go and buy a title they know is crap just because they want something to do is beyond a joke. And if they keep selling, they'll keep making them.
How games like the ones you mention "unforgivable" ? They're better than a lot of s**te that comes out. Soul Calibur Legends or tat like many of Ubi Soft's or Midway's games are unforgivable. Why? cos they're the same of crap that comes out year after year.
Nintendo chose to do something different and if it makes them money, why the hell would they care what someone like you thinks? At least they take risks in making stuff. Didn't Ubi say "we're gonna challenge Nintendo in making games for the Wii"? Either that or "we're gonna make Nintendo quality games". You'll never see it cos they don't have the balls or creativity to make anything like Nintendo or the likes of Capcom and other Japanese greats.
Don't think I single you out on here because I've commented on your comments. I single out what goes against logic. The 360 and PS3 equally have a lot of crap on there too. I'm not satisfied with just having a 360 so I have a Wii too. Why? Because I get bored of playing the same, boring crao year upon year so I don't buy those games and need something else to entertain me. People are way to easily satisfied playing the same games with better graphics
Having a Wii and one of the other consoles is great for variation. I divide my gaming time from playing some Galaxy/Metroid/RE:UC to Gears/Forza/GTAIV and I'm happy. The thing that bugs me about the Wii isn't the lack of storage space (I have a 2GB SD Card and it's enough) but how it's implemented. I mean, you have to move things from your card to the Wii memory if you want to play a game you have stored on it. Why can't you play games directly from the SD Card? And why can't you hear a preview of the song when you have it stored on the SD card in GH:WT? I'm suspecting it's part of the same problem. But as someone mentioned earlier an upgrade to SDHC would be nice. And the friend codes is a pain to use. That should really be sorted (and I expect it will) at least until the next console comes out.
As for the shovelware bit I'm still able to find good games for it so it's not really a problem for me. It's just a shame they're so far apart.
listening to fans?? now maybe... casual fans.. what about core fans who got the wii at launch after being promised so much but what was delivered didnt live up to the hype. I was a fan, now I'm an anti fan. So who cares? Well I'm sure Nintendo can cope without me but the PS3 seemed to offer me more of what I wanted so I took the leap and havent looked back. Flame me if you like but I don't consider the wii a true gamers machine. I see the PS3 and 360 as providing more gaming delights than the wii with their HD graphics, storage solution(!), great online service etc etc.. So listen to this Nintendo, I'm not coming back until you can offer much higher graphics quality, decent storage and above all proper 1st/3rd party games. goodbye
listening to fans?? now maybe... casual fans.. what about core fans who got the wii at launch after being promised so much but what was delivered didnt live up to the hype. I was a fan, now I'm an anti fan. So who cares? Well I'm sure Nintendo can cope without me but the PS3 seemed to offer me more of what I wanted so I took the leap and havent looked back. Flame me if you like but I don't consider the wii a true gamers machine. I see the PS3 and 360 as providing more gaming delights than the wii with their HD graphics, storage solution(!), great online service etc etc.. So listen to this Nintendo, I'm not coming back until you can offer much higher graphics quality, decent storage and above all proper 1st/3rd party games. goodbye
So do "True" gamers only play FPS games? I am sorry but I hate the idea that to be a true gamer you have to shun the wii. I have been gaming for 28 years and I see a lot of value in my wii (world of goo is getting plenty of play time at the moment). However I do wish there was more quality on the wii but then I wish there was more quality on my other consoles too. Unfortunately there seems to be a lack of quality games in general at the moment (although I am loving Mirrors Edge). It does seem that the small developers making games for the console online services are making more interesting games than the large developers at the moment.
So do "True" gamers only play FPS games? I am sorry but I hate the idea that to be a true gamer you have to shun the wii. I have been gaming for 28 years and I see a lot of value in my wii (world of goo is getting plenty of play time at the moment). However I do wish there was more quality on the wii but then I wish there was more quality on my other consoles too. Unfortunately there seems to be a lack of quality games in general at the moment (although I am loving Mirrors Edge). It does seem that the small developers making games for the console online services are making more interesting games than the large developers at the moment.
I couldn't agree with you more. My favourite game of last year was braid and world of goo is getting a lot of playtime for me at the moment.
If a hardcore gamer is an idiot that likes style over substance (graphics over gameplay) and only plays shooters than i'd be happy to be called casual as they haven't forgotton what gaming is all about. HAving fun.
It doesn't matter if the game doesn't have 1080p support or surround sound. Its just fluff.
They turn around and call the wii a shallow console. when they sit and play the same damn game again with shinier graphics and more things to shoot.
Totally what leefear1 said. To be a 'true' gamer, is all that we have to play are boring, repetitive FPS anf sports games? And I couldn't give a crap if the 360's getting more JRPGs cos they're pretty much all the same. Games like GTA 4 and Gears of War 2 are fun (though highly flawed and far from perfect). But s**te like CoD (I'm sorry, it is and its also a yearly cash in game now), FIFA et al are far from interesting to consider purchasing and then labelling myself as a 'true' gamer.
People who came out with that stupid label should get their heads out of their bottoms. Much as I like HD graphics, the games I have on my Wii look great on my TV (which is HD). I don't really get bowled over by the generally most of the games that do come out, unless they do make a push like the GoW games, Bioshock or Soul Calibur 4.
Obviously for some people it's ALL about the HD graphics and HDD. Personally it isn't an issue for me. A 720p resolution would have been nice but 480p is more than adequate for now.
The storage solution as a couple of posts have already mentioned is looking to be resolved using the current SD card. If they can make use of the 2GB card for DLC with instant access to read direct from it then I believe again this will be more than sufficient for now. If somehow they can create a firmware to allow for HCSD - even better!
I think Nintendo are listening, OK so they are a bit slow on the uptake but things have and are changing.
Online was never top of their agenda and although by no means perfect we do have many classic VC titles on offer, new WiiWare games like World of Goo, an Internet browser, DS demos... more Wii games are beginning to include online multiplayer, and with the release of WiiSpeak hopefully more will offer voice chat too. I don't mind inputting a friend code once - but different ones for different games is a joke - and again I believe this is being looked into.
3rd parties are starting to put more effort in FIFA 09, Tiger Woods 09, CoD W@W, WWE 2009, Tomb Raider Underworld are all beginning to match the next gen versions in games content and modes which is a good sign. I hope Codemasters can finally give Wii owners a decent racing game (Mario Karts excluded) with Colin McRae 2 (what they achieved with GRID on DS was astounding)
I'm keeping hold of my Wii to sit alongside the 360, with the Motion Plus offering true 1:1 motion, online being implemented, voice chat on offer & the hope of storage being resolved to allow for decent sized DLC - 2009 should be the year the Wii can really shine. Oh and don't forget the new Zelda and Mario are on the horizon too.
Eclipse DJ: You pretty much summed it up And I would also love a real racing game. Thankfully I have access to an Xbox so it's not really a problem to find racers, but still.
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