It just seems that more and more developers die off every year, and eventually all that's gonna be left it EA, Ubisoft, and Activision, each with two or three dev teams each.
... and Atlus. They'll still be there making us all wonder why nobody else can make money in the mid-tier.
Atlus pretty much has "niche RPG publisher/developer" on lockdown. I don't know how they do it, but they always seem to be fine with smaller sales numbers. Probably doesn't hurt to have a dedicated fanbase.
I wonder if the not spending multiple times the dev cost on marketing thing talked about upthread contributes to atlus being able to live off niche titles
Doesn't Atlus simply import/localize more titles than fully develop? All they're paying for is the licensing and localization staff for the most part. They don't even need to advertise because the Atlus name carries huge brand recognition among fans.
Overall, Gran Turismo 5 took more than five years to complete, with a total cost estimated at approximately $80 million, making it the second most expensive game in history to be developed, just behind Grand Theft Auto IV.
Gran Turismo games are never "released" in a conventional sense. The series is simply the same game that is constantly being worked on and improved, and every four or five years someone at Sony holds a gun to Kaz's head and forces him to press what they've got so far onto disc.
SmokeStacks on
0
AriviaI Like A ChallengeEarth-1Registered Userregular
It just seems that more and more developers die off every year, and eventually all that's gonna be left it EA, Ubisoft, and Activision, each with two or three dev teams each.
... and Atlus. They'll still be there making us all wonder why nobody else can make money in the mid-tier.
Atlus pretty much has "niche RPG publisher/developer" on lockdown. I don't know how they do it, but they always seem to be fine with smaller sales numbers. Probably doesn't hurt to have a dedicated fanbase.
I wonder if the not spending multiple times the dev cost on marketing thing talked about upthread contributes to atlus being able to live off niche titles
Doesn't Atlus simply import/localize more titles than fully develop? All they're paying for is the licensing and localization staff for the most part. They don't even need to advertise because the Atlus name carries huge brand recognition among fans.
Atlus USA does localize a bunch of titles as publisher, but among those are a whole host of titles developed by Atlus JPN. Titles such as Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 and Etrian Odyssey.
I really think the whole 3A thing is going to continue to push Indie developers into the front. Knowing how to use the internet effectively to market, know how to spread word of mouth, and making fun games on a tight budget is really the way to go to make nice profits.
I would say that a lot of indies actually don't know how to do that. Often they have to use internet channels because that's all they've got, they don't have money to do any additional marketing. And a lot of devs might be great at development, but really bad at the business side. It's definitely not easy, even when you're trying to pay attention.
For the first ten minutes of Nintendo's E3 2012 press conference, it was all okay again. Microsoft and Sony's presentations showed us little in the way of straight up fun, and here was kooky old Nintendo, about to make us love them all over again. The future is bright and games are great again.
Miyamoto's cute pre-amble and Pikmin 3's smart use of the Wii U tech was almost too perfect. When Reggie took to the stage, his promise of 23 Wii U games stirred a genuine heart-pounding thrill in this jaded old hack's blackening heart. We've got so many games, he insisted, we don't even have time to talk about 3DS.
This is it. Nintendo are back. We'll see a string of unique uses for the GamePad that showcase what Nintendo's brilliant internal studios have been doing.
We'll see a few of those 'smaller projects' that Miyamoto has been teasing, sensibly priced to headline Wii U's download service. We'll see some showstopping third party games, all ready for launch. We'll see the gasp-inducing return of Nintendo's most loved characters in beautiful, long-overdue high definition. Reggie, Iwata and Miyamoto will be cheered off the stage as industry heroes, and we'll all have reason to believe again.
What we wanted - actually, what E3 needed - was Nintendo to show us and the wider world that videogames aren't just about big stupid explosions and endless HD ultraviolence.
They showed us a little of that magic, but not enough. Even the most enthusiastic fan must know in their heart that Nintendo failed to really shine when the industry needed them most. It left E3 2012 feeling soulless, and worst of all, kind of nasty.
Is this really what videogames are now? Blood-splattered shooters and Uncharted-alikes? What if I don't want to be a grizzly everyman with a gun and a score to settle? What if I play games simply to be entertained, or to escape?
Remember games without execution moves? In the soul-searching that has followed E3 2012, it's obvious that more than ever, the industry needs a much larger helping of Nintendo's brand of colourful, inventive and accessible play.
Microsoft and Sony might not want to admit it, but Nintendo has always been gaming's spiritual leader. Predictably, the Xbox and PlayStation conferences took aim at the core gamer while lumping some dancing game and kiddy stuff onto the side.
To borrow Miyamoto's famous phrase, Nintendo's E3 2012 had to upend the teatable: We are Nintendo. This is Wii U. Games are colourful and fun again, and we've got loads of 'em ready for launch. Even your nan can have a go.
The epiphany that Wii Sports inspired simply hasn't surfaced with Wii U. That particular killer app struck the industry with the sudden realisation that, post GTA, obsessing over the males-in-their-twenties market isn't really ambitious enough. With Wii, Nintendo put out a welcoming hand to anyone who's ever just wanted to be surprised and delighted by what a smart, original piece of technology can do.
Back in 2006, it was a tangible, unique thrill to swing a Wii Remote and see your movements replicated on screen. It sparked a phenomenon. In one memorable PR masterstroke, the tabloid press reported that the Queen herself played Wii Sports at Christmas.
Wii permeated the public consciousness to such an extent that the world almost forgot it was a console named after taking a whizz. Kinect and Move followed suit. Again, Nintendo had led the way. The clarity of Nintendo's vision with DS was just as successful.
And for a while, Nintendo's rampant success lent the industry a newfound respectability. After the Queen's recreational waggling, there were stories in the mainstream press about grannies playing Brain Training and people keeping in shape with Wii Fit. Slowly, but surely, Nintendo managed to swap the usual 'Murder By PlayStation' stories for genuinely positive, genuinely mainstream games coverage.
Since then, those ideals have sadly been diluted by the perceived need to woo the hardcore. E3 2012 proved that without Nintendo's confidence and trailblazing leadership, perceptions of the games industry revert back what they once were.
Wii U will bring back the colour Worst of all, everyone else carries on churning out the same old stuff. Triple-A games become increasingly violent, bloody and exclusively targeted at those twentysomething males. What about the vast swathe of families and kids that just want a little light entertainment?
Nintendo's failure to excite and assert its values on this year's industry showcase leaves the games industry in a much darker place. Give me colour, new ideas and a reason to smile. Don't give me harrowing cut scenes and six different ways to jab a knife in some guy's neck. I've had enough.
When Nintendo stops worrying about courting the hardcore and reclaims its rightful place as the playful, friendly and fun face of videogames, it will thrive again.
This year's post-E3 hand-wringing tells me that we've never needed Nintendo's bright and breezy bonhomie more than right now. Forget the hardcore, Nintendo. Bring us fun family games by the boatful and the Wii U will be a roaring success.
I've been saying this for years.
But it's not 2006 anymore, and the Wii is in decline. They didn't pay enough attention to the core audience and the system is filled to the brim with shovelware. The "fun family games" he wants so badly are here and they are awful.
I have a bias since I'm what most would call the hardcore audience. I look for games that push the medium forward. We can do that with bright blue skies in our games that are fun and friendly, but trying to reach everyone didn't work forever. The people who don't let their consoles collect dust are the ones like me.
I really think the whole 3A thing is going to continue to push Indie developers into the front. Knowing how to use the internet effectively to market, know how to spread word of mouth, and making fun games on a tight budget is really the way to go to make nice profits. Slash and Rainbow, I've been curious about this for a while, but how much profit have you guys actually made off of your games? I'm assuming it's more than enough to keep the two of you afloat, and possibly more than you made per year before you started developing, right?
That seems to be the way to do it now, and until publishers realize that their way is starting to border on complete insanity the indie devs are going to be the ones more often making actual money.
Can't give specific figures, but if you look at time spent vs money earned, we've earned a decent living from our games so far.
One of the big problems with indie game development is that you don't get any money upfront to develop a game. So you might get a year's worth of salary from that game that took you a year to develop, but you don't get any of that money until the game is actually been out and selling.
Of course, my hope is that Rain-Slick 3 won't just sell decently but will be a massive success so if, say, we wanted to spend 2-3 years on a game or make something esoteric with low commercial appeal, we could without worrying about how to pay the bills.
For the first ten minutes of Nintendo's E3 2012 press conference, it was all okay again. Microsoft and Sony's presentations showed us little in the way of straight up fun, and here was kooky old Nintendo, about to make us love them all over again. The future is bright and games are great again.
Miyamoto's cute pre-amble and Pikmin 3's smart use of the Wii U tech was almost too perfect. When Reggie took to the stage, his promise of 23 Wii U games stirred a genuine heart-pounding thrill in this jaded old hack's blackening heart. We've got so many games, he insisted, we don't even have time to talk about 3DS.
This is it. Nintendo are back. We'll see a string of unique uses for the GamePad that showcase what Nintendo's brilliant internal studios have been doing.
We'll see a few of those 'smaller projects' that Miyamoto has been teasing, sensibly priced to headline Wii U's download service. We'll see some showstopping third party games, all ready for launch. We'll see the gasp-inducing return of Nintendo's most loved characters in beautiful, long-overdue high definition. Reggie, Iwata and Miyamoto will be cheered off the stage as industry heroes, and we'll all have reason to believe again.
What we wanted - actually, what E3 needed - was Nintendo to show us and the wider world that videogames aren't just about big stupid explosions and endless HD ultraviolence.
They showed us a little of that magic, but not enough. Even the most enthusiastic fan must know in their heart that Nintendo failed to really shine when the industry needed them most. It left E3 2012 feeling soulless, and worst of all, kind of nasty.
Is this really what videogames are now? Blood-splattered shooters and Uncharted-alikes? What if I don't want to be a grizzly everyman with a gun and a score to settle? What if I play games simply to be entertained, or to escape?
Remember games without execution moves? In the soul-searching that has followed E3 2012, it's obvious that more than ever, the industry needs a much larger helping of Nintendo's brand of colourful, inventive and accessible play.
Microsoft and Sony might not want to admit it, but Nintendo has always been gaming's spiritual leader. Predictably, the Xbox and PlayStation conferences took aim at the core gamer while lumping some dancing game and kiddy stuff onto the side.
To borrow Miyamoto's famous phrase, Nintendo's E3 2012 had to upend the teatable: We are Nintendo. This is Wii U. Games are colourful and fun again, and we've got loads of 'em ready for launch. Even your nan can have a go.
The epiphany that Wii Sports inspired simply hasn't surfaced with Wii U. That particular killer app struck the industry with the sudden realisation that, post GTA, obsessing over the males-in-their-twenties market isn't really ambitious enough. With Wii, Nintendo put out a welcoming hand to anyone who's ever just wanted to be surprised and delighted by what a smart, original piece of technology can do.
Back in 2006, it was a tangible, unique thrill to swing a Wii Remote and see your movements replicated on screen. It sparked a phenomenon. In one memorable PR masterstroke, the tabloid press reported that the Queen herself played Wii Sports at Christmas.
Wii permeated the public consciousness to such an extent that the world almost forgot it was a console named after taking a whizz. Kinect and Move followed suit. Again, Nintendo had led the way. The clarity of Nintendo's vision with DS was just as successful.
And for a while, Nintendo's rampant success lent the industry a newfound respectability. After the Queen's recreational waggling, there were stories in the mainstream press about grannies playing Brain Training and people keeping in shape with Wii Fit. Slowly, but surely, Nintendo managed to swap the usual 'Murder By PlayStation' stories for genuinely positive, genuinely mainstream games coverage.
Since then, those ideals have sadly been diluted by the perceived need to woo the hardcore. E3 2012 proved that without Nintendo's confidence and trailblazing leadership, perceptions of the games industry revert back what they once were.
Wii U will bring back the colour Worst of all, everyone else carries on churning out the same old stuff. Triple-A games become increasingly violent, bloody and exclusively targeted at those twentysomething males. What about the vast swathe of families and kids that just want a little light entertainment?
Nintendo's failure to excite and assert its values on this year's industry showcase leaves the games industry in a much darker place. Give me colour, new ideas and a reason to smile. Don't give me harrowing cut scenes and six different ways to jab a knife in some guy's neck. I've had enough.
When Nintendo stops worrying about courting the hardcore and reclaims its rightful place as the playful, friendly and fun face of videogames, it will thrive again.
This year's post-E3 hand-wringing tells me that we've never needed Nintendo's bright and breezy bonhomie more than right now. Forget the hardcore, Nintendo. Bring us fun family games by the boatful and the Wii U will be a roaring success.
I've been saying this for years.
But it's not 2006 anymore, and the Wii is in decline. They didn't pay enough attention to the core audience and the system is filled to the brim with shovelware. The "fun family games" he wants so badly are here and they are awful.
I have a bias since I'm what most would call the hardcore audience. I look for games that push the medium forward. We can do that with bright blue skies in our games that are fun and friendly, but trying to reach everyone didn't work forever. The people who don't let their consoles collect dust are the ones like me.
The Wii is in decline because one generation is coming to a close and a new one is starting this November.
The system is filled with shovelware because it's the most popular platform, the same way the PS2, PSX, NES, and 2600 that preceded it were filled with shovelware.
I won't even touch that sentence with the word dust in it because it makes no sense.
Capcom should have promoted Dragon's Dogma more, but expecting 1.5m sales over the course of a year is not that unreasonable from them. The game has done almost half that much in less than a month on Japan. A PC port will probably come down the road as it runs on MT Framework and ports from that engine run on somewhat reasonable hardware.
Unless it has absolutely no tail and fails to even break 1M, there is no way they won't make a sequel after they've built such a robust gameplay engine.
Capcom wouldn't know how to promote a hit if they had it in their hands.
I can still remember the previous generation had these horrible Mega Man commercials that was trying to aim at the kid demographic showing random footage as kids chanted "Blue blue blue blue".
I doubt most kids these days care about side scrollers, especially ones that cater to a niche that like having cheap deaths.
But it's not 2006 anymore, and the Wii is in decline. They didn't pay enough attention to the core audience and the system is filled to the brim with shovelware. The "fun family games" he wants so badly are here and they are awful.
I have a bias since I'm what most would call the hardcore audience. I look for games that push the medium forward. We can do that with bright blue skies in our games that are fun and friendly, but trying to reach everyone didn't work forever. The people who don't let their consoles collect dust are the ones like me.
So, do the other consoles push the medium forward? Is that the assumption I should come away with? They're pushing game budgets forward, that's for sure...
But it's not 2006 anymore, and the Wii is in decline. They didn't pay enough attention to the core audience and the system is filled to the brim with shovelware. The "fun family games" he wants so badly are here and they are awful.
I have a bias since I'm what most would call the hardcore audience. I look for games that push the medium forward. We can do that with bright blue skies in our games that are fun and friendly, but trying to reach everyone didn't work forever. The people who don't let their consoles collect dust are the ones like me.
So, do the other consoles push the medium forward? Is that the assumption I should come away with? They're pushing game budgets forward, that's for sure...
I can't say any single system is pushing the medium forward, but people are trying and I think the idea of just making fun toys that everyone can play will not do it. There is a balance to be struck between a console strictly for hardcore gamers and a console strictly for casual gamers. I see casual gaming as being where the money is, but the hardcore experience is where new ground is broken.
0
Warlock82Never pet a burning dogRegistered Userregular
But it's not 2006 anymore, and the Wii is in decline. They didn't pay enough attention to the core audience and the system is filled to the brim with shovelware. The "fun family games" he wants so badly are here and they are awful.
I have a bias since I'm what most would call the hardcore audience. I look for games that push the medium forward. We can do that with bright blue skies in our games that are fun and friendly, but trying to reach everyone didn't work forever. The people who don't let their consoles collect dust are the ones like me.
So, do the other consoles push the medium forward? Is that the assumption I should come away with? They're pushing game budgets forward, that's for sure...
I can't say any single system is pushing the medium forward, but people are trying and I think the idea of just making fun toys that everyone can play will not do it. There is a balance to be struck between a console strictly for hardcore gamers and a console strictly for casual gamers. I see casual gaming as being where the money is, but the hardcore experience is where new ground is broken.
Huh? This is like the exact opposite of what happened with Wii... I mean, what new ground was broken with PS3/360 this gen? Maybe Skylanders, but I wouldn't call that hardcore...
I have to ask, did the guy in that article even watch Sony's press conference? You know, where they took 20 minutes to show off that goofy storybook technology? Or the Little Big Planet kart racer? Or the Super Smash Bros knockoff? Hell, in past years, Microsoft would often cram their conferences full of kid friendly kinect stuff: this guy is acting like the world was starved for something not filled with hardcore murderfesting until the great and good Nintendo happened along.
Capcom should have promoted Dragon's Dogma more, but expecting 1.5m sales over the course of a year is not that unreasonable from them. The game has done almost half that much in less than a month on Japan. A PC port will probably come down the road as it runs on MT Framework and ports from that engine run on somewhat reasonable hardware.
Yeah, I'd buy it on the PC.
Steam- SteveBartz Xbox Live- SteveBartz PSN Name- SteveBartz
Capcom should have promoted Dragon's Dogma more, but expecting 1.5m sales over the course of a year is not that unreasonable from them. The game has done almost half that much in less than a month on Japan. A PC port will probably come down the road as it runs on MT Framework and ports from that engine run on somewhat reasonable hardware.
Yeah, I'd buy it on the PC.
I think a ton of people would.
I was shocked there was no PC port at release. It's in a genre that screams for PC release.
Capcom should have promoted Dragon's Dogma more, but expecting 1.5m sales over the course of a year is not that unreasonable from them. The game has done almost half that much in less than a month on Japan. A PC port will probably come down the road as it runs on MT Framework and ports from that engine run on somewhat reasonable hardware.
Yeah, I'd buy it on the PC.
I think a ton of people would.
I was shocked there was no PC port at release. It's in a genre that screams for PC release.
Capcom's newest modus operandi seems to be, "We have the PC version of whatever newest MT Framework game ready to go, but we're going to delay it because that somehow reduces piracy."
Capcom should have promoted Dragon's Dogma more, but expecting 1.5m sales over the course of a year is not that unreasonable from them. The game has done almost half that much in less than a month on Japan. A PC port will probably come down the road as it runs on MT Framework and ports from that engine run on somewhat reasonable hardware.
Yeah, I'd buy it on the PC.
I think a ton of people would.
I was shocked there was no PC port at release. It's in a genre that screams for PC release.
Capcom's newest modus operandi seems to be, "We have the PC version of whatever newest MT Framework game ready to go, but we're going to delay it because that somehow reduces piracy."
They should have just required an always-on connection. That'll do it! :ar!
But it's not 2006 anymore, and the Wii is in decline. They didn't pay enough attention to the core audience and the system is filled to the brim with shovelware. The "fun family games" he wants so badly are here and they are awful.
I have a bias since I'm what most would call the hardcore audience. I look for games that push the medium forward. We can do that with bright blue skies in our games that are fun and friendly, but trying to reach everyone didn't work forever. The people who don't let their consoles collect dust are the ones like me.
So, do the other consoles push the medium forward? Is that the assumption I should come away with? They're pushing game budgets forward, that's for sure...
I can't say any single system is pushing the medium forward, but people are trying and I think the idea of just making fun toys that everyone can play will not do it. There is a balance to be struck between a console strictly for hardcore gamers and a console strictly for casual gamers. I see casual gaming as being where the money is, but the hardcore experience is where new ground is broken.
I guess my question is, what's your definition of "moving the medium forward?" I'm getting a "more realistic graphics" vibe, so maybe you can tell me I'm wrong. In my opinion, the new ground is being broken on the PC and in mobile right now because of the low barriers to entry. Maybe to some extent XBLIG and PSN...
Capcom should have promoted Dragon's Dogma more, but expecting 1.5m sales over the course of a year is not that unreasonable from them. The game has done almost half that much in less than a month on Japan. A PC port will probably come down the road as it runs on MT Framework and ports from that engine run on somewhat reasonable hardware.
Yeah, I'd buy it on the PC.
I think a ton of people would.
I was shocked there was no PC port at release. It's in a genre that screams for PC release.
Capcom's newest modus operandi seems to be, "We have the PC version of whatever newest MT Framework game ready to go, but we're going to delay it because that somehow reduces piracy."
This is the sentiment that is slowly killing video games (not that it's dying at all, in fact it's flourishing...using sarcasm here). I am so god damn tired of "OH GOD PIRATES!" effecting my games. Thieves have existed for ever stop pandering to the idea that you can some how beat them, Video Game Producer Guys. You never will. Just make good games, we'll buy them.
But it's not 2006 anymore, and the Wii is in decline. They didn't pay enough attention to the core audience and the system is filled to the brim with shovelware. The "fun family games" he wants so badly are here and they are awful.
I have a bias since I'm what most would call the hardcore audience. I look for games that push the medium forward. We can do that with bright blue skies in our games that are fun and friendly, but trying to reach everyone didn't work forever. The people who don't let their consoles collect dust are the ones like me.
So, do the other consoles push the medium forward? Is that the assumption I should come away with? They're pushing game budgets forward, that's for sure...
I can't say any single system is pushing the medium forward, but people are trying and I think the idea of just making fun toys that everyone can play will not do it. There is a balance to be struck between a console strictly for hardcore gamers and a console strictly for casual gamers. I see casual gaming as being where the money is, but the hardcore experience is where new ground is broken.
You say that as if "fun toys that everyone can play" isn't the very definition of a video game console.
Capcom should have promoted Dragon's Dogma more, but expecting 1.5m sales over the course of a year is not that unreasonable from them. The game has done almost half that much in less than a month on Japan. A PC port will probably come down the road as it runs on MT Framework and ports from that engine run on somewhat reasonable hardware.
Yeah, I'd buy it on the PC.
I think a ton of people would.
I was shocked there was no PC port at release. It's in a genre that screams for PC release.
Capcom's newest modus operandi seems to be, "We have the PC version of whatever newest MT Framework game ready to go, but we're going to delay it because that somehow reduces piracy."
This is the sentiment that is slowly killing video games (not that it's dying at all, in fact it's flourishing...using sarcasm here). I am so god damn tired of "OH GOD PIRATES!" effecting my games. Thieves have existed for ever stop pandering to the idea that you can some how beat them, Video Game Producer Guys. You never will. Just make good games, we'll buy them.
On the other hand, Diablo 3 has the most obtrusive DRM imaginable and apparently it's the fastest selling PC game of all time. Would the game have sold as well if it was easier to pirate? I don't know.
I remember when games used to sell new for $80+. I got a copy of Chrono Trigger on the Super Nintendo a few weeks after launch and paid $84.99 for it. It was worth it back then, but it almost seems like developers are caught between a rock and a hard place these days as far as costs and profit. That's one of the things that lead to the shift away from cartridges and to CDs and DVDs for games (besides storage and size, I mean), and it might mark the beginning of the end for physical copies of games- digital distribution will be seen as cheaper, and it would remove all the physical costs of storing, producing, and shipping all those physical copies of games all over the world.
Either they put out ridiculous sales goals ("5 million copies or no sequel for you!") and settle into shoveling sequels and movie tie-in games, or they raise prices and risk pissing off the fans and shrinking their markets (hoping to sell 80K copies at $80 rather than 100K at $60). It reminds me of exactly what happened back when the jump was made to disc.
As far as the PS Vita, well, the marketing angle Sony pushed made the Vita look more like a peripheral for the PS3 than a standalone system- completely reversing Nintendo's tried-and-true marketing strategy: Make sure your portable system can stand on its own first, with solid titles, before you try to pitch something to link it up with your home console. Sony made the mistake of simply trying to get people to buy the same game twice (something that they should have learned doesn't fly when they stuck gamers with UMD discs and required them to buy games and movies and content all over again). I haven't seen a Vita title I'd like to play enough that it would make me purchase a system, and honestly, Sony needs to take a step back and ask themselves if they should really stay in the portable business at this point.
Capcom should have promoted Dragon's Dogma more, but expecting 1.5m sales over the course of a year is not that unreasonable from them. The game has done almost half that much in less than a month on Japan. A PC port will probably come down the road as it runs on MT Framework and ports from that engine run on somewhat reasonable hardware.
Yeah, I'd buy it on the PC.
I think a ton of people would.
I was shocked there was no PC port at release. It's in a genre that screams for PC release.
Capcom's newest modus operandi seems to be, "We have the PC version of whatever newest MT Framework game ready to go, but we're going to delay it because that somehow reduces piracy."
This is the sentiment that is slowly killing video games (not that it's dying at all, in fact it's flourishing...using sarcasm here). I am so god damn tired of "OH GOD PIRATES!" effecting my games. Thieves have existed for ever stop pandering to the idea that you can some how beat them, Video Game Producer Guys. You never will. Just make good games, we'll buy them.
On the other hand, Diablo 3 has the most obtrusive DRM imaginable and apparently it's the fastest selling PC game of all time. Would the game have sold as well if it was easier to pirate? I don't know.
Diablo has been in large part an online game for awhile though.
Plus, the DRM was more a side-effect of shutting down dupes and hacks and such in the game.
Capcom should have promoted Dragon's Dogma more, but expecting 1.5m sales over the course of a year is not that unreasonable from them. The game has done almost half that much in less than a month on Japan. A PC port will probably come down the road as it runs on MT Framework and ports from that engine run on somewhat reasonable hardware.
Yeah, I'd buy it on the PC.
I think a ton of people would.
I was shocked there was no PC port at release. It's in a genre that screams for PC release.
Capcom's newest modus operandi seems to be, "We have the PC version of whatever newest MT Framework game ready to go, but we're going to delay it because that somehow reduces piracy."
This is the sentiment that is slowly killing video games (not that it's dying at all, in fact it's flourishing...using sarcasm here). I am so god damn tired of "OH GOD PIRATES!" effecting my games. Thieves have existed for ever stop pandering to the idea that you can some how beat them, Video Game Producer Guys. You never will. Just make good games, we'll buy them.
On the other hand, Diablo 3 has the most obtrusive DRM imaginable and apparently it's the fastest selling PC game of all time. Would the game have sold as well if it was easier to pirate? I don't know.
But it's not 2006 anymore, and the Wii is in decline. They didn't pay enough attention to the core audience and the system is filled to the brim with shovelware. The "fun family games" he wants so badly are here and they are awful.
I have a bias since I'm what most would call the hardcore audience. I look for games that push the medium forward. We can do that with bright blue skies in our games that are fun and friendly, but trying to reach everyone didn't work forever. The people who don't let their consoles collect dust are the ones like me.
So, do the other consoles push the medium forward? Is that the assumption I should come away with? They're pushing game budgets forward, that's for sure...
I can't say any single system is pushing the medium forward, but people are trying and I think the idea of just making fun toys that everyone can play will not do it. There is a balance to be struck between a console strictly for hardcore gamers and a console strictly for casual gamers. I see casual gaming as being where the money is, but the hardcore experience is where new ground is broken.
I guess my question is, what's your definition of "moving the medium forward?" I'm getting a "more realistic graphics" vibe, so maybe you can tell me I'm wrong. In my opinion, the new ground is being broken on the PC and in mobile right now because of the low barriers to entry. Maybe to some extent XBLIG and PSN...
Graphics? Absolutely not. If we stop where we are for multiple generations, I'm fine with that. New graphics aren't all that appealing to me. I would like to see consoles with more CPU power more than anything else.
The things I think we need to move forward are more advanced AI, better storytelling, and continuing innovation in interfacing. I think the current CPU power and limited size of console games are hamstringing them so it'd be nice to see those problems get solved.
But it's not 2006 anymore, and the Wii is in decline. They didn't pay enough attention to the core audience and the system is filled to the brim with shovelware. The "fun family games" he wants so badly are here and they are awful.
I have a bias since I'm what most would call the hardcore audience. I look for games that push the medium forward. We can do that with bright blue skies in our games that are fun and friendly, but trying to reach everyone didn't work forever. The people who don't let their consoles collect dust are the ones like me.
So, do the other consoles push the medium forward? Is that the assumption I should come away with? They're pushing game budgets forward, that's for sure...
I can't say any single system is pushing the medium forward, but people are trying and I think the idea of just making fun toys that everyone can play will not do it. There is a balance to be struck between a console strictly for hardcore gamers and a console strictly for casual gamers. I see casual gaming as being where the money is, but the hardcore experience is where new ground is broken.
Huh? This is like the exact opposite of what happened with Wii... I mean, what new ground was broken with PS3/360 this gen? Maybe Skylanders, but I wouldn't call that hardcore...
The Wii did innovate. Motion controls opened up a lot of potential. It's not the console that is important, it's the mindset of the people making games. We can continue to see Wii Sports, Wii Fit, etc. but that feels like a waste of a good platform. The article gives me the distinct feeling that all he wants are more casual games for casual people. It's personal opinion that separates us, so all I can say is that I don't want to see gaming go that way. I'm also not certain it would survive.
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MaddocI'm Bobbin Threadbare, are you my mother?Registered Userregular
Capcom should have promoted Dragon's Dogma more, but expecting 1.5m sales over the course of a year is not that unreasonable from them. The game has done almost half that much in less than a month on Japan. A PC port will probably come down the road as it runs on MT Framework and ports from that engine run on somewhat reasonable hardware.
Yeah, I'd buy it on the PC.
I think a ton of people would.
I was shocked there was no PC port at release. It's in a genre that screams for PC release.
Capcom's newest modus operandi seems to be, "We have the PC version of whatever newest MT Framework game ready to go, but we're going to delay it because that somehow reduces piracy."
They should have just required an always-on connection. That'll do it! :ar!
While I realize you're being facetious here, there are a number of major features in DD that require it to be online while playing.
But it's not 2006 anymore, and the Wii is in decline. They didn't pay enough attention to the core audience and the system is filled to the brim with shovelware. The "fun family games" he wants so badly are here and they are awful.
I have a bias since I'm what most would call the hardcore audience. I look for games that push the medium forward. We can do that with bright blue skies in our games that are fun and friendly, but trying to reach everyone didn't work forever. The people who don't let their consoles collect dust are the ones like me.
So, do the other consoles push the medium forward? Is that the assumption I should come away with? They're pushing game budgets forward, that's for sure...
I can't say any single system is pushing the medium forward, but people are trying and I think the idea of just making fun toys that everyone can play will not do it. There is a balance to be struck between a console strictly for hardcore gamers and a console strictly for casual gamers. I see casual gaming as being where the money is, but the hardcore experience is where new ground is broken.
Huh? This is like the exact opposite of what happened with Wii... I mean, what new ground was broken with PS3/360 this gen? Maybe Skylanders, but I wouldn't call that hardcore...
The Wii did innovate. Motion controls opened up a lot of potential. It's not the console that is important, it's the mindset of the people making games. We can continue to see Wii Sports, Wii Fit, etc. but that feels like a waste of a good platform. The article gives me the distinct feeling that all he wants are more casual games for casual people. It's personal opinion that separates us, so all I can say is that I don't want to see gaming go that way. I'm also not certain it would survive.
Nintendo /= casual
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But it's not 2006 anymore, and the Wii is in decline. They didn't pay enough attention to the core audience and the system is filled to the brim with shovelware. The "fun family games" he wants so badly are here and they are awful.
I have a bias since I'm what most would call the hardcore audience. I look for games that push the medium forward. We can do that with bright blue skies in our games that are fun and friendly, but trying to reach everyone didn't work forever. The people who don't let their consoles collect dust are the ones like me.
So, do the other consoles push the medium forward? Is that the assumption I should come away with? They're pushing game budgets forward, that's for sure...
I can't say any single system is pushing the medium forward, but people are trying and I think the idea of just making fun toys that everyone can play will not do it. There is a balance to be struck between a console strictly for hardcore gamers and a console strictly for casual gamers. I see casual gaming as being where the money is, but the hardcore experience is where new ground is broken.
Huh? This is like the exact opposite of what happened with Wii... I mean, what new ground was broken with PS3/360 this gen? Maybe Skylanders, but I wouldn't call that hardcore...
The Wii did innovate. Motion controls opened up a lot of potential. It's not the console that is important, it's the mindset of the people making games. We can continue to see Wii Sports, Wii Fit, etc. but that feels like a waste of a good platform. The article gives me the distinct feeling that all he wants are more casual games for casual people. It's personal opinion that separates us, so all I can say is that I don't want to see gaming go that way. I'm also not certain it would survive.
Nintendo /= casual
That's a strawman and I won't argue it. I shared my opinion and I have nothing left to say.
I remember when games used to sell new for $80+. I got a copy of Chrono Trigger on the Super Nintendo a few weeks after launch and paid $84.99 for it. It was worth it back then, but it almost seems like developers are caught between a rock and a hard place these days as far as costs and profit. That's one of the things that lead to the shift away from cartridges and to CDs and DVDs for games (besides storage and size, I mean), and it might mark the beginning of the end for physical copies of games- digital distribution will be seen as cheaper, and it would remove all the physical costs of storing, producing, and shipping all those physical copies of games all over the world.
The vast majority of those super expensive 16-bit games were RPGs though. It made sense to overprice them because RPGs were still niche back then. I mean, Final Fantasy VI - arguably the most iconic SNES RPG of all time - didn't even break 1 million sales worldwide if you exclude Japan (where it sold a couple million).
Sony made the mistake of simply trying to get people to buy the same game twice (something that they should have learned doesn't fly when they stuck gamers with UMD discs and required them to buy games and movies and content all over again).
Ports aren't just (or even primarily) for people who already own the game. I mean, I imagine most people who own Mass Effect 3 already aren't going to rush out and buy the WiiU version when it comes out.
And hey, a portable version of a game can be enough to convince someone who was on the fence to pick it up. I have a PS3 & a 360 but I'd much rather pick up games like Rayman Origins & BlazBlue (neither of which I own yet) on the Vita because I'd rather play them on a portable system.
why does the medium need to be 'pushed forward,' anyway
I'm reasonably confident at this point that if you're talking about 'pushing the medium forward' or 'reinventing' well, anything, you probably aren't doing either of those things.
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MaddocI'm Bobbin Threadbare, are you my mother?Registered Userregular
I'm perfectly happy with improving the medium as it stands without reinventing it every few years.
Capcom should have promoted Dragon's Dogma more, but expecting 1.5m sales over the course of a year is not that unreasonable from them. The game has done almost half that much in less than a month on Japan. A PC port will probably come down the road as it runs on MT Framework and ports from that engine run on somewhat reasonable hardware.
Yeah, I'd buy it on the PC.
I think a ton of people would.
I was shocked there was no PC port at release. It's in a genre that screams for PC release.
Capcom's newest modus operandi seems to be, "We have the PC version of whatever newest MT Framework game ready to go, but we're going to delay it because that somehow reduces piracy."
This is the sentiment that is slowly killing video games (not that it's dying at all, in fact it's flourishing...using sarcasm here). I am so god damn tired of "OH GOD PIRATES!" effecting my games. Thieves have existed for ever stop pandering to the idea that you can some how beat them, Video Game Producer Guys. You never will. Just make good games, we'll buy them.
On the other hand, Diablo 3 has the most obtrusive DRM imaginable and apparently it's the fastest selling PC game of all time. Would the game have sold as well if it was easier to pirate? I don't know.
Diablo has been in large part an online game for awhile though.
Plus, the DRM was more a side-effect of shutting down dupes and hacks and such in the game.
I heard that there was some duping happening and botters are already running around so the DRM hasn't really done much than keep buyers from playing it.
Hell I can't play it at times of the day due to latency, I don't even play with other people.
why does the medium need to be 'pushed forward,' anyway
I'm reasonably confident at this point that if you're talking about 'pushing the medium forward' or 'reinventing' well, anything, you probably aren't doing either of those things.
I don't think it needs to be reinvented, but are we done? Is this where we want gaming to stay forever? First person military shooters with massive budgets?
E3 was sad this year. It was really corporate and half of what I saw was about making your console into a media hub. I'm not surprised, but I want to see some excitement get injected into gaming again. Not just for something well-crafted from a technical standpoint, but for something that's refreshing. The PC and indie gaming scene are definitely where these things are happening, but I'd like to see it happen on consoles, too.
Capcom should have promoted Dragon's Dogma more, but expecting 1.5m sales over the course of a year is not that unreasonable from them. The game has done almost half that much in less than a month on Japan. A PC port will probably come down the road as it runs on MT Framework and ports from that engine run on somewhat reasonable hardware.
Yeah, I'd buy it on the PC.
I think a ton of people would.
I was shocked there was no PC port at release. It's in a genre that screams for PC release.
Capcom's newest modus operandi seems to be, "We have the PC version of whatever newest MT Framework game ready to go, but we're going to delay it because that somehow reduces piracy."
This is the sentiment that is slowly killing video games (not that it's dying at all, in fact it's flourishing...using sarcasm here). I am so god damn tired of "OH GOD PIRATES!" effecting my games. Thieves have existed for ever stop pandering to the idea that you can some how beat them, Video Game Producer Guys. You never will. Just make good games, we'll buy them.
On the other hand, Diablo 3 has the most obtrusive DRM imaginable and apparently it's the fastest selling PC game of all time. Would the game have sold as well if it was easier to pirate? I don't know.
Diablo has been in large part an online game for awhile though.
Plus, the DRM was more a side-effect of shutting down dupes and hacks and such in the game.
I heard that there was some duping happening and botters are already running around so the DRM hasn't really done much than keep buyers from playing it.
Botters can't be eliminated completely any more then pirates, but the online nature of the game has cut them way way way down.
There was a very tiny bit of duping or some such apparently going on on the asian servers and the whole was quickly fixed.
So yeah, it's done quite a bit. Especially f you remember anything about the days of D2.
Hell I can't play it at times of the day due to latency, I don't even play with other people.
I've never had major issues with latency other then the first day. Most people seem to be playing just fine.
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MaddocI'm Bobbin Threadbare, are you my mother?Registered Userregular
I can say that while E3 didn't blow my socks off, (Ok, maybe my socks may have come free during the Rayman Legends demo) I saw a fair number of games that interested me.
And I already know that a huge subset of the very Japanese games I enjoy won't get much mainstream exposure as well. So all in all, I'm pretty satisfied with what I saw during E3 this year.
That's true, but the point I was going for was that Sony was expecting people to jump all over each other to buy a port of a game they already had- something they should have remembered gamers don't want to do after essentially rebooting the PSP without a UMD drive and telling customers they had to rebuy everything again and leaving them with a nice supply of UMD coasters. There's nothing really wrong with ports in general- but a portable system's got to be able to stand on its own instead of relying on a home console to give it a reason for existing.
At this point, Kaz needs to realize the Vita's a leech on his company and he needs to start phasing it out and sticking to consoles, which Sony seems to be better at. Nintendo and the various mobile platforms (IPad, tablet, etc.) have portable gaming locked up pretty damn tight, and after the PS3 proved to be something of a flop, the extra cash and hours of work to improving the PS4 could only be good. Or it could relieve some of the cash crunch Sony's going through.
I'm actually a big fan of ports- when they make sense.
Mistwalker wants to make games on WII-U (Spotted on Neogaf)
GZ: Could The Last Story possibly lead to more action-RPGs — not necessarily in this franchise — but maybe some action-RPGs for the Wii U with a similar style from the same development team?
TM: The development team and Sakaguchi-san are looking forward to making more, especially for the Wii U because it has another [screen] right in front of you that will add another level of strategic elements into the action-RPG. So we are really looking forward to it, but we haven't really planned anything.
Monolith and Mistwalker are both my favourite JRPG companies (at the moment) so this bodes well for my decision to buy a Wii-U. Hopefully though, this time there are more titles from both companies. "Haven't really planned anything" sounds a bit scary.
why does the medium need to be 'pushed forward,' anyway
I'm reasonably confident at this point that if you're talking about 'pushing the medium forward' or 'reinventing' well, anything, you probably aren't doing either of those things.
I don't think it needs to be reinvented, but are we done? Is this where we want gaming to stay forever? First person military shooters with massive budgets?
E3 was sad this year. It was really corporate and half of what I saw was about making your console into a media hub. I'm not surprised, but I want to see some excitement get injected into gaming again. Not just for something well-crafted from a technical standpoint, but for something that's refreshing. The PC and indie gaming scene are definitely where these things are happening, but I'd like to see it happen on consoles, too.
The problem is that the statement that "Nintendo isn't pushing the medium forward" and then asking for something exciting and refreshing seem to contradict each other, when last generation Nintendo gave us
and this upcoming generation they're giving us
if anything, they're the ones pushing the medium forward. While Microsoft and Sony just gave their consoles a spec bump last generation, Nintendo looked outside of the box to see what it could do to make things exciting and refreshing, as you put it.
The PSP vs DS was a great example of this as well. The PSP could kick the shit out of the DS on the graphics front, but the DS brought innovation to the table via a touchscreen and second screen to boot.
Will Wright said it best back in 2007:
"Somebody asked me what I thought next generation meant and what about the PlayStation 3 was next generation. The only next gen system I've seen is the Wii - the PS3 and the Xbox 360 feel like better versions of the last, but pretty much the same game with incremental improvement"
if you ask me, xbox live and PSN did more to push gaming forward than unique control schemes. we've had gimmicky controllers for years, but actually having easy to use online gaming, that also fosters communities for game franchises has helped make the xbox alone tons of money
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Doesn't Atlus simply import/localize more titles than fully develop? All they're paying for is the licensing and localization staff for the most part. They don't even need to advertise because the Atlus name carries huge brand recognition among fans.
Gran Turismo games are never "released" in a conventional sense. The series is simply the same game that is constantly being worked on and improved, and every four or five years someone at Sony holds a gun to Kaz's head and forces him to press what they've got so far onto disc.
Atlus USA does localize a bunch of titles as publisher, but among those are a whole host of titles developed by Atlus JPN. Titles such as Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 and Etrian Odyssey.
I would say that a lot of indies actually don't know how to do that. Often they have to use internet channels because that's all they've got, they don't have money to do any additional marketing. And a lot of devs might be great at development, but really bad at the business side. It's definitely not easy, even when you're trying to pay attention.
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But it's not 2006 anymore, and the Wii is in decline. They didn't pay enough attention to the core audience and the system is filled to the brim with shovelware. The "fun family games" he wants so badly are here and they are awful.
I have a bias since I'm what most would call the hardcore audience. I look for games that push the medium forward. We can do that with bright blue skies in our games that are fun and friendly, but trying to reach everyone didn't work forever. The people who don't let their consoles collect dust are the ones like me.
Can't give specific figures, but if you look at time spent vs money earned, we've earned a decent living from our games so far.
One of the big problems with indie game development is that you don't get any money upfront to develop a game. So you might get a year's worth of salary from that game that took you a year to develop, but you don't get any of that money until the game is actually been out and selling.
Of course, my hope is that Rain-Slick 3 won't just sell decently but will be a massive success so if, say, we wanted to spend 2-3 years on a game or make something esoteric with low commercial appeal, we could without worrying about how to pay the bills.
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The Wii is in decline because one generation is coming to a close and a new one is starting this November.
The system is filled with shovelware because it's the most popular platform, the same way the PS2, PSX, NES, and 2600 that preceded it were filled with shovelware.
I won't even touch that sentence with the word dust in it because it makes no sense.
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Unless it has absolutely no tail and fails to even break 1M, there is no way they won't make a sequel after they've built such a robust gameplay engine.
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I can still remember the previous generation had these horrible Mega Man commercials that was trying to aim at the kid demographic showing random footage as kids chanted "Blue blue blue blue".
I doubt most kids these days care about side scrollers, especially ones that cater to a niche that like having cheap deaths.
So, do the other consoles push the medium forward? Is that the assumption I should come away with? They're pushing game budgets forward, that's for sure...
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I can't say any single system is pushing the medium forward, but people are trying and I think the idea of just making fun toys that everyone can play will not do it. There is a balance to be struck between a console strictly for hardcore gamers and a console strictly for casual gamers. I see casual gaming as being where the money is, but the hardcore experience is where new ground is broken.
Huh? This is like the exact opposite of what happened with Wii... I mean, what new ground was broken with PS3/360 this gen? Maybe Skylanders, but I wouldn't call that hardcore...
Yeah, I'd buy it on the PC.
I think a ton of people would.
I was shocked there was no PC port at release. It's in a genre that screams for PC release.
Capcom's newest modus operandi seems to be, "We have the PC version of whatever newest MT Framework game ready to go, but we're going to delay it because that somehow reduces piracy."
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They should have just required an always-on connection. That'll do it! :ar!
I guess my question is, what's your definition of "moving the medium forward?" I'm getting a "more realistic graphics" vibe, so maybe you can tell me I'm wrong. In my opinion, the new ground is being broken on the PC and in mobile right now because of the low barriers to entry. Maybe to some extent XBLIG and PSN...
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This is the sentiment that is slowly killing video games (not that it's dying at all, in fact it's flourishing...using sarcasm here). I am so god damn tired of "OH GOD PIRATES!" effecting my games. Thieves have existed for ever stop pandering to the idea that you can some how beat them, Video Game Producer Guys. You never will. Just make good games, we'll buy them.
You say that as if "fun toys that everyone can play" isn't the very definition of a video game console.
On the other hand, Diablo 3 has the most obtrusive DRM imaginable and apparently it's the fastest selling PC game of all time. Would the game have sold as well if it was easier to pirate? I don't know.
Zeboyd Games Development Blog
Steam ID : rwb36, Twitter : Werezompire, Facebook : Zeboyd Games
Either they put out ridiculous sales goals ("5 million copies or no sequel for you!") and settle into shoveling sequels and movie tie-in games, or they raise prices and risk pissing off the fans and shrinking their markets (hoping to sell 80K copies at $80 rather than 100K at $60). It reminds me of exactly what happened back when the jump was made to disc.
As far as the PS Vita, well, the marketing angle Sony pushed made the Vita look more like a peripheral for the PS3 than a standalone system- completely reversing Nintendo's tried-and-true marketing strategy: Make sure your portable system can stand on its own first, with solid titles, before you try to pitch something to link it up with your home console. Sony made the mistake of simply trying to get people to buy the same game twice (something that they should have learned doesn't fly when they stuck gamers with UMD discs and required them to buy games and movies and content all over again). I haven't seen a Vita title I'd like to play enough that it would make me purchase a system, and honestly, Sony needs to take a step back and ask themselves if they should really stay in the portable business at this point.
I can has cheezburger, yes?
Diablo has been in large part an online game for awhile though.
Plus, the DRM was more a side-effect of shutting down dupes and hacks and such in the game.
I would say yes because it is Diablo 3.
Graphics? Absolutely not. If we stop where we are for multiple generations, I'm fine with that. New graphics aren't all that appealing to me. I would like to see consoles with more CPU power more than anything else.
The things I think we need to move forward are more advanced AI, better storytelling, and continuing innovation in interfacing. I think the current CPU power and limited size of console games are hamstringing them so it'd be nice to see those problems get solved.
The Wii did innovate. Motion controls opened up a lot of potential. It's not the console that is important, it's the mindset of the people making games. We can continue to see Wii Sports, Wii Fit, etc. but that feels like a waste of a good platform. The article gives me the distinct feeling that all he wants are more casual games for casual people. It's personal opinion that separates us, so all I can say is that I don't want to see gaming go that way. I'm also not certain it would survive.
While I realize you're being facetious here, there are a number of major features in DD that require it to be online while playing.
Nintendo /= casual
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That's a strawman and I won't argue it. I shared my opinion and I have nothing left to say.
The vast majority of those super expensive 16-bit games were RPGs though. It made sense to overprice them because RPGs were still niche back then. I mean, Final Fantasy VI - arguably the most iconic SNES RPG of all time - didn't even break 1 million sales worldwide if you exclude Japan (where it sold a couple million).
Ports aren't just (or even primarily) for people who already own the game. I mean, I imagine most people who own Mass Effect 3 already aren't going to rush out and buy the WiiU version when it comes out.
And hey, a portable version of a game can be enough to convince someone who was on the fence to pick it up. I have a PS3 & a 360 but I'd much rather pick up games like Rayman Origins & BlazBlue (neither of which I own yet) on the Vita because I'd rather play them on a portable system.
Zeboyd Games Development Blog
Steam ID : rwb36, Twitter : Werezompire, Facebook : Zeboyd Games
I'm reasonably confident at this point that if you're talking about 'pushing the medium forward' or 'reinventing' well, anything, you probably aren't doing either of those things.
that's why we call it the struggle, you're supposed to sweat
I heard that there was some duping happening and botters are already running around so the DRM hasn't really done much than keep buyers from playing it.
Hell I can't play it at times of the day due to latency, I don't even play with other people.
I don't think it needs to be reinvented, but are we done? Is this where we want gaming to stay forever? First person military shooters with massive budgets?
E3 was sad this year. It was really corporate and half of what I saw was about making your console into a media hub. I'm not surprised, but I want to see some excitement get injected into gaming again. Not just for something well-crafted from a technical standpoint, but for something that's refreshing. The PC and indie gaming scene are definitely where these things are happening, but I'd like to see it happen on consoles, too.
Botters can't be eliminated completely any more then pirates, but the online nature of the game has cut them way way way down.
There was a very tiny bit of duping or some such apparently going on on the asian servers and the whole was quickly fixed.
So yeah, it's done quite a bit. Especially f you remember anything about the days of D2.
I've never had major issues with latency other then the first day. Most people seem to be playing just fine.
And I already know that a huge subset of the very Japanese games I enjoy won't get much mainstream exposure as well. So all in all, I'm pretty satisfied with what I saw during E3 this year.
At this point, Kaz needs to realize the Vita's a leech on his company and he needs to start phasing it out and sticking to consoles, which Sony seems to be better at. Nintendo and the various mobile platforms (IPad, tablet, etc.) have portable gaming locked up pretty damn tight, and after the PS3 proved to be something of a flop, the extra cash and hours of work to improving the PS4 could only be good. Or it could relieve some of the cash crunch Sony's going through.
I'm actually a big fan of ports- when they make sense.
I can has cheezburger, yes?
Monolith and Mistwalker are both my favourite JRPG companies (at the moment) so this bodes well for my decision to buy a Wii-U. Hopefully though, this time there are more titles from both companies. "Haven't really planned anything" sounds a bit scary.
The problem is that the statement that "Nintendo isn't pushing the medium forward" and then asking for something exciting and refreshing seem to contradict each other, when last generation Nintendo gave us
and this upcoming generation they're giving us
if anything, they're the ones pushing the medium forward. While Microsoft and Sony just gave their consoles a spec bump last generation, Nintendo looked outside of the box to see what it could do to make things exciting and refreshing, as you put it.
The PSP vs DS was a great example of this as well. The PSP could kick the shit out of the DS on the graphics front, but the DS brought innovation to the table via a touchscreen and second screen to boot.
Will Wright said it best back in 2007:
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