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Denver, 6:27 AM
Wed Nov 25
53 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/17/09
While there has been some quality tidbits and reveals on the show (Madden 10 retained some level of motion controls? Excitebike: World Rally? First, albeit ridiculously brief, glimpse at CV: The Adventure ReBirth?), the vast majority of the content has either been covered already or concerns games that the 'core' are not interested in (Style Savvy, for example).
Furthermore, the segments for the games showcased on each show tend to be VERY short. Nintendo's games obviously are going to take the top spot, but the third-party titles are typically discussed in general terms for a couple of minutes at most.
If Nintendo could cut back on the skits and focus more on the games, even if many traditional gamers are not interested in some of the highlighted products, then I think the show would be far more effective in obtaining and educating an audience. #reggiefilsaime
11/17/09
to NOT be those media outlets!
it's designed to be cute, fun, funny, silly and informative on only the most surface level.
it's to inform the millions of gamers that do NOT frequent sites like these.
keep in mind, we're the minority, even among what you might consider "the hardcore" ( *shudder* ) #reggiefilsaime
11/17/09
inform the millions of gamers that do NOT frequent sites like these.
My contention stems exactly from that. The level of information relayed about many of the games shown is so basic that I wonder if it is actually pushing folks to find out more.
For example, Rabbids Go Home was featured on the show a couple of weeks ago. How long was its segment? 60 seconds!
If this program is meant for those who do not visit these types of sites, then how effective is a minute long product description in enticing a consumer into a $50 purchase?
That style may work for a title repeatedly talked about over a period of time, but only Nintendo games are granted that on the show (i.e., NSMB Wii talk three episodes in a row).
I do not mind the silliness and fun factor of the show, but I think it is a disservice to consumers new and old that such limited information and gameplay footage is shared on the show. #reggiefilsaime
11/18/09
11/17/09
I doubt the second one will have good sales.. #reggiefilsaime
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11/17/09
Then wait for Microsoft or Sony depending on if Sony goes last again of the big three and either get to take a gander at vXIII or Resistance 3 or Dark Cloud 3 or...I'unno stuff that'll look cool but then will be slightly underwhelming when they bring out PS One Eyed Wand despite launching to less than stellar sales and statistics and stuff.
Microsoft will try to be the cool kid again. Gnarly. Radical. #reggiefilsaime
11/17/09
And then watch Wii vitality sensor become the new Wii fit and sell 20 million plus, face it, Nintendo is less concerned with whether it makes the hardcore happy or not, since you will buy the system for Mario and Zelda and Metroid, they want the other people #reggiefilsaime
11/17/09
11/17/09
As for Batallion Wars, I found the first one to be atrocious. Completely unplayable as a shooter, and too convoluted to work as a strategy game. It took the worst elements of both worlds, glued them together haphazardly, then required more complicated interaction than they afforded the user to be able to accomplish. I am sure I am not alone on this one. #reggiefilsaime
11/17/09
"We've got an idea for the best game ever!"
... 3 months pass
"our game will be awesome!"
... a year passes
"look - you can run around... and jump... it's going to be great!"
... a year passes. Select outlets can play a preview copy.
... a month passes, everyone's seen the game, but still can't buy it.
...3 months pass
"We waited that long for THIS?"
I kind of prefer
"Hey, we were also working on this game you've never heard of, and in a month or two, it's all yours!" #reggiefilsaime
11/17/09
And while they're working on that, maybe they can do something about announcements for announcements. I get the marketing strategy going on there...but c'mon! #reggiefilsaime
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11/17/09
I am going to say that I have never seen a highly hyped game that has merited its hype. Not that they haven't been good, but always a let down. Smash Bros Brawl, Brutal Legend, Mirror's Edge... all gave me 'I waited this long for THIS', even though I liked 1.5 of those games :) #reggiefilsaime
11/17/09
Also, it's hard to live up to the hype you can make up in your own mind... so the more excited you are for a game, usually the more disappointed you will be... #reggiefilsaime
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But how else do you advertise them in this loud, overcrowded market. Every game ad I see these days is nothing but CGI cutscenes, and I roll my eyes at them. #reggiefilsaime
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11/17/09
They do need to do something with all of those though. However, they're probably hesitant on F-Zero. At this point, they're going to get lambasted if they try to put out a new F-Zero that's the same as the older games but prettier and with a bunch of new tracks (even though that would be exactly what the fans want) because everyone's so up in arms over Nintendo "playing it safe" or whatever and people will scream and kill themselves if Nintendo tries to change things up.
If Nintendo put out a huge new Star Fox with mission progression like a Rogue Squadron game or an Ace Combat (you know, with a large campaign and with campy self-referential humor like Mario & Luigi or something), people would go crazy and celebrate the series' return to form since it's gone in so many directions since 64. F-Zero doesn't have that ability since its form and home have pretty much always been the same, even if it is the pinnacle of its genre. I'm just afraid that being a great game isn't enough for reviewers anymore and if reviewers talk it down for being too much of the same, then you're going to get legions of your "core" gamers that disregard it just based on that and nothing else. #reggiefilsaime
11/17/09
See also: Star Fox and Sin & Punishment. Nintendo are still making games like that. #reggiefilsaime
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11/17/09
Like you, I too sometimes feel that our time, the time of the true gamer (especially us old bastards), may be up. #reggiefilsaime
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Having said that, HELL YEA to SEGA doing another F-Zero. Best in the whole series. #reggiefilsaime
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#speakup
11/17/09
So yeah...not sure why Nintendo would spend money on more marketing when they're already selling enough to make back their investment with significant profit.
Personally I won't argue that recent months have been light on actual game releases of interest, but its hard to stay mad at Nintendo when they give me stuff like NSMB Wii and SMG2.
Of course having 2 other consoles and a decent PC also helps fill that "gap" in the Wii's lineup quite nicely.
EDIT: Sin and Punishment 2 looks amazing, which should shock no one because TREASURE FUCKING RULES.
Nuff Said.
11/17/09
You can do a short hype cycle for Mario. You can't do that for a low-exposure franchise like S&P. #reggiefilsaime
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11/17/09
@Can I Really Be the Hero?: The thing is, they are providing consumers in general with a product that continues to sell decently and a whole host of games that are also selling well...the issue is they're not games you or I want to play. Again, I kind of agree its disappointing, but then I remember that on the GameCube the rate of good Nintendo games was about the same...the major difference seems to be third party development support, instead of putting "me too" ports on the Wii (like most multiplat games that were on GC) or the occasional crazy awesome AAA title (RE4, Eternal Darkness), third parties seem focused on shelling out as little cash as possible to develop low risk, high return "shovelware".
Its annoying, but then you see news like EA having to shutter another dev, and you start to understand why those projects are so much more attractive to the "suits" in the video game industry.
There is a theory out there that these types of games "hurt" gaming, and that the money/time spent on them is taking away from the money/time spent on "AAA titles" for PS3/360/PC/etc. I think that theory is ridiculous, the alternative to that money going into latest minigame POS for the Wii/DS/PS2 is that money just not being spent on development at all. There is no use being angry about it, vote with your dollars and buy the games you like. #reggiefilsaime
11/17/09
None of these are Nintendo titles, either. #reggiefilsaime
11/18/09
#speakup
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#speakup
11/18/09
So nyah! ;)
11/17/09
I just hope Nintendo sees that there's a problem and changes things, considering the amount of profit they;ve made, i think they can literally afford to take a few chances. How about start with pushing Red steel 2 and Tatsonoku versus Capcom, NOW.
2 seemingly quality games that should be having us salivating right now as they hold the carrot above our heads. Toss us some demos, with the Nintendo store WE KNOW THEY CAN DO IT. Seriously if Wii offered demos, I would play it a lot more. #reggiefilsaime
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I mean they were pretty much non-existant for the three titles listed in the story.
We'll see in 2010 if the marketing team is able to find out how to market something like Sin and Punishment 2. #reggiefilsaime
11/17/09
So basically in response to "People think you don't even bother to show off great games" he says "Nope, but hey, maybe we can give them 2 minutes of coverate on a weekly showcase nobody watches."
Reggie is proving daily that he's...ugh. #reggiefilsaime
11/17/09
The only one who don't have a direct hand in how it's other branches run is Microsoft and even how utterly without direction it's Japan branch is, that's not a plus. #reggiefilsaime
11/17/09
I honestly don't like him anymore. He makes Nintendo of America act like a secretive coldwar era government where you'll only learn about something when it's about to happen, IF that.
Nintendo of Japan is MUCH more open with their games and Iwata, president of Nintendo is much more open and blunt when speaking to press, and he does it a lot more in Japan.....
The worst part is, when Reggie is gone, the person that'll take the lead is Carrie what's her name... UGH. #reggiefilsaime
11/17/09
11/17/09
I notice Reggie playing technically and carefully with what he says - like the other day's comment that he wasn't announcing a new Wii on that day in that interview or something like that. Some may take it as careful avoidance of announcing something he knows about, but I think it's more a matter of him not accidentally saying that Nintendo isn't going to do something, when they may just turn around and do it without forewarning him. If he's not careful, he could dig himself in pretty deep speculating to answer people's questions... #reggiefilsaime
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10/19/09