Nintendo – more on franchise annualization, GamePad “the only real innovation in this console cycle”, 3DS talk, more
Posted on August 11, 2015 by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, General Nintendo, News
Over the past few days, Examiner has been putting up a bunch of quotes from Scott Moffitt, executive VP of sales at Nintendo of America. There are still comments from Moffitt to read up on, including topics that cover franchise annualization, the Wii U GamePad, the 3DS, and more. Head past the break for a roundup of his different remarks.
On the annualization of franchises…
“We tend not to annualize our franchises, there’s not a new Mario Kart every year. What we’ve tried to do with the Wii U is first, create a fully featured really enjoyable game that has something for everybody, has surprises that you’ll discover as you play through levels and it gives you a good amount of quality entertainment.”
On how DLC can keep games fresh and played over a long period…
“For fans who love [Mario Kart], we’ve released extra content over time so that it keeps the game fresh and allows them to experience more than they could when they originally bought the game. That’s the approach we take, rather than annualizing the franchise, we are periodically releasing new courses, levels and features that keep people playing. We see a huge surge in gameplay hours on Mario Kart when we [release new content].”
On how this style of delivery depends on the franchise…
“We take different approaches with different franchises. If you look at the Pokémon franchise, we have released multiple core games for 3DS. We like to give Pokémon fans something every year, but something like Mario Kart or Smash Bros. there may only be one version of that franchise in the whole console cycle.”
On whether Nintendo will annualize more of their franchises…
“It all depends on the franchise, the developer and what new ideas they can bring to the franchise to move the gameplay forward and keep the franchise fresh. I think we always need to innovate and we need to always bring new ideas and new thoughts, but they have to be sufficient enough to justify the next release. Small, incremental changes may not be worth a whole new release.”
On showcasing the Wii U GamePad’s potential…
“We’ve proven time and time again, we make great games, they get great users scores as well as critical scores. With games like Star Fox and Mario Maker, we are continuing to show the promise of the GamePad and, candidly, early on we probably didn’t showcase the promise of the GamePad as well as we could have.”
“As developers have gotten more comfortable with the technology, now you’re seeing games that really leverage the power of the GamePad. I think that will invite people to take a second look at Wii U.”
“That’s our real secret sauce is [the GamePad], it is the only real innovation in this console cycle, it’s the only real new idea or game experience and with Super Mario Maker it shows you how magical it is to create levels with that GamePad. It’s so easy and intuitive.”
On Star Fox Zero and Super Mario Maker possibly help selling Wii U hardware…
“Then with Star Fox Zero it’s showing how the GamePad can give you a different view into your game world. You are piloting the ‘R Wing’ and you’re getting a cockpit view on the GamePad. I think those types of experiences may help us propel the system to new heights.”
On how software helped lead the 3DS to a turnaround…
“We’ve had a string of high-quality, well-received, well-rated games, and the breadth of content spectacular. You’ve got games for Japanese RPG fans, classic Mario titles like Mario Kart and Smash Brothers 3DS, which was a great seller last holiday.”
On how offering different 3DS models at varying price points allowed Nintendo to create hardware that was affordable to a range of gamers…
“Second, we’ve got a range of hardware at different price points that allow a variety of gamers to play the content at a price point they can afford. Its accessibility has really been part of the magic.”
On how the New 3DS XL has caused the 3DS to exceed expectations…
“We were short on product when we first launched the [New Nintendo 3DS XL]. It was selling 40 percent above what we were forecasting and expecting. All we’ve shared in regards to numbers of the system is that we’ve sold half a million units in the first couple of months.”
On what he feels is an important thing for gaming to improve upon in order to ensure continued long-term success in the future…
“I think we owe it to our game fans to bring a diverse array of experiences and not be too copycat-ish of other ideas. I think the industry is at its best when we take balanced risks and don’t just resort to the easy solutions. We’re at our best when we push the limits and challenge each other to think provocatively and be bold.”
Source 1, Source 2, Source 3, Source 4
