Do you think people are overreactiong about Nintendo and Mobile?

[The DanMan]

There's been a trend over the past year- whenever Nintendo says anything about mobile, a lot of discussion is generated. And this being the internet, negativity and cynicism tends to drown out the other opinions.

Here's a selection of quotes from Nintendo Life and their two articles related to Super Mario Run:

"As a loyal Nintendo console fan this is the death knell of the console business as we know it."

"Like, part of me is like, "Nintendo regained market mind share by selling out to Apple!"

And the other part of me is like, "Nintendo sold out to Apple. I think I know where this is heading."

Considering the primary systme for most video game players is mobile - not Sony, not MS, not Nintendo - you could make a strong argument that Nintendo has finally given up and gone 3rd party."

"One of the reasons why I love Nintendo doesn't exist anymore..."

"Quick review:
1) Nintendo enters mobile
2) Nintendo releases lazy Mitomo app, and not much to worry about
3) NIntendo/Niantic releases Pokemon Go. World explodes. Stock skyrockets - until investors find out Nintendo only gets a little cut, so stocks go back down.
4) Nintendo doesn't like stock going down, so sells soul to Apple, and lazy Mario Endless Runner is revealed. Stocks soar again.

And that's just mobile. On the Nintendo WiiU/3DS side:
1) Nintendo has all but given up on WiiU. Zelda is coming, but it's also coming to the new system
2) NIntendo has been silent for the majority of 2016. And when they do announce things, they are just quick cash grab sequels or ports
3) That Direct last week, it was a bunch of WiiU to 3DS ports, and some 3rd party offerings.
4) Even the big game for the holiday, Pokemon Sun/Moon, is full of lazy Aloha skins. And a majority of the new POkemon look very meh.
5) Nintendo is so unsure of what to do with NX, they've now waited out the revels of XB Scorpio and PS4Pro. If they were confident in the NX, they would have just showed it off to let they hype build. I don't think they know how to market whatever it is.
6) How about those My Nintendo Rewards system? SOOOOO much better than Club Nintendo, am I right? #Sarcasm
7) Don't you love how the guy who took over for Iwata is trying to make a name for himself so far? Yeah, I struggle to remember his name or what he looks like too.

And the biggest blow of them all, was Miyamoto basically resigning to the fact Nintendo needs to be on most popular platforms, which is now mobile, no Nintendo. Admission to its time to go 3rd party. Link: http://gonintendo.com/stories/264741-miyamoto-applauds-iphone-7-explains-mobile-game-support

I sadly could go on, but you get the point. Nintendo has a lot of things that are signaling that NX will likely be their final attempt at a console. Which is sad, but all good things must come to an end."

"It's so sad to see Nintendo go mobile. I guess their best days are over."

"I just see them as making games that actively antagonize their current fanbase."

"We're watching nintendo lower their standards and go back on all kinds of promises."

"When nintendo is just another dime a billion mobile developer making cheap junk will we care anymore about nintendo?"

As you can see, a lot of people are... passionate on the subject. Do you think that they should be worried, or that things are mostly fine?

Basically, will mobile have primarily negative longterm effects on Nintendo was we know it or mostly positive?

Here's what I think: in their outline for mobile, Nintendo said that they would use it to try and draw people to their own software and hardware. They also said that they want mobile to become a "pillar of profit" (I made a topic a while back based on that comment). To me, everything they've done has been in-line with what they've said- Pokemon go has earned them money directly, caused a spike in Pokemon merchandise, and is hanging steady (last time I checked)- Super Mario Run will probably have a similar effect.

I don't think they're selling out to mobile or anything of the sort- this is a smart business decision to make money and advertise their brands. Though it is a tad odd we haven't heard anything concrete from Nintendo about the NX, people are jumping to conclusions with the worst-case scenario in mind. Given the behavior of certain groups of people on the internet in general, it's almost like they want something to hate and be afraid of.

Edited September 9, 2016 by The DanMan

[Moblin Major General]

It would be unwise to doubt the big N right now. They are attempting to erase the mistakes of their past, especially since the death of their top 2 almost side by side with each other.

[Water Mage]

It's the internet, what did you expect? That people would react camly?

Perhaps people are reacting badly because Nintendo is the only console creator whose sole focus is gaming.

There's also the fact that some fans are pretty much acting like grumpy old men, saying things like "Back in my day we played games on consoles, not on phones!" or something similar.

As someone who grew up playing Nintendo consoles, I admit, it's a weird feeling seeing these games on phones rather than on consoles. It's hard to describe.

[Locke087]

Yes people are overreacting do you know that EVERY major game publisher has games on the App Store/Google Play!!! Sony, Microsoft, EA, Activision/Blizzard, Ubisoft, SquareEnix, Sega, 2K, ect. Nintendo is just last to the party that has been there the entire fetching time. But people panic when Nintendo does literally anything, remember Nintendo has been "doomed" since the N64.

Edited September 9, 2016 by Locke087

[HF Makalov Fanboy Kai]

i think the issue might be more of iwata saying "nintendo will never go mobile" then like a year after he dies, nintendo decides to go mobile.

don't ask me why exactly that would cause a reaction, just guessing here.

[shadowofchaos]

Can we a have a source for Iwata pretty much saying that?

[The DanMan]

i think the issue might be more of iwata saying "nintendo will never go mobile" then like a year after he dies, nintendo decides to go mobile.

don't ask me why exactly that would cause a reaction, just guessing here.

Can we a have a source for Iwata pretty much saying that?

On top of that, it was he himself who made the announcement that they were partnering with DeNa.

[Magical Glace]

Those reactions are very extreme imo.

The really long one also didn't realize that Nintendo doesn't develop the main series Pokémon games. Game Freak does.

Overall, Nintendo isn't really going mobile. If anything, it's a side business on top of their main one, that being their consoles and software associated with that.

[The DanMan]

Those reactions are very extreme imo.

The really long one also didn't realize that Nintendo doesn't develop the main series Pokémon games. Game Freak does.

Overall, Nintendo isn't really going mobile. If anything, it's a side business on top of their main one, that being their consoles and software associated with that.

As they've said, it's meant to be a pillar of profit- to exist alongside their hardware, not to overtake and replace it.

People are treating this as some form of personal betrayal, which honestly is a mixture of scary and pitiful.

[Magical Glace]

As they've said, it's meant to be a pillar of profit- to exist alongside their hardware, not to overtake and replace it.

People are treating this as some form of personal betrayal, which honestly is a mixture of scary and pitiful.

Yeah, people are way too defensive sometimes.

I can't say I approve of this defensiveness. Whatever Nintendo decides, which I highly doubt will be completely going mobile, I'll keep supporting them.

By the way, was Mario Run only announced for iOS? While I personally use an iOS device, what about Android/other smart device users?

[Master Thunderblade]

I agree that people are overreacting, unless they completely shift focus from console to mobile there is little reason to panic. The move they made right know is only logical when you consider the fact that the next generation is one that grew up with mobile devices. In order to get people to buy nintendo related stuff, it is important to make the brand known to youger audiences. Right now Nintendo isn't moving to third party, but doing cross-platform advertisement. The apps add to already existing brands but don't compare to the actual depth of the main games in the series. If they want to stay in business they have to adapt to the current trends of the mobile market at least somewhat. I'm just praying that they keep the focus on their own consoles and handhelds and I'm confident that they will for the most part. It is also bound to make the investors happy, and that is always a plus in my book.

Edited September 9, 2016 by Masterthunderblade

[The DanMan]

Yeah, people are way too defensive sometimes.

I can't say I approve of this defensiveness. Whatever Nintendo decides, which I highly doubt will be completely going mobile, I'll keep supporting them.

By the way, was Mario Run only announced for iOS? While I personally use an iOS device, what about Android/other smart device users?

It was announced at the Apple press conference, and is first on IOS- it'll come to Android after the new year.

[Magical Glace]

It was announced at the Apple press conference, and is first on IOS- it'll come to Android after the new year.

Ah, I see. That clears it up. Thank you.

[HF Makalov Fanboy Kai]

about sources, well i just now decided to look up stuff and i found something interesting.

http://www.gamespot.com/forums/system-wars-314159282/iwata-nintendo-wont-make-mobile-games-28858946/

https://gamerant.com/satoru-iwata-nintendo-mobile-kyle-104237/

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-09-14-iwata-nintendo-wont-make-mobile-games

these statements seem to be from 5 years ago, but then we have in 2015 he decided "no wait, mobile games could be a good idea" and went along with the idea, it seems i have forgotten about that part, whoops.

http://nintendoeverything.com/iwata-decision-to-go-mobile-nintendo-mainly-developing-why-nx-was-mentioned-lots-more/

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/08/satoru_iwata_offered_pokemon_go_feedback_from_his_hospital_bed

[Anacybele]

...Wow, yeah, people are seriously overreacting, given the quotes posted in this thread's OP and the ones I've seen for myself on Facebook. I'm not a huge fan of mobile games, but Nintendo is not ever abandoning the console business. They've shown no indication of doing so since the NX exists and such.

I don't remember Iwata promising that Nintendo wasn't going to make mobile games either. And he would've never made a promise that he wasn't going to keep. He was just...too awesome. And even if he did say something like that, he surely meant that Nintendo would never go 100% mobile and abandon consoles.

EDIT: Oh, ninja'd. xP But I was right anyway! Sort of. :P

Edited September 9, 2016 by Anacybele

[Thane]

Honestly, I think a lot of people are just scared they'll stop developing console games and shift to the mobile market, especially now after the success of Pokémon Go and the failure of the Wii U. Now, I don't think that'll happen and I certainly don't share that vitriol, but it is a scary thought.

[HF Makalov Fanboy Kai]

Honestly, I think a lot of people are just scared they'll stop developing console games and shift to the mobile market, especially now after the success of Pokémon Go and the failure of the Wii U. Now, I don't think that'll happen and I certainly don't share that vitriol, but it is a scary thought.

lets be real, the last few games haven't been too great, star fox zero and federation force as main examples in terms of sales, or what fans wanted.

[shadowofchaos]

lets be real, the last few games haven't been too great, star fox zero and federation force as main examples in terms of sales, or what fans wanted.

While I can see where the concerns are founded, I still feel like those quoted statements in the OP are "they're going out of my comfort zone" panic.

People are afraid of change. Most certainly, gamers that have Nintendo as their pillar of tradition.

[HF Makalov Fanboy Kai]

While I can see where the concerns are founded, I still feel like those quoted statements in the OP are "they're going out of my comfort zone" panic.

People are afraid of change. Most certainly, gamers that have Nintendo as their pillar of tradition.

oh yeah definitely, i know i'm not a big fan of drastic change myself, so nintendo doing this stuff is surprising, but i see it less as any form of betrayal and more of "nintendo's late to the party as usual"

[Tryhard]

Perhaps people are reacting badly because Nintendo is the only console creator whose sole focus is gaming.

Is that true?

http://venturebeat.com/2016/07/28/sonys-playstation-division-accounted-for-78-of-its-q1-2016-profits/

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2016-07-01-sonys-entire-future-now-rests-on-playstation

Other than having its fingers in some other pies, Sony does seem to currently rely on their gaming division.

No need to get at Nintendo right now, but I don't think the sentiment is overexaggerated. It is possible, but a few mobile games isn't really that much to worry about.

Edited September 9, 2016 by Tryhard

[The DanMan]

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/09/nintendo_appears_at_apple_conference_to_announce_super_mario_run

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/09/poll_share_your_thoughts_on_super_mario_run_and_the_delays_to_animal_crossing_and_fire_emblem_on_mobile

The two articles where those comments were from. I put my hat into the ring there, and my frustration at trying to reason with certain commenters (I'm CrazedCavalier in those messes) is part of why I made this thread.

No need to get at Nintendo right now, but I don't think the sentiment is overexaggerated. It is possible, but a few mobile games isn't really that much to worry about.

Hence why I myself have said "Yes, somewhat" in the poll. It's not an impossibility, what they're saying- given everything now, though, I find it to be an improbability.

[Etrurian emperor]

I wouldn't be one to overreact per se but I don't really like it either.

Nintendo makes a lot of mistakes but their saving grace is that their products are almost always up to snuff. Something may not be your cup of tea but its very rare when the quality of a Nintendo game isn't clearly there.

For me the very definition of mobile games is that they aren't up to snuff. They are half a game and need to compromise to fit in on their platform. A focus on them also isn't without danger. Not that I see many companies going the same route but Konami dabbled in mobile gaming and other simplified forms of gaming and the end result was them going crazy and purging their real gaming division.

[Thane]

Not that I see many companies going the same route but Konami dabbled in mobile gaming and other simplified forms of gaming and the end result was them going crazy and purging their real gaming division.

What are you talking about? Metal Gear: Survive is looking great!

[shadowofchaos]

Mario and Zelda Pachinko machines is the future.

[twice]

I wasn't really aware of these so called bad reactions (haven't been paying attention lately), so I'll just vote nope.

Edit: But it is the internet, and people bitch about every single little thing, whether or not it's a valid reason or not. So it's no big surprise. Don't know what ya'll expected..

Edited September 9, 2016 by ♯Jin