Should Nintendo start publishing games on other consoles?

I have had a thought bouncing around my head this past while, and as the title suggests its, ‘Should Nintendo start publishing on other consoles’?  This would consist of Nintendo financing titles to come to the marketplace on their own primary consoles as well as the competitors.

Project Butterfly???:… Project Cafe?

Hey guys, it has been a while, just finishing up *hopefully* with my degree with exams to come in May.  What does that mean, well it means that I’ll have some time after May to properly kick back off in this blog with what ever comes into my head.  I just wanted to give a wee update on my thoughts of a Wii 2.  Also for those wanting to keep track, any other random thoughts on this I may tweet about but I will hashtag it with #projectbutterfly because I by far prefer that to the ‘Wii2’ moniker. EDIT I could be using the hashtag #Projectcafe instead if LINK is to be believed.

Will the iPad encroach on DS?

Michael Pachter on his new GTTV show ‘Pach Attack‘ was asked a question;

Now that the iPad has been announced, do you think the device will impede on the console market space?

To which he give a reasonable response to about how maybe in 5 years it will start to contest in the space of the consoles but gives a “yes” to the case of the DS and how it is a better device to play portable games on. Well many of us would argue till were blue in the face about what is a better device to use for portable gaming. But that is not part of my counter argument.

A discussion about gaming, with mum :)

Well today, in a lengthy journey, my mum and I were discussing several elements of the games industry. This covered a broad spectrum of information that I’ve divulged using my own analytical style and other information that I’ve been so lucky to be made aware of by close contacts. But the part that struck me was our discussion about how Nintendo are the true leaders of the Games Industry.

Yes they may have not been successful each and every generation but the fact remains that Nintendo are the only Gaming centric and exclusive competitor. They aren’t as diversified as the other competitors so they have a single culture and identity. Now this next bit struck me as something that people would declare as a “fanboy” comment, but couldn’t be as my mum does not play video games. She said, “it seems to me like these other companies {Sony, Microsoft} take the best bits from all over the industry to try and be the best, and most of these ideas come from Nintendo”. The way she sees it that the industry takes it lead from Nintendo, and the rest follow, yes they may do their own bidding with other technology or power abilities. But they can only do this with influence by Nintendo, and this doesn’t ring any truer that this whole casual and motion push that is going on.

EDIT

I should add, that yeah she doesn’t play games these days but back when she played Mario AllStars on the Snes and Tomb Raider on the PS2

Why are Nintendo consoles the only one’s referred to as “Toys”?

Well we have all seen it out there in the consumer space, time and time again, “get your latest toys from {generic store name} like the all new Nintendo DSi/Wii”. It struck me vividly with the new UK retailers Argos advert about being the UK’s largest toy retailer, and their focus of the advert is Nintendo.

But why is it that Nintendo consoles are the only ones relegated to “Toy” status while the PS3 and 360 are electronics devices/media hubs?

Michael Pachter – A New Nintendo Lesson

Granted throughout my blog i have mentioned Michael Pachter once or twice, maybe more. But this is due to the fact that he is a representative of the industry, not through development but through his research and analysis work at Wedbush Morgan Securities. As an industry analyst it is Michaels job to know the industry inside out and provide reliable information to his employers as well as their consumers, on the sideline he is an analyst that regulars on GTTV with Geoff Keighley, to provide his unique insight to the future of the industry.

Michael Pachter on GTTV

Post E3 – Who’s Motion had the best moves?

Well E3 certainly showed that Nintendo’s direction of developing a new way to play was the way to go. Playstation demonstrated their motion/pointer controller that implements the Playstation Eye, along with Microsoft demonstrating their development of Project Natal. Within this blog update I want to look at all 3 of these motion schemes and determine who has won so far in the development and implementation of these.
I intend to look at 3 aspects to determine the overall winner, this is technology, usability and how far along they are in development.

Technology

Well first off I will say that each of the console manufacturers have whole heartedly invested in technology that can achieve a vision and do it well.

New Play Control – Motion, is it the Vital Component?

Nintendo pioneered the move for console manufacturers to rethink control designs with the Wii remote. This was quickly and somewhat unashamedly ripped off my Sony with the Six Axis controller, we have Microsoft heavily hinted to release their new control scheme at E3 (you can read more about this in my previous blog). We have Tony Hawk’s RIDE coming soon for a rumoured $120 that includes a motion sensing board controller which is the only control option. It leaves me thinking, what about the other component of the Wii Remote.

New Play Control – Microsoft

Now everyone seems to have an opinion on new ways to play videogames, whether you love it or hate it this seems to be the future for the industry. This is not exclusive to console manufacturers, it is also open to publishers/developers of video games the best examples are EA/MTV/Harmonix and Red Octane/Activision with their seemingly never ending stream of music controllers, or an even more recent one would be with Tony Hawk’s RIDE with the new board peripheral that simulates a skateboard for the game but could also be used in the future as a snowboard, surfboard or even wakeboard.

Nintendo was the pioneer of opening up the games market to new control types, going all the way back to the NES with the power glove, the power mat and the synonymous R.O.B the robot. Up until the recent times Nintendo had a prototype controller for the Gamecube that is similar to the Playstation 3’s sixaxis controller they also had Donkey Kong bongo’s moving to the Wii with the Remote as a primary control option with motion and infra-red pointer control. Also looking at what the touch abilities have done for the handheld market and the possibilities for the in-game use of the DSi’s cameras already showing with augmented reality games in the works.