Wii U: What Nintendo Should and Shouldn't DoIt might seem that there aren't a lot of mysteries remaining about the Wii U, Nintendo's first step into the high definition marketplace and the kickoff of the next generation console wars. But initial appearances can be deceiving.
While we'll likely learn everything there is to know at E3, there's still time for the company to tweak its new system to get the most out of it when it comes to retail. Just as we did with the next generation Xbox and the PlayStation 4, we've got a few humble suggestions about what Nintendo should – and shouldn't – do with its next console.
Nintendo should:
Start off with a bang – The 3DS launched with a number of factors working against it, but the biggest was the weak game lineup. Gamers know this. Nintendo knows this. The company has vowed to launch the Wii U with a strong lineup of titles – but if it wants to really make an impression and capitalize on its first-to-market status among next gen machines, it needs to truly overwhelm people.
Zelda. Mario. Wii Sports. Pokemon. Hit potential buyers with a large number of the major franchises and the company could see Wii-like demand return. And Nintendo certainly knows how to sustain that retail frenzy for a long period of time.
Know its audience – While Nintendo has a rabidly loyal fan base of core gamers, that's not the group that made it insanely rich over the past six years. By targeting the mainstream market, Nintendo managed to lure in people who would never categorize themselves as gamers and convert them into strong industry supporters. There are still a lot of people left who fit that description – and the interest in the tablet space is a good hook to bring them in.
Another powerful lure is competitive pricing. Wii was a hit, in part because you didn't need to take a Tums before you walked up to the cash register. If the Wii U can hover in the $250 range at launch, it could be another smash.
Get online right – Nintendo has dropped the online ball so many times that people thought Kyle Williams was acting on its behalf during the NFC Championships. The Nintendo Network sounds good in theory, once you get around CEO Satoru Iwata's normally guarded tone. But it's all going to be about execution.
The company's late to the party, but that party is hardly over. And the entire gaming world has been curious to see what innovations Nintendo plans to bring to online. One thing is certain, though: It has to be much more than just catching up with Microsoft and Sony.
Share the spotlight – There has always been one constant of Nintendo game systems: The stars have always been Nintendo games. All of the top 10 selling Wii games, in fact, came from the company. While there are a few exceptions (like the Just Dance series), third parties have never been able to truly capitalize on the success of Nintendo consoles.
"If the Wii U is to avoid the same dusty fate that many Wiis ultimately suffered, it's going to have to adopt that same Trojan Horse philosophy that has served Microsoft and Sony so well."
As a result, game makers focus their efforts more on competing systems, since they stand to make more. If Nintendo can work more closely with publishers to ensure the biggest titles on Wii U aren't the usual suspects, there's the chance – just the chance, mind you – that gamers could begin to view Wii U as a primary platform for new HD games.
Let players keep their games – While the WiiWare and Virtual Console services haven't exactly been profit machines on the same level as Xbox Live Arcade, they've been a nice nod to the past and a good lure for core gamers. A good way to keep that goodwill? Let players transfer their purchases to the new machine.
Does it take away from profit margin? Maybe - but not substantially. And the good PR the company gets from doing the right thing will go a lot further.
Nintendo shouldn't:
Focus on gimmicks – 3D might have been the differentiator for the 3DS, but it came across as a gimmick and consumers saw through that. The same potential exists for Wii U.
Near field communications are nice. And being able to transfer games from their TV to the controller sounds kind of nifty. But to focus too much on those features could distract people from the games. And if bells and whistles like that are all Nintendo has to offer with the Wii U tablet, the system's going to be in trouble quickly.
Alienate the hardcore – While it's critical to court the mainstream audience with Wii U, Nintendo needs to do a better job keeping its core fan base happy this time around. Long time fans felt neglected with the Wii and the company didn't do much more than provide lip service when confronted about this.
When introducing Wii U, Iwata said, "Some hardware is seen as only appropriate for the most passionate players. Others, like Wii, they say, seem to attract a large number of casual gamers. As an industry, what we haven't achieved yet is a game platform that is equally satisfying for all players. This is exactly what we intend to create with our new platform."
That's a lofty goal, but it would be nice to see it become reality.
Ignore other forms of entertainment – Nintendo took baby steps into other entertainment fields with the 3DS and it would be wise to continue that journey with the Wii U. Just like handheld systems, consoles are no longer single function devices. Consumers have growing entertainment demands and limited shelf space around their TVs. Step one: Let the Wii U play DVDs.
Nintendo has argued in the past that people already have a DVD player. They do: It's called an Xbox 360. (Many also have a Blu-ray player - the PS3. And while Blu-ray is seemingly the future of high definition home video, it's probably too much to hope Nintendo would adopt the Sony-centric technology.) Bottom line: If the Wii U is to avoid the same dusty fate that many Wiis ultimately suffered, it's going to have to adopt that same Trojan Horse philosophy that has served Microsoft and Sony so well.
