3DS Is Becoming Virtual Boy 2
Posted: July 27th, 2011, 3:27 pm
I've given Nintendo the benefit of the doubt on the 3DS, even as its launch wasn't as great as we expected it, but I think that the system is clearly heading for disaster with each passing day.
The sales are still sluggish, with the basically dead original DS outselling it nearly 5 to 1 last month, even with Ocarina of Time's release (and it didn't do so hot, either), games are being cancelled like Mega Man Legends 3 and Assassin's Creed, and one game after another is being delayed, even when no games are in the release window for some of them (like Shinobi, Cave Story and Crush). and now, Metal Gear Solid 3 was pushed back to next year, showing that both the customers and game companies are perhaps losing faith in the system.
Add in the fact that the narrative on 3D is solidifying as "it's a gimmick," and Nintendo's direct and indirect assaults on the customer's choice with mandatory firmware updates (where the games may not work without them) and the unerasable saves in 5 games, all of which Nintendo has approve and been silent on (and they apparently are still OK with it, as they let Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions go out with it now) and, of course, the looming shadow of the PS Vita and things are looking pretty dire.
What can and should Nintendo do to turn this system around (I say price drop, first and foremost)? Or do you think that this may end up succeeding in the end like the DS did (remember, it had a horrible launch and post launch period, too)?
The sales are still sluggish, with the basically dead original DS outselling it nearly 5 to 1 last month, even with Ocarina of Time's release (and it didn't do so hot, either), games are being cancelled like Mega Man Legends 3 and Assassin's Creed, and one game after another is being delayed, even when no games are in the release window for some of them (like Shinobi, Cave Story and Crush). and now, Metal Gear Solid 3 was pushed back to next year, showing that both the customers and game companies are perhaps losing faith in the system.
Add in the fact that the narrative on 3D is solidifying as "it's a gimmick," and Nintendo's direct and indirect assaults on the customer's choice with mandatory firmware updates (where the games may not work without them) and the unerasable saves in 5 games, all of which Nintendo has approve and been silent on (and they apparently are still OK with it, as they let Pac-Man and Galaga Dimensions go out with it now) and, of course, the looming shadow of the PS Vita and things are looking pretty dire.
What can and should Nintendo do to turn this system around (I say price drop, first and foremost)? Or do you think that this may end up succeeding in the end like the DS did (remember, it had a horrible launch and post launch period, too)?