Except it won’t be. The number of people who actually follow their bad practices and care is a rounding error. It was the same with EA and Activision. They treated their customers like scum and people are still on their knees asking for more. It will be no different for Nintendo.
And their refusal to listen to what the fans actually want.
It has worked well for them, Apple, etc. Customers are absolutely happy to support companies that provide a consistent experience.
Normally I don’t like that, but Nintendo does a fantastic job on quality control, so I’m happy to support them in a world where tech companies (esp gaming companies) use their customers as QA. I hate their legal department, refusal to sell on other platforms, and innovate with the Pokémon IP, but if they have something I’m interested in, I’m going to pick it up because I know they’ll deliver.
If I could make my dream game company, it would certainly include Nintendo’s QA department, and certainly not their legal team.
They seem to be mostly listening to their paying consumers, which seems reasonable as they are a high-end toy-making business that intends to continue making money.
It’s up to Nintendo to determine how to run their business best. Nobody needs luxury toys to live. But I will argue that you wouldn’t like Nintendo that releases their games on PC and sells them for $20 5 months after release.
Everything Nintendo does serves philosophy of valuing own work. Nintendo that doesn’t need to figure out how to do cool things with cheap hardware isn’t the same Nintendo that won’t release a new entry in their prestigious franchises unless there’s new kind of gameplay. Nintendo that doesn’t go after pirates has to look for other sources of revenue and people generally don’t like microtransactions and ads. I could go on but I think Nintendo is the only console manufacturer ready to weather upcoming storm in the industry.
But I will argue that you wouldn’t like Nintendo that releases their games on PC and sells them for $20 5 months after release.
Don’t threaten me with a good time. I don’t like the Nintendo that doesn’t do that, especially now that we’re in an era where walled garden, specialist gaming hardware makes less sense than it ever has.
And their refusal to listen to what the fans actually want.
And frivolous patent lawsuits on mechanics that they don’t use themselves. Or patents they made after said prior art came out.
And sending their lawyers after streamers and content creators.
And killing fan games that improve on their failures.
And artificial digital scarcity.
Their arrogance will be their downfall.
Except it won’t be. The number of people who actually follow their bad practices and care is a rounding error. It was the same with EA and Activision. They treated their customers like scum and people are still on their knees asking for more. It will be no different for Nintendo.
It has worked well for them, Apple, etc. Customers are absolutely happy to support companies that provide a consistent experience.
Normally I don’t like that, but Nintendo does a fantastic job on quality control, so I’m happy to support them in a world where tech companies (esp gaming companies) use their customers as QA. I hate their legal department, refusal to sell on other platforms, and innovate with the Pokémon IP, but if they have something I’m interested in, I’m going to pick it up because I know they’ll deliver.
If I could make my dream game company, it would certainly include Nintendo’s QA department, and certainly not their legal team.
They seem to be mostly listening to their paying consumers, which seems reasonable as they are a high-end toy-making business that intends to continue making money.
Isn’t that also selection bias as the fans that they aren’t serving will stop being paying customers?
It’s up to Nintendo to determine how to run their business best. Nobody needs luxury toys to live. But I will argue that you wouldn’t like Nintendo that releases their games on PC and sells them for $20 5 months after release.
Everything Nintendo does serves philosophy of valuing own work. Nintendo that doesn’t need to figure out how to do cool things with cheap hardware isn’t the same Nintendo that won’t release a new entry in their prestigious franchises unless there’s new kind of gameplay. Nintendo that doesn’t go after pirates has to look for other sources of revenue and people generally don’t like microtransactions and ads. I could go on but I think Nintendo is the only console manufacturer ready to weather upcoming storm in the industry.
Don’t threaten me with a good time. I don’t like the Nintendo that doesn’t do that, especially now that we’re in an era where walled garden, specialist gaming hardware makes less sense than it ever has.