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dmaul1114 · 12-30-2011, 04:16 PM

Franchises change, but types of franchises that are dominant on a platform don't really don't much from generation to generation.

Nintendo isn't going to all of sudden start making FPS games and WRPG games for instance. MS will probably keep focusing on shooters and so on.

So I can be more broad in my statement and not mention specific franchises, but rather focus on genres. If people want to play platformers and family friendly games, they're going to stick with Nintendo. If they want to play shooters, fighters, sports games, racing games etc. then it will be MS or Sony depending on which series they like more, where their friends play online etc.

Nintendo's biggest problem is lack of new IPs. They've been far too content to just keep shitting out Mario, Metroid, Zelda, Pokemon, Kirby etc. The only semi-major new IP they've put out the past two generations is Pikmin, and that was a niche genre game. Not counting the casual game IPs like Brain Age, Wii Sports, Wii Fit etc. that core gamers don't give a shit about.

Without new IPs, they can't attract new gamers who aren't interested in their traditional franchises anymore. Time will tell if that changes with the Wii U. But I'm not holding my breath. They seem content to just focus on families and kids primarily, and they're franchises are a great platform for succeeding in that market.

But that's not going to give them any more success among core gamers. Core gamers are focused on FPS, WRPG, sports and racing games primarily. If Nintendo wants to get back into that market, they need exclusives in those genres. If they don't, then they should stop talking about getting back to core gamers and talk about focusing more on longtime Nintendo gamers who still love their franchises and less on soccer moms with crap like with Wii Fit.

And honestly, Nintendo is best off focusing on families and kids as there's very little chance of them succeeding with the fps/wrpg/sports/racing game playing core gamer set anyway. There's already two consoles that have that market cornered. Nintendo just needs to find a way to sell more games to the kids, families, Nintendo fanboys etc. to get their software attach rate up.