What Nintendo should do next gen

Two things I think Nintendo should do next gen

1. Launch there new console at $200 and have steam/XBL/PSN like sales

As we all know nintendo has always been the cheaper console. Even though people buy a PC/XBOX/PLAYSTATION for there main gaming device, many if not most buy a nintendo product as there secondary gaming platform whether it be a console or handheld device. However the reason the Wii U was a failure at launch was because it was fairly expensive and only had a handful of good games throughout its first year. Plus the gamepad eats up batteries like a son of a bitch, which means spending alot of money on batteries. And the average nintendo game now cost $60 like everyone else

Not only that but Nintendo may no longer be the cheaper console. Google and Amazon's new consoles could possibly be a huge blow to Nintendo as smartphones were to ther handheld market. Think about for a moment. If you are a parent who is buying your kids a home console gaming device would you spend $300 on a console and then $60 on one game or would you get Amazons console for $100 and $2-$7 on a game?

But here is one solution. Launch there next console at $200 no matter what. $200 is a very good price at launch for a console you know will have many great games for years to come. Plus they need to have sales similar to Steam/XBL/PSN sales were they are constintly having sales 50%-75% off. If they do they do these two things price will not be a factor on whether they want a nintendo product or not

2. Dump either the home console or there handheld console and focus on one device

Another problem people have with the Wii U and the 3ds at launch was the lack of games. I believe this has to do with the fact that they have the devs split making games for both there home console and there handheld devices. If they dumped one of those devices and focused on just one that means all of there devs would focus on just one console meaning more nintendo games and more 3rd party exclusives foro that one device. By sticking to one device they could easily pump out a sea of great games and nobody could say that there next console has no games

I think if they do these two things nintendo could easily be #1 again and destroy the competition. Do you agree?

disagree

on price.

• unless nintendo is willing to take a massive hit on each console sold, there isnt a lot that can be done with a 200 quid console. even the wii was 250 and that was just 2 gamecubes in a box (sold at cost at launch i think).
• we also see that people are willing to pay more if they think its good value. looking at the wii again, people were willing to pay up to 500 quid for that console for the first 2 years of its life...it was mad. the idea of the wii excited people and the games appealed. even now people are willing to pay a lot more for a console they percieve to be a lot better.
• finally the wiiu doesnt have a price problem. it had a price drop and it did nothing for sales. the release of mario kart 8 did more for wiiu sales than any price drop. they could drop the wiiu price tomorrow to 199.99 and it would have asales spike...but it would be short lived and nintendos bank account would be worse for wear.
• the wiiu biggest problem is a lack of appeal. its fundimentally a hard concept to sell and the highest selling games on the wiiu barely use the gamepads extra features. the only solution is for nintendo to find that killer app that gets people to think "ooooh now i get it.... thats really cool". in all likely hood thats not going to happen.
• whatever nintendo charge for their next device, they have to be very sure that people see value in it. nintendo have gotten pricing badly wrong for both the 3DS and wiiu because what they thought was valuable was not what the market thought was valuable. they nailed it with the DS (especially the DSLite) and, if anything, undercharged for the wii.

Steam like sales are not a bad idea though. nintendo should be doing more to promote the eshop. there doesnt seem to be much on it though. i have 10 quid sitting there and im struggeling to find something to spend it on (both for the 3DS and wiiu). if that was on steam i would have it spent already. suggestions most welcome (ideally not a VC game) :). i wouldnt have constant sales though. there comes a point where sales fatigue can set in and it loses its effect.

on the point of dumping either the console or handheld business: disagree.

its putting far too many eggs in one basket. if anything i would argue that they should take a leaf out of the mobile market and release a wider range of mobile devices. from little 3.5" handhelds that are very pocket friendly to 10" mobile gaming devices aimed more for playing around the house. some with phone features. some without. as long as the branding is clear (ie dont call it the new new 3DS) and all mobile devices can play the same games (i.e. not the new 3DS vs old 3DS) it can work well. ideally have only one console though.

but all nintendo devices should share a common platform. this is something nintendo are currently working on. we should see the start of it on the 3DSs successor.

nintendo also have to go developer shopping: ideally getting developers that are good at making games nintendo themselves either dont make or are not very good at.

Make their portable and TV machines the same, have them play the same games or, if possible, just make a handheld that you can hook up to your TV. What they can't do is keep making two different machines and making different games for each one of them.

Just like the PSPgo, the Vita TV was a brilliant idea that just happened to be awfully executed. Nintendo's 3DS eshop proves that lots of people are more than willing to go digital if you give them the proper tools and environment. Next gen Nintendo's machine(s) could be the Vita TV done right.

You made a identical thread over at ign, weird.