Editorial: Nintendo is teh Doomed and Apple is the future!

Regardless of the audience Nintendo plans to chase, Apple has a chance to gain a lot of ground.

Yes, the DS is the default handheld system of this generation – with 132 million in people's hands. But it had a three-year head start on Apple's devices – and Apple is closing fast, with 100 million iPhones, iPod Touches and iPads sold since 2007. Plus, Apple only recently realized the gaming potential of its devices and begun marketing campaigns around that.

Are Apple's products and the 3DS mutually exclusive? Of course not. There will certainly be a segment of both the gaming world and the mass market that buys both. What Nintendo needs to worry about though, are people who put off purchasing the 3DS until the price hits their comfort zone. That gives Apple an even longer window to beef up its gaming offerings.

The longer Apple can keep people distracted from the 3DS, the shakier third-party publisher support for the system will be. Publishers chase installed bases – and don't care who makes the hardware.

All of this said, Nintendo does have a couple of things working to its advantage with the 3DS – beyond the curiosity and coolness factor of a glasses-free 3D device.

An early 2011 launch gives the company plenty of time to sell to the core audience and early adopters and still drop prices by the time the holidays roll around, to make it more appealing to the mainstream. Granted, that's not the most likely of moves, but if you don't see ongoing retail shortages and at least the perception of the 3DS being the must-have gaming device of the year, it's something that could be thrown into consideration.

Also, the timing of the launch lets Nintendo and third party partners put together a robust software lineup for the 2011 holiday season. Ultimately, Nintendo knows the fight the 3DS faces is the same one the DS faces: convincing customers to pay $30 or more for its titles, when they can get things like Angry Birds for a buck.

Gamasutra.

Would you pay $30 for RE:R when you can instead get Angry Birds for $1?

I needed a laugh. Seriously, I did. The thing is that, Nintendo has the games, and as long as they can continue their quality, they will always be dominate. That how I feel.

I'd rather play Resident Evil to be honest. What the hell is Angry Birds (that's pretty much what everyone will ask). Most people who own both IPad and 3DS will probably just buy them both. I honestly see no reason to own an IPad. When it starts supporting Flash and Flash browser games and movies, let me know.

ltimately, Nintendo knows the fight the 3DS faces is the same one the DS faces: convincing customers to pay $30 or more for its titles, when they can get things like Angry Birds for a buck.

loco145

...Really?

I needed a laugh. Seriously, I did. Fuhgeddabouditt

[QUOTE="Fuhgeddabouditt"]I needed a laugh. Seriously, I did. lbjkurono23

[QUOTE="lbjkurono23"][QUOTE="Fuhgeddabouditt"]I needed a laugh. Seriously, I did. loco145

And why are we comparing the sales of a media player to a gaming device? :?SoraX64

And why are we comparing the sales of a media player to a gaming device? :?SoraX64

[QUOTE="Fuhgeddabouditt"]I needed a laugh. Seriously, I did. lbjkurono23

And why are we comparing the sales of a media player to a gaming device? :?SoraX64

How many people buy a Iphone for purely the games? Sure there are a few people, but people buy it because for one, its a phone, and another thing it can help them navigate themselves around a city because they get lost, and three, the "games" are good for passing time. But for an actual Gaming experience, it is all about the DS.

**Edit** Also Im not saying that the Iphone doesnt give a gaming experience, it surely does, but most people honest prefer to have their games, with usually more than 10 hours of gameplay, on a gaming device (that only does games, which usually keeps the price low)

And why are we comparing the sales of a media player to a gaming device? :?SoraX64

[QUOTE="lbjkurono23"][QUOTE="Fuhgeddabouditt"]I needed a laugh. Seriously, I did. Fuhgeddabouditt

Maybe Nintendo is going to be in trouble in the future because they released a console which has last gen graphics, not many great games, and a TON of shovelware......hillelslovak

I don't want "Angry Birds" for any price. I do want ME: Mercenaries, however.

[QUOTE="hillelslovak"]Maybe Nintendo is going to be in trouble in the future because they released a console which has last gen graphics, not many great games, and a TON of shovelware......lbjkurono23

If Nintendo is in trouble... then that only means one thing, the World gaming Industry is failing.

I think the measure of success for 3DS will it's sales relative to DS and GBA lifetime sales. If it sells the same then nothing changed.

The real question here is can Apple get people to buy $30-40 games for their products, and will they ever be able to produce a device that can play 3D(not stereo) games for more than an hour without the battery dying?

I use my iPhone 4 as a handheld but I must admit Nintendo makes better handheld games.

I think the answer is very clear

Pokemon B/W just set the record for fastest to 3 000 000 in Japan.

I just don't see Apple getting the killer app that could even be whispered in the same sentence as

Regardless of the audience Nintendo plans to chase, Apple has a chance to gain a lot of ground.

Yes, the DS is the default handheld system of this generation – with 132 million in people's hands. But it had a three-year head start on Apple's devices – and Apple is closing fast, with 100 million iPhones, iPod Touches and iPads sold since 2007. Plus, Apple only recently realized the gaming potential of its devices and begun marketing campaigns around that.

loco145

there you basically answered you own question.

Apple sold around 100 milion phones, and the only recently began marketing it as an handheld system.

My first question would be, how is this a threat to nintendo? Was the Gameboy advance threaten when nokia started selling more?

"but nokia wasn't a gaming device!"

and so wasn't the iphone, ipod touch and iPad either, they sold around 90 milion copies as phones, and then started marketing it as a gaming device.

You see why Nintendo will never have a problem with this, consumers will buy the cheap apps store games in addition to the 3DS games

Maybe Nintendo is going to be in trouble in the future because they released a console which has last gen graphics, not many great games, and a TON of shovelware......hillelslovak

And they're 75 million strong with sales of the Wii and 132 million strong with the DS, so I think Nintendo will disagree with you.

And you're opinion of great games =/= fact. Finally, the PS2 had a ton of shovelware too, maybe even more. So what's your point?

On topic:

Nintendo should keep an eye on Apple, but Apple does not know their head from their ass when it comes to marketing a gaming device. Apple should be more concerned with competing against BlackBerry than Nintendo.

Your comparing a cheap fun quirky game designed for a media player to a full blown game created by capcom designed for the a pure gaming platform. A dollar for anrgy birds, sure thats a great deal...$30 for Resident Evil 3DS, an even better deal. Why? because resident evil is going to be a better game. Its like choosing Super Mario Bros 3 over Uncharted 2, just because Super Mario Bros 3 is cheaper. Super mario bros 3 is a greatgame , but is it comparable to Uncharted 2?? NOPE!

Street Fighter 4 for iPod vs Street Fighter 4 for 3DS.

3DS looks far more appealing.

apple is teh sux and paying for flash games is a epic fail

Epic poll is Epic :P

Street Fighter 4 for iPod vs Street Fighter 4 for 3DS.

3DS looks far more appealing.

LegatoSkyheart

Good example, also..

Haha I shall avoid Apple like the plague, I would much rather buy a Wii than ANY Apple product (And I really dislike the Wii!!!) So yes I would rather buy RE than angry birds.

Never mind the arguments regarding buttons or whether or not people bought an iPod/iPhone solely for games. That's not important. As long as people own the device, they're part of the install base regardless of their reason for getting it.

The most important problem with the iPhone at the moment is that it lacks an audience willing to pay premium prices for games. 3DS games will likely cost in the realm of $40, like PSP games. This high price point and retail exposure gives developers the confidence to create games on a large budget, resulting in games like Metal Gear Solid 3DS, Resident Evil 3DS, or as we've seen on the PSP games like The 3rd Birthday.

iPhone consumers are not willing to spend more than $10 for a game. Apple takes 30% of the profits. So if you're developing a big-budget game for an iPhone, you're only going to earn $7 from each copy of that game you sell if you launch it for $10. And in order to stay competitive with all the cheap games coming out, you're going to have to drop that price quickly.

The 3DS and the PSP are especially important for the Japanese market. Japanese developers are steadily moving away from home consoles in general, prioritizing handheld development. A lot of these devs would struggle to make a profit on an iPhone -- never mind that smartphone adoption rates are still quite low there anyhow.

[QUOTE="LegatoSkyheart"]

Street Fighter 4 for iPod vs Street Fighter 4 for 3DS.

3DS looks far more appealing.

bowser3

Good example, also..

*Resident Evil 4 Iphone*

*Resident Evil Mercenaries*

Yeah and here's some screens for Street Fighter

JAAAA JAJAJA JAJA JI JI. Dat made my day

In any case Sony would be da one to worry not Nintendo. And yeah I would pay 30 bucks for a title insted of 1 buck for some dumb game I never hear of.

Maybe Nintendo is going to be in trouble in the future because they released a console which has last gen graphics, not many great games, and a TON of shovelware......hillelslovak

JAAAA JAJAJA JAJA JI JI. Dat made my day

In any case Sony would be da one to worry not Nintendo. And yeah I would pay 30 bucks for a title insted of 1 buck for some dumb game I never hear of.

GreenFalcon5267

lol Iphone is not a gaming device in my eyes, and won't be until it can get some real games, instead of some lousy ports and flash games.