To start I think we (Nintendo fans) should be honest. None of us wanted motion controls or a tiny little machine with a sensor bar. After the Game Cube seemed to be a technical flop we wanted something to combat Sony and Microsoft. We wanted real jean texture in Mario's overalls, a Zelda title with voice acting, full orchestra and CGI cut scenes!
Nintendo's first console proved that video games were more than Pong and Pac-Man, Mario and Zelda were technical breakthroughs. Nintendo fans have always appreciated more in depth games. The first and second Nintendo console also were able to house a Final Fantasy game, Nintendo fans are not casual gamers, for over twenty years (of course I haven't lived that long) we've been loyal to great gaming. All patterns from the NES to the Nintendo 64 show that we were quite content with simple (yet huge) technical improvements. Nintendo will never achieve the same impact as Ocarina of Time and Mario 64 because those two were the first 3D outings of Link and Mario.
The gaming world responded very well to the 3D graphics, now environments could be more complex along with game play. However the Game Cube's rather... minor increase in graphics showed a slight unease in Nintendo's plans. The Wii's... well Wii games can have more lighting effects but thats about it. There is no improvement. The problem is, motion control technology in hard core games depletes the game play. When the technicality of a console has not improved and the hard core games lack in game play due to technology... something is wrong.
From the advertising campaign to the news reports, the Wii is being sold as a "toy" and not a game console. Elder folks are getting more enjoyment out of the Wii than the Nintendo fans.
The Wii sports game may be fun, but along with Wii play and Wii fit it shows the title of the console along with games that are... rather sporty as apposed to real time consuming deep adventures. Nintendo is marketing everyone, except the gamers. The gamers whom have been deep fans of the great titles that Nintendo *used* to come out with.
Their absence of care for graphics has pushed other developers (Square Enix) to other consoles where their games can be properly show cased. Without improving the technology like everyone else, the Wii limits its library. Assassins Creed could have been on the Wii but the developers said they couldn't bring the processing requirements of the game down enough for the Wii.
This turn in Nintendo's goal has probably made it easier for Microsoft's Xbox to gain such power.
All I'm saying is that the hardware sales of the Wii show Nintendo prefers cold hard cash over a very loyal fan base. Of course their software sales are not nearly as commendable.
Thank you for reading this rather drab "article", I should point out that the proof is the game selection, news reports (from any local news source, and numerous posts from Destructoid and Joystiq, and in Nintendo's future titles (or lack thereof).
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The Wii will likely be my last Nintendo product if they keep this trend up. I already find the games slightly underwhelming (Smash hasn't arrived, so forgive me) and the motion controls just piss me off in most games, like Super Mario Galaxy.
But why shame on them for trying to get more people into gaming?
As bloodylip said I'm glad they aren't going down the 'race for the best hardware' path and are doing it right, no console should ever cost more than $300 in my book.
The positive is that nintendo is now seeing a revival in its home console division with the Wii selling out like hotcakes and several of its first party games are selling well.
However this has come at a disadvantage the more hardcore nintendo fanboys who are clamouring for games that just don't use silly waggles. Its not nintendo doesn't care about its fans, they're releasing their first party games as soon as possible and most of them are fairly well done. However, the influx and rise of the "casual" gamer has made it hard for Nintendo to please the hardcore gamer.
If anything its this casual market of gamers (girls, older adults) that has shifted marketing and development strategies for Wii games. You have developers like Suda 51 that want to make a hardcore game but as in japan, it didn't sell well. But you look at games like Carnival games and its selling well on amazon. This is becoming the issue with the Wii cause now many publishers and developers are not going to spend money to make a decent looking game that may take months to develop when they can easily make some mini game collection using motion controls. Maybe patcher will be right and Nintendo will make a some type of addon/newer HD Wii that will allow some awesome 3rd party games seen on the 360/ps3 be ported over to appease the Hardcore gamers and HDTV adopters. Until then, best thing "hardcore" Nintendo gamers can do is support good games and disappprove quick cash in shovel wares.
The change to the Wiimote made good sense. It was a way to set themselves apart from the competition, and not break the bank in the process. I think they care about us as much as any company does...including Sony and Microsoft. At the end of the day, they are a business, and need to do whatever it takes to protect their interests in order to "live to fight another day."
You make some good points in your blog but Nintendo has always been about innovation and artistic style over pure power. Each generation they improve something, instead of just tacking on better specs. They can't afford to create a powerhouse machine and sell it for little or no profit like Microsoft or Sony.
The fact that -real- gamers care more about gameplay than graphics makes your entire argument invalid. Sure there are a lot of posers out there that care about visuals before anything else, but their opinions don't really matter in an industry of -interactive- entertainment.
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Nintendo's strategy for a long time has been thus: Develop more efficient and reliable hardware.
This, to the scrubs who care, seems like they refuse to keep up in console horsepower. However, which systems always have the lowest failure rate, and the quickest loading times? Anyways, who cares about graphics as long as they're not so bad they hurt your eyes? I like a pretty game as much as the next person, but i'm not going to refuse to play something with mildly dated visuals if it is FUN. Same thing with 'cute' or 'kiddy' labels. Fun is fun, and if you can't accept that you need to grow up.
Along with hardware refinement, Nintendo has a penchant for refining control mechanisms to industry-defining standards. Nintendo did not invent the D-pad, analog control, memory cards, haptic feedback, touch screens, or motion control... but who brought each and every one of them to unprecedented popularity and acceptance in the videogame industry?
Did consumers ever really ask for any of these things?
Outsiders can be forgiven their ignorance of Nintendo's role in this industry, but if you claim to be a serious gamer, you either give them their due or you are a poser.
Also, the argument has already been made that the PS2, the WEAKEST of the last generation's consoles was the clear winner. Graphics are not the future. They improve incrementally over time, but do not define which console is better than another. Proven by the PS2, the DS, and now the Wii. Better games make better consoles.
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The way this could turn out is that Nintendo is trying to widen the audience of gamers, then the casual gamers look into more hard core games and become addicted just like us.
Thats the positive way of looking at Nintendo's strategy, but right now its hurting the library (aside from Mario, Zelda and Metroid... and soon Brawl).