To say that Nintendo has been smug since the Wii became such a huge success is something of an understatement. The company's press conferences have devolved into long sessions of self-fellatio and big numbers, but it's thanks to
Nintendo of America marketing executive Perrin Kaplan that Nintendo has become officially the most self-satisfied corporation in all of gaming.Stating that gamers were bored without even knowing it until Nintendo came along, Kaplan essentially claims to be a mindreader. That's right folks, Nintendo apparently is better at knowing you than you are. If you think you had fun in the PlayStation 2 era, you are actually tricking yourself with fake memories -- the PS2 wasn't fun until its games had waggle controls!
"A major insight that Nintendo had early on was that they saw that gamers were getting bored, even though they didn't know it yet," Kaplan pretentiously said. "Just look at the way people consume entertainment today. The idea that you would spend hours playing video games is just not real anymore." Nintendo is able to see into the homes of millions of people twenty four hours a day.
Fair play to Nintendo, it has had amazing success and is currently dominating the market, but the smugness has to stop. The claim that gamers were "bored and didn't know it yet" is unfounded and, if actual comments from gamers are to be believed, not true. Many of us still use the PS2 more than anything else, and there are countless complaints about the lack of fun original games on the Wii. While I won't dispute the success of the Nintendo, I will dispute pompous untruth like this. Nintendo did not single-handedly save videogaming with the Wii, and the company needs to stop pretending that it did.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
8:06 AM on 10.15.2007
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Iwata, Miyamoto and co appear quite humble to me. NOA are a bit loud and in your face with the companies success.
Only time will tell if I will get what I want.
She is a marketing exec, so you kind of expect this stuff from her. Especially since she is leaving.
Bring on the comments that tell me Im not "hardcore". Im pretty proud of that.
I don't have a wii, yet I am not bored. ohhh right, I just don't know it yet.
They need to do something about the pitiful attach rate for Wii games before they start making statements like these. Oh yeah, and the fact that many Wiis have been collecting a heavy layer of dust until Galaxies and SSBB come out.
Sterling, another negative blog? Not that Im surprised, but jesus fucking christ its not the first time a company made such claims... remember when live came out? Or how Sony hyped the PS3 to be the second coming of the "gaming messiah"
Seriously I know you have preffereces but in a non-biased site have some decency as an e-journalist an stop kicking Nintendo around... IT WAS CODE NAMED THE fucking REVOLUTION why oh why, are you bitchin about it now?
To the lame that said the wii had 'gateway gaming' (lolol)... shut up already 100% sure you don't have a Wii in your house... You're basically saying that after the wii everyone moves on to more hardcore shit huh? Yes, that must be nintendos strategy, to form a legion of nerds..... º·º
Nintendo's strategy is as simple as this: It has yet again introduced an innovation into the world of video games who was already questioning Nintendos survival in the industry... So whats the next logical step? To change it, to define it and most importantly, to properly introduce its product. That is why we see the influx of IPs geared towards the 'virgin gamers' because if it was too complex it would scare people away.
Have an open mind and realize that many of the games you played in the past generation left a bitter taste in the back of your mouth, atleast the wii's design and heavy "gameplay over graphics" focus is inspiring developers... How many FPSs or GTA clones is it going to take for someone else to want something new?
Nintendo must be doing SOMETHING right an will be in the industry when its competitors have adapted into "waggle" controls and Toshiba, Mitsubishi and Apple Macintosh have entered the playing field, only to have Nintendo switch it up again.
I called Nintendo on a smug statement -- uuuhhh, big fucking deal? You'll notice a POSITIVE blog about the Wii in between this one and the last negative ... oh wait, you won't because people like you only read what you want to read since it's fits your victim complex.
Don't presume to tell me that last-gen games "left a bitter taste in my mouth." What left me with a bitter taste was the Wii that's collecting dust on my shelf because I haven't had more than two games I want to play for it. By contrast, the PS2 had a new game for me at least once a month, most often more than that.
Face it -- the PS2 is still the place to be if you want a wide range of quality titles. For Nintendo to claim we were all bored before they graciously shook things us is ridiculous and untrue.
Please, stop being so upset because I said something bad about your favorite plaything.
And Kaplin said gamers. Its interesting to see people interpret that differently. That could mean everybody, but it could also mean some.
but it was 'positive'... a 2:1 ratio between that and negative is nonbiased
/sarcasm
Next time I'll just lie and say Nintendo 100% brilliant and infallible, shall I? I swear it's what you people want sometimes.
What you call smug I see as propaganda. Which you may say is equally as bad, but that's business and everybody does it.
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Riser Glen Ranked Godlike
(# 14) on 10/15/2007 09:21
I HAVE AN OPINION ON THE INTERNET AND I'LL BE DAMNED IF I DON'T EXPRESS IT WITH 3 OR MORE PARAGRAPHS. ANGRY PARAGRAPHS.
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Love: Handicapable
And yes, I do wonder if the 'Cube was included among the list of consoles that 'bored' gamers.
wasn't going to do it until i saw FuriousGeorge go into FuriousFanboy mode. stop sucking the cock of a big business! you are falling into their propaganda machine. hate them all!
Anyway, thats pretty damn arrogant. I like the Wii, but mine doesn't get near the play time my 360, PS2, or DS does. That will change in November, but I wasn't bored.
Yeah, I wanna play Metroid at some point. Yeah, I'm sure I'd enjoy Zelda if I gave it a shot. But honestly, I don't HAVE to play them.
I rush out and buy the Orange Box on day one. I buy a Wii and let it collect dust for two months because I'd rather play 360 games. Odd. didn't realize how bored I was with all the damn games I was playing on my 360.
I think system manufacturers really need to reign in their marketers, no one likes hearing people gloat like this.
You're starting to sound like Sony, douchebags.
Love, JonDarkwood.
the only thing nintendo saved was itself though
long live the Wii & it's innovative technology...to see how long nintendo stays on top will only be a test of time though
Bored of my Gamecube.
Now I'm pissed.
Fucking Wii.