Nintendo doesn't make Zelda's graphics cutting edge. The visuals of Zelda games are intended to be attractive due to their art direction (which has changed with every major Zelda home console game release) and not high graphical fidelity.
As for Zelda Wii U, Nintendo reconfirmed the game for Wii U back in November 2016. The real question is whether or not this title will become a cross-gen multiplatform title so it comes to NX as well, preferably at launch. Nintendo s...
The thing about Bayonetta 2 in particular, is that Sega and Platinum Games had already asked several other publishers if they were interested in wanting to fund Bayonetta 2, but they clearly were not which is why Nintendo said yes. Nintendo acknowledged the critical acclaim of the IP and decided to release a sequel for Wii U in order to help diversify the console's software library. Unfortunately, despite a fairly good marketing effort, Wii U owners just didn't care about it because ...
There is no hybrid console. Nintendo's Satoru Iwata confirmed this back in January 2013. What Nintendo means by using integrated architecture is to streamline development between handheld and home console so they share the same operating system, some of the same software apps and use of one set of transferable assets among other potential things. This would basically result in Nintendo making more sufficient its resources by making more games available on both platforms every year as we...
Nintendo faced competition against Sega, but Sega was not as popular as Nintendo, and Sega had considerably weaker 1st party IP. Secondly, Nintendo controlled the market and despite having strict third party policies, third parties endured it and continued to support the SNEs because it was the better selling platform overall. Back then, the major video game third party publishers were Japaness, but have now been replaced lagely by the presence of the growth and influence of major western pu...
My opinion:
Purely in terms of sales, PS4.
In terms of must-have exclusives, Wii U.
In terms of most improved console over last year, Xbox One.
To be fair, PlayStation as well as Xbox sell well primarily based on the importance of third party multiplatform support instead of 1st party sales, whereas with Nintendo, it relies almost entirely on the strength of its 1st party IP to drive hardware and software sales.
Quite frankly, it doesn't matter how powerful NX is (assuming it is a home console coming out first). The reason is because Nintendo doesn't have the same target audience as Sony and Microsoft. It hasn't cultivated the same type of gamers that reliably by third party multiplatform games and are supportive of mature,story-driven titles and genres such as shooters and sports titles. Hardcore gamers are just generally far less likely to supportive enough to buy third party titles ...
There is no next generation hybrid console. Never was. Satoru Iwata confirmed this way back in the end of January 2013. Here's his statement about it when he described the unified architectural strategy aka integrated architecture:
"Last year [in 2012] we also started a project to integrate the architecture for our future platforms," said Iwata. "What we mean by integrating platforms is NOT integrating handhelds devices and home consoles to make ONLY ONE ma...
Unfortunately, it is doubtful that Zelda's going to do much of anything to push Wii U sales in Japan. It's an IP that has gradually lost consumer interest, especially on Nintendo's home console. Quite frankly, if Mario Kart, Smash Bros, Super Mario Maker and Mario 3D World cannot do much to push Wii U sales in Japan, then neither will Zelda.
As far as NX goes, Nintendo's only shared three pieces of general information about it: It's a brand new concept, it features integrated architecture to streamline software development between handheld and home console, and it is not a hybrid console.
Yeah, I don't believe Tezuka was actually referring to hardware power (I wouldn't expect Nintendo's next hoem console otbe any more powerful than the Xbox One/Ps4 in terms of power class, but not necessarily superior or equal to in actual specs just as Wii U is to PS3 and Xbox 360), but of course, it could mean anything.
What we do know is that Nintendo's improving its online service with a new digital membership program (My Nintendo) and having its dedicated...
Good point. Also, for the record, Xenoblade X's director said that this game is considered a mid-tier title in terms of its budget.
Twilight Princess, Star Fox: Zero and Pokken Tournament are all coming out between March and April isn't all that bad. Combine this with other games we know about that are eventually coming such as Legend Zelda, Persona X Fire Emblem and likely Pikmin 4, and the lineup's got known 5 titles right there, so it's shaping up adequately for a "dying console" as some put it. Furthermore, for all we know, we may get new game announcements and potential 2016 releases from Ni...
Well, not quite. Nintendo developed and/or published the following games this year on Wii U in 2015:
1. Kirby & The Rainbow Curse
2. Mario Party 10
3. Splatoon
4. Super Mario Maker
5. Yoshi's Wooly World
6. Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival
7. Mario Tennis Ultra Smash
8. Devil's Third
9. Xenoblade Chronicles X
(not including eshop titles & DLC)
Compared to 2014'...
As far as Nintendo goes, it has historically makes most of its its revenue from the sales of its dedicated hardware and accessories instead of from the sales of software and royalties. It's been crucial for Nintendo to sell its hardware below the product cost which is why it suffered operating at a loss at times with with 3DS and Wii U.
Nintendo's owned 80% of of developer Monolith Soft back in May 2007, making it a 1st party developer since Nintendo gained controlling interest in the studio. Bandai Namco originally owned a total of 96% stake in developer Monolith Soft, and eventually sold its remaining stake of the development studio to Nintendo later on. I believe some of Monolith Soft's executives own the remaining 4% stake in their development team.
Personally, I don't see anything wrong with Nintendo only providing software support for Wii U through 2016. Quite frankly 4 years of 1st party releases should be acceptable and expected from a platform that has sold as poorly as Wii U has. As we know, Nintendo has confirmed 3 game releases between March - April 2016 with Twilight Princess HD, Star Fox and Pokken Tournament. There's also other announced games such as Zelda and Fire Emblem X Persona cross-over title that we are waitin...
I think people are overreacted about NX. We don't even know when it is coming out (could be a year or two years from now), let alone if it is a home console or a handheld. What we do know is that according to Satoru Iwata's description of the integrated architecture/ unified architectural strategy back in January 2013, Nintendo has no intention of releasing a a hybrid console. He clearly stated that Nintendo will be releasing a new handheld and a new home console in the next generati...
While I am really enjoying my time with Xenoblade X overall, but so far, you've listed legitimate complaints, and I hope Monolith Soft actually learns from their mistakes when they make a next game like it.
I think the game has been successful for a couple of different reasons:
- It's the kind of game that was tailor-made to appeal to Nintendo's audience. That is why it isn't another standard gritty, realistic, military shooter in a fairly stagnant genre. Nintendo didn't just make the game play in a fairly unique way, but it also gave Splatoon the developer's signature aesthetic look as well.
- It was a pretty well marketed title that Nint...