Despite it still being completely sold out in the US and UK, Wii sales are showing signs of slowing in Japan as players settle into Nintendo's new generation...
The initial hype generated by Nintendo's motion-controlled console was phenomenal. Forums erupted with Wii speculation, rumour and excitement, Gav was even live on Channel 5 News. Amazon.co.uk was completely overwhelmed when its entire pre-order allocation was sold within just seven minutes, and Wii's were flogged on eBay for as much as £900 - FIVE times the retail price.
It was an exciting launch for sure, but one that Wii critics have claimed is a temporary phase. Opposition to the controller's motion-control concept cite it as a gimmick whose appeal would soon diminish. Are we already seeing this happen in Japan?
There are a number of reasons why gamers' interest in Wii could be waning. Most prominent is the first batch of games, many of which do a better job at exposing the obstacles of full motion control, rather than the benefits.
Red Steel is twitchy and occassionaly clumsy, Need For Speed: Most Wanted is near unplayable, Far Cry got it all wrong, and the motion control in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance just feels tacked on.
The LAST thing Wii needs is lazy ports of existing games, particularly games that have been out for A YEAR or thereabouts on other consoles (Prince of Persia, Blazing Angels). They could do more harm than good.
But if Wii is approaching a lull, it'll be a temporary one. Regular CVG forum poster, Mr Vengeance, commented: "The Wii needs some new software fast - I'm a very frustrated Wii owner right now. I need some games!" signalling the games drought to be the main concern right now.
Patience, gamers. Nintendo models Wii on the similarly-innovative DS, and look at how that went. The touch-screen console had a strong launch, followed by a slow period. It seemed PSP was going to steal Nintendo's handheld crown. It took a year for the DS' killer apps - New Super Mario Bros., Animal Crossing: Wild World, Metroid Prime Hunters, Nintendogs and Brain Training - to excel it to its current record-breaking status.
Wii has had a good start. Elebits, Wii Sports and Wario Ware: Smooth Moves are great games but, more importantly, they're blueprints for what's possible on Wii and how well motion-controlled gaming works when done properly.
Now it's all about waiting for the Wii's big guns, as CVG reader maugrim2712 points out: "The Wii will slow down for a while soon, but once games like Metroid and Mario come out it'll shoot up again."
Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and Nintendo big-shot Super Smash Bros. Brawl are all due for release later this year and are bound to reignite the passion in owners as well as pull in new ones. And those are the games we know about; Nintendo is bound to have plenty of surprises in store...
Don't go forgetting about the constant stream of retro classics Nintendo continues to release via Virtual Console every week. We've finished Zelda, Excite Truck, Monkey Ball and all of Wii's bigger titles, yet the Virtual Console updates keep us turning on Wii every week, and every lunchtime for Mario Kart 64 sessions, which is still an awesome multiplayer game.
We should also consider that many third party developers, CVG has been told on different occasions, didn't receive proper Wii development kits too long before the console's release. With the average game taking well over a year to make these days, we should see an influx of third-party releases - developed specifically on Wii dev kits (not GameCube placeholders) - rushing to Wii later this year and in 2008.
Wii is not a temporary craze. Industry analysts, retailers and developers alike have backed Wii to have a healthy run in the new-generation console war.
Next Christmas is crucial for Wii. It'll have great titles and will be the cheapest console on the market. This will be when Wii will truly prove its worth. Head to the forum and tell us what you're looking forward to playing on Wii this year.
The people who claim its "novelty is wearing off" are just anti Wii tbh. After any launch, sales are strong, but wear down from the huge figures to a healthy weekly amount. Console sales only really increase spectacularly with the release of new software. So..Im thinking this is a petty jab at the Wii.
But it does very much depend upon how Nintendo use the Wii. I'm confident it will be a success, after such support from publishers and developers. ONM editor, Chandra Nair, claimed there were many more huge announcements to come soon, which have been kept under wraps.
Btw..so is this Mike Jackson from NOM/ONM? I'm guessing so, as this is a Future website and ONM is Future.. And if so, I reckon you're the new "hidden" member. All the best.
You have casual gamers, weekend gamers and hardcore gamers.
Casual gamers just want a pick up and play game like Wario Ware, Wii Play, Wii Sports. For them right now there are enough games out there and enough fun to be had.
Weekend gamers, like myself, have limited game time and would prefer bigger titles to play through. Right now i've finished Red Steel, Monkey Ball and finishing off Zelda. I look for my next game and there's several coming really soon Prince Eledees and Trauma Centre to name a couple. Those games will most likely last me several weeks playing at weekends so right now i'm happy.
Hardcore gamers, far too much time on their hands, i doubt will ever be happy with just one system. Especially at the launch of a system, just look at the PS3 titles, there is very little to keep hardcore gamers happy.
I don't see a problem, the VC adds a little extra too.
I love my Wii, I love my 360. Together they offer completely different experiences. I can't envisage owning just a Wii, I still need the graphics wow factor and playability of games like Gears of War. However when I play on my Wii I have been playing games like Warioware and Wii Sports far more than Zelda, which is something I really didn't expect.
The novelty of my Wii has yet to wear off, but for the times I get bored of playing on my Wii I have my 360 and vice versa.
'console sales slow down after huge sales at launch'. Shocker, didnt see that coming.This happens with every console and yet you are still shocked every time it happens. Whats worse is the people complaining that the Wii is not getting any games in the new year. This always happens every year, sure there are always a few good games released after new year, but during this period the games industry tends to slow down new console or not, but you are still supprised that it happens.
All consoles go through the slow phase after launch the Wii is going through. It's starting it pick up though Excite this week is fun - if not limitied. SSX blur is out in a few weeks followed by Sonic and Eleedee's all spaced out at 2 week intervals. Trauma Centre should be out pretty soon too as it was a US launch title.
I recently brought excite truck and i can say i love it, and i think it looks good with its draw distance and foliage and water effects, so i dont know what people who slate its graphics are on about,
Then i think excite truck is just one of many first games for the wii, and so they can only get better, in playability, graphics and controls,
Nintendo could bring out wii sports 2 with betetr graphics and redifined controls, or advanced mii creation, then theres online capability when it finally happens which im sure nintendo will have plenty of ideas for.
When i think how happy i am now with it and then think what the future could bring it theres no doubt in my mind that the wii will succeed, just as long as developers realise the potencial they have with the console and stop making crappy ports.
And as for novelty controls i can honestly say that i much prefer tilting my remote in excite truck to steer rather than using analouge controls for racing games, i find it much more fun and it makes me feel more part of the game.
Smash brothers, mario, metroid, resi, and the other gems that are being developed by developers, the futures bright the futures wii
If the Wii is to have any long-term success, it is crucial that the controls make for a better experience, not just a different experience. Therefore, games must be designed to use the unique controllers to maximum effect. If Red Steel becomes the standard, the console is doomed.
I don't think that will happen though. Nintendo have clearly thought this through.
I'm looking forward to playing new games. I don't like Metroid or Super Smash Bros., they're not my type of games. So I'd like some new franchises and Mario Kart and Animal Crossing, then I'd be ready to buy the Wii... until then I'll stick with my PS2 and DS.
I like the example of Red Steel as a display of bad Wii controls even though it was apparently the second best Wii title after Zelda according to the CVG review...
Anyway, I agree it needs titles... But it has more than the PS3. And it's also natural sales start slowing down. People who wanted it bought it, now it's up to the games that get released to attract additional crowd over the months and years.
And what's the point of mentioning the bad titles as examples of whatever you try to show? Should we judge the PS1 and PS2 by the hundreds upon hundreds of crappy games it got simply because it was the most popular system or by the vastly lower number of classics it got (for the same reason)?
Novelty wearing off, slower sales in japen? you do realise it is still 2nd highest selling game console weekly in japan quite a bit ahead of the weekly sales of ps3(matches with ps2 and beaten by psp aint it?) and xbox 360.
feels more like making news for sake of making news.
and b4 u say no i aint nintendo freak, got 360 and pc sitting right beside it
It is indeed too early to tell..But let's fast forward two years into the future, and look what we've got.
Wii has some amazing games (including Mario, Metroid and the like), which is grea, but since people have gotten used to the Wiimote (let's not forget we are in 2009 people!), the situation wouldn't be any more different than with the GameCube or any other Ninty console in History. Except with more third party support thanks to strong hardware sales figures..
I'm not saying it'd be a bad thing, just that the novelty WILL eventually wear off, just remember that the "normal" pads we have today were made popular by Ninty back in the NES days, the novelty did wear off after you played your third or fourth NES game with that super new controller .
The thing that will NOT wear off on the other hand, is the user-friendly interface and multiplayer fun that will continue to draw many non gamers in front of the largets TV at home. Making the Wii the console of choice for those who want to have some old school minutes of fun from time to time with the cheapest, least intimidating system out there..
And that's already an accomplishment if you ask me.
Is there third-party support, or is it just not in the headlines. I, as a Wii outsider, merely (for now) watching and waiting for Pangya See what appears to be Nintendo relying too heavily on first-party to move units AGAIN. Every Nintendo rep interview seems to be punctuated with: "Mario/Metroid/Smash Bros is coming"...But why are they relying on those? Sure, there are ports of titles from other systems, but wth wants to play those on their new machine! Ubi's logic's sprung a leak somewhere too, if it believes its actions of late are helping anyone, especially itself.
The article I know is saying the INITIAL Novelty is wearing off.. but whose worrying at Nintendo ? They've sold SIX TIMES more Wii's then Sony did PS3's during the same period.
This article be titled:
"Wii's Novelty phase FINALLY over !"
The Wii's initial userbase is something to be proud of for any console maker.
By the way.. I want a Wii.. I live in the USA .. my cousin has one.. and we both are also happy Xbox 360 Owners.. ( I still have a PS2, but its touched less )
I agree.. this article fails to mention PS3's NOVELTY PHASE Wore off in a bout 4 weeks !!! LOL .. With the exception of Japan the PS3 is selling very slow. Even in Japan its selling number 3 !! IN JAPAN !
Now Europeans are scoffing at the idea of paying 840 US dollars for a PS3_Not4ME .. they will have to pay more then anyone so far !!
Novelty wearing off, slower sales in japen? you do realise it is still 2nd highest selling game console weekly in japan quite a bit ahead of the weekly sales of ps3(matches with ps2 and beaten by psp aint it?) and xbox 360.
feels more like making news for sake of making news.
and b4 u say no i aint nintendo freak, got 360 and pc sitting right beside it
The fact that the Wii now needs some titles to continue the momentum is obvious. March seems to offer some hope, with Sonic and the EA titles due out.
The DS seemed to work globally for Nintendo in a very interesting way; as one region started to show signs of slowing sales, another region exploded for the handheld. Currently the European market is still breaking records for the DS, but sales in Japan have slowed. The software that appeals to the different markets seems to vary a great deal.
While the really 'big-hitters' for Wii will probably be held back until the Autumn/Christmas run-in (when there might actually be Wii units in shops for Nintendo to need to push), I don't understand why Elebits/Eledees and Trauma Centre haven't arrived here yet, months after the US releases. These are two games I was intending on buying when I bought my Wii. The slow releases looks like a lack of interest in the European market.
In the mean time, I'm hoping Sonic and SSX Blur are good games, both of which are due next month. Also very much looking forward to Resident Evil and No More Heroes.
I own a Wii (as well as an Xbox 360 and, hopefully, soon a PS3). I bought it at launch, thoroughly enjoyed Zelda: Twilight Princess, had lots of fun over Christmas and New Year playing Wii Sports and Rayman Raving Rabbids with family and friends, bought WarioWare Smooth Moves and had another giggle or two then...
... nothing!
The Wii has been pretty much gathering dust since last month apart from the odd Virtual Console game I've downloaded. It's apparent that the machine is woefully lacking in any games that keep you playing for hours on end with the exception of Zelda, which itself is a GameCube port. To be honest at this point in time I'm a little disappointed with the machine really and there's little of interesting coming out on it for the next two months bar another GameCube port (Super Paper Mario), which at least isn't another shallow party game!
Where are all the *good* games, Nintendo? I want them now not Christmas!
I'm a Wii and 360 owner, and to be fair my major concern with future Wii titles is that the motion-control just isn't that good.
I feel slightly mis-sold on the whole concept. I was expecting it to be like a "flock of birds" device, using magnetism to pinpoint the two ends of the controller in 3D space. However, the controller works by triangulating the two infra-red LEDs in the sensor bar. If at any point the controller is pointing away from the screen, Wii software has to calculate in which direction it must be pointing based on the output of accelerometer, which isn't always terribly accurate.
There-in lies the problem: as soon as you point it away from the screen, it relies on informed guesswork. This effectively makes the controller more like a 3D mouse, and I can't help feeling that we're not going to see half the interesting applications of the technology that we'd hoped for.
All that said, I'm chuffed to bits with Zelda, and if only a handful of decent games come out on Wii, it'll be a worthwhile investment. As a Sega fanboy of old, I'm used to appreciating rare nuggets of genius on an otherwise obsolete system!
The article doesn't provide any evidence of sales slowing down, but it's obvious that has to happen at some point: one can only assume that the average gamer will only want one Wii console
Also for each game that highlights flaws one could easily cite a counter-example: by all accounts CoD3's controls succeed where Red Steel's fail. It could be argued that Zelda is a 'lazy port', but it's still a damned fine game.
Obviously publishers are trying to get games out quickly to exploit the market and that's bound to result in a large number of failures... but it's early days - and the Wii isn't just a 'novelty', it's a brave and truly innovative step in the gaming market. Its success so far suggests that it's going to have a huge impact on gaming as a whole: the inlcusion of motion sensing in the PS3 controller is surely no coincidence...
Wii will be great. It just needs time for the big games to come along and they will. Metroid, Mario, Smash Bros, Pikmin, Paper Mario, Mario kart, Resi Evil, No More Heroes and of course a load of new stuff which will be really exciting too.
This was my one fear with the Wii, especially when it came to the graphical power & engine. All new next gen games for PS3 & 360 have to be created in a new engine & built fresh from the ground up with new physique & high res textures but because the wii is built on old technology it was inevitable that the system was gonna be flooded with ports of old xbox1 & ps2 games, with a motion sensor controls bolted on... which is a real shame, it's not Nintendo fault its just that games developers have seen an opportunity to rehash & resell all there old games that didn't do so well the 1st time round. Games like no more heroes is what the wii really needs, games that take advantage of style over graphical horsepower & show intuitive way to use the motion sensing controller... developer need to start taking risks!!!, u cant just port Splinter cell to the Wii & hope it sells.
u cant just port Splinter cell to the Wii & hope it sells.
Seconded. I'm sure all Wii owners would agree that if that wanted to play games like Splinter Cell or even Call Of Duty, they'd do so on their 360/PS3.
That said, the deluge of poorly-conceived DS ports hasn't stopped the system doing well. We've just got to hope there's more inspired gems than equivalents of Rainbow Islands Revolution.
I'm a fan of Nintendo usually, but I don't plan to get a Wii, simply because 95% of the games look absolutely rubbish. Without proper use of the motion sensitive controllers, the Wii seems like a massive waste of time as a concept, a step backwards rather than the step forwards it should be.
I finally bought a Wii last weekend and I am throughly under-welmed with it. Wii Sports is great fun and particularly so with friends. However, it was Zelda that has frustrated me the most. Graphically it is virtually the same as the Gamecube version and I now wish I had bought that version instead of getting a Wii at all. The motion controls for Zelda are completely screwed up if you are left handed. There is no option to support left handed play. I have no idea how many other Wii games are going to have this problem (Wii Sports fully accomodates left handers) but at the moment mine is very close to being taken back to the shop.
EDIT: Finally got so frustrated with Zelda and the controls took the lot back (under 21 day no quibble guarantee at HMV) and got my money back. If Nintendo aren't going to support left handed players in their biggest launch release, I'm not betting on many others supporting us either.
I love my Wii, I love my 360. Together they offer completely different experiences. I can't envisage owning just a Wii, I still need the graphics wow factor and playability of games like Gears of War. However when I play on my Wii I have been playing games like Warioware and Wii Sports far more than Zelda, which is something I really didn't expect.
The novelty of my Wii has yet to wear off, but for the times I get bored of playing on my Wii I have my 360 and vice versa.
I'm a fan of Nintendo usually, but I don't plan to get a Wii, simply because 95% of the games look absolutely rubbish. Without proper use of the motion sensitive controllers, the Wii seems like a massive waste of time as a concept, a step backwards rather than the step forwards it should be.
Well it is not rubbish. It is brilliant. There are only 4 or 5 games at the moment that are good but there are lots of great games planned for it.
As a Wii owner since 12:03am on launch day, I totally 100% agree that the novelty is wearing off.
It wore off for me in the space of 2 weeks... the Wii is now sitting beside my TV gathering dust. Such a boring, gimmicky console and one that I am truly sorry I wasted any money on.
The Wii is a novelty which quickly wears off. My mate bought one for christmas, we played it to death for a week and after that never touched it again.
It was then put on ebay and sold for £400 which was spent on a PS3 which is an excellent machine that we haven't stopped playing.
My verdict, the Wii is a kids machine with limited appeal and average games. Get a 360 or PS3 instead.
Ive owned a wii since launch and I do think its a great console. The massive problem I have are the lack oF good titles. Zelda is great and red steel is OK but thats it really. Also why so few adult games. Most titles are aimed at young children. Ive only got the wii to keep me going untill the PS3, I dont regret buying it but come on Nintendo more GTA's and less happy feet and ice age2!!!!!!
Well, this is why I don't buy consoles on launch anymore.
The potential is still there but it remains to be seen just how excited devs are by the hardware. They're really going for it on the 360 and within a year the PS3 will be wowing us, too.
Without games with a more complex structure and indepth game play the Wii simply won't make it in the long term.
Hopefully by Christmas the catalogue of games will include a few meatier titles.
Well this is always the problem with getting a console early into its life, you get the launch period madness then it goes through a slow period where there are hardly any good games released then it gets into its stride a while after, same thing happened with every other console ever released and will probably do so with future ones as well.
Bear in mind its only fairly recently that the 360 has really begun producing the goods and the PS3 will be the same as well so there's no need for all the doom-mongering and complaints that its gathering dust, after its launch my PS2 spent nearly four months gathering dust before it got serious use.
If nothing else its a testiment to the Wii that its launch period insanity has lasted as long as it has, the PS3's was over in a few weeks. Roll on April and Super Paper Mario
I finally bought a Wii last weekend and I am throughly under-welmed with it. Wii Sports is great fun and particularly so with friends. However, it was Zelda that has frustrated me the most. Graphically it is virtually the same as the Gamecube version and I now wish I had bought that version instead of getting a Wii at all. The motion controls for Zelda are completely screwed up if you are left handed. There is no option to support left handed play. I have no idea how many other Wii games are going to have this problem (Wii Sports fully accomodates left handers) but at the moment mine is very close to being taken back to the shop.
EDIT: Finally got so frustrated with Zelda and the controls took the lot back (under 21 day no quibble guarantee at HMV) and got my money back. If Nintendo aren't going to support left handed players in their biggest launch release, I'm not betting on many others supporting us either.
Well I'm left handed and to be honest if you can't play Zelda with the remote in your right hand well then it must be nerve damaged or something. The controls don't even require you to make accurate movements, and if you find it that hard just play it with the remote in your left hand! Surely the character on screen not switching hands won't make a difference.
I have already commented on the main article but after reading the other comments made I have to say GROW UP! the Wii has been out for a couple of months and you start complaining that it doesn’t have 200 AAA titles immediately. Of course it doesn’t Nintendo didn’t start handing out its development kits until recently, so to have games making the absolute most out of the remote is just unreasonable at this point. what i have to agree with though is the disgraceful behaviour of developers like ubisoft with there lazy ports will inevitably hurt any console. another thing is the graphical ability of the Wii, (which from what I can gather from looking around on the internet is about the same as the xbox) if developers can make a game that looks as good as halo2(crap game, but looks great) then there is no excuse for them not to do so. Saying that you can make an amazing looking game that plays crap, or a crap looking game that plays great just doesn’t hold anymore when you consider the budgets some of these games get. sorry if my comments are bit long everyone.
I finally bought a Wii last weekend and I am throughly under-welmed with it. Wii Sports is great fun and particularly so with friends. However, it was Zelda that has frustrated me the most. Graphically it is virtually the same as the Gamecube version and I now wish I had bought that version instead of getting a Wii at all. The motion controls for Zelda are completely screwed up if you are left handed. There is no option to support left handed play. I have no idea how many other Wii games are going to have this problem (Wii Sports fully accomodates left handers) but at the moment mine is very close to being taken back to the shop.
EDIT: Finally got so frustrated with Zelda and the controls took the lot back (under 21 day no quibble guarantee at HMV) and got my money back. If Nintendo aren't going to support left handed players in their biggest launch release, I'm not betting on many others supporting us either.
Being a lefty myself, I experienced the same frustration trying to control Zelda with the Wiimote/nunchuk combo. Trying to aim the crosshair with my right hand was damn frustrating, and it just didn't feel right doing all those movements in the wrong hand. I had to relearn how to use the use the analogue pad in my right hand, after way too many years of pushing the things with my left. It all just felt too wrong. There were way too many times when I didn't make a jump correctly and killed myself because of its awkward controls. Good job Zelda was worth the struggle!
I have the same problem playing Red Steel as well, and no doubt I will always find it awkward to play a game in which I have to use the nunchuk controller together with the Wiimote.
Reminded me of the days when I got my first games console: the Atari 2600 I couldn't use the joystick properly because the button was on the wrong side, so I had to use it backwards instead. Ahh, those were the days
However, the controller works by triangulating the two infra-red LEDs in the sensor bar. If at any point the controller is pointing away from the screen, Wii software has to calculate in which direction it must be pointing based on the output of accelerometer, which isn't always terribly accurate.
There-in lies the problem: as soon as you point it away from the screen, it relies on informed guesswork.
You are a bit off in your understanding of how the remote works and the how the 2 detection systems relate to each other.
The Wii remote uses 2 separate detection mechanisms that are independent and unique in purpose to each other. One does not serve as a backup to the other.
As you mentioned, the Wii uses the sensor bar (nothing more than 2 infrared LEDs) as a point of reference. This part of the sensing equation is used for pointing/cursor control and position/translation (above, below, left, right, closer, farther away) relative to the sensor bar.
The second detection system is the accelerometer. This tracks rotational alignment relative to a plane (the ground) as well as movement velocity on all 3 axis.
Depending on the situation a game may need to use the sensor bar for it's tracking (cursor movement in an FPS), or it may only need motion and angle information from the accelerometer ( bowling, tennis, etc.), or it may use a combination of both (throwing darts for instance. Cursor to aim, Z axis motion detection for throwing). As an aside, the infrared detection could probably be used for throwing as well, though I doubt it would be anywhere near as accurate as the accelerometer.
too early to tell. i think the novelty will wear off eventuially.
But by then Nintendo will have added more features to the wii which'll keep it fresh. Like alll the things the 360's getting now.
And as for a slow after the storm... remember the 360 launch? that was practically non existent. But look at it now!
we shall see! a couple of people i know have sold there wii's on, after becoming bored a couple of months after owning them. thats probably just down to the lack of great games at the moment though.
i wouldnt bother with one, even though they are most certainly a lot of fun after coming home after a drunken night out with mates! the type of games that i can see being released are not what i like. red steel, bad.
Does this surprise anyone, really? Nintendo does not have a good track record of coming out with decent games in a timely manner in the first place. The SNES launched with, what? 3 titles? Same for the N64? It took a year for the likes of Eternal Darkness or Resident Evil to appear on the Gamecube.
It's been 4 years running on the DS now and there's a pitiful handful of games worth playing on it. I don't know why anyone would think the Wii would be any different.
Of course! The DS shows us the FACTUAL FACT Nintendo consoles don't get many good titles and that in turn affects their sales and makes them the failures they deserve to be. Lol!
The article I know is saying the INITIAL Novelty is wearing off.. but whose worrying at Nintendo ? They've sold SIX TIMES more Wii's then Sony did PS3's during the same period.
This article be titled:
"Wii's Novelty phase FINALLY over !"
The Wii's initial userbase is something to be proud of for any console maker.
By the way.. I want a Wii.. I live in the USA .. my cousin has one.. and we both are also happy Xbox 360 Owners.. ( I still have a PS2, but its touched less )
No, the article _asking_ is the Wii novelty wearing off... merely posing the question.
But overall it's a positive article that focuses on the good points of Wii, and ultimately concludes that it is not a temporary phase - that Wii will do in the new generation with plenty to look forward to. That is the opinion expressed.
It seems half of you are commenting on the article before having even read it.
It seems half of you are commenting on the article before having even read it.
That is what happens when people think you are slagging off the Wii. I mean why would they actually read what you have said?
I agree that the Wii has potential and is at a lull at the moment. Give it a while and things will pick up but at the moment for us early adopters who aren't interested in paying over the odds for retro roms there is little to keep us entertained.
We should also consider that many third party developers, CVG has been told on different occasions, didn't receive proper Wii development kits too long before the console's release.
I think that is fair enough on the third party developers part but I do believe Nintendos' showing hasn't been that great. A modified GC game and a couple of mini game collections as launch titles!? The big games they used quite a bit in the promo videos seem to be a way off.
like others have pointed out already that the wii is still selling better than ps3 and xbox 360 in japan so i think this article has perhaps been put together purely as a response to all the arguing on these forums.
The ps2 was always a big success amongst lads and hardcore gamers but look what happened when they started releasing things like eyetoy and especially singstar and the various dancemat games.
they tapped into an audience that wasn't really catered for. Girls!
Nintendo sees everyone as an equal target audience and as such are trying to appeal to everyone. The DS has had huge success cuz it has the same principals. Nintendogs and animal crossing are big at getting girls attention to gaming.
The DS was seen as a novelty when that was launched and many thought that the psp would perform better cuz of it's graphics. Not so. The DS regularly kicks psp butt.
Wether this fear of novelty wearing off disappears is purely down to the games themselves. If nintendo and their third party support can bring out some cracking games and continue to appeal to a mass market rather than a smaller specific share, then we need not worry and can probably be safe in the knowledge that it'll enjoy a healthy shelf life much like the DS.
While I disagree that the novelty is wearing off, mainly because I think that the sales are starting to decrease because everyone in Japan that wants one already has one, I am concerned about the future of games hitting the console will cause interest to wane.
It will end up being a short-lived console if the third parties don't pull their finger out and put some frigging effort in.
If their concern is how much time it would take them to calibrate the control correctly, then give us an alternative control setup that works with that controller with the dual analouge sticks, so the games don't turn into dogs.
Maybe even look towards Nintendo for help. You are, afterall, making games for their console. They shouldn't be deemed as a competitor when it comes to making your game playable.
As you mentioned, the Wii uses the sensor bar (nothing more than 2 infrared LEDs) as a point of reference. This part of the sensing equation is used for pointing/cursor control and position/translation (above, below, left, right, closer, farther away) relative to the sensor bar.
The second detection system is the accelerometer. This tracks rotational alignment relative to a plane (the ground) as well as movement velocity on all 3 axis.
Depending on the situation a game may need to use the sensor bar for it's tracking (cursor movement in an FPS), or it may only need motion and angle information from the accelerometer ( bowling, tennis, etc.), or it may use a combination of both (throwing darts for instance. Cursor to aim, Z axis motion detection for throwing). As an aside, the infrared detection could probably be used for throwing as well, though I doubt it would be anywhere near as accurate as the accelerometer.
Aye, that's exactly what I meant, albeit slightly better put! I didn't mean to imply the accelerometers are only used when LOS between sensor-bar and Wiimote is lost.
Am I the only Wii owner that thinks that it was well worth the price for Zelda, Monkey Ball and Wii Sports? Anyone that's had 4-player shenanigins must surely fell they've had value for money already, regardless of what the future holds?
It's not surprising that all the games the author cites with poor game delivery are not created by Nintendo.
I've noticed non-Nintendo games are still subscribing to an existing (read: old!) paradigm of game play. These games often feel like the device is an afterthought.
Perhaps hardcore gamers are losing interest in the system, which is understandable. However, I think this is more a result of software creators like UbiSoft and EA rather than a result of the device itself.
"Red Steel is twitchy and occassionaly clumsy, Need For Speed: Most Wanted is near unplayable, Far Cry got it all wrong, and the motion control in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance just feels tacked on."
Does this surprise anyone, really? Nintendo does not have a good track record of coming out with decent games in a timely manner in the first place. The SNES launched with, what? 3 titles? Same for the N64? It took a year for the likes of Eternal Darkness or Resident Evil to appear on the Gamecube.
It's been 4 years running on the DS now and there's a pitiful handful of games worth playing on it. I don't know why anyone would think the Wii would be any different.
The DS has been out for 4 years oh and yes i agree nintendo consoles always take time before qulity titles start to come out regularly, the same as any console realy. oh and another thing, mario 64DS, mario kartDS, meteos, new super mario bros, yoshi's island, animal crossing,nintendogs, brain age, mario and luigi artners in time, phoenix wright, trauma center, sonic, star fox, hotel dusk, advance wars, not to mention loads of other great games on the DS. I think that you have got the DS mixed up with the PSP, unless that was sarcasm, its hard for me to tell without those handy emoticons. I think you have to take the big first party titles out of the picture and wait until the rest of the years lineup is announced before you can really pass judgement on any console, but like the 360 the fate of the Wii will most likely be decided next year, if it can keep sales of consoles at a regular level and gets some good software i think you can call the console a success.
As a Wii owner since 12:03am on launch day, I totally 100% agree that the novelty is wearing off.
It wore off for me in the space of 2 weeks... the Wii is now sitting beside my TV gathering dust. Such a boring, gimmicky console and one that I am truly sorry I wasted any money on.
still moaning i see looks like ya should just sell it if not to recoup your losses at least for us not having to hear u constantly whinge!
I really dont think thart the novelty is wearing off. I agreee with th people that say that is the people tht that buy PS3s and Xbox 360s that think that.
Aye, that's exactly what I meant, albeit slightly better put! I didn't mean to imply the accelerometers are only used when LOS between sensor-bar and Wiimote is lost.
From what I've read the accelerometers in the remote pump out a huge amount of highly accurate information. The problem lay with developers pulling out the information that is relevant to the control scheme. You have to build in dead zones, compensate for hand jitter and unintentional movements, etc. while still accurately parsing the control motions you are after. Tough challenge indeed. Though tools like AiLive's LiveMove gesture recognition software will go a LONG way to easing the burden on the developers.
Am I the only Wii owner that thinks that it was well worth the price for Zelda, Monkey Ball and Wii Sports? Anyone that's had 4-player shenanigins must surely fell they've had value for money already, regardless of what the future holds?
Unquestionably. About a month ago my sister, her boyfriend, and my niece came by to hang out and have a few beers. I broke out the Wii and within 5 minutes they were hooked. We played for several hours. These are people who would never have played any other type of system. I eventually went to bed and as I was laying down, I hear them fire the thing back up and start bowling again. Amazing.
I had 3 separate social gatherings that weekend alone and the Wii was the center of them all. One of those drunken nights a friend, in an overly enthusiastic tennis serve, shattered my ceiling fan light sending glass flying all over my living room (he is rather tall). I loved it... I was waiting for something like that to happen. Dangerous as it may be if you aren't careful, I love seeing non gamers get so into a game that they break something
I still play Wii sports daily and being an old school (read: old fart) gamer I'm having a blast with the Virtual Console. Without question, best money I've ever spent on a console.
This article doesn't surprised me one bit. I called this when the Wii's specs were reported. There's definitely going to be a short lifespan for the current Wii. The graphical limitations alone are going to hurt it in the long run. Once the public is no longer WOWed by the new Wii controller, it won't be nearly as special anymore, and the limited power will start to show its MAJOR cracks. I don't think the system will die altogether, but it certainly won't be remembered as the system that killed Sony.
The PS3 will only gain in popularity as developers tap into its potential and we see what that amazing machine can TRULY do. The PS3 will eventually become the King of the next generation systems, especially once the price comes down and more people can afford it. Mark my words.
Who actually pays attention to these comments pages anyway!!! I doubt Nintendo is reading this. Certain people need 2get a life. Computer games are for ENTERTAINMENT, not eating and breathing. Now go do something constructive.
Computer games are for ENTERTAINMENT, not eating and breathing.
Yeah, but forums are for discussing thoughts and views no matter how ridiculous some of it may seem.
Anyways, obviously the sales will go down. This will eventually happen for any consoles - no matter how "must have" it is. As far as the novelty, well for people who aren't use to playing games will continue to love this for longer periods than the more serious gamers. My girlfriend, sister, and mom all love the Wii and can play it for hours. I got bored after about a week because I can't seem to imagine myself waving the remote around for every game I play now.
The problem like everyone has stated is that there really isnt any that many "serious" games for the Wii right now. Theres Red Steel, which I had some issues with the control and Zelda, which is nothing more than a GameCube game with Wii controls. I'm still looking forward to games that will actually push the Wii capabilities (and for a system thats suppose twice as powerful as an X-box should be able to do more amazing things). I'm eyeing that Metroid Prime 3 to see how well it'll do.
Right now I'm just happy to be able to play all my old Gamecube games on it - which was one of the main reasons for me getting the Wii. When the Wii release games like Eternal Darkness or RE4 again...
I don't know what anyone else feels but I'm certainly not sick of my Wii. I'm actually pleased that i haven't been bored considering the lack of games out at the moment! Wii Sports lasted me a good month and a half which is really lengthy for a free, basic game! And Zelda lasted me ages aswell. Excitetruck is a great game and i can't wait for the Godfather on Friday, reviews have been favourable so far!
So yeah, its not slowing down at all, its speeding up as of now for me!
How long have you guys at CVG had this feature running for Wii is a new console like the Xbox 360 and PS3 perhaps you should have a feature running about the demise of the Sony brand and the rise of Xbox or the lack of orignal games comming out latley are you lot not sick of the same old same old, well I am and to be honest the Gamecube was going to be my last console as I was getting bored with games then suddenly out of nowhere the Wii came along and reignited my passion and I even went on to buy a 360 at the same time. Motion sensitive Gaming is the future and so are great graphics and origanllty combine the three and your on to a winner a fun winner!
I'm not sure if the Wii sales are indeed sliding down, at least in Japan. This week saw 77 000 units being sold in japanese territory, against 19 000 PS3 (its worst week) and about 3500 Xbox 360 units, the winner of the week was, once again, the DS Lite with about 150 000 units.
Honestly, I now realize that the Wii is not only innovative in its conception, it's also new in the way of positioning itself.
Look at it like this: the Xbox 360 and the PS3 were built with a simple prupose, to be the top selling machine using its technical power as an advantage. In other words, to sell thanks to their impressive specs. We can't criticize neither Microsoft nor Sony for building two technically impressive machines. Next to them, if we look only at the quantitative picture, the Wii seems almost like a midget, doesn't it?
Fortunatly, numbers and specs aren't everything, and what to us, gamers, is a new way of interacting with games that brings possibilities never imagines before, for Nintendo it's an excellent startegy. The Wii is not specs-centered, meaning that when one buys a Wii, it's for pure gameplay, the specs are not important (seriously, who can criticize a game solely based on its lack of HD at 1080p? If that's all the game has, it's a pretty poor title), unlike with the Xbox 360 and PS3 whose builders solely rely on their technical specs.
Where do I want to get from here? Easy, ironically, the PS3 and Xbox 360 risk becoming outdated faster than the Wii. Why? Because they are built around their specs, whilst the Wii is built around its experience and concept. This means that nobody buys a Wii expecting a grpahical orgy, but expecting a marvelous experience. Criticizing the Wii over its graphics is like criticizing the Xbox 360 or the PS3 over its lack of Wario Ware-like titles.
The Wii is a machine built for the future, the Xbox 360 and the PS3 are made for their components, when they become obsolete, so will the machines.
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See what appears to be Nintendo relying too heavily on first-party to move units AGAIN. Every Nintendo rep interview seems to be punctuated with: "Mario/Metroid/Smash Bros is coming"...But why are they relying on those? Sure, there are ports of titles from other systems, but wth wants to play those on their new machine! Ubi's logic's sprung a leak somewhere too, if it believes its actions of late are helping anyone, especially itself.
I couldn't use the joystick properly because the button was on the wrong side, so I had to use it backwards instead. Ahh, those were the days 
