One of the reasons why reporting on Nintendo is so poor is because journalists are applying the same cookie cutter template of the Industry to Nintendo. Nintendo has its own values and direction.
Consider this story.
This is the first line:
With Sony and EA recently unveiling bold new moves to counter what publishers see as the threat posed by the pre-owned market, Nintendo has refused to rule out taking similar measures with its own products.
Now, how did MCV get this story? What are the sources?
Sony has now also adopted the model for upcoming PSP release SOCOM Fireteam Bravo 3, as well as requiring internet validation to unlock the multiplayer component of the game.
When asked by MCV if it is planning to do the same, a spokesperson for Wii and DS platform holder Nintendo stated:
“Nintendo has, and will continue to take steps and examine new ways to technically protect our hardware and software products in an effort to foster and encourage the development and creativity of new games on our handheld and console systems.”
How on Earth is this Nintendo standard reply taken to mean a position on pre-owned video games? MCV doesn’t explain and apparently doesn’t care. It just lumps the quote with everything else.
And what is the other source for this story?
The firm is no stranger to aggressively protecting its IP. In the last month alone it has successfully prosecuted two men found guilty of selling or supplying DS piracy device R4 and won major damages from a man who uploaded an illegal copy of New Super Mario Bros Wii to the internet prior to its release.
Now this has nothing to do with the pre-owned market. This has everything to do with piracy. Piracy is illegal. There is nothing to discuss about it.
Iwata, himself, corrected Reggie Fils-Aime in 2008 when he made a comment about getting rid of pre-owned games in a questions from investors. Iwata said that pre-owned is legal and Nintendo cannot do anything about it. However, Nintendo can and should do something about piracy.
Why is this MCV story trying to lump Nintendo’s fight against piracy as fight against pre-owned games? Nintendo doesn’t even suffer from pre-owned sales. If Nintendo did, NSMB Wii, Mario Kart Wii, and others would not still be selling.
Pre-owned games are nothing more than a symptom of disinterest. Gamers do not wish to sell their games. But they will if the games suck. Behind every pre-owned game is an unhappy customer. Look at the software in a used game store and you will find the shelves lined with crappy software. There aren’t very many good games as used games.
Used games are critical for game collectors in case they want to get a certain game. These collectors keep the spirit of gaming thriving even if the Industry goes off a cliff (as they did in 1984).
Anyway, the solution to pre-owned games has always been the Virtual Console. It makes no sense that I have to plug in a NES to play Legend of Zelda when the console at my TV can certainly play it.
The reason why pre-owned games are hurting the HD Twins so much is because their games are absolute garbage. Their games cannot hold their value. It is hilarious seeing these once hyped $60 Next Generation games cost $5 in some nameless bin.
Make games that hold their value, that people do not want to sell, and pre-owned games cannot be a problem. The disease is dis-interest, the symptom is used games. Many companies are fighting the symptom but not assaulting the disease.
But in order to declare war against disinterest, you must first admit that your product sucks. And I do not see anyone in the Industry doing this.
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