Hello, Mr. Malstrom,
Oh dear, this year’s E3 sure was a surreal experience, wasn’t it? I was one of those who felt really confused after seeing Nintendo’s press conference. I wasn’t sure if the Wii U was just some kind of add-on to Wii, a new console or what… The whole press conference was just like some really strange dream that defies reality, except we can’t wake up from this one.
You wrote about how Nintendo seems to be aiming to become THE platform for 3D content in the future, and how the Wii U is likely just a stop-gap console to hold them over until they get a 3D console out. My question is this:
Given how 3D TV sales still suck, and how large parts of the global economy will likely be in a recession for several years, how long is the whole stop-gap console things going to have to last Nintendo before people have 3D TVs to hook the up the next console to? I have seen one (1!) high-end TV so far (in a consumer home, I mean), and that had things like Internet and watching video files from USB drives, but no 3D. Granted, perhaps I’m hanging with the wrong people, but it doesn’t look like 3D TVs are going to reach the mainstream anytime soon, for several reasons:
1) It’s not standardized, so there are several technologies still wrestling back and forth and being generally incompatible, making it difficult to know what to buy (you don’t want to get stuck with the wrong form of 3D, similar to what happened to people who bought the now abandoned HD DVD format).
2) It’s really expensive, both in terms of the actual TV and each pair of glasses (as long as those are needed). I’m not even sure if the 3D tech that Nintendo uses in the 3DS can be used for large screens anytime soon without ending up with ridiculously narrow viewing angles and other issues, not even considering the cost.
3) It doesn’t really add much to the experience for the majority (major overshooting going on, or what?). I’ve tried the Pilotwings 3DS demo at a Gamestop store, and while I could see a slight difference, it was definitely nothing I would pay more than €10 extra for, and that’s pushing it.
4) It is less convenient than 2D TV, since you might need glasses, viewing angles could make it really hard for multiple people to watch simultaneously etc.
5) It doesn’t work at all for some people (unable to see 3D content in 3D) and can cause headaches or other annoying problems for others, meaning a worse experience for higher cost
6) It requires compatible equipment (3D TV channels, blu-ray players, some form of 3D enabled graphics card or some other source, both far from mainstream) and there is very little content, all of which is also available in the good enough 2D formats. Why bother with 3D TVs when there’s nothing to watch on it?
At least the HD formats had a bit of help on the TV side, since most/all TV sets made in the last several years have been HD capable from the start due to the switch from CRT to LCD, and all these new ones have the added convenience for the customers of lower weight and requiring less space. What does 3D have going for it?
Couple all these obstacles for 3D TV adoption with Nintendo being really lousy at supporting their consoles lately (if not always) and I don’t see the Wii U lasting long enough for there to be any kind of sizable market for Nintendo to introduce a 3D console in.
If they are planning to include some kind of 3D screen themselves, I don’t see the cost being anywhere near reasonable, even if they could make the technology work well enough on large enough screens for families to want it. It just seems like bad business all around.
Oh well, I still have some Wii, Gamecube, DS, SNES and PC games to retreat to. If Nintendo regains their sanity, I might buy something from them again. I doubt the 3DS or Wii U will get my money, though, just as the Gamecube and the Gameboy Advance didn’t. Perhaps I should buy a used Genesis console, too, and make some decent games on my own (starting really simple, of course).
Oh, and regarding your statement that there has already been a Kirby game on the Wii… This new, real Kirby Wii is to the Wii and Epic Yarn as if the Gamecube has gotten an actual Star Fox game, instead of the Star Fox Adventures game we got (not necessarily a bad game, but not really Star Fox as we know it).
Anyway, take care and may you find success in the world of business!
Fact 1: Nintendo has a history of being unhealthily obsessed with 3d.
Fact 2: Iwata already announced the Wii U’s successor will have 3d output.
Fact 3: The reason why the 3DS can do 3d output is because Nintendo makes the screens. It is a handheld, after all.
Fact 4: Wii U is Nintendo putting a screen on their controller.
What is so important about having a home console with a separate screen? “”For the gameplay possibilities, Malstrom! Gameplay possibilities!” Please. They could do almost all those gameplay possibilities on the DS. The Wii U is a foothold situation where they want to establish an independent screen as standard on the home console.
If Nintendo controls the screen, then Nintendo can make it 3d. Nintendo could even set it up where the controllers could communicate with the screen controller. This way, someone could position the glasses-free 3d screen and play wirelessly with other controllers.
Nintendo is also betting 3d output TVs will become more standard in 2016. 3d output could be utilized with just playing the Wii U’s successor connected to a 3d output TV. And if you don’t have a 3d output TV, the controller will have 3d output on it.
Nintendo tends to make their handheld and home console systems go in the same direction. Iwata already announced the Wii U could not do 3d output like the 3DS (because, in part, 3d output TVs haven’t become standard). By establishing a screen on a controller with the Wii U, Nintendo could use a 3d output screen on Wii U’s successor to become a platform for generalized 3d content such as 3d movies, 3d home videos, and so on as they are currently doing for 3DS.
Much of this is based on hypothesis, but it is clear Nintendo is obsessed with 3d. The long range destination of Nintendo appears to be some 3d utopian future. I believe Nintendo views the Wii remote as a ‘3d controller’ which was part of that overall long range 3d mission. But ever since Nintendo has decided to go with glasses-free 3d, they must abandon motion control because motion control involves too much movement. Movement breaks glasses-free 3d output. Touch screens and standard controls, however, are compatible with 3d output. If this is correct, we’ll see Nintendo emphasize touch screen and standard controls more and motion control less.
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