Don't worry, not a troll post about how they're doomed, not about hardware, sales, etc....an issue of genuine concern.
It feels like a very, very long time since Nintendo has come up with a genuinely new IP, and they're becoming less daring as each year passes. The last one I can think of is Pikmin, from 2001. Maybe Professor Layton, from 2007ish....although its hardly a heavy hitter. Golden sun, maybe? It's well over a decade since they had a new game IP that really stuck. There was Wii Sports.....but they can't really build on it with the Wii U due to the gamepad.
For the past few years we've seen countless remakes - OoT, SF64 - wind waker upcoming. No shortage of 2.5d reimagining of classic games - other M, 3 NSMBs, DKCR, now LttP-2 and a new Yoshi's island. Every platform gets its own Mario party, kart, and 3-5 Mario sports. I've lost count of all the spinoffs - Paper Mario, Mario RPGs, Minis, Wario Ware. Every now and then they'll squeeze out another of the lesser franchises, like pilotwings or luigi's mansion.
I dont necessarily have a problem with these releases - except its no longer the case that they are happening beside the new ideas. Its all that seems to be left, and they're churning out what feels like the equivalent of straight to DVD releases at this point. They haven't even tried to launch a new IP with either the 3DS or Wii U, and launches have always been that golden opportunity.
So what's happening here? Is their deck so stacked that there's not even room for new IPs? Are they reading the market right, is this all people want from Nintendo? What happened to the Nintendo that actually came up with these ideas when they were new, instead of just mining the past? If they could come up with Pokemon - they could have came up with something like skylanders....but they just haven't been trying.
I've always heard the comparison of Mario as this generations Mickey Mouse - but Disney stopped making Mickey Mouse movies a long time ago - they moved on and kept creating new characters. Now Pixar is constantly churning out new IPs with lovable characters, and they rarely even revisit them. So....why not Nintendo too? Maybe they need a leadership change, or an acquisition with some fresh new ideas? They can't ride on their legacy forever....or can they?
It feels like a very, very long time since Nintendo has come up with a genuinely new IP, and they're becoming less daring as each year passes. The last one I can think of is Pikmin, from 2001. Maybe Professor Layton, from 2007ish....although its hardly a heavy hitter. Golden sun, maybe? It's well over a decade since they had a new game IP that really stuck. There was Wii Sports.....but they can't really build on it with the Wii U due to the gamepad.
For the past few years we've seen countless remakes - OoT, SF64 - wind waker upcoming. No shortage of 2.5d reimagining of classic games - other M, 3 NSMBs, DKCR, now LttP-2 and a new Yoshi's island. Every platform gets its own Mario party, kart, and 3-5 Mario sports. I've lost count of all the spinoffs - Paper Mario, Mario RPGs, Minis, Wario Ware. Every now and then they'll squeeze out another of the lesser franchises, like pilotwings or luigi's mansion.
I dont necessarily have a problem with these releases - except its no longer the case that they are happening beside the new ideas. Its all that seems to be left, and they're churning out what feels like the equivalent of straight to DVD releases at this point. They haven't even tried to launch a new IP with either the 3DS or Wii U, and launches have always been that golden opportunity.
So what's happening here? Is their deck so stacked that there's not even room for new IPs? Are they reading the market right, is this all people want from Nintendo? What happened to the Nintendo that actually came up with these ideas when they were new, instead of just mining the past? If they could come up with Pokemon - they could have came up with something like skylanders....but they just haven't been trying.
I've always heard the comparison of Mario as this generations Mickey Mouse - but Disney stopped making Mickey Mouse movies a long time ago - they moved on and kept creating new characters. Now Pixar is constantly churning out new IPs with lovable characters, and they rarely even revisit them. So....why not Nintendo too? Maybe they need a leadership change, or an acquisition with some fresh new ideas? They can't ride on their legacy forever....or can they?