How Sony Now Listens, and Nintendo Still Doesn’t

OXCGN:

"Sony have gone in the right direction with PS Vita, while Nintendo languishes in past glory days and gimmicks with the 3DS XL.

In other words: Sony has learned from past mistakes, and Nintendo hasn’t."

[Proeliator]

Spot on. I mean, Mario is good and all, and Zelda, and Metroid... you see where I'm going. Even Disney makes new franchises, and if one failed, you never hear about it (I didn't know they made sequels to The Little Mermaid until last week).

[VanillaBear]

Totaly agree man :)

Should watch what you say though, don't want to get people like mr_mike who think your a Sony fanboy for "bashing" Nintendo. Your know what Nintendo fanboys are like...can't admit when Nintendo are messing up and go straight with calling you a troll or a Sony/MS fanboy

HI MR MIKE :D

[BadCircuit]

Don't know who Mr Mike is, but you'd have to be blind to not see that Nintendo has for years relied way too much on first party rehashes of their franchises.

I've always been more of an Xbox fan, but have all 3 of the consoles, and admire how Sony has kept up their own exclusives but also added to them with new IPs like Uncharted, Heavy Rain, and The Last of Us.

You don't survive on reliving the past over and over forever, right Sonic?

[VanillaBear]

He's just some troll who was stiring things in another article and thought me and this other user MikeCosgrove were trolls because we "always" bash Nintendo when really all I do is point out the obvious flaws in Nintendo like this for example...it's really just a sly dig at him :D

http://n4g.com/news/1026648...

It's people like that who give Nintendo a reason not to try new things

[mike1up]

LMAO

My very first fan! I will treasure this moment always. You didn't have to waste 2 whole bubbles talking about me though.

FYI:
I only commented because you called me out. This is a pro PSVita opinion piece. Unlike you, I don't comment on channels for consoles that I don't own. I have nothing against the Vita. I just believe that the channel should be reserved for Vita fans. This probably explains why I have 4 Bubbles and you have 2.

[yabhero]

I would consider myself a Nintendo fan, but I'll adit the 3ds hould have had two pads... Or that nintys e3 was bad and they need to show how much more powerful WiiU is...
The fact is n4g troll do bash Nintendo

[Hisiru]

I think Nintendo should acquire new studios and make new IPs.

[live2play]

all fanboys are like that

ps3's price, move being wiimote copy, allstars being smash bros clone was defended and damage controlled

xbox rrod, kinect, skittles, milo was defended and damage controlled

[Wenis]

Quality over quantity... fact of the matter is many people enjoy most of Nintendo's first party titles over most of Sony's, and the sales figures and reviews prove it.

[FriedGoat]

@Wenis
Sales numbers only prove that a bunch of casuals bought a few mario games with their wii fit, I haven't played my wii in so long now, yet I'm still playing my PS3 and sometimes my 360. Casuals ruined this gen.

[ronin4life]

@hissiru
They have, and they are.

And how have Sony learned from their past mistakes? They still demand you buy proprietary memory cards, have still disregarded backwards compatibility, and are still under performing in regards to original software on their handhelds.

The only mistake I've listed above that has seen slight improvement is the last one, and only just.(so far)

[shackdaddy]

http://n4g.com/news/937438/... link to the article is broken, but it's the title that counts.

It's not that Nintendo doesn't get new IPs, it's that none of you people care about any IPs except Mario, Zelda, and Metroid...

Also, I don't get how Sony fanboys think Nintendo is messing up so much when they just released Pokemon in Japan which had 2mill buyers in the first two days. Obviously they are doing something right. But I guess things like that don't count eh?

[Skateboard]

My bat i meant to disagree. Bringing up Pokemon sales proves their point. I like Nintendo, but i'm waiting for something different and artistic to come from them, Nintendo blow my mind !!!! stop doing the same tricks.

I understand Nintendo is at point now of good things happening to them financially, but Sony for me will always be the true winner for not sucking up to the mainstream and being gangsta.

Nintendo is Adele and Sony is Lana Del Rey.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[shackdaddy]

^What my point is, if they are selling 2mill in 2 days in one country, then they are obviously giving their fans what they want. AKA listening.

Just because the "super hardcore omega xxx" gamer wants something completely out of the ordinary, doesn't mean it's what the majority wants. Like I said on my second paragraph from the above post, people don't pay attention to all the new IPs that Nintendo gets all the time. They are interested in Mario, Zelda, and Metroid and Nintendo gives their fans what they want.

Now your opinion about Nintendo might differ based on your preferences, but to say that Nintendo doesn't listen is completely asinine.

[xflo360]

@skateboard " nintendo is adele sony is lana del rey"

So nintendo is better then!

[ronin4life]

@skateboard
Who are they? O.o;

[Shnazzyone]

Don't get too worked up Sony fans know that sony is doing poorly right now so they are on the defense. N4g really hates it when nintendo is doing well and they are doing very very well right now.

If sony learned from their and others mistakes they probably wouldn't have released another portable relying on overpriced proprietary memory at a price that nintendo proved to be too much with a tier of the console even more expensive getting it's 4g service from a provider that severely hurt the iphone.

[yabhero]

Nintendo makes new franchise, they just aren't as popular as the big ones

[Rockoman16]

Or maybe they need to have guns, sex and blood so they can sell as much as Sony sells huh!

[oNIXo]

@Rockoman

I know right, Journey had soooo much guns, sex and blood. Don't even get me started on Flower, how that game didn't have an AO rating is beyond me.

[Rockoman16]

@oNIXo, those 2 games have sexual messages that only your brain can understand

[dark-hollow]

In what parallel universe does the writer lives in?

PEOPLE WANT new mario, Zelda and pokemon games, and Nintendo just deliver it to them. blame it on the success of those games.

if Sony "gets it" and understands the market then why the vita sales are still lackluster even more than the 3ds on it launch with the same price?

you can argue about games and quality,those are subjective matters, but when you want to gauge the success of both, nothing prove your point than numbers, and the vita don't have those numbers, yet!

[FriedGoat]

Marketing, Sony has a really bad marketing strategy, barely advertises and expects things to sell. Thats why the vita is not selling at its maximum potential. The Vita really does kick the 3DS's ass in comparison for the first 4 months, Infact i've got more great vita games than I had a year after owning a 3DS, and yes I bought a crapton of games. took me 5 hours to 100% mario 3d land, Mariokart 7 lacked the missions and decal editing of its predecesor and was generally inferior, starfox had no online :/
Its just a whole bunch of casual contentless crap. I just platinumed Golden Abyss and it must have taken me 30-40 hours. When i pay £35 for a game, thats what I expect. I'm rambling on but yeah. Sony is just bad in the marketing department. You can go on about numbers all you want, but nintendo is in the casual market, a market that killed this generation of consoles.

[klecser]

I've put over 100 hours into two big 3DS releases: KIU and RER. I would hardly call them casual.

[stragomccloud]

Nintendo makes new franchises all the time. It's just that the popularity of the mega franchises overshadows them.

I really don't feel like listing all of them but...
Endless Ocean
Nintendogs/Cats
Xenoblade
Last Story
Pandora's Tower
Captain Rainbow(Japan only)
Disaster: Day of Crisis
Pikmin...
There's a lot more but I don't want to name any more which could detract from what I'm ultimately trying to say. Which is that Nintendo has many other franchises, that are simply overshadowed by the big ones. Furthermore, Nintendo keeps making games from their mega franchises because gamers keep wanting to play them, and they always deliver a stellar experience!

[BadCircuit]

A lot of those "success" stories are aimed at the Japanese market, and sell the most there.

[ronin4life]

@bad
That's a whole other argument, I think. Not a that your point isn't a good one, but the point here is that Nintendo does do new stuff and never really stopped as many people believe.

It is just a gaming fallacy, like how people think Japanese games are worse than Western games, or that handheld gaming is dying... it is not true.

[gaminoz]

Nintendo seems like it is just flailing around now.

That kitchen sink Wii U is just going to be confusing to sell, and like the author says they still rely on Mario and co way way too much.

[BadCircuit]

When Nintendo talks about appealing to the 'core' they seem to be talking about "core Nintendo gamers" from the past who grew up on Mario and friends.

The N64 and Gamecube were excellent machines, but just didn't get the same number of games.

The 3DS is just not appealing and not having a second analogue stick was just stupid. The 3DS XL doing the same was just insanity.

[darkgod]

duh t nintendo appeals to nintendo gamers? now a days most ppl gear towers fps gamers who claim are the hard core. not for noting but im sick and tired of the shooting and to doubble kill crap. half the shooters i played feel same there are fews like bio shock and kill zone that felt like they were diffrent games and had a diffrent feel as for all others yuck. i for one hardly like western games do to everything bein gun and gore rlated and the bad colors and art. tons of games tend to make there chars over sized to the point they look like those fire man rescue cartoons.

[stragomccloud]

That's because Mario is insanesly popular. New Super Mario bros. Wii sold more than 15 million copies. The thing about popular franchises is that they are reliable, and therefore relied upon. Like Microsoft and Halo. Or Sony and Uncharted which have done wonders to revitalize the PS3 back when there were so many naysayers.

[axisofweevils]

New Nintendo IPs since the 3DS launched: Pushmo, Steel Diver, Dillon's Rolling Western, Ketzal's Corridors, Freakyforms, Sakura Samurai.........

[Technical World]

Well yeah, and Nintendo being my favorite of the big three I have to agree. But that being said I've been looking for Nintendo to make a new BIG franchise. While some small games on the 3DS are good and all I want something Zelda sized, but completely fresh. I want Nintendo's Uncharted. I want something huge and vast that isn't a new Mario. (I still want Mario though :D)

[darkgod]

nintendos uncharted? lets not have any copying.

[Technical World]

@darkgod
I don't mean a copied game. I mean Nintendo's next best thing. Something the truely defines the Wii U and Nintendo. Something new and fresh from Nintendo. I don't mean an Uncharted clone. If I want Uncharted I'll actually play Uncharted, not a copy.

[ALLWRONG]

"Sony has learned from past mistakes" By making it expensive?

[user5467007]

Expensive...that wasn't the reaction they got after they announced the price at E3

The crowd cheered, the internet agreed how it was a good price and people loved the decision.

It was only after Nintendo dropped the price of the 3DS BECAUSE of the PSV that people started complaining.

[live2play]

"The crowd cheered, the internet agreed how it was a good price and people loved the decision"

then no one bought it

the price, the controls, the colors the name
non of it truly matters

if you have games people want, they will buy it

[Technical World]

Agreed. While compared to what the 3DS is now it may seem expensive, but especially with the 3DS XL it's only $50 more. If Sony marketed it as a device that does everything like an iPad (Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Games, Minis, Flickr, Full PSN, Netflix, and more) then people would buy it seeing that it's a cheaper tablet-like device. But it's also a great games machine (although I'm still waiting for more games). But they need to step up their advertising game. If they show people it can make people forget about an iPod Touch and want a Vita they'll have money coming out of their a$$'.

[AdvanceWarsSgt]

Marketing the Vita as an Ipad competitor (or even a smartphone/tablet PC competitor) would be highly foolish, seeing as those products offer much more functionality and features than the Vita. Plus, your general consumer finds the investment into a tablet PC/smartphone as a necessary expenditure, whereas purchasing a handheld is still viewed as a luxury. Really, what Sony needs to do is recognize that the Vita is a handheld first, and as such should start an aggressive marketing campaign showing games and people having fun playing those games.

[mxkite]

The price thing all over again... the vita is an amazing machine the price is fine with what you get, nintendo just announced the 3DS XL gimmick wich is even uglier tha its predecesor and adds nothing to the value of the product and they tagged it at 200DLLS do the maths.

[Technical World]

While I agree that the Vita has a fair price, not so much witht he 3DS XL. Adds nothing to the value? Not exactly NOTHING. In it, comes an extra 2GB on the SD Card, larger screens, and better 3D depth. While not ALOT it adds to the value, and I think an extra $30 is a fair price.

[darkgod]

yeah i dont see any issue with the vitas price i mean 250 is great same price as the orginal at lounch this time it does 70000000000000% more cus we all no the orginal psp did noting lol

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

Before the price was revealed for the Vita everyone was speculating $300 it.

So $250 is actually under the price of what most people thought it was going to cost.

I'm not saying $250 dollars is cheap, but when you consider the tech behind the Vita, the price is reasonable.. but a hardcore Microsoft fan like yourself might be too blind to see anything Sony does as reasonable...

[nintendojunkie28]

Sony fanboys seem to be more obsessed with nintendo then they are sony.

[xursz]

Based on your comment history, you seem obsessed with Sony. A bit ironic, don't ya think.

Also, marked for trolling.

[nintendojunkie28]

You have a right to your opinion,but clearly you didn't read very many of my comments or check to see the context of which they were in.Most are in reply to some nutty playstation nazi who is trolling nintendo articles.I'm gonna call them out when I see them,especially sony fanboys 'cause they seem to be the only ones who push flaming articles like this one.They are the only fanboys who go out of their way to bash nintendo and/or MS.

Oh and by the way,wrong use of the word "ironic".I think hypocritical is what you were going for.Irony would be that you (a sony troll) marked me for trolling.

[Canary]

...Wait, what? Sony isn't really doing anything new with the Vita. They followed Nintendo's example and added a touch screen and gyro. They followed Nintendo's example and started making obscenely overpriced proprietary peripherals.

Comparing the Vita to Sony's previous offerings (PS3 and PSP), they've removed quite a bit of functionality from the operating system and severely limited what the user can do as a result.

Sony isn't 'listening' any more than they ever did. It's the same with Nintendo. Don't expect either one to start doing something new without declaring bankruptcy first.

[Hicken]

"They followed Nintendo's example and added a touch screen and gyro."

... given the Vita's stance as an almost-smart device, the touchscreen makes sense, doesn't it? And couldn't you just as easily argue that the gyro is an extension or evolution of Sixaxis?

"They followed Nintendo's example and started making obscenely overpriced proprietary peripherals."

Was Nintendo first here? Doubt it. Is the price that outrageous? Not nearly as much as you'd like people to believe. Care to go back and look at what SD cards used to cost at release? I'm pretty sure they were along the same lines. And they weren't quite proprietary, either. New memory format=expensive. Shouldn't be that hard a concept to grasp.

"...they've removed quite a bit of functionality from the operating system..."

Remember when the PSP had all that functionality and got hacked to death within months? Remember all the legal snafus with the PS3 being jailbroken and such? Think maybe they learned their lesson? No, I guess not, huh? That wouldn't make sense.

And exactly what does any of that have to do with whether or not Sony listened?

They listened when they gave us PS All Stars. They listened when they made the Vita powerful, scaled-HD, and gave it two analog sticks. They listened by not shoving the Move into every single game. They listen when they keep pumping out the IPs, even this late in the game.

I dunno about you(well, actually, I do), but Sony's listened to most of the things I'VE wanted, as a gamer.

Not saying they haven't made any missteps- online passes, for example- but to say they haven't been paying attention is silly.

I don't think Nintendo hasn't been listening, either. The Wii U is, at the very least, an attempt at recapturing the core, which many of us believe was lost with the Wii. That says they're listening. They listen by continuing to provide the games and franchises their fans love: Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, and the like.

But I also think that NOT adding a second circle pad from the start was not listening. And revising the 3DS and STILL not making the feature standard is an indication of not listening. That doesn't necessarily negate when they DO listen, though.

[BadCircuit]

I'm glad the vita isn't 3D too...

[Godmars290]

Oh please, Nintendo never listened. They just did things right in an era were things were simple. The N64, the events which brought Sony into the market, is proof of that.

Sony's also doing their own thing, as their missteps with the PS3 say.

[one2thr]

I could of sworn Sony wanted to join Nintendo way back when, so that they can release the "Nintendo playstation" but Nintendobhad denied them(Sony) which lead to Sony becoming its very own corporate entity?... But then again, my memory is kind of fuzzy seeing that i have been having a ton of fun with every Playstation console ever released...

[mcstorm]

Nintendo were working with sony for a cd drive on the console but Nintendo decided to drop it and the PSX was born.

To me Nintendo have done fine since the N64 with there home consoles. Yes they have not sold as many N64's or GameCubes and Sony and Microsoft sold of there consoles but they keep giving us quality game after game.

I own every console this gen and have done sine the SNES and Mega drive days but I have always only ever picked up exclusives on the Nintendo systems (Home and Portable) and the Play staation was my multi platform console until this gen where my 360 has become the multi platform console.

I think Ninteno need to be in there own Market in terms of there home console as I think Sony and Microsoft are too strong for them on the Multi platform front.

For me every gen Nintendo have given us some of the best games and it is very rare that Ninteno bring out a broken game or a poor game. Look at Mario Kart for example there has never been a bad one yet other Mario Kart games have come out and have never been quit as good as the Mario Kart games.

I don't think I have ever played a Bad Mario, Zelda, Metroid or Pokémon game too.

Im not saying Sony or MS don't give us amazing games as they do and I have had or got most of them but Nintendo's strong point is there 1st party and this is what sells both home and handheld consoles.

[lizard81288]

I don't think neither of them listen to their fans. I don't even know why Nintendo made an XL version, since it was originally made for old people, thus the bigger screen, but the contradicts what Nintendo said about focusing on core gamers. Grandpa isn't going to run out an buy a 3DSLL to play Resident Evil on.

Both, Sony and Nintendo, are in it for the money.

[omarzy]

"Both, Sony and Nintendo, are in it for the money." Try every other company in the world.

[ignorantsonsof_]

Made for old people? How about made for people with bad eyesight. I am 19 with terrible eyesight, and I know I'm not the only young person with vision problems.

[lizard81288]

True, I should have said the major push was for old people.

[Unversed87]

3DS caused mine. Nah im just kidding.

[mamotte]

Well, companies make business, business make money, money makes happiness. Not the other way, happiness doesn't make money.

Now, after pointing that out... come on. It's not like all the community on N4G (for example) were the only ones with rights to buy a console, I doubt any of the commentators on this new has a 3DS or a Wii, and hate Nintendo, and say they abandoned the "hardcore", and bla bla bla... the dissonance here is: Nintendo still sells like hotcakes. Hell, they had their first loss in 30 years, not an easy task to accomplish.

They're not working to make hardcore gamers happy (neither is Sony, believe it or not), they're too busy making games that appeal to a wider audience than us and our friends.

Closing this confusing commentary: Why the hell should they listen "the hardcore gamers", when they're selling a lot? Why should CocaCola listen to our doctors and make a new healthy drink when nearly everyone in the world drink CocaCola?

Hardcore gamers believe they're the center of the gaming world... how ironic.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

Yeah, because adding a second analog stick is going to prevent people from buying the system./s

[mamotte]

Oh... you really think that way? Well, first, the circle pad pro not only has a second stick: It has two extra buttons. Second, it's only used in three games: MGS3, RE and Monster Hunter. So, really, it's not that big of a deal.

Now, do you really think it wont hurt sales. OK; I'll give you a point in there: It wont hurt sales. Problem is, it'll hurt A LOT to early adopters of the 3DS. Developers will start using more the second stick, and games will be exclusive for dual stick, and boom! screwed 3DS users all of the world, who wont be able to play new games in their old 3DS.

Now, that really would be a sadistic move from Nintendo.

[joeorc]

"A LOT to early adopters of the 3DS. Developers will start using more the second stick, and games will be exclusive for dual stick, and boom! screwed 3DS users all of the world, who wont be able to play new games in their old 3DS. "

How would it make the first 3DS useless?

I would agree if there was no solution to their problem. But the circle pad pro fixed the issue..right?

people may have been upset with the 3DS XL having a 2nd installed in the machine.

But how do you think the people that bought the 1st psp when the psp slim had skype? and the 1st pap was not able to get it. or came with more ram. developers could have used the extra ram but did not.

it would be like the WiiMote with the WiiMote plus+ socket attachment.

if there was no fix, than yea..but a $20.00 fix for such an added functionality is not something that would make the 3DS useless..In my opinion.

it would be more about the idea "i just bought this 3DS" so soon and this come's out..well welcome to many mobile devices now. if people feel that bad think about smartphone and tablets. the upgrade shift every 2 months is far
more Aggressive than Nintendo or Sony is Doing in the game system handheld market, at least the upgrade is not that great and your older system can play the updated games also.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

I thought it was all about the money? Why should Nintendo give a damn about early adopters? Hell, it would actually force a good portion of early adopters to buy the new version thereby increasing sales even further.

Good thing Nintendo is sensible enough to care about early adopters, eh?

Yeah, I know that's more than likely the real reason why Nintendo didn't add it, but you were making it seem as if Nintendo didn't add it because they don't give a damn about hardcore gamers.

[AO1JMM]

Nintendo has made plenty of new IPs outside of the top 3 franchises. Just because your taste in games does not include those, does not take away them being a new IP.

Hardcore and gamer do not mix.

[KongRudi]

Not really uptodate on Nintendo, since I'm a GFX-dude.
But for Wii I can only recall Wii Sports and Wii Music, as the only new first party franchises the entire generation.. :-/
Is there any other new IP's?

[AO1JMM]

"Nintendo makes new franchises all the time. It's just that the popularity of the mega franchises overshadows them.

I really don't feel like listing all of them but...
Golden Sun
Fire Emblem
Endless Ocean
Nintendogs/Cats
Xenoblade
Last Story
Pandora's Tower
Captain Rainbow(Japan only)
Disaster: Day of Crisis
Pikmin
Kirby
Donkey Kong
Starfox

Also Nintendo owns the Fatal Frame IP now...

There's a lot more but I don't want to name any more which could detract from what I'm ultimately trying to say. Which is that Nintendo has many other franchises, that are simply overshadowed by the big ones. Furthermore, Nintendo keeps making games from their mega franchises because gamers keep wanting to play them, and they always deliver a stellar experience!"

[KongRudi]

@AO1JMM
Didn't mean to indicate that Nintendo never made new franchises..

Just tought they had been lacking _this_ generation, couldn't recall any new Nintendo-IP's for the Wii, besides the various Wii XXX-games..

Last Story, Captain Rainbow and Endless Ocean are exelent examples.
But stuff like Nintendogs, Pikmin, Kirby, Donkey Kong aren't new IP this generation, that's franchises wich we've played on several consoles before.

[omarzy]

This title is trolling big time. Fandom is a fun, cute little thing that you can apply to the business for fun, but when the 3ds has 18 million sales(for the people using the ol "uh vita has only been out for this amount of time" well check the sales of the 3ds before the price drop. the vita isn't even half those sales, and that was when the 3ds was the same price) the 3ds is selling almost 10 times as much as the vita. Just..just please stop it, it isn't funny. NO, Sony is not doing it right, the vita numbers have fallen severely in the past week, but the 3ds gained sales. Everything that is not numbers is irrelevant, and Nintendo has the numbers. Numbers, Numbers, Numbers. If you want to argue against the numbers, then....well, i just do not know how to say it nicely. Also, stop talking about the "hardcore" gamer. Have you people been following the gaming trends these days? The hardcore gamer is endangered.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

Are you a casual gamer?

[omarzy]

I am both hardcore, and casual. I own every console, but anyone can see that the "hardcore" market is being taken over. Microsoft has the kinnect, and smart glass, sony has the move, and now the vita uses touch screen. Ipad, or any tablet/smartphone is dominating, indie/flash games are gaining dominance very fast. Casual influence is as strong as ever.

[oNIXo]

16 million kids can't be wrong. Most everyone that has a 3DS, that I know, is under 13.

While it is selling a lot, when I came time to get my new handheld I took the time to research what was going on with the systems and the trend in their games. I didn't want to spend the $300 for a Vita, so I didn't get one. My wife, on the other hand, has no problem spending $300. So I got a Vita for my birthday.

I don't consider myself a "hardcore gamer," I'm just a gamer. Have been for over 20 years, I own most every gaming system out there. I enjoy playing all types of games no matter what system they're on. I have a DS, I don't need it to be in migraine inducing 3D.

When my daughter gets a little older I'll get her one, but it just doesn't do it for me.

[DarkHeroZX]

Hey Im 21 and have a 3DS. I got it because it was the zeldagold and black edition. But outside of Pokemon, certain Mario games, Zelda, Kid Icarus, and a feature brawl game I don't see myself buying much more for the 3DS. I already have 24 games downloaded to my vita though. I just wish Sony made everything in the PlayStation store compatible with vita, I really wanna play my God of war HD collection on the go along with chronological trigger and sonic CD and adventure.

[DarkHeroZX]

Chrono trigger*

[AdvanceWarsSgt]

Oh look, the infamous "Anyone who owns a Nintendo product must be a child" retort.

[oNIXo]

I didn't say everyone who has a 3DS is a child, I just pointed out that the only people I (wish I could put that in italics) know that have one are kids. I'm pretty sure there are loads of non-kids that have one too. I have a Wii and a DS, not everyone that owns a Nintendo product is a kid, but most of them are.

[mxkite]

Nintendo is not going to add a second stick to the 3ds because it would reasemble the wiiu controller and that is bad for bussiness they expect consumers to buy the wii u controller to play the wiiu.

Just compare a 3ds with a wiiu controller, they are the same still dont find a difference between the 2 devices wich makes me think is another gimmick to bleed consumers

Compare the ps vita with the wiiu controller the are the same except that the ps vita is a computer itself too not just a controller like the wii u controller wich is an enormous advantage for me is a win win

[zpoc]

and yet nintendo is outselling the 3DS to an embarrassing degree. the vita is in a sad state, so it's hard to read that sony is 'headed in the right direction'. i hope sales will turn around and the system gains some momentum - it's a great handheld and there's no reason it shouldn't eventually do well... but nintendo is dominating the market. its kind of ridiculous to try and argue they're 'languishing'. they're obviously doing something right to appeal to the mainstream - something sony needs to figure out how to do, quickly.

[Sgt_Slaughter]

As a lot of you well know, I flip the **** out a lot when it comes to these type of articles.

Can we just stop the unnecessary articles, that try to pit Sony fans against Nintendo fans every chance that they get.

It's like every morning when they wake up they want to have a Flame War... SMH.

ANYWAY, can't we just move past the Doom N' Gloom articles or the "Why Company X has a slightly better thought process than Company Y!" articles... AND JUST PLAY THE GAMES THESE COMPANIES MAKE FOR US!!!

Now if you don't mind, I'm gonna play SMB 3 on my old NES.

[klecser]

*facepalm* this article and this comment section. It is just the same 'ol same 'ol: Sony and Nintendo fans railing on each other. THIS is why non-gamers do not take you seriously.

[Eske]

It's all about the software. Vita is struggling because of a lack of compelling titles. If they can turn that around, and lower the barrier of entry, I suspect it'll fare much better.

Regarding Nintendo: they could certainly use more 3rd party games, but it seems to run counter to their business strategy. I can at least say that while they do rely on names like Mario, Zelda, etc., they put those names onto drastically different gameplay experiences.

They have the rehashes, too, of course, but I don't actually think they're too much worse than Sony or Microsoft with their God of Wars or Halos.

Going up against tablets is a dangerous game. Personally, I haven't bought a Vita yet because I'm perfectly content playing PSX games on my tablet. I've had my eye on one, though. Just needs some more compelling software, and a price cut wouldn't hurt, either.

[AdvanceWarsSgt]

Um, 3rd parties have always supported Nintendo's handhelds very well, and so far the 3DS looks to be treated no differently than its predecessors. Do not let Nintendo's console side of things make you believe otherwise.

[BitbyDeath]

Nintendo needs to buy Rare back.
I know the team might not be what they used to be but that doesn't matter so long as they hold the IP's, they can rebuild.

Losing Rare was a huge mistake imo, they added that little bit of diversity they need.

[Unversed87]

I own all last and this gens. I loved all. Nintendo = Unforgetable original games "will" last for a long vast time. Sony = Is always a step behind but "it only does everything" is true and new IPs doesnt seem to run out with them. MS Xbox = Online...i guess thats all they focus on and some IPs that hasnt died for some reason...oh and apps! Joke.