NSider Forums, closing shop, and the Phoenix
Tuesday, September 18th, 2007 at 8:51am by Jack
Quick show of hands: Who here visits the NSider forums?
Correction, who visited the forums, since Nintendo just made them read-only and plans to disable them indefinitely on Sept. 24? That’s right, I used the doom word in business, “indefinitely.” More often than not what that really means is “gone the way of the Dodo bird,” and that’s exactly what all the Negative Nancy’s (there seem to be a lot of those these days) seem to think are going to happen to the NSider Forums.
It stings that they’re closing but my question is, why are people so negative these days?
I don’t know if it’s a Nintendo specific thing or what, but everything I read on the Net these days — video games-wise — is bereft with negative spin, bellyaching and whining. This NSider thing is no exception.
Could the forums be heading for the executioner? Sure they could. But believing that outcome will come to fruition is an illogical deduction not based on the facts.
It’s one thing to worry about that word, “indefinitely,” but it’s quite another to somehow create this elaborate doomsday fantasy that says Nintendo is “abandoning” an entire sect of the gamer population because “it’s going casual.” Really? You think a company as big and dependent on profit as Nintendo has the luxury of cutting out millions of consumers just like that? Poof? Does up and dropping millions of people, and their millions of dollars make any sense whatsoever?
No, I think not. Instead, as has been stated now ad nauseum, Nintendo benefits if EVERYONE plays video games. But why believe that when the snarky Internet trolls can so eloquently say Nintendo is abandoning “hardcore gamers?” Right?
I’ll admit, the NSider Dear John letter that greets visitors now is foreboding, but only for the forums, and not the people who are passionate about gaming.
Nintendo is working on a major overhaul to Nintendo.com to support the continued success of Nintendo DS and Wii. As we prepare for this huge site update, Nintendo must unfortunately close the Nintendo NSider Forums message boards indefinitely beginning Sept. 17, 2007.
For more than four years, these NSider Forums have fostered engaging, robust debates, a strong community and friendships. While their future remains uncertain, in the interim we invite our fans to build on the spirit of community by starting their own Nintendo discussion sites. Remember also that the unique features available with Nintendo DS and Wii give Nintendo the opportunity to communicate directly with fans, while also enabling fans and friends around the world to communicate with each other.
Who here thinks that an NSider forum Wii Channel sounds nice? I do. From the looks of things, Nintendo is closing an old medium and plans to reopen it with some serious Wii and DS WiFi interactivity. Hell, Nintendo even threw up a picture of the Wii and the DS in that letter — how much more info do you naysayers need? But people ignore the facts, because seeing them requires powers of logic, reasoning and thinking; and instead focus on the negatives and how the NSider forums are doomed and therefore (prepare for a big logic leap here, folks) Nintendo is thinking it can abandon millions of people at the drop of a hat and still be a successful video game company.
Stop taking the easy route. Will the Nsider Forums be back? As it stands today, probably not. But I’d argue that something will return, and it will be shinier, more interactive and better. No Friend Codes though. Please.
September 18th, 2007 at 9:01 am
Oh, man, I thought you were going to rip into Boston’s worst weekly newspaper .. Viva la Dig!
September 18th, 2007 at 9:52 am
I was a regular at the forums, and am using this as a prompt to hope for something better in the future. The forums were a bit chaotic - Wii General was too overrun with trolls, Debbie Downers, & “Negative Nancy’s” - but you could still have a decent conversation with others who are passionate and knowledgeable about Nintendo and video gaming in general.
Maybe Nintendo’s next online community will have integrated functionality with the Wii? One can hope, right?
September 18th, 2007 at 10:05 am
Negative Nancy, checking in. We are go, repeat, WE ARE GO.
September 18th, 2007 at 10:41 am
It’s a strange transition, at the least.
September 18th, 2007 at 10:58 am
What’s odd is “we’re having great success with Wii and DS .. so we’re going to lop off our traditional conduit to the fanbase” ……
Hurh?
September 18th, 2007 at 11:45 am
i am sure there forums were unique, but they honestly arent needed anymore like official forums were many years ago when fansites werent as big or numerous as today.
i was around in the late 90s and it was cool but not nearly as strong as it is now. nintendo forums were more the place to be back then, but now, sure you made friends there, but you can make friends anywhere.
now you have dozens of forums for each personality, whether you want nintendo only discussion or more general discussion.
they served a purpose that is better served by fansites, as they say in their official posting on the forum now.
basically, its not as important a conduit as it used to be, especially if they really do impliment another interesting new style for their site that shows a more unique use these days.
September 18th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
I like the idea of a channel for discussions, but I spend more time on my pc than on my Wii. Maybe that’s what Nintendo hopes to change? I am just hoping for the best.
September 18th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
I saw phoenix, I thought you meant the new phoenix wright.
T&T is awesome, import it.
September 19th, 2007 at 5:05 am
Sorry for the OT, but in relation to the T&T bit…
Instead of importing it you could always do the pre-order instead… It’ll take about a month longer to get to you but… you do get this: http://blogs.capcomusa.com/blogs/news.php/2007/08/31/ace_attorney_preorder_plush
September 19th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
I challenge someone, anyone to explain to me exactly what’s wrong with friend codes.
September 19th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Pooch, the only thing “wrong” with them is that for some people they’re annoying. Then again, so is putting in people’s numbers on your cell phone address book.
I really don’t have an issue with Friend Codes at all, actually.
September 19th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
OK, so let me get this straight. The Wii has an address book. To this address book, you add your friend’s Wii codes. Then, when you play Smash Brothers. Brawl, it will load the addresses from your address book, thereby allowing you to play against your friends.
OMG TEH AGGRAVATE!!
September 22nd, 2007 at 4:02 pm
I didn’t think Nintendo’s forums were that great to begin with. You couldn’t even share FC’s…through PM’s! Anyways, maybe Nintendo is actually making their online network…”better”? Wait what did I just say? The Negative Nancy in me says: “Impossible! Nintendo won’t even make Wii Sports online!” The optimistic side of me however, says: “Nintendo may finally be working on a better online net! Yes! All the negative feedback worked!!!”
December 1st, 2008 at 1:35 am
Hi. I repeatedly announce this forum. This is the head together unqualified to ask a ridiculous.
How multitudinous in this forum are references progressive behind, disingenuous users?
Can I worthiness all the advice that there is?