Hardcore gamers begin to accept, love Nintendo Wii
Friday, May 16th, 2008 at 9:30am by Jack
Either the “passionate gamer community at large” is tired this week, or the Wii has turned a corner. Why? It’s just a hunch, nothing concrete really, but the public perception of that little white console appears to be changing for the better.
Infendo freelancer Samfish (read: meaning he gets paid even less than zero!) was out in the field this week, taking notes, names and otherwise making some keen observations. What he saw was interesting, to say the least.
Have the so-called “hardcore” gamers started to come around on the Wii and its standard definition graphics, sound and storage capabiltities? Head on over the wall that we call the jump to see—and respond to—Samfishs’s astute observations.
It began with MadWorld, which we’ve covered pretty in-depth this week, but it didn’t end there. This little adventure started with that title, and the lack of a negative response about its Wii exclusivity, and turned into an all-out debate about another well-known title. In the end, the unthinkable: notoriously “high-end” gamer message boards and comment threads came to the defense of our plucky duct-taped console. To a grizzled, stubborn fanman such as myself, it was no surprise (my soapbox broke long ago from overuse), but to you fence-sitters or passersby, well, read on!
It seems like “they” have finally accepted the Wii and really embraced it in the last few days!
Take Mad World, most notably…in all the comment sections in blogs and message boards I frequent, for example, not once did I see any Nintendo-hating troll say something like “The Wii doesn’t deserve a game like Mad World!” Instead, it’s all been, “Wow this looks awesome” or (less often) “I don’t think this game is my cup of tea”.
But aside from the regular Nintendo-hating jack asses, there was nary an insult hurled at the Wii. It was odd.Check it out:
http://kotaku.com/5009168/madworld-a-fun-romp-through-dismemberment
http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/platinum-games-madworld-eyes-on-first-screens/ (you’ll find me jibbering away in this one about how great Mad World will be!)
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=295914
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=294367There’s almost no Wii hate in any of those comments! I was wondering why I wasn’t feeling slightly irritated the last few days. Mind you, I’m not saying it’s 100% by any stretch…but reading through, you can get a good feel for the tone, I think.
But it’s more than that, though. Read the tone on the Beyond Good & Evil 2 threads:
http://kotaku.com/391065/beyond-good–evil-2-is-for-ps3-360 (there’s one Wii troll here, but he gets shouted down)
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=295854There are quite a few people arguing that it should have been on the Wii. The discussions are relatively civil (for a video game discussion on the internets…). The usual canards about “this game deserves HD graphix STFU!” and others that people use to write off the Wii weren’t really brought up. People suggesting that BG&E2 would be best suited for the Wii weren’t met with disdain! I’ve honestly not really seen that since the Wii was announced!
Also note the near universal praise for Lost Winds from gamers of all stripes (at least the multi-console owning ones…and ignore Game Spot) [Which we also covered this week -- Jack]
Anyhow, just a smattering of my observations. Maybe I’m crazy and you’ll provide me with endless counter-examples, or maybe I’m just jumping the gun. Maybe GTA IV finally gave the babies their binkies. Who knows? But being the fan of all things Nintendo that I suppose I am, I haven’t felt the urge to go into Nintendo Defense Force mode much in the last week, which is unusual!
So, are the vocal minority members out there just too engrossed with Grand Theft Auto IV at the moment, or is the earth truly shifting under us? With Wii Fit coming soon, and E3 just around the corner, it’s in this blogger’s biased opinion that a Perfect Storm is brewing, bigger even than 2007, and it won’t be letting up until well after December. If at all.
[Thanks for the research, Samfish!!!]
May 16th, 2008 at 10:13 am
I did feel… something this week, especially last night when going through boards discussing NPD numbers.
This graph best describes the realization that came over people after yesterday’s numbers were announced:
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff91/donny2112_gaf/apr2008.gif
It is as if people accepted the Wii is here to stay.
The acceptence, though, did come with a little depression( See: the 5 steps of grieving: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance)
Many started to fear what the next generation would hold.
Some were angered that Sony/Microsoft dropped the ball this generation.
Some doomed future console gaming, fearing what it may become.
Interesting week.
May 16th, 2008 at 11:53 am
I’m not sure we’re turning a corner quite yet, although it’s possible. One thing is for sure, with recent NPDs showing the Wii to be outselling the other 2 combined in the US, I’m hearing a lot less “the wii is a fad” comments. Although I still hear “my wii is gathering dust” FAR too much.
Every time I hear it, I just want to laugh at the idiot parroting the overhyped “dusty wii” meme. Please, get a new line people.
But seriously, I hope madworld is as good as I would expect from the spiritual successor to Clover Studios. I have to say though, I really wish they would make Bayonetta on Wii as well, that looked great too.
Oh, and no BG&E on Wii is a huge disappointment. The wii would be perfect for that game. But it’s understandable if they started development over a year ago. The Wii wasn’t the market force back then that it is now. Hopefully they are not so far in development that they can’t make a Wii version as well. If the Wii keeps hitting 700K per month while the others are in the 200K range, my guess is that Ubisoft will not only green light the game, but they will DEMAND a Wii version.
May 16th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
yup my boss is around 56 and hes asking me
“do u know any one who can get me a wii”
hahahahah
May 16th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
I think now that FINALLY half the Wii games coming out aren’t half-assed ps2 and psp ports the system will start to get some more respect. I don’t agree with alot of the things haters say about the wii but I can’t entirely fault them when till rather recently there were so many games that look like bad early xbox games and not many that look like a new system in 2008.
May 16th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
From what I see here in NOA-Land and MS-Land, the majority of hardcore gamers are ones that are obsessed with 720p and 1080i/p graphics.
“Who gives a care about gameplay?”
“Yeah, it’s got HD - that’s awesome!”
“Dude, none of the games for the Wii in HD - that sucks.”
How sad is that?
It’s finally glad to know that people are finally dropping the 480p criticism. (Plus, I have a lot of friends at Microsoft that desperately want a Wii - I rented out my system to one of the PMs..lol)
May 16th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
The effect is actually two fold:
1. In a short span of time we have seen No More Heroes, Smash Bros., Mario Kart, Okami, Boom Blox and Wii Ware. The releases have been steady since Galaxy hit last Christmas and for those just getting into one now there is not much dust collecting to be done. This shows the Wii actually starting to turn a corner as even the harshest critics are coming around.
2. I see this more often is that the negative comments usually spring up in the wake of good news for Wii. This is because now only the irrationally opposed are threatened by the success of Wii. Those people who are platform zealots or think that just because there are more accessible games somehow developers will cease making the next big adventure game or RPG. With every big Wii release they seem to be getting quieter and quieter. Probably because its low price point means they can pick one up in tandem with their other consoles.
May 16th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Aww shucks! Thanks! I hope this means the Wii is finally turning a corner and starts picking up the ‘hardcore’ momentum to compliment the ‘casual’ momentum.
May 16th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
I’m seriously depressed now. I did not know that there was a Beyond Good & Evil sequel being made. Why isn’t it for Wii? This blows completely. What’s ubisoft’s deal? We’re good enough for Rabbids, but not Jade or Rayman?
Should have known this would happen after what they did to the Prince’s best adventure when they ported it to the Wii in such a nasty fashion.
May 16th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
I think people are starting to come around because there aren’t any other big blockbusters coming to the 360 and the PS3 for a while. The reason I finally gave in was because I came to terms that lots of features and good graphics don’t make a great game.
I bought my Wii about a month ago and I haven’t touched my Xbox
360 since. I plan on buying a few Gamecube games too when I get the chance. It’s a great little console.
May 16th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
I don’t think we are at that point yet where a vast majority of the hardcore have finally accepted Wii. I think this is due to them playing GTA IV which shows how much of a lack of irony that they have when they complain about the rest of the public having too much fun playing the Wii and then they are having too much fun playing GTA IV. I’m sure that when the drug…ERRR..game wears off (and like most _art_ it is usually quick which is probably why the general public doesn’t like it.); they’ll be back complaining like they know best. After all; Wii is a passion system and passion systems will generate a lot of hate no matter how pointless the hate can be.
However; Wii is going to separate those who commit mundane ignorance and those who commit virulent ignorance. And while mundane is quite sad; at least that can be cured with facts and information. It’s the ones who display virulent ignorance (basically calling themselves experts when they have been debunked time and time again) that cannot be cured with facts simply because they believe that they are experts and therefore think of us as outsiders or worse. Sean Malstrom should be used to seeing this display by the _experts_ by now which probably explains why he’s stopped talking about them on his website. For the hardcore’s sake; they better hope they are committing the former rather than the later.
May 16th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
These games look hardcore to me, so what’s your point, Jack? Us hardcore are only pissed at games like Project Hammer getting canceled over Brain Age 2.
May 16th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Well most people are starting to be in the “Wii & [other console]” mix rather than just a single console like before so maybe that’ll explain part of the hate.
I have seen a more positive attitude or at least not as much hate but many still complain or comment how their Wii’s constantly gathering dust and only getting one good game once in a while.
May 17th, 2008 at 5:23 am
I think it’s people calling these guys out. Seriously If you can’t find some thing to play on the Wii then you start to look like sheep rather than a betrayed fan of nintendo. This is the greatest release list in one year from nintendo. They are hitting on all cylinders. The new comers are getting what they want and the hardcore are getting what they want announcements! LOL And games of course.
The whole gathering dust thing was pretty silly though.
Metroid comes out my wii is dusty.
galaxy comes out my wii is dusty.
no more hero comes out my wii is dusty
I mean face it you don’t really have a Wii or you just bought one to threaten it! And make it collect dust so you can take pictures of it to prove your Wii sucks. Well In that case other peoples Wii may indeed suck but mine doesn’t yeah I went there. Hell it gets pretty high ratings at my house.
The hardcore LOL are running out of excuses for it to suck and it’s hilarious. Looks like they pissed off nintendo pretty good!
May 17th, 2008 at 5:39 am
I mean and things like this also help WOW!
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10187&Itemid=2&limit=1&limitstart=2
60% 3rd party sales????
40% 1st party sales????
Ok there goes another troll prop!
I mean the excuses are falling left and right! It’s like the house fell on the witch or some thing! Or like when the troll drown because it refused to not troll it’s bridge! LOL
Man you guys really need to look at that article WOW! Even the fan boys inside companies will be shut down. It’s the PS2 all over again.
May 19th, 2008 at 9:37 am
“I mean face it you don’t really have a Wii or you just bought one to threaten it! ”
Funniest Wii-related quote I’ve read in a well. I imagine a Wii locked up on some medieval torture device.
I think that most of the gaming community is finding it harder to critcize the Wii after the NPD thrashings month after month. They might not personally play the system as much as we do, but they are beginning to understand that it has a valid place in the gaming space.