The Shrine

The Conduit looks like to be the first of a bunch of hardcore-centric titles for the Wii to come out between now and Xmas

http://wii.ign.com/articles/996/996847p1.html

'Bout time, we haven't had much except for a few downloadable titles since Smash Bros.

The first and the last? What else is there.

Smashbrothers isn't "hardcore-centric"; it is very mainstream.

If by "hardcore-centric" you mean nerd-games, there was also MadWorld.

Eric wrote:The first and the last? What else is there.

Murumasa, Sin and Punishment 2, Prime Trilogy, Fragile, Boy and His Blob...there was a couple of others that I can't recall off the top of my head coming out before the end of the year.

Seek, SSMBB was the definition of a "hardcore" title

Depends on your definition of "hardcore". Mine is probably quite different from yours.

The types of people I know who actually refer to themselves as "hardcore" are the type of nerd who has a intense fascination with aggression - you know, the type who only listen to aggressive music (will use words like hardcore metal, uber, etc...) and can tell you anything about guns and explosives. The type of games they generally like are dungeons and dragons and games about guns; particularly first person shooters. They also like negative themes; no happy games like Smash Brothers, which in my opinion, targets the more mainstream type of gamer along with most of Nintendo's franchises. This type of nerd I am talking about are the same people that used the euphamism "hacker" to describe themselves 10 years ago.

And your definition is out-of-line with the rest of the industry.

Good Seek Hunting wrote:Depends on your definition of "hardcore". Mine is probably quite different from yours.

The types of people I know who actually refer to themselves as "hardcore" are the type of nerd who has a intense fascination with aggression - you know, the type who only listen to aggressive music (will use words like hardcore metal, uber, etc...) and can tell you anything about guns and explosives. The type of games they generally like are dungeons and dragons and games about guns; particularly first person shooters. They also like negative themes; no happy games like Smash Brothers, which in my opinion, targets the more mainstream type of gamer along with most of Nintendo's franchises. This type of nerd I am talking about are the same people that used the euphamism "hacker" to describe themselves 10 years ago.

So it's basically the most stereotypical gamer nerd imaginable?

Kupek wrote:And your definition is out-of-line with the rest of the industry.

You mean you think there's an actual standard in the industry for the term "hardcore gamer"? =P

No matter how it is broken down, most definitions I have seen indicate "hardcore gamer" as a euphamism for gaming nerd. In most cases a gaming nerd into gaming genres that are/were more associated with violent themed and competetive PC gaming; particularly FPS.

Lox wrote: So it's basically the most stereotypical gamer nerd imaginable?

I think we all have known at least a few of these types in our lifetime =P

Good Seek Hunting wrote:You mean you think there's an actual standard in the industry for the term "hardcore gamer"? =P

It's the term used by the enthusiast press, so, yes.

Kupek wrote:

Good Seek Hunting wrote:You mean you think there's an actual standard in the industry for the term "hardcore gamer"? =P

It's the term used by the enthusiast press, so, yes.

The debate is mostly over better and more diverse terms rather than the definition of the terms themselves. But we've been over this already....

Now, back to the games. Eric, you not lookin' forward to any of the other titles that are comin'?

Zeus wrote:

Kupek wrote:

Good Seek Hunting wrote:You mean you think there's an actual standard in the industry for the term "hardcore gamer"? =P

It's the term used by the enthusiast press, so, yes.

The debate is mostly over better and more diverse terms rather than the definition of the terms themselves. But we've been over this already....

Now, back to the games. Eric, you not lookin' forward to any of the other titles that are comin'?

I mean I'd honestly probably be a little more excited if I owned a Wii. :p

There is only one game for the Wii and it is called Animal Crossing: City Folk.

Eric wrote:

Zeus wrote:

Kupek wrote: It's the term used by the enthusiast press, so, yes.

The debate is mostly over better and more diverse terms rather than the definition of the terms themselves. But we've been over this already....

Now, back to the games. Eric, you not lookin' forward to any of the other titles that are comin'?

I mean I'd honestly probably be a little more excited if I owned a Wii. :p

Once Sony finally wakes up and drops the price of the PS3 (considering how late this drop is coming, I'd say it's going to be a $100 drop) it may start a ripple effect. The 360 may do a $50 drop for each unit and, if the current sales trends stay the same, that will probably force the Wii price drop.

If that's the case, you should be able to get it for a really good price second-hand. With the titles that came out in the first year and a half and the ones coming this year, there will be plenty of games to get for it. If you're thinking of getting it at some point, this holiday season may be a good time. Having all three systems is great, you can just focus on the software you want rather than what you can or cannot play.

Zeus wrote:

Eric wrote:

Zeus wrote: The debate is mostly over better and more diverse terms rather than the definition of the terms themselves. But we've been over this already....

Now, back to the games. Eric, you not lookin' forward to any of the other titles that are comin'?

I mean I'd honestly probably be a little more excited if I owned a Wii. :p

Once Sony finally wakes up and drops the price of the PS3 (considering how late this drop is coming, I'd say it's going to be a $100 drop) it may start a ripple effect. The 360 may do a $50 drop for each unit and, if the current sales trends stay the same, that will probably force the Wii price drop.

If that's the case, you should be able to get it for a really good price second-hand. With the titles that came out in the first year and a half and the ones coming this year, there will be plenty of games to get for it. If you're thinking of getting it at some point, this holiday season may be a good time. Having all three systems is great, you can just focus on the software you want rather than what you can or cannot play.

Yeah but I know a Nintendo system is going to end up @ $99 eventually, that's the time to strike!

Zeus wrote:The 360 may do a $50 drop for each unit and, if the current sales trends stay the same, that will probably force the Wii price drop.

Hmm, maybe not. The Wii is selling ridiculously, ludicrously well at its current price - last I heard it was still pushing 400,000 units a month. Wiis don't sit long on store shelves, even now. If it sells well at that price, then Nintendo may have no reason to drop the price.

Further, even if Nintendo does drop the price, I don't think it would be in response to a PS3 or 360 price drop. The mainstream popularity and sales of the Wii indicate that it's the "casuals" who are buying it. Dropping the price of product A in response to a drop in price of product B on makes sense if, in most consumer's minds, there is a choice between A and B. But I think Nintendo really has succeeded in carving out their own market for the Wii, and for many people who purchase it, the 360 isn't an alternative purchase.

Kupek wrote:

Zeus wrote:The 360 may do a $50 drop for each unit and, if the current sales trends stay the same, that will probably force the Wii price drop.

Hmm, maybe not. The Wii is selling ridiculously, ludicrously well at its current price - last I heard it was still pushing 400,000 units a month. Wiis don't sit long on store shelves, even now. If it sells well at that price, then Nintendo may have no reason to drop the price.

Further, even if Nintendo does drop the price, I don't think it would be in response to a PS3 or 360 price drop. The mainstream popularity and sales of the Wii indicate that it's the "casuals" who are buying it. Dropping the price of product A in response to a drop in price of product B on makes sense if, in most consumer's minds, there is a choice between A and B. But I think Nintendo really has succeeded in carving out their own market for the Wii, and for many people who purchase it, the 360 isn't an alternative purchase.

Recent trends are a little different. The Wii dropped from it's 700k+ everything-you-can-make-will-sell rate down to under 400k last month. They're starting to be available everywhere and take many weeks to move off shelves as opposed to the hours of a few months ago. If that trend continues and you see a price drop in the PS3 and maybe the 360 and those start regularly beating the Wii in sales, you will almost assuredly see a price drop in the Wii.

They can talk all they want about not being in the same market but they are. Their numbers all get compared together and that's what the shareholders look at. Compare that with plummeting sales figures and the fact that the Wii will be 3 years old without a drop yet and I think there's a decent chance the trickle down effect will hit the Wii.

Nintendo is changing its tune 'cause it sees the "casual" fad waning which is leading to sales figures dropping in both Japan and US. There's a reason their upcoming launch slate - Wii Sports Resort aside - is all "hardcore". That's where their future growth is since the casuals are starting to lose interest.

It's also "casuals" are the ones who react to a price drop the most. The "hardcores" will pay $300 if the games are good enough because they're gamers and it's an important part of their free time. It's the "mass market" price point - traditionally $199 - that will actually bring in a lot of the casuals who may be on the fence. That's why the PS2 has maintained its sales strength for so long once it hit the $200 and below price tags. It's the casuals who kept it going long after the hardcores bought and played the shit out of it.

So with the Wii they're gonna try a couple of things: release hardcore titles to bring in that crowd and drop the price to keep the casuals interested.

There's only a little more than two years left before Nintendo releases their next console.