Nintendo Abandons Traditional Game Sellers, Nintendo's New Direction

Starting this Thursday the Nintendo Wii and it's software will be sold at the Sports Authority (one of the largest sporting goods stores in North America)

There will be a Balance Board set up in every Sports Authority that allows people to use Wii Fit, EA Sports Active, Punch Out, etc

This is a massive change in Nintendo's philosophy by allowing this. Up to this point they have not allowed a store like Sports Authority to sell their merchandise.

The last time we saw an effort like this was when they added R.O.B. the robot so they could get into toy stores because kids loves toys and kids love robots so wont you buy this awesome robot that works with the NES.

Nintendo allowing a sporting goods store to sell the Wii shows they finally know who will support the Wii through thick and thin, the casual crowd.

Look at the software

Mario Galaxy is the bees knees and clocks in at 8 million sold

Wii Fit, which is a larger initial investment, has almost three times that at 22 million

It looks like Nintendo is now aiming toward the crowd that will allow it to sell well for the rest of this generation. They wont find this support in the specialty game stores or the electronic stores and especially anywhere that deals in the sales of used games.

Nintendo knows the base they must dedicate to. The people who have made the Wii the number one selling console this generation and the people who will buy the software in droves.

What does everyone think about Nintendo doing this? Abandoning standard selling practices in order to cater to the market that treats it the best?

Personally I love it. We all know that when it comes to the Wii it's the casual player that has made it reach it's 56 million plus units and the ability to aim the Wii towards them even more is a winning idea.

Nintendo is rewarding the right people

MEAL PLAN IS HERE

HERE'S A TASTE OF TOMORROW

STILL HUNGRY? MORE TASTING!

it's a business. they want to sell more units. can't blame them for that

They're still selling consoles at traditional game sellers, so they're not 'abandoning' them.

Might want to check the dictionary in the future...

They're still selling consoles at traditional game sellers, so they're not 'abandoning' them.

Might want to check the dictionary in the future...

that's nice. more people getting their hands on the wii. i don't see that getting in the way of my games.

not to mention it'll probably help getting rid of that annoying, ignorant image people have of videogames

The problem we're seeing with Nintendo's strategy is that most of the new gamers don't see the Wii as a console that is capable of many different things. They see it as a Wii Sports machine or a Wii Fit machine. You buy an exercise bike in order to use the exercise bike. A lot of the new consumers see the Wii as the same type of thing. If they do know that their exercise bike can also be scuba gear or a gun or a car, they're not interested in using for those things.

Nintendo's "bridge" theory, of lassoing new gamers in with Wii Sports and tying them up with Mario Kart so that they can eventually enjoy Zelda, isn't as successful as planned. I bought into it because it sounds GREAT on paper, but when we actually look at the paper, it isn't quite working that way.The newer, older, and more casual Wii Sports or Wii Fit owners aren't buying stacks of traditional games. I'd LOVE for that to happen, but it just isn't.

I see the Sports Authority deal as kind of an acknowledgment of the fact that the Wii has two manifestations. The Wii is for gamers primarily (just look at the library), so of course it's sold mainly at game stores; but it's also for people who want to get off their butts and have fun doing it, so it's being sold at a sports place as well. The cross-section of these two types of people is much smaller than it was expected to be.

Nintendo abandoning it's fans? That'll be the day. Nintendo reaching out it's fitness products at different retailors? No duh!

They're still selling consoles at traditional game sellers, so they're not 'abandoning' them.

Might want to check the dictionary in the future...

bob_newman

Starting this Thursday the Nintendo Wii and it's software will be sold at the Sports Authority (one of the largest sporting goods stores in North America)

There will be a Balance Board set up in every Sports Authority that allows people to use Wii Fit, EA Sports Active, Punch Out, etc

This is a massive change in Nintendo's philosophy by allowing this. Up to this point they have not allowed a store like Sports Authority to sell their merchandise.

The last time we saw an effort like this was when they added R.O.B. the robot so they could get into toy stores because kids loves toys and kids love robots so wont you buy this awesome robot that works with the NES.

Nintendo allowing a sporting goods store to sell the Wii shows they finally know who will support the Wii through thick and thin, the casual crowd.

Look at the software

Mario Galaxy is the bees knees and clocks in at 8 million sold

Wii Fit, which is a larger initial investment, has almost three times that at 22 million

It looks like Nintendo is now aiming toward the crowd that will allow it to sell well for the rest of this generation. They wont find this support in the specialty game stores or the electronic stores and especially anywhere that deals in the sales of used games.

Nintendo knows the base they must dedicate to. The people who have made the Wii the number one selling console this generation and the people who will buy the software in droves.

What does everyone think about Nintendo doing this? Abandoning standard selling practices in order to cater to the market that treats it the best?

Personally I love it. We all know that when it comes to the Wii it's the casual player that has made it reach it's 56 million plus units and the ability to aim the Wii towards them even more is a winning idea.

Nintendo is rewarding the right people

MEAL PLAN IS HERE

HERE'S A TASTE OF TOMORROW

STILL HUNGRY? MORE TASTING!

Jaysonguy

You're Completely Wrong :P

Ok, no you're not but it was fun to say that. :)

I've never even heard of Sport Authority. >__>

That aside, Nintendo wants money, and they'll go where they can get it. Nothing really surprising.

[QUOTE="bob_newman"]

They're still selling consoles at traditional game sellers, so they're not 'abandoning' them.

Might want to check the dictionary in the future...

garrett_duffman

The problem we're seeing with Nintendo's strategy is that most of the new gamers don't see the Wii as a console that is capable of many different things. They see it as a Wii Sports machine or a Wii Fit machine. You buy an exercise bike in order to use the exercise bike. A lot of the new consumers see the Wii as the same type of thing. If they do know that their exercise bike can also be scuba gear or a gun or a car, they're not interested in using for those things.

Nintendo's "bridge" theory, of lassoing new gamers in with Wii Sports and tying them up with Mario Kart so that they can eventually enjoy Zelda, isn't as successful as planned. I bought into it because it sounds GREAT on paper, but when we actually look at the paper, it isn't quite working that way.The newer, older, and more casual Wii Sports or Wii Fit owners aren't buying stacks of traditional games. I'd LOVE for that to happen, but it just isn't.

I see the Sports Authority deal as kind of an acknowledgment of the fact that the Wii has two manifestations. The Wii is for gamers primarily (just look at the library), so of course it's sold mainly at game stores; but it's also for people who want to get off their butts and have fun doing it, so it's being sold at a sports place as well. The cross-section of these two types of people is much smaller than it was expected to be.

JordanElek

Great post.

I personally know a lot of people that only own a Wii to play games like Wii sports, Wii Fit, resort and maybe Rockband/Guitar or any random EA sports game but they don't really buy anything else. There isn't anything wrong with this but it can create a dangerous bubble that could burst any second once they get tired of it. Neither motion-control or the Wii is a fad in gaming but it could be seen as a fad for those people.

I think one of the problems are that neither Nintendo nor third party devs are actually trying to lure these people into new games. They basically just hope that they might turn into "real" gamers if the option is there in front of them.

This leads to an inflated illusion in potential game costumers for both Nintendo and third party developers. The Wii might have sold 50mil but it doesn't look like there are 50mil Wii owners that buy games on it. The PS3 has a similar problem with people that buy it exclusively for the blu-ray.

They don't abandon the hardcore buy selling them at some place I've never heard of and I live in Canada. Nintendo needs to find a way to get people up the ladder from mario kart to mario galaxy to something like zelda. Causal gamers are gamers who don't buy many games in my opinion and most of these people buy three or four games a year thats the problem

Ok.

[QUOTE="garrett_duffman"][QUOTE="bob_newman"]

They're still selling consoles at traditional game sellers, so they're not 'abandoning' them.

Might want to check the dictionary in the future...

bob_newman

Nintendo is thinking outside of the box and selling more consoles. That's just good business sense. The only thing that annoys is the lack of "hardcore" games. I don't even mind the casual games in and of themselves; I just wish Nintendo would make more hardcore games in addition to them. Making huge bucks off the casual and using some of the profit to make deeper games for long-term gamers would keep me more than happy.

The problem we're seeing with Nintendo's strategy is that most of the new gamers don't see the Wii as a console that is capable of many different things. They see it as a Wii Sports machine or a Wii Fit machine. You buy an exercise bike in order to use the exercise bike. A lot of the new consumers see the Wii as the same type of thing. If they do know that their exercise bike can also be scuba gear or a gun or a car, they're not interested in using for those things.

Nintendo's "bridge" theory, of lassoing new gamers in with Wii Sports and tying them up with Mario Kart so that they can eventually enjoy Zelda, isn't as successful as planned. I bought into it because it sounds GREAT on paper, but when we actually look at the paper, it isn't quite working that way.The newer, older, and more casual Wii Sports or Wii Fit owners aren't buying stacks of traditional games. I'd LOVE for that to happen, but it just isn't.

I see the Sports Authority deal as kind of an acknowledgment of the fact that the Wii has two manifestations. The Wii is for gamers primarily (just look at the library), so of course it's sold mainly at game stores; but it's also for people who want to get off their butts and have fun doing it, so it's being sold at a sports place as well. The cross-section of these two types of people is much smaller than it was expected to be.

JordanElek

Maybe developers will start selling shovelware in the dollar store now...

Umm, I'm lost on the point of the thread? Are we being informed of the new direction or their a stance you're proposing TC?

Regardless, it's genius.

And Nintendo is going to have to lock up the casual crowd so that the same crowd can be brought over to the Wii 2 or Wii HD (whatever you'd like to call it).

This is brilliance on the part of Nintendo's marketing and business teams.

They're still selling consoles at traditional game sellers, so they're not 'abandoning' them.

Might want to check the dictionary in the future...

I'm not surprised by this at all. It actually makes sense to put the balance board in stores like that. You already the bargain bin shovelware games in every conceivable store. This sounds like a maneuver that will make more money.

All this is happening while Nintendo is still making good video games. They're not banadoning anyone.

There are core gamers who own a Wii. You know that, JasonPices

Yes, there are but they are a very small section of the Wii ownership so there's no way they can keep the Wii going strong.

If the Wii's future was dictated by them it wont be much of a future

The problem we're seeing with Nintendo's strategy is that most of the new gamers don't see the Wii as a console that is capable of many different things. They see it as a Wii Sports machine or a Wii Fit machine. You buy an exercise bike in order to use the exercise bike. A lot of the new consumers see the Wii as the same type of thing. If they do know that their exercise bike can also be scuba gear or a gun or a car, they're not interested in using for those things.

Nintendo's "bridge" theory, of lassoing new gamers in with Wii Sports and tying them up with Mario Kart so that they can eventually enjoy Zelda, isn't as successful as planned. I bought into it because it sounds GREAT on paper, but when we actually look at the paper, it isn't quite working that way.The newer, older, and more casual Wii Sports or Wii Fit owners aren't buying stacks of traditional games. I'd LOVE for that to happen, but it just isn't.

I see the Sports Authority deal as kind of an acknowledgment of the fact that the Wii has two manifestations. The Wii is for gamers primarily (just look at the library), so of course it's sold mainly at game stores; but it's also for people who want to get off their butts and have fun doing it, so it's being sold at a sports place as well. The cross-section of these two types of people is much smaller than it was expected to be.

JordanElek

Well it's the Sports Authority type shopper that controls the Wii and Nintendo has to get to them directly.

I'd like to see this go out even further

Today there's a QVC hour with Nintendo, I'd also like to see stores like Bed Bath & Beyond carry the Wii as well. Maybe add Curves as another franchise that will demo the software

The casual is the strongest Wii audience but to this point Nintendo hasn't done much to entice them to get software on their own turf. They can go to places like Gamestop and deal with mostly children and used things which is a turn off for them or they can go to electronics stores which is still pretty much out of their element. You're not only asking the casual to get things they normally don't but also go to places they normally don't, Nintendo has to make it easier.

The whole system set up is a huge leap for the majority of the Wii's userbase. The casual can come in and see the games in action, something that the usual megastore like Walmart or Target doesn't allow.

I mean the casual is the Wii's largest demographic but this is the first time we've seen a chain try to make something for them. Fully working areas for the games.

As far as the whole bridge part this could be the way they do it. If Sports Authority adds more niche software that casuals have a chance to demo in store then maybe we'll see the sales pick up. It wont be a blind purcahse but something they know they enjoy

I'm just glad that Nintendo has finally started at the Wii's majority instead of hoping that this small niche over here and that small niche over there are going to keep the momentum going.

This is an effort to mobilize the Wii's base

1. To withdraw one's support or help from, especially in spite of duty, allegiance, or responsibility; desert: abandon a friend in trouble.

I dont see nintendo helping or supporting NSMB DS anymore, whens the last time you saw a NSMB DS commercial?

garrett_duffman

2. To surrender one's claim to, right to, or interest in

I dont see nintendo having much interest in NSMB... or the traditional market.

garrett_duffman

Umm...you think they don't have interest in a game that still sells around 40k a week? Why do you think they created a sequel then? Because they're not interested in the product?

3. To cease trying to continue

like... seeing that wii fit sells more than all of the other wii games, aside from wii play and wii sports, and giving up on the crowd that prefers games that arent wii fit

garrett_duffman

'giving up'? How is selling a product at another store 'giving up'?!? That's absolutely, 100% ridiculous.

If they were 'giving up' they would stop selling the system at EBGames, GameStop, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and the dozens of other chains and stores around North America.

If they were 'giving up' they wouldn't have even bothered making Zelda. Or Sin & Punishment 2. They wouldn't have Reggie going on SPIKE TV, hyping up and urging gamers to buy games like Red Steel 2, Extraction, MadWorld and the like.

If they were 'giving up' they would only make games like Fit.

They want both markets. They can't succeed with only one and they know that. They're not abandoning anyone. It's the 'core gamers' who are being stubborn here.

counter-argumentbob_newman

[QUOTE="bob_newman"]counter-argumentgarrett_duffman

Nintendo isn't abandoning anybody. They're just being more pro-active trying to expand they're market base. It sounds like you're suggesting that they actually do leave traditional gamers behind, which would be a bad idea. As it's been stated before, if someone buys the Wii solely for Wii Fit, it's doubtful that that same customer will buy every iteration of the game. If the first one suits their needs, there's no point in buying another version. The result is that having so many new or casual gamers is a HUGE plus but in the end, they can't be trusted to buy games as frequently as those who need to have every Mario game upon it's release or reads every update about a new Zelda game. Nintendo's gained enough credibility to be able to sell a gaming console at a sporting goods store, so good for them. But I could never see this as them foolishly choosing one market and ignoring all others.

P.S.- Though this venture is great from a business standpoint, I'd prefer they kept these in VG stores where they belong; It'd be sad if some parent decided to get a Wii from a sporting goods store, rather than a baseball bat or a soccer ball.

nintendo is not pulling from shelfs are they ,, if so then i think its wrong , if not an d for the good then fine

*shrugs*as long as they keep bringing out gamesthat I'm interested in I'll stick with them. That doesnt mean I have to turn my back on the other consoles either. plus I like this whole sports/exercise direction they are taking with their games so its all cool with me. I just wish they would make a true killer app that incorporates the wii balanceboard.

IT SELLS,

quit pretending Nintendo is some sort of indie band that you hope no one ever finds out about.
they're a buisness

IT PRINTS MONEY!!!!!!!!

Nintendo are NOT abandoning traditional game sales at all.... they are just adding this direction of product marketing to the expected norm of having consoles and games in actual games stores.

There's a big difference between the two definitions.

Were Nintendo to stop supplying normal games stores and only supply someone like Sports Authority, they would be signing their own death warrant.

It's far too inflammatory a headline - you should really report accurately...