Why doesn't Nintendo make any adult games?

Your argument makes no sense whatsoever.

Well, they are publishing Devil's Third.

@Jag85

To be honest this whole thread has been one big Time Sink.

and thinking about it, what kind of mature games could nintendo make anyway? A huge part of why Nintendo can focus on gameplay so much is because none of their games follow a well made narrative, they are just a bunch of nonsense. The only time they tried something more mature and coherent was with Other M and failed miserably.

Yours makes even less then that. Stamping the letter "M" on a game box doesn't magically make it for adults. The game is clearly aimed at teenagers because it is about teen situations. That's not saying adults can't enjoy it or shouldn't, just that it's clearly not an adult's game in that sense.

People can argue that death and kidnapping are adult situations, but every mario game has that as well, yet it's not an adult game.

That's not their target audience.

@Heil68

Actually it is their Target audience. Their Target Audience is literally everybody from kids to adults... Not just teenagers and man children who like boobs, swearing and violence.

it depends in what context you're talking about because gore, sex and violence is obviously for mature audiences and not for children.

In the case of Persona games they are as immature as their narrative allow it because the protagonists are teenagers (most of the time, since the protagonist of Persona 2 was a journalist) after all but these games do tackle a bunch of very serious and mature themes like: gender confusion, coming of age, life and death, what's beyond, what is living, etc.

Persona 4's (and P3's to some extend) main theme is about facades and accepting yourself which is an issue that even adults have. The writing, at least on P4 is very well made and that in a sense would be considered to be more adult/mature than the people making nude MODS for different PC games. They set boundaries and rules and never break them just like Naughty Gods. Very rarely you see writing like this in games.

But when all you think about is about making things fun and everything has to be fun, like nintendo, you can't really do much. This is something David Cage often discuses in his interviews and presentations but since the video gaming audience is so immature they prefer to make fun of him by taking quotes out of context like: you can't create emotion without polygons.

so not their target audience.

@Heil68

So its is their target audience.

Once again, your argument makes no sense. If a psychologically disturbing, violent horror film happens to revolve around children, does that suddenly make it magically suitable for children?

Besides, I don't remember Atlus ever saying whether or not Persona 4 is aimed at teenagers or adults. Your claim has no basis.

All we know for certain is that Western rating boards do not consider the game suitable for teenagers under 16 (in Europe) or 17 (in North America), while the Japanese rating board considers it suitable for teenagers over 12.

Not really. Nintendo isn't know for making M rated 1st party games. Mario Kart while being able to be enjoyed by all ages, isn't considered a "M' rated game is it? What constitutes a 'M' rated game and why don't Nintendo make them or at the very least make more?

And sell even less?

Great idea chap!

Because they're not down with the sickness.

@Heil68

You're right... They are known for games that Everyone can play and enjoy.

M Rating on games is more like to attract the very people who are not suppose to be playing it. It maybe Mature Adults are actually more inclined to go for the "E" than the Big "M".... infact I'm confident in saying theres more immature "M" rated games than there are "E" rated Games.

Because naturally all "adult" themed game means is cussing and blood. smh

On topic: Majora's Mask happened. It was legit. It was also the least successful of the 3D zelda games, so they never tried anything that dark again. More subtle stuff like some of the things in Wind Waker, and the best aspects of Twilight Princess. But they never went that ham again.

Why would they? There is a new 10 year old every year.

"M Rating on games is more like to attract the very people who are not suppose to be playing it."

Come on dude..Really?

So for the Witcher 3, you think that's what they are going for?

Champ knows what's going on.

In the end, I guess we'll disagree. I'm not knocking Nintendo at all, they just market to a different crowd.

.. No not Witcher 3, but MOST DEFINITELY the Call of Duty series.. If you seriously think that teenage boys are going to gravitate towards the mario kart game over Halo/CoD/Mortal Kombat games, then I would say you have been living under a rock.. Rating means jack sh!t, in fact it seems to be a crutch for people to feel better that their M rated game makes them feel like a adult...

@ps4hasnogames: Madworld proves you wrong. But yes, Nintendo seem to be fixed on an audience still desperately searching for games reminiscing of the 80's and 90's platformers or just plain kids.

I really can't explain why I enjoy games with "mature" themes more than Mario and Zelda... It's a sadistic, satisfying attraction that most of us have, even people who claim not to. It's normal to enjoy violence, especially if you feel week irl.

This is the only logical answer to the TC's post. Until they state what they think is "adult" all of the responses are basically moot.

Shooters in general are rated M..like Golden Eye maybe?

That's why I think Nintedno hasn't gone all in with their online, they are horrifed to what happens on otehr services and don't want any part of it.

This ^^ .

And Nintendo games have great gameplays which is most important thing in any video game . Their games are fun , challenging and rewarding . Better than Press A to win games . New Zelda game looks pretty epic and I don't even own any console (I game on PC) .

My wife and I can sit on the sofa together and play Super Mario 3D World for hours.

Man, and I thought we were adults and mature. Thanks for letting me know that I'm not.

What would be the point? Majority of Nintendo owners are children and their mother wouldn't allow them play M rated games or a manchild living on a nostalgic cloud *no the cloud isn't made by Microsoft*.

@PurpleMan5000: and pretty sure they were responsible for Ninja Gaiden 3 Razor's Edge.

It would be interesting to see Nintendo make a Mature rated game but it really doesn't bother me at all if they don't make any. But they have published some before like Eternal Darkness, Bayonetta 2, Perfect Dark, and Conker's Bad Fur Day

If you do the same thing as others, it will wear you out. Nintendo is not good at competing so we always have to challenge [the status quo] by making something new, rather than competing in an existing market.

http://www.vg247.com/2013/10/10/iwata-nintendo-is-not-good-at-competing-so-must-offer-something-different-than-the-status-quo/

They're just doing their own thing, mostly E games and they're good at that.

But yeah, it'd be interesting to see them make some antithesis of what they usually do or what their current face is.

In any case you might be referring to games like UC, TLoU, Halo, etc., Nintendo was pretty shocked with using HD assets just a while ago.

With their weaker hardware, they may be better doing stylized stuff that are effectively more appealing to a larger audience.. and might as well make the theme more "E" to make more profit.

Let them be.

I say all of Nintendo games are adult games... Super Mario World is just as adult as Mortal Kombat. They EXCEL at making games fit for anyone, from elementary students to nursing home patients, and everyone in between.

EDIT: In fact, since we are classifying things, I would argue that games like Mortal Kombat and Call of Duty are more like teenager games.... while Nin games are aimed at a much wider audience.

Would these be the kinds of games that I could rent from an adult video store?

That'd be cool.

Nintendo makes games and consoles for children and casuals

Why would they ever want to go away from their core?

Play some Metroid, Zelda, Mother, Fire Emblem, etc.

well if you mean violent,

then bayonetta 2 is being published by nintendo

because that core base is going to smart phones?

Look at recent sales of Top Selling WiiU games.

The only one that has recently started gaining blockbuster sales is Mario Kart 8. Everything before that barely pushed System Sales, Even New Super Mario Bros. didn't push WiiU and that was a huge hit on the Wii.

Things you'll learn from apologists is that gaming is somehow the only medium where there isn't such a thing as demographics.

Like somehow the crazy notion that a human being will be less interested or compelled by concepts that are geared towards younger audiences is just insanity, and means you're "close minded" and "tryhard" and "truly immature, because you don't play kid friendly stuff".

Because they have always been the Kiddie Console Company.

Your free to like what you like. but the very notion that animations and related content that are not real or gritty should not be enjoyed by adults. neither should games with colorful themes... is just as hypocritical.

Alright, cartoony plumbers jumping on turtles heads, not a mature concept.... but fits the gameplay alot more than a serious theme. and should be enjoyed by all ages.

a demographic for a video game is NOT the same as other mediums.

I know that's what your saying. but it works both ways.

Nintendo games are not for toddlers, not just for 5-10 year olds... they are all ages, and enjoyed because of their gameplay and light-heartedness by all ages... much like many films/books... only... with the interaction layer.

I find many people here cannot seperate theme/graphics/story from gameplay... when in reality is a game is a game and is typically carried on its gameplay, everything else is dressing.... or well... peasants/cows/lems here would have you believe otherwise.

I hope your trolling.... incase you have lived under a rock or are simply too young to remember, but most of the nintendo consoles havn't been as popular as the chav bombastic alternatives.... PS2 being the JPOP are where the emo tweenies swoon over childish anime games (arnt stereotypes fun!) and teens thinking they are hard playing criminals in GTA and those s*itty manhunt games.... f*cking just the same man-child crap that you jsut facepalm to whenever you people go on about "kiddy games"... how is it any different?

Incase you havn't noticed, most game theme's dont paint a good picture of anywone. hence the damn stigma around this hobby. oh but look at E3 2014.... shooter, shooter, shooter , graphics, no substance.... its alright though, because that order game looks so "HARDCORE!" dem graphics.

Those kids games have more substance as games than the majority of games you morons hype these days.

Don't we have enough devs working on "adult" games??

I find Nintendo's games are adult in the sense that they benefit from very clever, non-simplistic level designs, they are well produced and polished, are aesthetically pleasing to the eye, control flawlessly, and can be enjoyed by all ages in this respect.

However, I also find that many of Nintendo's games are lacking in thematically adult material, such that other games have done, like TLoU and Journey. They rarely (if ever) seem to touch upon grown up issues such as enduring a heavy loss or delve into any sense of significant growth or evolution, development of character, or grievances past the point of what it affords beneficial to the gameplay. It seems if it doesn't hold any bearing on some element of gameplay, Nintendo won't do it.

So in a large way I don't think Nintendo makes games for adults. They just do what they must to make games lighthearted, fun, and enjoyable. There's certainly nothing wrong with that as adults surely are able to enjoy such endeavors, but these games are also at the same time dismissing a large part of what being an adult entails.

The games I mentioned do that with Mother and Xenoblade being the greatest examples.

Yea, that's why I put rarely in there. I've not played Xenoblade (though Mother's a good example, didn't think of that one, granted). So I suppose they do, but again it does seem to be more on the rare side.

Well, they have published some M-rated games, Eternal Darkness (which I could really care less about), and Fatal Frame IV and Crimson Butterfly (developed by a third party). Word is another Fatal Frame game is coming, hopefully we'll see something at TGS.

Did I say an adult shouldn't enjoy those things? I will freely play a Mario game, or use my niece as an excuse to go see Tangled or Frozen.

But the notion that some people aren't going to gravitate to certain concepts because of one reason or another isn't crazy talk. I play my games for gameplay, but there are plenty who play their games to relax, play a game+pay attention to some bad videogame story. Or there are people that flat out want something more nuanced than Nintendo's "for everyone" approach. In this case adult can work both on a presentation level as well as a gameplay level. No disrespect to a platformer, but there are richer gameplay experiences than the stuff Nintendo makes. That by their very design would be geared towards an older, at the least more seasoned player.

Shadow of Chernobyl for instance is a richer gameplay experience than a lot of the platformers (if not all of them) Nintendo makes on a pure depth standpoint. There are competitive games like a Dota, like a Starcraft that fit the bill. Or strategy games on the PC. For all of Zelda's wonder, those puzzles in those dungeons are child's play compared to a lot of the puzzle games that indie devs are putting it.

So yes it is possible for a game to be to be more adult centric by its mechanics. Not saying a kid can't get into Shadow of Chernobyl, but I'd bet against it.

I don't look at God of War and necessarily think it's an adult game. Violent enough that I wouldn't make a kid play it? sure, but it's adolescent male power fantasy, not exactly an adult thing.

Too long; didn't read: No where in my post did I dismiss Nintendo's games, nor did I think an adult shouldn't play a Nintendo game if it's what they want. But again it's not out of the realm of possibility that some of the people here are just as capable of growing out of the things Nintendo games deliver on.

It's not a one size fits all medium man.

They Tried.. it's called Metroid the Other M.

... I don't think it "took"..

LOL!

As always, your post is hyperbole horseshit.

Why are you still on this ?

Let it go dude !

Plenty have. Castlevania and Shadow Complex, for example.