The Future of Wii: The Impending Doom of Nintendo

Author: Amy Pistone

            The Wii is looked at by many hardcore gamers as the black sheep in the family of consoles, and for good reason. It was marketed towards the casual gamer, the one who would not feel obligated to buy the new Mario title, but would be intrigued by carefree games like Wii Sports and Wii Fit. Neglected were the diehard Nintendo followers, the ones who yearned for a new controller with a satisfying weight in their hands as they played the next innovative Zelda title. Sure, most of these followers bought a Wii, this was expected. However, how sure is Nintendo that these gamers will stick with the company through another endless string of fluffy games where the player pets a pony? How is the Wii supposed to compete for gamers’ affections with subpar graphics and little power or online interaction, compared to the powerhouses, the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3? The inevitable truth is that sooner or later, the Wii will get a successor – and this may be Nintendo’s last chance to save their remaining followers.

            The next Nintendo console has the potential to be something great. Perhaps they stay with the Wii technology – motion sensors and all. Financially, this seems to make sense, and I believe there is a high likelihood that this type of technology will be utilized; hopefully this will be integrated better and not be the defining feature of the console. What I – and many of my fellow gamers – have complaints about is the lack of a true controller. A true controller requires two hands to hold, it does not come in parts, nor does it suck up batteries like no one’s business (optional rechargeable pack not included). To match the lovely potential controller, let us ponder the possible potential titles… The next console should have more innovative titles, from third party publishers, independent companies – a push for true technological advances. Nintendo needs to stop banking on Mario and Zelda – enough is enough. This does not mean that these games are not wanted or needed, but gamers need something more. True innovation has started years after the release of the console, with titles like Epic Mickey generating buzz before their release. Ultimately, Nintendo must tap into these other ideas to flesh out the arsenal of video games, especially when it goes to launch. Casual games can and always will be accepted, and they could integrate this even further by pushing the Wii-Fit technology into more advanced games. All of these areas need to be addressed with the new title to be successful, but the most dire needs of a new console are better graphics and better multimedia.

            Graphics are the frosting on the cupcake in a console – they don’t necessarily have to be very pretty, but if they are, they make that cupcake even more delicious. In the years after Gamecube, the Wii graphics have made little noticeable progress. They are not bad, but they are by no means magnificent. On the other hand, the Xbox 360 has graphics that are so amazing that they sometimes show like a movie rather than a video game. When Nintendo releases a new console, they should push their graphics to the extreme, to make up for the pitfalls of the Wii. In addition, a major complaint with the Wii is the lack of power and multimedia. More storage is needed for games (especially those Virtual Console gems) as well as quicker loading screens. Also, the ability to play dvds would even up the competition between other consoles who have this feature. The final addition would be a higher emphasis on online capabilities – something similar to Xbox Live. Overall, these additions and upgrades would elevate the status of the next Nintendo title to make it the star that it should be.

            The Wii has become a joke among gamers… it is considered inferior compared to the other popular consoles. If Nintendo does not do something about this, sales are going to drop and I fear it may be the beginning of the end for them. And that’s no funny business.