Gaming Is the limited Piracy option actually BAD for the 3DS' sales\devs ?

[pasc]

WARNING:

Crazy opinion ahead.
I cannot take responsbility for any mood changes that happen to you while reading this.

You have been warned !


So, I have noticed recently... that the 3DS's software lineup (aside from the 1st and perhaps 2nd party devs) has been pretty weak...


The 3DS had some great Nintendo titles (Pokemon, SSB, Mariokart 7, Ocarina, Majoras Mask)

However....

Where is the 3rd party support ?



Sure, some Monster Hunter (Capcom) here and some Phoenix Wright's there, butwhere are all the other devs like Ubisoft, Square Enix etc. ?

Are they busy milking money from cash-ins-games and instead making 'real games' on consoles where they might reap 'bigger profits' ?

Where are the games that use the 3DS's capabilities to enhance the game ?

How many years are we in now ? 4-5 ?

The pressing point is:
The DS had a REALLY bad piracy problem BASICALLY from the release year...
It even got to the point that basically everyone KNEW about a R4 card and Nintendo + their partners had to issue a ban.

However it seemngly didn't hinder ANY salesfigures.... in fact it seemed to not matter to the devs.
They still pumped out game after game...


3DS ? Sure... Gateway... and that Sky 3DS card...
However the hassle here is much bigger.
Hunting for specific firmware 3DS's, fearing that Nintendo will break everything with a mandatory update ?


So is piracy in the end some kind of advertising ?

Am I missing something ?

Is there a connection ? Or is the gaming industry as whole taking a nap ?

 

[Subtle Demise]

I think there is going to be another "video game crash" within the next couple years. It'll probably only affect the underpowered DRM-machines we call video game consoles these days, because they can no longer keep up with exponentially advancing technology. I think this is the reason the 3ds and wii u are not doing as well as their predecessors. Piracy probably isn't doing anything either way.

 

[Nightwish]

The issue this time is mobile games; unlike many "hardcore" opinions, there are quite a few good games and good different experiences to be had.
The big publishers are all trying to milk cows with DLC and pay to win crap, so don't expect much from them until they crash and burn. I don't share tastes with many people here, but games coming out of most of them don't even enter my radar, but when Paradox announces a new game, I definitely instantly go look at it.
The 3DS has quite a few indie gems, even if they're not GOTY contenders or all that flashy.

 

[piratesephiroth]

Yeah, the success of Nintendo's handhelds (which focus on the games' quality and innovation) and the failure of Sony's handhelds (which focus on better hardware, better anti-piracy measures and fancy graphics) clearly demonstrates that piracy is only detrimental to shovelware developers.

 

[pasc]

Yeah, the success of Nintendo's handhelds (which focus on the games' quality and innovation) and the failure of Sony's handhelds (which focus on better hardware, better anti-piracy measures and fancy graphics) clearly demonstrates that piracy is only detrimental to shovelware developers.

Wait.... there are no sarcasm tags.... So you... ?

 

[KingBlank]

I do feel like the 3ds is a little underpowered and that could scare some developers away who are not prepared to spend months optimizing their games.
So the developers are releasing simple titles that don't push the systems limitiations...

Thats how I feel anyway.

 

[Arras]

It mostly seems like
A. they know M rated games sell like absolute garbage on Nintendo consoles
B. they can't be assed to work around the shitty hardware
C. most people buy Nintendo consoles for Nintendo games anyway

 

[KidIce]

The fact of the matter is that some of the biggest success on the console and computer gaming scenes have been platforms that have had rampant piracy. Any platform needs to hit critical mass (as in number of units sold) to get major market support. Piracy often helps sell platforms, which in turn brings critical mass.

In my circles, many a Playstation was bought based on the fact that one could pirate on it. My GBA flash carts convinced quite a few of my friends to get GBA's, same w/ the DS.

The support comes because of the market share, and then even more people, who don't even know piracy is an option, buy the platform because that's where all the support is and it's "what their friends have".

I don't mean to make this sound like piracy is all ice cream and fuzzy bunnies, but those that state that it means the certain death of a platform are misinformed. History has proven otherwise in more cases than not.

 

[liukang]

I agree with the point that it's not so much anti-piracy that's causing sales to drop, but just the limitations of the 3DS hardware and lack of software variety. Can you believe it's been over 4 years since the 3DS launched and Moon remains the lone FPS on the system? Now some of you might say that's a good thing, but strictly in terms of sales, having no FPS games is really a hindrance to the system. Even the DS had portable CoD games.

The other big hit is mobile gaming has really cut into Nintendo's profits. Obviously the 3DS has much higher quality games, but mobile phones and tablets are much more accessible and practical to those who just want simple games on the go. Even if I personally disagree with the F2P model, it's really taking off and becoming successful.

 

[xBleedingSoulx]

There's actually been a lot of great games for the 3DS, they just haven't been localized. Developers seem to have lost interest in putting out games in the west these days, atleast on the 3DS.

 

[FireEmblemGuy]

I must've missed something, what dimension did I jump to where Square Enix isn't developing or publishing on the 3DS?

 

[KidIce]

Even if I personally disagree with the F2P model, it's really taking off and becoming successful.

I have a hard time believing that F2P in its current form can continue to find success in the long term. For one, it boggles my mind that one can even be convinced to buy $100 worth if in game currency once they hit the pay wall. People do, obviously but it's hard to imagine once they realize that a $50 AAA title is almost always a better game and obviously far less expensive the buyers remorse will kick in. Also, in particularly greedy situations, I haven't even been allowed to spend enough time to get "hooked" enough to start dumping money on a F2P game. I so much as get through the tutorial on how to play and I'm already out of said currency because you made me spend it all during that very tutorial... I haven't even really played your supposed F2P game and you think I'm going to start dropping 5 dollar bills to find out if I like it?

There are some games that had me somewhat hooked before hitting the pay wall (Puzzles & Dragons for example) or that are completely playable w/o paying at all (Dark Meadow). My experience though is that the majority are of the type I complained about above (and it seems to be getting worse not better) and I just can't see that being successful as people become more experienced w/ that model... And begin to resent it and find their entertainment elsewhere.

 

[Tomobobo]

I think there is going to be another "video game crash" within the next couple years. It'll probably only affect the underpowered DRM-machines we call video game consoles these days, because they can no longer keep up with exponentially advancing technology. I think this is the reason the 3ds and wii u are not doing as well as their predecessors. Piracy probably isn't doing anything either way.

I kinda feel like we're in the beggining stages of this "crash" already, it's not just Nintendo having trouble getting good 3rd party content.

 

[piratesephiroth]

I kinda feel like we're in the beggining stages of this "crash" already, it's not just Nintendo having trouble getting good 3rd party content.

>Good 3rd party content
And what could that be? Generic FPSs, RPGs with dragons and sandbox games?

 

[davhuit]

Good games = good number of sells, piracy or not.

Bad games = bad number of sells, piracy or not.

Good games are often more pirated than bad games (even when it's free, people wouldn't play to only bad games).

On DS, lot of third-party games were just complete garbage, so seems logic they didn't manage to sell a lot of them. There are some exceptions thought, coming from well-known third-party developpers (Konami with Castlevania, Capcom with Megaman, etc...)

The most pirated games are on PC, did you saw how much money Valve make with steam, though?

The statement which say "a pirated game = a lost sale" is a myth. Someone that doesn't want to pay will never pay, even if he can't pirate the game, he'll just not play it, that's easy as that.

Nintendo make most of the best games on their systems, so it's normal their games are the ones that sell the most.

And to answer to the title thread. Limited piracy option ? Basically all 3DS support gateway (9.3+ 3DS should be pretty rare, only those who updated their 3DS then sold it), except N3DS, of course.

I must've missed something, what dimension did I jump to where Square Enix isn't developing or publishing on the 3DS?

When you consider the fact they are already struggling to make good games on home system... FF13? (more or less killed the series). Hitman Absolution? (First one from Square Enix, Worst one in the series). And also the fact they seem to have lot of problems with delays for their new games (Kingdom Hearts 3? FF15? Deus Ex 4?), seems normal they don't really care about the 3DS xD

Also when you see they complain when their game only sell 4 millions of copies (which is a pretty good score and enough to gain money on them), I'm sure they would never be happy whatever the amount of games they could sell on the 3DS xD

 

[Blebleman]

Lots of great 3DS titles here in Japan, friend...

 

[davhuit]

Lots might be a bit exagerated ^^;

But yeah, they are some

 

[joepassive]

When you consider the fact they are already struggling to make good games on home system... FF13? (more or less killed the series). Hitman Absolution? (First one from Square Enix, Worst one in the series). And also the fact they seem to have lot of problems with delays for their new games (Kingdom Hearts 3? FF15? Deus Ex 4?), seems normal they don't really care about the 3DS xD

Also when you see they complain when their game only sell 4 millions of copies (which is a pretty good score and enough to gain money on them), I'm sure they would never be happy whatever the amount of games they could sell on the 3DS xD

2 final fantasy games on the 3ds in japan. they are pretty good, also got demos to them.

3DS is big in japan, there are a lot of games in japan you've never heard of, and when i got my japanese 3ds i was really surprised
and yes there ARE a lot of good games, you can't say there aren't many good games when you've never heard of them.

anyways, the market is in problem.
between selling unfinished games, or selling half of a game and the other half is sold as DLC and f2p - it's a problem.
Piracy doesn't help or hurt the company, the only one who benefits is the consumer.
for example, i did this a lot on the Wii, and got games like "Attack of the movies 3d". i probably would never buy this game,
but i have it and enjoyed it.
but you know what? most of these shovelware or crappy versions of games or asking us to pay more for content that clearly could be on the disc/official download like uplay or steam, then most of the consumers get mad, either stop playing or just caves in.
So why do that? money. the couldn't do that in the 80s so they crashed. if a crash is going to happen right now the reason will so much different but piracy won't be a part of it.

 

[davhuit]

2 final fantasy games on the 3ds in japan. they are pretty good, also got demos to them.

3DS is big in japan, there are a lot of games in japan you've never heard of, and when i got my japanese 3ds i was really surprised
and yes there ARE a lot of good games, you can't say there aren't many good games when you've never heard of them.

anyways, the market is in problem.
between selling unfinished games, or selling half of a game and the other half is sold as DLC and f2p - it's a problem.
Piracy doesn't help or hurt the company, the only one who benefits is the consumer.
for example, i did this a lot on the Wii, and got games like "Attack of the movies 3d". i probably would never buy this game,
but i have it and enjoyed it.
but you know what? most of these shovelware or crappy versions of games or asking us to pay more for content that clearly could be on the disc/official download like uplay or steam, then most of the consumers get mad, either stop playing or just caves in.
So why do that? money. the couldn't do that in the 80s so they crashed. if a crash is going to happen right now the reason will so much different but piracy won't be a part of it.

There are differences between a good game and a great game. I have a japanese 3DS and I can read japanese, so I don't really think I missed a lot of games (I don't think there are like 100 games that shouldn't be missed and which are japanese only).

But feel free to list best games that are japanese exclusives only and that shouldn't be missed, I can be wrong, of course.

Not to mention being called "Final Fantasy" for example is not enough to be called a great game (Yeah FF13, I'm talking about you...)

 

[MyJoyConRunsHot]

I do feel like the 3ds is a little underpowered and that could scare some developers away who are not prepared to spend months optimizing their games.
So the developers are releasing simple titles that don't push the systems limitiations...

Thats how I feel anyway.

I feel the lack of licensed engines like Unity are also contributing to it. As for power, The N3DS can always suffice as it can match the Wii's hardware capabilities which many 3rd party devs are already familiar with.