E308: Reggie baffled by outcry over conference

by Chris Greenhough { Jul 16th 2008 at 12:15PM }

So it seems a good portion of the internets didn't like Nintendo's E3 2008 press conference, with many accusing the company of forgetting "core" gamers, whoever they're supposed to be. The negative response from the online community quickly got back to bossman Reggie Fils-Aime, who immediately ~~announced a new Zelda game~~ admitted that he couldn't understand the fuss.

As Sir Reginald of Fils-Aime sees it, Animal Crossing: City Folk on the Wii ("the Animal Crossing that people wanted") and Grand Theft Auto on the DS are exactly the kind of thing "core" gamers would want, and reminded us that the Mario and Zelda folks were hard at work. "How could you feel left out?" he exclaimed to G4.

Over to you, good reader.

Tags: animal-crossing-city-folk, e3-2008, e308, reggie, reggie-fils-aime

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

TheCoats @ Jul 16th 2008 12:23PM

how about the fact that AC doesn't count and everything else was just breifly mentioned - i wasnt disappointed but they spent alot of time fapping to casual games

Sonic_13 @ Jul 16th 2008 5:31PM

Gamers on the internet can never be satisfied - basic fact.

When Nintendo says they will reveal a new title for core games (which they did with Animal Crossing) the Internet will simply say "well that game doesn't count" simply to justify being unnecessarily angry.

TheCoats @ Jul 16th 2008 5:36PM

I am satisfied enough but just generally feeling mislead.......AC=same game not new game - i own it on DS and GC i really dont think i want another copy of it.....ill stick to buying an additional copy of conduit.......i was shacked/amazed/confused about gta on DS.......that came out of left field.........

I just thought that kid icarus and some new title that is all new was going to be anounced.....

jservs7 @ Jul 16th 2008 12:24PM

Denial is not a river in Egypt... :/

Denkigrve @ Jul 16th 2008 11:54PM

Glassjaw FTW

Sack @ Jul 16th 2008 12:25PM

If you're into the games, you KNOW the Big IPs are coming. Maybe it's disappointing because one didn't hear anythind directly from the conference, but it would just be ignorant to assume that Nintendo didn't have something big in the works. They're full of surprises.

I'm not saying they're always right, or that they always do what I want, but I think I'm stressing that I'm not worried. It's important for them to stress, especially publically, that all the people who bought a Wii and DS as casuals aren't going to be stuck with a system that doesn't have any care coming straight from the Big N. Because these are the things that get shown in family magazines and other circles, it's good for PR.

And, for everyone else, you know that Nintendo WILL have the other big stuff when it's ready. Stress that again -- WHEN IT'S READY.

adolson @ Jul 16th 2008 12:25PM

Uh, I don't own a DS. What about the Wii, Reggie? You showed nothing I care about.. Animal Crossing is hardcore if you're four years old.

racecar @ Jul 16th 2008 12:27PM

Hard at work could mean "In the two years or so." No screens, no vids, no happiness.

TheCoats @ Jul 16th 2008 12:32PM

we did not even see sadness

supa_s @ Jul 16th 2008 12:51PM

hard at work could also mean that they're still in the brainstorming process which means we'll have to wait even longer! meh!

Lijik @ Jul 16th 2008 2:03PM

Whats to brainstorm? All they're going to do is do another marvelous and awesome rehash of Mario and Zelda and we're going to call it innovative despite the fact that its not.

mikelhend @ Jul 16th 2008 2:48PM

Sadness was canceled altogether a while back, right?

TheCoats @ Jul 16th 2008 5:39PM

NOPe sadness is still pulling in fact the site launched a couple weeks ago....

z3r0x @ Jul 16th 2008 12:27PM

Isn't there another Nintendo conference today? Saw something about it on Gonintendo..

Metal_Link @ Jul 16th 2008 12:29PM

Exactly what I want, eh? I don't recall begging Nintendo (or Rockstar, for that matter) for a GTA on the DS...

Animal Crossing... slight yes. But GTA on the DS? Meh.

dboobis @ Jul 16th 2008 12:32PM

Screens or it didn't happen Reggie...

Dylan F @ Jul 16th 2008 12:33PM

I love Animal Crossing a lot, but I wouldn't really consider it a "hardcore" game. I think we were looking *too* forward to Zelda and Mario, that when they only said they were working hard, everything else seemed like "casual" crap. Even though I said otherwise, I could see myself playing what you call "casual games". But, I still deffiently prefer "hardcore" games to "casual" by a large margin.

Dan @ Jul 16th 2008 12:35PM

I don't own a DS for one.

And for two, if the new Zelda and Nintendo really are in the works... why not throw us a frickin bone? A clip? Some concept art? Anything that shows us you're serious?

danny. @ Jul 16th 2008 12:38PM

I can't play GTA Chinatown on my Wii. Please make that console relevant. Animal Crossing was fun the first time, but when I finally stopped playing I wondered why it was so addicting in the first place. Watching my ex play it for hours (using the AC gamecube disc in the wii) did not make me want to go back to Humptown... AC:CF isn't for us, you just thought it would placate the fanboys while appealing to the casual crowd... it's more casual than MySims for fucksake.

jervo @ Jul 16th 2008 12:38PM

The truth of the matter is, Nintendo doesn't have to care about core gamers, at this point. They're selling Wiis and DSs to people who don't need hot new games every week; they're selling it to people who play Wii Sports with their friends every once in a while. And that's great, for those people, and obviously for Nintendo.

But if Reggie can honestly look at their list of announcements yesterday and think that core gamers would be satisfied by freakin' Animal Crossing and a GTA DS game (with no screenshots or other viable info), then he's completely insane and out of touch, and having Mario and Zelda games "in the works" just doesn't cut it anymore. It took me the better part of a year to find a Wii, and now that I have it, I hardly ever use it; I have a DS and I hardly use that, either, and it's disappointing.

Ghoast @ Jul 16th 2008 12:39PM

Welll from what i hear ALL the conferences were a flop:
http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/7/16/

Mr Khan @ Jul 16th 2008 5:25PM

That sums it up right there. While delivering a lot of good content, Microsoft proved that they're struggling to define themselves, like the old Mongol legend of the serpent with six heads, every head pulling in a different direction, Nintendo's just out to congratulate themselves and totally missed E3's target audience, and Sony is once again proclaiming the year of the PS3, that won't materialize again

Hami @ Jul 16th 2008 12:39PM

Animal Crossing, even though has a city and some minor communication upgrades, looks to be a complete rehash or the DS version.

Until AC allows a "hub" where random people can meet with out those $%^&ing friend codes, AC will NEVER be the game it has the potential to be.

Sinnix @ Jul 16th 2008 12:41PM

Animal Crossing is a kids game (if you could even call it a game) and people that want to play GTA will play it on their XBOX 360 and PS3.

Sam @ Jul 16th 2008 12:44PM

yeah reggie, because animal crossing is sooooo... not casual... I think Nintendos' PR department is run by retarded monkeys...

Dan @ Jul 16th 2008 12:46PM

We're disappointed reggie because nothing interesting was shown. You displayed YOUR companies first party games that taylor to Senior citizens or 6 - 10 yr olds the majority of the time.

Plus besides enhancing the systems capabilities (which they didn't), they announced two new accessories that are definitely gonna cost extra to get, which by the way are nothing fantastic to begin with.

That conference proved quite honestly that the wii will be, and probably forever will be, a childs gaming system.

TrueNRPeace @ Jul 16th 2008 12:50PM

I'm pleased with the Wii, but disappointed at how long it takes for things to happen with the Virtual Console. Case in point, I've got 7,600+ Wii points purchased and waiting to be spent on the following titles...

SNES
-------------------------------------
Super Mario World 2 - Yoshi's Island
Super Mario All-Stars

Nintendo 64
-------------------------------------
Super Smash Bros.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Tetrisphere
Bomberman 64
Gauntlet Legends
Perfect Dark

...and I'm beginning to wonder if Nintendo will ever get around to releasing any of the above. *Sigh*

Mondays = No VC Love = Feeling Left Out

Any chance of NintendoWiiFanboy starting it's own VC petition list to send to Nintendo? I'd volunteer to count & sort the results!

Gun Barrier (Gamer Tag) @ Jul 16th 2008 1:08PM

i don't think perfect dark or Mario all stars will ever happen.

Hamster @ Jul 16th 2008 12:51PM

For all we know the Zelda will be Link's Balance Board Party and the Mario will be Mario's Babysitting with Doggies. I don't even really want a new Mario or Zelda at the moment. I'm perfectly satisfied with Galaxy and Twilight Princess for now, I just want something good! Something that isn't mind-numbingly bland, gimmicky and casual and made for grannies; the things that made up 99% of your cringeworthy conference.

Ray Ray @ Jul 16th 2008 12:51PM

One thing they're forgetting is the Hardcores that want to go back to the roots of playing and download all of the VC games, and even some of the WiiWare Games. They need to come out with some kind of storage solution before they come out with games that have DLC, or Wii Speak, etc. Nintendo should get their priorities straight. A 2 GB SD Card isn't going to cut it to store all of my games on.

Shaq-Fu @ Jul 16th 2008 12:52PM

Dude, Nintendo isn't going to go shit on Ubi, Activision or T2 parade. Let them announce some big games.

kodysandwich @ Jul 16th 2008 12:52PM

Whoa Whoa Whoa... what? you guys don't like animal crossing? I'm 22. I LOVE them!

phenylketonurics @ Jul 16th 2008 2:35PM

Haha, same here! It's really ironic that most of the comments about this game being for kids are made BY kids.

The pot calling the kettle black ... ?

Peter S @ Jul 16th 2008 12:57PM

I was pretty disappointed in general. I guess my kindergartener might like Animal Crossing, but it looks like it could easily become a time sink that we don't need if that's the case. As for GTA - couldn't really care less. I wasn't asking for it and would actually rather not have it available for the DS. Parents do a poor enough job already watching what their kids are playing that we don't need an ultra-portable "M" game. I realize I'm probably in the minority on this one, but it lowered my respect for Nintendo more than raised it.

Overall the announcements were just not exciting. External storage - that would be cool. DVD Playback - sorta cool, but not essential. Media streaming (like what xBox and PS3 offer, even if slightly less) - that would be exciting. A microphone? Extra precision controllers (without a real use for them to date)? Animal Crossing? Not anything to get me excited.

Shaq-Fu @ Jul 16th 2008 1:19PM

Yes, because just like Santa Claus, you're supposed to send in your wishlist of E3 games and Nintendo will make them all magically appear under you're E3 tree. Get a fucking life. i didn't ask Konami for MLB Power Pros, did that stop me from enjoying it? NO. Animal Crossing wins for two reasons:

1. Voice Chat

2. Being able to e-mail my friends anywhere in the world from the comfort of my Wii.

Stop saying Nintendo failed because they didn't announce StarFox Wii or whatever. You have the entire life of the console to look forwards to, not just this year. Buy a damn SD card, and turn on your computer, there, Storage and Media streaming fixed.

Nobody cares that you aren't going to buy GTA DS for a kindergartner. *Newsflash* No matter what Joystiq or Ubisoft tells you, Adults own Dses to, not just 9 year old girls.

Oh and Koehler, Animal Crossing is NOT a baby game, if you bought the game instead of the hype, you'd know that. Kid Icarus is a dead IP. They can't make it a platformer because it would have to have the same camera as the first 3 or you would bitch. They can't make it an action game because then you would bitch that its just like God of War. If you love your PSP and PS3 so much, stick to PSP Fanboy and PS3 Fanboy.

Peter S @ Jul 16th 2008 1:30PM

I think the point is that I _do_ have a life - at least enough not to insult other people posting on the message board and to care about how much time I spend gaming and care about the quality of those games. :)

Maybe if you read more of my comment you'd see that my concern over GTA is the portability of the DS and kids playing it outside of parental supervision. Yeah, not your concern, but I have some concerns about it and personally it's not a game I'll buy. Whether others do or not, that's not my call and not something I really care about. I'm not a fan of the series - others are. I accept that and don't feel a need to hurl insults or talk down to people who like the series. I just disagree with them.

I don't have a major "wish list" for Nintendo, but I think that this conference was quite disappointing. There was nothing interesting to _me_. You obviously feel differently - enough so to insult me and curse at me. Apparently, you aren't one of the "adults" owning a DS. You have a right to your opinions. We may disagree, but I'd hope we can at least be mature and polite when discussing our differences.

koehler83 @ Jul 16th 2008 12:57PM

Because Animal Crossing is a little girls game?

Because I don't own a DS, yet can play better GTA games on my PS3 or PSP.

I think that sums it up for me Reggie. I was pretty psyched about a possible Kid Icarus game too.

Phil @ Jul 16th 2008 6:54PM

Um, plenty of full grown people play Animal Crossing. For me, it's a nice and peaceful and addictive escape, MUCH like Harvest Moon.

As for me, I was the very angry fan Kevin predicted being in a chatroom typing in all caps "WHERE'S KID ICARUS?!"

Nintendo's turning too casual for me, hell, even my own MOTHER realizes this and she's a casual gamer herself. Thanks to the lack of anything beyond Animal Crossing, I'm gonna get a PS3.

zer107 @ Jul 16th 2008 1:00PM

This has been probably the worst E3 conference that Nintendo has had in many years. I don´t care about Animal Crossing or DS games, but what about Disaster Day of Crisis?, Sadness?, The Counduit?, MadWorld?, Samba de Amigo?, Skate it?, Castlevania Judgement?, Tales of Symphonia?, i mean, come on! we got no new info about these kind of games, it looks as if Nintendo don´t know anything about them. And when it comes to casual games, all we got is horrible graphics, bad controls, stupid characters and boring games. That´s the true. I´m not even waiting for new Zelda or Mario games, I just want games that when i play them, i don`t feel i paid $5 dollars for it. Nintendo has left its hardcore fans really alone. I´m really dissapointed.

mikelhend @ Jul 16th 2008 1:01PM

There just aren't "adult" hard-core gamer titles. Animal Crossing, Zelda, and Mario are NOT "hard core gamer" games. They're fun, sure, but they're not what we mean. For me, I'm looking for titles a-la Square Enix, Bioware (Mass Effect), or a Bioshock-level title. No, a new WW II Call of Duty doesn't count (on any platform... :-P )

Johnny c. @ Jul 16th 2008 1:04PM

I at least wanted a trailer for a new Zelda, but we didn't get anything of the sort......

Shogan @ Jul 16th 2008 1:05PM

Well Reggie, let's see.

We all knew Animal Crossing was coming, so that was no surprise. There's nothing in the game to get anyone excited, it looks like the Gamecube version got ported to the Wii with waggle and the same level of online found in the DS version. INNOVATE, that's what Nintendo is supposed to do, but you're rehashing the hell out of every game on the Wii. Screw that.

Wii Sports Resort... I'm sorry, but throwing a frisbee to a dog is not a Wii Sports kind of sport. This looks more like Wii Play 2 than Wii Sports 2. And $50? Are you kidding me?

Wii MotionPlus should have gotten more coverage. Does it add to the experience with older games? Does it REALLY bring 1:1 control to the Wii? Is this something developers have to code for, or will it work with any game?

Wii Speak is stupid. Give us a Bluetooth headset, or even something that plugs into the Wiimote. This is something I can't use without disturbing the other people in the house. $30 for this cheap piece of crap is robbery.

Focus on games. We get Animal Crossing and Wii Sports 2, but you're giving people the impression that's ALL they have to look forward to. Stop patting yourselves on the back and promoting the endless number of gadgets, and please stop showing montages of people having entirely too much fun with their Wii.

You could learn a lot by watching the conferences by Microsoft and Sony.

Gun Barrier (Gamer Tag) @ Jul 16th 2008 1:12PM

to be fair, they innovated with that wiispeak. No console has done a public room mic before. And we don't know the details about its online features. Maybe the city area will allow 16 random online players?

just gotta wait and see...

Phil @ Jul 17th 2008 12:37AM

whoa whoa whoa whoa, don't go giving them ideas. I LIKE the peace and quiet I get with most of my nintendo games, it means no little thirteen year old punk calling me a fag and saying I suck at Halo or some crap when I'm just trying to play the game with a friend.

Friend codes have something to them, so keep the Wii Speak ideas to a limit. I'm a little hesitant on what the conduit has planned, and if all I have to look forward to is a bunch of little tweens calling me noob, I'll pass.

John @ Jul 16th 2008 1:08PM

Sure AC is good but many people were expecting a zelda trailer or something else(kid icarus pikmin hard drive dlc) but since everything was casual it made hardcores cry.

JamesButabi @ Jul 16th 2008 1:08PM

People are dissapointed because the core audience you were presenting to were developers and gamers with long time affiliations. Obviously the market share domination and subtle kicks in the face to the other companies were great for Developers or potential affiliates.

On the other hand I seriously doubt the audience your presentation catered too (children, women, very casual gamers) were even watching or attending E3. What were you thinking?

Unless your really excited about Animal Crossing (im not particularly) there was no material that excited your core customer base (males ages 15-28). Most of us think Wii Music isnt deep or challenging, animal crossing is borderline childish, and wii sports beach is just an exoected addition. Peripherals are awesome, but again give only hope that they will eventually be used properly down the road. A simple "were working on stuff" could be said at anytime and provides us with nothing new.

Try again Reggie.....dont forget the people who made nintendo stay afoot all these years. It surely wasnt the audience you were presenting too.

Justin @ Jul 16th 2008 1:12PM

To me all of the big 3 made a huge hiccup. Nintendo by not announcing really anything that we didn't already expect (GTA excluded). MS by showing off a new interface for the 360. And Sony for showing all of us that they are supporting the PS2 still when it comes to games and making the PS3 an overpriced Blu Ray unportable Ipod! What a let down this year, when it comes to the console makers.

mikelhend @ Jul 16th 2008 1:17PM

@Shogan -- Based on other reports, Wii Sports Resort comes with the MotionPlus (though they didn't say how MANY MotionPlus it comes with... I'd hope for 2?), so that's why it's $50. Also, it has been said that dev do have to write specifically for the MotionPlus, and that MotionPlus will NOT aid existing games in any way. Also, MotionPlus-only titles won't work without MotionPlus, so devs will have to write for both controller types! Doh!