Nintendo finally admits E3 was a disappointment
by David Hinkle 
{ Aug 19th 2008 at 1:47PM }
"I would say the message is we were disappointed with our performance at E3," commented Dunaway. "There were titles like Wario which we think will be really fun titles that we should have show cased." Yes, we'd have to agree. It was certainly the best game we played at the show. But what about this Pikmin 3 business?
"We were excited that Mr. Miyamoto made the commitment that Pikmin is coming," she said. "It would have been nice if we could have said that on stage. But, we think it was a good recognition for us that we care for our core fans, and not just the new people who are now discovering Nintendo."
E3 2008 was a pretty big deal. We had lots of hands-on impressions, as well as new screens and video to talk about. Check out our live impressions from Nintendo's keynote here, as well as some of the big news right here.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dan @ Aug 19th 2008 1:55PM
a little honesty goes a long way.
this is step one.
il_duce620 @ Aug 19th 2008 2:28PM
Step two: Allow voice chat on Brawl and Kart using the mic
Step three: Hard drive
Step four: Online multiplayer Metroid Prime game
Step five: Stand behind Mad World (and games like it) and promote it/them heavily
Roto13 @ Aug 19th 2008 2:10PM
But I still think people are completely overreacting when they act like Nintendo doesn't have a single game coming to appeal to the core audience.
skyrous @ Aug 19th 2008 3:41PM
Well I always say that if you have something that people are interested in buying you actually bother to tell them. Unfortunte that Nintendo hasn't shared this belief in more than a decade.
Can you imagine how much more software they could sell if not for their aneamic marketing efforts?
Garu @ Aug 19th 2008 2:31PM
Yeah! And the Seinfeld series finale was a disappointment too!
And Subway sandwiches never look as good in person as they do in the commercials! Subway sucks!
"Sharing is a bunch of bull, too. And helping others. And what's all this crap I've been hearing about tolerance?"
CJLopez @ Aug 19th 2008 3:59PM
but maaan, they are delicious!!!!
I can eat one everyday if I had the money, xD
Mduck @ Aug 19th 2008 4:30PM
second that, mr lopez! Subway should be praised by everyone.
I honestly couldn't care less about N's E3 show, I'm only waiting for MadWorld, Dead Rising, Force Unleashed and that's it.
rouroniJohn @ Aug 19th 2008 7:23PM
dude what are you talking about? every subway sandwich tastes like it was made by god himself. thats what the sacred tree was, a subway tree. adam and eve couldn't resist the urge and because of that were all sinners.
gayboyDS @ Aug 19th 2008 2:35PM
You know what's never a disappointment?
David Hinkle!
(Mmmmmmm... Hinkle.....)
Dylan F @ Aug 19th 2008 2:36PM
The only thing I was looking forward to was more information on the next Zelda. Not even a teaser trailer or thumbnail sketch. Anything would have been good! Just SOME proof that you are actually working on the game.
BlackDogAssault @ Aug 19th 2008 6:46PM
Huh... Why would they need to PROVE they're making another Zelda...? Is there anyone in the whole wide world that thinks TP was the last one...?
supa_s @ Aug 19th 2008 2:40PM
I wonder how many "I hate you Dunaway" and "Must kill Dunaway" topics she read before her mummified ass realized that E3 *was* a disappointment! Oh well, hope they learnt their lesson (probably not)
supa_s @ Aug 19th 2008 2:41PM
How about they make it up to us by setting release dates for Rhythm Heaven and Captain Rainbow already?
hellhammer @ Aug 19th 2008 2:49PM
I'm just glad to hear that the Nintendo I know and love, is at least, aware that they've put me on a back burner this gen.
I've got nothing but respect for them and their new marketing decisions, but Nintendo really needs to prove themselves when it comes to things like:
"We care for our core fans, and not just the new people who are now discovering Nintendo."
Which is fine and dandy, but unless they actually change gears and attempt to satisfy the 'core', creating another Mario game for Wii just kinda seems desperate...
Where is Punch-Out!?
Where is Kid Icarus?
Where is Donkey Kong?
Where is Kirby?
Where is StarFox?
Where are the new IPs for Wii?
Where is Disaster?
Where is H.A.M.M.E.R.?
I've seen plenty of long lists of 'core' games on the Wii, but it's just not enough. Especially in comparison to the thousands of mediocre 'casual' titles.
Nintendo created the 'Nintendo Seal of Quality' because they saw what happened to the Atari game library and the long term effects it had on Atari's consoles. Nintendo has now discontinued the Seal and are struggling with this exact issue they attempted to avoid. And it's painfully obvious.
Crustin @ Aug 19th 2008 3:00PM
"You speak the truth, my faithful Indian companion."
samfish @ Aug 19th 2008 3:43PM
Couple of problems...
First, you're confusing just plain ol' shovelware with crap. Or you're choosing not to differentiate between the two. Admittedly, there's a lot of shovelware casual games, but more and more, people just assume shovelware=casual these days.
Second, Nintendo has already given us SO MANY core games since the Wii's launch...casuals have gotten maybe 4 or 5 games at most. You're basically asking for a disproportionate amount of love here. The games you mentioned are probably all coming sooner or later, but Nintendo just blew their entire load for the core too early. They should have at least held on to Mario Kart until November.
Nintendo has MADE an effort to satisfy their core audience...an unprecedented effort, really. Just because they haven't had a major 'core' game since April or so doesn't mean they abandoned or are ignoring their core audience.
hellhammer @ Aug 19th 2008 4:50PM
"First, you're confusing just plain ol' shovelware with crap. Or you're choosing not to differentiate between the two."
The reality of it is, I don't bother to nitpick. If a game is described either as 'crap' or 'just plain ol' shovelwear' it's not worth making, selling, buying, or playing.
And don't get me wrong, I'm not dismissing any title that isn't a AAA first party. I've found plenty of hidden gems and sleeper hits in my years of gaming. None of these games you could call 'crap' or 'just plain ol' shovelwear'.
"Nintendo has already given us SO MANY core games since the Wii's launch...casuals have gotten maybe 4 or 5 games at most."
SO MANY is actually not very much.
1.Mario Galaxy,
2.Metroid Prime 3,
3.Smash Bros,
4.Mario Kart,
and a GameCube port Zelda that doesn't count.
Nintendo is already working on a new Mario and a new Zelda for a reason, there aren't enough legitimate Nintendo franchise games on the Wii.
"The games you mentioned are probably all coming sooner or later."
I can only hope you're right.
Rodrigo- GO Nathan Hale! @ Aug 19th 2008 5:32PM
didn't icarus got his ass kicked by kratos in God of War 2?? hahaha that was a funny ass kicked
WhatIsThatThing @ Aug 20th 2008 2:29AM
I can already fulfill one of your game hoping...hopes. Kirby Super Star Ultra is coming out for DS next month! Given, it's a remake of the original SNES title, but hey, whatever. Good remakes are potentially awesome as well and KSSU seems to be looking nice.
Hamster @ Aug 19th 2008 3:41PM
She came across much better in that interview. She seems like a nice person; honest and sincere. I feel kinda bad now for being so harsh on her and Nintendo in general after E3. I do still think Nintendo's E3 was very badly judged and way too casual-focused and alienating. But if they can admit that then I'm willing to forgive and forget.
RossGough @ Aug 19th 2008 4:04PM
i just realised..
surely disaster and HAMMER have been kept behind due to MotionPlus..?
HAMMER is clearly in need of it.
and i'm sure Disaster would benefit.
mabe they had this planned - keeping these big kind of well known games for the next peripheral?
holmes @ Aug 19th 2008 4:23PM
well, the E3 presentation was badly judged because of the over-the-top ridiculousness of it all. it seemed forced and contrived. the whole ridiculous interactions between everyone on stage during the demonstrations. it was too over the top. when everyone was on stage dancing to "wii music," it was simply too much to watch.
what happened to reggie doing something plain and simple? come out, tell me how awesome you are, and then put up a bunch of pre-made videos. i didn't need to see cammie try out the games on stage while telling me crazy stories. it wasn't believable. it wasn't real. it was forced.
Mr Khan @ Aug 19th 2008 5:04PM
Yay damage control
Shadow31 @ Aug 19th 2008 5:31PM
...um, thank you. Before I get all angry... admitting their mistake is a start. Rather than all this denial they've given us. "What do you mean we ignored our core gamers? They're getting Animal Crossing and GTA!" Still, woo, we got an apology... can't it come with some compensation? Throw us a few more game announcements, trailors, stuff we were expecting at E3... I'm not looking for them to make a dozen games by the end of the year starting now, just show us what you're working on rather than just "don't worry, we haven't forgotten you."
Errol @ Aug 20th 2008 9:01AM
Well, Nintendo, there's always Games Convention in Leipzig. You can start making up for you dissapointing E3 performance there ^^
Hey, didn't that start today?
pikmin3hopeful @ Aug 31st 2008 1:03AM
i think that there should have been at least some other game announcements like some updates about pikmin 3 and howbout a release date for it? is that to much to ask? i mean come on! what theyre saying is just about core crap and wii music! what the hell?