Home Gaming Nintendo could be “on the path to irrelevance”

Nintendo could be “on the path to irrelevance”

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Nintari

Nintendo’s latest console, the Wii U continues its struggle for relevance. The 3DS is doing pretty damned well though – but still, in a bit of irony, Nolan Bushnell thinks the company is troubled, and on the path to irrelevance.

Speaking to the BBC, Bushnell said of Nintendo:

I don’t think handheld game-only devices make sense anymore, not when you have an iPod or an Android microtablet.

When it comes to the console market, I think the market is truncating.

Nintendo always had a soft spot for young people – they sort of did the 12-and-under pretty well, and the other guys did the 12-and-over.

And now I think the other [consoles] are good enough on those things, and the rush to upgrade from the 12-and-under is not nearly as important.

Because of Nintendo’s apparent focus on kids, Bushnell prophesies  that Nintendo "could be on the path to irrelevance". The irony, of course, being that Bushnell started Atari, which once the premier name in videogames, has become one of the most irrelevant.  His next venture, the Chuck E. Cheese’ pizza and entertainment centres is itself well on its way to irrelevance.

Nintendo’s stock have recently hit another low, falling 7.3 per cent – enough to have it excluded from the Nikkei 225. Smart money though, would be to buy Nintendo stock for cheaper right now and reap in the profits once that new money-printing Pokémon X&Y is released in October.

Last Updated: September 9, 2013

11 Comments

  1. Tarisma

    September 9, 2013 at 10:34

    “Smart money though, would be to buy Nintendo stock for cheaper right now and reap in the profits once that new money-printing Pokémon X&Y is released in October.”

    This.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief of Rivia

      September 9, 2013 at 10:53

      Hmmmmm

      Reply

      • Tarisma

        September 9, 2013 at 10:57

        Or alternatively just wait until Nintendo get their shit together and make a Pokemon MMO

        Reply

        • John mul-ti-pass

          September 9, 2013 at 11:18

          Yes, yes. That one.

          Reply

        • Kromas

          September 9, 2013 at 11:19

          Yeah but what will it be named? World of Pokemon? Pokemon Wars? Secret Pokemon? Or will they stick with colours? Pokemon Slightly blue-er than the original with a hue of gold and silver? 😛

          Reply

  2. Warren Ross

    September 9, 2013 at 10:43

    Hands up if you remember which Sierra (Dynamix) adventure game featured “Nintari!” 😀

    Reply

    • Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim

      September 9, 2013 at 13:01

      You know, I loved that game (and that frog)…even if it was one of the weaker adventure games of the time. It had…style.

      Reply

  3. RinceThisandFINALLYlvUP!

    September 9, 2013 at 10:44

    Header win Geoff!

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief of Rivia

      September 9, 2013 at 10:53

      Indeed

      Reply

  4. Wyzak

    September 9, 2013 at 11:50

    Yeah… irrelevance, because today’s kids won’t be the gamers of tomorrow, and people will stop having kids because our population is too high…. /sarcasm.

    Reply

  5. FoxOneZA - X-Therminator

    September 9, 2013 at 11:52

    What’s taking Amazon and Apple so long to enter the console market anyways?

    Reply

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