Though some developers have had trouble finding any success on the WiiWare, DSiWare, and eShop services, Nnooo (EscapeVektor, myNotebook series) has sold a lot more copies of its downloadable games on those Nintendo platforms than it has on the App Store.
The creative director believes that's because consumers on Nintendo's consoles are interested in games, first and foremost. Watt says iOS owners on the other hand aren't looking for quality experiences or longevity, just novelty and cheap prices.
Watts is one of a handful of Nintendo digital download developers we spoke to recently. Is his experience indicative of a trend? Or is it more complicated than that? Find out in today's cover story.
Well, I for one know a girl who would rather play a free game where you see a logo and have to type the brand's name than play any Angry Birds, Sonic, GTA, The Sims or whatever "real game" is out there on the App Store. So I can totally see his point.
For the record, I don't think it's wrong to like a "game" like that better than the more sophisticated stuff. I like rice, beans, beef and fries than most sophisticated dishes that fancy restaurants charge outrageous amounts of money for.
I think Nnooo has sold more via Nintendo's platform because there's a lot less competition there.
I also disagree that "iOS owners...aren't looking for quality experiences or longevity" - some of the best selling games have that. The ones that have that but don't sell well often have an awkward UI or are just lost amongst the huge number of apps that come out.
I could go on about how many barely played $60 Nintendo games does everyone have vs. the $60 barely played iOS apps, but that would be unfair, eh?
Well you could go on, but you be wrong Nintendo doesn't sell $60 dollar games. Also I wouldn't call using a app to get direction playing a game. Honest I believe that all game developers who work on E-shop, Xbox Live, and PSN feel the same way as Nnooo. The issue is that wouldn't be news to list all of them. By saying people prefer Nintendo over Apple or IOS. Makes it something worth talking about since Nintendo has been branded to be digital failures. If I make video games I want it on devices that have people who play video games. If I want to make some gimmicky software I would put it on a phone or tablet.
I think what Nic Watt is saying is that you can charge more on ds, because (and I tend to agree) people just value software less on iOS. Even as a hardened gamer I feel nervous spending more than a dollar on a game on iPhone, but I'd happily spend 5 or more on eShop.
There are always going to be examples of developers who do better on one platform or another. Sometimes certain types of games do better on certain platforms. Sometimes a developer just happens to get noticed on one platform and not on another....
It's also an example of sometimes it is better to be a bigger fish in a small pond than a smaller fish in a big pond.
For the record, I don't think it's wrong to like a "game" like that better than the more sophisticated stuff. I like rice, beans, beef and fries than most sophisticated dishes that fancy restaurants charge outrageous amounts of money for.
I also disagree that "iOS owners...aren't looking for quality experiences or longevity" - some of the best selling games have that. The ones that have that but don't sell well often have an awkward UI or are just lost amongst the huge number of apps that come out.
I could go on about how many barely played $60 Nintendo games does everyone have vs. the $60 barely played iOS apps, but that would be unfair, eh?
It's also an example of sometimes it is better to be a bigger fish in a small pond than a smaller fish in a big pond.
I'd rather play gba,ds,psp,3ds or vita than ios "games".
Though even games like castlevania ds and uncharted on vita stuck touch in where it didn't belong.
Draw arcane symbols or slash jungle great job making fun work because if just press X works better than touch is a
waste of everyone's time