Do You Think Nintendo and Other Companies Are Overmilking Their Franchises?

[TriforceHunter]

Well, this includes a rant video I made a few days ago and just uploaded to YT.

Here's a Link to it: WARNING: There's Bad Language, Some Inapropriate Pictures (nothing too bad) and
AN OPINION (THAT IS NOT MEANT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLLY!)

CLICK AT YOUR OWN RISK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWb_2P37Fk0

I would've tried to not cuss, bet hey, I wasn't really thinking about posting it here 'till now.

Basically, what I say is that they should give us something else instead of remaking and rehashing the same stuff over and over again, I mean, they can make something else out of their franchise. Something like an animated series or a movie, or NEW charaters or something new that we haven't seen, and stop overmilking Mario and Zelda and make something instead of the same old games with the same old concepts.

And I know what some Nintendo fanboys thing:

Difference = EVIL

I mean, I am a Nintendo fanboy myself, and it shows, but I have enough reason to tell that they're giving us the same old stuff with something slightlly better sprinkled on top. That why I, like many, am fond to the older games, because back then there wasn't anything like them.

And do not get me wrong, I still love Nintendo, I love their games and franchises and I love that they are making a comeback, but at the end of the day, like I said, they just give is the same rehashed stuff with something prettyer sprinkled on top.

I don't know, that's just my opinion. I would love to hear you guy's.

 

[fredthehylian]

Coincidentally enough, last night I was working on some new characters for a video game. I made sure they were insane, original, and a little bit based off of some of my favorite characters. But in my final project, I want it them to look completely different from what they're based on.
I agree with you. Nintendo's been pumping out clones a lot with minor differences. The new pokemon games are pretty much the same as the originals withnew pokemon and geography.New Super Mario Bros Wii is basically Super Mario World with more power-ups and co-op multiplayer. Kirby: Super Star Ultra is just like Kirby: Super Star with Meta Knight as a playable character. It's not just Nintendo. Sega made Nights for the Wii, and it was the same as the original. Capcom's new Megaman games are just like 4, 5, and 6 with new robot masters, and sliding and charging have been given to Protoman, who might I add is now a playable character. The list goes on. Most other companies are just making shooters and survival horror games, and you can't make something that isn't a buff guy or breast-implanted women with a gun without having internet tykes calling it "gay". Personally, I'd like to see something like the Lode Runner or Q*Bert come back, and even some new things. Granted, I'm fine with a new Mario game, Zelda game, Kirby game, Sonic game, or Metal Gear Solid game. But would it kill a developer to make a new, original and challenging game?

 

[Phlegm]

Well, if Nintendo tries something new, not many people are going to like it. Even if it turns out well, fanboys will bash the game to bits and pieces, just because it isn't what they grew up with.

However, I want something different but not overly different.

A movie or animation would just flat-out suck. Take the Super Mario Brothers movie for example...

Change is good, but I say Nintendo should keep doing what they're doing, keep with the same formula, and spice it up each new game.

That's just my opinion.

 

[Beeker]

I understand what you are getting at Triforce Hunter, and I both agree and disagree. When it comes to games like Pokemon, I feel they are just the same thing with a few more features. Perhaps that's why I haven't played it in a while.

Nintendo has been rehashing a few older games, but they try to at least add a little twist to them. I don't mind this too much, as long as the game doesn't bore me. Games Like LoZ: Skyward Sword and Kirby's Epic Yarn are examples. They may still be the old, classic franchises, but they are mixing around with the gameplay styles to make them a little unique. In Epic Yarn, Kirby cannot suck up enemies, but can still transform into various vehicles.

Why do we alwas see these games? Because of the fans themselves. It is the fans who always ask for new Marios and Zeldas, and demanding that older franchises like DKC and Kid Icarus be revived. And I'm pretty sure there was quite a following for people who wanted a little game called Ocarina of Time to be remade in a handheld.
If Nintendo stopped making, say, Zelda for a while, the fans of the series would still be demanding a new game. Why does Nintendo continue to make these games? It may make them a ton of cash, but it also pleases a huge fanbase.

I do agree with Phlegm about new content. While Nintendo does make new franchises that are considerably successful, fans still bash them. I myself am a Nintendo fangirl. I want to see new things from Nintendo, in addition to what I already love from the company.

 

[Hylian Pants]

Funny a thread like this should pop up.. I was just thinking about this subject recently.

Nintendo, for me, is pretty much synonymous with my childhood. I'm always very impressed with them as a company and as a figurehead in the gaming world. I'll always love the keystone franchises, and while I think they should all be continued for years to come, I've realized that 'ol Nintendo does need to spice things up nowadays. Let's be frank; Nintendo is a business, they are founded on immersing people of a wide demographic into fun and fantastical games, but they're also understandably focused on money. Mario has been featured in somewhere around 200 games now because the trademark Nintendo has created for his character will stand the test of time with audiences. He, in addition to the other big names, will probably always sell. Likewise, look at pokemon. I lost interest after the 2nd generation, but there were millions of kids to take my place. Then, lo and behold, they remade the oldies and I was dishing out my allowance to get them. With each new generation comes new, bright-eyed young fans and nostalgic, seasoned gamers, both of whom Nintendo knows how to cater to. They've got the best of both worlds as far as business goes and I'm sure to them it's kind of like a case of "if it aint broke, why fix it?"

But, I believe it is becoming somewhat of an issue, personally. My gaming library can't just be comprised of Kirby, Zelda, Mario, and Pokemon forever. It's not that I'm bored or annoyed with Nintendo's redundant tendencies, it's more of an issue that I know they can do more. They've been quite preoccupied recently with innovating gameplay, both on home consoles and handhelds. They've proven themselves through this measure and I think their continued used of the more-than-a-decade-old series is just a safety move at this point. Part of the reason they "won" at E3 was the thrill the provided with their beautiful revamps of nearly all of the oldies. Beautiful though they may be, they're still rehashes, and they're still oldies. I think it's time Nintendo stepped out of the shield of untouchable franchises and use their creativity to give us new characters that we'll come to love over the years, new series that will be expounded upon over the decades. That company already has the hearts of many gamers, now is the time (or at least when their next gen console is released) to take a "risk", albeit probably minor, and show us something fresh. The thing about fanboys (and fangals) is that differences within the series themselves is what causes raging nerd uprisings. One iffy newcomer in a sea of multi-million dollar franchises won't do much harm.

 

[edman1123]

Nintendo feeds off nostalgia. That's not at all a bad thing though, because the games they produce always live up to/surpass the previous title.

As far as milking goes, I don't think they do. They don't use their franchises and make a ton of cash through toys and other products (they do, but not as much as other companies)

A franchise that is being milked would have to be Pokemon. That has been milked so much that there's barely any milk left.

 

[Yoshi_FTW]

Milking? If you call releasing a console Zelda game every 5 years milking then yeah, they milk it.

.....no.

 

[Majora16]

I do agree that Nintendo needs some new franchises. They re-use the same series (Mario, Zelda, Metroid) and never create new ones. On the Wii, Gamecube and DS, there were only 3 new series; Pikmin, Animal Crossing, and Nintendogs. They NEED to try something new. I read an article on Gamespot that said that Miyamoto is working on his first new franchise since Pikmin though! Exciting!

 

[Turo602]

To be fair they work really hard on their games. They said they won't release Skyward Sword until it was perfect and give us a Zelda game every 2-5 yrs. On top of that they still have Mario games, Mario kart, Smash Bros, and Metroid. I say we found a perfect balance of Nintendo Games, not that I wouldn't like to see what else they're cooking up for us. But I don't think Nintendo over milks it. If anything I wish they would of over milked it. We learned of a new Zelda Title coming last year just to finally see it a whole other year later.

 

[Kybyrian]

Well, I'm not saying that they don't care about their players, but Nintendo certainly is trying to get as much money out of people as they can with as little work as possible. They make quite a few of their fans happy as they do it, too. You can't really complain if you still enjoy it.

Other companies are also doing the same. I mean look at Activision and then look at Call of Duty. They change things around a bit, but not a ton. Enough to please people. Look at it this way, though. If they see they have a successful game out there, they're going to make another one. There's not a ton you can do to alter a game and make it just about the same as the last one in a lot of franchises.