Make no mistake, virtual reality is big at this year's E3. Sony may have cunningly glossed over Project Morpheus during its press conference, but it's pushing the headset in its booth in a big way. In fact, with even Microsoft joining the race in various different ways, Nintendo's the only current console maker to not have something similar in the works. Odd, considering that its Virtual Boy was a pioneer for the tech we see today in many ways. So, what gives?
According to Reggie Fils-Aime, it's just not fun in its current state. "We have knowledge of the technical space, and we've been experimenting with this for a long, long time," he told Polygon. "What we believe is that, in order for this technology to move forward, you need to make it fun and you need to make it social. I haven't walked the floor, so I can't say in terms of what's on the floor today, but at least based on what I've seen to date, it's not fun, and it's not social. It's just tech."
We're not going to trample all over the Nintenboss here because he definitely has a point – but he should probably head to Sony's booth in order to recalibrate his view. Because the PS4 is capable of outputting to both the Project Morpheus headset and a television screen, the platform holder's working on a couple of asymmetrical games, which sound similar to some of the things that the House of Mario experimented with in Wii U launch title Nintendoland. Maybe those will change his mind.
[source polygon.com]
Comments 52
I'd worry about other things right now if I were Reggie.
@Gamer83 haha yeah but he is in damage limitation mode. Did you see his interview where he says something along the lines of iwata didnt apologise for nintendos e3 showing? Because nintendo make great games was the answer if i remember correctly
C'mon now Nintendo, I thought you were above this sort of trash talk.
@Mrskinner
Yeah I did see that. To be fair I do think Wii U has some good stuff on the way, but I don't know if what it has lined up is enough to turn Wii U's fortunes around and propel it to see PS4 sales numbers. And eventhough they have good stuff lined up, the reaction to that digital event was not good. So you're right, he's in damage control mode but I don't think he's doing a great job and getting involved in the childish trash talk usually known to come from Sony and MS, but not Nintendo, certainly doesn't help matters.
Nintendo might have had one of the weakest E3's but I agree with them. I don't wanna be a guinea pig this generation again.
To be fair to Reggie, he was probably asked a question about VR. What he should have said was probably something more along the lines of: "We've been experimenting with VR for a while and think it's an interesting technology. We're currently not convinced that it's a social enough experience, but we'll keep a close eye on the space and we're interested to learn more about the other initiatives."
Done.
Well actually I disagree - I want Nintendo to come out swinging. Tell it like it is. For once I someone actually said "well that didn't work" or "thats rubbish because" it would be a breath of free air. Wii U is over its chance gone. NX best have some proper power. Power glove power.
Not interested in VR whatsoever to be honest. I don't think it's the future of gaming (at least for another 10+ years), it seems like 3D, a gimmick that will reappear every so years as technology improves.
@themcnoisy Was just talking to @ShogunRok about this. We reckon NX is going to be a handheld with a docking station that also outputs to a TV.
Nintendo need to look at themselves before talking about other companies that are killing Nintendo in terms of sales and games, although this is my opinion. I loved Nintendo once upon a time, but these days I have zero interest in them.
I have been lucky enough to try VR and I really enjoyed what I tried. In regards to Project Morpheus not being sociable they're wrong. I think the devs at Guerrilla Cambridge have been working on a first person shooter that is a pvp multiplayer game and from what I've seen and heard is pretty good. Even though I've really been looking forward to Project Morpheus I must admit I was a little worried Sony couldn't pull it off, but from some of the games I've seen my worries have been put to bed.
Back to Nintendo though, I really hope they can turn things around and become a real contender again. Until then I'll stick with my PS4 and XB1.
Why do I get the feeling some interviewer baited him into saying this?
To be fair I really don't think he was trash talking. My guess is he was asked about virtual reality, since you know, Sony AND Microsoft are jumping in headfirst but they're not, and he gave a reasonable explanation for their stance on the matter.
And he very well may be proven right. Then again, he may be proven wrong. Either way, Nintendo gets to find out without investing a single dollar.
Wanna know what isn't fun Nintendo? An Animal Crossing Board Game!!!
Also, along with all Sony puts out, then quits supporting, no wonder they all fail, but even if it succeeds,I won't buy it
@epicdude12302 That's just because people had heard rumours of a Wii U Animal crossing game and thought it was gonna be a traditional game. lol
I see his point but yeah I'd worry about my own business. I kinda want Morpheus now anyway.
@get2sammyb I was thinking that but im now thinking differently. Nintendo learnt the hard way that their handhelds need to be rock bottom pricing to hit the masses. The NX would have to be powerful to dock to a TV and that wont come cheap. Unless the docking of the handheld is just one feature of the NX and it's also a traditional console in its own right.
As much as I adore Nintendo (WiiU is my fav of the new consoles) they REEEEEEEEEEEEALLY can't say anything after that garbage E3.
I for one can't wait to drop $500 on Morpheus, a couple move controllers and a game that amounts to a tech demo. It's the cutting edge of gaming. Oh wait that was motion controls, no it was 3D. It doesn't matter I'm sure there's no chance of this being abandoned two years down the road.
I love Nintendo both for nostalgic reasons and they really have some of the best games this gen on Wii U, but the Regginator really has no room to trash talk about anything right now because at least Sony is actually doing, showing quality software and ideas (though I myself am not sold on VR yet) Nintendo didn't have anything for E3 and probably didn't even have to be there Every Nintendo direct this year had more hype than their E3 showing. I was so hoping Star Fox would blow me away but from I seen so far it looks....... wonky. (Is that a word? -.-)
I'm so tired of Reggie... I'm tired of Iwata. Their business decisions are ruining the company. Their lack of solid support for Wii U is embarrassing. Reggie, Iwata, and all other upper management needs replaced with people who are more up to the times, before they put NX out. Otherwise the same thing will happen. I love my Wii U, and I'm pretty mad that it might be getting replaced soon because Nintendo is just seemingly giving up on it, but what can you do when nothing is bringing new users to the system? NX better have some power, or else it won't get 3rd parties on board once again.
its actually ironic that he would say that considering the 3ds has AR mini games on it made by nintendo. it just sounds like sour grapes to me. sony and microsoft have been successful and the wii u is struggling just to make a profit.
I don't think that he picked the right words but I do agree with him.
@Expa0 no kidding. microsoft and sony never once bashed the wii u or the gamepad as far as i know. this is really low.
@get2sammyb the 3ds has vr games so someone at nintendo obviously thinks its a good idea.
That is some bold words coming from a grown man (Reggie) speaking in a tree house and playing with Muppets. No really... It would be in the best interest of Nintendo to put a muzzle on their political mouthpiece. When Reggie's contract is expired at Nintendo we more than likely will not hear from him again. They need to stop Reggie from smack talking. Because there is only two things working exceptionally well for Nintendo right now, the 3DS and Amiibo's.
And I agree with @get2sammyb about the NX idea. But whatever it reveals itself to be it will be another mushroom kingdom machine. Nintendo and Neo Geo will most likely have a lot more in common while third parties remain smart and distant about not losing money by investing in Nintendo.
I think Nintendo have bigger worries than VR, thay did try VR once to no success.
I don't disagree with Nintendo but who are they talk, was 3DS's glasses free 3D fun or social? no it was just tech
Nintendo doesn't have any ambition.
I had a Virtual Boy and it was incredibly painful to use for any length of time for me. It really hurt my eyes and gave me a headache. To date, it is still the only console/games I have ever traded in. I know I am NOT the only one to experience this. Its one of the reasons I am not interested in VR....
Irony aside, I can completely see Sony pulling another Vita or Move and making off with the money. If the Wii U gamepad and Xbox Kinect couldn't succeed by being bundled with the console, I have no idea how this will. Its additional entertainment value won't be worth its even more astronomical price. It's like investing money in someone with a very poor credit score. I don't have a PS4, but if I did I'd rather get HoloLens or Steam VR (yes, I know the former isn't even the same thing, but at least I'd know it'd get more support).
Edit: I almost forgot about the PlayStation 3D Display. But even a pessimist like me can't see this doing that bad.
@get2sammyb Is it? I don't check Nintendo news at all so had no idea. I suppose that makes sense.
Morpheus won't catch on due to One reason..... Fragmentation. Unless it comes as standard with a console it'll likely die a quick death like PS Move - which is still great tech... But devs won't create games for Morph if only 6 percent of the userbase can play them/buy them!!
@get2sammyb Definitely agree that NX will be a hybrid handheld/home console cross-over. I think Nintendo have realised they do not have the resources to support a handheld and an HD console. By consolidating them will eradicate that issue.
I just hope they get some new designers in and make the hardware a bit more classy and less Fisher-Price like the Wii U!
Well, for me, VR got a long, serious future for all the people, not only gamers.
And i hope a lot of games are compatible with it, for example... FFVII remake...i would kill to get a 1st person view of the events or the enviroment!
What I find odd is how he says "it is not fun" and then admits he hasn't seen the things displayed on the floor right now.
And thankfully I don't have to agree with Reggie in order to find Nintendo's games fun.
To be fair, he's bang on. Man is a bit of a muppet anyway (never seen the fuss with him) but VR is a fad that comes around every now and then before dying. Again. This is no different. The abuse he's getting though just shows you how fanboys work. Man is asked question, man answers question, fanboys act like he's randomly come out with it.
Have to laugh about the fuss over Nintendo's E3 though. For years people have slagged them off for not going mobile. They go mobile and the games shown are clearly mobile games on steroids, like an experiment into what works but on a much grander style. They get slaughtered. It was a very poor show but you'd think Reggie and Iwata had dug up the bodies of our dead loved ones and humped them live on TV the way the internet has reacted.
@get2sammyb NX is going to be an operating system. It makes the most sense and allows them to be on consoles, handheld consoles, phones, tablets...
@goonow Massive difference between AR mini games and proper VR.
@Gamer83 My immediate thoughts as well.
I forgot Nintendo did stuff with AR. It was really well done in my opinion as well. Wish they had Done more
I apologise if I sound like some sony fangirl but..who the hell gives two hoots wot Nintendo think 😊😊
I do agree with Reggie. It may be a while before they release a game that I just absolutely have to have on Morpheus, if at all. They better bring their AAA game if they want it to blow up. My PS4 is keeping me quite happy on its own
@rastamadeus - While I've seen the "platform" OS idea bandied about over the past few months I think it's kind of been accepted by now that NX is at least in part a home console. Some game company known for making Metroid said if they started a home console version of Meyroid now it would come out in a few years on NX. It wasn't a straight up verification, but it was close enough for most. It could still work as a type of server - 4DS and phones and tablets and other gaming devices could use it as pseudo cloud storage, like Steam, but it will still play games like a home console. It's even been rumored to be running Android so it could work like Google Play or Fire TV, meaning Wii U graphics if we're lucky. Maybe that's why Star fox sux, it's an NX launch title?
Of all the stupid stuff Reggie said and did this week - note to Reggie, Up+B - this was the only thing that made sense.
I'm not sold on VR, but If Mark Zuckerburg spent 2 billion to buy Oculus last year, it's not going to die anytime soon. This generation of Morpheus and Oculus is just the start, so even if this generation's iteration isn't all that great, it'll continue to improve with time.
Reggie can say what he wants, and it doesn't matter. He's the token American guy who joins in on conference calls when the Japanese bosses want to give him direction. To be sure, Nintendo is owned, controlled, and operated by a bunch of Japanese guys who make their decisions from Japan.
Sony's a Japanese company, too, but within the video game landscape, they've got an American heartbeat that continually pumps life blood into the company. Developers are both American and Japanese, and they've a pretty good understanding of what their consumers from around the world want.
Back to Nintendo. I like Reggie. He's a good guy and a good company man, but let's be real: Reggie's voice is hollow. He can say just about anything he wants, and it doesn't matter. He is an American puppet. He's not pulling the strings.
It's an opinion from a competitor about a new technology, on a product still in development. I'd be more shocked if he said it was awesome.
It didn't sound like he was bashing on Morpheous, it sounded like he was defending nintendo about why they're not making anything like Sony or Microsoft is. Nintendo seems to be in their own world, and that's what is hurting them...hopefully they start listening to more than just the fanbase, but also look at what others enjoy on the PS4 and XONE, or they're going to have another flop that will put them further into their graves. I love nintendo, but since the last generation, I went towards all Sony, where my PS3 and PS4 get more love than my Wii (Which I still have) and the Wii U (which I ended up trading in due to lack of anything really new that catches my eyes).
@rastamadeus Yea, well said! And it makes me laugh how so many gamers get so but hurt about "trash talking". It's competition people, there's nothing wrong with it and that precisely what happens in all competition. And who the hell are any of you to say what a company should or shouldn't say?? I truly think some of you could use a break from games for a while, y'all take the sh&$ waaay too seriously!
@rjejr Reggie himself accidentally said they're making a new home console at E3. I just don't think it is the NX, I'd still put my money on it being the OS and we'll have a new handheld and console announced by Ninty. Maybe even a phone and tablet too.
@BlueProxy All four companies (including Sega) have praised their competitors machines and games over the past thirty years. But Miyamoto saying "I enjoyed Shenmue" isn't a story. Him saying "Shenmue is crap" is. People don't want to hear that sort of stuff, they'd rather have something more clickbait-based which will start a fanboy flame war.
@ironcrow86 Well you, seeing as you've taken the time to comment on what Nintendo think. Never quite understood why people say what you did as it shows you do care.
"You need to make it social" says Reggie, as he pulls out his phone to chat with another player in his Mario Kart 8 game.
This guy is very sour. He obviously doesn't like it when the other consoles are winning when his is a complete flop.
Reminds me of a snotty pc gamer that turns really sour when an awesome game comes out exclusively for consoles and not on their precious machines. They'll say anything to tear it down but if it were to ever come out for their platform they'd be all over it.
Reggie says 3d is no big deal now but if Nintendo were to figure out a way to make big bucks off of it he'd be all over it. Reggie just needs to shut up and take his team back to the drawing board. No more Mario!!!!!!
@rastamadeus - "Maybe even a phone and tablet too."
Don't forget the watch.
And you can hardly call it saying accidentally when it is said in the opening of a tightly prepared video like the Nintnedo Direct. It was all downhill from there for me after he said NX, I couldn't imagine they were trying to kill off the Wii U that badly, I thought they were satisfied w/ just letting it whither on the vine at $299.
@rjejr Did he? I haven't seen the direct. I meant when talking to an interviewer he actually labelled it a console before looking a bit sheepish. Then again he always looks sheepish nowadays. Especially for a man who's all "about kicking ass, about taking names" (still the greatest E3 sentence ever).
@THEundying27 You reading that into Reggie answering a question honestly makes you sound the sour one.
@rastamadeus - Well he didn't explain it as the next home console, he just started it off by saying "I know you all know about the NX, but we aren't talking about that until next year."
The first 5 or 10 minutes is worth a watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPDPSezEkcY
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