Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Wii Worries
Nintendo's Wii. The gaming industry's first true console innovation in years; a device that has the potential to aesthetically and ergonomically appeal to an entirely new division of consumer, something that when placed in your hand can appeal to the sports nut, the artist, or simply the Mario fan in you. It holds the promise of true modern novelty, holding close the beating heart of gaming's most easily associated icon: Nintendo. The excitement is understandable. What isn't as easily theorized is the inherent danger that such a sweeping appeal brings to the industry; we are finally in a place where we can hold (some) games up high as art, as something that resonates with us on a personal level in the same way that text and film have entertained and sculpted our lives. Is there not a danger in handing over the reins to the casual consumer? In striving to appeal to everyone, are not we inevitably alienating someone? And perhaps even abandoning the progress that we have made in such a unique and expansive medium?
Twenty years ago we would not have been able to imagine something like Shadow of the Colossus existing in any interactive medium. The emotional involvement, the way that the narrative threads through the player's actions and reactions; some might revel in these now, but as an industry we take them for granted. We are used to stories being told, antagonists antagonizing us, and even in the most simplistic of games, room for visual and anecdotal progress. The strides that we have made between the origins of gaming and what we enjoy today are immeasurable, even if the fundamental level of interaction hasn't changed. There's a ringing call for innovation to be sure, but by and large we have come a long way; and as gamers we enjoy rich, rewarding experiences in established genres. Metal Gear Solid 3, Resident Evil 4 - not only are these games astounding in their mechanics, but present game worlds thick with character, an appreciable maturity behind a guise of violence and conflict.
As far as we have come, as maturely as we have evolved, doesn't the thought of a console meant to shift the paradigm of gaming to the non-gamer scare anyone else? As well-done and progressive as Nintendogs and Brain Age are, as much as they benefit everyone by expanding a relatively narrow market, does anyone want games like these to be the leading force and developmental model worldwide? What reason would Konami have to pursue cinematically lavish experiences if Elebits truly became a success in a largely casual installed base? Why invest years of time and millions of dollars on a new Metal Gear when twice as many Wii games can be created for half the resources, for a much larger audience? Nintendo has seen unprecedented worldwide success with the DS handheld, led largely by unique, more casual gaming experiences. They seem to be largely banking on the same strategy for the Wii, and rightly so - if it works, they could again be a console force to be reckoned with. Even if the 360 takes America and the PS3 takes Japan and Europe, a second fiddle Wii to all three could theoretically mean first worldwide.
Innovation in the handheld market is certainly crucial to expansion, but it also isn't threatening a larger ideal. The Wii threatens every advance we have made in storytelling, mature gaming experiences, and even online gaming. For those who subscribe, Xbox Live is inarguably the greatest thing to happen to gaming in years, made even more intuitive and integrated with the advent of the 360 iteration. While Nintendo accomplished something wonderful by allowing Mario Kart to be played globally amongst friends, the experience was curtailed and dumbed down for a younger, more delicate audience. Their philosophy of making games simple and fun for everyone is admirable, but unavoidably exclusionary to some of the "core" market. While Nintendo fights for respect and acceptance of every potential gamer, they rob the gaming industry of those very same values that we've spilled so much ink over.
Progressive game design is incredibly important, but not at the cost of abolishing everything that has taken us this far. As prodigious and wonderful as Halo 3 will be, a more accessible, marketable, ultimately cheaper evolution of the concepts behind Nintendogs hold a promise of success we can only begin to imagine. What if every home in America that had a DVD player also had a Wii? If there's one company with even a remote chance of accomplishing such a feat, it's Nintendo, and this is their most potent shot at it yet. It is a sensational dream at first thought, but would no doubt be an assuredly terrifying reality for those of us who play games for the same reasons we read books, see films, or listen to music. While we would never want to lose that relationship to gaming, the threat of casual market dominance is a scenario we all seem to be ignoring.
Twenty years ago we would not have been able to imagine something like Shadow of the Colossus existing in any interactive medium. The emotional involvement, the way that the narrative threads through the player's actions and reactions; some might revel in these now, but as an industry we take them for granted. We are used to stories being told, antagonists antagonizing us, and even in the most simplistic of games, room for visual and anecdotal progress. The strides that we have made between the origins of gaming and what we enjoy today are immeasurable, even if the fundamental level of interaction hasn't changed. There's a ringing call for innovation to be sure, but by and large we have come a long way; and as gamers we enjoy rich, rewarding experiences in established genres. Metal Gear Solid 3, Resident Evil 4 - not only are these games astounding in their mechanics, but present game worlds thick with character, an appreciable maturity behind a guise of violence and conflict.
As far as we have come, as maturely as we have evolved, doesn't the thought of a console meant to shift the paradigm of gaming to the non-gamer scare anyone else? As well-done and progressive as Nintendogs and Brain Age are, as much as they benefit everyone by expanding a relatively narrow market, does anyone want games like these to be the leading force and developmental model worldwide? What reason would Konami have to pursue cinematically lavish experiences if Elebits truly became a success in a largely casual installed base? Why invest years of time and millions of dollars on a new Metal Gear when twice as many Wii games can be created for half the resources, for a much larger audience? Nintendo has seen unprecedented worldwide success with the DS handheld, led largely by unique, more casual gaming experiences. They seem to be largely banking on the same strategy for the Wii, and rightly so - if it works, they could again be a console force to be reckoned with. Even if the 360 takes America and the PS3 takes Japan and Europe, a second fiddle Wii to all three could theoretically mean first worldwide.
Innovation in the handheld market is certainly crucial to expansion, but it also isn't threatening a larger ideal. The Wii threatens every advance we have made in storytelling, mature gaming experiences, and even online gaming. For those who subscribe, Xbox Live is inarguably the greatest thing to happen to gaming in years, made even more intuitive and integrated with the advent of the 360 iteration. While Nintendo accomplished something wonderful by allowing Mario Kart to be played globally amongst friends, the experience was curtailed and dumbed down for a younger, more delicate audience. Their philosophy of making games simple and fun for everyone is admirable, but unavoidably exclusionary to some of the "core" market. While Nintendo fights for respect and acceptance of every potential gamer, they rob the gaming industry of those very same values that we've spilled so much ink over.
Progressive game design is incredibly important, but not at the cost of abolishing everything that has taken us this far. As prodigious and wonderful as Halo 3 will be, a more accessible, marketable, ultimately cheaper evolution of the concepts behind Nintendogs hold a promise of success we can only begin to imagine. What if every home in America that had a DVD player also had a Wii? If there's one company with even a remote chance of accomplishing such a feat, it's Nintendo, and this is their most potent shot at it yet. It is a sensational dream at first thought, but would no doubt be an assuredly terrifying reality for those of us who play games for the same reasons we read books, see films, or listen to music. While we would never want to lose that relationship to gaming, the threat of casual market dominance is a scenario we all seem to be ignoring.
// posted by Nick @ 10:14 PM 
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