So Nintendo hates money.
A lot.
After revealing that they are operating at a major loss, yet again, because of the WiiU, Nintendo announces that they are remaking one of the older Pokemon games----the Ruby and Sapphire editions…….for the 3DS.
What looks to be the latest smokescreen to mask the bad financial news in the world of Nintendo, we are getting yet another Pokemon adventure for the handheld coming out this year---less than a year after Pokemon X/Y. This makes it the sixth year in a row a Nintendo handheld is getting a Pokemon game. It starts with Pokemon Platinum in 2009, and through the entire Call of Duty-like run we have seen two remakes, and a sequel.
And yet in the midst of all this, still nothing for the consoles, even if the console is the main source for all your flopping.
It is almost poetic justice that this news arrives right after the financial reports come out, because it reveals that Nintendo is losing money and then showcases one of the main reasons why. I am not saying Pokemon is going to single-handedly save the WiiU, but it would definitely bring a wild card to the table and get the ball rolling. Twitter and Facebook would have absolutely exploded if they said they have a Ruby/Sapphire remake for the WiiU in true 3-D form. Now THAT would have been a light at the end of the tunnel. Instead, we are left scratching our heads.
Not only is the remake not being in HD and in console form, but it’s not even having a chance to arrive in WiiU in any form. And it makes no sense because now we have DS Virtual Console games arriving directly to the WiiU! Pokemon X/Y has sold over 12 million copies, this is the success story the WiiU desperately needs! Why couldn’t you just remake the game and make a WiiU exclusive?
Just look at these numbers:
Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow: 46 million
Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal: 29 million
Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald: 22 million
Pokemon Red/Blue/Gold/Silver Remakes: 22 million
Pokemon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum: 25 million
Pokemon Black/White Part 1 and 2: 21 million
Want to know what they have in similarity? All handheld. The Game Boy (118 million), Game Boy Advance (81 million), and the Nintendo DS (154 million) have benefited amazingly from this franchise. Want to know how many Nintendo consoles have sold over 81 million copies?
Just the Nintendo Wii.
Why would you not want to transfer some of those ridiculously successful numbers into the console? The Wii didn’t really need it (Well, until after 2010 when Nintendo dished out approximately one game a year), but the Gamecube could’ve used some help, and the WiiU definitely needs this sort of help. The idea of a console Pokemon with online enhancements would move hardware like nothing else Nintendo has done since making a 3-D Super Mario game way back in 1996. And if you think Pokemon doesn’t transfer well in consoles, just look at the N64 days—when Pokemon Stadium sold over 5 million copies and Pokemon Snap, a low-budget spin-off, sold 3 million with minimal marketing.
Nintendo, you need to stop being stubborn, you have a gold mine just waiting to be discovered. The elusive big budget HD Pokemon game has officially become one of gaming’s biggest desires, especially after seeing that the technology can indeed be achieved. Stop with the remakes, stop with the rehashing of older Pokemon games, and start focusing on the next generation of Pokemon gaming: larger budget, larger environment, HD graphics, and a major emphasis on online play. And even if you aren’t ready for that, these upcoming Pokemon games should have at least been an option for the WiiU, at the very least.
Nintendo, you seem to hate money nowadays because you are failing to see the different ways you can earn it, even during these dark times. Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire for the 3DS (and only the 3DS) is your latest and possibly greatest example.
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