SPC Soapbox - 7/8/13 Nintendo's Total Incompetence and Sociopathic Gamers

It is time for the return of the SPC Soapbox, where we take the opportunity to discuss issues that are important to us, and perhaps even important to you. These are usually topics that are hotly debated or relevant today. On today's edition of the SPC Soapbox, we have two topics to talk about: Nintendo's (mis)handling of the Wii U and a sect of gamer that is absolutely reprehensible.

Nintendo's Total Incompetence

The Wii U is currently a disaster of epic proportions. There is no hyperbole here with regard to sales and third-party relations that are somehow already close to Nintendo 64 levels. Not even Japan cares about the system. How Nintendo goes from selling upwards of 100 million consoles with the Wii and follows that up with the Wii U is mind-boggling. Never have we seen a system from Nintendo so early in its life have a future that looks absolutely frightening.

We've seen arguments that Nintendo's big games are not yet out, so until they are, the Wii U will continue selling poorly. However, that's all Nintendo's fault in the first place. Nintendo essentially killed off the Wii to pursue HD development, or so it would be logical to think. We mean, they basically let the Wii die off not in a blaze of glory but a pathetic whimper-- and for what?

Just what in the heck was Nintendo doing from the two years before the Wii's death (where they stopped releasing as many titles as before) and the launch of the Wii U? It was no secret unless Nintendo had its collective head in the sand like an ostrich that HD development required double (if not more) of the resources of standard definition development. A person could see that in 2005 and 2006. Yet somehow, Nintendo STILL wasn't prepared for working on HD games in 2011 and 2012, despite all of the warning signs. Is this the sign of a competent company? Heck no.

How does this happen? Is Nintendo really out of touch and living in their own bubble that they couldn't have been better prepared? Nintendo did itself no favor by ending the Wii with a whimper, putting many Wii owners in a bad state of mind because of it. They did itself no favor by releasing the Wii U, a console with laughable third party support, no enticing launch games (even though Nintendo Land IS awesome, in our eyes), and a hefty price tag. They knew what they were getting themselves involved with concerning moving to HD, yet they still weren't ready. We'd say it was hilarious if it weren't so remarkably sad and pitiful.

Don't get us started on the stupidity of naming the system the Wii U after what the company went through with the confusion of the Nintendo 3DS being thought of as a remodel of the DS line. How do you make the same mistake twice? It is said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Well, it must mean that Nintendo is absolutely insane (and we don't mean that in our usual good way) because the Wii U is still being confused as a Wii accessory.

Please understand.

We just don't understand what the hell is going on at Nintendo HQ. We love president Satoru Iwata, but his mistakes and judgment have completely been questionable over the past few years. As much as we'd hate to see him go, his business views don't mesh well with what is needed to make the Wii U a success. He failed with the launch of the 3DS and now the Wii U. We don't want to see what happens when he gets strike three.

Sociopathic Gamers

There is something that just disturbs the hell out of us on gaming message boards and forums. That is that there is good portion of gamers who go far beyond the typical console warrior (aka fanboy) mentality. No, we have gamers (who we thought were supposed to encourage growth in the industry) honestly wanting companies to die. Sure, why not?Who cares how many jobs are lost? Who cares what that would do the industry? As long as anonymous internet gaming jerk gets to see his or her most hated faceless video game company perish, everything is all right!

We are gamers. We should want succeeding in the industry. It's fair not to agree with the philosophies of a company, developer or publisher. You need not support them. Just don't go out of your way to wish death on them. That is just sociopathic behavior, pathetic of not only someone on the internet but humanity in general. It's an embarrassment to the industry, and for all the folks that think Company A is a cancer to gaming, no, you are wrong. YOU, the sociopath that wants a company to die because you don't like the games they make, are the cancer to gaming instead. Funny how that irony works.