This may seems like a strange question at first glance.
Apple doesn’t sell games; Nintendo doesn’t make computers, so how can they be
seen as similar companies? The answer is simply in their use of marketing.
Apple has been at the forefront of marketing for nearly 20 years now. The
products that they create and the way in which they are announced has turned
the likes of the IPod and Mac computers into more than just useful appliances,
they are now collector’s items. The way Apple has done this, from a business
standpoint, is astounding. With every new apple release there is a wave of
anticipation that grips millions of people who then run out and buy the new
product immediately. This allows apple to earn more money by releasing more
frequently, regardless of whether the new product has significant improvements
over the older model or not. From a consumers standpoint this is a very scummy
way to do business but it is very profitable. For a company like Nintendo, who
have struggled to keep pace in the video game systems market over the past
decade, the adoption of this approach could see them beginning to make big
profits once again, and it is my belief that Nintendo has indeed taken on this
approach.
Nintendo recently announced the release of yet another
iteration of the Nintendo 3DS, this one called, quite cleverly I might add, the
NEW Nintendo 3DS. It’s the best naming decision i’ve seen since the Xbox One
(the one that came after the 360). Anyway, it’s become increasingly obvious
that Nintendo is releasing these handhelds more frequently and with fewer
improvements (the last real improvement being the addition of 3D tech) which is
in line with Apples approach to the Iphone:
·
·
DS: 2004
·
DS Lite:
2006
·
DSi: 2008
·
DSi XL: 2009
·
3DS: 2011
·
3DS XL: 2012
·
2DS: 2013
·
NEW DS &
XL: 2014
Another thing to consider with this
comparison is how Nintendo is already talking about its next home console,
despite the Wii U only being a few years old. This suggests to me that Nintendo
may also be preparing to ramp up its home console releases. Furthermore, with
regards to the Wii U, we can also look at the introduction of amiibos as the
further commodification of Nintendos brand. The amiibos offer little in
relation to games, and you really would only need one of them, but they are
presented in a way that makes them collector’s items.
Over the decades that Nintendo has been
around they have built up quite a lot of good faith with its loyal customers,
and i wouldn’t call this emerging apple-esque approach as an exploitation of
that, but i would look at it as Nintendo finally coming into the 21st
century and realising that they can’t rely on Mario forever to bring them a
profit. I imagine that Nintendo will continue to show good faith towards its
loyal fans for years to come regardless of how they start operating, so I’m
fine with them trying to turn some more profit and catch up to Sony and
Microsoft. Besides, everybody loves the underdog.
Conor M.
No comments:
Post a Comment