After the “failures” of the Nintendo GameCube, and I’m only using quotes here because it certainly lagged behind the PlayStation 2 and Xbox consoles, Nintendo looked to pivot its strategy. That pivot led to the runaway success of the Nintendo DS handheld and Nintendo Wii console, according to Reggie Fils-Aime, who recently spoke at New York University.
Both the DS and Wii sold like hotcakes. I was working at GameStop when the former came out, and every time we got a shipment in, it would sell out within the hour. The latter became a massive mainstream success, with virtually everyone playing Wii Sports. Your parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, neighbors, and co-workers who don’t play video games; They all caught Wii Sports fever.
The Nintendo Switch Changed How We Play, And There’s No Going Back
We celebrate the Nintendo Switch for good reason, but its success changed more than just how we play.
That success would eventually run out, and Nintendo faced struggles during the Wii U era. To say that the Wii U console was a massive disappointment is an understatement. Times had changed at Nintendo. They were no longer printing money. Instead, people online were wondering if they would ever recover as a company.
One thing they never experience through those struggles, though, is layoffs, and Reggie is a big reason why. Despite all that success, Reggie talked about holding back from going on massive hiring sprees. It’s something that helped them prevent going through massive layoffs, which is something that has unfortunately plagued the industry over the past few years.
We thought about people from the standpoint that we never wanted to go through layoffs or mass eliminations of people. It just wasn’t in our DNA.
Reggie even calls out to the students that if they’re interviewing with companies that have done mass layoffs in the recent past, that’s a major red flag.
Nintendo’s Leadership, Including Reggie, Did Not Expect the Wii U to Fail
Speaking of the Wii U, it was interesting to hear Reggie candidly speak about Nintendo’s infamous console.
He, along with the rest of Nintendo’s leadership, was convinced that the Wii U’s dual screen was the next big thing in gaming.
Reggie called it a combination of a “10-foot experience” when playing on a television screen and a “10-inch experience” when playing on the Wii U’s GamePad. Of course, the issue here was that the GamePad was clunky, the games weren’t there, and the console’s name was confusing to mass audiences.
10 Best Wii U Games With High Replay Value
These games ensured you got your money’s worth on that GamePad.
Another issue is that the Wii U didn’t launch with something as popular or iconic as Wii Sports. While Nintendoland was fun in small doses, it didn’t appeal to either a mass mainstream audience or core, dedicated gamers. Combined with that lack of solid game releases, it was a recipe for disaster.
Of course, you can make the argument that the Wii U was just a good idea with poor execution, especially since the Nintendo Switch is the same concept (playing on a big screen TV and a handheld device with one game console). It proves to show, though, that Nintendo’s conscious decision to avoid hiring sprees helped prevent them from performing mass layoffs during a down period for the company.
Compare that to the recent comments from the Monument Valley developer CEO, saying they were too romantic about providing long-term job security to its developers and are reducing the size of their team. It’s a night-and-day difference.
Turns Out, Nintendo Isn’t Responsible For All The Nintendo References In The Mario Galaxy Movie
In a recent interview, Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed that Nintendo wasn’t responsible for all the retro references in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
- Security Camera Installation – indoor/outdoor IP CCTV systems & video analytics
- Access Control Installation – key card, fob, biometric & cloud‑based door entry
- Business Security Systems – integrated alarms, surveillance & access control
- Structured Cabling Services – voice, data & fiber infrastructure for new or existing builds
- Video Monitoring Services – 24/7 remote surveillance and analytics monitoring
Author: 360 Technology Group
