Planned Obsolescence
October 2nd, 2008Let’s catalogue the changes in the new DSi:
- 12% smaller (good)
- Larger screen (good)
- 3 MP camera (good, I suppose)
- GBA slot is gone (bad)
- Downloadable games (mixed
- Increased price ($180 - bad)
Some of these changes are better, some are for the worse, and some depend on your perspective. But I have to say that I’m very disappointed at the fact that Nintendo has effectively blocked current DS owners from accessing some of the most interesting features here, and the reverse (current owners have the GBA slots, new ones will get the downloadable titles).
I understand that there are likely some engineering hurdles to be overcome that may have prevented Nintendo from offering these services on current DS Lites. At the same time, however, the company seems to have engineered the device to prevent the DSi from being notably superior to the DS Lite on all fronts, by removing some of its features in the new iteration. As a result, if you want to have access to everything, you need to buy a new device and still retain your old one. Given that it’s only been two years or so since the first release of the DS Lite in Japan, this smacks of cynicism.
The company mentioned during its press conference that it thinks there’s still an opportunity to expand the market for the little handheld, but - judging from blogger reactions - it seems like the main target is actually current owners, rather than some prospective new ones. This is hardly a problem that exists only with Nintendo (all the manufacturers seem compelled to offer minimalist redesigns every few years), but it’s starting to get a little old. Change the colors, change any cosmetic features you want, but stop hurting people who supported you when you needed them - at launch.
Posted in Business, Geoff, Nintendo |
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:39 am
This is confusing to me for a few reasons:
First, to begin with, subtracting a feature while adding new ones has been part of the Nintendo strategy for awhile. But not only that, this happens all the time around technology. Upgrading to Windows would prevent some Dos games from working, buying a Gamecube meant that your N64 games no longer worked… It wasn’t until the PS2 that backwards compatibility for gaming sort of became a buzzword. The DS is no different: the first one supported Gameboy games through DS games. The DS lite got rid of support for Gameboy games (though kept GBA support). Now the new one is getting rid of GBA support and will only support DS and downloadable games.
I’m not sure why downloadable games is a “mixed” feature for you. To me, it’s really the only worthwhile new feature. As I mentioned in my last post, though, it really isn’t enough to interest me in new product, at the moment (even if I didn’t know about the downloadable games at the moment that I posted that, and was basing that off of the preview reports).
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:56 pm
I’m pissed about the downloadable games because they’re literally the only thing I care about and I’m not willing to pay $180 to have them.
October 2nd, 2008 at 4:16 pm
@Jeff,
My basic objection is that Nintendo is intentionally introducing a product that is intended to partially replace its predecessor, while introducing tradeoffs that require you to own both to enjoy its features. The DSi blurs the difference between “enhancement” and “replacement” to boost Nintendo revenues at existing owners’ expense.
Your examples are fundamentally different - Windows can’t support all DOS games because of fundamental differences in the way the two operate. Yet ultimately the former is intended to replace the latter: it had significantly enhanced functionality and was introduced as a generational shift (think the Gamecube replacing the N64). Yet in this case, Nintendo is arguing that the product is being introduced to supplement the DS Lite, to reach new markets. Presumably, there’s no hardware or software rationale that prevents the new DS from supporting the same GBA games that its predecessor did… it was a design decision likely made to shrink the size of the DS. And the effect is to require you to have both the DS lite and the DSi.
Let me clarify on download games… because my objection is similar. Downloadable features is “mixed” not because I don’t like downloadable games, but because it bothers me that access to them is limited to DSi owners.
When you start making exclusive *content* for one version of a handheld rather than cosmetic changes or those of degree (a bigger hard drive, a smaller profile, etc.), you have essentially put a different product on the market. A 360 with a bigger hard drive is still basically an improved 360. A DS that has different games is no longer simply an improved DS.
October 2nd, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Well, I admit, I still don’t understand what the issue is with this approach, assuming you don’t have an issue with how consumer technology typically advances in general. Adding new features while subtracting a slight amount of backwards compatibility or older features is something that just about all technology follows, particularly in relation to formats. I still have to keep my DS-phat around if I want to play Gameboy games. DVD players didn’t play VHS tapes, new PS3s don’t play PS2 or PS1 games. At the same time, new products often support new features, even if they’re similar to the old products: the iPhone 3G is the same as the iPhone except with faster internet and GPS, DirectX 10 games can only taken advantage with DirectX 10 cards, etc. If I want those features, I have to buy a new product, even if my current product is similar.
“When you start making exclusive *content* for one version of a handheld rather than cosmetic changes or those of degree (a bigger hard drive, a smaller profile, etc.), you have essentially put a different product on the market.”
I guess my question is, what’s your point? Yes, Nintendo is introducing a new product to the market with features currently unavailable in its current product, like so many other technology companies before it. Eventually, they’ll come out with another product with even more features, and perhaps they’ll even phase out DS game support. This seems like a natural progression for these markets, and in a sense, Nintendo has actually been doing far more with backwards compatibility than many other companies have in the past. Hell, like I mentioned, the first DS was still compatible with GAMEBOY games… We still have a copy of the original Gameboy Tetris floating around that can be played in it. How many other companies have kept up backwards compatibility for formats which were introduced nearly 20 years ago (or, at the time of the original DS’s release, about 15 years ago).
October 2nd, 2008 at 5:53 pm
This is a complaint I’ve never understood. Did your DS stop functioning? As far as I’m concerned, this is a new product. It has features, uses, and a cost. If the features/uses are worth the cost, buy it. If not, don’t.
I have a refrigerator. It was iterated 1 year after I bought mine. Some features changed. Some were dropped. Others were added. Same thing happened with my car, my phone, my DVD player, etc. (even my GARAGE DOOR OPENER!)
I own a DS. This new DSi doesn’t bother me at all. My DS still plays DS and GBA games, you know the reason I bought it. It’s still small and white and a joy to play.
This new DSi, it does some new things and dropped some features. Nothing matters except whether or not it’s worth the price. To me, it’s not. I will not be buying it. Perhaps, if the downloadable content is compelling, or if they release games on SD card that I want to play, well I’ll reconsider.
In the interest of full disclosure, I owned an original DSPhat and found the upgraded features of the DSLite worth it. I lost GB support on that swap and that’s fine. Sure, I’d love to have one device do everything forever constantly adding new features, but never dropping old ones, getting smaller and easier to use while increasing battery life, but that’s not realistic.
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:03 pm
I think it should be noted that the cameras are actually only .3 megapixels each with resolution of 640×480. It’s important because the VGA-quality cameras won’t replace most cameraphones, which usually have at least 1.3 megapixels (the oft-compared-to iPhone supporting 2 megapixels).
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:46 pm
“In the interest of full disclosure, I owned an original DSPhat and found the upgraded features of the DSLite worth it. I lost GB support on that swap and that’s fine. Sure, I’d love to have one device do everything forever constantly adding new features, but never dropping old ones, getting smaller and easier to use while increasing battery life, but that’s not realistic.”
Me too… The new DSi, from what I’ve seen and for the price, I will not be buying.
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:38 pm
first, an offtopic question: why am i seeing a huge column of hypertext ads below the “Submit Comment” button?
second…
Pwahahahahhahahaahaha. This is so hilarious. Not just the DSi, but also that new Gamecube-with-waggle Wii games. This is just amazing. Lemme explain.
First off, the camera. It’s not 3 MP…most mainstream phones are at 2 MP. This one is .3MP, at 480 resolution. This is just friggin hilaruious. Useless camera for a useless screen.
SPeaking of screen. They did not increase the resolution, no of course not. That would cost ‘investment’ that contributes to the ‘quality’ of the ‘gaming device.’ No, instead they just increased the size. By .25 inches. And Kept the rez the same. Nice job, Nintendo. Nice Job.
Next, the stylus. Oh, so it’s a bit longer now. Congrats, i’m sure it pained Ninty to spend a bit more plastic for their now-lengthier stylus. Great.
Downloadable games. That’s good.
Not being available for the original DS. Hahahhaaha. Lemme ask you this: who in the right mind do you think will spend quality time, effort, and money, to develop a quality downloadable game that only a tiny fraction will play. Because remember, this is not a new product launch. It’s a refurb. Yes, a refurb.
NO Gba slot. Wow. So apparently, they did not learn from the GBA micro. Apparently, they are so fearful of impacting the older, cheaper-to-produce DS Lite’s sales, that they took away a key ingredient to what makes a DS Lite compelling. Tremendous.
The Price. Ha.
Ha.
Ha.
…
Hahhaaha.
OKay, so enough from the point of view of teh gamer. Let’s look at it from teh point of view of the company. The pragmatics, if you will.
It makes no sense. They FRAGMENT their market [altho I highly doubt they'll anger their fanbase to any meaningful extent, seeing as how loyal, gullible, fanatic, mindless, and conserv, uh i mean, backwards they are]. In addition, if they think a shitty 2002-tech .3MP camera with Downloadable games from devs who have no reason to make good DL games will help them in the long run in the war against teh cell-phone avalanche, well….
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Ok, so we’ve established that the new DS is a refurb of two steps backwards and one step sideways with a hilarious price to boot.
Now, let’s see the Wii.
That new motion sensing add-on from a while back, and this new Gamecube-remix-with-useless-waggle deserves a few points of note:
- Nintendo is widely, loudly, and clearly admitting to all except the cotton-eared, oblivious NintenfannieMae’s that its Wiimote’s motion sensing is a failure in motionsensing that contributes. BUt you already knew that.
- more recently with the new GC games, Ninty is admitting that they dont give a shit about you. They are not in teh business in the making of games with features, games with depth. THeir business is milking.
And milking they shall. It makes fantastic business sense. Remix old games from teh failure of the Gamecube [saleswise], tack on useless waggle, and sell it for $40/50, for the mainstream market that doesn’t know any better.
Of course, I still have to congrat them for one thing: Sin and Punishment 2. Shame that it is heading for Wii, but hey - at this point, near-God-of-War 2 graphics are a remarkable rallying point for the hallucinating, hungry hippos that worship the creatively-bankrupt Miyamoto, the PizzaHut salesman Reggie, and call themselves Mario’s Million Man Army.
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Laesp-
That is extremely weird.. I am looking into it.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:18 pm
@lasp?
So, does this mean you WON’T be picking up a DSi? Just want to be clear there.
October 3rd, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Laesp-
I disagree with you on two points:
1) Downloadable games and
2) No GBA slot
No one will play downloadable games? Tell that to the millions of people already downloading games on the Wii, and playing online games on the DS.
As for the GBA slot, how many people are still playing GBA games regularly? Sure, it’s a nice extra like any other backwards compatibility, but I don’t think there’s a particular problem with basically moving beyond it at some point. Most people with DS’s are playing… DS games.
October 5th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
OH i actually agre, Jeff. My point was not that people will not buy the DSi, nor that people won’t buy the DL games….rather, the value to the gamer, the bang for the buck, the quality and WORTH of what we buy will be worse than with the cheaper , older, and, imo, SUPERIOR DS lite.