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What I find interesting is the Nintendo is sitting on a billion+ worth of IP that they haven't even scratched the surface of unlocking. The Zelda universe alone

by joeax 8y ago

What I find interesting is the Nintendo is sitting on a billion+ worth of IP that they haven't even scratched the surface of unlocking. The Zelda universe alone could generate millions with movies, novels, merchandising, and other content, but instead it remains on lockdown, with just the flagship game title releasing every 5-6 years with limited toys or figures (basically just Amiibos and some collectibles). The best we've gotten is a rumor of a GoT-style Zelda series headed to Netflix, a rumor quickly shot down by Nintendo. Had the Switch failed, I believe this could have been their next play. Even if they exited the console market their IP could sustain the company for decades.

aczerepinski 8y ago
For sure. They don't have quite the roster that Marvel did when transitioning to film/merchandise but Zelda, Mario, and a few others have quite a bit of potential. I hope Nintendo takes note of everything Marvel left on the table with its early Fox/Sony film deals.
qbrass 8y ago
>What I find interesting is the Nintendo is sitting on a billion+ worth of IP that they haven't even scratched the surface of unlocking. Why risk making the next Super Mario Bros. when they can print money making Pokemon videos?
danbolt 8y ago
I think they’re quite sensitive to how the brand is perceived in terms of merchandising.
- joeax 8y ago
  In the long-term it's to their detriment. If the company finds itself on the decline, they may look back on it as a missed opportunity.
  - simcop2387 8y ago
    I think zelda in particular has a rough spot for them because of the CD-i games, the 80s cartoon, and other rights merchandising stuff they tried in the past that didn't really work out well for them.
  - danbolt 8y ago
    I think the opposite, actually. It strikes me that Nintendo is aware that the value that comes from a video game is very different than something like a comic book or film. I think a video game is something that you express yourself into, and in turn receive a response. It's why the higher-ups felt confident about Breath of the Wild once they felt that the interaction of tree-climbing felt good.[1] A big-budget television series would push something like The Legend of Zelda into something that it's not, and likely cheapen the brand. By investing and shipping something fresh and well-crafted at a slower clip, Nintendo can ensure that its IP keeps its strength over time. [1] https://kotaku.com/when-miyamoto-first-played-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-h-1793017234 https://kotaku.com/when-miyamoto-first-played-zelda-breath-o...
  - draw_down 8y ago
    Nope
cbhl 8y ago
After the CD-i debacle in the 90s, it's not surprising that Nintendo holds their IP close to their chest. The value of their IP would go down if the licensed content isn't good. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philips_CD-i https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philips_CD-i
dfxm12 8y ago
The best we've gotten is a rumor of a GoT-style Zelda series headed to Netflix That sounds terrible. GoT had volumes of an already successful story from which to build a TV Show. The problem with the Zelda TV show & the SMB movie is the fact that these franchises are pretty light on story to begin with, let alone good story.
- Pigo 8y ago
  I have to agree. I figured it's because every day I become an even grouchier, old man, but I'm getting sick of people ruining my childhood memories with half-baked money grabs that can't even be bothered to try and live up to the legend they leverage. The chances of a Zelda show or movie living up to the mystique it held for me as a kid is practically zero point zero. I respect Nintendo for knowing where their strengths are. Maybe they learned something from the Super Mario Bros television show.

by joeax 8y ago

aczerepinski 8y ago

For sure. They don't have quite the roster that Marvel did when transitioning to film/merchandise but Zelda, Mario, and a few others have quite a bit of potential. I hope Nintendo takes note of everything Marvel left on the table with its early Fox/Sony film deals.

qbrass 8y ago

>What I find interesting is the Nintendo is sitting on a billion+ worth of IP that they haven't even scratched the surface of unlocking. Why risk making the next Super Mario Bros. when they can print money making Pokemon videos?

danbolt 8y ago

I think they’re quite sensitive to how the brand is perceived in terms of merchandising.

joeax 8y ago
In the long-term it's to their detriment. If the company finds itself on the decline, they may look back on it as a missed opportunity.
- simcop2387 8y ago
  I think zelda in particular has a rough spot for them because of the CD-i games, the 80s cartoon, and other rights merchandising stuff they tried in the past that didn't really work out well for them.
- danbolt 8y ago
  I think the opposite, actually. It strikes me that Nintendo is aware that the value that comes from a video game is very different than something like a comic book or film. I think a video game is something that you express yourself into, and in turn receive a response. It's why the higher-ups felt confident about Breath of the Wild once they felt that the interaction of tree-climbing felt good.[1] A big-budget television series would push something like The Legend of Zelda into something that it's not, and likely cheapen the brand. By investing and shipping something fresh and well-crafted at a slower clip, Nintendo can ensure that its IP keeps its strength over time. [1] https://kotaku.com/when-miyamoto-first-played-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-h-1793017234 https://kotaku.com/when-miyamoto-first-played-zelda-breath-o...
- draw_down 8y ago
  Nope

cbhl 8y ago

After the CD-i debacle in the 90s, it's not surprising that Nintendo holds their IP close to their chest. The value of their IP would go down if the licensed content isn't good. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philips_CD-i https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philips_CD-i

dfxm12 8y ago

The best we've gotten is a rumor of a GoT-style Zelda series headed to Netflix That sounds terrible. GoT had volumes of an already successful story from which to build a TV Show. The problem with the Zelda TV show & the SMB movie is the fact that these franchises are pretty light on story to begin with, let alone good story.

Pigo 8y ago
I have to agree. I figured it's because every day I become an even grouchier, old man, but I'm getting sick of people ruining my childhood memories with half-baked money grabs that can't even be bothered to try and live up to the legend they leverage. The chances of a Zelda show or movie living up to the mystique it held for me as a kid is practically zero point zero. I respect Nintendo for knowing where their strengths are. Maybe they learned something from the Super Mario Bros television show.