[Opinion] Nintendo Revolution's 10 Keys to Success

Shigeru Miyamoto has always been concerned about load times in games. It's one thing to patiently wait a few moments while the game's start screen loads. However, it's quite another thing to endure 30 seconds of blank monotony before you can make new progress. Add those moments up and you'll soon find you've spent 15 minutes of your playing time on the "Now Loading..." screen. The removal of this screen and altogether extinction of load times will make even the most impatient gamer approach gaming with a new attitude. After all, would you find it acceptable waiting a minute or more between each song on a CD or each scene in a movie?

If there's one thing to learn from past successful consoles, it's that the key to fortune is a variety of software from an array of genres. There's a reason people shop at a supermarket grocery store rather than an "apple shop" or a "milk depot." People want the convenience and immediate access to a variety of goods. Consumers, like they have for every past console generation, will choose the console that gives them that. The question we are all excitedly waiting to see answered is whether or not Revolution's freehand remote and its traditional controller shell will give it the array and depth of games needed to satisfy the men and women of the entire world.

People are willing to spend big money if something is worth it. However, the number one problem developers face in this coming generation is convincing consumers that a $60 high-definition video game is three times as much fun as the $20 game sitting beside it on the shelf. Or for that matter, is investing nearly a thousand dollars even worth the price of admission into the next-generation? The video game industry has this arrogant attitude that it's somehow more valuable than movies and music. It's true standardized hardware such as a DVD player or a CD player are cheap because they're a commodity, but why not also give consumers access to a bare-bones minimal-features $50 console?

If there's one thing Nintendo has stressed most about Revolution, it would be the fact that people must "feel" it to understand it. This is the reason the company has thus far forgone showing video or screens of Revolution games. For Nintendo to be this passionate, it's absolutely imperative that they create in-store demos that accurately portray the console and its capabilities. Nintendo has the opportunity to convey its message, often only once. When the consumer picks up the controller for the first time, it must be communicated immediately. Otherwise, there's a good chance that customer will pick up an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 controller next.

There's something versatile about the Revolution controller shells. Young girls fancy decorating their Barbies with accessories whereas the boys enjoy equipping their G.I. Joe's with gear. So too, will gamers find attraction in the personalization of their gaming experience. The option for controller shell designs is and should be limitless - guns, swords, batons, sticks, wheels, and many more creations of the imagination. So too, therefore, are the options for interactivity. For the first time ever players can express their personality into the game. This is a unique selling point for Nintendo that its competitors gravely lack.

People are visual beings. In most situations, a person is likely to gravitate towards something that is visually appealing or familiar. Without even a scent of text attached to it, the console should stand as an object that even the most casual consumer can identify. Nintendo's marketing should also support this image. Nintendo has shown itself to be capable of hardware style with its Game Boy micro and Nintendo DS Lite. Even the Revolution stands as a unique and visually appealing device. Further, Nintendo has used a familiar D-Pad design to tie together each of these devices. But marketing? We're very curious to see if Nintendo and Reggie can pull off something as equally stylish.

The name of the game is fun. Nintendo needs to put the FU back in the word fun. If it doesn't, competitors likely will. Software shouldn't be created to merely show off the features and capabilities of the console. Hardware is only there to enable artists who create games the opportunity to express themselves without limitations. Gameplay should be the number one priority. It's essential developers refrain from half-assed ports of games that don't use the functionality of the console to the point that it inhibits gameplay. It's also vital that developers use the capabilities in a way that is actually fun. Nobody wants to play something that feels tedious and redundant.

As devices become ever more complicated, the user interface is a tool increasingly growing in importance. It too is a barrier to entry. Therefore, the philosophy of simplicity in game control should also transfer over to screen interface. Users should be able to navigate the Revolution's interface with ease. It's vital to Nintendo's strategy that the interface is straight-forward, streamlined, and visually appealing to even the most inept user. The last thing Nintendo wants is to intimidate a customer with a complicated, disorganized screen. In the age of mySpace and blogging, customization should also be available to those who like to add their own 'touch'.

There's an opportunity here, to create a new market of gamers as well as game distribution. Nintendo needs to handle this appropriately for it to catch on. Several ideas have been proposed by fans including the Long Tail Theory, which would mean giving as much to consumers as possible and letting them decide what's popular and worthwhile. Most importantly is how Nintendo handles its relationship with third-party developers since the majority of content will originate from them. How Nintendo controls the digital distribution of software today may very well determine its fortunes in this industry tomorrow. It's coming. The only question is who will lasso the digital game market first?

As much as it hurts to hear it, marketing is vital to this industry. I guess that's competition for ya. Nintendo is trying to reach new gamers and therefore its marketing efforts should reflect that. The company should try new advertising outlets such as the Home Shopping Network and Food Network. Or associate it with people such as Oprah Winfrey or Martha Stuart. Or sell it in retailers such as Pier 1 or Home Depot. Okay, these may not be the best examples but the point has been made. What worked yesterday to attract traditional gamers is clearly not going to work tomorrow in appealing to non-gamers. Innovation of hardware and software should be complimented by equally innovative marketing.