If Nintendo Direct was a person, its friends might not be too happy with it. Both businesses and professionals stand to learn a lesson about why that is the case. Nintendo Direct is the new internet home for Nintendo news. Like its competitors, Microsoft and Sony, Nintendo typically holds an annual press conference, but this year Nintendo chose to conduct a live broadcast via Nintendo Direct, showcasing upcoming games and features.
This broadcast has been poorly received as many point to disappointment in a less impressive controller or lack of additional perks. 12 Reasons Why Wii U Will Fail suggests many issues Nintendo is facing, but author Charles Herold strikes gold when he says “The Wii was a brilliant idea; a controller so easy and intuitive that it drew a slew of non-gamers into the world of videogames. Now, after having sold consoles to millions of non-gamers, Nintendo seems to be done with their converts, and is putting out a controller with the very collection of triggers and buttons that kept casual gamers from playing videogames pre-Wii.”
In essence, if Nintendo Direct could talk, it might say that it turned its back on its friends. Sony and Microsoft dominate the heavy-gamer market, which is why Nintendo saw a market segment that would enjoy less complex video games. Nintendo befriended that market in creating Nintendo Wii, simplifying their console, controllers and games. However, the recent Nintendo Direct broadcast showed a high neglect of the casual gaming market. Some individuals predict that this decision to abandon their casual gaming market will negatively impact the already struggling company. Professionals and businesses stand to learn from the choices made by Nintendo that were seen in the recent broadcast.
Lessons learned from Nintendo:
- As a business, it almost never makes sense to abandon your niche. True, Nintendo has been struggling financially, but the answer is not to turn their back on the market that bought million of consoles in recent years. The answer is to work harder to meet the needs of the market.
- On a personal level, this is true as well. Investing in relationships is important and sometimes challenging. The key is not to bail when things get tough.
- Loyalty is a trait to be valued by businesses, brands, and individuals.
You can do a million things correctly, but one big mistake can be costly. Leading Executives and Businesses would do well to learn from Nintendo Direct in this situation. Loyalty and hard work will never steer you wrong.
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