Nintendo Discontinues the NES Classic Edition

I get that this is cool for none techy people but come on. I would think people on this fourm are smart enough to make something better for cheap. Hell it's all free if you just use your PC. Screw doing it legally if they make it so hard to do so.

Very true -- but some of us are very lazy and I'd rather start with a well put together foundation and the classic NES look and mod it from there. I'm all for DIY, hacks, and mods, but sometimes you just want to buy it plug it in, and have it work without a weekends of fiddling and working on it.
 
Is this common practice at NOA?

Make a high demand product, then discontinue?

Well, the scumbag scalpers on eBay are having a field day already.
 
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I remember somewhere that Nintendo operates like a Toy Company instead of a Video Games Company. Everything they do must be seen through that lens. While I object to some elements, I don't doubt there couldn't be some truth to it at least when it comes to things like this. This, combined with A) A notoriously old fashioned, backwards, and controlling vision of their products and IP and B) What is likely a good amount of old school Japanese "From the boom times" top down management that upper management figures "I / we did X back when we were most successful, so we're going to keep that strategy ad nauseum", means that Nintendo misses a lot of opportunities and doesn't seem to be able to adapt to a changing market. Case in point, the lack of bringing actual Nintendo 3DS-style (or better) games to Android and iOS. It is no longer 5, much less 10 years ago and people are carrying around a cell phone that is many times more powerful and widely useful; they don't want to buy and carry around a device solely to play games that could technically easily work on a device they already own (especially if the company is going to push game elements that require not Internet wide, but actual proximity networking a la StreetPass)! Likewise, the Switch could be seen as a great general use tablet + dock that also plays Nintendo games, but they didn't even start with a built in chat program much less anything else to take advantage of the Switch's hardware (ie media software like Kodi , Plex / Emby etc, e-readers, various other apps), much less make it actually run on Android and thus compatible with standard Android apps, giving users the best of both worlds. Can you imagine how many people would buy a Switch as a "$300 package that includes a $200 tablet + $100 worth of top quality controllers and a dock for TV usage" , if they were able to use their existing Android apps/favorites/media, plus a neat Nintendo skinned UI and store to buy special Nintendo titles?

Nintendo handled the NES Classic seemingly fumbling at every turn, but they are so mired in an old way of thinking it seems they're not likely to break free even when it is both fiscally beneficial and good for the consumer. Instead, they will have to be dragged kicking and screaming into the future only when failures grow so great that it forces change, it seems... and the whole time blaming everyone else from pirates on down for their mistakes. Its really too bad that a company that when at its best can produce some great experiences is encumbered by these issues. Personally, I'd love to see a future where Nintendo is broken free of their desire to control everything and abandons running a platform entirely, instead focusing on their real strengths - peripherals and games - for other platforms, most notably PC and/or mobile like Android.
 
The main problem with NES Classic (and by extension, Famicom Classic) is that it has a locked down game library with absolutely no way to add more, which I consider one of the biggest downfalls. Plus the machine itself is an emulator, and doesn't run the NES games at the hardware level.

However, NES is a better implemented version than Famicom Classic, which I consider to be a complete disaster for 2 reasons:

1. The controllers on the Famicom Classic is, just like the Famicom, undetachable, so if your control pad break, tough luck. The NES has detachable and thus replaceable control pads

2. The Famicom form factor is very faithful to the original, except for its actual size, meaning everything is shrunk down in the same proportion, and that includes the control pads. The pads are small enough that even a new born baby would complain about its size, let alone anyone older, LET ALONE anyone old enough to want to buy one of these. The NES classic controllers are, AFAIK, normal sized.

And no, Famicom Classic cannot use NES Classic's controller, because there are no ports for it.

So I didn't miss much about Famicom Classic.

The price point is also in an extremely weird place. The price tag it is asking is enough to buy Raspberry pi 3, all of its required accessories, any controller you want barring Xbone or DS4 controller, and an SD card to put all the ROMS on. You also have enough controller options to pick and choose (You can pick iBuffalo wired USB clone, 8bitdo BT wireless clone, an old school NES controller with USB convertor, or basically, every other type of controller under the sun, if you have a preference for a controller, chances are there are ways to make it work on it), even XBone or DS4 controllers if you have one lying around and unemployed.

The only issue with Raspberry pi would be the ROMs themselves, but if you still have the original cartridges, you are sorted on that front.

Oh, did I mention that you can install Kodi on RetroPie?

Yes, Rpi3/RetroPie does take more time to setup than a NES classic, but the main thing here is that it's an once off thing, once you set it up, image your SD card and you are pretty good to go from there on.

I am personally waiting to see if RetroPie can be ported to TinkerBoard (the author is currently looking into it), as even Rpi3 isn't quite enough to do some of the more heavy duty emulations (DS, N64 and PS1 onwards).

As much as I like Nintendo doing stuff they are doing, the actual implementation has been consistently poor, but even more so on the Asian end, ironic, given that they are at the heart of the Asian market.
 
The NES Classic gave Nintendo bona fide proof that their name is still a household staple and there is huge demand based on this single product alone...and they pull this fucktard move?

The next thing they release better be a Ver2 with more NES games (and perhaps even a heaping helping of SNES games) so they can capitalize on this demand. They could even raise the price tag to $80-100 and they would not see so much as a dent in sales.

If they don't, then they are essentially pouring dirt into a gold mine. That would put them at the #1 spot for tech company blunders of the century.
 
Fuck Nintendo. I swear they're having a contest with Microsoft on who can ruin their company and piss off their customer base worse in the shortest amount of time.

Buy a Retro Pie kit off Amazon, you can play more than just NES games.
 
I was willing to buy it when the whole "Walmart" crowd of bumrushing stores died down... But since you revoked it and will no longer be selling it in stores... Guess I'm sticking to Roms.... and guess what? It's your own damn fault and I don't give a single fuck.
 
Well ROMS, because... well roms.... I would have bought one if it was in stock ever... I've kept an eye out for it since launch. I never cared for a switch, ended up with that. What I really wanted was a classic. Not caring for the SNES version since I just got mine hooked up and working out of anger of no classic nes.
 
I recommend, for those who are considering getting the retropie, that you only buy a full Raspberry Pi 3 kit (the kit usually includes the board itself, a SD card for an OS, USB PSU, a case and a HDMI cable, plus other amenities), and download the RetroPie yourself and install yourself, not a preloaded RetroPie (the authors do not condone such a sale, plus there is no guarentee if they added any crap to the installation either).

Pre-installed Kodi kits are one of the main reasons why Kodi are doing what they are doing now. Too many people profitting off the free software and giving it a bad image in the process.
 
I honestly wonder why people keep giving nintendo money, since they are the most hostile company towards its own customers?

Yeah, the second most hostile is MS with the update crap they jus pulled.
 
I honestly wonder why people keep giving nintendo money, since they are the most hostile company towards its own customers?

Yeah, the second most hostile is MS with the update crap they jus pulled.

IMO EA is, by far, way ahead of Microsoft in that regard.
 
If this was any other company than Nintendo they'd be bankrupt years ago, due to all these boneheaded business decisions. But luckily the fanboys are happy to indulge and pay the price gougers whatever they ask for Nintendo stuff.

And I'm sure the main reason it's being discontinued is because they totally fumbled the copy protection / OS security again.

Can't be that bad if people actually like their products. I agree cutting it off now is a bit early, but I suspect they're running close to market saturation. If they sold 2 million it would make more sense. The market is not that big for this device, and many know about emulators.
 
Do they not have shareholders?
Can't be that bad if people actually like their products. I agree cutting it off now is a bit early, but I suspect they're running close to market saturation. If they sold 2 million it would make more sense. The market is not that big for this device, and many know about emulators.

When you produce a product. You want to achieve market saturation. You want every single man woman and child who can afford to buy one, to buy one.

This is true if you're making Rolex watches or if you're making cotton balls.
 
Can't be that bad if people actually like their products. I agree cutting it off now is a bit early, but I suspect they're running close to market saturation. If they sold 2 million it would make more sense. The market is not that big for this device, and many know about emulators.
The market is there, the device itself is what shrunk its market.

Nintendo has grossly underestimated just how many people would buy an official (and well implemented) retro gaming device, and instead just made a novelty device that was more expensive than viable alternatives (hardware-wise at least) and locked it down enough that it only appeals to nostalgia tourists, and not the more dedicated player base.

But in all seriousness, I am still baffled at how Nintendo or Sega haven't made any serious attempts to get into the mobile phone market with their 8bit and 16bit titles, those would probably be license to print money, especially if done via the subscription model. Mobile phones and tablets are ideal for this type of thing, especially for the more simplistic throwaway games.
 
Nintendo's handling of this from the start made no sense, as if they didn't want money. Everybody knew it would be pretty popular, yet they produced a laughable amount of them. Continued to produce a laughable amount of them, even in the face of high demand, and now pull them. I mean, seriously? Their higher ups should have a lot of questions to answer as to why they didn't want to print free money.
 
Nintendo's handling of this from the start made no sense, as if they didn't want money. Everybody knew it would be pretty popular, yet they produced a laughable amount of them. Continued to produce a laughable amount of them, even in the face of high demand, and now pull them. I mean, seriously? Their higher ups should have a lot of questions to answer as to why they didn't want to print free money.

I can just imagine the board meeting.

Chairman: "Guys, we want Nintendo to be successful, but not toooo successful. How can we make this happen?"

Board member: "I know, why don't we discontinue the best selling product we've made in nearly two decades?"

Chairman: "Brilliant! Let's roll with that."
 
Or... some board member got really confused and thinks red numbers denotes good fortune, and uses all his power to keep the company in the red.
 
NES Classic was the only console from Nintendo that I was going to buy in the last like...5 years. Was...that is. I'm not paying the scalper price and with no chance of it ever going to MSRP for a new one, I'm not going to bother. Guess, I'll get the Sega one instead.
 
Remember guys, don't use emulators and support Nintendo for being a great company.
 
Remember guys, don't use emulators and support Nintendo for being a great company.

Except they aren't a great company, as they aren't putting out a product the people want. When they do make such a product, they pull BS like this. Hence people moving to emulators. Great my ass
 
Except they aren't a great company, as they aren't putting out a product the people want. When they do make such a product, they pull BS like this. Hence people moving to emulators. Great my ass

95% sure that was sarcasm.
 
Why would they sell you 30 games for a $60 one time fee when they can sell you singles at $5 in the virtual console that you have to rebuy every time you get a new system?

Rebuying so many games it's getting really old
 
“Throughout April, NOA territories will receive the last shipments of Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition systems for this year..."

I wouldn't put it past them to do a re-release in the future with the wording of the press release. Think something like a new holiday edition with more games or a rotated roster. Seems like they're trying to hold something back for themselves as far as a profit goes, by limiting the amount of consoles on the market that gougers can make a buck off of.
 
Very true -- but some of us are very lazy and I'd rather start with a well put together foundation and the classic NES look and mod it from there. I'm all for DIY, hacks, and mods, but sometimes you just want to buy it plug it in, and have it work without a weekends of fiddling and working on it.

It's not really a weekend of fiddling, like an hour, tops. Seriously.

Buy a Pi3, a case, a 16 GB or larger Micro SD card, and a used PS4 controller (or if you have one you can use that). Download RetroPi and a disk image program, image the SD card, plug in. That's it. Then you can browse it on the network, drag over any roms you want.

Connecting and configuring the PS4 controller takes like 2 minutes, so not a problem there, and if you use a PS4 one you don't need any other drivers or anything, it just works, wirelessly.

That's it. Less than an hour. If you can't handle that, I think you're on the wrong forum lol.

Assemble the Pi in the case - 2 Minutes, maybe
Download the image - Internet dependent, we'll say under 5 minutes
Flash the image - like 2 Min
Put card in Pi - 5 seconds
Boot in, Pi does all the config stuff for you, then connect the PS4 controller to the bluetooth and push every button once - 5 Min , we can even say 10 if it makes you feel better
On your network, drag over Roms - As long or as short as you want. I put a few on just to test, then over night copied over the collection - took me less then 10 min to get the few dozen I was going to play right away
Restart just the application after every rom transfer to update the main menu - under 2 minutes
Play games!

Now if you WANT to tinker, there are options, but everything I've tried has worked out of the box, no adjustments needed, hell there are even software BIOS's for some of the systems that need them. They say these aren't 100% but I haven't had to replace them yet. I did spend a few minutes doing things like default GB/GBC palettes, I doubled the NES sprite per line limint (this removes the flickering when sprites are on the same line, just a preference), and made some tweaks to my N64 internal and external resolutions, maybe 5 - 10 more minutes

If you've ever sat down and watched a TV show you've already used more time then a Pi takes to get going
 
I honestly wonder why people keep giving nintendo money, since they are the most hostile company towards its own customers?

Yeah, the second most hostile is MS with the update crap they jus pulled.

Are you a customer if you don't have their product? :)

On the contrary I hear those who actually own their products get treated tremendously well.

I had no interest in Nintendo products for a long time. I did get a Wii u for the nephews and a 3ds for the wife but my last personal Nintendo product was a used snes in 1992. It's kinda interesting to see the comments from people about Nintendo not making money though. That damn company seems to be doing something right.

I think it's because they don't have someone to answer too like MS and Sony. A higher up that dictates that their products need to be mainstream and cater to the annual money making streams like cod and shit.

Cause of that more power to Nintendo and their smaller market thats pretty neat to read about and innovative.
 
It's not really a weekend of fiddling, like an hour, tops. Seriously.

Buy a Pi3, a case, a 16 GB or larger Micro SD card, and a used PS4 controller (or if you have one you can use that). Download RetroPi and a disk image program, image the SD card, plug in. That's it. Then you can browse it on the network, drag over any roms you want.

Connecting and configuring the PS4 controller takes like 2 minutes, so not a problem there, and if you use a PS4 one you don't need any other drivers or anything, it just works, wirelessly.

That's it. Less than an hour. If you can't handle that, I think you're on the wrong forum lol.

Assemble the Pi in the case - 2 Minutes, maybe
Download the image - Internet dependent, we'll say under 5 minutes
Flash the image - like 2 Min
Put card in Pi - 5 seconds
Boot in, Pi does all the config stuff for you, then connect the PS4 controller to the bluetooth and push every button once - 5 Min , we can even say 10 if it makes you feel better
On your network, drag over Roms - As long or as short as you want. I put a few on just to test, then over night copied over the collection - took me less then 10 min to get the few dozen I was going to play right away
Restart just the application after every rom transfer to update the main menu - under 2 minutes
Play games!

Now if you WANT to tinker, there are options, but everything I've tried has worked out of the box, no adjustments needed, hell there are even software BIOS's for some of the systems that need them. They say these aren't 100% but I haven't had to replace them yet. I did spend a few minutes doing things like default GB/GBC palettes, I doubled the NES sprite per line limint (this removes the flickering when sprites are on the same line, just a preference), and made some tweaks to my N64 internal and external resolutions, maybe 5 - 10 more minutes

If you've ever sat down and watched a TV show you've already used more time then a Pi takes to get going

you're under the assumption that most people aren't mouth breathing idiots.

well i have i got news for you.
 
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I've been trying to get a NES Classic for months my friend has one and it's a fun throwback to our childhoods. Since the announcement yesterday secondary market prices have SKY ROCKETED the only ones that aren't 5 times retail price are the ones that have been active for a few days with bids on them. As a matter or principal I spent 15 minutes reporting all the auctions selling modded versions with ROMs preinstalled.
 
Are you a customer if you don't have their product? :)

On the contrary I hear those who actually own their products get treated tremendously well.

I had no interest in Nintendo products for a long time. I did get a Wii u for the nephews and a 3ds for the wife but my last personal Nintendo product was a used snes in 1992. It's kinda interesting to see the comments from people about Nintendo not making money though. That damn company seems to be doing something right.

I think it's because they don't have someone to answer too like MS and Sony. A higher up that dictates that their products need to be mainstream and cater to the annual money making streams like cod and shit.

Cause of that more power to Nintendo and their smaller market thats pretty neat to read about and innovative.

i forgot,

dead pixels are a design feature.
 
I can just imagine the board meeting.

Chairman: "Guys, we want Nintendo to be successful, but not toooo successful. How can we make this happen?"

Board member: "I know, why don't we discontinue the best selling product we've made in nearly two decades?"

Chairman: "Brilliant! Let's roll with that."

It is odd. But remember their best device is now the 3ds. At $200 a pop with 65 million out there.
 
Are you a customer if you don't have their product? :)

Good point, but I think (and could be wrong) you are a customer when in your mind, you are ready to give a company your money.
 
Good point, but I think (and could be wrong) you are a customer when in your mind, you are ready to give a company your money.

Customer or not customer, you really are just a digit in a spreadsheet lol. I think we put too much stock in that label anymore. "the customer is always right" went to so many peoples heads they though that was a free pass to treat people like crap.
 
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