Nintendo Warns It Won't Make More Retro NES and SNES Consoles

[Megalith]

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime warned that the current batch of Super NES Classic Edition and NES Classic Edition is final: “once they sell out, they’re gone. And that’s it.” Those who miss out are expected to do their retro gaming on the Nintendo Switch via Switch Online. Fils-Aime also suggested there wouldn’t be a Nintendo 64 Classic.

"We've also been clear that, at least from an Americas perspective, these products are going to be available through the holiday season and once they sell out, they're gone. And that's it. The way that consumers will be able to continue participating with our classic content is going to be through Nintendo Switch Online, and we just released three new games (Ninja Gaiden, Wario's Woods and Adventures of Lolo) from the NES generation onto that platform. We look at that as the main way that consumers will be able to experience that legacy content."

 

[Spaceninja]

You can still buy a Raspberry Pi and a case that looks like a NES so no biggie.

 

[Cyraxx]

Yeah no, they wouldn't want to make a shitload of cash off of nostalgic products. That would just make too much business sense. What better way to sell shit and make revenue than to sell shit that was already made and you literally have to do nothing but manufacture it...

What retards....

 

[Aireoth]

Something about Pie.

 

[steakman1971]

Give them time - they will be back. Could be a few years.
I bought both of them. I bought the NES last month - it's going to be a gift for one of my kids so I can play games on it
I do like the interface on these devices - it's polished and pretty nice. The controllers are decent. However, RetroPi is another great interface and it works well. So, not missing out on much here if they do stop selling these for a while.

 

[atarumoroboshi18]

 

[DejaWiz]

Yeah no, they wouldn't want to make a shitload of cash off of nostalgic products. That would just make too much business sense. What better way to sell shit and make revenue than to sell shit that was already made and you literally have to do nothing but manufacture it...

What retards....

Well, it's kind of embarrassing when their old shit vastly outsells their new shit, so kill the old shit and force the new shit...

https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/2/17642236/nes-classic-npd-sales-data-june-2018

OTOH, I agree with you. Nintendo is far from the market leading juggernaut that they used to be oh, 25 years ago, so they should ramp-up with pushing what is, essentially, guaranteed revenue and profits. Or the only Switch they'll be pushing is the one that turns the lights off for the final time...

 

[Derangel]

You can still buy a Raspberry Pi and a case that looks like a NES so no biggie.

For a little extra money, and if space isn't a concern, I'd almost lean towards the Shield TV for a pure emulation machine. Stronger hardware and a bit better support and emulation for N64 titles. Gamecube games even work on it.

Well, it's kind of embarrassing when their old shit vastly outsells their new shit, so kill the old shit and force the new shit...

https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/2/17642236/nes-classic-npd-sales-data-june-2018

OTOH, I agree with you. Nintendo is far from the market leading juggernaut that they used to be oh, 25 years ago, so they should ramp-up with pushing what is, essentially, guaranteed revenue and profits. Or the only Switch they'll be pushing is the one that turns the lights off for the final time...

Nintendo is making shit loads of money off the Switch and 3DS right now. Also, them no longer producing the NES and SNES Classic does not mean they won't do other Classic systems. Nintendo can be incredibly weird/dumb with some of their business moves, but they are masters at milking nostalgia. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Gameboy/GBA or N64 Classic announced and released next year. Unless they plan to actually get off their ass and get games from those systems onto the Switch.

 

[leathco016]

Honestly, Nintendo NEEDED to kill these to protect their IPs. They were easily hacked and simple to add any game from the platforms onto. I bought both happily, and immediately modded them to have huge game libraries on tiny consoles. Same thing with the PS Classic. I love the idea, but until companies can secure the software on these things, they will be simple to use piracy machines.

I would not be surprised if we see these come back later, this time with internet connectivity, the ability to buy and download games from the internet to add to it, and frequent firmware patches to prevent hacking.

 

[viscountalpha]

Honestly, Nintendo NEEDED to kill these to protect their IPs. They were easily hacked and simple to add any game from the platforms onto. I bought both happily, and immediately modded them to have huge game libraries on tiny consoles. Same thing with the PS Classic. I love the idea, but until companies can secure the software on these things, they will be simple to use piracy machines.

I would not be surprised if we see these come back later, this time with internet connectivity, the ability to buy and download games from the internet to add to it, and frequent firmware patches to prevent hacking.

I disagree. It won't matter now that the cat it out of the bag. China will still mass produce these.

 

[acidrain97]

I have my stash of mini's... 10 or 15 years from now they might be worth something. I have my everdrives and modded Nintendo/Sega/Dreamcast/etc consoles to keep me busy for a long time. The switch is a piece of shit. Old shit is so much better.

 

[Soulmetzger]

Didn't care before... still don't. This was more of a gimmick than anything. I know several people that bought these and even drove all over to get one, only for it to collect dust now. Sometimes the past is better left in our memories.

 

[collegeboy69us]

fuck em' I was excited for NES classic till they went full retard and only made about 10 of them, then pulled the product only for it to magically reappear later. After their marketing/supply chain fuckery I just didn't care anymore.

 

[DejaWiz]

Nintendo is making shit loads of money off the Switch and 3DS right now. Also, them no longer producing the NES and SNES Classic does not mean they won't do other Classic systems. Nintendo can be incredibly weird/dumb with some of their business moves, but they are masters at milking nostalgia. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Gameboy/GBA or N64 Classic announced and released next year. Unless they plan to actually get off their ass and get games from those systems onto the Switch.

Yeah, you aren't wrong...Nintendo is raking in some huge profits off of Switch hardware and software sales.

 

[BloodyIron]

This is one of the few things Nintendo does that is actually against people having fun. I don't get why they would do limit runs for something so ludicrously popular. Oh well, I guess they'd rather I pirate their games then...

 

[scojer]

Pick one of these up instead.
They play all the old cartridges and you can even mod them to play ROMs.

 

[viscountalpha]

I need to get a 2nd one of both to enjoy. I can't bring myself to take it out of thr box.

 

[ManofGod]

eBay flippers to the rescue?

 

[djoye]

While it's a bit pricey ($190), I'd rather buy an Analogue Super Nt. It'll run whatever carts you have and it has community support that'll get you running everything else and it'll do it accurately on whatever has an HDMI port.

 

[jnemesh]

If Nintendo won't give their customers what they want, then someone else will. This is pretty short-sighted...and I expect it will be reversed when the current idiot making these decisions moves on.

 

[Master_shake_]

If Nintendo won't give their customers what they want, then someone else will. This is pretty short-sighted...and I expect it will be reversed when the current idiot making these decisions moves on.

someone already is.

ebay is flooded with retro 8 bit and 16 bit cartridge loaders and preloaded like the mini's

nintendo must be allergic to making money.

fuck they are dumb.

 

[dangerouseddy]

they will probably spend all their money on lawyers trying to get the retro items removed from the various sites rather than make some more of their own.

 

[1Nocturnal101]

Hello, is this mic on.......
Hello, we are Nintendo, and because we hate money and don't really care, we won't give you what you want...
/Bow/Mic drop....out..

 

[The Mad Atheist]

Now is this because you can easily mod them and play all the ROMs you can find!? lol

 

[trparky]

Damn these fools, they must hate money.

 

[harbingerofdoom]

dear nintendo
you DO realize the gene is already out of the bottle right?

there are ways around this that would actually cost me less and give you NONE of my money instead of SOME.... you do get that right?

 

[Krenum]

Oh no! What ever will we do!

Spare us Nintendont. All of your games have already been downloaded. We don't need your overpriced retro consoles anyway.

 

[1Nocturnal101]

Now is this because you can easily mod them and play all the ROMs you can find!? lol

If they were smart they would have created a console with a digital store.

Either way man Raspberry pi 3 is all you need if you are going that route, and it cost significantly less.

 

[jnemesh]

someone already is.

ebay is flooded with retro 8 bit and 16 bit cartridge loaders and preloaded like the mini's

nintendo must be allergic to making money.

fuck they are dumb.

No kidding. They have the lowest specs on a modern console, HORRIBLE multi-player and internet support, inconsistent support for their retro games on modern consoles, and then, when against all odds, they find something people are truly willing to buy, IN THE MILLIONS, they make it "limited edition" and dont follow up with the N64 version fans are asking for! If I were a shareholder, I would be in full revolt at this news.

 

[Derangel]

No kidding. They have the lowest specs on a modern console, HORRIBLE multi-player and internet support, inconsistent support for their retro games on modern consoles, and then, when against all odds, they find something people are truly willing to buy, IN THE MILLIONS, they make it "limited edition" and dont follow up with the N64 version fans are asking for! If I were a shareholder, I would be in full revolt at this news.

We don't know whether or not they plan to do a N64 version. Nintendo would try to deny something five seconds before they announced it. So it remains to be seen if they plan to do more stuff like this next year or not. Of course with everyone else flooding the market with shitty, half-assed, versions of mini-consoles Nintendo might think its time to get out before the other idiots ruin the market.

So, you would revolt while Nintendo is raking in millions of dollars and pulling in some of the highest sales in the history of their company because of a few things that seem to have absolutely zero impact on their profits?

Edit: I agree that Nintendo's online is complete crap though. They really need to fix that, especially with demanding money for it. Even for free it would suck, but it would feel slightly less insultingly bad.

 

[DukenukemX]

Something about Pie.

Something about RetroArch.

 

[maxius]

they need to focus efforts into a online service for the switch that would allow people to download classic games for a bundle price

 

[tangoseal]

Yeah no, they wouldn't want to make a shitload of cash off of nostalgic products. That would just make too much business sense. What better way to sell shit and make revenue than to sell shit that was already made and you literally have to do nothing but manufacture it...

What retards....

No...

They are saying this to sell the shit out of them.

Then in 2 years after they claim super mega demand they will bring them back again for a year. Then.....and so on.

 

[Mazzspeed]

So Nintendo go around shutting down ROM sites screaming copyright, but that's acceptable as Nintendo still release devices using their old IP. Then, all of a sudden, they stop releasing devices selling their old IP?!

If I own an original cart of Super Mario Bros, I own a license to use that software if my NES up and died on me. Now if Nintendo no longer make money out of 30+yo IP and I own a license to use the software - How can downloading a ROM be illegal?

This is the opposite end of the table abusing the copyright system. There's no other way to put it.

 

[Pieter3dnow]

So Nintendo go around shutting down ROM sites screaming copyright, but that's acceptable as Nintendo still release devices using their old IP. Then, all of a sudden, they stop releasing devices selling their old IP?!

If I own an original cart of Super Mario Bros, I own a license to use that software if my NES up and died on me. Now if Nintendo no longer make money out of 30+yo IP and I own a license to use the software - How can downloading a ROM be illegal?

This is the opposite end of the table abusing the copyright system. There's no other way to put it.

But Nintendo does not care as long as it can sell old crap again and again.

 

[ZodaEX]

Then, all of a sudden, they stop releasing devices selling their old IP?!

Nope, you're wrong. Nintendo does still release devices selling their old ip called Nintendo Virtual console. I just got a New Nintendo 3DS and it has it.

 

[Mazzspeed]

But Nintendo does not care as long as it can sell old crap again and again.

Well, technically speaking, if they're going to sell 30+ yo IP over and over again it's in their interests to protect it. But now they're saying they have no interest in doing so....

Nope, you're wrong. Nintendo does still release devices selling their old ip called Nintendo Virtual console. I just got a New Nintendo 3DS and it has it.

Ah, OK, I didn't know that. However, technically speaking, If you bought a cart 30 years ago and it failed due to age, you still own a license to legally use that ROM image if Nintendo are unable to provide replacement software using the correct media for your device.

 

[caddys83]

Something about Pie.

apple pie

 

[The Mad Atheist]

apple pie

Dutch or plain pie?

 

[Derangel]

So Nintendo go around shutting down ROM sites screaming copyright, but that's acceptable as Nintendo still release devices using their old IP. Then, all of a sudden, they stop releasing devices selling their old IP?!

If I own an original cart of Super Mario Bros, I own a license to use that software if my NES up and died on me. Now if Nintendo no longer make money out of 30+yo IP and I own a license to use the software - How can downloading a ROM be illegal?

This is the opposite end of the table abusing the copyright system. There's no other way to put it.

Its not really all that sudden. Nintendo said a long time ago that these systems would only be on sale through this year. I'm not entirely sure why they're not bothering to make more, but they've been clear about how long they'll be around for a while now. Well, I kind of understand the NES Classic due to Switch Online but they don't have SNES games on there so....

Downloading a ROM is illegal because the law says so. Its really that simple. Since no video game is old enough to qualify as public domain and abandonware is not remotely a legal term, every video game is still covered under US copyright protection laws. Those laws very clearly state that downloading games is considered piracy and is therefore illegal.

You own a license to use the software only as directed by the license itself. The license gives you the right to play the software on the system designed for it and the DMCA allows you to create (not download) a single backup for archival purposes.

The US copyright system is several kinds of fucked, but what Nin is doing really isn't abusing it. They have a right to do what they want with their own IPs and no one is entitled to use them without permission.