A Marketing Strategy that Actually Works!

[cube_b3]

So just browsing to see how much Nintendo sucks now days (an old school Sega fans guilty pleasure), I came across one of their marketing strategies which was amazing. I mean it actually felt like they cared about their consumers.

Ambassador Program

Basically when the released 3DS XL, they started an ambassador program.

A love letter to early adapters, those fans who were bold enough to buy the handheld when it first came out they were rewarded with 10 Nes games & 10 GBA games via Virtua Store.

Now this is actually something Sony, Microsoft and even Apple fans would appreciate.

[DaMadFiddler]

Um... that's not really the whole story. Due to slow sales, Nintendo abruptly dropped the 3DS price from $250 to $170 less than a year after its launch. The ambassador program you cite was actually an attempt to quell the rage of early adopters (particularly those who'd bought the system a month or less before the price drop, as there was little to no advance warning).

I know because Eva (my fiancé) bought a 3DS only a week or two before the whole price-drop debacle, and thus has the "ambassador" downloads.

[Specially Cork]

I admire Nintendo for trying to get away with that kind of profit margin.

[cube_b3]

So isn't it a strategy that actually benefits the consumers?

It is such a simple strategy, and it can actually help people stay committed to machines without upgrades.

[Specially Cork]

So isn't it a strategy that actually benefits the consumers?

It is such a simple strategy, and it can actually help people stay committed to machines without upgrades.

Giving angry people free things has been used as a marketing strategy for decades.

I'm not sure why I would expect other companies to do it - no other company has pulled a such similar price reduction stunt.

The Ambassador Program had absolutely nothing to do with the 3DS XL launch.

[melancholy]

So isn't it a strategy that actually benefits the consumers?

That's a tricky question, because while it early adopters do benefit from the Ambassador program, it's only because they lost out on a $70 price reduction. It really depends on if you find $70 worth of value in 10 NES and 10 GBA games. Personally, I would have preferred the money since I have only played 1 of the 20 games they gave me.

But on the flipside, they could have simply done nothing and left the early buyers out in the cold. Giving away stuff is always a better option to avoid pissed off customers.

[cube_b3]

Price drops, Upgrades, Modified Hardware is inevitable.

I would call anyone who buys a launch Nintendo handheld is a moron.

Game Boy Advance was shit, no backlight made it unplayable > GBA SP fixed that.
DS was nice > DS Lite was the best though. Subsequent upgrades removed GBA compatability making it the best model.
3DS Came out = I discussed with a few people and we were all like let's wait for 3DS Lite or something.

My post was based on Wikipedia stating the ambassador program was due to 3DSXL.

I just don't Early Adapt, cause I know a revized hardware is the better choice. Usually the 2nd one has also been the best one atleast in my opinion. But if companies took note, respected early adapters did something to show they cared/rewarded their decision, I would be motivated to join the early adapters club.

[Specially Cork]

I just don't Early Adapt, cause I know a revized hardware is the better choice.

Again, that depends.

My launch PS3 is still going strong and does everything a new one can plus more. It's just a bit big.

[cube_b3]

Yeah, that is a weird one.

The bastards decided it would be more profitable to make everyone buy their games all over again. That move turned me off from PS3 and I bought a 360, turns out 360 backward compatibility sucked and I had to buy a PS3 60gb later.

[Skynet]

I just don't Early Adapt, cause I know a revized hardware is the better choice.

Again, that depends.

My launch PS3 is still going strong and does everything a new one can plus more. It's just a bit big.

Not to mention the launch model Wii versus the current Wii. My launch model can run GC games from USB, new model Wii, not the WiiU, can't run GC games at all.

[DaMadFiddler]

I just don't Early Adapt, cause I know a revized hardware is the better choice.

Again, that depends.

My launch PS3 is still going strong and does everything a new one can plus more. It's just a bit big.

Not to mention the launch model Wii versus the current Wii. My launch model can run GC games from USB, new model Wii, not the WiiU, can't run GC games at all.

What do you want to bet there'll be a "Wii µ" or somesuch in a few years that doesn't run regular Wii games?

[Ex-Cyber]

I think that's less likely due to the way the system is set up. It appears that the reason for dropping GC support on Wii was simply to get rid of the GC connectors and associated passives to save a bit of money on parts. For Wii U the analogous cost-cutting measure would be to get rid of the Bluetooth module, but they can't do that because the Wii Remote Plus is the standard controller for multiplayer. Theoretically they could save money by removing the DVD laser from the drive, but I don't know how that plays out in practice (e.g. would the smaller volume on a custom DVD-only pickup cancel the savings of not including the laser?). Perhaps a future revision or new console could drop the drive altogether in favor of larger flash, a la PSP Go, but that doesn't seem like Nintendo's style.

[cube_b3]

I would buy a WII U that restores backward compatability with Gamecube, without the controllers or the memory card. Just the optical medium.

A big fuck up with the Wii was that GC games couldn't be played with the Classic Controller, or some other wireless medium. Had the upgraded the Wii/GC compatability the Gamecube could've outlived the PS2 but that is another discussion...

[Skynet]

Honestly though, I'd prefer my wavebird for GC games over connecting a Wiimote and a classic controller to that. So I don't find the lack of classic controller function to be that much of an issue. Besides, in GC mode it doesn't have access to the BT controller as the GC never had one. So maybe it's not a case of they wouldn't but maybe they couldn't?

[DaMadFiddler]

Honestly though, I'd prefer my wavebird for GC games over connecting a Wiimote and a classic controller to that. So I don't find the lack of classic controller function to be that much of an issue. Besides, in GC mode it doesn't have access to the BT controller as the GC never had one. So maybe it's not a case of they wouldn't but maybe they couldn't?

I think this is accurate. When it comes to backwards compatibility, Nintendo has always chosen the combination of high compatibility and low effort. Every system that has some form of backwards compatibility--GBA > GB/GBC, DS > GBA, Wii > GC--accomplishes it by integrating some form of the previous system's hardware, and kicking into an isolated hardware mode when the older media is launched. As a result, the system basically turns itself into whatever platform is being played, without access to any of its other abilities. That's why you can't, say, play GBA link games over wifi with the DS, use Wii controllers (or even go back to the system menu) on GameCube games, etc.

It's the laziest way of doing it, and it denies the older games any of the benefits of the newer platform, but it also ensures perfect compatibility with minimal fuss.

[cube_b3]

I doubt it. I distinctly remember it being a cheap move.

Remember when Zelda: Whatever Something was a Gamecube exclusive, previewers said the same disk would have Wii exclusive features, but then they got greedy and released the same game twice one with Wii-Support and one without.

A few years down the road a Dreamcast developer tried to release Radio Allergy (aka radilgy or something on DC), but couldn't get it published the box art for the game stated Wii-Compatibility.

I don't know hardware or software programming but I think it is technically possible for Gamecube games to support modern peripherals of the Wii, the classic controller is just an excuse I've seen people use a PS2 controller via the Wiimote port.