Feature: 'Are Publishers Late To The (Wii and DS) Game?'

In the latest 'Analyze This' feature, we asked notable game analysts from IDC, Wedbush Morgan and GamerMetrics to name the publishers have capitalized the best - and fared the worst - following the swift rise of Nintendo's Wii and DS consoles to the top of the game hardware charts. But prior to the Wii's launch, did some game publishers underestimate the unique console's potential? GamerMetrics' Nick Williams offers his thoughts: “Many publishers adopted a wait-and-see approach with the Wii and DS, which is understandable given Nintendo's ambitious mass-market strategy and unproven new technologies. Historically, the success of Nintendo's platforms has been closely tied to its home-grown franchises, and up until recently, the Wii and the DS had been no different. But now that both platforms are creating new market opportunities, third-party publishers feel compelled to capitalize on the large installed bases and diversify their software offerings to mesh with the new audiences. So, yes, third-party publishers underestimated the popularity of the DS and the Wii; however, Nintendo's platforms have always been difficult for outsiders to conquer. Now that Nintendo's platforms are starting to lose their core gamer stigma, the opportunity is certainly there for these publishers to step up to the plate. Case in point: Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello mentioned that EA was on "the wrong horse" and that the company would be shifting its strategy to account for the Wii's success.” You can now read the complete feature, which includes additional insight as publishers begin to shift their focus towards releasing titles for Nintendo consoles (no registration required, please feel free to link to this feature from external websites).