Nintendo’s E3 move is genius. There, I said it. While there was an initial backlash by journalists and fans alike, this has been something that Nintendo has been moving toward for quite some time. With huge publishers like EA and Activision completely pulling out of E3 this year, Nintendo focusing on one game, especially Zelda, is a bold move and fits the shift in focus that E3 has been going through these past few years. Nintendo’s E3 plans also differentiate themselves from their competitors, Sony and Microsoft, and considering they are solely showcasing The Legend of Zelda, they could end up becoming the most popular booth of the major 3 companies. Zelda is such a huge part of Nintendo’s identity and is one of their most popular properties. Their Link amiibo was even the top selling amiibo in North America, so there is some merit to that. The game has so much hype behind it that this gamble by Nintendo might just work.
This all started when Nintendo stopped holding press conferences and starting holding digital events and Nintendo Directs. They have brought information straight to the consumer with astounding results. The first year they held a digital event at E3, they weren’t prepared for the viewership and the video was so laggy it was unwatchable; not anymore. They’ve learned from their past mistakes and their events are fun, informative, and full of surprises. They immerse everyday gamers with their Best Buy events, where certain games from E3 are actually playable. They are trying to bring everything to the consumer and even bypassing media in some respects. As a journalist, this can be frustrating, but from a business standpoint, Nintendo’s E3 strategy is genius.
Zelda turns 30 this year. It is one of Nintendo’s oldest and most beloved franchise, especially in the west. It makes total sense for Nintendo to focus all their efforts on The Legend of Zelda at this upcoming E3. Although it is truly unfortunate that The Legend of Zelda will not be coming out this year, the fact that it is coming out simultaneously for the Wii U and Nintendo NX and the fact that it is a launch title for the NX is huge. While the NX will not be shown at E3 and the NX version of Zelda will not be shown or be playable, it is sure to bolster NX sales. This is a win-win for Nintendo. Zelda is only delayed by about three months to polish the NX version of the game, and the NX is promised a blockbuster launch with one of Nintendo’s most anticipated games of all time.
The one worry is wait times at E3. Nintendo’s E3 plans are great, but does Nintendo plan to fill their entire booth space purely with Zelda? I highly doubt that that is possible, considering all the space they have (unless they downsize), so what else could they have in store for us? Unplayable demos/videos at booths? The Legend of Zelda is so popular that if they set up demo stations throughout the show floor purely for Zelda it would be awesome and would mean that wait times would be drastically decreased if you’re playing on the show floor. Nintendo plans to give attendees the most immersive experience possible, and being media, I really want to get my hands on the game and give a thorough impression of it. I may even go through the demo 5 times just to be safe, but it’s all worth it considering it’s The Legend of Zelda. This is a game fans have been waiting for since the release of the Nintendo Wii U, and although it is unfortunate that it is coming out at the end of the system’s life cycle, it really is an exciting time if you’re a Nintendo fan.
Nintendo’s E3 plans are perfect, although they may not seem so at first. It is a shame that the Wii U is being cast aside and the NX is taking over come March, but, this is the beginning of a new era at Nintendo, with Tatsumi Kimishima replacing Satoru Iwata after his passing. This is the injection of new life that Nintendo needs and Kimishima seems like the business-minded individual to do just that. He’s been at Nintendo for many years and isn’t going to be in the shadow of Iwata and is bringing his own flavor to the company. Nintendo isn’t a direct competitor to Sony and Microsoft just yet, but they may help to completely shift the focus of E3 and make it something completely different than what it used to be.
Nintendo is bold, Nintendo is different, Nintendo thinks outside the box, Nintendo innovates, and Nintendo sets the standard, as much as some people hate to admit it. This may change E3 as we know it.