Nobody could care less about some of these once-proud champions: Microsoft, Dell, Garmin, Nokia, Sony.
But what about Nintendo? Everybody loved Nintendo once.
And it’s not like Nintendo got carried away by excess, greed, hubris, etc.
They were the champs once, then MSFT and SONY came in for the top-end of the market.
Nintendo moved brilliantly to a simpler, cheaper space — with the Wii and DS — and they absolutely killed.
Then Apple and Android transformed the simple games space.
But then nothing. (The Wii U seems to have been a failed move to create a new brilliantly simple interaction/gadget. The Kynect out-Wiis the Wii.)
Their stock is down 80% the last 4 years. (MSFT is flat.)
What’s their next move?
– A Wii-like super innovation that’s fun but cheap, not easily cloned fast that re-invents console gaming as we know it. That’s the Nintendo DNA
– Make games for the other platforms. That would be the Gil Amelio move. Most would agree with the “burning platform” argument from Stephen Elop.
– Something else? Make an Android-based console? Make a TV? Didn’t work for Motorola apparently.