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[John Bender]

Nintendo Really Likes Metacritic

At an investor's meeting today, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata talked a lot about how great Nintendo's Metacritic scores are—even going as far as to brag that Nintendo's current releases have higher Metacritic numbers than Sony's or Microsoft's.

Um, congrats?

Keep in mind that Iwata is talking to boring investor types. That, and this Metacritic chest thumping is depressing.

Link

Third Quarter Financial Results Briefing for Fiscal Year Ending March 2015 (Feb. 17, 2015)

 

[Broken Joystick]

Fuck's sake, Iwata.

Spoiler

I get this is used to appeased to shareholders, but still.

 

[……forgetit]

I mean ya got to brag about something, and their scores ARE great.

 

[bomblord1]

I am ok with this they have the quality to back it up.

 

[ramparter]

Expected considering how great most of their games score.

edit: But it's sad that the greatest Wii U game stands at 83 only...

 

[Risk Breaker]

I wonder if this is just because their average is higher or because they are seriously disconnected from core gamers?

Or both?

 

[Makonero]

When all you've got is small potatoes, you tend to emphasize how tasty they are.

(I love their tasty tasty taters)

 

[KojiKnight]

Everyone brags about what they have while downplaying what they don't. If the situations were reversed, we'd be seeing Sony doing the same.

 

[Thoraxes]

When a brand-new title is released, there are often misconceptions at the outset, so I would not take the Metacritic.com Metascores and User Scores as the absolute tell-all index, but I do want us to do our best to release such highly evaluated titles in succession.

Hold them horses.

 

[Oregano]

I don't what is worse: Metacritic or that blog post/article.

 

[BY2K]

A lot of publishers like Metacritic, actually.

 

[Mr. X]

The lack of third party support helped them out here.

 

[oti]

Later during the Q&A:
"What is this Metacritic nonsense and who cares about childish games! Where is the money!"

 

[Fireblend]

Eh, as long as shareholders are happy, Nintendo can say anything for all I care.

 

[domlolz]

Fuck's sake, Iwata.

Spoiler

I get this is used to appeased to shareholders, but still.

what? whats wrong with pointing out how highly rated most nintendo software is?

 

[Sparrowhawk]

Quoting Metacritic scores seems like a good way to please investors?

 

[Orniletter]

I don't like Metascores and it's use in the industry...

...but their games are pretty much always of extremely high quality (inbefore Stickr Star wah wah) and when you talk to investors, it's all about making yourself look good.

Fuck's sake, Iwata.

Spoiler

I get this is used to appeased to shareholders, but still.

Yeah, how dare Iwata make use of something/ point something out that makes his company look good.

 

[March of the Crabs]

You have to understand that most of these investors don't understand gaming or the industry. High reviews will please them.

 

[jrush64]

Nintendo isn't the only company that uses Metacritic

 

[John Kowalski]

someone really needs to kick metacritic in the butt and tell them to get a real job

 

[Sami+]

I mean, they have to brag about something right?

 

[SeanR1221]

Eh. Let them have it. You gotta brag about something and they have great scoring games.

 

[mcmmaster]

Them reviews aren't misleading when their Wii U games are brimming with quality and polish all around, let em brag!

 

[DSix]

Shareholders are dumb, Nintendo do what it must to make them understand they don't make fast shit for faster money.

 

[Broken Joystick]

what? whats wrong with pointing out how highly rated most nintendo software is?

Nothing. I just dislike Metacritic

 

[baconcow]

Investors are not all gamers. Metacritic offers a flawed, yet quantitative view of a game's critical assessment. Until someone makes a better mainstream site, this will be the goto one.

 

[mocolostrocolos]

I mean, they have to brag about something right?

Well, at least Nintendo has quality games to brag about. It ain't 19 million consoles, but heh.

 

[Oersted]

That writing. Is it Ashcraft?

 

[James Scott]

Well, even if Nintendo's business is struggling, they are still some of the best devs in the industry.

 

[Caronte]

Nintendo isn't the only company that uses Metacritic

Yeah. Sadly all of them do. Especially publishers.

 

[phanphare]

I mean......their games are really good

 

[Kacho]

Making high quality games that typically review well and being able to glance at a website to see what the general consensus of both media outlets and consumers must be nice.

 

[OrbitalBeard]

I'm not seeing a problem with Nintendo bragging about their quality releases.

 

[baconcow]

Later during the Q&A:
"What is this Metacritic nonsense and who cares about childish games! Where is the money!"

Iwata: In these childish Amiibos!

 

[Captain Smoker]

Don't understand the point of the article.

 

[Nibel]

"Nintendo"

It's the entire industry, OP.

 

[CarlieCaplin]

Should have used BioGamer Girl reviews...

 

[Makonero]

That writing. Is it Ashcraft?

Do you need to ask? I'll be a Kotaku apologist all day long, but that guy can go suck a duck.

 

[maxcriden]

I don't understand why this is depressing. They've been doing this for a little while now. I was surprised at first, but it does make sense. It's an aggregate of critic and user reviews that shows more empirically how high-quality Nintendo's games are. I can see why this would be information they'd want to convey to their investors.

 

[Brainiac 8]

I hope it doesn't become the norm that companies brag about their Metacritic scores....wait....

Edit: Seriously, I wish Metacritic didn't have such a strong influence on companies and their bottom lines.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

I'm not seeing a problem with Nintendo bragging about their quality releases.

.

 

[Kacho]

Don't understand the point of the article.

The writer wanted to sarcastically congratulate Nintendo for pointing out that they have good games that review well on Metacritic.

 

[lazygecko]

At least an Official Metacritic Seal of Quality would hold more credibility to it than the Official Nintendo Seal of Quality.

 

[joeygreco1985]

Bullshit article. You can't take Nintendo to task, in a snarky as hell way I might add, when every company keeps an eye on metacritic too. Aren't developer bonuses tied to metacritic scores too sometimes?

 

[TheMoon]

They don't like Metacritic. Metacritic likes them.

If they get showered with great reviews for great games of course they're gonna highlight that shit. ESPECIALLY in a world where broken and/or garbage games sell far better than the actually good ones.

This is them saying "stop being stupid, buy the good shit!"

 

[John Bender]

"Nintendo"

It's the entire industry, OP.

 

[Orniletter]

Brian Ashcraft.

Not everyone in the investor meeting is as deep in the medium as we are. Showing them that your products are highly regarded by critics, or explaining to them that your sequel is better regarded as it's direct prequel (MH3U to 4U) is not some shameful boasting and certainly doesn't seserve a

Yuck, Nintendo. Just yuck.

Edit: If the article was supposed to be read with a sarcastic voice, than...yeah... it's still not good.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

Fair enough they're pleased with their Metacritic performance, even though I dislike the trend of the industry leaning more and more on it.

 

[Bony Manifesto]

Bear in mind, this is Nintendo taking advantage of the higher user scores that their games have. The critic scores taken by themselves (the number of games that have at least an 85 rating) don't show an awful lot of difference between the platforms.

 

[Collateral22]

Scenes if new Zelda and Star Fox don't make the seal of metacritic quality.