With the release of the Wii home video game console, among the questions its new features raised was that of why the virtual console was created by Nintendo. After all, even competitors Sony and Microsoft had at times thrived without needing to resort to an online offering of older games. From certain angles of thought, the idea seems counterintuitive: Charging players a premium to experience gaming that was declared obsolete years ago.
Yet within the possible mystery of why the virtual console was created by Nintendo, and thus offering a new generation the chance to play titles from the Nintendo Entertainment System and other consoles, lies some irrefutable facts and shrewd maneuvering by the global gaming giant.
Demand
With the advent of emulation and increased nostalgic sentimentality with the advance of time, there still remains a notable interest in retro gaming, including as far back as the 8-bit experience on the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System, not to mention the subsequent 16-bit SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System), Nintendo 64, and Gamecube video gaming units, the combined interest of which would lead to why the virtual console was created by Nintendo. Nintendo has done a remarkable job of retaining massive amounts of customers and their loyalty, who feel a strong, innate attachment to the company and the worlds created therein. With such a passionate following, it is no wonder that introducing a Virtual Console to allow the paid download of classic titles would be a fantastic ideas.
Capability
When the original NES was released in the mid-1980's, society had not yet taken a hold of the internet, much less even wireless telephone communication. There was a time when cellular phones and web access were expensive, rare commodities, but those days are rapidly moving behind us. With the progress made in technology to allow wi-fi and video gaming innovations, the concept of a Virtual Console became not only possible, but accessible with every Wii machine people purchased. The question of why the virtual console was created by Nintendo actually became a viable query.
Profit
If Nintendo were to be completely honest, they would also have to admit that, bluntly, a Virtual Console would be potentially lucrative. After all, once the infrastructure is in place to make the downloads, promotion, and play possible, all that is left is to collect payments and fuel the necessary bandwidth. From a business perspective it is an outstanding concept, since no new games need to be developed for it, and there is an existing demand already.
The Nintendo corporation has been fortunate to have been guided by high-quality, talented, smart individuals and groups. They have delivered a collection of recreational experiences that is difficult for any other organization to match. When examining why the virtual console was created by Nintendo, one must first acknowledge why they built the first physical console: To provide quality gaming in a profitable manner.
