For the first quarter of the company’s fiscal 2014, Square Enix once again posted a loss, but didn’t see as big a downturn as it did last year. Net sales came in at 24 billion yen ($245.3 million) – a decrease from 24.9 billion yen year-over-year. Meanwhile, net loss stands at 493 million yen ($5 million), which is quite a bit better than last year’s 2 billion yen ($21.1 million) loss.

Square Enix’s Digital Entertainment division – primarily focused on video games – were up having posted net sales of 11.5 billion yen ($118 million) and an operating income of 1.3 billion yen ($13.4 million).

Square Enix states in its latest financial results that console game sales were “weak” following the lack of new titles shipped during the first quarter. Encouragingly, Dragon Quest X “has been showing steady performance.”

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A look at the Assassin’s Creed IV ship at San Diego Comic-Con 2013

Posted on 11 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, Videos, Wii U | 0 comments

Platinum on working with Nintendo, no changes since Big N came in, more

Posted on 11 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News, Podcast Stories, Wii U | 1 Comment

Gamasutra recently had the chance to speak with Bayonetta 2 director Yusuke Hashimoto and producer Atsushi Inaba about the upcoming Wii U game as well as Platinum as a whole. Topics include working with Nintendo, elements of the actual game, and general talk about the studio.

You can find a few excerpts below, and the entire interview here.

A message from Satoru Iwata – looking to regain “Nintendo-like profits” next fiscal year

Posted on 11 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, General Nintendo, News, Wii U | 1 Comment

Just a short while ago, Nintendo published its 2013 annual report. It’s mostly filled with a lot of pretty pictures (find them above, because they’re neat) and sales data, but it also features a message from president Satoru Iwata.

Iwata reiterated Nintendo’s “basic strategy” relating to “the expansion of the gaming population, which is to encourage as many people in the world as possible, regardless of age, gender or gaming experience, to embrace and enjoy playing video games.”

Later in his message, Iwata commented on Nintendo’s financial situation. For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014, he hopes that the company will be able to once again achieve “Nintendo-like” profits. Nintendo intends to continue creating “brand-new and unique proposals, and make efforts for the growth of the home entertainment industry with a mission that is to pleasantly surprise people and put smiles on the faces of everyone Nintendo touches.”

You can find Iwata’s full note below.

August 2013 downloadable rewards now available on Club Nintendo

Posted on 11 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS eShop, General Nintendo, News, Wii Shop Channel | 3 Comments

This month’s digital rewards on Club Nintendo have gone live. Members can choose from Mario Golf (3DS, 150 coins), Brain Age Express: Sudoku (3DS, 150 coins), Wario’s Woods (150 coins, Wii), and NES Play Action Football (Wii, 150 coins). These items last through September 1.

Visit this page to order a downloadable game.

Off-screen Mario Kart Arcade GP DX footage

Posted on 11 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, Videos | 0 comments

Nintendo gives insight into its games development, how ideas are fostered

Posted on 11 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News, Podcast Stories | 5 Comments

How do new projects inside Nintendo begin? How are new ideas fostered? Company officials gave an inside look of sorts through an explanation provided to SAIPO:

“In software development, there’s no proposal to the actual company. At first, 2-3 people bring the idea to the table, and then actually write the program and build a prototype game. As the project moves forward, more people are hired, and the game gradually takes shape. In the end, the team will end up between 30-50 people, and if it is a large title, it can get up to 70 people.”

For Japanese manufacturers, elements such as the suggested retail price, date, overview, expected costs, and making a proposal describing the workforce along with other items are what leads to approval for the beginning of development. When it comes to Nintendo, however, there is no proposal to stop the ability to develop freely. Employees can actually build a prototype, and as long as the game is interesting, it has a shot at getting the green light.

Mid-level executives from Nintendo also said:

“We don’t have a concept of ‘continually getting better and better’ within the company, because this doesn’t apply to making new things. We don’t mission statement, motto, or song to support this thinking either. We are just a company that is blind to this idea.”

Also worth noting, the privileges of the development team are rather large – even if the president has a chance to intervene, he doesn’t do so often. As an example, some consoles such as the Nintendo 64 didn’t sell particularly well, but from possible failure, there is a simple corporate thinking of always being able to challenge the situation.

[Feature] 3DS Parallels – Nintendo’s extraordinary rescue of 3DS, and whether they can do the same for Wii U

Posted on 11 years ago by Austin(@NE_Austin) in 3DS, Features, General Nintendo, Wii U | 22 Comments

I’m not playing the console’s requiem, but we all know Wii U needs help.
Can Nintendo find it in their 3DS playbook?

Author: Austin

It was a curious thing when 3DS launched. Nintendo pushed to get the handheld out within their 2010 fiscal year for the sake of pleasing their impatient investors, and as a result, the stereoscopic system squeezed through the closing gates of time onto an open market in the middle of March with no system-selling games, unfinished firmware, and a beefy $250 pricetag. It was a mistake– a huge mistake, even– and one that Nintendo quickly learned from.

And then, in holiday 2012, it turned out that they didn’t learn from it. Although backed up by a slightly more reconcilable lineup of games, Nintendo’s follow-up to the Wii– the poorly named “Wii U”– seemed to saunter slowly through the extravagant launch gates with its face obscured by confusing a marketing strategy, before tripping on its own lack of feet and face-planting into the mud. It, much like 3DS, didn’t have any truly exciting pieces of software, its operating system was unfinished, and its price point largely unjustifiable due to those things. Perhaps in order to capitalize on the situation, Nintendo delayed all of their worthwhile launch window titles into the second half of 2013. Which certainly didn’t help matters.

Given all of the parallels between 3DS and Wii U, it’s only natural that we ask the question: Can Nintendo save Wii U using the same strategies that saved 3DS?

It’s not a simple question by any means, so let’s take a look at what’s there to consider.

Club Nintendo adds Pikmin Tote Bag

Posted on 11 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News | 0 comments

Just in time for Pikmin 3’s launch in North America is a new Club Nintendo reward centered around the franchise. Members can now order a “Pikmin Tote Bag” – an item that “carries everything you need—just like your favorite Pikmin—and it easily holds up to 20 pounds.” The tote bag measures in at 15″ x 13″, complete with a 6″ base.

You can place an order for the reward here. The Pikmin Tote Bag costs 400 points.

ESRB icons see slight change

Posted on 11 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News | 0 comments

The ESRB has updated its rating icons in order to ensure that they’re “displaying as clearly and legibly as possible in the increasing variety of environments that they’re being displayed [in], including online and [on] mobile devices,” according to president Patricia Vance. This marks the first change for the icons in over ten years.

You can view a comparison of the new and old images above.

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