Iwata on the long length of downloading retail games digitally, can’t talk social aspects of Wii U yet
One point made by an attendee at Nintendo’s financial results briefing last week is that downloading retail games digitally could take a long time. After all, these games consist of several gigabytes.
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata responded by noting how consumers could download these titles at “convenient times”, like “when they are sleeping at night.” He also mentioned that it’s beneficial to give consumers an option to download these games since they find it more convenient to have their software accessible on the console itself without having to swap out storage media.
The investor had also asked about social aspects for Wii U, but Nintendo was not able to discuss these elements during their meeting.
Iwata’s full response:
First, about your comment that digital download sales of packaged Wii U software may not be so attractive to consumers because of the amount of download time, it is true that downloading software with 10 gigabytes of memory cannot be done in an instant today, even with broadband connections. So, compared with the situation of portable gaming devices, where comparatively compact-sized software can be downloaded, we have to ask our consumers to wait for a longer time before the download process is completed. However, consumers will be able to use the Wii U effectively by finding convenient times to download software such as when they are sleeping at night. Some consumers prefer to download digital software so that they can play with them on their system anytime without the need to exchange the games’ storage media. Some other consumers find it easier to purchase the medium at a retailer and play it as soon as they insert it into the game hardware. These consumers think it advantageous that they can exchange games with their friends. In order to offer consumers options to choose from, it is important for the company to first make the situation (where digital downloads of packaged software are offered to our consumers in addition to the existing packaged software sales) a reality, and we are ready to offer these options now.Regarding your question on the social nature of the Wii U, while we take it as a must for the Wii U, as I have already confirmed during my presentation that I would not discuss anything about the Wii U today, please allow me not to share an answer now.
