As was the situation with Wii, there are many doubts about the Wii U right now. Some gaming enthusiasts, members of the press, and investors aren’t sure if the console will attain the same success as its predecessor.
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata discussed this topic during an investors meeting last week. Additionally, he briefly talked about the previously mentioned fall push for Wii U, in which launch details will be announced. Iwata hinted that titles beyond launch/launch window will be announced.
Overall, 3DS sales have improved since the system’s initial launch. It is, however, still struggling a bit overseas.
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata told investors at a meeting last week that 3DS sales have stabilized in Japan and have some momentum. But in the U.S. and Europe, “the sales pace went down after the beginning of 2012.” Iwata believes the 3DS XL and New Super Mario Bros. 2 can improve the situation.
Iwata also commented on how “one of the difficulties Nintendo is facing in terms of spreading the Nintendo 3DS is the difference of the mainstream products between Japan, where the handheld video games are the main products, and the U.S., where the home console video games are the main ones.”
Read on below for his full response.
Don’t count on a waterproof 3DS or a system with a high quality sound anytime soon. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has said that the company has no plans to introduce value-added models in the near future.
Iwata told investors recently that introducing too many 3DS models could make consumers unsure about which product they should purchase. He compared the situation to cell phones, of which there are “too many options”. Iwata wouldn’t rule anything out for the long-term future, however.
Nintendo only introduced the 3DS XL due to requests for a larger screen. Iwata noted that the DSi XL was well-received when it was released.
Miiverse is an unprecedented online community channel for Nintendo. The company has never before allowed such extensive communication between users.
It’s true that Nintendo does have to be cautious with Miiverse based on the large percentage of family-based gamers using its systems. The technology could open the door to users who would hope to stir things up in the various community and act badly overall.
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata is aware of potential issues, including “negative campaigns on the Internet in which false opinions are deliberately posted to ruin the reputation of a product.” In addition to the removal of unfavorable comments, there are “several plans and formats” in place to discourage and eliminate poor behavior. Unfortunately, Iwata couldn’t elaborate on the specifics because “some might start thinking how to circumvent them to annoy Nintendo.”
Read on below for Iwata’s full comments on the topic.
News recently made it out that Nintendo expressed doubt in charging consumers for Wii U’s online service. President Satoru Iwata had told investors that it wouldn’t be the smartest approach to go down a subscription path due to the company’s wide range of players.
Subscription fees are out of the question for now, but Iwata feels that business can be increased through Miiverse. Players will be able to exchange messages, and the service will allow for quite a bit of communication overall, so some consumers may be inclined to try out additional games.
A more in-depth explanation of Iwata’s thoughts can be found below.
At Nintendo’s latest shareholders meeting, one investor mentioned that third-parties haven’t been able to fully take advantage of the Wii/Wii U. This person hinted that Nintendo could consider “bringing up creators in the video game industry as a whole” and asked how the company could “cultivate brand-new developers who can come up with interesting games independent of the performance of the hardware”.
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, responding to the question, mentioned a few things. He started out by saying that “breathtaking visuals or heavy storylines” may not have matched up well with the “pros and cons of the features of the Wii.”
He went on to say that Nintendo has been improving the situation with third-parties by providing them with access to hardware at an earlier point and brought up the Super Smash Bros. collaboration with Namco Bandai.
Regarding cultivation of new creators, Iwata pointed to the “Nintendo Game Seminar”. When working with employees from other companies, Nintendo won’t “cultivate” them. Instead, Iwata said that “it is more important to understand how we can both grow, or to find a good balance which can enhance each party’s strengths and eliminate weaknesses.”
You can find Iwata’s full response below.
3DS VC
Castlevania the Adventure – £2.70
3DS Download
Zombie Slayer Diox – £5.40
Mutant Mudds demo – free
DSiWare
Escape the Virus: Swarm Survival – £1.80 / 200 points
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy DLC – £0.90 each
A Fleeting Dream (FF10 – FMS)
Ride On (FF08 – FMS)
Cosmo Canyon (FF07 – FMS)
In Search of Light (FF05 – FMS)
Fighting Fate (FF13 – BMS)
Fighters of the Crystal (FF11 – BMS)
The Final Battle (FF04 – BMS)
Battle Theme 1 (FF02 – BMS)
Nintendo Video
The Amazing Spider Man trailer
Ice Age 4 – Continental Drift trailer
Kid Icarus 3D Anime clips – Thanatos Rising Part Three
Source: Nintendo PR
The latest videos from Etrian Odyssey IV show both 3DS screens in action at the same time. But rather than showing gameplay, the footage shows off the sequences leading to the opening menu.
Included in the gallery above are screenshot comparisons of the original Luigi’s Mansion and Dark Moon. How do you feel the new 3DS entry stacks up to the GameCube title?
