No new Nintendo hardware releasing this fiscal year, Nikkei reports
Posted on 1 year ago by Nicolas in General Nintendo, News | 0 comments
A new report from financial newspaper Nikkei seems to indicate that Nintendo will not release any new hardware in this fiscal year.
This information was relayed by Takashi Mochizuki. He clarifies that based on the wording of the article, it’s unclear whether this announcement is an official confirmation from Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa, who was being interviewed, or if this information is coming from Nikkei’s own reporting.
[Nintendo Everything Podcast] – episode #25 – Switch Mini, Unsavory Smash Stages & China
Posted on 4 years ago by Oni Dino(@Oni_Dino) in Podcast | 0 comments
Hello, Team Hare and Team Tortoise! This week on NEP, Galen kicks the show off with his EXCELLENT Banjo (Banjo-Kazooie) impression. That sets the mood for the laughing/crying fit we have right after as we joke about how depressing Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon gets in the late game, including some high-level Final Fantasy lore jokes. We then take a deep dive into Smash 3.0 where Galen gives some thorough impressions and we discuss all of the custom stages Nintendo’s cracking down on; Galen tells his horror story. Afterward, we have some chill Marvel talk because we just got a street date for Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3! Then we get serious as we talk rumors from Nikkei about a Switch Mini releasing this autumn, and Oni talks the importance of accurate translations so as not to spread misinformation. And we tidy things up by discussing the growing likelihood of Switch releasing in mainland China, who Tencent is, and international business culture.
We hope you enjoy this episode, because we had a ton of fun recording it! We would appreciate your help in growing the show by sharing the podcast with a friend!
Thanks for listening!
Satoru Iwata’s thoughts on 2015 and the future, Wii U sales, and smartphones
Posted on 9 years ago by Kirara Koneko(@KiraraKoneko) in General Nintendo, News | 31 Comments
The following is a series of questions asked of Satoru Iwata in an interview with Nikkei:
Q: Nintendo in January downgraded its forecast group operating profit for fiscal 2014 to 20 billion yen ($165 million), half its original prediction. What is your latest outlook?
A: The improved 3DS (a hand-held game device with 3-D graphics) did not debut in the U.S. and Europe until after the start of the year, which meant demand did not increase as quickly as we expected. That does not mean that 3DS business itself has significantly declined.
The revised estimate already takes advertising factors including expenses for the new 3DS models into consideration. We do not expect our results to slide much further.
Q: Why have sales of the Wii U remained flat?
A: I believe the Wii U business still has considerable room for growth, as a number of software titles that are compatible with the console are slated for release in 2015.
The way Japanese gamers enjoy video games is different from their counterparts in the West. More and more Japanese gamers play on smartphones and 3DS hand-held devices. On the other hand, a majority of gamers in Europe and the U.S. still connect their consoles to TVs and play them on a bigger screen. In the global video game market, game titles for consoles are still dominant, and that market is much larger.
Q: What are you doing to shore up your console business?
A: Newer consoles are equipped with a function to process micropayments using Suica electronic money cards [in Japan]. Our service that allows people to purchase games online using those cards is popular.
It is also possible to turn smartphone games from other software makers into 3DS-compatible games and offer them for relatively low prices. We intend to pursue a variety of options. Only those products and services that receive strong support from customers will survive.
Q: The market for smartphone games continues to expand. What are your plans for this category?
A: In the past, I have opposed making smartphone and tablet versions of Nintendo titles. Prices for content aimed at smartphones and tablets are falling quickly. I am still wary of the category. We intend to develop products that will allow customers to identify with Nintendo products and make people pay attention to Nintendo games.
For example, some Nintendo game consoles incorporate Mii, which creates a digital avatar to represent players. It would be fun for players to use their Mii characters as icons on social media. We are currently developing an application that will allow users to do that. The app will be announced around the time our full-year results are released.
Q: What is Nintendo’s outlook for the next fiscal year and later?
A: We foresee improved performance for the next fiscal year, so long as we are not adversely affected by foreign exchange fluctuations. I have been saying we hope to achieve a profit suitable for Nintendo as early as fiscal 2016. My understanding is that an operating profit of 100 billion yen is the level the market and shareholders expect of us.
