Nintendo’s Iwata Makes Fresh Next-gen Warcry!
Revolution underlined as market in Japan continues to shrink.
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata moved to underline the firm’s shifting stance regarding the videogames market yesterday, blaming the shrinking consumer spend on the industry’s lack of innovation aimed at the casual gamer.
Making some of his boldest statements in some time, Iwata-san, at a press conference in Tokyo, said, “The Japanese game market has steadily been shrinking since 1997 and there is no clear sign of an exit to such a falling trend. The key reason for the continued shrinkage lies in the fact that the complication of games is prompting the growing number of so-called light users to not play games anymore”.
Again, the Nintendo president sought to position the company at the forefront of making what he believes is the essential u-turn in the home console race. “The launch of the Nintendo DS is our answer to the shrinking game market in Japan. With the launch of the Nintendo DS, we are confident of introducing new fans and bring those light users who have stopped playing games back into the fold. I also believe the Nintendo DS is not only attractive for light users but also for hardcore users," he added, illustrating a much overlooked yet hugely important point. Although Nintendo is openly targeting casual gamers, its casual offerings have delighted the most hardcore sections of the gaming community.
The DS was unveiled to hardcore hysteria and Nintendo’s other new-market strategic offering, the Donkey Konga Bongo Drums, have been welcomed with open arms, with the super-hardcore seeing the peripheral as a must-have item.
Iwata went on to underline his anti-technology race stance as outlined at E3: “I have gained a stronger belief that the old trick of success - the combination of high-spec game consoles and advanced graphics - no longer works. Light users no longer see any value in advanced graphics.” Then, on to the successor to the GameCube, the Nintendo Revolution, he said, “Rather than offering an advanced version of the GameCube, we want to offer new ways of gaming. I am sure we can differentiate use from rivals. We code-named the new machine Revolution, it seems the US market has come to a major turning point. Many people who had not expressed any warnings a few years ago voiced concerns over rising development costs of game software at last month's E3 show. I am confident Nintendo has the ability to break through the deadlock now surrounding the global game market and continue to grow rapidly.”
Nintendo has now shown its hand as the next-generation console stand-off continues. We were told on the record by a high-ranking Nintendo executive that the Revolution “...will not just be a box, that plugs into your TV with controllers coming out of the front.” Nintendo is clearly planning to turn the expectations of gamers upside down, arguably looking back to its days as one of Japan’s leading manufacturers of novelty toys. And if the reaction to the DS and Donkey Konga is anything to go by, Iwata-san’s strategy might just prove decisive.
Expect everything Nintendo, right here, as it breaks.
Making some of his boldest statements in some time, Iwata-san, at a press conference in Tokyo, said, “The Japanese game market has steadily been shrinking since 1997 and there is no clear sign of an exit to such a falling trend. The key reason for the continued shrinkage lies in the fact that the complication of games is prompting the growing number of so-called light users to not play games anymore”.
Again, the Nintendo president sought to position the company at the forefront of making what he believes is the essential u-turn in the home console race. “The launch of the Nintendo DS is our answer to the shrinking game market in Japan. With the launch of the Nintendo DS, we are confident of introducing new fans and bring those light users who have stopped playing games back into the fold. I also believe the Nintendo DS is not only attractive for light users but also for hardcore users," he added, illustrating a much overlooked yet hugely important point. Although Nintendo is openly targeting casual gamers, its casual offerings have delighted the most hardcore sections of the gaming community.
The DS was unveiled to hardcore hysteria and Nintendo’s other new-market strategic offering, the Donkey Konga Bongo Drums, have been welcomed with open arms, with the super-hardcore seeing the peripheral as a must-have item.
Iwata went on to underline his anti-technology race stance as outlined at E3: “I have gained a stronger belief that the old trick of success - the combination of high-spec game consoles and advanced graphics - no longer works. Light users no longer see any value in advanced graphics.” Then, on to the successor to the GameCube, the Nintendo Revolution, he said, “Rather than offering an advanced version of the GameCube, we want to offer new ways of gaming. I am sure we can differentiate use from rivals. We code-named the new machine Revolution, it seems the US market has come to a major turning point. Many people who had not expressed any warnings a few years ago voiced concerns over rising development costs of game software at last month's E3 show. I am confident Nintendo has the ability to break through the deadlock now surrounding the global game market and continue to grow rapidly.”
Nintendo has now shown its hand as the next-generation console stand-off continues. We were told on the record by a high-ranking Nintendo executive that the Revolution “...will not just be a box, that plugs into your TV with controllers coming out of the front.” Nintendo is clearly planning to turn the expectations of gamers upside down, arguably looking back to its days as one of Japan’s leading manufacturers of novelty toys. And if the reaction to the DS and Donkey Konga is anything to go by, Iwata-san’s strategy might just prove decisive.
Expect everything Nintendo, right here, as it breaks.
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Comments
ryohazuki-san 9 Jun 2004 10:39
1/12
Im really hoping that Nintendo can really turn things around, i agree with Iwata when he sed "the combination of high-spec game consoles and advanced graphics - no longer works", and X-BOX is a clear example because it only looks to perform well in the graphical achievements rather than the innovation and gameplay that Nintendo has to offer.
Come on Ninty, u can do it!
_______________________________________
Shenmue kicks ass!!!!!!
Come on Ninty, u can do it!
_______________________________________
Shenmue kicks ass!!!!!!
schnide 9 Jun 2004 10:47
2/12
ryohazuki-san wrote:
>i agree with Iwata when he sed
>Come on Ninty, u can do it!
>Shenmue kicks ass!!!!!!
Maybe it's the minds of the gamers that are shrinking..
Without getting any bitchier than that, Nintendo has been talking the next-gen talk for every successive release for years. It's about time they actually put their money where their mouth is and release something to deserve some market share back.
GBA Player? That's not innovation. GBA link-up? That's not innovation, and certainly not going to tempt people away from their Playstations. I could go on, but I'm tired of Nintendo promising everything and only delivering an under-specced console with a new first party game every six months and nothing else.
And charging us double for it. And releasing it a year late in Europe. And..
>i agree with Iwata when he sed
>Come on Ninty, u can do it!
>Shenmue kicks ass!!!!!!
Maybe it's the minds of the gamers that are shrinking..
Without getting any bitchier than that, Nintendo has been talking the next-gen talk for every successive release for years. It's about time they actually put their money where their mouth is and release something to deserve some market share back.
GBA Player? That's not innovation. GBA link-up? That's not innovation, and certainly not going to tempt people away from their Playstations. I could go on, but I'm tired of Nintendo promising everything and only delivering an under-specced console with a new first party game every six months and nothing else.
And charging us double for it. And releasing it a year late in Europe. And..
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SilverDogg 9 Jun 2004 12:12
3/12
i belive that nintendo can pull this together, and make a huge sucess with revolution, which will remove alot of hype from the fridgemachine ps3 and the oh-so-good-graphics-maker xbox2.
i belive that nintendo might win the next war. lets hope they just release it at the same time as the others -_-.
i belive that nintendo might win the next war. lets hope they just release it at the same time as the others -_-.
ryohazuki-san 9 Jun 2004 13:06
4/12
Lets just say that at least Nintendo will release something that will fit in our rooms unlike the PS2 and X-BlocK which will probably be safe 2 put in our garages if dey get any bigger!!! :p
_________________________
Shenmue kicks ass!!!
_________________________
Shenmue kicks ass!!!
mrnull 9 Jun 2004 14:05
5/12
>GBA Player? That's not innovation. GBA link-up?
>That's not innovation, and certainly not going
>to tempt people away from their Playstations. I
>could go on, but I'm tired of Nintendo promising
>everything and only delivering an under-specced
>console with a new first party game every six
>months and nothing else.
Very true, Nintendo has swayed far from innovation in the past. My biggest problem was their stance against online play, an innovation which has made the XBox shine. It seems to me that these k-razy new Nintendo consoles are trying to make up for a lack of previous creativity... although that's not a bad thing.
I can only hope they fix their other problems when these consoles come out, like 3rd party support a larger line of budget titles. Still, I'll be scrambling for a DS or Revolution: The XBox2 and PS3 look terrible!
>That's not innovation, and certainly not going
>to tempt people away from their Playstations. I
>could go on, but I'm tired of Nintendo promising
>everything and only delivering an under-specced
>console with a new first party game every six
>months and nothing else.
Very true, Nintendo has swayed far from innovation in the past. My biggest problem was their stance against online play, an innovation which has made the XBox shine. It seems to me that these k-razy new Nintendo consoles are trying to make up for a lack of previous creativity... although that's not a bad thing.
I can only hope they fix their other problems when these consoles come out, like 3rd party support a larger line of budget titles. Still, I'll be scrambling for a DS or Revolution: The XBox2 and PS3 look terrible!
Vin 9 Jun 2004 14:05
6/12
“I have gained a stronger belief that the old trick of success - the combination of high-spec game consoles and advanced graphics - no longer works. Light users no longer see any value in advanced graphics.” “Rather than offering an advanced version of the GameCube, we want to offer new ways of gaming. I am sure we can differentiate use from rivals. We code-named the new machine Revolution, it seems the US market has come to a major turning point. Many people who had not expressed any warnings a few years ago voiced concerns over rising development costs of game software at last month's E3 show. I am confident Nintendo has the ability to break through the deadlock now surrounding the global game market and continue to grow rapidly.”
Same old s**t, different day, eh Iwata?
Has it ever occurred to him that the videogame canon is changing, now that the audience has opened up, and that maybe - just maybe - the name Mario doesn't hold the cachet it used to among modern gamers?
Same old s**t, different day, eh Iwata?
Has it ever occurred to him that the videogame canon is changing, now that the audience has opened up, and that maybe - just maybe - the name Mario doesn't hold the cachet it used to among modern gamers?
Joji 9 Jun 2004 14:53
7/12
Yes i think Nintendo know the guard is changing, and i think there stance on things will be a very important one.
Just ask your self this question. Where is the industry going with PS2 and Xbox? There's no real innovations, apart from Eyetoy and going online. These next consoles would have to offer something more, and all I can see that being is better graphics and sound, which are both reaching their peek already. Perhaps this is why we are seeing more cel shaded games on the way, because everyone can already see these cosmetic summits, and need something more to sell a game than good graphics and sound.
If this industry continues on it's current path we might end up with another pc like games market. One where graphic cards and tech rule over creativity and innovation, and dictate what you can and can't play. The average person in the street wants to play good games, not have to install this or that or be blinded by crap games hidden behind cool cutting edge graphics and sound.
Just ask your self this question. Where is the industry going with PS2 and Xbox? There's no real innovations, apart from Eyetoy and going online. These next consoles would have to offer something more, and all I can see that being is better graphics and sound, which are both reaching their peek already. Perhaps this is why we are seeing more cel shaded games on the way, because everyone can already see these cosmetic summits, and need something more to sell a game than good graphics and sound.
If this industry continues on it's current path we might end up with another pc like games market. One where graphic cards and tech rule over creativity and innovation, and dictate what you can and can't play. The average person in the street wants to play good games, not have to install this or that or be blinded by crap games hidden behind cool cutting edge graphics and sound.
schnide 9 Jun 2004 15:24
8/12
Joji wrote:
>Just ask your self this
>question. Where is the industry going with PS2
>and Xbox? There's no real innovations, apart from
>Eyetoy and going online.
We don't know what's happening with any of the next-gen machines. All I do know is that I've heard this all from Nintendo before and that's why we're again in the situation where other companies are going strong with Nintendo in the bargain bins.
This will be your last major round in the console wars Nintendo and you will only have yourselves to blame for failure.
>Just ask your self this
>question. Where is the industry going with PS2
>and Xbox? There's no real innovations, apart from
>Eyetoy and going online.
We don't know what's happening with any of the next-gen machines. All I do know is that I've heard this all from Nintendo before and that's why we're again in the situation where other companies are going strong with Nintendo in the bargain bins.
This will be your last major round in the console wars Nintendo and you will only have yourselves to blame for failure.
ohms 9 Jun 2004 15:31
9/12
I'm sure there'll be great and innovative online games on consoles eventually, but right now none of them offer anything you could do a lot better on PC, other than racing games possibly
.
...but still, I'd much rather be playing these games siting round a TV with 4 pads, not online with some anonymous t**t who's cussing my mum.
When Nintendo do decide to go full-on into online gaming, you can be sure it'll be something unique.
.
...but still, I'd much rather be playing these games siting round a TV with 4 pads, not online with some anonymous t**t who's cussing my mum.
When Nintendo do decide to go full-on into online gaming, you can be sure it'll be something unique.
Joji 9 Jun 2004 16:15
10/12
I beg to differ about online console games variety. If you ask me the PS2 and Xbox have a more diverse range of online games than the pc ever had. And I bet that varety will soon encompass stuff the pc can do well like RTS games. It's just a matter of time.
On the flip side, the pc does not have decent japanese fighting games online does it. The other fact like you pointed out is that sitting at your for gaming can be nowhere near as entertaining as something like four player Mario Kart or Super Monkey Ball.
Nintendo are aware that they can't make more mistakes, or they'll end up like Sega. I think having fooked up plenty they know it's do or die now. Good luck to them. They breathed life back into this once near death industry, so I don't think they are gonna walk away without a good hard fight.
On the flip side, the pc does not have decent japanese fighting games online does it. The other fact like you pointed out is that sitting at your for gaming can be nowhere near as entertaining as something like four player Mario Kart or Super Monkey Ball.
Nintendo are aware that they can't make more mistakes, or they'll end up like Sega. I think having fooked up plenty they know it's do or die now. Good luck to them. They breathed life back into this once near death industry, so I don't think they are gonna walk away without a good hard fight.
Viclo 9 Jun 2004 18:20
11/12
With Nintendo thinking like they are, they're going to go under. Most of their profit is still made by the GBA and with that gone they'll be hard pressed to survive.
It also doesn't help that Oka of Nintendo also stated this:
"Nintendo's power in creating game software is still going strong," Oka said. "I don't consider the PSP as a game machine so its arrival won't affect Nintendo."
We'll see how it affect you when you're living on the streets and Nintendo leaves the industry forever. Those are the kind of thoughts that screw entire companies over...and if Nintendo doesn't pull it together, get some third party support, and stop copying their own first party games, then I doubt we'll see them to much longer...especially if the PSP takes over the handheld market.
It also doesn't help that Oka of Nintendo also stated this:
"Nintendo's power in creating game software is still going strong," Oka said. "I don't consider the PSP as a game machine so its arrival won't affect Nintendo."
We'll see how it affect you when you're living on the streets and Nintendo leaves the industry forever. Those are the kind of thoughts that screw entire companies over...and if Nintendo doesn't pull it together, get some third party support, and stop copying their own first party games, then I doubt we'll see them to much longer...especially if the PSP takes over the handheld market.
Pandaman 9 Jun 2004 21:29
12/12
So everyone is predicting Nintendo's doom because they're trying something different. Oh, don't go back and say "That's not what I'm saying! They think (blank)!" If Nintendo would have said, "We're going to make the most powerful machine ever and create an advertising blitz and YOU'LL SEE!" You would all be going, "Wow! Nintendo sure is changing for the better!"
Well, I can't say that Nintendo hasn't sniffed out an industry crash before.
Nintendo knows what they're doing. They don't have the upmost perfect record with right decisions (see: Pacman, Sony), but if ANY company can stick around for as long as they have and remain extremley profitable, you would all be fools to think one stance will sink them within a year.
Nintendo is taking the industry where it NEEDS to go. Games, innovation, DIFFERENT. If you haven't felt the stagment feel of games yet, trust me, YOU WILL. When the PS3 and X-box 2 roll around, and you all open up the magazine cover or the website broswer and read "Soul Calibur 4! Grand Turismo 5! Doom 4! Madden 2008!", you will be sitting there a few years wiser and think to yourself, "Wow...why should I spend my money on this?" You will not have been the first to think that, and Nintendo knows this.
Also, take note that some of the translations may be a bit hokey, so it's easy to take a lot of the things Nintendo says out of context. Trust them, they DO see the PSP as a threat. Not a TWIN, but a threat. If nothing else, Nintendo will make the next generation of consoles interesting, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Well, I can't say that Nintendo hasn't sniffed out an industry crash before.
Nintendo knows what they're doing. They don't have the upmost perfect record with right decisions (see: Pacman, Sony), but if ANY company can stick around for as long as they have and remain extremley profitable, you would all be fools to think one stance will sink them within a year.
Nintendo is taking the industry where it NEEDS to go. Games, innovation, DIFFERENT. If you haven't felt the stagment feel of games yet, trust me, YOU WILL. When the PS3 and X-box 2 roll around, and you all open up the magazine cover or the website broswer and read "Soul Calibur 4! Grand Turismo 5! Doom 4! Madden 2008!", you will be sitting there a few years wiser and think to yourself, "Wow...why should I spend my money on this?" You will not have been the first to think that, and Nintendo knows this.
Also, take note that some of the translations may be a bit hokey, so it's easy to take a lot of the things Nintendo says out of context. Trust them, they DO see the PSP as a threat. Not a TWIN, but a threat. If nothing else, Nintendo will make the next generation of consoles interesting, and there's nothing wrong with that.