In the world of console gaming, we've gotten used to the status quo that has Nintendo competing against the likes of Sony and Microsoft, with only the former in possession of any experience and success in the portable market. Now it can no longer be denied that Apple has bagged itself a slice (big or small) of the gaming market with its variety of established devices that support an ever-expanding range of applications and contemporary games, and this has apparently become a concern for Nintendo.
Satoru Iwata, President at Nintendo of Japan, has allegedly singled out Apple with its iPhone and iPad as the "enemy of the future". The Times has reported on whispers and murmurs that senior executives have supposedly divulged, regarding what the big boss thinks of the situation with Sony, and newcomer Apple. Apparently, Sony is seen as 'a battle that's already won', and Apple with its aforementioned products is who Nintendo should be wary of. If that is the case, one can only assume Iwata is talking specifically about the handheld market; unless Apple has any interest in taking a stab at the home console demographic.
True, Apple has a dedicated user-base and the recent addition to its range of portable devices will only entice more consumers to its products. iPhone games making the jump to Nintendo's download service – and vice versa – aren't going to stop anytime soon. Apple has experience in providing innovative features to its portable devices, and products like the iPhone and iPad have superior processing power, as well as multimedia functionality. We can certainly see why Apple could be a company Nintendo might want to keep its eyes on.
If The Times' sources are reliable, then it could explain why the 3DS has come out of nowhere and slapped us all in the face with its size 3D gloves when we weren't expecting it. With what sounds like a significant jump from the various models of the DS/DSi – technology-wise – the 3DS could be the answer that gamers are looking for. The ones that are criticising Nintendo's application of technology, anyways.
Unfounded quotes stirred up by the press? Either way, the gaming industry is at a point where technology is playing an important role in painting the companies' brand image. What sort of image will the 3DS carry itself in? Bring on E3 2010!
[source business.timesonline.co.uk]
Comments 22
They shall be crushed under our bootheels as all those who oppose Nintendo.
No more tea partys for YOU Apple.
Oh dang, do I have to throw my iPod away now?
Looks like SOMEONE has to take SOMEBODY more seriously than he wants to do.
Wont be surprised to see an i-pod with HDMI connector in the near future.
"In 15 years time, Nintendo will be a forgotten relic of the past as we fly in our iHovercrafts on autopilot while we play our iLife life-simulators and partake in our automated iSmoothie dispensers that churn out over 400 delicious iFlavors." - Steve Jobs
A slight correction to your article... Apple did take a stab at the home console market once. Remember the "Pippen?" Yeah probably not. It was a huge failure. Worse than the Virtual Boy!
I still think Nintendo and Apple are marketing their devices in two totally different ballparks. The 3DS is more a gaming device, and the iPhone is more of a smartphone. People just happen to make apps that suit each other's audiences from time to time.
Besides, I remember Iwata saying some time ago that he owns an iPhone and he doesn't see it becoming an enemy to Nintendo anytime soon. Perhaps the field has changed?
@kevohki: What about that iCarly show? And the iBox or the iNintendo DS?
I'm not taking either side in this. Apple's stupid slam ads with John "Obnoxious" Long and Nintendo and Sony slamming each other at E3 makes this whole thing look like an argument over who has the biggest package. And no, I'm not in MicroSoft's corner either.
"this whole thing looks like an argument over who has the biggest package"
@BlueFlameBat I take this even more literally. What do you think the DSiXL and iPad are really for, hmmm?
Whilst I don't think Apple currently pose much of a threat to Nintendo's gaming business, it would be foolish to turn a blind eye to any future projects Apple may have hidden up it's sleeves.
Also, people say that the DS is less powerful than the iPod, but I think pople sometimes forget that the DS is a machine with tech that's at least six years old.
See, I don't play many games on my iPod. I have Bejeweled 2, but that's all I've payed for. I got freebies for Backgammon, Reversi, Checkers, Chess, Shogi, and Go, but then I got Clubhouse Games, so now I can use my iPod for what it was made for... MUSIC! lol
Did any one of you ACTUALLY read the article?! no real quotations, no damn sources! Just a bunch "rumors has it"!!
That article is absurd! They never mention the REAL quotation from Iwata or even the names of the "analysts". why you gave attention to that poorly written excuse of journalism?
Dissapointing.
Hopefully they'll pay attention to Apple's online services and improve the 3DS's (lower prices for games, relaxing DRM at least enough to move the game from DSi to 3DS and hopefully to another 3DS if it breaks or you want to upgrade to the eventual 3DS Lite).
@buffalobob
Hmm, good point. Let's focus on what's already been said and properly quoted, people. As I mentioned in my last comment, Iwata said he owns an iPhone, is happy with it, and doesn't see it as any immediate challenge.
That being said, why would the Times make up something like this? Unless they're desperate for subscriptions like most newspapers are right now... still, if this is all a fake, their plan could backfire leaving them worse off than before.
This is great news! The only thing that could make this better was if they decided to team up with Microsoft or Google.
EDIT: Oh... I guess they did already team up with Google...
Not anymore. Last year Google's CEO stepped down from Apple's board of directors since conflicts of interest were rising. Google's got their own mobile device to worry about: the Droid, remember?
Consoles: Nintendo; Sony; Microsoft
Handhelds: Nintendo; Sony; Apple
???
SandMan, are you serious?
Ever heard of the XBox?
I still find it quite fascinating that Nintendo retains the distinction that it is the only game company still in existance that actually started out in games. Sony, Microsoft, and now Apple, all started off with other technologies, namely computers and consumer electronics.
Nintendo's past enemies, Atari, Sega, Hudson/NEC, etc, all started off as gaming hardware makers, and all went bankrupt at some point. That is why Nintendo is so innovative and unique. The other companies entered the game hardware market as a side venture, and henceforth had the backflow of cash to push consoles to market as loss-leaders. Maybe that is why they have their stupid hardware race to compete in stupid console wars while Nintendo is raking in millions off the Wii.
@stardust: that's a good point. the iphone may be a real neat device (and some of it's games are alright) but i think what is more important to us as gamers (and what will put nintendo a head and shoulders above apple for the foreseeable future) is the support that developers put behind a handheld system. Even if the ipad and iphone and ipod and all the damn 'i' devices have better hardware and more processing power than nintendo's devices, the fact remains that developers like gameloft (shudder) are the main source of throw away games for apple's devices. if and when the serious handheld game developers that currently back the ds family get behind apple, then nintendo will have something to worry about.
That's true... it's always about the s/w, even if a system may or may not be inferior to its competition. Someone made a good point about Apple specializing in Smartphone/apps. 1st, games 2nd vs. Nintendo specializing in games 1st, applications 2nd... that's really what it boils down to. Right now, each company is better than the other in their respective areas. The funny part is, Apple could just drop like, an "iGame" system with full portable gaming functionality, and with serious developers doing serious portable games, would at that point legitimately put Apple square in the center of Nintendo's radar and make them an actual contender for portable gamers real money (and even if they charge more money for higher quality games, they still have their large downloadable free and cheap games library to back that up along the way that dwarfs Nintendo's free and cheap downloadables thus far). And on the other hand, Nintendo will continue to release applications with it's game system, but in general it's apps will mostly be inferior as this is generally not Nintendo's strongest suit, yet, they are good enough for someone focused more so on gaming first, apps a "nice addition" (like myself).
Time will tell how it all pans out...
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