Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima to Stick With Smart Device and IP Plans, Previously Predicted Wii U Troubles

Interesting read indeed.

The plot thickens...

I'm interested in seeing what will happen with him in charge. He seems like a reasonable guy, so we'll see.

At first I wasn't sure about him, but the more I hear about him the more I like him. It's still early yet but I think he is certainly a solid choice to take the reigns for now. I look forward to seeing how things progress.

So where does it mention that Nintendo will move away to Mobile? The title of the article says that Nintendo will stick to smart device and IP plans......what does that mean?

Sounds good.

@Artwark that they are sticking with the same plans Iwata had for the next year at least.

Have some hope if he could tell the Wii U was in troubled waters from the start by trying to follow the same path as the Wii.

As for Iwata, kinda verifies that it was a sudden passing away, yes, he had health problems, but he probably didn't see the fragility in the situation, nor anyone else.

Hmm... So basically he's to lead for a short period of time while preparing for future leadership at Nintendo. Well, I think it's good if we could get a younger president after him, but being a president also requires a good business sense, that might be what younger personnel lack. That said, I wish him good luck and let's give him chances to lead the company.

I think this will be the best choice going forward. His insight into the western market could really be a turning point for Nintendo.

I won't hold out hope for any outside influence ever running the company but anyone with a knowledge of the west is always welcome!

So he really is sort of a stop-gap president, then - nice of Nintendo to be so open about it. Also, 'the next group leadership structure' sounds rather interesting...
He sounds like a genuinely well-suited person for the job in this current situation. :]

@Artwark I think it just means that they'll stick to the plan that was already laid out. They aren't going to mobile...sort of. They're making mobile games, but they aren't going COMPLETELY mobile. There's nothing to worry about.

I'm still a bit nervous, but he seems like a good guy, and a capable man for the job.

"Warm and friendly", huh...?
Okay then...

Interesting that he actually openly admits his misgivings of the Wii U. It's good to see that Nintendo has promoted someone who isn't necessarily always "drinking the kool aid."

His first order of business should be a Wii U price cut for the holidays. I know SMM is all the rage right now, and rightfully so, but I still don't think it can sell a lot of $300 WiiU. If this guy knew WiiU was too similar to Wii, which sold well for $250, then he must know $300 is too much now. And as the head of NOA he must realize the country tries economy is still less than stellar and nothing sells better than a big FOR SALE sign.

And I don't see ND coming back. Ever. This guy knows he's only going to be President for a year, he has more on his plate than making videos coming directly to you. Let Trintran and the Treehouse crew keep it going on Twitch.

Hmmm..interesting that he's only doing it for 1 year and knew the Wii U would fail. Looking forward to 2016 with Nintendo.

@rjejr
Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up having each region take the reigns of their respective NDs for now. I mean, I'm sure he was aware how big of a success NDs were before Iwata-san's passing. Every time a Direct was announced, it would be plastered on all gaming sites and social media and buzz would be high with speculation so they probably wouldn't want to tune out their fans by stopping Directs completely. There will likely be less for now until things are firmly cemented in place for the company as a whole, but I see them likely having eavh head for each region attend a meeting (likely a teleconference) and lay out what things should be discussed overall and then let them have creative freedom to present the Direct. But you are likely right that "unified" NDs (done for each region at the same time with Iwata stating central stuff before handing the presentation over to Reggie or whoever) is gone.

Just a tip to you guys: Mario Maker stage in Smash confirmed.

@rjejr Selling more units of a failed console is pointless now. They should be focused on pleasing existing owners as much as they can during the transition period, which is what they're doing.

Edit: Also, it was never said that he'd only be president and CEO for a year. He was given a one year term, but that is no different than when Iwata was in charge. Iwata was elected to one year terms. At the end of June, he'll either be re-elected for another one year term or he'll be replaced.

Off-topic: Mario Maker stage confirmed as a WiiU/3DS dlc stage, goes on sale this Sep. 30th.

C'mon Nintendo Life! Haven't you updated the news yet? Aren't you guys on the know?

I am glad Miyamoto is not the president and is no longer a general manager which was very bad in that role (Pikmin 4?! are you goddamn kidding me?!)

About him...well we'll see by his actions not words.

"According to the Nikkei, Kimishima predicted Wii U’s failure when it was introduced by warning it’s too similar to the original Wii." SOMEONE AT NINTENDO SAW THIS COMING!! KEEP HIM AS PRESIDENT!!

Outside management, hmmm, I hope that it doesn't meen a buy out at some stage.

Definitely interesting to see in what direction Nintendo will head now..

Mario Maker Smash Stage.

It will be interesting to see what the future holds and what his task will be over the next year and what happens then.

@Minotaurgamer pikmin 4 is apparently done already. Iwata would have signed off on it. Also he has been made a fellow so pkimin 4 is probably his last game as a supervisor. I think he's earned the choice of last game don't you?

The man seems to know what he's doing. He's got my support then, for now.

@dizzy_boy lol, by who, IIRC Nintendo is valued at ~$10 billion (USD), so in order to actually buy out Nintendo you'd probably need at minimum ~$15 billion.

sounds as he knows the issues of the Wii U. hopefully he well do best for Nintendo, as Iwata was, even if he going be working as the CEO for One year only

@Monado_III no you dont. You dont buy the value of the conpany, you buy the majority share so can have control of the company.

I'm encouraged by this appointment, but I'm not convinced a similarity to Wii is the main factor behind the WiiU's struggles.

@Minotaurgamer
And what's wrong with Pikmin 4? Don't you like the series?

@Minotaurgamer You know the Nintendo Developer(EAD 4) only contains teams that have only done Pikmin, New Super Mario Bros and Mario Maker in the past decade and then ports of Mario games before that?

Pikmin 4 is the best choice unless you want them working on a series they've had no experience with which given the response to Federation Force(NLG) and Paper Mario Sticker Star(Vanpool and only a small team from Intelligent Systems since FE:Awakening was their focus) I think you'd still probably have an issue with it.

@Minotaurgamer Miyamoto still retains (sort of) the same role he had before Iwata's passing. The development of Pikmin 4 started right after they finished Pikmin 3. They have an internal development group dedicated to the Pikmin franchise, Pikmin 4 shouldn't have been a surprise. Just like the Zelda team (EAD 3) only makes Zelda games, the Pikmin team (EAD 4) only make Pikmin games.

Honestly, I don't get your complaint. Be glad that Nintendo gives attention to its smaller franchises. Even though they aren't always million sellers, they keep its fanbase happy. This can't be said about every developer these days. Plus, the strategy-adventure elements of the Pikmin franchise add variety to Nintendo's first party games, variety they desperately need.

This man has balls of steel I tel you, and a face like he could fit straight into the world of Animal Crossing! Uuuaaah my body is READY!

Very cool I wonder how Nintendo will pan out going to smart phones will shift loads of Nintendo back catalog games.

1. Any new president could say now that they didn't think the wii u was the best idea. It's a good PR move whether they really thought that about the Wii U or not.
2. Saying he's president for only a year is so Nintendo can cover their butts if it doesn't work out. If he does well, they'll just keep him in the position.

@Steel76 I thought the same thing. At least someone in the company who saw this coming.

i see dark cloudes gathering at the horizon,cant you hear them friends,the bloodbells chiming,like sinister tone of impending doom...DOOM!... no serious guys,its good to be positive but its still early,i'm not so sure this is all a good thing yet.hope i'm wrong

@ShikabaneHime13 What made a Nintnedo Direct a Ntinedo Direct was Iwata saying "Directly to you". Without that they may as well just have trailers, or live Treehouse events. And to say NDs were a big success seems a bit optimistic. How long have they been doing NDs? Since before the Wii U launched. How poorly has the Wii U sold? And isn't th epurpose of th eNDs to sell Wii U?

And I think what the NDs are most famous for is this, which isn't exactly helping:

Also, the E3 NDE was so roundly derided Iwata even apologized for it. Don't listen to what Reggie says, how does he know what Iwata meant?

So I don't see an upside to bringing them back.

@IceClimbers Well if I were coming in to replace the revered Iwata, and I knew I was only elected for 1 year and then would be open for renegotiations, I would not exert any amount of time, money or effort making an ND, I'd be busy making the company better. And considering the ND time frame is almost exactly the same as the Wii U time frame, and as you said Wii U is a "failed console", then obviously NDs were a failure b/c they didn't help sell it. And 3DS didn't sell nearly as well as DS. So what good did the NDs do?

And the reason Nintnedo should try to sell more of a failed console w/ a price cut is b/c they make money selling games, and they can't sell games w/o selling more of the console unless they go 3rd party. So either sell more of the failed console or cancel NX if they aren't going to make any effort to sell it.

I think that Kimishima-San could be what this company needs.

I want to see him in a Nintendo Direct.

I really think this man is going to be good for Nintendo. I also predicted Wii U's failure on several forums. I don't really care about WIi's huge profit as they don't pay me a thing, but I want Nintendo to go back to quality consoles and games. The truth is that Wii was lacking technical capabilities and refined software (except for a few Nintendo-paid and Capcom games) and many times I looked Iwata more concerned about those earnings than about the players and long-time fans (like myself). He tried to extend that Wii success to the next console and I said that wouldn't happen.

If Nintendo goes back to its former philosophy, probably they will not be number 1 at sales but they can easily be number 1 at quality - again. And, anyway, they are not number 1 with the Wii U in any sense.

If Miyamoto is the creative fellow, that's pretty good!

@rjejr I don't think the ND were failures at all. I think your reasoning that they failed as advertising to help the WiiU sell is correct, they didn't help it sell much more as they aren't viewed by the general public. But they were never supposed to be advertising, they were a medium to deliver news to the fans and to the media, something they were very successful doing. As @ShikabaneHime13 said almost every gaming website was abuzz with speculation before they were aired and after they were aired the fans were usually riding the hype train to hypeville. The were a super way of giving people news whilst building hype and support at the same time. So I don't think they are at all a failure

@Luffymcduck (@Minotaurgamer)

Yes, this particular person hates Pikmin. Really hates it. Apparently, Pikmin 3 marked the end of days, and Pikmin 4 is now in the post apocalypse. Given their previous posts on the subject, the only thing I've deduced is that it is because he/she doesn't think it is worth Nintendo's time to make something that doesn't fly off the shelves.

Pikmin is an acquired taste, some people just don't get into it, but it obviously does ok enough to keep going, and I don't see anything wrong with that mentality.

@Minotaurgamer

I'm pretty sure I mentioned this to you before, but I bought a Wii U to play Pikmin 3. I'm going to give you a moment to gather your thoughts, cause I'm pretty sure your head just exploded...

Yes, that's right, that worthless series made me take the plunge on a (at the time) $350 console. You may not see the value in it, but I do. I love it's mesh of strategy/action/puzzle solving uniqueness. It's a small fan base, sure, but those of us that like it, really love it. It obviously has done well enough to warrant sequels. You are beating a dead horse simply because you don't care for the series.

I do not really care for the Art Academy games, but I don't care if they continue to make games for it; nor would I get mad if Nintendo announced a new game for it tomorrow. It has it's own market. Variety is always a good thing, if it is possible.

Don't forget, Fire Emblem never really sold well either until recently. Who is to say that Pikmin can't achieve that same success story?

Everyone with a bit of common sense predicted Wii U's failure

@rjejr They've done a fair few ND's centered around the 3DS too . I think the main purpose of them is to sell games (and amiibos) rather than just consoles. I'll miss them if they go completely because they're usually a first look at new collector's editions of new games and release date announcements.

Okay, now I'm feeling better about him.

Can Kimishima-san speak any English?

I trust you Kimishima, you definitely have the right requirements to be the president of this company. The videogame world is on the verge of collapse (qualitatively speaking, outside Nintendo and some Indies now the 90% of the videogames world is made of FPS and other forgettable titles.... UGH), you're our only hope man.

@bezerker99 Since he managed NoA I really think he can speak english.

@OddworldCrash Oh cool. I like this guy because he predicted Wii U failure. lol

@ToxieDogg Just b/c they get rid of NDs doesn't mean they have to stop announcing new collectors editions. "Nintnedo Treehouse Live" th efirst Wednesday of every month would be a more than adequate substitute. Or just advertise the "Nintendo Minute", which usually lasts 5 - 7 minutes long, more. Just a few years ago on Wii I got alot of my Wii news from Allison, Gary and Dark Gary.

I'm not saying Nintendo should stop marketing, just that that particular format - Nitneod Direct - w/ Iwata opening every one w/ "directly to you" and then somewhere in the middle saying "please understand" for some disappointing news, should be retired along w/ the man who was the biggest part of it. Just start a Youtube channel - or better yet a Wii U and 3DS "app" called "Nintnedo News"- and be done w/ it.

@rjejr

I have to agree with you on the Nintendo Directs. They were basically just selling products to an audience that already bought them, and became a source of negative memes, like the one you posted.

If Kimishima really foresaw the Wii U failure, then maybe he's got his head in the right place. I stood by the console as long as I could, but the writing was on the walls in no time. It was never going to be a great success. I'm also thrilled to see him being open to leadership from outside the company. Nintendo badly needs someone to bring them into the modern era of gaming--and I simply don't think anyone molded from within, under old leadership, is going to be able to do that.

@Volke93 Last gen was a great seven years for me. I enjoyed many great titles on 360,PS3, and Wii that where not FPS games. If all we got from 1st and 3rd party studio's was dude bro shooters, I would quit gaming altogether.

What he says sound good enough but I would like to see how it's enacted.

Although the problem with the Wii U wasn't that it was too similar to the Wii, it was that it was designed to appeal to a market that no longer existed because they had all moved on to smartphone games.

@Superryanworld You're right.... IN LAST GEN, but now on Ps4 e One things are changed....

@Quorthon

Hey man! I haven't seen you on here in forever. How's it going?

I think everyone foreseen the Wii U's troubles years before release....Nintendo had pretty much dropped the Wii for two years and let it die with shovelware.

@Volke93 I've seen more remastered games on Xb1 and Ps4 than FPS titles. If the price is right (Resident Evil) then I don't mind them.

I've got about 25 games on my XB1 and only two of them are shooters.MCC and Titanfall. I've been playing games like Withcher3, Arkham Knight,The Evil Within, MGS v, and Forza Horizon 2. I'd say I've got plenty to play besides FPS titles on the X1.

@MoonKnight7

Ha, hey! I lost patience for a lot of Nintendo arguing (and games in general) and a lot of other stuff over the past few months. I came here to see if there was any more news on the new guy. My summer has been total crap what with a bad break-up, death in the family, roommate drama, my moving sale, oh, and having to move, and about 50 other issues. So, in light of the crushing depression I was "enjoying," I simply didn't have it in me to meander over here. Suffice to say, I spent several nights drinking away anxiety.

But, summer's over and as it happens, things are back on track again. Getting a new place for just my son and me, our game was suddenly approved for Greenlight (we gave up on it like 2.5 years ago), and I have a great new girlfriend. But the summer of 2015 can still go suck it.

TL;DR of TMI, I'm sure.

@rjejr
IGN has just reported that Nintendo, in fact, intends to continue the Directs, so obviously there was no failure in having them if the company intends to keep doing them.
http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/09/15/nintendo-directs-will-continue

@Quorthon "I have to agree with you on the Nintendo Directs. They were basically just selling products to an audience that already bought them, and became a source of negative memes, like the one you posted."

One of Nintendo's issues(and to be fair most publishers) in the past, present and future is that in the case of some of their games you wouldn't even know they were released and people who might have been interested in them would have never even seen a glimpse of the gameplay or even knew it existed.

As not every Nintendo fan is aware of every single release the Nintendo Directs are a very cost effective method of raising awareness. This is because few games can justify expensive marketing campaigns unless they're likely to strike a chord with the mainstream audience, especially for a system with a low userbase). Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon can justify get big advertising campaigns. But for games like Pullblox, Harmoknights, etc. I can't see how Nintendo Directs aren't ideal especially since the big games give incentive for players to watch the directs and by extension increase exposure to the smaller titles(very few are going to watch an individual trailer for a game they've never heard of but they'll be more likely to sit through it if it's part of a longer video that they're also watching for the next big Nintendo titles).

In short it's a good way to get fans to know about more of their games and potentially buy more than they would have otherwise. I mean recently their only horrifically selling game was Codename: S.T.E.A.M but 6th gen was even bigger for apathy with Cubivore, Doshin the Giant, Drill Dozer, Odama selling like garbage. A more recent example although Nintendo didn't get it Tembo the Badass Elephant which probably would have done better than the piddling 4000 it sold on steam if it was a Nintendo exclusive and showed up in a direct.

@Quorthon

I had figured that was probably the reason. I'm so sorry to hear about your terrible summer though. Particularly the death in your family; my deepest condolences to you. They say when it rains, it pours. Hopefully the rest of your year will be better.

I'm happy to hear about the new game. I will anxiously await it. Still liking the last game your company put out. It's good for quick play sessions.

Yeah, I think Kimishima will be a fine president. Seeing the Wii U's failure is encouraging to me as well. Obviously Nintendo is playing it safe, which is a good thing right now. The only thing I hope he doesn't do is slash and burn. I always liked Iwata's mentality of sticking up for his workers, to keep morale and productivity high. Guess we'll find out tomorrow what the plan is.

"Not against the idea of outside executives taking over in the future"

Bye bye Kimishima! Hello, someone from DENA!!

I know this is easy to say retrospectively but any fool could have predicted Wii Us failure. If by saying "being too much like the Wii " he is pointing out that it was too gimmicky and underpowered then I totally agree.

None the less the fact that he made this statement is comforting, unlike yes-men like 'you know who'.

Time will tell how this works out and I wish him all the best but I do wish they had gone for someone younger and more dynamic... I suppose he can still be dynamic if not young.

I like the part about 'not leading a game company by numbers alone.' It makes me feel a little reassured.

Hopefully this new guy will steer Nintendo on the right direction, cause they have been truly pathetic lately. Don't make the same mistake that was the Wii U.

Hell, I think most of us would agree the Wii U was too similar in looks to succeed for new hardware. Everyone ws confused whether it was a new controller or not. The system looks like a SLIGHTLY altered twin.

@MoonKnight7

Appreciate it, man. Like I said, it was lowest of lows this year, but I'm climbing on out of there now. Every couple of days, a few more things get checked off my list of bullcrap, and the stress drops a little more. Granted, the new girlfriend makes it all easier, ha ha.

And yeah, thus far, I like what I hear about Kimishima. Time will tell if he sticks around or affects real change. Sounds like, with the 1-year-term, he might be an interim president. We'll have to see.

@Quorthon

Yeah, one step at a time, that's all you can do.

It's at least a one term for now, but who knows what that could actually end up being. It may get extended.