Geek Wire Summit
Image: Dan DeLong / GeekWire

The Wii U era was a difficult part of Nintendo’s history. Despite this, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils- Aimé believes it was a vital period for the company. Speaking on stage at this week's GeekWire Summit, Reggie said the Wii U gave Nintendo a strong idea about what consumers really wanted:

They were telling us, ‘I want to play with this tablet, this gamepad for the Wii U, but as soon as I get more than 30 feet away it disconnects.’ So the core concept, something that you could take with you anywhere anytime, was really compelling.

Reggie explained how the Wii U was not a "beta test" but more of a learning experience:

Without our experiences on the Wii U, we would not have the Nintendo Switch in terms of what we learned and importantly what we heard from our consumers.

Speaking about failure and success, Reggie said the direction of Nintendo wasn't entirely prompted by the Wii U and also offered some words of advice:

We reinvent ourselves every five, ten years…We have to, in this fast-moving entertainment business… [it’s] in our DNA.

When you’re doing well, don’t be excited about that high-flying performance... When you’re doing poorly, don’t be sad. Always have an even keel and always focus on the next big adventure. And that’s what we do.

What do you make of Reggie's comments? Do you think Nintendo is reactive to consumer demands? Tell us below.

[source geekwire.com]