Tag: Business - Page 9
News Microsoft Once Had Some Pretty Wild Ideas, Including Making Xbox Free And Buying Nintendo
"Name a bad idea and it was something we had to deal with"
Back when Microsoft was looking at entering the home gaming market and working on the first Xbox console, people within the company had some pretty far out ideas - precious few of which actually came to pass, thankfully. Speaking to Gamesindustry.biz, Oddworld Inhabitants' Lorne Lanning has...
News Satoru Iwata And DeNA CEO Isao Moriyasu Discuss Nintendo's Mobile Future
"DeNA attacked Nintendo with a passion, so we were impressed by them"
Following the flurry of Nintendo news from two days ago, a Q&A featuring Nintendo's CEO Satoru Iwata and DeNA's CEO Isao Moriyasu was posted on Nintendo's corporate website, largely discussing the role DeNA and Nintendo will each play when producing mobile games with one...
News Nintendo's First Smartphone Title Could Launch As Soon As This Year
DeNA Collaboration may make a 2015 debut
Yesterday, Nintendo confirmed that it is working with Japanese mobile company DeNA on games for smart devices like phones and tablets. In a Q&A session which followed the announcement, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed that the first fruits of this arrangement could come as early as this year:...
News Games Industry Analysts Somewhat Divided On Nintendo's Partnership With DeNA
"It could be too late to take full advantage of their strengths"
So, Nintendo is finally bringing its enviable IP to smart devices, and the news has been greeted with a mixture of surprise, bemusement and even anger by some quarters of the gaming world. Among analysts the reaction is predictably more measured, with a mostly optimistic tone...
News Iwata: Embracing Smart Devices Has Made Us Even More Passionate About Dedicated Games Consoles
Phones and tablets a "rational way" to bring people to consoles
For some Nintendo fans, today is the day that hell has frozen over - Nintendo has announced that it is bringing its games to smart devices via a partnership with Japanese mobile company DeNA. While some might assume that this move means the firm is turning its back on dedicated...
News Iwata: We Are Challenging Ourselves To Redefine What "Nintendo Platforms" Mean
Aim is to "construct a bridge" between smart devices and games consoles
Today's announcement that Nintendo is working with Japanese mobile giant DeNA on bringing its games to smart devices and its new cross-platform membership programme has sent shock-waves through the games industry, and even Nintendo president Satoru Iwata admits that the move...
News Nintendo Doesn't Intend To Be A One-Hit Wonder On Smart Devices
Mobile market is "highly competitive" but Nintendo can "prosper"
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata today revealed that the company is engaging in a strategic alliance with Japanese mobile company DeNA - a move which has predictably set the internet alight. As part of the deal, Nintendo will work with DeNA to bring its vast library of IP to mobile...
News Nintendo Teases Cross-Platform Club Nintendo Successor In Conjunction With DeNA
Looking to "create a connection regardless of the device the consumer uses"
Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata has revealed that the company is working on a cross-platform successor to its Club Nintendo membership programme. Speaking during today's Business and Capital Alliance Announcement - where it was announced that Nintendo would be working alongside...
News Nintendo Looking To Offer Affordable Smartphone-Style Games And Remakes Of Past Classics On 3DS
President Satoru Iwata wants to expand consumer choice on the handheld
Nintendo's handheld strategy will make room for affordable, low-cost titles similar to those seen on smartphone formats like iOS and Android, The Nikkei reports. Speaking with Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, The Nikkei has stated that the Japanese company is seeking to "expand...
News Sega's Digital Restructure Means 300 Staff Will Be Offered Voluntary Retirement
Aiming to "improve the business efficiency of the Group"
Sega will offer 300 of its global staff voluntary retirement in an effort to drive profits and restructure the company around smartphone and online PC games. Although Sega of America's release schedule will be unaffected, it will lose around 120 staff between 9th February and the end of...
News Satoru Iwata Chipped In To Make Sure Super Smash Bros. Melee Made It To Market On Time
"Aaah, I wonder if it's alright to admit this?"
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata wasn't always in charge of Nintendo -- once upon a time, he was a humble programmer sat at his keyboard with dreams of becoming the next Miyamoto. In a recent interview with 4Gamer, Iwata admits that before he moved into management he had aspirations of being the...
News Nintendo Aiming To Create A Stronger Bond With Consumers Via Mii Smartphone Application
"It is rather embarrassing that we are so behind on this compatibility"
Nintendo has made no secret of the fact that it is looking into producing smartphone and tablet applications to support its core business, and during the recently-translated Corporate Management Policy Briefing Q&A, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata spoke about the company's...
News Iwata Cites "Same-Generation Hypothesis" For Strong Smash Bros. And Pokémon Performance
You grow up, but the games stay with you
Nintendo's Financial Results Briefing is out, and in it company president Satoru Iwata outlines why its Super Smash Bros. and Pokémon franchises are enjoying such robust commercial success. Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS has performed better than expected on 3DS, and anticipation for the Wii U entry is...
News Capcom Won't Greenlight Sequels If A Game Doesn't Sell Over Two Million Copies
No plans for future Darkstalkers games, either
Capcom's Yoshinori Ono has revealed that the company is chasing big sales right now, and that sequels won't be given the go ahead unless the previous title cleared two million units sold. The comment was made in an interview with Famitsu, where Ono also said that there would be no future Darkstalkers...
News The Studio Behind Sega's Wonder Boy Series Might Be Going Bankrupt
Not so wonderful
Japanese veteran Westone Bit Entertainment is apparently on the verge of going bankrupt, according to Game Watch Impress. Westone is best know for producing Wonder Boy, a title which would spawn the Monster World series and would be re-tooled to create Hudson's Adventure Island franchise. The Tokyo District Court is currently...
News Full Extent of Nintendo of Europe Job Cuts Becomes Clear
Around 320 roles are lost overall
Earlier this year we reported on a reshuffle at Nintendo of Europe that was bringing the loss of 130 permanent jobs, with the Großostheim office in Germany being the largest affected area due to its closure. It's emerged, however, that the total number of roles that will be lost as of 31st August is nearer 320. As...
News Nintendo Stock Value Climbs to Highest Point Since Late February
Moving up
Nintendo's stock value has had a funny year, with a rapid spike and equally sudden decline showing how temperamental the markets can be. Since late January the big N's stock has fluctuated, but the general trend has been upwards. We reported on this in some detail in late May, with the value heading back to stable levels seen throughout...
News Wii U Purchasing Intent Increases By Half In The Wake Of Strong E3 Showing
Another spin on the "Nintendo wins E3" debate
A recent survey commissioned by IHS in partnership with Gamer Network has revealed that Nintendo's strong showing at E3 caused a massive spike in purchasing intent for the Wii U. Around a thousand core gamers were quizzed on various purchase intentions before and after the event. The Wii U began E3 as...
News Sony: PS4 Is "Welcoming Back" Wii Owners Who Skipped PS3 And 360 Last Gen
Remastered PS3 classics are tempting Wii owners, says Sony's Andrew House
Wii owners who decided against buying a PS3 or 360 are flocking to the PS4 in droves, according to Sony Computer Entertainment boss Andrew House. Speaking to Eurogamer at the recent Develop conference in the UK, House echoed recent statements made by Sony Worldwide Studios...
News Iwata's Approval Rating Rises While Miyamoto's Drops Slightly
Small shifts across the board
The results from Nintendo's AGM are in, and as we already know, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata isn't going anywhere — his approval rating has actually risen over the past year by 3 percent. Last year, his rating was 77.26 percent, but this year's figure is a slightly better 80.64 percent. However, this rise was...
News Mario Kart 8 Speeds Past The Two Million Copies Sold Barrier In Less Than A Month
Wii U hardware sales are up, too
During Nintendo's 74th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders it has been revealed that Mario Kart 8 has shifted an impressive two million copies in the month it has been on sale. In addition to this welcome news, it has also been stated that Wii U hardware sales are on the rise too — although this presumably...
News Veteran Publisher THQ To Rise From The Dead, In Name At Least
Nordic Games looking to revive the brand, more Darksiders coming
Publisher THQ went bust last year, bringing to an end a story which dates right back to the days of the NES and Game Boy. The company's assets were sold off at auction and Nordic Games came away with plenty — including the rights to franchises such as Red Faction and Darksiders...
News Sony Overtakes Nintendo In Global Hardware Sales For The First Time In Eight Years
Sony shifted 18.7 million consoles, Nintendo 16.3 million
It has been revealed that in the financial year that has just concluded, Sony has sold more consoles worldwide than its rivals Nintendo and Microsoft. For the first time since 2006, Sony has beaten its Japanese competitor in terms of hardware units retailed. Sony sold 18.7 million PS4, PS3,...
News 130 Jobs To Go In Nintendo Of Europe Reshuffle
Nintendo's Großostheim office closes
Nintendo of Europe is closing its Großostheim office in Germany and axing a smaller number of roles at its HQ in Frankfurt. The move comes as part of a streamlining process which will allow the company to perform better in the European market in the future. Nintendo of Europe has released a statement...
News Download Sales On Nintendo Formats Have Trebled In The Last Two Years
$235 million in digital sales gained in the past 12 months
Nintendo has confirmed that digital revenue across its consoles has tripled in the past two years. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata revealed the statistic at the recent investor's briefing, explaining that during the financial period between April 2013 and March 2014, around 24 billion Yen...
News Nintendo Looking To "Harvest" 3DS Success To Avoid An "Unacceptable" Fourth Year Of Losses
"We would like to retrieve 'Nintendo-like' profits as soon as possible"
In its recently-posted investor's briefing, Nintendo has revealed its plans for the near future and how it aims to turn around three years of consecutive operating losses. We've already heard about the proposed
News Satoru Iwata Speaks Of The Need To "Redefine" Nintendo's Position In The Entertainment Industry
"Nintendo is a company that can do whatever they want"
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata may be under the cosh at the moment thanks to the growing discontent of the company's shareholders, but he has revealed to Japanese site Diamond Online that he feels he is carrying on the will of the late Hiroshi Yamauchi by ensuring that the firm is always...
News Report Suggests That June Could Be Crucial For Iwata's Future At The Head Of Nintendo
CEO's internal approval rating has dropped to 77.26 percent
A report by Japanese business publication Nikkei suggests that Satoru Iwata is facing his sternest test yet as Nintendo CEO. It has been revealed that Iwata's internal approval rating has dropped from from 92.89 percent in 2011 to 77.26 percent in 2013. This has led to speculation that he...
News Dedicated Video Game Platforms To Remain Nintendo's Core Focus, Says Iwata
Next 10 years will see Nintendo "redefine" entertainment
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has updated his personal message on Nintendo's site to reflect the company's recently-announced plans for its "Quality of Life" platform. Iwata reiterates his stance that Nintendo needs to maintain its focus on having its own dedicated hardware and software...
News Investor Wants Nintendo To Create Mobile Titles With Game-Altering In-App Purchases
"Just think of paying 99 cents just to get Mario to jump a little higher"
Please understand, Nintendo isn't keen on bringing its library of games to mobile right now — company president Satoru Iwata has been pretty firm on that point. However, Nintendo is an organisation which has shareholders, and that means it constantly faces pressure from...
Could this be the birth of Nintendo Austria?
As we all know, Nintendo has offices all over the world which handle the marketing and distribution of the company's products in different regions — we've got Nintendo of America, Nintendo UK and Nintendo of Europe, for example. We could now be seeing the formation of an Austrian office, as Nintendo...
News Yamauchi's Heirs Have "Desire To Sell" Shares In Nintendo, Claims Report
Nintendo willing to splash $1.1 billion in buyback deal
It was previously reported that Nintendo was looking to buy back as many as 10 million of its own shares in a buyback deal, and today more details regarding that arrangement have been revealed. Bloomberg is reporting that the heirs of
News Iwata And Miyamoto Both Take Pay Cuts In Response To Nintendo's Poor Financial Results
Iwata halves his salary, Miyamoto takes a 30 percent cut
It has been revealed that Nintendo president Satoru Iwata will be taking a 50 percent pay reduction following Nintendo's recent financial results. He's not the only one taking a cut; legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto will see his wage slashed by 30 percent, as will fellow Nintendo...
News $1.2 Billion Wiped Off Nintendo's Market Value As Share Prices Plummet
Biggest decline since September
The recent news that Nintendo expects to sell less Wii U and 3DS consoles — as well as make a loss — has caused the company's share prices to drop dramatically. Friday's announcement that Nintendo expects to make an operating loss of 35 billion Yen ($335 million / £205 million) this financial year — after...
News Nintendo President Satoru Iwata "Has Earned The Right To Fail", Says David Jaffe
Nintendo's "ups and downs" are what make the company great
Yesterday, Nintendo revealed that it was slashing its hardware projections for this financial year and that it expects to make a loss — not the kind of news that under-fire president Satoru Iwata will have wanted to impart to investors and shareholders, we're sure. Iwata himself has...
"We are thinking about a new business structure"
The news that Nintendo has reduced its hardware sales projections for this financial year and expects to make a loss has come as quite a blow to dedicated followers of the company, and has led some critics to repeat claims that the firm needs to move away from making its own hardware and embrace rival...
News Iwata Accepts Responsibility For Poor Financial Results, Ignores Calls To Resign
No management shake-up expected
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has taken responsibility for the poor financial results posted earlier today but has insisted that he will remain in charge in order to steer the Japanese company through these testing times. Nintendo's latest report reveals that it expects to sell less Wii U and 3DS consoles by the...
News EA Executive: Shigeru Miyamoto is 'Falling Down on the Job'
Says consoles' demands are making consumers turn to mobile
Lately, it seems Nintendo has received its fair share of disparaging remarks from EA representatives, along with unflattering comparisons to Apple. And now today, at D.I.C.E. Europe, came the one-two combo of an EA executive unflatteringly comparing Nintendo to Apple. EA Chief Creative...
News Howard Lincoln: Nintendo Has "No Plans" to Sell Stake in Mariners MLB Team
The late Hiroshi Yamauchi kept the team in Seattle
One of the many stories surrounding the remembrance of former Nintendo President Hiroshi Yamauchi is how he's considered the saviour of the Seattle Mariners baseball team, taking a majority share of the organization in 1992 when its previous owner was about to sell it to a Florida group. Yamauchi's...
News Atlus Reaches Out to Fans Regarding Acquisition by Sega
“Sega understands our drive to achieve quality”
With news that Sega Sammy has acquired Atlus’s parent company, Index still being freshly digested by many, Atlus President and CEO Naota Hiraoka has released a statement addressed to the company’s fans and customers. Hiraoka gives a brief recap of Index’s troubles and how Atlus will continue...
Rumour Nintendo Is Shaping Up To Acquire Troubled Atlus
Could the esteemed Shin Megami Tensei developer become an in-house studio?
Atlus may be riding high on the success of Shin Megami Tensei IV, but its parent company Index is in serious financial trouble and is likely to begin auctioning off its assets — Atlus included — as early as this week. Interestingly, there are rumours circulating that...
News Former Nintendo President Hiroshi Yamauchi Slumps To 13th In Japan's Rich List
Nintendo's former figurehead impacted by tumbling share value
Having $2.1 billion in the bank would make us very happy indeed, but that amount of cash can only secure you 13th place in Japan's rich list, according to Forbes. Former Nintendo President Hiroshi Yamauchi used to be sitting pretty at the top of Japan's richest people, but his fortunes...
News GamerPrint Gets Festive With Video Game Christmas Cards
Ho Ho Bros
It's almost that time of year, when everyone is merry, bright, and decking the halls with boughs of holly. Whether we like it or not, it's creeping up fast. Buying cards for this festive time, meanwhile, can often be a little bit dull, but GamerPrint has something to offer gamers for the upcoming holiday season. The gaming enthusiast's...
News Business Insider: Wii U Is The Most Fun I've Had With A Game Console, Ever
Glowing praise from an unlikely source
As the Nintendo-loving world waits with bated breath for the Wii U to launch and various skeptics pour scorn over its chances, it would appear that the new format has unequivocal support from one sector of the market, at least. Business Insider's Dylan Love got some hands-on time with the new console at a...
News Nintendo Responds To Foxconn's Admission Of Guilt In Child Labour Scandal
"We take our responsibilities as a global company very seriously"
Yesterday, allegations surfaced online that Chinese manufacturer Foxconn - which counts Nintendo, Sony and Apple as some of its clients - was employing children in its factories. Foxconn has since admitted guilt, issuing the following statement: We recognize that full...
News Pressure Group Makes Fresh Calls For Nintendo To Embrace Mobile Phones
Upwardly mobile?
Are you sick of hearing people saying that Nintendo should start making games for smartphones? Yes? Well prepare yourself for more nausea, because a new pressure group - with the snappy title of Nintendo Go Mobile - has been created to achieve just that goal. Here's what they have to say, spelling errors and all: Nintendo go...
News Analyst Calls for Mario on Non-Nintendo Platforms
Is that a flying pig?
After today's financial reports confirmed major losses for Nintendo, there are once again calls for the company to take its greatest IP treasures onto other platforms, such as smartphones and tablets. We've heard this all before, with investors saying similar things when Nintendo dropped the 3DS retail price. It's as likely now...
Talking Point A Big Year for Nintendo
Time for a transition
Today Nintendo announced its annual financial results, and the big headline is that it made a loss of 43 billion Yen, roughly $529m USD or £327m GBP. While we don't need to fear for the future of the company at this stage due to its significant stockpiles of cash and assets, it’s nevertheless a blow for the big N. The loss...
Feature Nintendo Banks on Its Old Money Makers
If in doubt…
Nintendo is set to announce its latest financial results that will cover the past year, and it’s anticipated that, for the first time in its history, the company will record a yearly loss. It’s an obvious blow for Nintendo, particularly as the past five to six years have brought staggering success. Even the results for 2010-2011...
News Iwata: We Want 3DS Sales to Show Consoles are Here to Stay
President comes out swinging
One of the most anticipated 3DS games is nearly here: Super Mario 3D Land releases in Japan next week, and Nintendo president Satoru Iwata expects it to ignite 3DS hardware sales. Speaking to investors after the company's quarterly results, Iwata revealed that since the price drop the 3DS is selling at a better pace than...