Tag: Industry - Page 24
News GameStop Kids Store Launches, 80 More Planned
Mario and Pokémon plushes a-hoy!
Are you tired of going into a video game store and seeing M-rated games covering the shelves, with rows and rows of box covers full of guns and snarling faces? Help is at hand, if you live in the U.S. near Grapevine Mills Mall in TX, as there's a new GameStop Kids store in town. The first of a new range of 80 stores...
News Nintendo Download Sales Increase With 3DS
Online connectivity rate also on the rise
With plenty of information coming out of Nintendo's recent financial results and briefings, one particularly positive outcome is confirmation that the company's download sales are increasing for the first time since 2010. Considering the fact that Wii and DSi are on the decline due to newer systems, the...
News Wii U Stock Shortage Reports Surface in UK
Everyone stay calm
Although there are a fair share of nay-sayers and doubters surrounding Wii U and its long term prospects for success, there seems to be little doubt that it'll have a strong launch. Pre-orders are sold out at various retailers in the US, for example, while GAME told us a month ago that UK pre-orders are exceeding expectations. The...
News Pachter Pours Scorn Over Wii U Sales Projections
"Disappointing and unrealistic"
Whenever there are Nintendo-related sales figures to be discussed and dissected, you can almost guarantee that games industry analyst Michael Pachter will have some wisdom to impart. Nintendo recently proclaimed that it intended to shift 5.5 million Wii U consoles before April 2013, along with 24 million units of...
News Nintendo Issues a Statement on Its Foxconn Under-Age Workers Investigation
Confirms violation and further on-site inspections
Last week there was some unpleasant news that Nintendo was forced to confront, with the revelations that manufacturing partner Foxconn employed under-age interns to manufacture Wii U. Foxconn accepted responsibility and admitted that under-age employees had been hired and subsequently released,...
News Nintendo Targets 5.5 Million Wii U Sales This Financial Year
All before April
Earlier today we brought you the news that Nintendo had cut its profit projections due to half-year results, with the overall picture being one of disappointment if not disaster. One of the reasons for this was lower than expected 3DS sales, with six months worth of results showing around five million unit sales, leaving Nintendo...
Talking Point The Message in "I'm Not a Gamer" Commercials
Word-play, or hiding from being a gamer?
A little over a month ago we mentioned a new series of commercials that Nintendo was planning to run, which it described as the "Play As You Are" campaign. The goal of these adverts was to show "how all kinds of women and young girls can explore their interests and express their individuality using the...
News Nintendo Cuts Profit Projections After Half-Year Results
Losses continue to fall despite weaker than expected 3DS sales
Despite all of the hype and excitement currently around Nintendo and the upcoming launch of Wii U, in addition to its efforts to improve its download platforms and more, the company's been working against a backdrop of difficult financial results. Earlier this year Nintendo had to report...
Talking Point Affordable Consoles Come at a Cost
There are no easy answers
Earlier this week we reported on the news that Foxconn, manufacturer for many of the world’s biggest technology companies, employed under-age interns to work on Wii U manufacturing. Foxconn admitted that it had employed 14-16 year old school attendees and stated that it had “apologized to each of the students for our...
News MCV: Wii U Is A Stopgap System, Real Successor Is Still To Come
"It was never intended as a next generation console"
Video game trade site MCV Pacific has posted an interesting opinion piece which speculates that the Wii U is merely a stopgap to lift Nintendo's flagging fortunes following the false start of the 3DS (in the west, at least) and plummeting Wii sales. The Wii U hasn't been given a new moniker, but...
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 Under-Age Workers Allegedly Worked on Wii U Manufacturing
The latest controversy for Foxconn
If you own a number of gadgets and gizmos from major companies such as Apple, Sony and Microsoft, it's in all likelihood been manufactured by Foxconn, based primarily in China. The reason we can buy technology at affordable prices isn't just because of cheaper parts and research, but due to low-paid labour in...
News Archos Uses Star Fox And Mario To Demo Its Console-Killing Tablet
UPDATE: Blogger posted video and installed emulators - nothing to see here...
EDIT: Since this story went live we have been contacted by the person who created the video, who has made it clear that they installed the emulators and ROMs themselves onto the demonstration device when it was shown at a recent trade show, and not Archos: Archos...
News Reggie: "Certainly Possible" Wii U Consoles Could Be Sold By Cable Providers
Nintendo of America president hints on the future of Wii U
In an interview with the Seattle Times, Nintendo of America President Reggie-Fils Aime left open the possibility of selling Wii U consoles through cable providers. While this might seem pretty far-fetched, it's well-known that Nintendo is hoping for big things from its Nintendo TVii...
News Retro Studios Gets a Bigger Office
Scaling up for Wii U development?
Metroid Prime and Donkey Kong Country Returns developer Retro Studios has moved to a larger premises, hinting that the company is expanding to handle significant support for Nintendo's Wii U console. According to n1ntendo.nl, the move was very hush-hush, and no press release was issued to mark t
News Pokémon Black and White 2 Catches a Strong UK Chart Début
Both versions in the top five
Pokémon Black and White 2 may be getting played on a lot of 3DS systems at the moment, but we shouldn't forget that it probably represents the last big hurrah for the humble DS. It's a big release for fans of the series that Nintendo no doubt hopes will perform well, and early indications in the UK charts are certainly...
News Former Sega CEO Was Instrumental In Securing Unity's Nintendo Deal
Development platform is being pushed out to first and third party studios
We've already touched upon the significance of Nintendo's agreement with Unity, but CEO David Helgason has spilled a few more beans in an exclusive interview with the lovely folks at VG247
News Guess What? Michael Pachter Isn't a Fan of The Wii U
Doesn't think third parties will succeed on Nintendo's new console
Wedbush Securities Digital media and electronics analyst Michael Pachter seems to have an odd relationship with Nintendo. He's forever casting doubt on the company's chances, taking any chance he can to stick the boot in and predict naught but doom and gloom for Mario and company...
Talking Point Nintendo Takes One Step Forward, One Back With Retail Downloads
It's not quite right, yet
During last week's Nintendo Direct broadcast in Europe, one eShop announcement that received relatively little fanfare was confirmation that a number of additional first-party titles were being made available on the platform. These titles stretch back to the earliest months of the system: now available on the European eShop...
News Teens Losing Interest In Social Gaming, Turning To Traditional Consoles
Research also shows the growth of digital downloads
Everywhere you look, there seems to be a story about how traditional consoles are under threat from social gaming, and that the console market as we know it is all but doomed. However, new research from Analyst firm Piper Jaffray reveals that attitudes towards social gaming are changing, with teen...
News Bridgestone Responds to Sony's "Kevin Butler" Lawsuit
All because of a game of Mario Kart Wii
Yesterday we picked up on the news of an ongoing court case between Sony and the actor behind Kevin Butler or, to be completely accurate, the actor's production company and Bridgestone. Sony's basic complaint was that the actor Jerry Lambert, so commonly known for his work as fictional Sony executive Kevin...
News Reggie: Time Spent on Rival Devices is a Missed Opportunity For Nintendo
Company looks to offer a broader degree of entertainment
Nintendo is entering a unique phase in its existance, a period where its rivals not only include Microsoft and Sony, but also Apple and Google. Despite Nintendo's best efforts to deny the threat, mobile and social gaming is most definitely on the rise, and many predict that the traditional...
News PETA Targets Pokémon Black & White 2 in Latest Campaign
Opportunism or a fair moral case?
Last year, with the arrival of Super Mario 3D Land, PETA — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals — launched a campaign against Mario, on the grounds that his Tanooki suit encouraged the wearing of furs. It was a widely criticised move, as it disregarded the sheer fantasy of obtaining the suit from a...
News Kevin Butler Actor Seen Near Wii Console... Sony Takes Him to Court
Yes, really
Some of you may remember a news article that we posted around a month ago that starred fictional Sony VP Kevin Butler, which we did so with tongue firmly in cheek. We highlighted a Bridgestone tyre advert in which the actor who plays the character, his real name is Jerry Lambert, was seen near a Nintendo Wii, possibly causing indignation...
News Indie Developers Speak Highly of Wii U eShop
Positive comments suggest that Nintendo is working well with smaller studios
If you ask the average WiiWare developer how much money they made off the back of the service, you'd probably be shocked. In the past, indie devs have been less than positive about Nintendo's online portal, providing figures which make for very grim reading - even more so...
Talking Point Nintendo's Focus on the 3DS eShop
Gaming on a budget
This week’s European Nintendo Direct prompted the usual range of predictions before the event, ranging from optimistic but unlikely hopes to pessimism and predictability. What Nintendo of Europe boss Satoru Shibata gave us, surprisingly, was a broadcast heavy with eShop exclusives, some new and surprising and others with...
News Nintendo: Phones And Tablets Aren't Games Devices
UK PR director bullish about 3DS' forthcoming Christmas war against mobile
Nintendo UK's marketing and PR director Shelly Pearce has spoken to MCV about the upcoming war for wallets this Christmas, and has stated that the company is confident that its 'true' gaming systems will hold their own against devices like smartphones and tablets. When asked...
News Reggie: Miiverse Will be a "True Killer Application" on Wii U
An important part of the system
Unlike its predecessor, Wii U is a system that is steadily making a big noise about functionality beyond simply playing a game. In North America there's TVii, an app that allows subscribers of various TV services to navigate around programmes, access bespoke content and update social networks with comments. It's the...
Talking Point The Possibilities of New Super Mario Bros. 2 DLC
More Mario per system
We’re well aware that some of you may read the headline and tagline for this article and immediately think that we’re losing our minds, foolishly allowing ourselves to be suckered into paying more and more for our Mario fix. That’s a danger of course, which we’ll come to, but with this week’s first batch of New Super...
News Wii U eShop "More Open, Social and Indie-Friendly" Than Wii
We should hope so, too
Although we don't yet know much about Wii U eShop, we're continuing to hear good things about it from some developers with an inside perspective. The latest to step forward is Broken Rules, which is bringing Chasing Aurora to the new system this November. When it comes to giving a comparison with the download service on Wii,...
Feature Nintendo Life's Favourite Eurogamer Expo 2012 Moments
Magic moments
Eurogamer Expo 2012 has sadly come to a close, but if you've been following our photo stream you might have gathered that the Nintendo Life team had a rather lovely time indeed. We hosted our own StreetPass Zone and chatted to a lot of people (and lost our voices in the process in Damien's case); Push Square's Sammy Barker stormed...
News Sony: Wii U is Targeting "Niche Early Adopter Market" This Holiday
Nintendo's rival wants to lure families
The upcoming arrival of Wii U, and its inevitable push to be a big Holiday success, is naturally something for Nintendo's rivals to worry about. Sony, for its part, is introducing a new 'super slim' version of PS3 with just 12GB of memory, much lower than standard for the system, along with titles to attract...
Feature Lessons From a Gaming Expo
A rite of passage
For many gamers, this hobby of ours is about more than just buying and playing games, but also about hitting up expos, which are havens of gaming and related shenanigans. We’ve spent the past few days soaking up the sights and sounds at the Eurogamer Expo in London, and we’ve had some important gaming life lessons reaffirmed in...
News GAME: UK Pre-Orders Are "Exceeding Expectations"
Premium systems in demand
With Wii U's arrival just two months away, or slightly less if you're fortunate enough to be in North America, there's plenty of focus on whether the system is going to sell well and generate buzz at launch. There's little doubt that Nintendo's succeeded in North America with most retailers, notably GameStop, closing Wii U...
News Ex-Rare Developers Join Forces To Create A Spiritual Successor To Banjo-Tooie
All hope is not lost
Nothing puts a frown on a Nintendo fan's face like mentioning Rare. The company that once brought Perfect Dark, Donkey Kong 64, Banjo Kazooie and GoldenEye 007 are currently working on the Kinect Sports series for Microsoft. While most gamers have given up on seeing a new "proper" Banjo Kazooie sequel from Rare, a new glimmer of...
News Platinum Love The 3DS, But Are Too Busy To Work On It Right Now
A case of "what if"
Platinum Games executive director Atsushi Inaba has expressed his admiration for Nintendo's 3DS console in a recent interview with The Verge, but has also added that the company has too many ongoing projects to fund development for a 3DS game at present. He said: We are very interested in the Nintendo 3DS as a platform. I view...
News Toys R Us Taking Wii U Pre-Orders Again
Wii U Basic Bundle and two games available for $419
While stores left, right and centre are running out of pre-orders for the Wii U, it's since turned out that Toys R Us is now accepting them again. There's a caveat, of course - they're fresh out of Wii U Premium Models, and are bundling the Basic 8 GB model with copies of Scribblenauts: Unlimited...
News Reggie Fils-Aime: "The Nintendo Power Brand is Very Strong"
Struggles of the print industry to blame for closure
For loyal readers of Nintendo Power, or perhaps just those that have fond memories of reading it in their youth, the December issue will be the last print copy to enjoy. Perhaps unlike any other website or magazine closures in recent years this is undeniably one that can be directly traced to...
News GameStop Closes Wii U Pre-Orders in the U.S.
Waiting lists opened
While pre-orders are still very much available, at the time of writing, around Europe and elsewhere, it seems that demand for Wii U in the U.S. is hitting some impressive heights. We previously reported that Wii U pre-orders were selling out in the U.S., in terms of online purchases, but it's now being reported by softpedia.com...
Interview Unity - Licensing Deal Means A New Era For Indies On Nintendo Systems
We speak exclusively to Unity's Tracy Erickson about the new agreement with Nintendo
Nintendo recently signed a worldwide license agreement with Unity Technologies to bring its multi-platform engine and development tools to the Wii U. To get a better idea of what benefits this deal will bring, we spoke exclusively to Unity's Tracy Erickson, who is...
News Rodea the Sky Soldier Still Has No Release Plans
Former Sonic man is keen to work on Wii U
Do you remember Rodea the Sky Soldier from Yuji Naka's PROPE studio, the man who many credit with creating Sonic the Hedgehog? It's supposed to be released on Wii and 3DS, with the handheld version being handled by another developer, Kadokawa Games, the same organisation in charge of publishing the Wii...
News Firebrand Games: "Nintendo Needs to Charm the Mass Market" With Wii U
"People still need Nintendo"
Now that the Wii U hype train is getting closer to its final destination, there'll be much analysis and opinion on what Nintendo needs to do to make it a success. There'll be plenty of talk about its technical capabilities as well, of course, but for developers and Nintendo itself it's really all about how many Wii U...
News Wii U Pre-Orders Selling Out in the U.S.
If you haven't ordered one, cross those fingers
Last week we produced a Wii U pre-order guide, as a starting point for those interested in securing the new system before launch. Unfortunately, if you've been hesitating for too long it looks like you may miss out, with online orders at least. The story that GameStop was sold out of Deluxe bundles...
News Eurogamer Expo 2012 To Host Exclusive Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Dev Session
Treyarch designer due to talk about forthcoming FPS epic
Just in case you weren't excited enough about the impending release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 on the Wii U, UK site Eurogamer has confirmed that Treyarch game design director David Vonderhaar will be holding a developer session at this year's Eurogamer Expo. The session will take place at...
News Ex-Rare Staffer: Exodus Wouldn't Have Happened Under Nintendo
Former employee admits that Microsoft sale has changed the company
In September 2002, Microsoft purchased UK developer Rare for $375 million, effectively ending the firm's long-running association with Nintendo - a relationship which resulted in some of the best games ever created. Fast forward a decade, and Rare is a very different beast. Many key...
News Reggie: $299 Is Strong Value, And Is Going To Be For a Long Time
Nintendo of America's president talks Wii U pricing and the impact of the 3DS cut
Unless you're living under a rock, you'll know that yesterday Nintendo confirmed the global pricing for its new Wii U console. In North America, the Basic set will retail for $299.99 and the Deluxe for $349.99. Speaking to GI.biz, Reggie Fils-Aime outlined his...
News Rodney Greenblat: Nintendo Works on Creativity and Originality in Games "24/7"
"Playstation and XBox have little incentive to do that"
Rodney Greenblat is a name likely to be familiar to Sony gaming enthusiasts, as he was the designer and artistic creator for PaRappa the Rapper on PS1, as well as the sequel on PS2. Even those who've staunchly stuck with Nintendo all of these years have probably encountered these rhythm games...
News Resident Evil Director Wants To Make a Monster Hunter Flick
Run to the hills
Despite the sheer volume of duds and the critical mauling they invariably receive, Hollywood still seems obsessed with tapping into video game culture and creating movies based on well-known gaming franchises. The failures of Super Mario Bros., Street Fighter, Dead or Alive and Alone in the Dark have done nothing is dampen the...
Talking Point The Importance of the Wii U Press Event
Battle for the limelight
This Thursday’s Wii U press event is a big deal for Nintendo. Well, let’s assume it is, as a loose teaser for future reveals may cause too much fan anguish to control: we’re talking mass hysteria and riots on the streets. Joking aside, we’re 99% confident that Nintendo’s going to hit us with at least two big pieces...
News Staff Reshuffle At Nintendo Of Europe
Digby out, Mathers in
Nintendo of Europe has announced two big staff changes, with Nintendo UK's Lewis Digby leaving to join French mobile game company Gameloft and ex-journalist Martin Mathers hopping on as Online Editor. Digby joined Nintendo as a PR manager four and a half years ago. He had this to say about the move: I’ve had the most...
