Tag: Iwata - Page 2

  • News Nintendo to Offer Triple Layer of Miiverse Moderation

    Don't be naughty

    One of Wii U's biggest features so far is Miiverse. It promises to be a social network on the console, infused with typical Nintendo touches to make it as charming and fun as possible. From a practical perspective, the idea is to communicate with other Wii U gamers to receive game tips, arrange online play and make friends. Another...

  • News Iwata Won't Promise "Overwhelmingly Rich" Wii U Launch Line-Up

    Has "several proposals"

    The 3DS had a lacklustre line-up of games. You know it, we know it and Nintendo knows it. The real question is how the company will avoid a similar situation with Wii U when it launches later this year. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata told investors that it has plans in place but that it pledges to create...

  • News Iwata: "Animal Crossing 3DS Won't Rely on Add-On Content"

    Get what you pay for

    To some, Animal Crossing on 3DS sounds like the ideal opportunity to sell as much digital add-on content as possible, but Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has again stated the company's strong opposition to this model. Iwata told investors Nintendo will stick to its ethos of not selling products that consumers would deem...

  • News Wii U Release Date and Price Announcements to Come After E3

    Surprised?

    Nintendo will reveal the release date and price for Wii U after its E3 show, president Satoru Iwata has revealed. Speaking at a financial results briefing, Iwata didn't reveal much about Wii U, other than emphasising that Nintendo would reveal the system's final format and software lineup during E3. Iwata then said: Please also be...

  • News Mobile Dev: "Iwata Makes Me Fear for Nintendo's Future"

    Troubled times

    Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said last year that Nintendo is not interested in producing free-to-play software, displeasing Ben Cousins, director of free-to-play software company Ngmoco. Speaking to Develop, Cousins discussed his belief that console manufacturers are frightened of free to play games: The only platform where...

  • News Iwata Hits Out at Nikkei's "Gossip Magazine" Tactics

    Don't annoy the big man

    Nintendo president Satoru Iwata was very unhappy a quote attributed to him in Nikkei's report about Nintendo resurrecting Seaman for 3DS, and took to Twitter to give his side of the story. While most outlets — including this one — picked up just on the Seaman story, apparently the original Japanese article quoted Iwata as...

  • News "Trustworthy" Third Parties Get Microtransactions Go-Ahead

    Horse armour anybody?

    Downloadable content, software updates and microtransactions are not things that owners of Nintendo systems have been hugely exposed to in the past, but things are about to change. With expanded online offering Nintendo Network on the cards for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, third party developers will soon be allowed to sell...

  • News Iwata: Zelda on Wii U Won't Look Cheap

    Rolling out the barrel

    We all know The Legend of Zelda will come to Wii U, but whether it'll look as good as the Zelda HD Experience from E3 is another matter. Nintendo knows it has to deliver on the graphical front though, as president Satoru Iwata told investors. Explaining that not all Wii U games will take the ultra-realistic, high cost...

  • News Nintendo Wants to Keep Old Titles Fresh with DLC

    Add-ons a-go-go

    It's a common problem in these days of overly crammed release schedules: wait around for a few weeks and you might find that the game you've just spent your precious pennies on is already considered old hat. The community has already moved on to the next title, nobody wants to talk about it any longer and, while it might still be...

  • News Nintendo May Not Call Wii U a Home Console

    A rose by any other name

    When we saw Wii U at E3, we were pretty certain it was a console. We even saw people playing it in a home-style setting. So it's a home console, right? Wrong. Talking to investors after the latest financial results, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata suggested the company won't refer to it as a traditional home console: As for...

  • News Iwata Hints at Upcoming Swapnote Update

    What's on the way?

    Swapnote/Nintendo Letter Box is still compelling many 3DS owners to open their console every day to see what's new, and Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has hinted that there may be more to come from the app in the future. Speaking to investors, Iwata revealed that over 10 million notes were exchanged within four weeks of the app...

  • News Wii U Controller Gets Intriguing New Wireless Technology

    Near Field Communication is go

    Satoru Iwata revealed to investors that the Wii U controller will feature Near Field Communication (NFC) functions. The wireless technology is commonly used in non-contact transactions such as swiping travel cards and making credit or debit card payments. It's Iwata's description of the technology's applications,...

  • News Nintendo Considering Retail Downloads on 3DS and Wii U

    That'd be handy

    Nintendo has the infrastructure in place to allow full retail games to be downloaded to 3DS, but is still considering when and if to deploy it. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed at an investor briefing that Wii U will also share the same infrastructure — impressive considering Wii U uses 25GB discs — but the company is not...

  • News Wii U to Get Online User Accounts

    About time

    While Xbox 360's Gamertag and PlayStation Network's PSN ID systems have allowed unique online identifiers for some time, Nintendo's 3DS, Wii and DS have lagged behind in the online space. Speaking to investors, president Satoru Iwata revealed Wii U will get individual user accounts for online services. Iwata said: Also for the Wii U, we...

  • News Nintendo Network Will Get Competitions and User Communication

    And much more

    The mysterious Nintendo Network logo that surfaced last week has been explained at an investor meeting by Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. As expected, the Nintendo Network is the company's new online infrastructure, but it spans far further than simply online matchmaking and eshopping. As Iwata tells it, Nintendo Network — which...

  • News Iwata: "Wii U Will Be At its Best at Launch"

    No waiting here

    As we reported yesterday, Wii U will launch in time for Christmas, with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealing to investors the company has learnt from the 3DS launch. Iwata told investors: For the launch of new hardware, it is, of course, regarded as a sort of requisite not to miss the critical year-end sales season. The company...

  • News Nintendo Announces 2D Super Mario Title for 3DS

    Coming soon

    Nintendo will release a new 2D side-scrolling Super Mario title for 3DS in the next financial year, president Satoru Iwata has announced. Speaking to investors about the upcoming titles for the console, Iwata said: Although there is no logo here, we are planning to release a totally new side-scrolling action Super Mario in 2D as a key...

  • News Nintendo Promises 3DS DLC for Next Year's Titles

    Will we see any this year?

    The late November 3DS system update will add the ability for developers to release downloadable content for games in the 3DS eShop, but Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has revealed there'll be no Nintendo DLC until 2012. Speaking to investors after the semi-annual financial report, Iwata said: Nintendo will also offer...

  • News Nintendo Developing New Game Genres to Revitalise 3DS

    No laurel-resting here

    Nintendo DS and Wii were hugely lucrative for many reasons, but part of their success is down to the innovative new games only possible on Nintendo's hardware: from Nintendogs and Brain Training to Wii Fit, these new genres really made the hardware into global phenomena. Of course, other hardware manufacturers and publishers...

  • News Nintendo Developing New Game Genres to Revitalise 3DS

    No laurel-resting here

    Nintendo DS and Wii were hugely lucrative for many reasons, but part of their success is down to the innovative new games only possible on Nintendo's hardware: from Nintendogs and Brain Training to Wii Fit, these new genres really made the hardware into global phenomena. Of course, other hardware manufacturers and publishers...

  • News Final Wii U Form to Be Shown At E3 2012

    Changes planned?

    The Wii U reveal at E3 2011 probably didn't go quite as Nintendo had hoped, with some confusion over exactly what the console is and how it works. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata is keen not to make that mistake again though, and has revealed the console will be shown off in its "final format" at next year's E3. That could...

  • 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...

  • News Iwata Reveals Big New Improvements for eShop

    DLC, web, demos and more

    At the recent financial briefing, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata discussed plenty of interesting new ideas to evolve the company's online strategy, revealing some big initiatives. Extra downloadable content for games will be available to game developers after the late November system update, letting studios and publishers...

  • News Iwata Resists Calls for Smartphone Games

    Says Nintendo's business in hardware is vital

    Following Nintendo's press conference in Tokyo, CEO Satoru Iwata conducted an interview with Nikkei about the future of the 3DS and Nintendo as a whole. Amongst expected talk of strong software line-ups and a Nintendo fightback, Iwata was asked, once again, whether Nintendo would be joining the...

  • News Nintendo Will Announce Wii U Release Date Next Year

    So don't hold your breath

    Since the Wii U's unveiling at E3 in June and the vague announcement of a 2012 release date, we've all been hanging on to find out exactly when Nintendo's next console will be available. We'll all have to keep hanging on though, as that information won't arrive until next year. Just as the 3DS release date was only...

  • News Iwata Admits E3 Wii U Reveal was Earlier Than Planned

    A necessary evil

    Rumours of Nintendo's new console started circulating before E3, and the system's basic concept leaked out long before Reggie Fils-Aime rolled the tape. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata spoke to investors recently and admitted that the console's big reveal E3 was a little earlier than then company would have liked. Iwata revealed...

  • News Iwata Writes Open Letter to 3DS Owners to Say Sorry

    Mail from the boss man

    Nintendo president Satoru Iwata speaks to all the key players in Nintendo's company: investors, shareholders, developers and more all meet with the big boss to share concerns and discuss the industry's future. Iwata is a busy man then, but he still took the time to pen a letter to 3DS owners, thanking them for their purchase...

  • News Iwata: We Will Do Paid Download Content for Wii U and 3DS

    But no word on what

    Extra downloadable content is a fertile field for developers, allowing them to extend the appeal of their game long after it's left the charts. While some Wii games allowed for paid DLC under the system's "Pay and Play" feature, it was never really a big focus for the console, something Nintendo president Satoru Iwata...

  • News Iwata Shoulders Blame for Low 3DS Sales, Cuts Salary in Half

    "Very, very sorry"

    As the 3DS only shifted 710,000 units worldwide between 1st April and 30th June, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata is feeling the hit in his own pocket, cutting his own salary in half. Iwata isn't the only high level Nintendo executive taking a hit: Shigeru Miyamoto's salary will drop by around 30%, as will fellow that of managing...

  • News The Thought of a Shooter-Only Future Makes Iwata Sad

    Don't make him cry

    Here in the West, lots of people like video games in which you shoot people. This is a fact. The war shooter genre, driven by the likes of Call of Duty and Battlefield, has become a huge industry in its own right, raking in countless millions of dollars worldwide every year. Don't tell Satoru Iwata this is the way all games are...

  • News Iwata Knows 3DS Launch Line-Up was Lacklustre

    Big titles were AWOL

    The 3DS launched without a Mario or Zelda game, and it's fair to say the machine's sales so far haven't been stunning. Satoru Iwata was recently asked about this matter during a shareholder Q&A, and acknowledged the machine's software line-up wasn't impressive. If we had have launched the Nintendo 3DS after we had prepared...

  • News Nintendo Collaborating with Third-Parties to Make Hits

    We don't hear the 3DS or Wii U complaining

    At this year's E3, Nintendo showed that having strong support from third-parties is definitely something that the Wii U is striving for, and at the post event shareholders' meeting, Satoru Iwata spoke briefly about the kind of titles we'll see the company produce in the coming years. Keen to show that the...

  • News 3DS Could Be Your Ticket to International Museums

    Console's educational uses being explored

    There's been some interesting dialogue being had within Nintendo. As part of the 3DS's remit to offer unique experiences, it appears Nintendo executives have been exploring ideas that fall outside of the video game category and more within the interactive educational school of thinking. Educational software...

  • News Iwata: "Difficult to Launch Hardware Close to Its Announcement"

    The timing of the 3DS and Wii U is certainly debatable

    Everyone loves a bit of gossip, and what better gossip is there in the video game industry than what new consoles are capable of? That appears to be one of Nintendo's main problems when it's in the process of unveiling new hardware. Like the company and its products or not, many are interested...

  • News Mixed Wii U Reaction and Share Dip Doesn't Faze Iwata

    Proceed with confidence

    Nintendo's shares fell 10% after the Wii U was revealed, a surprising result considering many of the hands-on impressions of the console were positive. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata is puzzled by this situation, but still has faith in Nintendo's new console. Answering questions at the company's 71st annual general meeting,...

  • News Iwata: "We Must Continue to Combat Negative 3D Rumours"

    Giving the president a headache

    Despite carefully worded health advice from Nintendo itself, not to mention supporting advice from eyesight specialists, there still seems a negative perception of the Nintendo 3DS console's stereoscopic capabilities, partially fuelled by certain disreputable media outlets. A recent shareholders meeting at Nintendo...

  • News Iwata Discusses More Built-In 3DS StreetPass Games

    Find Mii again

    Nintendo's built-in StreetPass games Find Mii (also known as StreetPass Quest) and Puzzle Swap are rather neat incentives to carry your 3DS console around, but once finished there's less reason to venture out into the world with your 3DS in your pocket. Nintendo realises this, and president Satoru Iwata acknowledged the issue at a...

  • News Wii U is Technically 3D-Ready

    Check that off the list

    While it may have taken Nintendo a few years to jump on the HD bandwagon, it seems the company doesn't want to be in a position where it finds itself being left behind again when it comes to the latest trend in consumer technology. In an interview conducted by Mercury News, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata clarified the focus...

  • News Iwata Tells Shareholders "Core Gamers Will Accept Wii U"

    And here's why

    The Wii may not have attracted many core gamers despite decidedly hardcore games such as Monster Hunter 3 (Tri~), but Nintendo President Satoru Iwata is keen the console's successor will do better. Asked at a recent shareholders meeting "will core gamers accept Wii U?", Iwata outlined his belief for why the previous console...

  • News Nintendo Directors Have Spent 285 Years Shaping the Industry

    EXP off the charts

    Nintendo's joint position as the venerable grandfather of gaming and constant innovator is a combination of imagination, intelligence and experience, and the latter is something the company's guiding lights certainly are not short of. Nintendo's annual general meeting is coming up next week, and the company will be electing ten...

  • News Nintendo Not Interested in Producing Free-To-Play Software

    Iwata not willing to take the risk, it seems

    Nintendo's made it clear that it hasn't been totally satisfied with its online efforts thus far, and the upcoming Wii U will hopefully resolve all that. Although the company hasn't revealed exactly how things will be different with its next home console, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has made one thing...

  • News Iwata Talks Wii U Voice Chat and Social Networking

    Promising improvements

    Nintendo's not revealed much of its online plans for Wii U, other than saying it represents a massive leap forward, but President Satoru Iwata spoke to investors after E3 to reveal a little more about the company's pledge to give developers more freedom in creating online environments. Referring to the company's current model...

  • News Following Wii U Unveiling, Nintendo Shares Drop 10%

    Iwata: "It's very strange."

    Much like the 3DS, Nintendo is adamant that Wii U has to be seen and experienced first-hand if it is to be understood. Could this be the reason why Nintendo shares took a plunge following the new console's announcement at E3? In the two days following Nintendo's E3 conference on Tuesday, shares dropped by almost 10...

  • News Nintendo Reinforcing Western Development for Wii's Successor

    Despite what some might think, Nintendo can't do everything by itself

    Nintendo has a number of things to get right with the successor to the Wii, or else it risks facing more competition from its rivals than it needs to. Aside from setting a new paradigm in video gaming, Nintendo will have to build on the momentum that the launch of the 3DS has...

  • News Iwata: "Kinect Has Made Little Impact on Wii Sales"

    Buttons still in fashion

    Last year saw the release of Microsoft's button-free Kinect, and many analysts predicted the sensor would bring an end to Wii's sales dominance in the West. That's not how Nintendo president Satoru Iwata feels however, as revealed at the recent goldmine of information that is the company's end of financial year results...

  • News Vitality Sensor Will Be Released When Everyone Can Enjoy It

    Or 99% of people anyway

    Nintendo recently assured everyone that the Vitality Sensor is still in development, but if you've been wondering what's taking so long, let Nintendo president Satoru Iwata explain. Speaking at a recent financial results briefing, Iwata clarified that the sensor is still on the way but won't reach the market until it's...

  • News Iwata: "We Need Big Games to Hit 3DS Sales Targets This Year"

    Needs big name players to step up

    Nintendo's set itself a target of selling 16 million 3DS consoles around the world in the coming financial year, but president Satoru Iwata knows the company will only succeed if the main attractions come out swinging. Speaking at a financial results briefing, the question was raised about whether big Nintendo...

  • News You Won't Get a Nintendo Console with a Buttonless Controller

    That satisfyingly soft click is here to stay

    With the introduction of touchscreens and motion controls, the cynical gamer might think it's a matter of time before Nintendo abandons the use of buttons all together. Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata assures us that that's not what the company has planned. During an Analyst Meeting earlier this week, Iwata was...

  • News Nintendo Expected Higher 3DS Sales

    Slips from the top of the Japanese hardware chart

    It's been on the Japanese market for a couple of months now and worldwide for about half that time, but the 3DS simply isn't selling as expected by Nintendo. During Satoru Iwata's presentation at Nintendo's Financial Results Briefing, the president admitted that sales of the handheld started to slow...

  • News Iwata: Wii has More to Offer, Unannounced Games on the Way

    Life in the old dog yet

    Just because Nintendo is nearly ready to show off a new console doesn't mean incumbent home console the Wii is dead and buried. President Satoru Iwata is keen to keep the console alive, telling investors there are new games on the way every month of this year, with some unannounced titles too. In Japan, Nintendo has only...