E3 for Nintendo this year was seen by most people as far better than last year's effort, but despite showcasing Super Mario Galaxy 2 and revealing Metroid: Other M, Satoru Iwata feels that there is still room for improvement.
As for the media briefing at E3, of course we had many internal discussions after that. Honestly speaking, none of us at Nintendo thought that our presentation at E3 was as good as it could have been. It is apparent that we could not fully convey the charm of our products. In the past, Wii Sports and Wii Fit were naturally able to convey their appeal on stage since it was something no one had ever seen or imagined before. People seemed to capture the appeal of Wii Sports instantly and although there was some initial confusion with Wii Fit, its appeal did get through to the audience afterwards.
This year, however, with the New Super Mario Bros. Wii, four people lined up with Wii Remotes was not a scene that no one had ever seen. Those who actually had the chance to play understood how the game would change with four people playing simultaneously, but we could not address that fun sentiment at the media briefing. Now we strongly feel that we need to look into finding a better way to demonstrate the products’ appeal better at E3 in these times where more people are watching it online via web cast not only in the U.S. but all around the world, than the number of audience who actually watch it in the theatre. In that sense, we learned many lessons from this year’s E3 show.
After the media briefing, we had a domestic trade briefing in Japan. There we disclosed the black Wii console and red Nintendo DSi, which made a big buzz among game fans. It is also an important lesson for next year.
One of E3's biggest buzzes was Shigeru Miyamoto's unveiling of the new Zelda artwork, which wasn't even part of the briefing! Iwata has a point - big games don't always make a fantastic presentation. After the confusion with the Vitality Sensor, perhaps next year if they unveil a new peripheral, a demonstration on what it does might help too!
[source nintendoeverything.com]
Comments (50)
Ok, don't they say this every year?
I honestly didn't see anything wrong with the presentation. I think Iwata is overreacting. Though they probably could have been a little more enthusiastic about the presentation.
Iwata should learn his lesson, you cant have a good show without Cammie, snowboarding, and balance boards.
I thought it was a great show, as far as unveiling great games goes. But it was a bit of a bore to watch. The problem, I think, is Cammie. She makes everything sound lame. How can you make a new console Super Mario Bros. game sound uncool? Seems impossible, but Cammie found a way. They just need more people on stage that are actually fun.
I'm actually glad he's taking the stance he is, it shows he's still evolving as the CEO and President of Nintendo. Sure, he's not exactly aggressive, but he's improving drastically and actually taking notice of the other companies now, rather than the "we're not actually competing with Sony and Microsoft" stance of the Gamecube era.
We'll see Zelda, F-Zero and project Sora's game next year, I'm pretty sure of that. If you guys get no F-Zero, make sure I put my foot firmly in my mouth
EDIT: @ Kid_A: You're absolutely right, I personally think Cammie's doing the company no favours, especially with the horrible Nintendo Minute segments on IGN which aren't even worth reading, to the point I don't even think they've done one in over a month. They need Shiggy and Reggie on stage next year, they're the most charismatic guys Nintendo have.
Ok...I am kinda tired of it but what's the deal with the cammie hate? I undertsand that last year they gave her some corny dialogues bu tall of you are overreacting and too much, I am sorry but you sound like small kids angry because a girl entered in your treehouse. Is very pathetic.
Nintendo needs FRESH BLOOD on stage. The entire NoA staff can stay home. Please, stay home. That goes for that translator-guy "Bill Trinnen" or whatever his name is. No one from NoA (Nintendo of America) seems at all interested in games. They're in it for the "business" side of things. Miyamoto and Iwata at least try to convey a general excitement about games and gaming.
@Buffalobob: I don't hate her, I just find her uninteresting compared to Perrin Kaplan, who is female and a person I thought was just awesome.
I know that a lot of Cammie says is because she's vice president of sales & marketing, but the answers people get from her can mostly be gotten from the automated response you get when you send Nintendo an e-mail. Also she just doesn't seem to have a knack of making anything look interesting when she presents it compared to the likes of Reggie
@Ian - well they in the business side of things becasue is a business: the entertainment business!! what do you think videogames are? ART?! Hell no!
E3 is a trade show, not a circus. Microsoft and sony act like magicians because that's the best they can do.
@chunky....so that's it? she is not "cool"?
wow....
@buffalobob: I agree with you completely! I saw an interview on Gamespot with reps from big gaming companies including Cammie for Nintendo. She raised a good argument during the interview but the people listening to it called her "soccer mom" and hated the fact that she constantly referred to Nintendo's games. She's using examples to emphasize her points and the users need to actually READ her argument to understand it.
It's got nothing to do with coolness. Considering the topic is Nintendo's presentation at E3, Cammie is I'm sure doing the best she can to promote the product, but I would say her success comes from what she does behind the scenes, rather than the interviews and presentations she gives.
She's clearly a talented woman, she used to have the same position as Yahoo and they saw the biggest growth while she was there (sure, they weren't Google, but they did very well to expand internationally), and I'm glad she's doing a good job, but as far as media briefings go there are more talented people working for Nintendo to take care of that.
@buffalobob: Just because it's a trade show doesn't mean it shouldn't be entertaining. You make it sound like the thing shouldn't even be broadcast.
Ok, forget completely that I mentioned Nintendo Minute on IGN, I was thinking of Denise Kaigler there, my bad. I still stand by Cammie's E3 performance though.
I think its time for a big change in Nintendo myself. They new new guys onstage and that goes for Miyamoto too. Sorry guys but I think its getting to be about that time.
@1z2009 - yeah exactly. I mean they don't have to love her (and that includes all RP people) but it seems that videogamers just want to throw all their anger and frustration with her just becuase she is not cool or pretty or "kick asses" and is just ridiculous. And videogame journalism has some fault on that too.
@chunky - I see what you mean but I still think that gamers overreact, I personally didn't found anything special nor bad about her but they seem to attack her without a reason. I seen her giving interviews and she is very professional. I dunno what you want? that she tells her fart jokes or internet trash talk?
@wrong way - but that's not what I said. Is not a circus, is a business trade. The problem is not from E3 but from you the gamers that want to see all the razzle dazzle in the wrong place. It seems that you gamers really need to grow up and see things what they really are.
whos cammie?Whos Shiggy? Whos Reggie?
@SUPERZELDAMAN: Cammie's the VP of Marketing for Nintendo of America, "Shiggy" is Shigeru Miyamoto, and Reggie Fils-Aime is the President of Nintendo of America
Good to hear! Maybe Nintendo will improve even more next year!
Cammie isn't cool.
oh please, like sonys and microsofts were any more exciting. MS started off with the beatles, who didn't seem to know what to say, for a game that is for every platform anyway. and sonys was a huge snooze fest except for their motion control, which nintendo ALREADY HAS. SNORE.
People always critique themselves when they performed or presented something on stage. It's just part of being human, always trying to strive for improvement.
Video games are art, if you think otherwise, then you need to end your life. Because movies are considered art, video games are art too. All those doing designs and doing graphics for games consider it art. By saying that video games are not art, you just made the entire industry a big fat joke.
And yes, they need to get rid of Cammie. She is just uncharismatic and bores people out of their minds. When Reggie appeared for the first time, he had it right. Does "Taking names" ring a bell?
If it doesn't, where the hell have you been sleeping under? If it does, it just goes to prove that Nintendo's E3 show needs to have a lot more energy. Cammie is just not good at it. She's probably awesome at every day job ... but at E3, she's just plain awful.
And argument we're kids because we don't like her, it just dumb. Probably the most kiddish comment someone could ever make. The age defense. Please go to ethics school.
Games and movies are not the same. That's one of the HUGE mistakes of the past generations: making games simmilar to movies.
Games are entertainment. People don't buy games because of the art crap..well except nerds. But the normal gamers just want to have fun.
That's why we have boring pretentious OH BUT ARTSY games like Metal Gear solid by Hideo kubrickwannabe kojima or the borefests of Shadow of the colossus and Okami and even Twilight Princess.
Besides what's the problem with games not being art? why do you want them to be art? to sound sofisticated? so you don't feel guilty for enjoying them? to sound cool with the ladies? oh please GROW UP.
Games can be both art and fun, same as movies, there's movies created to be "artsy" and movies for pure entertainment.
It can be both, it depends on your perspective. Take a look at Flower for PS3, very artistic style game, yet people had fun with it. And there's also nothing wrong with great storytelling in a game, lots of people want it, there are also a lot of people that don't.
I don't like attacking people for no reason Buffalo, and I don't see what I say as "attacking" specifically, I like Cammie, she does an awesome job, I just think there's people out there more suited to the public speaking aspect. She IS a very professional woman, I don't want fart jokes, a bit of personality though makes it a lot easier to pay attention to what she's saying, though.
Nintendo does need some more exciting presenters. If they didn't show off exciting games, their presentations would have just been utter failures.
@buffalobob..... dude you keep havin fun with your little waggle game. Most real gamers that actually appreciate Game and the Developer who pour there time/lives into creating games take the time to stop and look around in games. Nowadays artist/musicians are very underapreciated in this world and most have moved into Gaming/Film. Stop and look around in Metroid Corruption, the walls and enviroments are beautiful. There is more to games than just havin fun, you can appreciate them for their art and musical quality along with the gameplay. Because getting on a gaming site, especially here and ranting about "Who cares about the Art in Games" isnt going to get you very far. Not to mention the many developers that are posting here on a daily basis.
If they were really interested in generating buzz for New Super Mario Bros' four player features, they would have had it out in a demo booth instead of just presenting it on stage. Being showed something and getting to play something are two completely different things. The second will generate great buzz if the game is well done (and kill a game if it is not).
I sincerely have to agree.
Cammie makes Nintendo very kiddy looking and im always emmbarissed when she gets on stage knowing...."do i actually love the company shes working with?!?!?!"
She needs to get out.
Reggie is fine as he makes things serious but she makes it look like a freaking toy which bothers me.
they could improve but i liked their presentation better than the others. sony and microsoft had celebrities and flashy stuff/crap but they failed to show anything that really matter,by that i mean actual gameplay of the software and live presentations of their new hardware
at least Nintendo had people there to play the games and they actually had games that no one would be expecting to be coming soon
Just give me Star Fox and F-Zero! They need revivals so bad! Hey, and Earthbound for VC wouldn't hurt.
Less suits, more T-shirts, if you catch my meaning. I understand that Nintendo wants to look professional at their conferences, but I think if they took a more relaxed approach to the presentation and had some people up there that weren't the 'VP of marketing' type, they could possibly translate a sense of 'fun' to the audience.
E3 2009 was an great (But still a little underrated.) confrence. But I'm glad that they are going to make improvements. That's nice to hear!
Okay, they showed Super Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid: Other M, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Golden Sun DS, Wii Fit Plus, Style Savvy, and I'm sure I'm forgetting something, and they say they are going to make it BETTER?!
I have to see it to believe it. Really, I do.
I Agree with Nintendo-Naut. Just give me F-Zero, Starfox, and Donkey Kong next year I'll be okay. (along with some other new stuff, too.)
Okay, buffalobob, I agree with slapshot82. Obviously to you, games aren't art, because you obviously hate the ones that are very artistic, but games are art. The definition of art is very broad. I don't know what kinds of games you play but they're probably all on the bargain rack. As for Cammie, I find her to be extremely annoying and just difficult to listen to. I feel like she's giving a lecture to a five-year-old every time she's up there at E3.
I have to agree with MetalMario. They'll have to show two new Golden Sun games to beat this E3.
@slapshot: real gamers? oh please enlight me!! what is a "real" gamer?
Because the last time I look a real gamer was somebody that had fun with videogames, Unless of course saint kojima and his moronic followers changed that while I was sleeping..
Shiggy and Reggie are what NOA is, Reggie seems misunderstood, but he is fun. Shiggy is always fun. add cammie and it makes fun more business. Shiggy + Reggie = awsome, Shiggy + Reggie + Cammie = Descent
@thepeoplegoingonwithbuffalobob: "Ignore it and it will go away."
Perhaps maybe we were spoiled with the 2006/2007 expos, they're not always going to blow you away with creativity.
What made this years show less impressive for me was the bombardment of Mario, most people don't get excited anymore when you mention Mario. Sure I was happy to see these games, I'm sure they'll be great, but where are our Star Foxes and our F-Zeros and our Donkey Kongs and our Pilot Wings and our Kid Icarus' and our Wave Races.
All we seem to hear now is Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Mario, Zelda Metroid, Mario, Mario, Mario...
The presentation is only as exciting as the games you're showing.
If they show Zelda next year though all will be forgotten, as that is expected to be something completely new, and it uses motion plus.
Oh my god I can sense it, next E3 is gonna be huge (I always say that). They'll have Miyamoto haul out a large cannon, which he'll then use to fire tasty moist chunks of Zelda, Starfox, F-Zero and immense amounts of other Nintendo goodness.
Or, they'll have four player vitality sensor fun and we will all cry.
@MattL: ::facepalm::
seriously, though, this sounds like the same kind of inter-company stuff people come up with after any big event in any company. "sure, we did all right, but for next time we need to improve on this, and this, and this here, and blah-blah-blah..." good luck to them, however they change it up next year. :3
Wafflesx2/3+4= yay!
Where is E3 held?
Ahhh.. just like they said last year.
@48: Lol, tell me about it. I think it was Reggie who said it last year, though.
I would love an F-Zero Wii game. I've only just recently downloaded F-Zero X to re-visit it. Great game.
THERE presentation was horrible
Their presentation was horrible because of things like Wii Fit, not because of showing off New Super Mario Bros Wii. E3 is for gamers, not soccer moms. Gamers don't usually care about Wii Fit or the Vitality Sensor: we want to see some games. NSMB Wii, Golden Sun DS, and Super Mario Galaxy 2 were the best parts of their presentation, not the worst. The sooner they realize that, the better.
EDIT: And I agree about keeping Cammie off stage. I'm sure she does her job at Nintendo well, but she's not all that interesting on stage.
And do you really think that NSMB Wii and SMG 2 are games that attracts the gamers at first sight??? If this is what they have to compete against Sony and Microsoft .. .. well ...
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