"(laughs)"

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 "evergreen" titles to help the machine sell long after launch.

Iwata touched on the launch line-up, saying:

The company now has to develop software for the Nintendo 3DS, has to prepare for the Wii U launch and has to finalize the hardware functionalities. With these circumstances in mind, if I said that an overwhelmingly rich software lineup would be prepared from day one, it would be too much of a promise to make. On the other hand, we are making efforts so that we will be able to make several proposals even from the launch period that can eventually become evergreen titles for the Wii U.

Sounds to us like Wii U will launch with several Nintendo-developed games, as expected. Iwata is keen to pitch these as long-term sellers, not just seasonal wonders, and knows they must launch right alongside the machine:

We have learned the lesson that we have to make that kind of preparation for the Wii U, or the Wii U will not gain enough momentum to expand its sales. We would like to share additional information at the E3 show in June this year.

Hurry up, June.

[source nintendo.co.jp]