Report Suggests That June Could Be Crucial For Iwata's Future At The Head Of Nintendo

As much as I don't agree with Iwata, I don't trust shareholders or the board to elect a new president capable of making the right changes for Nintendo. Electing a yes-man ninny who simply starts publishing Nintendo games on smart devices to appease shareholders would be horrible.

That's the opposite direction they should be heading.

I agree with Luigi above.

Anything is better than the current course the last 2+ years. Whether or not that means dismissing Iwata I don't know.

Mario Kart succeeds or he's gone. We can say whatever we want, but that is the fact.

May 30 is D-Day for Iwata. Better market the heck out of the Mario Kart 8 Wii U Bundle. Like 1 commercial during every commercial break on every single channel for the entire month of May. That might be enough.

I wonder if that vote is before or after E3. Anyway, I wish the right decision is taken, and I mean in the long term.

No smart phones

@XCWarrior

You know you're probably right. The worst part is, I don't even think an MK8 Wii U bundle has been officially announced, even though it's a no brainer.

June is a crucial date for Nintendo and E3 is also held in June.

How come all these investors want Nintendo's products on mobile gaming devices and I emphatically don't???

Mobile phones and smart devices don't automatically turn things around for ya. Just ask Capcom.

People questioning the smart phone approach need to understand, Nintendo's stable of iconic characters can't even be compared to Capcom's woes or really any other mobile venture. They are in a league of their own. What I mean to say here is, regardless of platform Mario, Link, Pokemon, etc... will sell like gangbusters. Which kind of makes the Wii Us current situation even more depressing; if a brand new 3D Mario game rated 10/10 across the board can't even move consoles, what will?

Yes, Iwata has made some mistakes, but I love my 3DS, it's amazing, and I think the Wii U is a very fun system (it just needs some good games and actual third party support). I cant agree with letting him go when the best ideas being thrown around to solve Nintendo's problems are "Go to smartphones" and "Build a theme park". I mean seriously? Have some damn integrity here.

@Geonjaha

It's a good thing you don't run a business. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you personally find enjoyment out of your 3DS and Wii U, and Nintendo's current situation. But the facts are the facts, Nintendo (and especially Wii U) are struggling bad. And the world revolves around money. And profits.

As long as Iwata stays, they are not going mobile, so I wish Iwata to remain CEO for a long time, but certain board directors could get out.

I think E3 will be his last chance. If Nintendo does make some good surprises then maybe he will stay a little longer,but who knows...

@bezerker99 Agreed! I'm so tired of hearing about investors whining about it. I feel bad for Iwata considering i think he's MOSTLY done as good a job as anyone could do, and i'm afraid they'll elect some moron in his place. Once that happens, i'm sure everything i know and love will be circling the porcelain convenience.

Personally I think it's time for iwata to step down and replace him with some body fresh. I'm really not a fan of his, I tolerate him but he is quite irritating

I dint like iwata's leadership, but I hope the next guy is as serious about Nintendo as he is. I will abandon Nintendo off they go smartphone.
Nintendo's choices for marketing, gaming, online services, and many more have been very questionable lately.

@Damo: I want to point out a typo. The first year should be 2011, not 2001

I know it seems like Iwata is doing a bad job, but I'm afraid if he got replaced the next person in line would do a much, much worse job.

I'm amazed he still has the job but I am used to the western style of business..

@gatorboi352 The situation is that you need more than 1 big game for a console to sell. Look at 3DS for example, that did poorly initially but once the price drop happened and a ton of amazing games came out in late 2011 and the whole of 2013 it became very successful. Wii U's problem is quantity and we all know that from the many game droughts.

@bezerker99 Because you want Fun and they want Money.

@Kodeen True, we aren't investors but once smart devices have all Nintendo's IPs, won't Nintendo's own hardware becomes that much LESS valuable, resulting in Nintendo shooting a hole in its own rowboat?

@bezerker99 And Square Enix has also been posting losses despite their move into smartphones. There is no guarantee either way of what would happen on the mobile market, but I will say that the market is quite fickle.

did my part, and bought the 3DS XL & WiiU, but ive always been a ninty fanboy anyway

that said, what sells machines are the games, and its not by chance that the 3DS is doing well, considering the amazing games it has. But you look at the WiiU, and you barelly see anything released by Ninty. Wheres Fzero? Metroid? New franchises? Nintendo has to step up its production. Why not licence more of its franchises and characetrs to competent developers?

While the man did some great things with the GameCube (exclusive deals with Sega and Capcom) and created the DS. He did make the 3DS, Wii and Wii U. 3 systems which have positives but overall are not worthy to be a part of their predecessors linage. He had a handful of good ideas, which he executed in his first few years as CEO. But he is no longer worth it. Nintendo needs a new head.

Simple question, is there really people out there who would dedicate their gaming time to their smartphone. Do you really want to play the new zelda on your galaxy s3? With touch controls, low battery life and ds like graphics. Smartphones = jack of all trades, master of none. As far as they want to push these devices, they will always be, smartphones.

@audiobrainiac

Not really, since a $1.99 touch screen version of a simple Yoshi puzzle game or NES Mario titles on an iPhone isn't going to stop a consumer from buying a $300+ home console. They are two completely different platforms with different games and experiences.

Meanwhile, I still play games regardless. I'd rather just ignore the politics

@JohnRedcorn: The problem is that making Nintendo games on mobile or another system could set a precedent. Why would a consumer buy a $300 system when they think they could play Nintendo games on another system they already own? The main reason Nintendo systems sell is Nintendo games, and you don't want to demolish that idea. With that said, I could see a possible future with companion and fanservice apps such as official wallpapers, quizzes, and just fun apps to pass the time rather than actual games.

@farore311

Nintendo would still be producing unique games for their main platforms, but could still put some older titles or smartphone exclusive puzzle and racing games on the App Store and sell those for $2-8+. It doesn't have to be one or the other. If they put some games on smartphones, they can still have console games too.

The moment Nintendo opens its characters it'll be the day the kill their own portable dominance. Doesn't matter how simple these mobile hanged might be, the only thing the inexperienced consumer will see is $3-$5 Mario game on mobile vs $35-$40 game on 3DS. From their point of view it'll be a no-brainer. It's basic marketing psychology.

Nintendo's investors need to understand that the Wii's success was a console anomaly for Nintendo just as the PS2 was for Sony two generations ago. The Wii U is a regression to the mean just like the PS3 was for Sony.

These investors need to understand as well that, just because Nintendo handheld have been successful and dominant for over 20 years is because Nintendo practically sits on the handheld market by itself. Sure there has been many handhelds released over the years by the competition. However, they haven't been strong enough to dethrone Nintendo yet. One day one will, but not yet.

I hope Nintendo investors come to their senses and keep Iwata at the helm. You are only as strong as the adversity you confront. If the investors succumb to panic in this first storm after their success from the last gen, and decide to scape the "rogue wave" of adversity instead of facing it head on, they'll capsize Nintendo.

If Nintendo is doomed, is not because the Wii U failed Nintendo; is because its own investors failed Nintendo.

@XCWarrior I don't know why they don't start advertising now.

While i'm not a huge Iwata supporter (i think he's mostly responsible for Nintendo's current, failing philosophy), i don't want the shareholders to have a say in his successor. If they do, we'll see a dip in quality and lots more free to play and mobile garbage from Nintendo, as they'll pick someone that wants what they want. Say what you will about Iwata, but the guy is still a game dev at heart, and knows that the quality of games is incredibly important. Iwata may be responsible for the gimmicky, underpowered hardware Nintendo consoles are plagued with, but he's also presided over Nintendo as they've continued to make the best damn game experiences on the planet. His philosophy on software is great, its his hardware philosophy and marketing tactics that are terrible as of late.

If they replace Iwata with some random guy that has no experience in game development, they'll suffer for it. Nintendo is known for its game quality that no othr company can replicate. They can't give that up for a quick buck in the mobile market.

If Nintendo get rid of Iwata I will be mad. I love that guy he is so nice and I love my Wii U. He will turn things around for sure!

While i'm not a huge Iwata supporter (i think he's mostly responsible for Nintendo's current, failing philosophy), i don't want the shareholders to have a say in his successor. If they do, we'll see a dip in quality and lots more free to play and mobile garbage from Nintendo, as they'll pick someone that wants what they want. Say what you will about Iwata, but the guy is still a game dev at heart, and knows that the quality of games is incredibly important. Iwata may be responsible for the gimmicky, underpowered hardware Nintendo consoles are plagued with, but he's also presided over Nintendo as they've continued to make the best damn game experiences on the planet. His philosophy on software is great, its his hardware philosophy and marketing tactics that are terrible as of late.

If they replace Iwata with some random guy that has no experience in game development, they'll suffer for it. Nintendo is known for its game quality that no othr company can replicate. They can't give that up for a quick buck in the mobile market.

@Jowy Well, I think they are worthy. The problems the Wii U has, Nintendo has been having since N64.

Nintendo took too long to cut the Wii U's price and the price cut wasn't enough.

MS cut the price on the XBone as soon as they realized it wasn't selling. it took Nintendo over a year to come to the same conclusion.

2ndly about the price. let's face it Nintendo is a company geared toward younger gamers. parents are going to be hard pressed to spend $300+ when cheaper alternatives exist. the wii was dirt cheap and that's why everybody owns one.

Nintendo are in for a long and painful demise unless they manage to get rid of this fool and his sidekicks. They need managers who aren't so senile and afraid of change/competition, to be at the helm instead. The company needs to be brought into 2014.

For gaming's sake I hope he doesn't leave.

If nintendoi goes mobile it would kill the wiiu and 3ds

@gatorboi352 - I find enjoyment out of Nintendo's current situation? You've got that right - I cant wait to see them go bankrupt and stop making games.

Honestly though, smartphones is probably just a short term solution to the problem - in the long term it would just take sales away from Nintendo's own consoles assuming they can even continue to make them. Has anyone actually done any kind of significant survey or analysis to see how many people would really want Nintendo on smartphones, and the extent to which they would actually buy their games on that platform - or is simply speculation? Iwata doesn't want Nintendo games on smartphones, and some investors do.

But hey, don't listen to me - I'm obviously not made for running a business, unlike yourself. You don't need to be an expert in a field to make a comment on it, so lay off please.

Iwata,you done a great job with Nintendo but please stop with the gimmicks. Please don't go mobile,it will kill the 3DS and Wii U!

Iwata is better than the shareholders electing a commitee uninterested in the long term benefits of the company.
As much as I like Iwata, he seems quite out of touch. Assides from Sakurai all the prominent Nintendo big wigs are over 50. I can't help but feel they need fresh perspectives.

Is it that easy to pull to plug on Iwata's position forever (a guy who has gone from the bottom to the top since the nes days) and have a replacement? At the worst case senerio, let the new guy have a 2 year trial run and see how that fares out.

@MadLz

The only Nintendo games that would appear on smartphones would be ones that they approve/create though. They could still release all the best games on their consoles, but could still put some basic puzzle type stuff on a phone and sell that for $2-4, or make it free and just get ad revenue. Wasn't that flappy birds game making $50,000 a day at its peak? It was a free download.

I don't buy it that a smartphone game will make people not want to buy a $300 home console either, as they are completely different things. No one in the history of the world has ever had to choose one over the other. If Nintendo had released NES Remix for the iPhone, would that have stopped you from buying a Wii-U? Of course not. There are dozens if not hundreds of games that will only be on the Wii-U and 3DS by the time it's all said and done, and having 10-25 smartphone mini-game releases from Nintendo isn't going to dissuade someone from buying one of their consoles. If anything, lots of people will double dip or perhaps be inclined to buy a Nintendo console.

@Geonjaha

I think the sheer amount of emulators and knock-off Nintendo titles on the android and iphone app stores more than prove that there is an interest in having those games on mobile devices.

_{I'm not gonna be so nice next time. Ignore him and move on -Lz}

@Shy_Guy Killing the WiiU would be beneficial to Nintendo, atm.

This is why I unequivocally do not agree with this whole shareholder/investor thing.

Wii U isn't doing great, well it's doing terribly, but I don't think some douche-bags who care more about the short term bottom line and lining their own pockets than absolutely anything else should be allowed to determine the future of any company, let-alone a truly beloved company and brand like Nintendo.

Also, despite all my frustrations with Nintendo these days, and there are a LOT of them, I still actually like Iwata and I'm not convinced he's the real problem here (although I don't know enough to say that with any authority whatsoever).

@Doma No it would be the worst thing for Nintendo, they have to support it no matter what. (i think it well sell like the gamecube)

It's a pity Nintendo apparently just cannot see all the numerous ways it could at least improve the Wii U as a platform and service that might at least go some way towards making it a far more attractive console experience and value proposition in general.

@JohnRedcorn Have to say I sort of agree. NES REMIX easily could have been a smart phone title if you ask me. Not that I would play it on either platform, but it may sell more on smart phones if it were like $4.99. Maybe Nintendo could release an app that allows you to access and play some virtual console games if you a Nintendo ID.

They need to figure out how to make new IPs succeed.

The whole situation is a double-edged sword.

Yes, Iwata clearly is failing in several areas, but at the same time, the person who'd end up taking his place might be even worse.

They also need to stop being stubborn. Add an achievement/trophy system, for one. They are throwing money away with their stubbornness. They also need to stop being my kids' parents. Stupid stuff like how they won't let my kids use Youtube because they are (were) under 13. Nintendo won't let me make that decision. Of course I could have lied about their age, but I shouldn't have to. Let me be the parent, please. Having access disabled by default is fine, but let me override it.

Let's all be honest, this has nothing to do with games, this is about perception and the awful job nintendo have done in advertising the Wii U. Wii U is a great console and has some great games (way better that the other next gen consoles) so what's the problem ? I'll tell you, I was in the pub the other day chatting to some random guys over a game of pool about games and when I told them I have a Wii U they looked confused and I had to explain to them that this was nintendo's new console, THERE'S THE PROBLEM.

I hate to say it but they need to embrace more western ideas and remember who THEY once were, Getting rid of iwata won't change a thing.

Reggie should have been president of NOA and europe, and Iwata in charge of japan.

If they do get rid of him, they better get someone that knows what their doing, otherwise it will be even worse, but then I ask myself, can things get any worse ?

@somari Gamecube was profitable. What do you think was mainly responsible for the three successive years of losses they just faced (and will continue to)?

Iawata has to go. You can ask gamers to please have patience once, but when you ask it several times and here we are in year two with a pathetic Virtual Console and we have yet another huge drought of top quality games between Feb (DKC) to Mid May (MK 8) I am a huge nintendo fan and bought my Wii U day one, and although I do not regret it, I must say that I feel taken. Probably my last Nintendo console.

@JohnRedcorn Do you really think the average consumer is going to read Nintendo's thoughts? No. Just imagine if Apple allowed its OS on other systems. That can lead to a lot of confusion.

He is an idiot that has completely under delivered what is probably one of the best consoles I've ever played in my life. It is hands down a better piece of hardware than ps4 and xboxone and he has managed to slot it in the same performance as te dream cast, maybe worse.
It needs a new driving force focused on games.
It's time for Mr Nintendo to take the reigns, the man who is probably most responsible for nintendos successes.
Shigeru Miyamoto.
Maybe then the wii u can become software focused.

Nintendo putting games on mobile devices is a horrible idea, it would be in direct competition with there handheld consoles, plus "gaming" on smartphones or tablets is just wrong. A theme park would be a good idea but I would much rather Nintendo had there own stores all across the world like the way apple does, stores where you would find all the accesories, games and other Nintendo merchandise available. As for Iwata... I respect him but I don't always agree with him, either way I really think he is trying to get Nintendo up to speed with alot of the features they have been missing like the account system, hd games, online features etc. (Even though admittedly they are not there yet)

@DESS-M-8 You do know that the CEO position also requires a lot of business knowledge. I highly doubt Miyamoto has such knowledge

@JohnRedcorn Hey John Redcorn I'm a huge King of the Hill fan. I currently have been buying the later seasons on Amazon Instant Video, Since Netflix's recently removed the show for what ever reason.

My 3DS friend code is 0774-4266-4197
On Wii U search Meaty-Cheeky

The smartphone thing is such a distraction. Forget about phones and tablets and make the Wii U a strong console. That's it.

@JohnRedcorn Let me give you a simple lesson on the psychology of marketing. Do you know why most of Walmart's prices end on 6, 4, or any number other than 9? Because when people see $1.96 vs. $1.99, their brain fools them into thinking they're getting a bargain because they see the 6, which is three numbers smaller than the 9.

Avid gamers like you and I will know the difference in quality vs quantity when looking at a $2 mobile Mario game vs a $40 3DS Mario game. But your average consumer (the vast majority), won't.

@MadLz

Read what thoughts? People are smart enough to know that the games you play on a smartphone in 5 minute bursts are not the same as what's available on a new $300 console.

@Doma When the gamecube came out it was selling like the Wii U, hey the Wii U is selling better than the Gamecube when it first came out. And the losses, while sony ps4 is doing well they lost billions of dollars had to sell headquarters to stay alive not like Nintendo and sony had to fire 5,000 people while Nintendo only did pay cuts. What about the 3ds thats doing well . Please do some goshdarn reserch well you Microsoft change of failure 1%, Nintendo 22% Sony 78%

_{Users are free to express their opinions, even if they don't agree with yours. Consider this my final warning. Either make constructive posts that don't call users out or don't post at all -Lz}

Same decision as Arsenal FC need to make. Sack Arsene Wenger in hope of instant but riskily expensive success or keep him and give him time to rebuild using the money that he has made for them. I'd go with the latter because Nintendo would be better off surviving for 20-50 mediocre years than going the way of Sega in 5 and there is no guaranteed recipe for instant success.

Everyone who is anti-Iwata acts like a change of personnel would fix the problems they see but no CEO is going to take over with the intention of giving the vocal minority of fans some incredibly expensive new games. Also most of the posts here don't realise where the losses actually came from. It isn't just the Wii U.....

Getting rid of Iwata isn't going to make 3rd parties magically flock to the Wii U.

Getting rid of Iwata and having his successor chosen by people whose sole interest is in grabbing the most profit possible at the price of relegating Nintendo to a crappy free to play and mobile developer would be a death knell for the company.

@Dark-Link73

If by 'average consumer' you mean someone who is 50+, then you are probably right.

But I would argue that if you asked anyone between the ages of 9-40 if you could play GTAV on your iPhone, they would laugh in your face. Much like they would if you asked them if you could play the new Zelda or Smash Bros on your Samsung Galaxy.

The game buying consumers (at least those who would ever be in the market to buy a home console anyway) all know the difference in terms of quality and experience when comparing home console games with a controller to what you play on a touch screen phone. There wouldn't be any confusion.

GTAV sold like 35 million copies, even though all the other games in the series are available on smartphones. If there was confusion, it would have sold 10 million copies and there would be 25 million other people starring at their iPhones waiting for it to appear in the App Store.

@Meaty-cheeky

Haha cool, I will add you tonight after I'm finished giving Nancy Gribble her treatments.

Wow. Overreaction to his approval rating. Iwata's position this year is more safe than unsafe especially after his QOL hardware announcement recently.

Extremely likely that he's not going anywhere, not this year.

Iets not forget Iwata did help Nintendo during the days of the failing GameCube. Iwata also ran a successful campaign with the DS & Wii, but his management of the Wii U has been a complete failure.

People see the value of having a game developer as the President of a company and I think that is a bad idea. It was under Nintendo's previous president that we witnessed the height of NES and SNES. He was a businessmen who had an incredible acumen to see the future of the marketplace. Let a businessman run the business and let amazing developers develop. If anyone deserves to run Nintendo based upon developer performance it is Shigeru Miyamoto. Do we see him doing that?

IMHO what Nintendo needs to do is hire their own Mark Cerny and work hard at a new generation in R&D for release ASAP! Maybe that would be a great job for Shiggy or Iwata as Cerny is a programmer at heart as well. Sony wants to sell hardware, and understand games do that so they asked developers what they wanted in the console to be willing to develop for them and the resulting architecture of the PS4 reflects that. Nintendo needs to do that and combine their console model to be a truly portable model that handles all of the features of the home console proficiently. As of right now, the current Nintendo architecture on the Wii U is not one developers want to use regardless of power of the console. Nintendo also needs to market better, sooner, and bring all of its features into compatibility with what Sony and MS offers including a unilateral account system with the games tied to it. I just emulate games on my PC I have already purchased. Why in the world would I buy a game for $5-$15 (US) I paid $40 for in the NES <, two or three times over to play on my Wii/U, DS/3DS? I am not. I would gladly transfer the account to the new devices though. I really like Nintendo games and was one of their biggest fanboys growing up in the 80's and 90's, but as of late I tire of the battle when I am completely unarmed by the company.

I think @JohnRedcorn nailed it. Nintendo simply has to make use of its IPs on smartphones to bolster their main business, not make them the focus. Remember the abundance of little mini-games Nintendo used to produce for PC that would advertise upcoming games? I recall playing this one Mario Party 4 game that showcased the features of the real game was reasonably fun in its own right. Something like that would go down reasonably well as a free app with ads on top.

There's also the lucrative market of those who have no real intention of ever picking up a Nintendo console (or any) based on their gaming habits but would certainly play a Nintendo title if it became popular on the store. These people can still be a source of income. The recent Pokemon Trozei on 3DS, for instance, would have gone down very well as a cheap mobile puzzle game instead of a possibly overpriced 3DS one. Alternatively, they could have some skilled indies produce new IPs with the Nintendo name on them aimed solely at the mobile market.

It's also worth considering that, despite the popular misconception that "Nintendo is for kids", Nintendo's core demographic has been shifting upwards in age. Nintendo needs to reach new generations of children with its IPs and children are increasingly using smartphones. Kids can become part of the primary income (consumer of home console) or secondary (consumer of only mobile titles). There are plenty of buds in the mobile garden that Nintendo could be watering and they would grow into Nintendo-owned (or at least Nintendo-interested) trees.

There would be some initial, inevitable shock towards Nintendo "making games for smartphones", but Nintendo did manage to release an official, paid Pokemon app and few blinked (though admittedly the price tag probably played a part in that...). I think the biggest problem with this approach is that it would have to be handled somewhat delicately in certain aspects, but once the initial shock is through, you've got consistent advertisements for their main products+ad revenue, extra income that wouldn't have ever been available before, and the occasional Nintendo fan looking to double dip. As Reggie would say, Nintendo simply has to make the distinction between bite-sized meals and full meals.

@Crunc
This as well. Regardless of one's opinion on the actual "value" of achievements, they instill a sense of brand loyalty to those who do enjoy them. Owners of multiple platforms looking to buy a multiplatform game may gravitate towards the one they use most and, even if that isn't always Nintendo's, adopting such a system has minimal negative effects so long as it's optional (like virtually all of them are anyway).

Whats up with Nintendolife putting a tagline of "Smartphones"? This is a tough one, because Nintendo has been dying slowly. I blame the whole Nintendo for not stepping up.

@JohnRedcorn What? Nancy is having another migraine again LOL.

@somari Stating facts makes me a WiiU hater? Lol, the 3DS and Sony/MS hold no significance to what i said (if anything, they make the WiiU's failure look even worse). There's obviously no point in discussing anything with you further.

@JohnRedcorn Fans and well-versed gamers maybe, but Nintendo also has a big audience that can be a bit...ignorant

The ds has a duel screen and so has the 3ds and that works very well. So why not add another screen to the Wii and call it a Wii u? Good idea? On paper maybe, but it has not worked out like that. No one really knows what to do with it.

So lets replace the man at the top. Or maybe lets hear what the man at the top has for plan B.

I wouldn't mind seeing Iwata go. He did some good things for Nintendo but he just isn't working magic any more. The only issue I'd have with a replacement is that idiotic mobile mentality that these investors have. It's just playing catch up. If people are complaining that Nintendo was too late to the HD era or with such-and-such piece of hardware... how is this mobile focus supposed to be any different? They should focus on trying to find the next big thing, not trying to catch up with the previous one.

NO. NO. NO. DO NOT throw away Iwata-san, he was chosen by Hiroshi Yamuachi! If he HAS to go... VOTE FOR REGGIE of NoA!
AND SHIGERU MIYAMOTO of NoJ!

@WingedSnagret Or it can get better. You never know if you don't try different approaches...

Expanding beyond gaming with "quality of life" products seems a bit silly when they seem spread too thin at Nintendo as-is. With one VC title shooting out weekly they appear to be understaffed already and have often claimed not to have the manpower to bust out tons of in-house titles per year. How about "quality of current system"?
Nintendo fans are happy to tell Nintendo what they'd love to see and hurl cash at. Nintendo doesn't listen. A new F-Zero, StarFox, Metroid...nah! Just shove a few of them into Nintendo Land. N64 and Gamecube titles on the VC? Nope, let's try GBA instead.
Regardless of who is calling the shots I wonder if it will really make much of a difference. The ONE thing I agree with Iwata on is to keep Nintendo away from smartphones. Meanwhile, the Nintendo theme park put on the "back burner" is something I would actually pay to go see. Hence, it's not being done.

I'll be upset if Iwata is replaced, I think he's the right person for the job and I love him.

Most of us are surprised Iwata has lasted this long.

They should appoint a non Japanese man as the head of Nintendo of America and give them more power. As of right now, they are Nintendo of Japan's b**ch and Nintendo needs to cater better to Western audiences.

...I guess it wouldn't hurt to put small things like Yoshi's Cookie, Dr Mario on smartphones. Not even full blown ports of old games, just traces of their IP for some advertisement, focused around the medium, of course. Heck, even endless runners would work.

@t3g This. I like this.

@MEGAMAN_D but Shibata is president of Europe and he's a god.

I agree with a lot of what Iwata says, but it's obvious he has been unable to truly capitalize on the opportunities to make the Wii U a success.

I hope he's kept as CEO, honestly, because of his general frame of mind regarding what Nintendo needs to do to be successful. We do need some kind of change to ensure that his visions actually come to fruition in a timely manner, though.

@MEGAMAN_D Agreed about the perception thing. It's exactly the same situation when I talk to a lot of other gamers from other platforms.

That said, yes, things can get far worse. Nintendo sits on a goldmine of intellectual properties, and a president with a more "devil may care" frame of mind could destroy everything the company stands for.

@JohnRedcorn By the "average consumer" I mean the 25+ y.o. parent who lets they little kids use their smartphone to entertain themselves while away from home. Or those parents who buy their kids a 3DS/2DS for the same purpose but only hey a few games because they're $40 a pop.

Do you really think the "average" 9 to 40 is playing GTA V? The "average" percent of such population (about 66 to 70% from a statistical bell curve point of view) do not care less whether a game is a AAA title or shovelware. They only care about having fun. Why do you think there is so much shovelware on smartphoned and Wii? Why do you think 90 million Wii owners haven't bought a Wii? Because they are your average "9 to 40 y.o. gamer who doesn't care about quality, only quantity.

You and I along with every member at this site, belong to a very small percent of the gaming population. We're avid gamers. Your average 9 to 40 gamer is the casual gamer. They have as much fun playing Mario ad they do playing Farmville, Angry Birds, and Candy Crush Saga. They'll be confused.

I said last Spring that Iwata wouldn't be Nintendo's CEO by the time this gen ended due to him really not putting them in a good position for the future and I 'm sticking to my prediction. Or for the current time for that matter. He's really stunted the growth of the company.

I dont think he'll be canned this year, but I'm guessing whatever QOL is will be released and he'll be outed soon after.

Lets not have another quite March. April- Direct. May- MK8, Mario Golf, Kirby... Advertise the heck out of MK8, June- Kick ass at E3.

Shareholders and analysts both make up the troll majority of any market.

It's hard to say whether Iwata's in really big trouble or not. Even if the Wii U ends up not selling very well, even after all its biggest games come out, I don't think that's necessarily grounds for dismissing Iwata. Under Iwata, Nintendo has seen huge successes in the DS, Wii, and 3DS; if the Wii U never manages to gain ground, it would be the first big failure in recent memory, which means it would be the exception, not the rule. Nintendo has made it clear that they are changing up their business strategies in response to their current situation, so I think it's best to wait and see how well these strategies work before getting rid of Iwata.

tic toc Iwata. MUAHAHAHA!!!

Here's something you guys don't seem to understand: dismissing Iwata will not, I repeat, NOT magically solve all of Nintendo's problems. They will still be there when he leaves, and they will still be there when a new guy takes charge. And there's always the possibility (and it's a big possibility) that a new CEO will only make the situation at Nintendo worse. Don't get rid of Iwata, it will only make the situation worse.

Hope I'm wrong here, I really do, but MK8 isn't going to make WiiU fly off shelves...

Honestly, some of these recent types of games that were revealed in the last Direct really should just be on mobile phones.
Rusty Slugger, Steel Divers, Dillon's Rolling Western, Pokemon Trozei: they're all smartphone-ish games, and it wouldn't harm any of the listed franchises' value.

And let's be frank and honest here:
The fact that Nintendo is asking the consumer to pay for these kinds of games that people are already getting substitutes of for free with ads is not only out of touch, but also harming the appeal of the long-standing franchises that these lesser games are being lumped with. Not that there is anything wrong with the gameplay itself, but these are all shallow, and it's a hard sell to make someone buy a console and/or the cost of the game, when they can have something similar for free on a device that they already have and can easily carry anywhere. Rather than having a huge brick in one's pocket or carrying case.

@Sidewaydriver I feel that you're taking things to far.

I get the feeling that if MK8 fails to meet expectations Iwata will be out of a job.

@MEGAMAN_D To your first paragrah: BINGO. Nailed it. Nintendo's perception and irrelevancy is the problem here.

@IxnayontheCK I wouldn't be so sure about that; there's lots of hype surrounding that game.

@JohnRedcorn "But I would argue that if you asked anyone between the ages of 9-40 if you could play GTAV on your iPhone, they would laugh in your face"

But then why is GTA3 so popular on iOS and Android?

As frustrated as he makes us fans feel, I think he can turn the current situation of the Wii U around. LOOK AT THE 3DS LIFETIME! It was the joke of the gaming industry once too.

@GalacticMario28 “Nintendo has made it clear that they are changing up their business strategies in response to their current situation”

Not really. We all expected some big change to be announced during that January meeting, but what became of it? We instead hear about how he's sticking with the current failed WiiU plan, while trying to divert people's attention to a completely vague/pipe-dream strategy involving QoL.

@IxnayontheCK

Statistics suggest it will though.

Do people really think that Iwata being replaced will magically make all the problems disappear?

@LUIGITORNADO
100% agree. People asking for Iwata to leave are eager for the downfall of nintendo, and THAT will lead to nintendo turning into SEGA

@Doma
I was talking about things like an increased focus on advertising, working to some extent with smartphones, and experimenting with free-to-play models. Nintendo hasn't done a lot with these things yet, but Iwata did say that Nintendo would start doing more with them this year.

@MadLz spoken like a true corporate shill,
I'm pretty sure miyamoto's 40 years experience in video game industry would stand him in good stead, and they really need a software driving force. There is none better in the industry than him.

I am aware of how a company is structured and I think you'll find that typically CEO's are useless and know very little about the market they are involved in. Appointing someone with such influence, motivation and experience to that position for a change would almost be revolutionary as a business model, and it's what they need.

It's not like he would be in a vast room on his own to his own devices like Mr Burns. I'm quite sure that Nintendo would have a Board, if which he would then be head. I had a feeling Nintendo have been grooming him for this position for a long time now. His direct software involvement has reduced to supervisory roles as he is strategically moved around senior positions for quite some time now.
There's a strong chance you'll find I'm right, may not be this year, but I think the next change will be to Miyamoto

I have already stated many times my disdain for Nintendo's refusal to "get with the times", so really, I would be glad to see Iwata get the boot. He has been part of the problem with Nintendo stubbornly actively being a company for casuals in a market where "casual gamers" don't care about consoles and favor smartphones and tablets. He rather have Nintendo start making health products than even consider trying to appeal to the hardcore gamer market.

The extreme focus on intentionally preventing communication between players to "protect" them instead of making it easier is RIDICULOUS. Parental controls is fine but to not have the communication options exist in the 1st place is ludicrous. Nintendo is well known to have the poorest online compared to Sony and Microsoft by a WIDE MARGIN. No Nintendo, local multiplayer DOES NOT prioritize or make up for a lack of or poor online multiplayer in this day and age.

Where's that increased merchandising you promised Nintendo? I don't have my Gardevoir plush yet. Nintendo has a grand fear of letting the tight iron grip they have on their IPs slip even a little. Taking revenue from youtube videos? Still no account system for digital purchases? Suing companies for "potential" cheat hack devices?

Nintendo just needs to focus on making a lot of sweet a** exclusives and try to be on a schedule of releasing a game every 1-2 months. Drouts never help a console. Also they need to be more aggressive with their push for Virtual Console, try to release 5-10 VC games every month! Another thing is they need to make online play a bigger priority, in their games and in their system in general. I personally also think it wouldn't hurt to release SOME classic SNES/NES titles on iOS with ads for the Wii U on those apps.

Never been a fan of Iwata's leadership. He has steralized Nintendo's image and with it their originality and guile. Now the finances have gone too, it's time for a change.

I think Iwata deserves at least until the end of 2014 to get his s**t straight. If he fails well then I'm not all too mad about it.

That investor was half right, but it should be virtual conaole, not smartphones. Since wii u haant found an identity yet, start marketing it as the machine that can play eveey single on of those games u grew up with! Oh and it also will have new gamea. That virtual console is a treasure trove of content and wii u could maybe survive on I t by itself

"if he were the CEO of a western company, chances are he would have been shown the door already. " - yeah, that's completely not true.... most of the article is inaccurate.

I personally hope Iwata remains President of Nintendo...There have been some awesome systems and software produced while he has been President

I'd be sad to see Iwata 'kicked out', I've built up some magical memories (mostly from the Wii era), over the recent past and I give him my 'Official Seal of (Nintendo) Approval for his tenure. Whoever, eventually, replaces him I just hope they steer the good ship Nintendo on the right course.

@LUIGITORNADO I agree with you entirely, but Iwata is no better either. The man is out of his realm, outclassed and in a world he clearly as a mascot and game designer just doesn't get. He may talk a good game of being inclusive, making solid titles, doing all these sunshine and rainbow things, but his failings with the 3DS launch and now the WiiU that has dragged too long as a failure to move is a testament to his failure. Smart phone games are not the answer as it would undercut and screw over their own huge cash cow the 3DS, but Iwata clearly has no idea what works and got lucky that non-gamers picked up on the Wii and made him and the company rich off of it and that ship has sailed. His poor leadership and designs on what is allowed in their nation and our own(US) has put me in this odd predicament where I'm solidly questioning if I'll ever buy Nintendo console hardware again because the Wii revolted me for months on end and to a point I couldn't enjoy what good I could get out of it later in life and squarely got me super interested in the PS3 which shouldn't happen. It's sad that I have owned like 15 games for the thing (9 now) and 4 have been third party.

@vamkar I don't judge a console based on horse power.Wii u is less powerful than a ps4/x-1.I bought it for the games.Ps4 is weaker than a current high end pc,and I got that for its upcoming exclusives.This article is about the future of Nintendo not sony&ms,so can we leave the copycat,twins that are the worst thing to happen to gaming out of this?

@tanookisuit Yeah but he was responsible for the DS and Wii as well wasn't he ? (If it goes on like this they won't run out of money until after I am dead because of that). Look at what happened when Apple got rid of Jobs the first time.

So, the wii sells well and Iwata is a hero.The wii u not so much and people already want the man out?Iwata probably has done more good than bad in the 14 yrs he worked with nintendo.I would like to see the company make more of a effort to appeal to its western audience,and let's get the online system up to speed.I should be able to chat with my friends while I game.A few arcade titles(not nes ports of them)and games like strider would be welcome as well.

online gaming...it's a big thing these days. nintendo need to get with the times already, have a proper online network, comms, online options in all of their multiplayer titles. this is more a step in the right direction over smartphone games.

I actually liked Iwata from watching the Nintendo Directs but if they could find a person who could easily turn the Wii U around, boost profits, and who will bring Nintendo games to smartdevices (which is a terrible idea because then people will have Nintendo games on their phone and won't even NEED a Nintendo console making the consoles fail even more. But, it's what the shareholders want) then it's over for Iwata.

If Iwata loses the presidency, he shouldn't be kicked out of Nintendo. I don't want to see him leave Nintendo, because he knows how to make great games. He knows games, imo. I like him as President. I don't believe he's part of Nintendos problems, but if he ever gets fired, let it be fired from the presidency, not fired from Nintendo. He's too valuable as a creator/designer/director/producer/teacher.

It's whatever. Give him a chance this gen- he already pulled 3DS in line, and considering his past successful supervision of GBA, DS and Wii, he's earned his right to fail. Of course, we all hope he doesn't. But Nintendo's problems stem deeper than just the man in charge. However, he is in a position to change it. Image in the west (or lack thereof)- THAT'S the problem. You can't sell products indefinitely off past popularity.

And any gamer knows that those shareholders haven't the slightest clue how to run a business successfully- they just spew impulsive, reactionary ideas, none of which should be taken seriously (kind of like gamers on a fansite- everyone's got the answer to fix Nintendo). The man knows what he needs to do. I'm willing to give him more time, personally, before grabbing a pitchfork. AT LEAST until this generation is past. Come the end of this gen, then I'll re-evaluate my stance based upon his performance. But not beforehand.

And it must be said- I hold all the top brass of Nintendo in particularly high regard for the simple fact they are not suits. They're actually all game developers. Unlike Sony and MS, which are multi-billion dollar conglomerates with gaming divisions run by the flavored suit of the day, Nintendo is actually a company run by DEVELOPERS. They hold a passion for gaming. It's a business, and their way of living, sure, but it's also what they love and what they do. And I have muchos respect for them- all of them, because of that...

The real problem is that beginning with the Gamecube Nintendo has released inferior hardware and gimmicky systems. The GameCube was fantastic except for those tiny discs! That kept it from ever having a chance against the PS2 and Xbox. Then we get the Wii which was only a slight improvement while Sony and Microsoft brought out powerful systems with online functions and began their account systems. The WiiU should have been on par with the PS4/XBone but again, Nintendo gives us inferior hardware. Same goes for their portables. Next gem is here and now the WiiU will literally get left behind like never before. The PS4 and Vita are already taking the lead from the 3DS and it won't stop. I just don't think Nintendo is going to survive much longer if they don't drastically make changes to their account system and start getting better hardware on the market.

Iwata should stay, no question about it! He is a humble person, and I don't see a better option at the moment!

This Video here nails the real problem in the video game industry .

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Cxhs-GLE29Q

Gamers them selfs are killing the industry especially dude bro gamers.
People are not buying innovative games like the Wonderful 101 / Pikmin 3 / Zombi U. People want new I.P.'s yet new I.P.'s don't sell well.

I wonder if they will actually have an E3 presentation on stage this year... And then what's to guarantee if they do it won't be Miyamoto making a surprise appearance, ocarina in hand, only to introduce Wii U Music. Or a Reggie special edition Wii U balance board, with "My body is ready" emblazoned on it.

I honestly wonder if Nintendo is in touch with their market. They make great software but not always the right software. Hopefully they make a solid impact at this year's E3: Reveal Zelda, Metroid, Wii U Animal Crossing, a major Mario galaxy update and a new IP. Then next year, maybe consider hardware that has the bells and whistles, that can attract third parties, and more importantly consumers.

Just shut up and reveal the next Zelda in E3 ok.

I don't think Mario kart 8 or smash bros will result in a big difference in hardware sales. They need to go big for this years e3 to generate some buzz.

So long as Nintendo's game studios keep making games I don't really care what happens.
I don't care if they ditch hardware altogether and go third party.
Releasing their entire back catalogue on Xbox Live, Playstation Network and Steam, how would that be bad for them??
The only reason they don't share their IPs is that they want to keep milking the same people who have to buy Super Mario Bros four times because there is still no unified account system.

And can you imagine how many copies of Mario 3D World would have sold if it had been multiplatform? Yeah yeah I know, sales aren't everything right? Actually sales are the reason we don't get Star Fox anymore or F-Zero or anything new and big and ambitious. If Wonderful101 had sold better it might have got a sequel, but there's pretty much no chance of that happening now.

And who says if they stop making consoles they have to stop innovating?
Look at their main innovations in the last few years: Wii Remotes, Balance Boards, WiiU pad. These peripherals are what make them great, not the consoles themselves. I'm sure they could intergrate their accessories into other hardware easily, and still package them with their own games just like they've been doing since the NES.
Don't let brand loyalty blind you, if Nintendo were making games for other systems we'd have games with proper online features, regular DLC and we would never have to worry about download space again. They could sink more funds into software and we'd have Metroids, Wave Races, Pilot Wings and so forth coming out the woodwork.

Sorry that rant went a bit off topic. I think Iwata should go.
He lives in a bubble and is completely oblivious to what the fans actually want.

I really want to know what a new head would do, but...I don't trust those shareholders. They're the same ones who want Nintendo to start releasing their games on smartphones AND include ridiculously overpriced in-game payments (wow, I forgot the actual name).
If Iwata has to leave, then I wish HE chooses the next president...hopefully an american.

Nintendo games would be great if released on a Nintendophone - you see how Amazon can control the apps released on their Kindle Fire Tablets? Nintendo would sell a ton of Nitnendophones and it wold also continue their Hardware ethos.

He's had his run but it's time for him to go. Nintendo needs someone that will allow it to evolve. Pokemon pun intended.

If Iwata's gone, no doubt those damn investors would hire some guy who would make their games go on many other systems, possibly make them go third party as well — if Iwata goes soon, then it's Nintendoomsday guys. The only saving graces we have now are SSB4, Bayonetta 2, E3, and X.

Putting Nintendo Games on Smartphones are not the answer. The answer is getting Nintendo to wake up and get with the 20XX's and realize that they have Adult gaming customers too and not ignore that their naming and marketing of systems is in huge trouble because the way Iwata is running things.

I am a Nintendo Fan as much as the next biggest Nintendo Fan out there, but I see the problems with keeping Iwata as CEO and not where he shines as a Game Developer. He needs to be dethroned for not listening to what the USA Market wants without going to the Blood, Guts, and Gore way.

He needs to get his bags together and get back to the developers room and out of the rightful CEO's Office. We need someone who will get 3rd party developers back on board with Nintendo and get someone who will put more into marketing the next systems as something that will blow fans away. We need someone who will be the trend setter not the Trend Follower like Iwata is now. The NES and SNES were Trend Setting systems not followers like we see nowadays with the Wii U.

@cfgk24 I wouldn't buy a Nintendo phone. The Xperia Play was garbage as a phone and Sony had experience in both areas. (Only people who seem to manage decent call and build quality are Nokia and Motorola). Nintendo also uses the cheapest nastiest components available (At least recently).

@Melkac It definitely shouldn't be an American it would end up like Sega of America.

@8bitforever Vita doing better than 3ds?What rock have I been living under these past few years?

He needs to go. Nintendo needs a refresh & I fully believe ignoring cell phones is a giant mistake. I see my ten year old brother & he plays Clash of Clans & other cell phone games much more than his 3DS. All his buddies do as well. The Iphone is clearly winning his attention away from the 3DS. Nintendo can use small cell games to 1) drive awareness of its brands, 2) increase exposure of new games coming to the Wii U & 3DS by offering mini games of upcoming bigger releases & use its rich legacy to resale classic NES & SNES games for a few dollars on IOS or Android. This isn't about killing consoles...it's about driving interest to its brands. Ignoring smartphone games is simply not working & considering kids love to play on them, they are slowly losing the interest of that customer base.

Apple will most likely update Apple TV to now also be a console in the near future...all the signs are there, even investor suggestions that they buy out Nintendo. They are targeting this industry. Nintendo needs to go on the offensive & not just sit back. It's also interesting that Apple is also rumoured to be focused on health tech. I doubt Apple would buy Nintendo, although they could do it very easily money wise (Apple has near $160 billion in cash & investments or 10% of all Corporate cash in US Corps), but it is interesting to see they're goals & tech start to align. And with Apple generating nearly $23 billion a year in cash flow...and with investors asking for Apple to do something to keep up growth...you never KNOW!

@JimLad Because that route went so well for sega.That company will never be the same since the fall of the dreamcast.

well last chance iwata and is ticking i really want this guy to leave if he is not helping the wiiu succeeded with i dont know some damn advertising. Not the ads with a happy family playing the game they dont know nothing about dont do that for the love god please dont.

Rockstar released all past GTAs on tablet & smartphones last year. In the same year GTAV broke all types of sales records. It's already surpassed Mario Kart Wii, in six months only. Hence, releasing cell phone game versions of GTA did not hinder sales of GTAV.

@Agent721 Has it passed Super Mario Bros 3 ? Also what did it take in terms of resources and has it surpassed everything Nintendo made put together in the same time period.

Since say 2002 (When Iwata took over who has made the most money Rockstar or Nintendo ?).

I like Iwata, and I don't want to see Nintendo start publishing outside of Nintendo platforms. With that said, this health fitness thing is going to backfire. It's Iwata shooting for another gimmick, and the average consumer isn't going to buy the Wii U for a gimmick (already proven). Core games, get in for the long hall, sell gamers on big nostalgia reboots.

@unrandomsam
Rockstar is a label of Take Two and didn't make consoles, so clearly Nintendo has sold more goods. However, GTAV is currently the 6th best selling game of all time. If you want to compare franchises, GTA has sold over 180 million copies since 2000...triple the sales of the entire Zelda franchise since inception since 1987. But my post isn't about comparing who sold more, it's about the fact that Nintendo needs to adjust to the realities of today, when they are not. They need new leadership & badly. I think the software is great, but the execution of the business plan sucks. They need fresh blood! I love Nintendo by the way, I want them to succeed & shut the haters, but I dont see it happening with the current crew in charge. And Zelda & GTA are probably my two favorite series...and who inspired the Rockstar guys? MIYAMOTO. And it shows...the attention to detail & quality is immense on both counts. In my opinion, Nintendo is very poorly managed.

@Tryken Agreed.Nice to see another sf fan on here.I noticed your avatar,and ken happens to be my best in ssf4!

If new leadership is needed, then it should be decided by the company and NOT the shareholders.

It's been made very clear to all of us that these people do not care about the company, the gamers or any integrity that any of us have, they just want money and nothing else.

Has anybody even seen the video that @Meaty-cheeky has been posting? It basically shows where the real problem in the industry is and how it's one of the main causes of Nintendo's issues with selling the Wii U.

The smartphone market is fickle, we've seen just how fast a popular game will fade for the next big one. Remember that running game on iPhone? it got replaced by games like Flappy Bird in media just like Angry Birds faded once another hot game hit the app stores.

Also, it is very saddening to see how most people assume that firing Iwata will instantly improve Nintendo's situation. When you fall ill the medicine will not make you better in a snap, it takes time and a little effort.

So, any chance of Nintendo acquiring Capcom? They said that they were looking towards mergers and acquisitions. And capcom is probably in the worse shape of all third parties.

@Agent721 Um...Miyamoto would never create such a violent game.

So everyone wanted the 3ds and WiiU to be more successful than the DS and Wii. That's unrealistic and always has been. Iwata has made boatloads of money for Nintendo and they want him gone already? Too soon.

@Doma Um...Except the Wii U was not released until one and a half years ago

@Doma Wow since when was the Wii U launched in April of 2011?

@Epona14
No, but be creates games of similar excellent quality. I believe the two highest rated games of all time are Ocarina of Time & GTAIV, per metacritic. The highest rated DS game was GTA: Chinatown Wars. That's one game I'd love to see ported to the Wii U...it would be great on the tablet.

@Superryanworld Good news for you then; I don't know if you're getting Ultra SF4 or not, but Ken is getting some sick buffs. He'll be even better than before.

@DarkKirby What you can't seem to get is that the hardcore audience doesn't care about Nintendo home consoles either. Outside of Nintendo's own fanbase, nobody will buy a Nintendo console anymore. Nintendo could try all they want to get the hardcore audience, but those people will simply sit there and laugh at Nintendo while they play PS/Xbox.

Best solution: Ditch home consoles and go handheld-only. Home consoles are a lost cause. Either that or switch from consoles to digital-only microconsoles as they would be cheap and would be specifically for Nintendo games, indies, and the occasional 3rd party exclusive.

@IceClimbers The hardcore audience (At least by the definition I have always used). Has everything any system any region at least if it is a hardcore game (Even if there is only one on the system).

@Excep7ional I'll be getting the ultra update for sure.I didnt know ken was getting updates,so that's good news indeed.

@IceClimbers I don't laugh at Nintendo.I guess I'm in the minority here,but I enjoy my wii u and 3ds as much as my Xbox 360 or playstaion 3&4.

I enjoy my Wii U and 3 DS too @Superryanworld But honestly Iwata just does not understand what the Western Market wants and he would know if he were listening to the Youtube Videos, Fansites that give him crap, and listen to feedback on Miiverse for example. But he never will, and he is not helping his cause by continuing to ignore the Nintendo fans around the world.

Whatever happens hopefully Nintendo can get steered into the right direction soon.

the few problems wii u has are and one is a huge problem, more games, some more marketing and more 3rd party support. thing is 3rd party support is like getting a job, you need experience to get a job but you need a job to get experience but cant get a job without experience and the cycle continues, its the same with wii u, you need the wii u to have a lot of sales in order to get 3rd party support but you cant get any sales without 3rd party support and the cycle continues. and @cheetahman91 i hope too but not in the smartphone direction, if nintendo did then i will stop support them until these retarded investors realize they are retarded and caused permanent damage to nintendo that will never mend. full nintendo games on smartphones=no profits, look at square-enix and capcom, the proof is right there, no one actually wants full games on smartphones despite what the "trends and popular" beliefs say. nintendo games on smartphones would be like the kinect 2.0 and no one wants nightmares

@WolfLink22 I hope the best for Nintendo.I guess we'll just have to wait and see how the rest of 2014 plays out.

@Epona14 it maybe true that he might not make one but there are some violent games on nintendo made by nintendo like Zangeki no Reginleiv

It's pretty clear what Nintendo have to do to survive while staying out of the smartphone world. The 3DS and Wii U generation for them has been a disaster compared to the DS and Wii generation. Making any kind of profit out of the Wii U hardware is not likely to happen at all, so why waste all this time trying to sell it at its current price? Just slash it, sell it at about half the cost price, get that install base huge, sell it to mums on TV shopping channels, and try and make it not have such a bad name for itself. Because if it continues this way, no one will buy the next generation of Nintendo console(s).

Also, screw the 3rd parties. Nintendo have to be able to not rely on them. Spend the cash reserves and buy up big on dev teams. Churn out heaps more quality first party stuff. That would have got the userbase up had Nintendo prepared for the Wii U launch with more of their own games coming in every month instead of relying on the 3rd parties to let them down. If they do this for the next console, 3rd parties will come in droves. I'm not saying to make it hard for 3rd parties to come to the system, it should be a very easy and cheap to do so, but they shouldn't be out courting companies to fill in their own huge gaps in the line up only for companies like Ubisoft to royally screw them over with the likes of Rayman, and now WatchDogs, and EA with outdated ports and missing features.

They need to get the hardcore off their case. Here's how. Stop producing underperforming machines. It worked with the Wii. It won't work again. The core gamers that want to play Nintendo games won't because the other big games from other companies won't come out on Nintendo systems due to a lack of power. Keep up Nintendo or you will fade like Sega did. Also, for gods sake get a proper account based system for online purchases ASAP and cross play on VC games. Also the included HDD space in a Wii U is laughable.

No one wants to be the guy with the smallest penis in the locker room. But that's exactly the situation Nintendo have put themselves in. There isn't even a lot of motion in this blue ocean to make up for it. There are a few great games yes, but it has taken way too long to get here. And by crikey there should have been at least 3 or 4 times as many must have games by now than what the Wii U has. Racing games, fighting games, 1st and 3rd person action games, RPGs, jrpgs, all genres that the Wii U doesn't have much of.

I play my Wii U a lot. But I am a fan. Anyone who isn't with all these faults the system and company has, it really is no surprise that no one outside of the core Ninty fans is buying the Wii U. The only one surprised seems to be Iwata. I don't want him to go, but trying to bottle the lightning of the DS and the Wii and do it again with the 3DS and Wii U was a huge mistake. Sure, if smartphones and tablets didn't take off like they did, the 3DS and Wii U would probably have gone alright. But Iwata didn't see that coming, or did see it, but thought he knew better. While I don't want to see Nintendo go mobile, perhaps someone that can work with this new and changed market and foresee ways to deal with it better should be in charge. I really don't think mariokart 8 will change much. Not will Smash Bros. They will be great games no doubt, but not enough to save the Wii U. So much potential just not realised with this system. Such a pity.

I really think that Nintendo has a big E3 in store. They have to, I guess.

Surely after Nintendo bought so many shares back earlier this year that between Iwata, Miyamoto and Nintendo the good guys have the majority share? I would assume then Iwata will either be fine or they will use their majority to put someone in place who wouldn't go mobile.

Iwata has been all over the place with the Wii U. The name and marketing, the lack of power compared to its rivals, the Gamepad failing to bring much to the table, the restrictive online presence & the lack of digital accounts on par with other tech companies have all been failures. The only thing holding them up is the 3DS and even then they mucked up that in the beginning.

Stolen from another site but good....

I like Iwata but whatever happens happens. Even if the board decides his rein is over its made up of former developers and senior staff too is I remember correctly, so they'd be able to find someone whos right for the company.

As for people wanting Miyamoto to take over, the man is in his 60's and getting ready to retire. Even if he would be more than happy to he'd be there for maybe 5 years before officially retiring as CEO.

If anyone from Nintendo were to step up it should be Sakurai, the man who at least had the guts to call out the company and actually wanted to do new things.

@TheAdza
"screw the 3rd parties. Nintendo have to be able to not rely on them."

Thats the problem and what they've been doing. That hasn't exactly been working as of late now has it? Buying up big devs shows just how much they do need them. What they need to do is loosen up and release that iron grip they're trying to maintain from the 80's and 90's they think they still have. Make developing for Sony and Microsoft look like a rubix cube in comparison.

@unrandomsam - Stop being so negative! How can you say that when many Gameboys are still running strong 20 years down the line - My Launch day 3ds is still perfect! Just because you think that Sony didn't get it right - doesn't mean Nintendo will get it wrong. . . . All we want is a Nintendophone that can Use 'Apps' from the (expanded) Eshop and blocks out all the crappy iOS and Android bloatware. .. Make calls, texts, maps, - with a 'shutout the world whilst your playing games' mode so you don't get any notifications - I would want a DS style touchscreen in HD -Hell - if Nintendo call me - i'll design it for them myself

I think nintendo need to get rid of the wii u there is no way any off the games released on it can be turning a profit with the well known cost of developing games in hd I think for the next few years they should focus on the 3ds while talking with 3rd party developers on what they want to see on nintedo's next home console like sony did with the ps1 and the ps4 maybe then they will get the 3rd support they need to survive in the home console market

Iwata's days are numbered. Time to hand the torch to somebody else.

@Sanqet Yeah and thus destroying consumer confidence in Nintendo. It would be the same horrible move that SEGA made with the SEGA Saturn which snowballed and ultimately caused their demise as a game hardware company.

I think if they decided to do a limited time combo (idk) so if anyone had previously bought or is buying a 3ds(xl)/2ds could get a 50 dollar discount off a wii u but it depends and just a thought coming from a 16 year old

While I'd absolutely LOVE to see Iwata ousted from Nintendo (perhaps then they could actually step into contemporary times), the company also doesn't need a new pro-mobile president pushing what would be another wrong agenda. Remove Iwata and replace him with someone that understands, believes in, and shares the vision of what Nintendo represents to gamers and the industry but also believes in moving the company forward into the 21st century (and by that I don't mean competing head-to-head with Sony and Microsoft). I want a real account system. I'd like to message my gaming buddies (3DS). I'd like new Nintendo franchises and reboots of dormant series. Things of this nature. My 2.

@cfgk24 GENTLEMEN...BEHOLD! THE N-GAGE 2.0 !!!!

@Superryanworld N-Gage Rocks!

@JohnRedcorn The biggest interest towards emulators is the fact that it's free, not an interest in Nintendo or the games itself

@Superryanworld Only since PS4's release though. Things are changing for sure. Just not sure where my old fav Nintendo is headed.

@gatorboi352 Have you actually looked into the mobile phone app business? Please name me one app developer that has sustained the success and longevity of a company like Nintendo has since app stores began?

@JohnRedcorn Of course there's an interest there for people to play Nintendo games on mobile devices. But that's for free. Would people pay? Probably some, but in the amounts that will bring a good steady income for Nintendo for years to come? Doubtful.

Change things up and see how it goes, I guess.

@kuribo4 True. Iwata proved he was able to get 3rd party support on GameCube when he took over as CEO but he threw those ideas out the window for the Wii and Wii U.

If he can't fix their main problem then someone else needs to. NES and SNES remains my favourite 2 Nintendo consoles for good reasons.

Its better to burn out than fade away......Iwata out new guy in

I wonder what Nintendo really need to do to turn things round?

If anyone thinks bringing in a new CEO will suddenly turn everything around for Nintendo and place them atop the console race, you are delusional.
Iwata is a smart man surrounded by other very smart individuals. To believe that there's some mystical executive out there just waiting in the wings to swoop in and cast a magic spell of ultimate profits upon Nintendo is laughable.
Every company has its ups and downs. EVERY SINGLE ONE.
Sadly, I fear Iwata will ultimately become a sacrificial lamb, slaughtered to appease impatient, short-sighted investors... who will soon-after usher in a new era of outrageous demands and excuses once their newly-implanted figurehead fails to immediately transform Nintendo into a gold coin heaven.

Hey time always tells all. Hopefully things pan out for him this quarter. Time to face the music and accept reality unfortunately.

These clueless investors who know less about the industry than anybody are far more dangerous to Nintendo's future than Iwata remaining in his current position. I'm pretty nervous the direction it may go if he is forced out.

Here's what I hope would happen during this year:

1) Make a truly good account system that is not locked to the hardware, so so many people would buy both consoles if they would just give up on the hardware locking idiocy. This is the priority 1 at this point, not Miiverse updates or "stability updates for Wii U"
2) Make Wii U and 3DS region free with a software update, keep the shops like PSN is that different region accounts have different shops.
3) Try to make cross platform purchases for Virtual Console possible, I know Nintendo thinks that with their quite high prices on Virtual Console they need to cash in as much as possible, but again people would by more of the games if there was a cross purchase possibility. Also recheck the prices on VC games, those are just a bit too high to be realistic. Anyway they already have a sort of system available since Wii U checks if you have purchased a VC game on Wii and then offers you the "upgraded version" in eShop for 0,99€. So they have a base for the system already built.
4) Promote the 1st and 2nd party games more. We need to see some serious advertisement this year for Kirby 3DS, Mario Kart Wii U, X, Bayonetta 2 and all the other big ones coming. It was horrible to see how Nintendo did no promotion at all for The Wonderful 101 which was a premium 2nd party game from Platinum games.

Of course the advertising will not work in the whole world, since Nintendo has done so that for example Europe is completely fragmented with just a few "main" countries receiving premium treatment with Club Nintendo and actual Nintendo presence with their branch offices actually being in those countries. But then places like North and East Europe are relegated to second rate customers since we have to deal with the quite lousy companies like Bergsala which represent Nintendo in several countries. Also Europe seems to often get the short end of the stick when it comes to many things. US and European markets need to work more closer on many things. For example the whole Europe should just be one big Club Nintendo and no separate entities for a few countries.

Nintendo implements these changes, puts out some big surprises for summer during E3 with announcements like Miyamoto's new IP, some surprising internal projects, Retro's 1-2 secret projects and Platinum's secret project they are currently developing. Also the realization of the QoL project. The NFC capabilities of the Wii U gamepad need to be taken in to use. Can you imagine a Pokemon game using Pokemon toys with NFC or something like that? Then things will start to change for the good.

Lets see at new year's time have they done any of this and is Iwata still there. My bet is that if they would do all this, then Iwata will keep his job for sure.

But what I hope is that if he will be let go, then Nintendo should never hire a European or American guy as the boss. Reggie can be the US boss, but not for the whole company. They need to have a calm grip of things that only a Japanese CEO can bring in. That is why Nintendo has existed for 125 years already. But what they should do is hire a guy who can create a system in the Wii U/3DS ecosystem to make the whole thing even more fluid, like the cross purchase functionality. Nintendo has a lot of pride that they want to innovate and not copy like their competitors have done since the old generations when Famicom came to the market, but some things are just so integral that they need to look in to the mirror and realize what will make the customers come in.

Oh man, Iwata has Mario Kart 8 on his side, but I have faith in Smash Bros. 4 turning things around for Nintendo, which won't come out until after June.

@AshFoxX smash bros won't change anything. It's s Nintendo gamers game. It's not a system seller

@IceClimbers

The problem with the term "hardcore" is that there doesn't exist any clear definition of the term and it's mostly only used by gaming hipsters who try to make themselves sound cool. So unless you can provide an explanation as to what "hardcore" means, your argument falls apart and carries no weight.

@Kolzig

The VC prices are not too high... Do you even know what the price range for the games they sell digitally are? The average cost of a loose NES cart is about 10$, same with SNES and N64. Most of the VC prices are actually quite reasonable in comparison especially when you consider that some games (such as Ogre Battle 64 and Mega Man V, which is being released shortly) are well beyond that. As the years go on, the prices of loose physical cartridges goes up while the digital variants remain largely the same price, unless there is a sale going on. 5$ for an NES game is more than reasonable considering physical copies sell for more.

Now if you want to argue a price drop for the digital games like Wind Waker, then I am all for that as most of the time those games can be bought cheaper online.