Iwata: We Are Challenging Ourselves To Redefine What "Nintendo Platforms" Mean

Very good move. The enormous revenue this business decision will gross , will guarantee new hardware and innovation from Nintendo.

With this mindset Nintendo can become a big player again.

Finally

It's hard to see this as anything other than hedging their bets. I think it's a wise admission on their part that they cannot predict the future and therefore betting the farm on their handheld or console business surviving into the future is a mistake. If they can create a common interface across devices then they can keep their dedicated hardware relevant as some kind of niche commodity. It just allows them to move resources where they see the most demand.

I will agree Nintendo seem to be seeing the way forward.

So now I can see a bunch of Pokemon Shuffle type games on mobiles making more money than anything on the Wii U and 3DS, and down the line Nintendo's mobile division swallowing up and giving up on the dedicated consoles and 'traditional' gaming experiences because it no longer seems worthwhile to them.

Make the most of the Wii U, because we may not get to play many more games like it has in the future.

If there's only 1 nintendo dedicated hardware, while there's multiple ways of nintendo connecting with you through what you already have, nintendo will get the best games out.

Nx should be one hardware thing, and the platform should be something scalable into anything out there. Premium nintendo experience will flourish, the exposure to it will flourish, our wallets will hurt without the feeling you're missing out (what with some having a console, some a handheld, some both and all that fragmentation) or even being ripped off.

Yep, they'll own this gaming business in 5 years time.

My only and biggest concern is that this will end up diluting game quality, on any of the applicable platforms. At this point in time I cherish the fact that a new Zelda game comes every few years. I understand that they're trying to keep it all separate, but if this new approach stops that Zelda game from being what we expect of it, then count me out.

Not really a fan of this, but I'm willing to wait and see how it plays out. The problem with developing for smart devices and tablets is that they all have their quirks and UI/UX vibe. What has been key for Nintendo games (and SEGA before them… something which I think we can see has really hurt them) is their closed eco system; they control the software AND the UI/UX from nuts to bolts. They know exactly how their game is going to perform, and even warn that third party peripherals may diminish the experience. By opening this process up to all devices, Nintendo loses that incredible important part of the puzzle.

It would be great if the dual screens and 3D of the (new) 3DS were kept.
Two screens are just too handy for not having to push pause for further information.
And i'd love to see games with a higher resolution and more stable framerate in 3D.

If Nintendo released an "app" on PC, then they're officially competing with Steam, Origin and other digital PC distribution channels which in of itself is not a bad thing, but how would they approach such a crowded market?

@Rhansley64
I think the PC will be more in the web apps and membership arena, not a place for actual games. In fact, if it was, it would be in direct competition with their own upcoming consoles as the type of games possible would overlap way more than mobile device games.

@ToneDeath There will still be a market for console games. The Xbox was not killed when Microsoft decided to make a Halo game for tablets. Pokemon shuffle will make money, but at the end of the day, as long as the real Pokemon games are only playable on the NX, then Nintendo will make their money.

Tradtional Mario, Pokemon, and Zelda games will not go anywhere. They will still be on Nintendo hardware and will sell units. Other IPs like Mario Kart and Smash will likely never be mobile games, so Nintendo can use them to leverage their hardware.

Pokemon Shuffle might make money from microtransations, but Nintendo is not going to walk away from the business model of selling 40 or 50 dollar games to consumers, especially since their recent games like Pokemon have sold over 12 million units and Smash sold 9 million across two platforms.

I highly doubt the mobile games will overtake Nintendo's normal games in terms of profit. Unless they just get an Angry Birds or Candy Crush level success on their hands, I don't see it happening.

@aaronsullivan I was thinking more in the direction of a Virtual Console only service on PC, since in theory we kinda don't need consoles specific features to play older games.

You know what would be nice? A dedicated Virtual Console. No new games, all online, buy what you want, rent to try... Kinda like an Apple TV/Roku, but with GOOD games. Lets see what these "Moble" Nintendo games look like.

@Caryslan @ToneDeath I have the same concerns as @ToneDeath... I hope this turns out as a positive for us all (consumers and creators, both) and that we don't end up with a useless (or worse, defunct) account system after a year or so. I see what @Caryslan is saying about them not giving up on console titles, but at the same time, I've seen kids drop great games in favor of just sitting on their butts to play repetitious mobile titles, simply because it required less effort So, there's that fear as well, that an average Mobile title will blow up like Candy Crush or Angry Birds. Eh, too much talking from me, your turn!

Nintendo working to reclaim their greatness lost in decades past.
GANBARE NINTENDO!

@Rhansley64 Oh, now that would be cool. It hasn't been suggested directly, but once this new account system is in place, that is something maybe Nintendo could look into. A one-stop shop for all that might even compete with the freely accessible ROMs and emulators. It's a dream, but it would be nice if my previous purchase of those virtual console items let me play them on my PC, etc.

@ToneDeath

Nintendo iirc frequently shows up in Forbes top 100 companies in terms of worth, and their cash reserves are incredibly high. It seems to me that no matter what happens with mobile there is clearly a market far too big for it to become "not worth it".

I don't care what Nintendo does as long as two things happen.
1. The "gameboy" type platform doesn't disappear. Portable gaming is one of Nintendo's greatest strengths so hopefully it remains seperate and way better then the mobile gaming.
2. Local multiplayer domination. No one can compete with Mario kart and smash bros when it comes to local multiplayer and Nintendo is just plain the best at games that aren't shooters.

This could turn out to be a great marketing strategy on Nintendo's part. For every load of casual mobile gamers, ther maybe few of them that wll eventually seek out what else Nintendo makes. But that's if Nintendo points the way.

I guess this will allow nintendo to grab more consumer attention in time for their next console/handheld "fusion" or whatever. Could work, could tragically fail.

You know I guess that as long as we can look forward to sitting down with a Nintendo controller to play a new Mario or Zelda adventure then it's all good...

...but if I ever have to pay micro-transactions to wake up Mario because he's tired from too much jumping, I'm sure it'll depress me enough to put me off video games altogether (apart from retro stuff of course).

Honestly, Nintendo's setting themselves up to fail. FYI they're not talking about a Home Console/Portable Console Hybrid. They're talking about an OUYA/Gamestick style console.