Quality Of Life Device Not Fit To Be Sold As "A Nintendo Product" At The Moment, Says Kimishima

This whole thing is still just ????

Wii fit took off big time and helped to sell a few million more Wii U's but trying to engineer something that happened naturally is a tall order.

You have to try new products in different markets to see what sells. If this doesn't work and they don't want to sell it, it's better then releasing junk and tarnishing your name.

Well that sucks, nearly all Americans don't get enough sleep. Bah.

Disappointing. While I've never been convinced Nintendo was going to be able to pull QoL off, I've been really intrigued to see what it was going to bring to market that was different to what's currently out there. Looks increasingly unlikely to ever happen now.

Wii Fit U is underrated. While still not perfect, it's core really is a very good set of varied exercises and mini games. I hope the Fit series doesn't die with the Wii U.

Anybody remember the Wii Vitality Sensor? I feel like this is going down the same path. I was looking forward to how the Vitality Sensor could be incorporated in a horror game but admittedly the uses seemed fairly narrow. I never really understood this QoL device so I don't feel too upset over this, but it is admittedly sad that Iwata never got his concept to get released.

Hmmph.. This was predictable, considering how little we have heard about QoL in a long time. I guess they want to put all of their bets on NX.

@zool : Wii Fit sold Wiis. Not Wii Us. Wii Fit U is a sales disaster. Wii Fit U can quite easily be found at some retailers in Australia, brand new, with balance board and everything, all at the ridiculously low price of around AU$29 (regular price is AU$150), and after all the time it's been available at that bargain price, it is still readily available.

Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus were tremendously successful fads in their time, but interest has since waned, and while I'm happy with Wii Fit U, I was surprised that Nintendo ever bothered to release it, considering the Wii U's abysmal install base. It's disheartening to see more niche titles like this fail as it means that the likelihood of an NX Fit sequel is low.

I love Wii Fit, me & my fiance use it all the time, but this just sounded odd & too far from videogames, too truly do much for anyone. Fitbit already exists.

I've always had an interest in the QoL stuff. I wonder if we'll see a Wii Fit NX, or more interesting, a Wii Fit app.

I was tempted by this actually. Hopefully this will pan out in the future, or maybe morph into a different product.

What a waste of time! Wii u owners starving for games for 3 years and they're allocating resources to this?? Smh!! And I've been hearing about this for 2 years-Cancel it already!

Good.

I think their strategy is misdirected. What Nintendo should do is probably get into medical rehab/physical therapy for QoL rather than sensor devices.. especially devices for the elderly, stroke victims, etc. Research has shown that game-esque rehab devices are more effective than standard ones. And no major developer does gameplay better than Nintendo. So medical rehab is an area where Nintendo could put its strengths to use much better than sensors. If they are going to continue with it, they should probably set up a daughter company that can research and develop for QoL rather than just having a separate division as they apparently do now.

Doesn't sound like Kimishima is eager to carry on with Iwata's 'backup' business

The irony is that the wireless radiation signals of this device would probably mess with your circadian rhythm anyways. . One of the whole points of healthy sleep in this world of technology is to turn your wireless and digital devices OFF and keep them AWAY from you while you sleep.

As others have mentioned, QoL would be better put to use in hospitals and trauma centers as useful monitoring devices, which can be playful for recovering patients. This is especially true for children's hospitals, if the continued success of the Child's Play charity is any indication.

Eh, it's probably for the best. I'd rather Nintendo not branch out into too many different revenues, taking away from their primary objective of making video games.

I love Iwata- the man was a genius and brilliant businessman, but like all genius minds, it swings both ways. You'll see the greatest ideas reach mass success, and you'll see the absolute worst ideas fathomable crash and burn.

This was of the latter.

@joey302
Relax. Those resources are necessary to develop new tech. And 9 times out of 10 the stuff never reaches market. These are not game developers that would have made a new game for you to play- this does not affect you or me or anyone else.

It's just a waste of money and investment on their part. But not our worries.

I can't believe that Nintendo can't release this just because Iwata-san is gone...... There's just no way Nintendo will give up like that.

They are still working on this? I figured they'd abandon it by now.

The interesting thing is that this started before FitBit, but FitBit obviously has been released in the meantime and is a great product.It is hard to see at this point how Nintendo could take the marketshare away from them anyway. QoL would have been great when it was first announced but it dated now. So this is for the best.

They won't say they'll abandon it completely, but just out of respect for Iwata, and I think that is certainly commendable. Still, I think it's a good thing to drop the R&D in QoL products entirely. QoL products would probably cater only a niche market so I just don't see it being a feasible for Nintendo to create an entire product line. They should concentrate on games 100% (and 1000% on the NX!).

How many people here are really interested in QoL products? Do you think you really need an electronic device to analyze your sleeping patterns and suggest you what to do to improve it? In my opinion most people already know what to do to improve their sleep but they just lack the motivation and/or means to implement those improvements.

@DiscoGentleman I think it is very fair to say that Iwata's passing is directly responsible for this. It is not usual to say no to a superior in Japanese culture so it allows Nintendo to quietly stop development without anybody being disrespected.

i dunno, i was under the impression this whole Qualitiy of Life thing was only a quick reaction to the shareholders and to buy Iwata some time. It was never more to me than a vague idea. So the news of its vanishing was expected. Didn't look forward to it. Even if the market or whatever gave them good feedback upon its reveal, Apple or whatever would have stole their thunder in some way.
So, it it for the better.

"Quality Of Life Device Not Fit To Be Sold As "A Nintendo Product" At The Moment, Says Kimishima"

Good. While none of us really knew what it was, I've always thought it sounded stupid and seemed like another one of Iwata's oddball ideas. Although there hasn't been enough elapsed time yet to really tell, it would seem as if Kimishima-san is more focused on repairing Nintendo's situation and reputation while also trying to guide them to a healthier future. As for Iwata, his childlike charm was undeniable. But I completely disliked him as president and CEO. I truly do hope he continues to rest easy, though.

kind of glad this is not coming out. I think Nintendo should worry about video games for now. once they are #1 in the console market they can start trying new things.

@Damo He should be saying "with all due respect" to YOU, not the other way around. He's trying to assert authority where he has none, acting like the big man and attempting to bully the site's writers into feeling shamed. I think someone needs putting in their place.

So I guess mobile, Nintendo Account, MyNintendo, and NX are their main priorities for the moment.

QoL is still a great idea for Nintendo; it could be a way for them to separate their health related software IP's such as Wii Fit, Brain Training/Age, etc. And perhaps they can put those games on mobile as well.

I've said for a while now that I think all of this came about more because of Iwata being ill, which naturally drew his attention to trying to make products like this, that are about making you feel better/healthier. I've never thought it was a genuinely good direction for an entertainment company, which is how I see Nintendo. So, I will be perfectly happy if this whole QoL thing just dies a death. Nintendo should be making the lies of video games, movies, animations, toys, board games, as well as even opening a bunch of Nintendo stores around the world and building Nintendo theme parks—all very much entertainment related products, services, and endeavors—not making stupid health/fitness products. Yeah, it's fine to make something that is about playing games and maybe also helps you get fit too, like the balance board, but keep it about the entertainment first and foremost. A sleep sensor—just No.

I'm kind of liking this new president so far. He seems to be trimming the fat on the wacky, go-nowhere ideas that Nintendo used to waste money on all the time.

@zool

I don't think Wii Fit U sold any significant numbers of Wii U consoles. Wii Fit certainly helped the Wii, but it didn't do a damn thing for the Wii U--and the Balance Board has been dead since shortly after Fit U hit. It didn't do a thing.

On the QoL front, this doesn't surprise me. This project had all the hallmarks of eventual vaporware--like the Vitality Sensor. They never gave much in the way of details, it was unclear what it was or how it was supposed to work, and for years on end new details were less than scarce. It's better for the company to drop this whole endeavor and start focusing on new ideas.

Not wasting money on this anymore would be a wise idea. That industry moves fast with a new fit bit, etc coming out every few months it seems. Nintendo's slow deliberate pace wouldn't work well in this field.

I'm guessing Kimishima is having a rough time with it because it doesn't go well with his plan of expanding the gaming image of Nintendo to other kinds of media (like the Universal themed park). It might have to wait a little before this QoL thing is taken in consideration again.

Can't say I'm dissapointed or surprised by this news, it sounded like a really bad idea from the moment it was first anounced.

Just focus on the games Nintendo.

It doesn't sound like he's unsure if it will ever reach the market, more that it's not the right time yet. There's a huge difference there, I wouldn't jump to conclusions and rule out the QoL platform just yet.

@JaxonH exactly. They probably bounce around hundreds of ideas like this all the time that nobody outside of the company ever hears of, this somehow got some press coverage via Iwata. Even if he was still here it might not have still amounted to anything.

"it hasn't reached a level where it can be sold as a Nintendo product."

Which means that there are issues with it that need resolving. A company that isn't so fussed about quality would release the product as it is now, rather than spend more time and money fixing those issues.

Well, Nintendo found success through trial and error in the 70s and 80s. They'll probably keep trying different things. To be honest, I didn't think QOL was the most stable market to be developing for anyway.

So we can assume Nintendo's new market, the QOL market is on hold?!

This isn't a first: In the past Nintendo wanted to do a proper animation-studio, and that plan also went nowhere...