Nintendo addresses its future in investor meeting

Nintendo recently held an investor meeting. President of Nintendo Satoru Iwata talks about Nintendo’s future, and eases any concerns about them moving software away from consoles.

Iwata starts off by apologizing for the recent mark down of financial projections. He then goes on to explain what Nintendo’s approach will be going forward. He reassures everyone that they do not plan on moving software to other devices like phones. Hardware is still a hallmark of Nintendo. Iwata said that they will adhere to Hiroshi Yamauchi‘s philosophy of individuality being a true value of entertainment. He mentions that their company thrives when it follows its own path, rather than going along with trends that every other company applies.

Nintendo will not be cutting the price of the Wii U as a remedy for waning sales. What they plan on doing is improving the value of the Wii U gamepad, offering up better experiences with it. Iwata reiterates the gamepad’s useful functionality, like its near-field communication that works with Pokemon Rumble U. In the briefing, he mentioned that there will be a quick start functionality for the Wii U that is available via an update that will occur this summer. Nintendo also plans to add Nintendo DS games to the Wii U virtual console. Mario Kart 8 finally has a release schedule in place, with May being the target month. The game will receive a global release during that month.

A positive outlook for the 3DS was voiced during the meeting, with goals to increase profit going forward. Iwata mentioned that the NNIDs which were recently implemented for the Wii U and 3DS will continue to be used on future hardware. He also went on to say that urging Nintendo to release their first party titles on smart phones is not a good idea. Instead, Nintendo wishes to more efficiently connect with its customers on smart devices. There are also hints that Nintendo will one day have a unified account system, rather than accounts being attached to hardware. Nintendo will also be more open about allowing partners to develop games utilizing their IPs. They of course, stressed that they will not just hand them out half-hazardly, as the brands can potentially be damaged by doing so.

Iwata ended the briefing by mentioning bold new areas that Nintendo will take in the future; such as ways to improve people’s health, and other innovative devices that they can create.

Source: Nintendo