Iwata: Nintendo to expand beyond games

[Gahars]

In an interview with Diamond.jp, Iwata was asked to comment further on his statements in January that Nintendo would "expand into a new business area" and "extend the definition of entertainment" with its 10-year 'Quality of Life' platform.

Iwata replied that the public perception of Nintendo as merely a video game company is one he aims to change, as was the aim of his late predecessor Hiroshi Yamauchi.

..."So even though we won't chance the fact that our focus is on video games, I felt the need to take that occasion to state that Nintendo is a company that can do whatever it wants."

CVG
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In the words of Charley Dinkens, "They were the best of times, they were the end of times..."

I don't know, I have mixed feelings on all this. On the one hand, I can understand why they don't want all of their eggs in one basket. On the other hand, though, it doesn't exactly show a lot of confidence, and this whole "Quality of Life" thing is kind of iffy. We don't even know exactly what this is yet.

So, is this the beginning of the end? Or the ending of the old beginning, which will give way to a new beginning? Or neither? All of the above?

Please understand, because I don't.

 

[Black-Ice]

They clearly don't feel comfortable enough to remain simply a games company after watching the wii u fail to be anything useful for anyone.

 

[Youkai]

Hmm I don't know if this is any good at all ...

from my experience it is VERY hard to do many things the same time "good" mostly it will be either "okay" or actually rather bad
It is understandable that Nintendo is "scared" after they had to see that even that one thing they were doing turned out to be at best okay ... but for other things they need new employees and so on until Nintendo is only a mix of everything and nothing.

 

[elunesgrace]

Well Nintendo is a big company with big cash reserves.

I don't see the issue in laterally diversifying. As long as it doesn't take away from core competency, and isn't something completely misaligned with their current industry.

 

[avran89]

Nintendo was originally a consumer electronics company in the past not just a video game company. I wouldn't call it a sign of the end or anything like that, all businesses have to adapt and change with the changing demographic that buys their product in order to stay in business or else they'll end up like Blockbuster. I wouldn't put it past Iwata to expand Nintendo into Smartphones and Tablets. I can imagine them making Cooking Mama and WiiFit apps on Smartphones and Tablets

 

[Chary]

The problem is keeping the quality. If you stretch your company to do new things, quality needs to be ensured.

 

[TheCasketMan]

Just make a new console with next gen specs and a more dev/cost friendly architecture focused on third parties and some first parties that are not developing anything for the wii u. Instead of completely abandoning the wii u, interchange devs. For example, let Retro make a metroid on the U, while another dev makes a Starfox game for the next gen system, and when Retro finishes Metroid U, then start working on another Metroid for the next gen, and the same thing with Star Fox. This way, people that bought the wii u won't whine about Nintendo abandoning it. After a short while, the the next gen system will replace the Wii U. It is like what happened with the GBA and DS.
Don't hate for me this, but that is my strategy if I were CEO.

 

[Nightwish]

On the other hand, though, it doesn't exactly show a lot of confidence, and this whole "Quality of Life" thing is kind of iffy.

I imagine it means things like Wii Fit.

 

[porkiewpyne]

So back to making playing cards?

Or they could kickstart their failed love hotel business again

 

[GHANMI]

Or they could kickstart their failed love hotel business again

It wouldn't work out... They closed it in the first place because they tried to keep the whole thing family-friendly, which kind of goes against the point of such hotels in the first place (giving Japanese stuck in very small apartments/poorly heated houses, a comfortable place to... BREED)
It seems the warning sign applied to even the middle-aged married couples.
Needless to say, it wasn't... very successful.

 

[kristianity77]

Nintendo gonna go full circle and go back to producing playing cards?

 

[Veho]

I can understand

That's all he ever asked for ;O;

On the other hand, though, it doesn't exactly show a lot of confidence, and this whole "Quality of Life" thing is kind of iffy. We don't even know exactly what this is yet.

A continuation of what they started with the Pokewalker, Wii vitality sensor, Balance Board, Wii Fit, Dr Kawashima's Brain Training... the Personal Trainer series (Math/Cooking/Walking), America Test Kitchen, Art Academy... Health/lifestyle apps and accessories that aren't directly related to video games.

 

[Hero-Link]

Just make a new console with next gen specs and a more dev/cost friendly architecture focused on third parties and some first parties that are not developing anything for the wii u. Instead of completely abandoning the wii u, interchange devs. For example, let Retro make a metroid on the U, while another dev makes a Starfox game for the next gen system, and when Retro finishes Metroid U, then start working on another Metroid for the next gen, and the same thing with Star Fox. This way, people that bought the wii u won't whine about Nintendo abandoning it. After a short while, the the next gen system will replace the Wii U. It is like what happened with the GBA and DS.
Don't hate for me this, but that is my strategy if I were CEO.

This wouldn't work in a million years.


Also Nintendo never stopped making Hanafuda Cards (or whatever they are called).

I believe they will try something different soon... but i don't think it will be in the same area as the WiiFit/Health area.

 

[NakedFaerie]

Quote "Nintendo is a company that can do whatever it wants." Ummm, yea it can but it wont make any money that way. It has to do what its customers want NOT what it choses or it will loose those customers.
Like now, if it kills off the WiiU I will be really annoyed and I WONT buy anything else Nintendo and I will tell everyone I know to do the same. We will all boycott Nintendo so they will loose doing whatever they want.
They need to keep their customers happy or they end their own existence.

 

[pwsincd]

my sony camcorder , and digital camera , and TV says hi to our ps3/4 . My samsung TV and tablet says hi to my samsung kettle and toaster. Is it really a surprise that they want to have more irons in more fires.

 

[duffmmann]

my sony camcorder , and digital camera , and TV says hi to our ps3/4 . My samsung TV and tablet says hi to my samsung kettle and toaster. Is it really a surprise that they want to have more irons in more fires.

Exactly, and Microsoft doesn't only make consoles and games, they make Operating Systems and practical applications like the Office Suite.

Seems Nintendo has finally (re)realized that there is more out there in the world than just video games.

 

[WiiUBricker]

Well, hello Nintendo Clothing Line, Nintendo Music Store, Nintendo Food, Nintendo Mobile and Nintendo OS.

 

[duffmmann]

Well, hello Nintendo Clothing Line, Nintendo Music Store, Nintendo Food, Nintendo Mobile and Nintendo OS.

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if we actually do end up seeing some sort of Nintendo phone in the future.

 

[WiiCube_2013]

Mario, Peach and Rosalina -- The Threesome Duo coming soon on Blu-ray and DVD for 18+ Only!

 

[Clydefrosch]

i say, it'll be comics and movies.

or they'll do what facebook does. just buy some random emerging technologie and go with it.