Iwata: Open Letter to 3DS Owners

[Snailface]

Here is Nintendo president Satoru Iwata's translated mea culpa to early adopters of Nintendo's 3DS system:

To Those Customers Who Bought A Nintendo 3DS Before The Price Change

Greetings, everyone. This is Satoru Iwata from Nintendo.

Thank you very much for purchasing a Nintendo 3DS.

We have just announced a price drop for the Nintendo 3DS system effective on August 11 [August 12 in North America].

In the past, there have been price drops for video game systems some time after their release in order to broaden the user base further. However, never before has Nintendo chosen to issue such a dramatic price drop less than 6 months after a system release.

We are all too keenly aware that those of you who supported us by purchasing the 3DS in the beginning may feel betrayed and criticize this decision.

This unprecedented timing for a price cut is because the situation has changed greatly since we originally launched the 3DS. We decided it was necessary to take this drastic step in order to ensure that large numbers of users will continue to enjoy the 3DS in the future.

If the software creators and those on the retail side are not confident that the Nintendo 3DS is a worthy successor to the DS and will achieve a similarly broad (user) base, it will be impossible for the 3DS to gain popularity, acquire a wide range of software, and eventually create the product cycle necessary for everyone to be satisfied with the system.

Those customers who purchased the 3DS at the very beginning are extremely important to us. We know that there is nothing we can do to completely make up for the feeling that you are being punished for buying the system early. Still, we would like to offer the following as a sign of our appreciation to you.

[3DS Ambassador program details]
http://www.joystiq.com/2011/07/28/current-...for-free-games/

We feel a strong responsibility to develop the 3DS as a platform -- to ensure that, in the end, everyone is satisfied; we will make every effort to do so.

Additionally, we know everyone is waiting for Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7. They are scheduled for release in November and December, respectively, so we ask for your patience until then.

Thank you again, and we look forward to your continued support.[/p]
Source

I thought it was nice of him to address us directly about the 3DS pricing situation and to narrow the release dates of Mario 3D and Mario Kart 7. Maybe Iwata's former life as a game programmer is what makes him such a down-to-earth and sensible executive.

 

[WiiUBricker]

That are almost the same words of NoE.

 

[Slyakin]

Huh. More reason for people to flame him. He's gonna need a bullet proof car soon.

And did he link to a Joystiq article? Or was that just added in?

 

[Snailface]

Huh. More reason for people to flame him. He's gonna need a bullet proof car soon.

And did he link to a Joystiq article? Or was that just added in?

Added in just in case anybody's been living under a rock.

 

[Issac]

Slyakin: What's new about this one that's going to make people hate him (more)?
To me it just sounds like the texts available on the hompages, but worded differently.

 

[Slyakin]

Slyakin: What's new about this one that's going to make people hate him (more)?
To me it just sounds like the texts available on the hompages, but worded differently.

My point exactly. People are gonna start saying "OH HEY HE COPIED AND PASTED THIS ISN'T IWATA FUCK YOU IWATA" or something along that caliber.

I've lost faith in humanity after seeing some parts of GBATemp.

 

[Foxi4]

He shouldn't have written this letter. He's the president of the company, the 3DS is HIS buisness and he adjusts the price as he wants, the audience should nod in appreciation and shut up.

 

[Snailface]

Slyakin: What's new about this one that's going to make people hate him (more)?
To me it just sounds like the texts available on the hompages, but worded differently.

I find it hard to hate an executive who cuts his pay 50% when his company is suffering.

Plus I like his Iwata Talks interviews; he seems interesting, open-minded, and funny.

 

[Slyakin]

I find it hard to hate an executive who cuts his pay 50% when his company is suffering.

And then people get into the argument that Iwata is some attention-whore for doing it. I really, really just wish that these people were more open.

 

[naruses]

It would have better if they used any other name that DS on it's title. Everyone thinks this is just a new DS, just 3D.

 

[8BitWalugi]

I thought it was nice of him to address us directly about the 3DS pricing situation and to narrow the release dates of Mario 3D and Mario Kart 7. Maybe Iwata's former life as a game programmer is what makes him such a down-to-earth and sensible executive.

The man saved EarthBound. Of course he is!

On topic, my birthdays in November!

So many damn releases...

 

[Snailface]

It would have better if they used any other name that DS on it's title. Everyone thinks this is just a new DS, just 3D.

Agreed, and now Nintendo appears poised to make the same mistake with WiiU. Again, it just Wii with a U just like 3DS is DS with a 3 added on. Both of these new systems even look similar to their predecessors.

At this rate, Iwata will have to cute his pay to 10% if his company continues too make these mistakes.

 

[Shoat]

It would have better if they used any other name that DS on it's title. Everyone thinks this is just a new DS, just 3D.

Agreed, and now Nintendo appears poised to make the same mistake with WiiU. Again, it just Wii with a U just like 3DS is DS with a 3 added on. Both of these new systems even look similar to their predecessors.

How is that different from:

Nintendo Entertainment System -> Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Gameboy -> Gameboy Advance
Xbox -> Xbox 360 (Also both look very similar)
Playstation -> Playstation 2 -> Playstation 3 (Second and third also look very similar)



Giving the new consoles names that are very similar to their predecessors is the normal procedure and has been for a really long time. And so has making them look similar to their predecessor.
Thus I don't understand why you would point that out as the "big problem" that the 3DS and the WiiU have.

Take the name of the predecessor and add something ("3", "U", "360", "Super" "Advance") or change some part of the predecessor's name (Playstation "2" -> Playstation "3").
That's how all developers have always done it, with only very very few exceptions ("Sega Saturn" -> "Dreamcast" is one example).

 

[Foxi4]

It would have better if they used any other name that DS on it's title. Retards think this is just a new DS, just 3D.

Fixed that for you.

If an everyday Joe can't see a difference between a typical DS game he's been seeing in commercials for the past 6 or so years and the latest MGS or Resident Evil on the 3DS, then I'm sorry, but he doesn't deserve to purchase the console anyways. I'm pretty sure he needs to have post-it's on the celling to remind him about breathing when he wakes up.

EDIT: ^ That guy. Shoat nailed it.

 

[Snailface]

It would have better if they used any other name that DS on it's title. Everyone thinks this is just a new DS, just 3D.

Agreed, and now Nintendo appears poised to make the same mistake with WiiU. Again, it just Wii with a U just like 3DS is DS with a 3 added on. Both of these new systems even look similar to their predecessors.

How is that different from:

Nintendo Entertainment System -> Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Gameboy -> Gameboy Advance
Xbox -> Xbox 360
Playstation -> Playstation 2 -> Playstation 3


Giving the new consoles names that are very similar to their predecessors is the normal procedure and has been for a really long time.

Take the name of the predecessor and add something ("3", "U", "360", "Super" "Advance") or change some part of the predecessor's name (Playstation "2" -> Playstation "3").
That's how all developers have always done it, with only very very few exceptions ("Sega Saturn" -> "Dreamcast" is one example).

The DS and Wii (especially Wii) were far more successful than their much differently named predecessors which is why some believe that taking another 180 degree turn in naming conventions is what Nintendo should be doing. Read "Blue Ocean" strategy.

 

[Shabutie78]

It would have better if they used any other name that DS on it's title. Everyone thinks this is just a new DS, just 3D.

i don't think that what makes people think it's just a 3D DS.
i think it's the dated hardware, the way it seems directed at children, the shitty graphics, mario, and the gimmicky software.
oh and the tiny screens.

 

[Foxi4]

The DS and Wii (especially Wii) were far more successful than their much differently named predecessors which is why some believe that taking another 180 degree turn in naming conventions is what Nintendo should be doing. Read "Blue Ocean" strategy.

Sure. That's why Nintendo 64 was such a huge commercial success.

Wait...

 

[Nimbus]

Iwata is probably the only man I know in this sort of field who would go to this length.

Which actually shows that at least he cares about the fans.

Unrelated Note: No I lost my dark powers as of this post!

 

[chris888222]

It would have better if they used any other name that DS on it's title. Retards think this is just a new DS, just 3D.

Fixed that for you.

If an everyday Joe can't see a difference between a typical DS game he's been seeing in commercials for the past 6 or so years and the latest MGS or Resident Evil on the 3DS, then I'm sorry, but he doesn't deserve to purchase the console anyways. I'm pretty sure he needs to have post-it's on the celling to remind him about breathing when he wakes up.

EDIT: ^ That guy. Shoat nailed it.

Yeah, but one of my friends is a retard who says '3DS - oh, DS capable of producing 3D' and not successor.

3DS just doesn't really make it sound like a successor to some and they will only know 3DS is the DS line successor via other means. Yeah, other consoles sound very similar too: NES, SNES; PS2, PS3 etc. But 'super' Nintendo entertainment system sounds new, an obvious word - super is there.. PS2 to 3, surely a successor to these 'retards'. 3DS? Well, many of us agree it's a DS successor but some just say DS + 3D just by the name (not including fanboys). Also thanks to Nintendo's outdated (or rather SHITTY ASS) system, people may think that it is just a mere improvement to the DS, with 3D graphics, as what the other posters have said.

But seriously though, some of my friends really couldn't tell 3DS = DS sucessor.

 

[Snailface]

The DS and Wii (especially Wii) were far more successful than their much differently named predecessors which is why some believe that taking another 180 degree turn in naming conventions is what Nintendo should be doing. Read "Blue Ocean" strategy.

Sure. That's why Nintendo 64 was such a huge commercial success.

Wait...

Super Nintendo
Nintendo 64

The two names aren't quite as different as they first seem. But the real reason Nintendo 64 was a failure is that the big N decided to stick with old ideas namely going with expensive ROM cartridges instead of CDs. Sticking with old ideas is the antithesis of "Blue Ocean" strategy and is why Nintendo got clobbered for the next 10 years.

Nintendo is holding onto old ideas again and people are worried about it.