Topic: Nintendo Press Conference Live Blog + Video

[MegaByte]

Read and watch the Nintendo press conference live!
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=13849

 Sorry, lost the video stream... but it's back now in shaky cam mode.    

8:43: Nintendo's E3 2007 conference hasn't started yet, but we are broadcasting live!  Connect to http://kontek.net:8000/nwr.nsv.m3u using WinAMP.  We'll also have a video recording in case you can't make the live program.    

8:55: Conference starts in 5 minutes.    

9:00 It's started.  Lots of headlines of Nintendo's successes    

9:05: Reggie arrives.  "My name is Reggie.  And I am... happy."  This E3 marks a success.  46 % increase in the US, 42% in the UK, 114% in Japan.  This is an expanded market.  He's seen this in his family... they didn't play games and now he can't get his games back.    

69% sales are by Nintendo.  Portables have gone from 30 to 50% in 2002 to 2006.  DS went from 12 to 23% in 2005 to 2006, now 25%.  (the rest is GBA, crowd laughs).    

Biggest increases in 25+ age sales.  Industry is 20/80 male/female in the industry.  33/67 for Nintendo.    

Wii players: 95% of all males 6-24.  66% of males 25-49.  75% have females 25-49 have tried it at 33% play regularly.  Over 50, over half have tried, 1/8 play regularly.  1/10 women.      

  9:16: Reggie leaves, another video plays    

  9:20 Wii Zapper announced... different from the 2006 concept.  Playable with Resident Evil Umbrella Chroniclesm, Ghost Squad, and packaged with a Nintendo title. MSRP $19.99.    

9:21 Fighter/WWE games.    

9:22  Square Enix: Dragon Quest Swords    

9:23 Mario & Sonic at the Olympic games    

9:24: SSBB.   You've seen updates, but When?  US launch: December 3.  Best Smash Bros ever by far.  Another movie.  Hylia interviews...    

9:26 Mike Daimiani on stage with Bill Trinen to play Phantom Hourglass. Most tactile Zelda experience.    

9:28:  Easiest to play but still has a deep storyline.  Successful launch in Japan with new gamers and the hardcore.    

9:29: Jackie Goehner plays Metroid Prime 3.  Best FPS controls on a console period.    

9:31: Lock-on free-aiming.  Can lock on and still shoot anywhere along the screen.  Sensitivity settings.  Hypermode injects and energy tank into PED suit, but it corrupts her.    

9:32: Reggie is back.  When are they going to get serious online?  "Maybe they did and you just didn't notice."  Reporter: "I'm not sure I'm ready to have the planet in the palm of my hand" referring to DS Wi-Fi play.  Virtual Console: 5.6 million downloads 112 classic games.  Check Mii Out, a new channel originally announced by Miyamoto at GDC as the Mii popularity channel.  What about "real" online gaming?  Pokemon already online.  Mario Strikers Charged soon.   EA Sports has Madden and Fifa 08.    

Mario Kart Wii online, Q1 2008  "Not your father's Mario Kart"  Online multiplayer races and battle mode, more racers than before.  Control choices for newbies.  Wii Wheel accessory announced, packaged with Mario Kart.    

9:41 Another video about the mass market.    

9:42: Satoru Iwata comes out.  Iwata played his first game 30 years ago. He is excited about cooking software.  Iwata wants games to be played by by veterans and new players.  Miyamoto will be out shortly to show new software which meets this goal.    

9:50: Another video.    

9:53: Reggie returns.  Mario Galaxy first game as a worthy successor to SM64.  Brain Age comes up again... the most confounding to traditional gamers, but they are bringing more:  Flash Focus: new vision training game. Ubisoft bringing vocabulary game.  Just the beginning.  My Life Coach also from Ubisoft.    

9:59 Wii Fit: Fitness training announced with video.    

10:02 Miyamoto arrives.  "Have you been getting your sweat on?"  Wii's original concept revolved around bringing health to video games.    

10:04 Fitness trainers demo the game.  Stretch training calibration is off...  Step training work better.  Twist training.  All modes have an on-screen displays to guarantee proper performance.  Includes aerobics, muscle conditioning, yoga, over 40 activities.  Wii balance board is the input accessory that measures weight and balance shift.  Thin board... body check using Reggie (crowd laughs).  Light and heavy clothing mode.  Measures center of gravity, BMI over time.  Reggie is overweight.  "Muscle is heavier than fat!"  Miyamoto: good excuse.    

10:13: Miyamoto vs Reggie soccer heading.  Getting smacked with cleats negates score... Miyamoto doesn't do so well.    

10:14: Reggie is happy but not satisfied.  This is Nintendo's time to lead... they intend to steal leisure time to video games... people want interaction in entertainment.  They will be satisfied when video games become the preeminent form of entertainment.    

10:16:  It's over; enjoy E3!

[pSYCO-gAMER321]

Is it me or they pretty much ignored the hardcore crowd? Sure, release dates is awesome and confirmation of Mario Kart, but it seems that Nintendo is really focusing on just the consumers who aren't hardcore video gamers. Oh well, at least I have some hope about their Wi-Fi service. May not be 'Live, but it is something. Overall, enjoyable conference!

[ShyGuy]

I for one will be getting Wii fit. I think Miyamoto let Reggie win.

[Ian Sane]

"Is it me or they pretty much ignored the hardcore crowd?"

That's been Nintendo's policy since the day Iwata first talked about targeting non-gamers a few years back.  It's very disappointing but not the least bit surprising.  Nintendo is EA: mainstream sales are all that matters.

[Kairon]

Wow, with everyone clamoring to see the next big Wii Sports, you'd think we'd have enjoyed getting our wish.

I missed the first half of the conference, but from what I hear, I don't get why people are upset. Hello? Mario Kart? 32 player MoH? Galaxy? Have people forgotten that this is a Nintendo conference, and we love Nintendo games??? That's enough for me right there, and between SSBB and Mario Galaxy how much more hardcore first party can you actually handle?

So Nintendo didn't do a big game rundown where they stand up there and show trailers for each and every game that's coming out this year like MS did. So what? They did something better... they got Reggie on a weighing scale.

[Galford]

The Mario Kart announcement has a bomb for those who like it, but I'm not a big fan of the series
so I really couldn't care less.

Really, though no another new bombs?

Yeah, "hardcore", I mean "traditional" gamers were not the focus of that conference.
What's new, Nintendo doesn't like traditional gamers anymore.

[Pale]

I think the conference went extremely well.  Wii Fit looks like they actually went the extra mile.  The accessory is great.  I mean, that game could have easily been another Hold the Remote in your hand and march type game.

Mario Kart Online and so soon is great... and the last thing I ever thought would happen was restated... All three big guns are coming out this year.

[Ian Sane]

"I missed the first half of the conference, but from what I hear, I don't get why people are upset. Hello? Mario Kart? 32 player MoH? Galaxy? Have people forgotten that this is a Nintendo conference, and we love Nintendo games??? That's enough for me right there, and between SSBB and Mario Galaxy how much more hardcore first party can you actually handle?"

I don't buy Nintendo products just to play sequels.  In fact part of the reason I became a Nintendo fan in the first place was because they didn't overly rely on sequels.  They made a lot of new stuff and their sequels were usually very fresh and introduced new ideas.  So while I'm excited about Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime 3 I want more than that.  I want something like Pikmin that's just new and crazy and out of nowhere.  But these the new ideas seem to be reserved for non-games.  Nintendo thinks that hardcore gamers just want sequels.  I don't.  If Nintendo keeps this up I'm going to completely lose interest.

Plus everyone knew Mario Kart was coming eventually and the rest of the big "hardcore" games were already annouced.  It makes for a dull E3 when the big surprise is non-gamer focused.

Plus I've been waiting for the "new Miyamoto IP" for a while now and it's something you couldn't pay me to give a sh!t about.  So maybe I would feel a little neglected.

Nintendo's enthusiasm and creativity is all going towards the new audience.  As good as the sequels are they kind of feel like token scraps to keep the old fans around.

[Kairon]

So... you basically want Pikmin 3 then? Or is that too much of a sequel for you?

[Pale]

Ian I don't think Miyamoto had anything to do with Wii Fit.  I believe he just wanted to introduce it.

[Kairon]

Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
I want something like Pikmin that's just new and crazy and out of nowhere.  But these the new ideas seem to be reserved for non-games.

Gee, you'd think experience junkies would be more adventurous and less close-minded.

[Ian Sane]

"So... you basically want Pikmin 3 then? Or is that too much of a sequel for you?"

Well Pikmin 3 would be cool (I don't hate sequels, just don't want JUST sequels) but I want something that gives me the same feeling the first Pikmin did.  That feeling of wonder and discovery.  When Nintendo makes a new IP it's like someone just discovered a new world and you get to explore it.  But with non-games it's like a new apartment.  You walk in every room and you're done in five minutes.

[Kairon]

Hmm... I guess I see what you're saying then. Non-games are great fun, but they're not hardcore fantastic escapism.  

[Mashiro]

Well the Sony conference isn't done yet but so far Nintendos' press conference seemingly is the best.