Topic: Nintendo 'Quality of Life' Platform Coming in 2015

[NWR_DrewMG]

Your guess is as good as ours.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/36432

Nintendo's business plan for the next decade will revolve around developing a "Quality of Life" based platform.

No details are available yet, but Nintendo President Satoru Iwata indicated that more details would be revealed in 2014, and the platform would be launched in April 2015. The new business area would impact Nintendo's profitability in the fiscal year ending 2016.

One facet of this platform will involve "non-wearable" devices that would monitor health, in contrast to the wearable devices (such as Fitbit, or even Nintendo's own Wii Fit U Meter) that have become popular. 

Iwata also indicated that while this business will be separated from its games business, the two will have certain synergies. Certainly, Wii Fit could provide an example of this possible strategy. Another example is the Wii Vitality Sensor, which made its debut at E3 2009, and was never heard from again.

[MagicCow64]

Hrm. Looks like Nintendo's plan RE: the video game market might be to gradually exit it. They've shifted gears before. . .

[Shaymin]

So under Iwatacare, is Pokerus covered as a pre-existing condition? I seriously need to know this.

[the asylum]

oh god no

i swear if this actually goes through i will go all wolf of wallstreet to buy up all the nintendo stock i can get my hands on just so i can fire iwata myself

[Phil]

I see this as Nintendo wanting to expand beyond gaming. Microsoft and Sony already do (obviously they already did before entering gaming), so I see no reason why to dislike this. It might not be what we're interested as full-time gamers, but if it helps Nintendo earn extra money to support itself, then what's the problem? A lot of Japanese companies have things to diversify their portfolio, so it makes sense for Nintendo to do so. We'll see if it works or not.


I'm seeing people getting disgusted by this on other sites, and well, gamers continue to embarrass me.

[BlackNMild2k1]

rebirth of the vitality sensor?

in what form does it emerge from it's cocoon this time.

[NWR_insanolord]

rebirth of the vitality sensor?

in what form does it emerge from it's cocoon this time.

Nintendo never truly cancels anything. Except Pennant Chase Baseball.

[ShyGuy]

Wii Sports/Fit/Play Brain/Focus Training with Vitality Sensor/Activity Meter/Fit Board

[BlackNMild2k1]

rebirth of the vitality sensor?

in what form does it emerge from it's cocoon this time.

Nintendo never truly cancels anything. Except Pennant Chase Baseball.

It's always the right idea at the wrong time.... except in the case of Pennant Chase Baseball.

[smallsharkbigbite]

@Phil


I think the disappointing thing is we are all interested in Nintendo the gaming company.  Nothing Iwata said can be determined to be even remotely interesting on the video game side of things even though they are struggling badly there.  Then they announce this?  It's ackward, doesn't fit, and doesn't give me much hope that the games division will go in the right direction. 


The right time for this announcement would be either in the fall or spring or maybe when they have something to discuss about this project.  It feels like an attempt to misdirect from Nintendo's poor sales and it's not a very good misdirect at that because there was no information released on this. 

[ShyGuy]

Looks like I wasn't too far off:




Now what the heck is a non-wearable??? I swear, if Iwata tries to implant a chip in my brain so the NSA can track me, I AM GOING FULL PC ONLY

[Tripon]

What the hell does this even mean!?

[nickmitch]

NOBODY KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS!

But it's provocative.

[Adrock]

Yeah, I haven't slightest clue what this even means so sure, announce it then don't tell anyone anything.

[pokepal148]

So under Iwatacare, is Pokerus covered as a pre-existing condition? I seriously need to know this.

Brb, gonna rant to Nintendo's board of directors for 21 hours and read a bit of dr suess while I'm at it.

[shingi_70]

Sounds cool but a non wearable seems like a pretty way to misread the market when they have the non wearable platform in Wii Fit.

the non wearble should service the wearable.

[Phil]

@Phil


I think the disappointing thing is we are all interested in Nintendo the gaming company.  Nothing Iwata said can be determined to be even remotely interesting on the video game side of things even though they are struggling badly there.  Then they announce this?  It's ackward, doesn't fit, and doesn't give me much hope that the games division will go in the right direction. 


The right time for this announcement would be either in the fall or spring or maybe when they have something to discuss about this project.  It feels like an attempt to misdirect from Nintendo's poor sales and it's not a very good misdirect at that because there was no information released on this.

I think it's encouraging. If this works out, Nintendo isn't going to suddenly abandon gaming. It will have more money to create more games and take more risks.


This wasn't meant to be like E3 or anything like that. It was a reassurance to investors who wanted to see their investment start paying off.


If one reads the English translation that was posted on NeoGAF, it does a better job of not giving its readers misconceptions like quick tweets do. It should alleviate some confusion.


http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=760139

[tendoboy1984]

He's obviously talking about making more educational and fitness software like Brain Age and Wii Fit. Those all had 'video game' aspects and they were educational and entertaining. Nintendo is trying something new (as they always do), this doesn't mean they are giving up on video games.

If you guys actually read the whole presentation (on Twitter and GoNintendo), you'd realize that Iwata sees a huge potential market with fitness games. They want to capitalize on the success of Wii Fit and make it even bigger and more ambitious.

[Stogi]

Hahaha why was the first thing I thought of this

[BlackNMild2k1]

He's obviously talking about making more educational and fitness software like Brain Age and Wii Fit. Those all had 'video game' aspects and they were educational and entertaining. Nintendo is trying something new (as they always do), this doesn't mean they are giving up on video games.

If you guys actually read the whole presentation (on Twitter and GoNintendo), you'd realize that Iwata sees a huge potential market with fitness games. They want to capitalize on the success of Wii Fit and make it even bigger and more ambitious.

We can read it on Nintendo's own site you know, it's linked in the forums and already in English.

[pokepal148]

I kinda wish tj spyke was still around just so I could watch him grill tendoboy for mentioning Go Nintendo

[smallsharkbigbite]

Now what the heck is a non-wearable??? I swear, if Iwata tries to implant a chip in my brain so the NSA can track me, I AM GOING FULL PC ONLY

I think about this article on yahoo.com (joke article/ I think).  Where this lady was asking for something like $200 to not watch your kids.  It was one of those kids need to get outside and have interaction articles.  So you pay this lady and she takes your kids to a part and plays on the internet at a coffee house across the street. 


Another alternative (admittedly bad) is it's a game of surveys.  So it tells you to go outside and run/play catch/anything for 30 minutes and come back and fill out a survey of how you feel or do some activities to show how hard you works.  Lame I know, I just can't think of how unwearable works.

I think it's encouraging. If this works out, Nintendo isn't going to suddenly abandon gaming. It will have more money to create more games and take more risks.

I liked Wii Fit U and some of the exercise games for the Wii.  But I just don't see how those types of games will endear me to Nintendo.  I bought the Wii U for NSMB, Mario Kart, Zelda, Metroid.  Nintendo is becoming less and less of the company that I fell in love with.  If they are successful in fitness niche, I doubt it will convince me that I need the next console or that I couldn't live without Nintendo in my life. 


More money doesn't equal more risks.  Nintendo raked in money from the Wii/DS generation and most people would argue they took fewer risks and became cookie-cutter.  More profits just means bigger distributions to shareholders.  I don't hate them for that, but I'm not going to get excited about a bunch of investors getting rich. 

[smallsharkbigbite]

The more I think about it, the more I think this has to be more "unnoticeable" than unwearable. Maybe a pedometer the size of a credit card that fits in your wallet or socks that can detect pulse/possibly blood pressure. Instead of having screens these items would have a wireless chip to upload vital information to either a Nintendo console or the internet automatically.

[Ceric]

I will admit I have not read the English translation of the meeting yet but, from what I gather Quality of Life is a division separate to games much like with Sony Movies and TVs are separate from Playstation but they still benefit from each other.  Considering some the patents that Nintendo has in Monitoring tech they hoped to use in games and the different partnerships they've made over the years this could be an interesting step.

Now think about this when it come to unwearable tech:

You are not feeling well so you walk into a clinic.  As you step up to sign in and give your insurance information where they have you stand and the unwearable Nintendo device takes your weight, height, temperature, Pulse, and a detailed thermal image of you.  This information takes out a step of the pre-screen and allows for the quicker prioritization of patients.

Their is potential there in a Business setting.

Be neat if Nintendo went all in and looked into doing something like the Tricorder X-Prize

[Ian Sane]

The first time I read this my thoughts were "okay so this is the end, right?  Nintendo is leaving videogames to focus on Wii Fit style nonsense."  Maybe it isn't.  Maybe it's some side business but it ain't at all what I want to see.  I don't give a flying **** about any Nintendo enterprise other than videogames and specifically videogames I want to play.  Bullshit like Brain Age and Wii Fit is pretty much the "jump the shark" moment where Nintendo transformed into their present form that I don't care much for.  This is the worst case scenario.  This Nintendo becoming MORE casual.

My assumption is that they'll slowly phase the Wii U out and stick with the 3DS until they feel they can't compete with phones and then this is their future, the lame ass exercise software company.  This "Quality of Life" bullshit IS THE WII U SUCCESSOR.  It is coming out at around the timeframe that a Wii U successor would come out if Nintendo were to quickly replace the Wii U.  If this is their future I want them to sell off their IP because Mario, Zelda and all the rest have no purpose for a health company.

What drives me nuts is that Nintendo CAN compete in videogames, they're just too stupid to do so.  Fuckin' Iwata is the poison that killed Nintendo.  My hope is the "Quality of Life" thing bombs and Iwata gets turfed but the whole thing is not quite bad enough to kill Nintendo outright and they'll go third party or stick to just handhelds or whatever the hell will keep them making videogames I actually give a **** about.