Author Topic: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading  (Read 8151 times)

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Offline NWR_MattB

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Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata says the Wii is here to stay for the time being. 

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/25524

Even though sales of the Wii continue to decline as it heads into its fifth year on the market, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata has, once again, told Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun that the Wii is here to stay.

During the interview, Iwata remarked, "It's just four years since release. It's selling over 7 million units a year in North America, so we don't think it's at the limit. We'll make decisions about a successor system at the time when software developers cannot offer surprises [on the Wii]."

Iwata also went on to talk about Nintendo’s plans for video downloads. “The 3DS will be the first 3D video playback device to reach major penetration," said Iwata. "We've had many proposals from the film, music and such industries. We're looking into distributing Hollywood trailers and movies, along with things like 3D reference software."


Offline ThomasO

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2011, 03:55:46 PM »

The upside to the delay of the Wii successor is that the technology can be developed further and it can be released relatively cheaper, instead of rushing it to market at the end of the 5-year mark, missing some cool things and expensive only because the hardware is newer. We can also presumably get a lot of the desired features in one package rather than incrementally, like the Wii Remote, which got a M+ attachment in 2009 (3 years after Wii's release) and then became unified with the accessory the next year in Wii Remote+.

Offline Jonnyboy117

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2011, 04:07:37 PM »
I haven't been surprised by Wii software in a long time, aside from perhaps We Dare.
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Offline jakeOSX

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2011, 04:08:05 PM »
i agree, keeping the next console cheap is a good idea... but with the propagation of HDTV and the move and kinect, I just think the big N is going to have to make a move.

Maybe a Wii 1.5? where there is an upgraded graphics mode on newer games if you have the new system (But all games play on all wii's?)

or they could just make a Pokemon MMO and rule the world. /sigh

Offline Ian Sane

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2011, 04:35:04 PM »
Until they're going to officially reveal the Wii successor, Nintendo will continue to insist that the Wii ain't going anywhere.  This is standard protocol.  Every company does it and then a week after the last denial they reveal the successor and look like huge liars, but everyone is so excited about the new product so it doesn't hurt their image.  They don't want fence sitters making the decision to wait because of a rumoured successor so they insist that one is not on the way.  Better to sell that guy a Wii and then a few months later try to get him to upgrade.

Nintendo could announce the Wii 2 at E3 this year with the plan being for it to go on sale this Christmas and a week before E3 if you ask Iwata or Reggie about the Wii 2 they'll act like no such thing is even being thought of.

This year the Wii will be five years old.  It's time.  That's the normal console life cycle and THIS system sure as hell isn't cutting edge enough to go far beyond it.  Tons of videogame companies could have said "it been only four years are we're making tons of money" about numerous systems that had the replacement come out around the five year mark.  Saying "it's only been four years" is like saying "I'm only 83!"

Offline Tanookisuit

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2011, 04:40:33 PM »
My guess is the new system will come out next summer or fall.  It's due, but they want the 3DS to have a full year to itself, I'm sure.

Offline Stogi

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2011, 05:28:08 PM »
Unlike some of you, I do not think Nintendo has to do anything. They are at a point in time where imitations have come out but have yet to prove that they can last and other console makers refuse to make a new console. Honestly, the best thing they can do is simply to wait and see what happens to the market.

Of course, they need to continue being Nintendo and release great games and plan for the future system, but as of this year, there is simply no pressure.

My guess is the same as Tanook. Nintendo doesn't see the reason to galvanize potential 3DS sales by hyping a new console, especially when the console they already have is gracefully sliding down in sales.
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Offline Ian Sane

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2011, 05:38:52 PM »
You guys do remember the GBA and Gamecube came out in the same year, right?  Nintendo had no problem with that then so why would they have a problem with it now?

Handhelds and consoles are not an "either or" purchase.  The two compliment each other.  Ideally Nintendo wants people to buy both.  The release schedules often don't take each other into account either.  Sometimes they'll have a big first party handheld and console title come out within weeks of each other with no fear of the two eating into each other's sales.

Not to say that isn't Nintendo's plan but the 3DS's release is not a guarantee that no Wii 2 will come out the same year.

Offline only1gameguru

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2011, 05:43:29 PM »
I think Nintendo is tinkering with new hard ware in their research department and Miyamoto is busy making touches to this and that on the thing. That would explain the Zelda game having a slow progression on release, other then he has been known to upend the table when it comes to game mechanics multiple times during a game's development stage. Though I doubt they are physically assembling any console yet, I am more then certain that they're in the midsts of talking about what features, what type of I/O devices and other things along the lines of internet interlacing and ways of having the 3DS connect to it. How cost effective it would be for the system and the electric bill to use 3D or HD technology based on the TVs people have. Most likely we won't hear mention of anything new on the console side till the middle of the next market year. Skyward sword still hasn't inspired 3rd party devs yet either so lets see how it goes :)

Offline TJ Spyke

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #9 on: March 01, 2011, 05:44:00 PM »
The N64 was basically dead in 2001, the Wii is still selling incredibly well (not as well as it used to, but no system could maintain the rate it was selling at). That is the big difference. If I am Nintendo, I don't even plan to release the Wii anytime soob.
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Offline ThePerm

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #10 on: March 01, 2011, 05:46:22 PM »
the idea is Nintendo doesn't have to upgrade, they aren't forced to by the market. They can release the 3ds and that has a 70% chance of being successful so to them its not like they're going to go out of business for not releasing a new console. Maybe when the next console comes out they'll actually have some stuff ready for it. It seems with Wii when they pushed it out they weren't 100% ready. They did fine financially, but in the long run it could be more critically rated. I love Nintendo, but i don't give them the quality points they had in the Gamecube generation.
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Offline Stogi

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #11 on: March 01, 2011, 05:56:42 PM »
Exactly. Perm gets it. If the market isn't forcing you to show your hand, then don't. Wait until you are ready and have methodically planned your release strategy. Make sure it comes out swinging.
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Offline broodwars

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2011, 06:01:01 PM »
Exactly. Perm gets it. If the market isn't forcing you to show your hand, then don't. Wait until you are ready and have methodically planned your release strategy. Make sure it comes out swinging.

Well, 3rd parties seem to be abandoning the Wii increasingly quickly.  Nintendo can keep the Wii going as long as it wants, but 1st party software (what little we know of actually existing) alone isn't going to keep the Wii relevant for years to come.  I think Nintendo pretty much has to announce a new Wii console for next year, just out of the practicality of not having software that will move hardware.
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Offline lolmonade

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #13 on: March 01, 2011, 06:18:24 PM »
I would expect a price cut to $149.99 on the Wii before I would expect an announcement of a new system.  Nintendo may not be selling as many as they were before, but they can easily ride the slow downward slope of sales while supplementing their lessening sales on Wii with the 3DS.  I do think that releasing a new console so close to the 3DS would cannibalize sales, not because they may necessarily be similar gaming experiences, but because both products would be competing with consumer dollars.

I expect there to be a big software push for the 3DS, while the Wii will be priced more competitively along with a new set of bundles. 

Offline Chozo Ghost

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #14 on: March 01, 2011, 06:28:45 PM »
Quote
We'll make decisions about a successor system at the time when software developers cannot offer surprises [on the Wii].

But if you think about it there is endless potential for surprises. Its like saying there's a limit to what an artist can paint on canvas or a limit to what a writer can put on paper. The potential is limitless and infinite....

For that matter, if someone really wanted to they could go back and create something fresh and original on the NES which has never been done before.
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Offline pololmejor

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #15 on: March 01, 2011, 06:42:08 PM »
So... what happened with the Vitality Sensor? Did it come out?

Offline Ian Sane

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #16 on: March 01, 2011, 06:55:04 PM »
Quote
Well, 3rd parties seem to be abandoning the Wii increasingly quickly.  Nintendo can keep the Wii going as long as it wants, but 1st party software (what little we know of actually existing) alone isn't going to keep the Wii relevant for years to come.  I think Nintendo pretty much has to announce a new Wii console for next year, just out of the practicality of not having software that will move hardware.

Well I think it all depends on the market.  The Wii has never had anything resembling decent third party support but that did not prevent it from being a runaway success.  If we're talking the core market the Wii has been irrelevant for years.  If you're a core gamer you either bought a Wii a couple years back or you're not buying one ever.  With the way things are the system just wouldn't grab your interest unless you're a big Zelda fan but NOT a general Nintendo one.
 
With the casuals third party support never mattered so as long as Nintendo can pump out the annual Wii Series release to keep them interested, they're fine.  How well did Wii Party do?  Is that momentum still there?
 
But who does Nintendo want to sell systems to: casuals, core gamers or both?  If they want both then they've got to step up and release a system that doesn't shoot itself in the foot regarding third party support by being too underpowered to allow for multiplatform releases.  If they're fine with just being the casual company then they've got some more years left.
 
But the 3DS suggests that they're not cool with being just the casual company.  It's an impressive piece of technology and Nintendo talked about how they want it to have better third party support and not just be for women and grandmas and such, like they felt the DS was associated with.  They seem to want the 3DS to be "taken seriously" while also selling with casuals.
 
If they want the same for their console they need something new.  The Wii's image is set in stone.  Zelda isn't going to overhaul it.  They need a fresh start if they want the same market and image they're going for with the 3DS on the console front.

Offline Mop it up

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #17 on: March 01, 2011, 07:13:00 PM »
Nintendo still have a lot of moves they could make to continue selling Wii hardware, including a price drop, new bundles, new colours, etc. There isn't much reason to release a new system this year when their current one is still selling well enough, especially given the launch of 3DS. I wouldn't be surprised if there were some mention of a new system before the end of the year, but at least for the next several months, everything will be about the 3DS.

The GCN and GBA is the only time Nintendo have released two new systems in the same year. In that instance, they really needed to put out new hardware: the PS2 release in late 2000 basically made the N64 irrelevant, and I don't think the Game Boy Color was selling very well at that time either (by Nintendo handheld standards). Even most of their Game Boy and DS hardware revisions were not released in the same year as a new home system, with the only exception being the DS Lite launching in the same year as the Wii.

Offline lolmonade

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #18 on: March 01, 2011, 07:13:51 PM »
Quote
Well, 3rd parties seem to be abandoning the Wii increasingly quickly.  Nintendo can keep the Wii going as long as it wants, but 1st party software (what little we know of actually existing) alone isn't going to keep the Wii relevant for years to come.  I think Nintendo pretty much has to announce a new Wii console for next year, just out of the practicality of not having software that will move hardware.

Well I think it all depends on the market.  The Wii has never had anything resembling decent third party support but that did not prevent it from being a runaway success.  If we're talking the core market the Wii has been irrelevant for years.  If you're a core gamer you either bought a Wii a couple years back or you're not buying one ever.  With the way things are the system just wouldn't grab your interest unless you're a big Zelda fan but NOT a general Nintendo one.
 
With the casuals third party support never mattered so as long as Nintendo can pump out the annual Wii Series release to keep them interested, they're fine.  How well did Wii Party do?  Is that momentum still there?
 
But who does Nintendo want to sell systems to: casuals, core gamers or both?  If they want both then they've got to step up and release a system that doesn't shoot itself in the foot regarding third party support by being too underpowered to allow for multiplatform releases.  If they're fine with just being the casual company then they've got some more years left.
 
But the 3DS suggests that they're not cool with being just the casual company.  It's an impressive piece of technology and Nintendo talked about how they want it to have better third party support and not just be for women and grandmas and such, like they felt the DS was associated with.  They seem to want the 3DS to be "taken seriously" while also selling with casuals.
 
If they want the same for their console they need something new.  The Wii's image is set in stone.  Zelda isn't going to overhaul it.  They need a fresh start if they want the same market and image they're going for with the 3DS on the console front.

I think that Nintendo's true challenge isn't to reclaim their loyalists, but to transform as much as this new casual market into new Nintendo loyalists, while making the system still accessible to the casual crowd.  The casual crowd will provide Nintendo with the hardware sales, but the Nintendo loyalists and "hardcore gamers" are the ones that are most likely to have 10+ games.  If they can grow their core base from this new demographic that purchased the Wii while making the system as accessible to the mainstream as the Wii, then I would consider that a true success. 

Offline Chozo Ghost

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #19 on: March 02, 2011, 12:38:36 AM »
I hope the name of the console is something other than "Wii 2". I don't have a problem with the name "Wii" being in it on some level, but calling it "Wii 2" is unoriginal and shows no creativity whatsoever. That's something Sony would do (and has done with PS1, PS2, PS3...). Nintendo is a more creative and imaginative company than Sony, right?
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Offline Mop it up

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #20 on: March 02, 2011, 02:01:40 AM »
Are you saying that the name "Super Nintendo" is more creative than "PlayStation 2"?

Offline Chozo Ghost

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #21 on: March 02, 2011, 02:41:53 AM »
Are you saying that the name "Super Nintendo" is more creative than "PlayStation 2"?

I'll admit Super NES isn't the most creative name for a successor to the NES, but its still better than if it had been named NES 2 (in my opinion). It just shows how lame Sony is that they can't ever think of anything else than to name their systems numerically. Every other game company was able to come up with cool and original names for their different consoles. Sega for example had cool named consoles like Genesis, Saturn and Dreamcast and of course the Master System. Those were all cool names. How lame would it have been if it was just Master System1, Master System2, and so on? Atari named their later systems Lynx and Jaguar. Those were awesome names. And who couldn't help but be amazed by Turbo-Grafix16? That was a system no one owned, but the name of it was awesome at least. Of course, XBOX and XBOX360 aren't much improvement, but at least MS didn't give it the shocking name of "XBOX 2". You see what I mean?

Bottom line = Sony sucks, and the name "Playstation" makes me think of one of those kiddie play prisons.
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Offline broodwars

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #22 on: March 02, 2011, 03:03:33 AM »
Bottom line = Sony sucks, and the name "Playstation" makes me think of one of those kiddie play prisons.

As opposed to "GameCube", which sounds like a toy you play in those "kiddie play prisons"?   ;)    And there is, of course, no need to explain why the term "Wii" was an exceptionally dumb system name (it's been the obvious joke about the system before it even launched).

I always did prefer the GCN codename "Dolphin".  And speaking of cool Sega names, an unreleased system was going to be named the "Neptune".  Now that's a cool system name, and it's cool that NIS ended up using that in Hyperdimension Neptunia.
« Last Edit: March 02, 2011, 03:06:15 AM by broodwars »
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Offline Stogi

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #23 on: March 02, 2011, 04:06:04 AM »
Quote
But who does Nintendo want to sell systems to: casuals, core gamers or both?

You most definitely answered your own question but I'm glad you touch on it.

Quote
I think that Nintendo's true challenge isn't to reclaim their loyalists, but to transform as much as this new casual market into new Nintendo loyalists, while making the system still accessible to the casual crowd.

Lolomade, this is the most provocative statement of the thread and I really think it is the main point of the discussion.

Nintendo has the time to figure out what companies have almost never accomplished...and that is "How to become the trend...again?"

2012 is going to be very interesting.
« Last Edit: March 02, 2011, 04:15:44 AM by The Unagi »
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Offline Chozo Ghost

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Re: Nintendo CEO Discusses Wii Successor, Plans for Video Downloading
« Reply #24 on: March 02, 2011, 05:12:32 AM »
And there is, of course, no need to explain why the term "Wii" was an exceptionally dumb system name (it's been the obvious joke about the system before it even launched).

It might be best if Nintendo did ditch it just like how they ditched the Gameboy and NES and Gamecube name brands before, and then give it a brand new name. "Wii" has become a tarnished name for core gamers. When you hear "Wii" you immediately think casual family gaming. It all depends on who Nintendo wants to target. If they're going to focus on the casual market as they've done with this generation, then keeping the "Wii" name brand would be helpful because it is widely recognized and popular with that demographic. If, on the other hand, they want to target the "Core" market, or target both the "Core" and "Casuals" then a new name may be in order.

I think the Wii was a good name. Its short and simple and its something people talk about (even if its not in a good way). There's a saying that says any exposure is good exposure. It is better to have a name people joke about than a name no one remembers and is soon forgotten. But with that said, I think the name has served its purpose and now its time to move on. They didn't name the Wii "Gamecube 2", nor should the name the Wii's successor "Wii 2". They should give it an original name and then do the best they can to make that name become one that people will be talking about fondly many years later.

Bottom line is this: Nintendo could name it the "Chuck Norris Entertainment System", but the name alone isn't going to be enough. It needs to also live up to that name and be the Chuck Norris Entertainment System in deeds as well as in name.
« Last Edit: March 02, 2011, 05:19:12 AM by Chozo Ghost »
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