Reggie gives an interesting talk about Nintendo and the DS, but doesn't reveal any juicy details.On August 10th, NOA Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing Reggie Fils-Aime reconfirmed Nintendoâs commitment to the Nintendo DS and elaborated on the philosophy behind the product in a private presentation.
After citing a few examples of popular technology with âwowâ factor, he goes on to explain how technologies can sometimes be successfully married, but more often than not they flop (such as with the PSX). Reggie also notes that now-popular items have lingered in a year of obscurity, indirectly affirming Nintendoâs long-term commitment to the DS regardless of initial sales. He also points out that history has shown superior technology in the games industry often is not the winning factor, boasting about the simple Game Boyâs success.
He instead says that original games making use of improved technology (such as new input devices) are what drives hardware and software sales. And if we are to believe Nintendoâs research, the vast majority of gamers do not believe graphics are the future of gaming any more. He compares Sonyâs approach with the PSP to Nintendoâs with the DS, highlighting their different focuses and questioning the assumptions Sony is making about the handheld market.
Nintendo fans will be disappointed to read that Reggie gives little hope of online Nintendo games any time soon on the Nintendo DS. The spokesmen claims head-to-head online multiplayer at a quality comparable to traditional console multiplayer is still a ways off, and although the Nintendo DSâs wireless features are a start, the industry is taking âsmall steps.â
Below is the full transcript of Mr. Fils-Aimeâs speech.
HELLO, MY NAME IS REGGIEâŚAND IâM ADDICTED TO MY BLACKBERRY. IN FACT, TO ME, ITâS A CRACKBERRY.
(holds up BlackberryâŚ)
SINCE I WAS GIVEN MY FIRST TASTE OF THE BLACKBERRY, I HAVENâT BEEN ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN. SURE, THE CONSTANT EMAIL CONNECTION IS A RUSHâŚBUT I ALSO HAVE TO ADMIT, WHEN I FIRST GOT IT, I JUST LOVED THE ATTENTION IT GENERATED. EVERY TIME I PULLED IT OUT AND EXPLAINED WHAT I WAS DOING, PEOPLE WOULD SAY, âWOW!â
NOW, IâM NO TECHIE POSEUR, BUT THAT REACTION MADE ME KIND OF FEEL LIKE I BELONGED. FOR THE MOMENT, I WAS COOL. THEN, NOT LONG AGO, I WAS SITTING IN A MEETING WHERE EVERYONE HAD THEIR CELL PHONES IN FRONT OF THEM ON THE TABLE, LIKE COWBOYS DISPLAYING THEIR PISTOLS AT A POKER GAME.
I THOUGHT THAT MADE ME AT LEAST EQUALLY COOL AS EVERYONE ELSE UNTIL THE GUY WHO RUNS OUR EUROPEAN OPERATION CONFESSED THAT WHILE WE WERE DISCUSSING BUSINESSâŚHE WAS USING HIS PHONE AS A MODEM TO CONNECT HIS P-D-A ONLINE. WHILE WE ALL TALKED, ASSUMING HE WAS TAKING NOTES, HE WAS SIMULTANEOUSLY SURFING THE NET. THIS TIME, IT WAS MY TURN TO SAY, âWOW!â
AND THE EXPERTS SAY WEâRE ON THE CUSP OF SEEING BOTH THOSE DEVICESâTHE PHONE AND THE BROWSERâBEING INCORPORATED INTO ONE WIRELESS PACKAGE SIMPLE ENOUGH AND AFFORDABLE ENOUGH FOR THE MASS MARKET.
TO THATâŚAGAIN I SAY âWOW!â THESE MOMENTS MATTER TO ME, BECAUSE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IN OUR BUSINESS, I LIVE AND DIE BY THE ABILITY TO GENERATE THAT SAME REACTION.
WEâRE ALL LOOKING FOR A WAY TO MAKE THEM SAY, âWOW!â TODAY IâD LIKE TO SHARE A FEW THOUGHTS ON HOW NINTENDO APPROACHES THAT CHALLENGEâŚHOW OUR TAKE MIGHT DIFFER FROM THOSE OF OUR COMPETITORSâŚAND FINALLY, HOW THIS ALL APPLIES TO THE UPCOMING INTRODUCTION OF TWO NEW HANDHELD GAMING DEVICESâŚTHE NINTENDO DSâŚAND THE SONY PSP.
LET ME BEGIN BY RETURNING TO THE BLACKBERRY EXAMPLE. THIS IS A WONDERFUL DEVICEâŚBUT IT DID NOT INVENT EMAIL. WHAT IT DID WAS TO GIVE ME A NEW WAY TO CONNECT TO MY EMAIL.
IN THE SAME SENSE, APPLEâS I-POD INVENTED NEITHER MUSIC NOR EVEN PORTABLE MUSIC PLAY.
BUT IT DID REVOLUTIONIZE ACCESS BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH MUSIC IT TRANSPORTSâŚAND BECAUSE APPLE FIGURED OUT HOW TO UN-TIE THE LEGAL KNOT BETWEEN RIGHTS OWNERS AND MUSIC LOVERS.
THESE TWO DEVICESâTHE BLACKBERRY AND THE I-PODâDESERVE THEIR SUCCESS AND THEIR HIP STATUS BECAUSE THEIR DEVELOPERS WERE BOTH INNOVATIVE--AND PATIENT.
DESPITE CRITICAL ACCLAIM FROM THE START, THE I-POD SPENT A YEAR AND A HALF IN SALES OBSCURITY BEFORE IT BEGAN TO TAKE OFF. AND FEW PEOPLE REALIZE THAT THE BLACKBERRY LINE IS ALREADY FIVE YEARS OLD. WELL, THEY DID SUCCEEDâŚBUT SUCCESS INEVITABLY BREEDS COMPETITION. AS HOT AND DOMINANT AS THESE PRODUCTS ARE RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT THEY WILL STAY THAT WAYâNO MORE THAN WANGâS WORD PROCESSING PROGRAMâŚOR TEXAS INSTRUMENTâS PORTABLE CALCULATORâŚOR NETSCAPEâS BROWSER.
WHAT IS RARE IN THE TECHNOLOGY WORLD IS A PRODUCT LINE THAN CAN MAINTAIN ITS DOMINANCE.
IF YOU DO THAT FOR FIVE YEARS, ITâS CALLED AMAZING.
IF YOU SUCCEED FOR A DECADE, ITâS CALLED UNPRECEDENTED.
BUT IF YOU DO IT FOR 15 YEARS, YOU CAN ONLY CALL IT ONE THINGâGAME BOY.
I SAY THAT NOT JUST BECAUSE IT MAKES ME FEEL GOODâŚBUT ALSO TO DRAW A DISTINCTION. GAME BOY HAS NOT SUCCEEDED BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE CARED ABOUT OUR MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR GLOBAL MARKET. NOT BECAUSE PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY COULDNâT CHIP OFF A DECENT PIECE OF OUR EFFECTIVE 100% MARKET SHARE.
OVER THE YEARS, WE COUNT NINE SERIOUS CONTENDERS TO OUR PORTABLE GAME LINE. NONE SUCCEEDED.
THEY DIDNâT FAIL BECAUSE THEY WERE UNDERCAPITALIZEDâŚOR UNSOPHISTICATEDâŚOR BACKED BY UNINTELLIGENT PEOPLE. THEY WERE ALL PLAYING FOR KEEPS. BUT ONE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GAME BOY AND THOSE CONTENDERS WAS A DIFFERING PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT BUSINESS WE WERE IN. MOST OF THEM SAW THEMSELVES IN THE TECHNOLOGY BUSINESSâŚAND COMPETED ACCORDINGLY.
WE DO NOT FOR A MINUTE ARGUE THAT SEGAâS GAME GEAR IN THE 90âS WASNâT TECHNICALLY SUPERIOR TO OUR GAME BOYâAFTER ALL, IT FEATURED A COLOR SCREEN. BACK THEN, GAME BOYâS SCREEN WAS COLOR, TOOâAS LONG AS YOU DIDNâT WANT MORE THAN ONE COLOR.
RECENTLY NOKIA MARRIED A GAME MACHINE WITH A CELLPHONE AND OTHER DEVICESâCLEARLY SOMETHING GAME BOY DID NOT. BUT AS YET, N-GAGE HAS NOT MADE A RIPPLE IN THE MARKET.
IN THE NEAR FUTURE, SONYâS GAME BOY RIVAL WILL ALSO COME TO MARKET WITH A BETTER SPEC SHEET. BUT THE QUESTION OF BETTER MARKET PERFORMANCE REMAINS, AT BEST, UNPROVEN.
THE DISTINCTION IS THIS: WHILE WEâVE STEADILY IMPROVED THE TECHNOLOGY OF GAME BOY, NINTENDO HAS NEVER CONSIDERED ITSELF IN THE TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS.
WE ARE IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS .
THE DIFFERENCE IS TELLINGâŚAND I CAN USE THE RECENT HISTORY OF SONY TO ILLUSTRATE THE POINT.
OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO THEY INTRODUCED TWO VERY DIFFERENT KINDS OF VIDEO GAME PRODUCTS.
THE FIRST WAS THE P-S-X IN JAPANâŚLIKELY THE MOST ADVANCED GAME-BASED DEVICE EVER DEVISED. IT PROMISED VIDEO GAME PLAY WITH A RECORDABLE D-V-D, A TV TUNER, BUILT-IN ETHERNET CAPABILITY AND A 120 GIG HARD DRIVE. BELIEVE ME, THE TECHIES SAID, âWOW!â
THE SECOND WAS A SIMPLE CAMERA ATTACHMENT FOR THE PLAYSTATION CALLED THE EYE TOYâŚTECHNOLOGY AT LEAST ONE SERIOUS REVIEWER UNKINDLY REFERRED TO AS âPRIMITIVEâ.
YET, THE EYE TOY IS A WOW PRODUCT, AND IS HAVING INIFINITELY LARGER MARKET IMPACTâŚBECAUSE ITâS FAR MORE ENTERTAINING.
WHAT THIS AGAIN UNDERSCORES FOR US AT NINTENDO IS THE ETERNAL DISTINCTION BETWEEN HIGH PERFORMANCEâŚAND HIGH ENTERTAINMENT. TECHNOLOGY SHOULD AND WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OVER TIME. BUT ALONE, ITâS NO GUARANTEE OF SUCCESS, WHETHER YOUR BUSINESS IS GAMES OR MUSIC PLAYERS OR WIRELESS EMAIL.
NOW, AS I SAID, TECHNOLOGY SHOULD AND WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE. HISTORICALLY, THE MOST NOTABLE TECHNICAL ADVANCES IN OUR BUSINESS HAVE COME FROM ON-SCREEN GRAPHICS.
WHAT DONKEY KONG COUNTRY DID FOR 16 BITâŚWHAT SUPER MARIO 64 DID TO INVENT 3-D GRAPHICSâŚWHAT MADDEN FOOTBALL IS DOING RIGHT NOW BLURRING THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN VIDEO GAME AND REAL GAMEâALL THOSE THINGS PRODUCED MILLIONS OF âWOWS!â. IN FACT, WHEN ASKED TO IDENTIFY THE MOST IMPORTANT ADVANCE IN GAME PLAY OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, 90% OF BOTH P-C AND CONSOLE PLAYERS SAID GRAPHICS.
BUT IN TERMS OF ONSCREEN DISPLAY, CONSIDER WHERE WE NOW STAND. IN A BUSINESS WHERE ARTISTS AND GAME DESIGNERS WERE ALWAYS FORCED TO COMPROMISEâHOW MANY PIXELS TO DO THIS? HOW MUCH SHADING CAN I AFFORD FOR THAT?âTHE COMPROMISES ARE ALL BUT GONE.
IF YOU CAN SEE IT OR IMAGINE IT, YOU CAN PROBABLY PUT IT ON SCREENâIN CONVINCING FASHION.
FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, GRAPHICAL ADVANCES MAY BE FAR MORE THEORHETICAL THAN OBSERVABLE. JUST LIKE A CONSUMER HOOKING UP A PROGRESSIVE SCAN DVD PLAYER TO A NON-PROGRESSIVE SCAN TV, BETTER TECHNOLOGY MAY BE THEREâBUT YOU CANâT SEE IT.
AND THIS ISNâT LOST ON THE PLAYERS. ASKED WHAT THEY EXPECT THE MOST IMPORTANT ADVANCES OF THE NEXT TEN YEARS TO BEâŚVIRTUALLY NONE SAID GRAPHICS.
BUT THIS MAXING OUT OF SCREEN DISPLAY DOESNâT MEAN BETTER TECHNOGY DOESNâT MATTERâOR WONâT COME INTO PLAY. IT WILL JUST EVOLVE IN A COUPLE OTHER IMPORTANT AREAS.
THE FIRST IS INTERFACEâWHERE CONSISTENT EVOLUTION HAS ALREADY OCCURRED OVER THE YEARSâŚBUT WITH SUBSTANTIALLY LESS FANFARE THAN ON SCREEN IMAGERY.
IN SHORT, INTERFACE IS HOW A PLAYER CONNECTS WITH HIS GAME. HOW CAN WE MAKE THAT BETTERâMORE ENTERTAINING? TRADITIONALLY, THIS COMES FIRST FROM THE CONTROLLER. NINTENDO IS JUSTIFIABLY PROUD, I THINK, OF THE ADVANCES WEâVE INTRODUCED HERE.
THE ORIGINAL CROSS PADâŚTHE âAâ AND âBâ BUTTONSâŚEVEN THE INCLUSION OF A JOYSTICK RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONTROLLER WERE ALL INNOVATIONS AVAILABLE ON THE ORIGINAL N-E-S HOME SYSTEM TWO DECADES AGO. SO WAS THE STEP-ACTIVATED âPOWER PADââŚA PRECURSOR TO RECENT DANCE GAME PERIPHERALS.
SEVEN YEARS AGO /WE BROUGHT THE RUMBLE PAK TO MARKET TO ADD SOME BUZZ TO THE CONTROLLER INTERFACE.
AND TWO YEARS AGO /WE WERE CREDITED WITH FINALLY GIVING THE INDUSTRY A STABLE AND RELIABLE WIRELESS CONTROLLER WITH OUR WAVEBIRD. NO MORE WIRES TO TRIP OVER? EVERYONE SAID âWOWâ TO THAT!
AND BY THE WAY, WEâRE NOT STOPPINGâ/YOUâLL SOON SEE A BRAND NEW KIND OF PARTY GAME OPERATED REMOTELY-- BY BONGO DRUMSâŚ
(roll DK video from E3 sound up)
WE BELIEVE THESE KIND OF ADVANCESâIMPROVING THE WAY A PLAYER CONNECTS TO HIS GAMEâARE AT LEAST AS VITAL AS ENHANCED ON SCREEN GRAPHICS BECAUSE THEY MAKE GAMES PLAY BETTERâNOT JUST LOOK BETTER.
AND AS IâLL EXPLAIN IN A MINUTE, WE THINK THE NEW NINTENDO D-S AMPLY EXPANDS ON OUR LEGACY OF INTERFACE INNOVATION.
THE OTHER AREA WHERE THE INDUSTRY WILL CONTINUE TO SEE ENHANCED TECHICAL IMPROVEMENT CAN BE ROUGHLY DEFINED AS INTERACTION. IN OTHER WORDS, NOT HOW A PLAYER CONNECTS TO HIS GAMEâŚBUT HOW PLAYERS CONNECT TO EACH OTHER. ONE OF THE SIGNATURE BREAKTHROUGH GAMES OF THE LAST DECADE WAS /GOLDENEYE ON THE NINTENDO 64. IT SOLD MORE THAN FIVE MILLION COPIES IN AMERICA ALONE.
FOR A TIME, ITS HOLD ON LATE TEENS AND EARLY 20-SOMETHINGS WAS SO HYPNOTIC THAT WE RECEIVED COUNTLESS COMPLAINTS FROM YOUNG WOMEN THAT THEIR BOYFRIENDS AND HUSBANDS WERE PAYING MUCH LESS ATTENTION TO THEMâŚAND MUCH MORE TO BEATING THEIR BUDDIES ON FOUR PLAYER GOLDENEYE.
THE JAMES BOND LICENSE AND EXCELLENT GAME DESIGN CERTAINLY DIDNâT HURTâŚ/BUT THE KEY TO SUCCESS WAS NINTENDOâS DECISION TO PUT FOUR CONTROLLER PORTS RIGHT ON THE N-64 CONSOLE. THAT MADE FOUR PLAYER COMPETITION INSTANTLY AVAILABE TO ALL OLDER GOLDENEYE GAMERSâŚJUST AS IT DID FOR PLAYERS OF ALL AGES WITH MARIO KART A SHORT WHILE LATER.
AN EQUALLY INTERESTING CONNECTION STORY IS PLAYING ITSELF OUT RIGHT NOWâŚ/WITH THE ADVANCE OF ONLINE GAMING. ITS ADHERENTS ARE SIMPLY EXPANDING THE SAME DYNAMIC THAT EXPLODED WITH GOLDENEYE TO UNSEEN RIVALS IN UNSEEN LOCATIONS.
NINTENDO HAS NOT BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS PUSHâŚI GUESS THATâS PUTTING IT MILDLYâŚAND THE QUESTIONS WE AND OTHERS HAVE RAISED ARE WELL PUBLICIZED:
⢠HOW MUCH IS ONLINE TIED TO BROADBAND PENETRATION?
⢠HOW MUCH OF AN INVESTEMENT IS NEEDED TO MAINTAIN AND UPGRADE GAME WORLDS OVER TIME?
⢠AND IN THE END, HOW MANY PEOPLE PREFER PLAYING AGAINST STRANGERS RATHER THAN FRIENDS OR THE COMPUTER CONSOLE ITSELF?
SOME OF THOSE ANSWERS ARE UPDATED WITH AN E-S-A STUDY RELEASED IN JUNE.
FIRST, AMONG THOSE WHO DO PLAY GAMES ONLINE, THERE IS AN OVERWHELMING PREFERENCE TO DO SO ON THEIR P-CâS, AS OPPOSED TO THEIR GAME CONSOLES. SECOND, DESPITE SOME ROSY PREDICTIONS, GROWTH IN ONLINE GAMING IS RELATIVELY FLAT YEAR-ON-YEAR. THIRD, THE FAVORITE GENRES ARE PUZZLE, BOARD AND TRIVIA GAMESâŚNOT ACTION FARE. AND FOURTH, LESS THAN 8 PERCENT ARE PAYING TO PLAY ONLINE.
WHILE THERE IS NOTHING TERRIBLY EARTHSHAKING IN THESE NUMBERSâŚTHAT DOESNâT MEAN THERE ISNâT A FUTURE IN HEAD-TO-HEAD PLAY OVER LONG DISTANCES.
BUT WHAT IF YOU COULD DO IT WITH NO WIRES AT ALL? IN THE CURRENT VISION OF GAMERSâŚTHAT âWOWâ WOULD BE THE HOLY GRAIL.
RIGHT NOW, SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR NAMES IN MASSIVE MULTIPLAYER ONLINE GAMES ARE AVAILABLE FOR WIRELESS DEVICESâBUT AS YET, ONLY AS SINGLE PLAYER ADVENTURES. WEâRE NOT AT A POINT WHERE MULTIPLE PLAYERS CAN BATTLE OVER REALISTIC DISTANCES WIRELESSLY.
AS AN INDUSTRY, WEâLL SEE SMALL STEPS TOWARD FULL WIRELESS COMPETITION. AND AS IâLL DISCUSS IN A MINUTE, WE THINK NINTENDO D-S REPRESENTS ONE OF THOSE IMPORTANT FIRST STEPS.
BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, ALLOW ME ONE MORE IMPORTANT POINT CONCERNING NINTENDOâS LONG HISTORY OF USING GAME TECHNOLOGY TO WOW GAMERS.
IN SHORT, TECHNICAL ADVANCES TEND NOT TO GROW AND THRIVE IN A VACUUM. IN ORDER TO PROSPER, GAME TECHNOLOGY IS ALWAYS NURTURED AND NOURISHED BY THE SAME THINGâTHE PRESENCE OF A GREAT GAME.
WHY DID THE ORIGINAL GAME BOY SUCCEED? ITS INCREDIBLE SURGE OF ACCEPTANCE WAS PROBABLY DUE TO ONE FACTOR OVER ALL OTHERSâTHE PACKAGED TETRIS GAME THAT CAME WITH VIRTUALLY EVERY ONE OF THOSE MILLIONS OF INITIAL GAME BOY PURCHASES.
IF WE DIDNâT HAVE TETRIS THENâŚWE MIGHT NOT HAVE GAME BOY AS WE KNOW IT NOW.
IN 1998 WE GAVE GAME BOY A COLOR SCREENâŚAND IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED RECORD SYSTEM SALES. BUT TO CREDIT THE NEW SCREEN FOR ITS SALES EXPLOSION IS TO IGNORE THE REAL REASON FOR THE LEAPâTHE WORLDWIDE INTRODUCTION OF POKEMON. REMEMBER, GAME GEAR BOASTED A COLOR DISPLAY IN 1990--BUT IT DIDNâT HAVE POKEMON TO BUILD THE WOW. TO BRING THIS NECESSARY ASSOCIATION OF HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE FULL CIRCLE, /LET ME POINT OUT THAT SO FAR IN 2004, ONCE AGAIN GAME BOY IS THE WORLDâS BEST SELLING VIDEO GAME SYSTEM.
AND HELPING FUEL THOSE SALES IS THE REINTRODUCTION OF /GREAT NES CLASSIC GAMES INCLUDING SUPER MARIO BROTHERS AND ZELDA AND EXCITEBIKE AND PAC-MAN. FOR US IN THIS ROOM, THEYâRE NOSTALGIC.
BUT FOR MANY OTHER YOUNGER PLAYERS, THEY ARE BRAND NEW THRILLSâŚLIKE READING HARRY POTTER OR WATCHING STAR WARS FOR THE FIRST TIME.
NOW, AS ALWAYS, SOFTWARE SELLS HARDWAREâNO MATTER WHAT THE HARDWARE TECHNOLOGY.
THATâS WHY NINTENDO AND ALL SUBSEQUENT COMPETITORS CAME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION ABOUT HOW THEY ADVERTISE THEIR PRODUCTSâTECHNOLOGY IS ALWAYS DRESSED IN THE APPEAL OF THE LATEST HOT GAME.
I WANT TO STOP BRIEFLY TO SHOW YOU HOW WEâRE AGAIN SHOWCASING THE NINTENDO GAMECUBE WITH GREAT GAMES THIS FALLâŚAND HOW WE EVEN WRAP THE DOMINANT GAMEBOY IN ENTERTAINMENT IMAGERYâŚ
(roll GCN and Freeboy spots SOTâŚ)
SO NOW, LET ME SHIFT FOCUS TO THE FUTUREâSPECIFICALLY TO THE UPCOMING HARDWARE LAUNCHESâŚFOR NINTENDO D-S AND THE SONY P-S-P. IN PARTICULARâŚWHAT IS IT FROM THESE MACHINES THATâS GOING TO MAKE PLAYERS SAY, âWOW!â?
IN ORDER TO ANSWER THAT, WE AT NINTENDO BELIEVE THERE ARE FOUR KEY QUESTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE ANSWEREDâŚNO MATTER WHOâS MANUFACTURING THE TECHNOLOGY.
THE FIRST IS MULTIFUNCTIONALITY.
I DONâT KNOW ANY FELLOW BLACKBERRY OWNER WHO DOESNâT LOVE HIS MACHINE FOR WHAT IT DOES. AND MOST OF THEM SAY THEYâD LOVE IT MORE IF IT COULD DO MOREâSPECIFICALLY, IF IT COULD ALSO REPLACE THEIR CELL PHONE.
WELL, NEW BLACKBERRIES DO COMBINE WIRELESS TEXT AND VOICE FUNCTIONSâŚBUT YOU DONâT OFTEN SEE SOMEONE HOLDING HIS BLACKBERRY UP TO HIS EAR AND TALKING INTO IT. IâM NOT SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW EXACTLY WHYâŚBUT YOU CAN BET THERE ARE A LOT OF INTERESTED PEOPLE AT BLACKBERRY TRYING TO FIND OUT THE ANSWER. AND SO ARE THEIR RIVALS. SOMETIMES TECHNOLOGY JUST DOESNâT BELONG TOGETHER. YOU COULD MANUFACTURE A COMBINED TOASTER AND ESPRESSO MACHINE, BUT I DONâT KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD PAY TO HAVE THAT IN THEIR KITCHEN. FOR NINTENDO AND SONY AND EVERY OTHER PLAYER IN THE HANDHELD WIRELESS WORLD, THIS ISSUE IS CENTRALâWHAT TECHNOLOGIES BELONG TOGETHER? HOW DO WE MAKE THEM WORK TOGETHER? AND WHAT WILL PEOPLE PAY FOR IT?
THE SECOND ISSUE / IS CONTENT TRANSPORTABILITY. FOR WHATEVER REASON, THERE IS NO HISTORY OF HIT SOFTWARE MAINTAINING ITS POPULARITY ONCE IT LEAVES ITS NATIVE TECHNOLOGY. A FEW QUICK EXAMPLES. I IMAGINE THERE MIGHT BE SOMEONE OUT THERE WHO ONCE UPON A TIME AFTER A FEW TOO MANY BEERS DROPPED A FEW TOO MANY QUARTERS IN PACMAN AND PONG MACHINES IN A LOCAL WATERING HOLE. BUT THOSE SAME GAMES NEVER SIGNIFICANTLY DROVE SALES OF ANY HOME GAME SYSTEM. WHY DOES FLIGHT SIMULATOR SEEM TO WORK ON P-CâŚBUT HAVE LITTLE OR NO VALUE ANYWHERE ELSE? TETRIS WAS A PHENOMENAL SUCCESS ON GAME BOYâŚBUT A LESSER SUCCESS ELSEWHERE. WHAT THIS SAYS TO MANUFACTURERS OF NEW GAME DEVICES IS THAT ITâS TERRIBLY RISKY HOPING THAT HITS FROM ANY EXISTING SYSTEM WILL HELP ESTABLISH A NEW ONE. NATIVE TECHNOLOGY SEEMS TO DEMAND NATIVE CONTENT. THAT DOESNâT MEAN THE GAMES CANâT HAVE FAMILIAR NAMESâŚBUT THAT CHARACTER OR CHALLENGE HAS TO BE PRESENTED IN A FRESH AND COMPELLING WAY.
THIRD, THERE IS THE ISSUE OF THE OLDER DEMOGRAPHIC. EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT OVER THE YEARS, THE LARGEST DEMOGRAPHIC OF GAME BOY USERS HAS BEEN YOUNGER PLAYERS. SONY HAS BEEN VERY GENTLEMANLY IN SAYING THAT THEY DONâT INTEND TO COMPETE FOR THAT AUDIENCEâŚTHAT THEIR SIGHTS ARE SET ON PLAYERS FROM THE OLDER TEEN YEARS AND UP.
AND IN FACT, WE AIM TO HAVE THE D-S MARKEDLY INCREASE THE AVERAGE PLAYER AGE WHEN COMPARED TO THE TRADITIONAL GAME BOY. BUT THE KEY QUESTION IS THIS: WHAT DO THOSE OLDER PLAYERS WANT FROM A PORTABLE GAME MACHINEâŚIF, INDEED, THEY WANT A PORTABLE GAME MACHINE AT ALL?
WE BELIEVE SONY IS CHOOSING TO HEDGE ITS BETS WITH THE INCLUSION OF VIDEO AND MUSIC PLAYBACK IN THE PSPâŚA âGAMEâ MACHINE, PERHAPS, FOR THOSE WHO REALLY ARENâT THAT MUCH INTO GAMES. BUT TO BE CLEAR, IâM NOT IMPLYING THAT THAT APPROACH DOESNâT MAKE SENSE.
ON THE OTHER HAND, IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A HARD CORE 20-SOMETHING GAMER, THE QUESTION OF CONSUMER DESIRE BECOMES MORE PERTINENTâJUST WHAT, EXACTLY, DOES THAT AVID PLAYER WANT?
THE INITIAL THOUGHT IS PRETTY OBVIOUSâIF THEY LOVE GRAND THEFT AUTO ON THEIR PLAYSTATIONSâŚTHEY SHOULD LOVE IT JUST AS MUCH ON THE PSP, RIGHT? WELL, LEAVING ASIDE THE ISSUE OF SPECIFIC CONTENT NOT JUMPING PLATFORMS VERY WELL, GAME DEVELOPERS HAVE TO CONSIDER HOW THESE OLDER CONSUMERS WILL PLAY.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF OLDER HARD CORE PLAYERS HAVE MADE A LEISURE TIME COMMITMENT TO GAMING.
YOUR MOTHER MAY PLAY SOLITAIRE OR HEARTS FOR TEN MINUTES AT A TIME. YOUR MOST PASSIONATE GAMING BUDDIES PROBABLY PLAY FOR ENTIRE NIGHTS OR WEEKENDS AT A TIMEâŚBECAUSE THATâS WHAT THEY LOVE.
NOW, CONSIDER THOSE GAMES THEY PLAY TO IMMERSIONâHALO, GRAND THEFT AUTO, MADDEN, ZELDAâAND ASK YOURSELF THIS. ARE THEY AWAY FROM HOME FOR SUFFICIENT BLOCKS OF UNINTERRUPTED FREE TIME TO REPEAT THAT IMMERSION ON A HANDHELD DEVICE?
HOW MANY 20 YEAR OLDS REALLY TAKE REGULAR THREE HOUR PLANE FLIGHTS? ELEVEN-YEAR-OLDS SPEND HALF-DAY CAR TRIPS IN THE BACK SEAT, PLAYING GAME BOY. 21-YEAR-OLDS SPEND HALF-DAY CAR TRIPS IN THE FRONT SEAT, DRIVING.
EVEN IF THOSE BLOCKS OF TIME WERE AVAILABLE TO THEM, HOW MANY OLDER GAMERS WOULDNâT REALLY RATHER WAIT AND PLAY THOSE GAMES AT HOME, LYING ON THE COUCH, BLASTING AWAY ON THEIR BIG SCREENS? THE LESS OBVIOUS ANSWER HEREâBUT PERHAPS THE MORE ACCURATE ONEâIS THAT OLDER GAMERS MAY WELL EXPECT AND ACCEPT A DIFFERENT KIND OF GAME EXPERIENCE ON THEIR PORTABLE. PROBABLY GAMES THAT OFFER LIMITED BUT STILL EXCITING PLAY SESSIONSâŚAND ONES THAT DONâT PRETEND TO MATCH THE ENVIRONMENT OF THEIR HIGH TECH LIVING ROOM SETUPS.
WE CALL THIS âINTERâ-TAINMENTâACTION OCCUPYING SHORT BURSTS OF TIME BETWEEN OTHER ACTIVITIES. WHICH LEADS TO THE FINAL ISSUE--/THE âWOWâ FACTOR ITSELF.
IF HISTORY IS ANY TEACHER, NO MATTER HOW THE CROWDS AT E-3 REACTED TO THE DOUBLE SCREENS OF THE D-S OR THE DESIGN OF THE PSPâŚONCE THEYâVE HAD THOSE DEVICES AT HOME FOR MORE THAN A DAY, THE ENDURING THRILLS ARE GOING TO COME ONLY FROM THE GAMES.
(pause)
WITH THIS PREAMBLE THEN, LET ME EXPLAIN HOW NINTENDO IS APPROACHING OUR FUTURE WITH D-S. ON THE ISSUE OF MULTIFUNCTIONALITY, OUR INTENT IS TO MARKET THE D-S CLEARLY AS A PORTABLE GAME-PLAYING DEVICEâJUST AS WE HAVE DONE WITH GAME BOY. BUT THERE WILL BE ONE IMPORTANT DISTINCTION THIS TIME. AND THAT DIFFERENCE IS THE SOCIALIZATION FACTOR.
THE D-S WILL BE EQUIPPED TO WIRELESSLY CONNECT 16 PLAYERS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO A SINGLE GAME. THIS, TO US, MARRIES THE SAME EXCITEMENT OF COMPETING SIDE BY SIDE WITH YOUR FRIENDS IN GOLDENEYEâBUT EXPANDS IT FOURFOLD.
ITâS SUCH A GOOD IDEA, IN FACT, THAT EVEN SONY HAS PAID IT THE SINCEREST FORM OF FLATTERY.
THE D-S WILL ALSO BE EQUIPPED TO ALLOW LONG DISTANCE CONNECTIONS VIA WIRELESS INTERNET BROWSERâŚBUT AS WE KNOW, WEâRE STILL SOME TIME AWAY FROM ACTUALLY HAVING WIRELESS HEAD-TO-HEAD PLAY IN ANY CONTEMPORARY GAME SENSE.
SO, OUR ANSWER ON MULTIFUNCTIONALITY IS PRETTY SIMPLEâITâS DESIGNED TO EXPAND THE SOLE FUNCTION OF PLAYING GAMES IN COMPELLING NEW WAYS. ON THE ISSUE OF NATIVE CONTENT, /MANY OF YOU KNOW WE RECENTLY RELEASED THE LIST OF MORE THAN 60 NINTENDO D-S GAMES IN DEVELOPMENT FROM MORE THAN TWO DOZEN COMPANIES IN JAPAN.
AND TODAY WEâRE ISSUING A COMPANION LIST FOR GAMES UNDERWAY HERE IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE. AMONG MORE THAN 75 GAMES IN TOTAL, THERE ARE FAMILIAR NAMESâFINAL FANTASY AND MADDEN AND CASTLEVANIA AND HARVEST MOONâAND FAMILIAR GENRESâSPORTS AND RACING AND ROLE PLAYING AND ADVENTURE.
BUT WHAT ISNâT REPRESENTED IN THOSE LISTS ARE THE NOVEL WAYS IN WHICH THOSE GAMES WILL PLAY ON NINTENDO D-S. FRESH APPROACHES OWE TO THE WAY THESE GAMES ARE REINVENTED BY THE TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS OF D-S.
BECAUSE THE INTERFACE IS ALTERED BY THE INCLUSION OF TWO SCREENSâŚONE OF THEM A TOUCH SCREENâŚAND WIRELESS MULTIPLAYERâŚAND THE POSSIBILITY OF VOICE COMMAND. THAT MEANS THAT YOU CAN LITERALLY EXPERIENCE THESE ADVENTURES LIKE NEVER BEFOREâNO MATTER HOW LONG YOUâVE BEEN PLAYING GAMES.
DEVELOPERS FEEL LIKE THEYâVE BEEN GIVEN A NEW CANVAS TO PAINT ON. THEYâRE JAZZED. AND IF THEYâRE SAYING âWOWâ RIGHT NOWâŚGAMERS WILL BE DOING THE SAME THING VERY SOON.
ON THE ISSUE OF OLDER GAMERS, WEâRE AIMING SQUARELY AT THOSE WHO CLEARLY PUT GAME PLAY FIRSTâŚTHOSE WHO ARE MOST HUNGRY FOR A NEW APPROACH. THE EARLIEST ADOPTERS FOR D-S WILL BE THOSE WHO ARE ALSO THE FREEST THINKERS. THE TRENDSETTERS.
THE SAME PEOPLE, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY, WHO WERE FIRST TO SNAP UP THEIR BLACKBERRIES AND IPODS.
ON THE LAST ISSUEâGAMESâIâD LIKE TO GIVE YOU A SNEAK PREVIEW OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY IN STORE FOR OUR D-S LAUNCH THIS YEAR.
BUT HEY, IâVE GOT BILLS TO PAY TOO!
THUS, I REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUâRE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT A LITTLE LONGER FOR A FULL PREVIEW OF D-S SOFTWARE. BUT WITH MORE THAN 75 GAMES IN DEVELOPMENT WORLDWIDEâŚWITH BRAND NEW PLAYER INTERFACE AND BRAND NEW PLAYER INTERACTIONâŚI CAN PROMISE YOU YOUâLL SEE THINGS YOUâVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
A RECENT ONLINE POLL BY GAMEFAQS-DOT-COM PUTS BUYING INTENT FOR NINTENDO D-S AT TWICE THAT FOR THE OUR NEW RIVALâŚBUT LIKE THE UPCOMING ELECTION, ITâS STILL TOO SOON TO MAKE ANY FIRM PREDICTIONS.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THIS--FOR THE NEXT FIFTEEN YEARSâŚJUST LIKE THE LAST 15âŚHANDHELD GAMING WILL BE KNOWN BY ONE NAMEâNINTENDO.
BECAUSE NINTENDO HAS ALWAYS MADE HANDHELD PLAYERS SAY THE SAME THINGââWOW!â
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTIONâŚ