Topic: RUMOR: Nintendo management unhappy with Iwata

[tendoboy1984]

I found a very interesting rumor on GoNintendo. Apparently, Nintendo's management is unhappy with Iwata and they want to kick him out. They also want the company to start making smartphone games. Of course Iwata is against that, saying Nintendo's specialty is making integrated hardware and software.

[UncleBob]

Aside from some actual, real issues with the article (like the idea that Iwata is an "outsider"), to anyone who seriously thinks Nintendo should go the way of iOS/Android/Cell phone games... name one developer who has actually seen success transitioning their known franchises from consoles/handhelds to smartphones.  Even EA and Activision has had a terrible time at doing this.

Nintendo needs to focus on getting Nintendo titles on Nintendo systems.

I would totally buy a Nintendo Phone though.

[Mop it up]

Well I don't know what article this is, but I'd think if there were any truth to it, Iwata's approval rating would have been lower. How quickly they would forget that Nintendo's most successful systems are under Iwata.

name one developer who has actually seen success transitioning their known franchises from consoles/handhelds to smartphones.

How are Square's franchises selling on phones? I know they've released a bunch of Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest stuff.

[UncleBob]

Squenix has had limited success in the cell phone market.  They get a lot of grief for "overpricing" their games ($10-$15 range)

A quick search of lists of top cell phone developers doesn't seem to ever include them.

[NWR_insanolord]

Didn't he just get re-elected President of the company a couple months ago with over 80% approval?

[Shaymin]

His approval rating was the only one to actually *improve* YoY.

Also, management =/= idiot shareholders.

[Luigi Dude]

The management of Nintendo is the Board of Directors and Iwata himself.  If the board of directors is unhappy, they could vote to remove him at any moment.  If they really wanted to start making smartphone games for that kind of money, they would have fired him years ago.

Unless this rumor is talking about the top game designers, which makes even less sense.  Many of the top designers have been given more freedom then ever these last several years since Miyamoto has become less hands on.  There's a reason why a lot of recent Nintendo games have higher production values and orchestrated music compared to what they used to have.  If the developers want to start making smaller smartphone games, they sure aren't showing it.

So yeah, the rumor is bullshit anyway you look at it.

[Nile Boogie Returns]

Cellphone games make more money in Japan than both console and handhelds, so while this rumor seems bogus, I can believes that eventually they may have to go that road.

That is the day I stop gaming.

[Soren]

This reeks of a vocal minority trying to muscle their way into public opinion with a few choice quotes. Would love to see an accurate translation of the piece.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I had to check the date on this thread and make sure it wasn't a bump from 2012.

[pokepal148]

Course tendoboy bolds the mobile games part.

[Enner]

It's all in Japanese, but here's the article that has been making waves:
http://biz-journal.jp/i/2014/08/post_5585_entry.html

From Neogaf:

Here's a rough translation of one of the juicy insider quotes. Disclaimer: it's been ages since I took Japanese.

Among management, there's a shared recognition that "Iwata is the culprit". That is, in the company, there is a strong desire to make popular games such as "Super Mario" etc. for smartphones, but Iwata is vetoing this very strongly. Iwata, continually repeating that "Nintendo's strength is in unified development of game hardware and software", stubbornly rejects the "net", and fixates over "game consoles", possibly because of his pride as a former developer. With the death last fall of the long-reigning company founder Hiroshi Yamauchi, there is nobody left who can defy Iwata. There are frequent rumors that part of the management is scheming to get rid of Iwata.

There's another insider quote later which claims that there's cultural friction due to Iwata's coming from outside the company. It says that Iwata continues to take part in software development even after becoming president and looks down on Nintendo "natives" as being, not sure how exactly to translate this, not dedicated enough? (å£ć°ć‹ć‚Šć§ä½“ć‚’å¼µć£ć¦ć„ćŖ恄怂) Meanwhile, said "natives" feel that Iwata ignores their opinions.

With three years of financial losses and poor start with this fiscal year, it's not surprising that there is some grumblings and malcontent feelings within the company. Whether this is leading to some sort of upheaval or not is something we aren't privy to until it happens. 

[NWR_insanolord]

This reeks of a vocal minority trying to muscle their way into public opinion with a few choice quotes. Would love to see an accurate translation of the piece.

I think this is right on. If these quotes are legit, this is likely someone trying to pass this off as more than it is.

[Luigi Dude]

Yeah if it was a large percentage of the management that wanted him gone, they would have done so by now.  It's probably a few people at best, with none of them on the Board of Directors since Iwata has pretty much filled all the seats with his longtime friends over the years.

[nickmitch]

For US companies, management and the board of directors are two separate bodies.  Management refers to the executive board and their immediate sub-ordinates, people in charge of day-to-day operations, etc.  While the Board is the Board.  I dunno if it's the same for Japanese companies, but that could be problematic for Iwata if it's true.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Big Brother: Nintendo Edition?

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

I am unhappy with Iwata, he made the best game console in history (GameCube) and followed it up with a toy for the elderly. Only good thing he has ever done was remove that geezer Miyamoto from head of development.

[NWR_insanolord]

I am unhappy with Iwata, he made the best game console in history (GameCube) and followed it up with a toy for the elderly. Only good thing he has ever done was remove that geezer Miyamoto from head of development.

While I disagree with your sentiment, I'll point out that it's not all that accurate to say he made the GameCube, since he didn't take over the company until 2003.

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

I am unhappy with Iwata, he made the best game console in history (GameCube) and followed it up with a toy for the elderly. Only good thing he has ever done was remove that geezer Miyamoto from head of development.

While I disagree with your sentiment, I'll point out that it's not all that accurate to say he made the GameCube, since he didn't take over the company until 2003.

I suck at sarcasm or you suck at reading me, take your pick.

[NWR_insanolord]

Sorry, I thought it might be, but I've seen enough people make similar arguments seriously that I took it as such.

[Mop it up]

RUMOR: NWR forum management unhappy with Insanolord.

[NWR_insanolord]

I *am* the forum management, and I have nothing but good things to say about insanolord.

[Oblivion]

I *am* the forum management, and I have nothing but good things to say about insanolord.

Isn't that pretty much the situation with Iwata?

[NWR_insanolord]

Iwata's actually probably in a better position than I am since he's largely stacked the board of directors with his own people and I have no say over who's the director of NWR.

[S-U-P-E-R]

Reminder: Iwata is scum

http://n4g.com/news/117106/goldeneye-for-xbox-360-cancelled-the-real-reason-detailed