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PSA: Nintendo 3DS firmware update now live in North America

Daniel Cooper — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 05:32:00 EST

If your 3DS' home screen is looking a little too cluttered, then today's your lucky day. Nintendo is rolling out the firmware update that adds folders to your folder. (You've gotta fold the console closed, geddit?) The only other change evident so far is a redesigned eShop interface that makes better use of the screen's real estate, but pssh, who cares? It's all about the folders for us.

PSA: Nintendo 3DS firmware update now live in North America originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 05:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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3DS firmware update promises folders, less cluttered home screens on April 25th

Sean Buckley — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 00:52:00 EST

Are all those ambassador games crowding your 3DS' home screen? Sit tight, Nintendo's got a fix. During the outfit's Nintendo Direct conference livestream, head honcho Satoru Iwata announced that folder organization is coming to the 3DS. Fastidiously organized gamers can expect the firmware update to land on April 25th, bringing with it the joy of creating directories, stuffing them with up to 60 items and ascribing them fitting names. Iwata also detailed a handful of upcoming titles, including New Super Mario Bros. 2 and Tobidase Doubutsu no Mori (or, "Leap out Animal Crossing") for the 3DS and a Kirby compilation for the Wii. Follow the source link below for a full playback of Iwata's spiel, or check out Joystiq's coverage of the event for more details.

Gallery: Nintendo 3DS folders

3DS firmware update promises folders, less cluttered home screens on April 25th originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Apr 2012 00:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii U controller to pack NFC, says Iwata, create new gameplay options

Sean Buckley — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:18:00 EST

Aching for more details on Nintendo's elusive Wii U console? Let Satoru Iwata scratch your itch -- quarterly reports aren't just for reporting losses and announcing new networks, after all. Boss hog Iwata told investors that Nintendo is spicing up their next console's tablet-esque controller with a little NFC magic. Nintendo's President briefly entertains the possibilities of a console controller rocking near field communication, suggesting that Skylander-like figurines or NFC enabled cards could be created to present a "new play format in the video game world." He even says the technology might be used to implement micropayments. Sounds neat -- but will you be able to buy DLC with your Google Wallet?

Wii U controller to pack NFC, says Iwata, create new gameplay options originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo officially announces Nintendo Network, promises personal accounts for Wii U

Sean Buckley — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:31:00 EST

Nintendo's third quarter financial briefing just spilled the beans on the recently spied Nintendo Network, causing Nintendo fans everywhere to collectively sigh, "It's about time." Company head honcho Satoru Iwata says the network will offer "competitions and communication among users, as well as the sales of digital content," and in the case of the Wii U, will introduce personal user accounts. Iwata stopped just short of confirming that the Nintendo Network will end the company's policy of tying downloaded titles to Nintendo hardware, rather than individual users, but mentioned that it packed an infrastructure that supports not only add-on content, but fully downloadable retail games as well.

"This concept was built into the design of the Nintendo 3DS, and we already have the necessary infrastructure," Iwata said, "We will prepare the same infrastructure for the Wii U. However, we have not decided the concrete timing of when we will start it." Iwata pointed to Mario Kart 7's community building features and DLC offerings in the upcoming Theatrythm Final Fantasy as an early look at how the Nintendo Network is trying differentiate itself from the outfit's existing Nintendo Wi-Fi connection services. Hit the source link to read Iwata's briefing for yourself.

Nintendo officially announces Nintendo Network, promises personal accounts for Wii U originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo 3DS to add 3D video capture, upgraded eShop and more

Richard Lawler — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 23:36:00 EST

Satoru Iwata came on stage at Nintendo's pre-Tokyo Game Show shindig and announced the 3DS will be getting a few upgrades soon. No word on any hardware changes -- yet -- but owners can expect 3D video capture as well as upgrades to the Street Pass Mii Plaza and eShop. The press conference is still ongoing, so check back for more details as they're announced or watch the live video stream (in Japanese) embedded after the break.

Update: And it's all over! Nothing else new to speak of on the hardware front, and we didn't catch any more news about those software changes either. We're just getting our TGS team on the ground in Japan now, so expect more news in the days to come.

Nintendo 3DS to add 3D video capture, upgraded eShop and more originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 23:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo launching 'Misty Pink' 3DS handheld on October 20th

Darren Murph — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 23:19:00 EST

You heard right -- The Big N's own Satoru Iwata just announced that a "Misty Pink" Nintendo 3DS console would be shipping (at least in Japan) on October 20th. Funnily enough, that was just after showing a chart proving that right around half of all DS gamers are ladies. (But Iwata -- what if the dudes dig pink, too?) At any rate, no specific price was mentioned, giving us some level of certainty that no premium will be attached.

Gallery: Nintendo announces pink 3DS gaming handheld in Tokyo

Gallery: Nintendo 3DS Conference 2011

Nintendo launching 'Misty Pink' 3DS handheld on October 20th originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 23:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo CEO responds to 3DS price drop backlash

Brian Heater — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:32:00 EST

Post-purchase price drops are one of a number of curses that plague early adopters. Generally, however, such shifts take time, so Nintendo caught us all a bit by surprised when it announced that it will be cutting the cost of the 3DS from $249 to $169 in mid-August. The gaming giant was quick to mend fences, offering 20 free virtual console games to those who got burned by the discount. Nintendo's CEO Satoru Iwata followed up the announcement with a more formal apology to consumers, noting that they may well feel "betrayed" and "punished" for their early adoption. Iwata added that early buyers are still "important" to the company, and that the decision to drop the price was due to concerns on the part of retailers and designers that Nintendo hasn't released a worthy followup to the ultra-popular DS.

Nintendo CEO responds to 3DS price drop backlash originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo says one Wii U controller per console, robs player two of extra screen

Sean Buckley — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 15:02:00 EST

Nintendo's tablet-esque Wii U controller raised a few questions when it was announced at E3. Questions like, "What kind of crazy games are going to use that thing," and "How much will a second controller cost me?" The latter, at least, has been answered. Nothing. You don't need one. Nintendo's Satoru Iwata recently said in an interview that games enlisting more than one Wii U controller aren't being considered just yet -- although they are possible. Our very own Ittousai tells us that Iwata told Diamond Online that the Wii U can technically support multiple screen-controllers, but that additional slabs would be too expensive to sell on their own. Iwata went on to say that the console would ship with only one, and that game developers should design titles under the assumption that each console will use a single Wii U controller. Player two will have to settle for a good 'ol Wiimote, and even Satoru himself admits that there are plenty of those around.

Nintendo says one Wii U controller per console, robs player two of extra screen originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 18 Jun 2011 15:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wii U will not play DVDs or Blu-ray, Iwata says

Zach Honig — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:20:00 EST

Planning to replace that aging Blu-ray player with a Wii U? Not so fast. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata says the gaming console won't play DVD or Blu-ray discs, due to patent licensing fees.

Wii U does not have DVD or Blu-ray playback capabilities. The reason for that is that we feel that enough people already have devices that are capable of playing DVDs and Blu-ray, such that it didn't warrant the cost involved to build that functionality into the Wii U console because of the patents related to those technologies.

So there you have it. Iwata doesn't want to hand over a bag of cash for baby Blu's "bag of hurt." By the time the Wii U hits store shelves in 2012, we may be buying Blu-ray players just for their Netflix capabilities, so here's to hoping the console at least carries over that functionality from its predecessor.

Wii U will not play DVDs or Blu-ray, Iwata says originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo's Iwata talks about Wii U's place in the living room

Donald Melanson — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:17:00 EST

Nintendo took some inspiration from the TV remote for its Wii controller, and it apparently thinks its new Wii U controller could well be the "TV remote of the future." That's just one tidbit from All Things D's sitdown with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, who also talked more broadly about the Wii U's new role in the living room. As evidenced by E3, that will include catering to more hardcore gamers than the Wii did, but Iwata says the Wii U is also an effort to take some of the couch time back from folks playing games on tablets, smartphones or laptops. To that end, Iwata says that Nintendo's mission is to "shorten the distance between people and gaming" and remove some of the barriers involved with console gaming, further adding that it's also trying to "reach out to the people who are not interested in video games." Though it's not saying much about it, Nintendo's no doubt hoping to win back a few investors as well. As you may have noticed, the company's stock slipped significantly following its E3 announcement and, while it's bounced back a bit since, it's still well off its Wii-fueled heights of recent years.

Nintendo's Iwata talks about Wii U's place in the living room originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 16:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo Wii Vitality Sensor still coming to a hand near you, says Iwata

Brian Heater — Tue, 03 May 2011 20:29:00 EST

For a product with the word "vitality" in its name, Nintendo's forthcoming Wii peripheral doesn't seem to have much of a pulse these days. The oddball controller certainly piqued our interest when the gaming giant showed it off way back in 2009, but aside from some false alarms and an uncovered patent application, we haven't heard a peep. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata addressed the Vitality Sensor's conspicuous absence during a financial presentation, chalking the delay up to "differences in biological information in humans." The peripheral is still coming, according to Iwata, but it won't be released until the company can make it work well with 99 percent of consumers -- a tall order indeed. And what about the other one percent? Well, perhaps they can try these on for size.

Nintendo Wii Vitality Sensor still coming to a hand near you, says Iwata originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 20:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo confirms next Wii coming in 2012, will preview it at E3

Vlad Savov — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 03:35:00 EST

Nintendo has just announced it plans to introduce a successor to its Wii console next year, a "playable model" of which will be shown off at the E3 gaming expo in Los Angeles coming up on June 7th. No details are available as to how the next Wii will improve on the first one, though we imagine Nintendo will be happy if it simply matches the success of its current-gen home entertainer -- the brief note publicizing the new roadmap also comes with a total of Wii sales accumulated between its launch in '06 and the end of last month: 86.01 million. That's said to be on a "consolidated shipment basis," so maybe Nintendo is mixing its definitions of sales and shipments the way Sony likes to, but it's a mighty big number either way. Bring on E3, we say!

Update: Bloomberg has provided the first official hint about Nintendo's next console with a quote from company President Satoru Iwata. Nintendo will "propose a new approach to home video game consoles," though it won't be a simple move to 3D, as Iwata notes "it's difficult to make 3-D images a key feature, because 3-D televisions haven't obtained wide acceptance yet." Given that motion gaming is no longer new and 3D is off the table until 3DTVs go mainstream, we're now left facing only one potentiality -- Nintendo is planning on bringing genuine innovation to our living rooms. We suppose it also adds fuel to the rumor of a crazy next-gen controller to go with this next-gen console.

Continue reading Nintendo confirms next Wii coming in 2012, will preview it at E3

Nintendo confirms next Wii coming in 2012, will preview it at E3 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 03:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo GDC keynote roundup: Netflix and free AT&T WiFi coming to 3DS this summer!

Michael Gorman — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 16:48:00 EST

We survived the keynote address here at GDC 2011, where Satoru Iwata and Reggie Fils-Aime just got done revealing a veritable cornucopia of info about the 3DS. On the video content front, the 3DS will get Netflix this summer along with the ability to pause a video on your handheld and continue watching on your Wii -- though we presume you may recommence your cinematic experience on an XBox or PS3 too. The addition of Netflix wasn't the only announcement by Iwata, however. Get the rest after the break.

Continue reading Nintendo GDC keynote roundup: Netflix and free AT&T WiFi coming to 3DS this summer!

Nintendo GDC keynote roundup: Netflix and free AT&T WiFi coming to 3DS this summer! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 16:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo 3DS could get 3D video recording in the future, James Cameron unavailable for comment

Tim Stevens — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 09:31:00 EST

3D gaming is obviously the big story on the Nintendo 3DS, letting you get your depth on without even having to cross your eyes. However, 3D image taking is also a nice thing that the company has provided, adding a second VGA camera to the back so that you can take twice the low-res images at once and layer 'em together. However, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has recently indicated he wants to do better, not confirming any specific plans, but saying in an interview: "I think it will be fun if we're able to include video recording capabilities with future updates." You know what we think would be fun? A battery that lasts more than eight hours.

Nintendo 3DS could get 3D video recording in the future, James Cameron unavailable for comment originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Jan 2011 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo's Game Boy Advance SP once had an autostereoscopic screen

Sean Hollister — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:48:00 EST

It may seem like 3D sprung from the ashes of discontentment -- not to mention red / blue glasses -- but Nintendo never stopped believing. It's been secretly refining stereoscopic tech for years in the likes of the Game Boy Advance and GameCube. And while president Satoru Iwata already mentioned early last year that the GameCube had hidden 3D circuits, he recently revealed that the 3DS's autostereoscopic panel actually dates back to the clamshell Game Boy Advance SP. Which, as you might recall, also once sported a touchscreen. At the time, his story goes, LCD resolution was too low to generate a sharp image, but the optometrist-friendly glasses-free tech was already in place. Of course, if you truly want to consult the history books, you can consider Nintendo's entry into the market to be the Famicom 3D System shutter glasses pictured above... which hit stores in Japan way back in 1986. Yeah, we know.

Nintendo's Game Boy Advance SP once had an autostereoscopic screen originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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3D is dangerous / not dangerous: optometrist group defends Nintendo 3DS edition

Ross Miller — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:10:00 EST

Much has been made of Nintendo's 3DS warning that the six-and-under crowd should probably stick to 2D mode, and while CEO Iwata has consented that "being proactive about informing our customer.... may not necessarily be positive for our sales," the American Optometric Association has put an interesting spin on all this. The group released a statement last week -- yes, during CES madness -- asserting that 3D viewing "may actually help uncover subtle disorders that, left uncorrected, often result in learning difficulties." Not only that, but the 36,000-strong group suggested "children younger than six can use the 3DS in 3D mode if their visual system is developing normally." So yeah, Little Timmy's Christmas 2011 isn't ruined just yet, but that leaves plenty of time for a competing study to come out confusing everyone even further.

3D is dangerous / not dangerous: optometrist group defends Nintendo 3DS edition originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo says no Wii price cut coming in 'near future,' might want to re-think that

Tim Stevens — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 02:02:00 EST

Remember the halcyon days of motion gaming? When the Wii was selling to everyone and everyone's grandmother in such huge volumes that Nintendo couldn't keep up? That time is long-past and, after the most recent disappointing earnings report from Nintendo (which isn't the first), people are beginning to ask the obvious question: when is the thing getting cheaper? For $200 gamers can now choose between a shiny new Xbox 360 or a Wii, and while crimson bundles might help, a price cut would help more. That's not coming soon according to President and CEO Satoru Iwata, saying: "we cannot say [a Wii price cut] will never happen, but we are not thinking of it for the near future." So, when? Well, the last time he said it wasn't getting a price cut that's exactly what it got five months later. Maybe March, then?

Nintendo says no Wii price cut coming in 'near future,' might want to re-think that originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Nov 2010 02:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shocker! Nintendo 3DS will have shorter battery life than DS

Vlad Savov — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 03:39:00 EST

Who'd have thought that adding extra grunt under the hood, a glasses-free 3D display up top, a wireless "tag mode," and automatic wireless updates to the 3DS would serve to degrade battery life? Certainly not our naive souls. The same Q&A that informed us about Nintendo's Spot Pass plans for the 3DS has been found to also contain some commentary on battery endurance from Satoru Iwata himself. The company chief says "it is inevitable that Nintendo 3DS will be a device which requires more frequent recharging than Nintendo DS" and notes that as a major reason why a charging cradle will be bundled into the new console's retail package. With tongue firmly wedged in cheek, Iwata suggests that perhaps Nintendo ought to advise users to deposit the 3DS into its cradle as soon as they get home, but the overall point is as clear as it is obvious: your more powerful handheld will require more power.

Shocker! Nintendo 3DS will have shorter battery life than DS originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 03:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo 'not satisfied' with online efforts, but no big changes in store

Darren Murph — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:56:00 EST

Le sigh. For years now, Nintendo's online efforts have quite clearly lagged behind those of Sony and Microsoft, both of which have placed a priority on nailing online multiplayer and making it part of the draw for prospective buyers. Xbox LIVE is a entire universe of online goodies, and it's the exception rather than the rule to see a major title launch on the 360 sans online play; in many ways, Sony sings a similar tune. Nintendo, meanwhile, seems to keep online play on the back burner, occasionally throwing it in where it's easy enough to add but never really going out of its way to make sure the latest AAA title will allow Bobby and Jacky to play from across the street. During an investors meeting last week at E3, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata confessed that he's "not currently satisfied with the online efforts that we have made so far," and that the Big N is "working at ways to improve those." In an episode of corporate double-speak to end all corporate double-speak, he followed up with this gem: "On the other hand, I do not think that online functionality is something that we should be devoting resources to for every single product." Seriously, Iwata? You can't think of a single reason why the next installment of Balls of Fury could benefit from online support? For shame.

Nintendo 'not satisfied' with online efforts, but no big changes in store originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo 3DS game cart pictured, wireless ebook reader on tap?

Donald Melanson — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:34:00 EST

It was easy to get lost amidst all the attention surrounding the 3DS itself, but Nintendo also had an actual 3DS game cart on hand at E3 and, well, it looks pretty much like a regular DS cart (probably a good thing, since the two are compatible). About the only difference, it seems, is that small extra tab on the corner, and a slightly slimmer case that they'll come packaged in. In other overshadowed-by-E3 news, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata has apparently told Nikkei that the 3DS' wireless connection could be used to automatically download newspaper and magazine articles (and books, presumably) which, when combined with the 3DS' ability to actively seek out and connect to any open WiFi network, could potentially turn into a Whispernet-like service from Nintendo -- something that Iwata has, incidentally, publicly mused about in the past.

Nintendo 3DS game cart pictured, wireless ebook reader on tap? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo's Satoru Iwata: no 'immediate need to replace the Wii'

Darren Murph — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:30:00 EST

Sheesh... will you folks ever learn? There will never, ever be a Wii replacement. It's the console that keeps on giving, and also the one that'll never perish. It's the end-all answer to the world's gaming needs, and even though greater than 50 percent of the US has an HDTV, Nintendo won't ever have to support that unwanted "1080i" format. All sarcasm, angst and bitterness aside, Nintendo's president Satoru Iwata recently affirmed that there's no Wii successor on the near-term roadmap. Specifically, he stated that he "doesn't think that there is an immediate need to replace the Wii console; but of course, at some point in the future, the need will arise." To cap things off, he added: "We currently do not have an answer as to what point in the future that need will come." As much as we'd love to point out just how far behind the game Nintendo is in terms of graphics, we can't argue with the sales figures, and until the collective consumer wallet deems true HD support a necessity, we suppose the Wii can just keep on keepin' on. Much to our chagrin.

Nintendo's Satoru Iwata: no 'immediate need to replace the Wii' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo's Iwata hints at possible 3D console down the road

Donald Melanson — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 07:08:00 EST

You wouldn't have guessed it given Nintendo's outright dismissal of 3D glasses during its E3 keynote this week, but it looks like company CEO Satoru Iwata is at least open to the possibility of a 3D game console down the road -- which would, presumably, require 3D glasses. Speaking to Nikkei, Iwata said that while 3D image quality would currently be "extremely bad" (apparently referring to the Wii), he said that "we'd probably do it with the next system," adding that the timing for a release of a 3D-enabled console would be around when 3D television adoption rates cross the 30% mark. Needless to say, that could be a ways off, and Iwata has already said that Nintendo is in no hurry to the replace the Wii. Iwata does certainly seem to be committed to 3D gaming in general, however, with him flatly saying that "in the future, 3D will become the mainstream of gaming."

Nintendo's Iwata hints at possible 3D console down the road originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 07:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo 3DS handheld to offer switchable 2D mode, thankfully

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 10 May 2010 06:27:00 EST

It was pretty much implied when "backward compatibility" was listed as a feature of Nintendo's new 3DS handheld back in March. But it's good to hear that 3D gameplay can be easily switched off, direct from Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, when headaches or nausea set in during marathon sessions. This should also ease concerns from parents over any adverse effects that long term exposure to parallax barrier gameplay could have on their children's developing eyes. Besides, a 2D mode is desirable in that we expect it to offer a brighter image (especially when viewing off-center), better text reading experience, and a wider angle of view for sharing the display.

Now, we know what you're wondering: what about that new 3.4-inch glasses-less 3D touchscreen display from Sharp, is it 2D switchable? Yup, lending more credibility that we'll see it on the 3DS when the handheld gaming console is fully revealed at E3 next month.

Nintendo 3DS handheld to offer switchable 2D mode, thankfully originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 May 2010 06:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo CEO: battle with Sony is over, Apple is the 'enemy of the future'

Darren Murph — Fri, 07 May 2010 14:01:00 EST

Backing away from a previous position, are we Nintendo? Just a month after Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime claimed that the iPhone OS (you know, that operating system used on the iPod touch, iPhone family and the iPad) wasn't a "viable profit platform for game development," along comes the company's president to say that, in fact, Apple is the primary "enemy of the future." That's according to Times Online, who says that the Big N's CEO (Satoru Iwata) feels that the battle with Sony is a "victory already won," and who clearly believes that the next wave of gaming won't be of the traditional sit-on-your-coach-and-slam-buttons variety. 'Course, the PSP never has been able to hang with the DS family, but even the Wii has a ways to go before it catches the mighty PlayStation 2 in terms of global sales. Going forward, the company is purportedly looking to revive the element of "surprise" in Nintendo products, but it might be best served by simply catching up to the competition and supporting this wild concept known as "HD gaming" over "HDMI."

Nintendo CEO: battle with Sony is over, Apple is the 'enemy of the future' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 May 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo said Ninten-no to Project Natal in 2007?

Vlad Savov — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:19:00 EST

Great balls of console wars fire! A top-level Nintendo insider has revealed that the motion-controlled gaming setup we now know as Project Natal was offered to the Japanese company way back in 2007 and promptly turned down because it was considered too expensive. We're told this decision came from supremo Satoru Iwata himself, who was worried about latency and the purported inability to sell it at "mass-market prices." This implies, of course, that 3DV Systems was fully responsible for Natal -- which Microsoft staunchly denies -- but CVG seems to consider its informant's words to be beyond suspicion. All we know for sure is that the stuff's coming, and awkwardness at house parties is about to reach a whole new level.

Nintendo said Ninten-no to Project Natal in 2007? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo sez DS successor will sport motion control, better graphics; Wii Vitality Sensor in July

Christopher Grant — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:20:00 EST

In an interview with Japan's Asahi Shimbun newspaper, Nintendo prez Satoru Iwata provided some rare commentary on what we might expect from a DS successor - not just another DS revision, mind you - whenever the gaming giant gets the urge to upgrade its golden goose. "[It will have] highly detailed graphics," Iwata said, giving ample (but obvious!) fuel to those NVIDIA Tegra on DS rumors. "And it will be necessary to have a sensor with the ability to read the movements of people playing." Now, before you do that annoying cough thing while saying "iPhone" under your breath, we'd like to remind you that Nintendo isn't really an also-ran to this motion-controlled gaming thing. Iwata made a point of saying that an iPhone-esque monthly cellular data plan wasn't in the works; however, that doesn't rule out a Kindle-like data service for the future handheld, as the executive previously mused about, providing for "free" gaming downloads on the go.

Now that the boring kid stuff has been put to bed, we can take the mature news out of the cabinet: The pulse-detecting Wii Vitality Sensor will make an appearance at a press conference in July (hey, that's E3 time) with plans for a release "as soon as possible." We trust you guys can take care of the old people jokes yourselves, right?

Nintendo sez DS successor will sport motion control, better graphics; Wii Vitality Sensor in July originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo's Iwata muses about Kindle-like business model for future handheld

Donald Melanson — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:30:00 EST

You may simply be able to chalk this one up to some freewheeling speculation and rumination, but Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata went pretty far out on a limb in talking about the future of the company during a recent sit-down with the Financial Times, and indicated that Nintendo may just be looking outside the gaming industry for a little inspiration. Apparently, Iwata is intrigued by the Kindle "because it's a new business model in which the user doesn't bear the communications cost," which he says wouldn't "fit Nintendo customers because we make amusement products." He did go on to note though, that "in reality, if we did this it would increase the cost of the hardware, and customers would complain about Nintendo putting prices up," but said that "it is one option for the future." At the same time, however, Iwata also seemingly downplayed the short-term potential for download-only games, saying that he thinks "it will take quite a long time" for the industry to shift to them -- although he did hedge his bets somewhat by pointing out how unpredictable the games business is.

[Via Electronista]

Filed under: Gaming

Nintendo's Iwata muses about Kindle-like business model for future handheld originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo's Iwata says Vitality Sensor is coming "not too late" in 2010

Donald Melanson — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:33:00 EST

We know, it's been tough waiting for word of a release date for Nintendo's Wii Vitality Sensor. Almost as tough as figuring out what it actually does. Nintendo's Satoru Iwata now looks to be clearing up a few details on both fronts, however, telling investors that the company "would like to deliver the actual product not too late in the year next year," and adding that the first game for it will have a "theme of relaxation, which is completely opposite from traditional ones, to enrich the users' lives." He also again mentioned the idea of using it to measure "how horrified a player is in a horror title" as another possibility, and compared the device to Wii Fit, which he says also initially caused people to doubt how well it would sell.

[Via Joystiq]

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

Nintendo's Iwata says Vitality Sensor is coming "not too late" in 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata says Nintendo tried and rejected camera-based motion control

Donald Melanson — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:43:00 EST

It wasn't all that hard to see a bit of a brouhaha erupting now that all three console makers are more or less firmly committed to motion-control technology, but it's still always notable when one of the big three throws a shot across the bow, and Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata did just that in a recent interview with the Financial Times. According to Iwata, Nintendo actually tried out camera-based motion control technology similar to what both MIcrosoft and Sony have now adopted, but found that it got better results with the accelerometer-based tech that ultimately wound up in the Wii remote. Iwata did also say, however, that "until they say when they're releasing it, how much it costs and what software it comes with, we won't know whether that is the route we should have taken," although he added that he thought "they couldn't choose to release exactly the same thing" that Nintendo did.

[Via Joystiq]

Filed under: Gaming

Iwata says Nintendo tried and rejected camera-based motion control originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo admits to scrapping new handheld plans in the past three years

Laura June — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:06:00 EST

Nintendo's talkative global president Satoru Iwata turned a few heads when he told CNBC that the company had another handheld gaming system completed and ready for production sometime in the past three years, but that it ultimately decided not to release it. Though he didn't give any details on the handheld, he did say that, "in the history of Nintendo there are several such examples." We can only hope that some kind of wild, awesome Gameboy prototype hits our desk one day. Nintendo's most recent handheld, the DSi, has moved over a million units, including around 435,000 during its first week of sale in the U.S.

[Via Joystiq]

Filed under: Gaming, Handhelds

Nintendo admits to scrapping new handheld plans in the past three years originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo's Iwata: Wii could be around for three, five, or eight more years

Donald Melanson — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:10:00 EST

He's still not firmly committing to quite as long a console lifespan as Microsoft and Sony have, but Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata has now dropped word that the Wii could be around in its current state for longer than some may have suspected. In a wide ranging interview with VentureBeat, Iwata responded to a question about console life cycles by saying that when it comes to timing for a new Nintendo console launch, "it may be three years from now, five years from now or eight years from now." Iwata further went on to say that, "if we have an opportunity to make a new console, it will probably support HD," although he disappointingly added that Nintendo has "not found a significant reason" to make the current Wii HD-compatible "at this time."

[Via MCV]

Filed under: Gaming

Nintendo's Iwata: Wii could be around for three, five, or eight more years originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo president squashes talk of Wii price cuts

Donald Melanson — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:25:00 EST

Incredible as it sounds, it looks like Nintendo isn't planning on slashing the price of the console it can still barely keep on store shelves. That word comes straight from Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, who's attempting to clamp down on recent speculation that a Wii price cut could be in the offing, which seemed at least a tad more plausible considering that the manufacturing costs for the console have supposedly dropped significantly since its launch. According to Iwata, rather than trying to drive up sales numbers even further with a price cut, Nintendo will instead be putting "more energy and time into making better entertainment so that our products are going to remain in the top position in our customer's wish lists" -- and now with Disc Dog, in the top position in our hearts.

Filed under: Gaming

Nintendo president squashes talk of Wii price cuts originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo DSi coming Stateside by summer 2009, tomorrow in Japan

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 06:30:00 EST

Nintendo's tip-toeing around an overseas, US release date of its new DSi handheld has now been narrowed to the summer of 2009, according to president Satoru Iwata. That's a whole lot better than "well into" 2009 if you ask us. Meanwhile, Japan gets theirs starting Saturday for ¥18,900 or about $192 tax-inclusive -- that's up from $178 earlier this month thanks to a skyrocketing Yen. Nintendo has already shipped 200,000 of the slimmer, dual-cam handheld consoles in preparation for weekend sales with another 100,000 planned for the following week. Clearly there's no such thing as an economic slowdown in the land that Mario built.

Nintendo DSi coming Stateside by summer 2009, tomorrow in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Oct 2008 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata says Nintendo plans to go easy on the accessories for now

Donald Melanson — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:02:00 EST

Apparently not willing to let things get to the point that someone has to step in and say, "enough already," Nintendo president Satoru Iwata recently told The Wall Street Journal that the company will be easing up on the number of accessories it releases for the Wii. More specifically, he said that, with the upcoming release of the Wii MotionPlus and Wii Speak add-ons, "most of the ideas for accessories that we had initially come up with are out now," and that while they "might think up some more," they "don't have any plans to release a whole lot more." Of course, we're guessing that's not a sentiment echoed by third-party manufacturers, who we're sure we can count on to keep on cluttering up the living rooms of Wii owners the world over.

[Via Joystiq]

Filed under: Gaming

Iwata says Nintendo plans to go easy on the accessories for now originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Aug 2008 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo actually not resting on its laurels, already working on the Wii's successor

Darren Murph — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:43:00 EST

No need to phone in the shock police -- you had to know this was coming. After all, what kind of stockholder-pleasing company would Nintendo be if it wasn't already thinking about how to top the Wii? According to information in a recent Forbes piece surveying the field of gaming consoles, Nintendo is "already working on the Wii's successor." President Satoru Iwata shared that the Big N was "always preparing for the next hardware," though it would be unwise to expect said hardware anytime soon. With Wii consoles still hard (or at least not "easy") to come by in some locales, we'd say Nintendo is in no hurry to move beyond its current cash cow. Still, even Iwata admits that it "will be difficult" to exceed expectations now that the Wii has proven so successful. Not really, though -- throw in high-def support and you've got an entirely more lovable machine.

[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]

Filed under: Gaming

Nintendo actually not resting on its laurels, already working on the Wii's successor originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Iwata invites Kutaragi to work for Nintendo? Hell no!

Ryan Block — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 17:13:00 EST

We can't confirm the statement, but if you're inclined to believe GoNintendo's report, apparently at a financial press conference Nintendo head Satoru Iwata invited Sony's departing Ken "PlayStation" Kutaragi to join up with the Wii-maker. The irony is, of course, rich. Besides being bloody rivals for over a decade, Ken Kutaragi was also the dude who hooked Nintendo into its fabled (failed) late-80s partnership with Sony to add CD-ROM capabilities to the SNES; the eventual demise of that business relationship resulted in the original PlayStation, and Nintendo's biggest single competitor since. So will Kutaragi join up with the 117-year-old upstart from Kyoto? Something tells us probably not, but man, would that first day of work ever be aaawkwaaard.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

Update: Our Japanese bureau had a crack at this one, and they found the story is pretty wrong, to say the least. According to a Bloomberg report, Iwata-san was asked whether Nintendo would make a bid for Kutaragi; the answer, which we found to be a little more realistic, had Mr. Iwata saying, "I don't think that will happen." Sorry Ken, doesn't look like anyone wants you right now. Have you thought about Microsoft?

Filed under: Gaming

Iwata invites Kutaragi to work for Nintendo? Hell no! originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Apr 2007 17:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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