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Nintendo boosts profit forecast fourth time this fiscal year
Still not content with forecasting massive already profits, Nintendo has raised its sales forecast a fourth time for the fiscal year that ended March 31. Total sales are now said to be ¥966 billion (US $8.1 billion), up from the previous estimation of ¥900 billion (US $7.5 billion). Nintendo said they also expected their profit to beat expectations, which they set at a record ¥185 billion operating profit and ¥120 billion (just over US $1 billion) net profit.Actual figures will be announced April 26. In the meantime, Nintendo will be busy constructing a life size version of Super Mario World with a twelve-foot naked, chocolate Miyamoto effigy in the middle of the world. Don't worry, we hear mint leaves will cover up his naughty bits.
Iwata makes Barron's list, makes other game CEOs cry
Barron's annual list of the 30 Best CEOs has a new addition, and we're proud to name him among the lords and masters of our wallets. The Wii's ridiculous success (and the fact that you can't get one) brought Satoru Iwata to the attention of the financial weekly's listmakers, who also recognized such perennial favorites as Steve Jobs. Not only that, but Iwata is the only game industry CEO to make the list. The common thread among these "best" chiefs? They deliver. Wow, it's like those finance fellas are speaking our language. We figure it's about time someone made a Wii version of our favorite picture. Who's with us?[Via Infendo]
Devour this Gamecube Kirby video, gain its power
We caught this trailer from the unreleased Gamecube Kirby platformer on Gamevideos, and we are agape. Stunned. We think that given the choice to release this or Kirby Air Ride, Nintendo may have chosen poorly.Kirby is clearly using HAL's Super Smash Bros. Melee engine, and to awesome effect, as the graphics look great and the combat looks fighting-game solid. The video shows off Kirby's ability to not only copy enemy attacks, but to trade in those attacks for helper creatures. We loved the ability-combining mechanic from Kirby 64, and we're glad to see new stuff being done with Kirby's, uh, eating habits.The world needs side-scrolling platformers, especially when they look this cool. We sincerely hope that the release of this trailer is foreshadowing a Wii release of the game. See the trailer for yourself following the post break.[Via NeoGAF]
GDC 07: Nintendo execs on nerdiest shirt ever
The best thing about the massive popularity of the Wii is that eventually we'll be able to wear something like this and not have to explain it. We can already imagine explaining to our grandparents that they're caricatures of prominent figures in a Japanese video game company, created using tools on that company's latest video game system. Oh, and we talk about these people a lot, for work.This GDC '07 shirt features Mii versions of Satoru Iwata, Shigeru Miyamoto, and Reggie Fils-Aime. We'd totally wear it-- we're not out to win any popularity contests.
DS and Wii headed to Korea
Nintendo is headed to the Korean game market in 2007, deciding to release their first ever Korean language consoles in the Wii and DS Lite. The DS Lite will arrive first to the region on January 18th, followed by the Wii late next year. This isn't the first time Nintendo's products will be available in the region, however.Earlier, Nintendo's games and consoles were available to Korean gamers through a distributor, although they were only available in Japanese. Nintendo's Satoru Iwata says they "plan to actively support Korean game software developers who have great expertise in developing online games and support their advances into foreign markets."[Via Go Nintendo]
Japanese hardware sales, 4 December - 10 December: Terminator edition
Listen to me. I've been sent from the future, sent to warn you about the impending destruction of the human race. There were so many, we just couldn't ... we were overwhelmed within weeks. Humans now live in scattered clusters, fearful of the raids, desperately clinging to life. We need to stop it. They're gaining power.Surely, you've seen the signs. They're infecting homes, complacent, waiting for their chance to strike. Soon, their numbers will be unstoppable, and you're allowing, nay, helping their cause. Every week they grow stronger! They added what will be their strongest general, Dragon Quest, to their arsenal quite recently. Yes, surely you see it now: within two months, the DS Lites will become sentient. They'll launch a attack on the Pentagon and all major military bases in the continental United States, removing our defensive capabilities. From then on, it'll be inevitable ... Judgement Day.From their seat of power in Akihabara, Japan (the new capital of Nitro, their self-proclaimed worldwide empire), they will launch wave after wave of attack on the remaining humans. We're led by the one man who might rally us from defeat ... Reggie, of course. He sent me here, to prevent it, but now I see that it's already too late. February 13th is the day, gentlemen. May Iwata have mercy on your pathetic souls.- DS Lite: 309,630 132,729 (75.03%)- Wii: 85,439 264,919 (75.61%)- PS3: 50,171 18,735 (59.6%) - Xbox 360: 35,343 31,290 (772.02%) - PS2: 30,460 7,345 (31.78%) - PSP: 28,930 5,013 (20.96%) - GBA SP: 1,896 324 (20.61%) - Game Boy Micro: 1,555 303 (24.20%) - Gamecube: 569 252 (30.69%) - DS Phat: 167 27 (19.29%) - GBA: 17 5 (22.73%) - Xbox: 6 5 (45.45%)[Source: Media Create]
Iwata and Miyamoto comment on wrist strap concerns
var digg_url = 'http://www.digg.com/gaming_news/Iwata_and_Miyamoto_comment_on_wrist_strap_concerns'; With all of the complaints about the Wiimote turning into a deadly weapon, destroying television sets and causing some to seek unorthodox solutions, Nintendo has taken notice and sent out an official statement informing players how to properly use the Wiimote. Turns out, Iwata and Miyamoto think the whole wrist strap portion of the dilemma is being blown way out of proportion, citing that gamers are just getting way more excited with the console than the company had initially thought: "Of course before the launch of the Wii hardware Nintendo had a number of tests on the durability of everything including the strap," Iwata told reporters in Japan. "But our understanding right now is that even beyond our expectations people are becoming more and more excited playing with the Wii."Nintendo knows how to spin things, eh? With a console as interactive as the Wii, there isn't much chance that Nintendo didn't at least consider the long play sessions and excitement gamers would express when playing the console. Miyamoto adds that the company is now pursuing a way to inform gamers how to play, and be the best, without being so excited as to throw the Wiimote or cause any kind of collateral damage during the experience:"We are looking into the situation to see if there are additional methods to encourage people to kind of calm down so they would never throw away the controller itself."
DS, Wii not cannibalizing sales [update 1]
Prior to the Wii release, analysts (those pesky analysts!) were worries worried that the Wii and DS might eat each other alive, literally cannibalizing one another in their quest for a similar market. Ninty president Satoru Iwata, however, knew better. "We had come up with the current earnings forecasts before we sold even a single unit of the Wii and when we were not so sure about the cannibalisation effect between the Wii and the DS." We're totally not surprised that Iwata was not surprised ('cause we're smart like that!). Sure, there are similarities between the DS and the Wii, but there are similarities between any two game consoles ... and if the success of the rainbow that is the DS, in all its many colors, indicates anything, it should be that Nintendo fans can get behind similarity.Besides, there's one big thing working in Nintendo's favor. The combined cost of both a Wii and a DS Lite still looks reasonable in today's gaming market. Why choose when you can get both on the cheap?[Update 1: Typo issues!]
Japanese hardware sales, 16 October - 22 October: Nintendo All Hallows Eve Edition
Satoru Iwata (dressed as a vampire): DS Lite perform amazing feat in global market! More hundred thousand units in time of week! Much party enjoyment, everyone, so scary is coming! George Harrison (dressed as Link): Ugh, these tights are starting to chafe. Perrin, wanna trade costumes?Perrin Kaplan (dressed as a slutty cat): Um ... no. But you should ask around, really. Has anyone seen Matt? He looks so damn good in that costume ....Matt Cassamassina (dressed as Mega Man, special guest to the event): Perrin. Storage closet. Now.Perrin: Rawr.Iwata: They are doing the fun, yes?George: Uh, yeah. Where's Miyamoto-san, by the way?Iwata: There. (points)George: The dinette set?Shigeru Miyamoto (dressed as a dinette set): Ah! You see, this is the inspiration for my next masterpiece. Get ready for the next generation of fun!George: Sunnuva bitch. Miyamoto, stop doing shrooms, and...ah! Finally, someone normal. But why aren't you dressed up, Reggie?Reggie Fils-Aime: What do you mean?George: It's Halloween. You need a costume. You're just dressed normally.Reggie: This is my costume.George: ...Reggie: Bitch.George: ...Reggie: Now get me a sandwich.George: Friggin' ... fine ....- DS Lite: 116,941 12,454 (11.92%) - PS2: 22,380 2,347 (9.50%) - PSP: 20,271 1,332 (6.17%) - GBA SP: 2,421122 (5.31%) - Game Boy Micro: 1,660 54 (3.15%) - Xbox 360: 1,287 456 (26.16%) - Gamecube: 638 15 (2.30%) - DS Phat: 130 143 (52.38%) - GBA: 37 25 (67.57%) - Xbox: 6 3 (100.00%)[Source: Media Create]
Wii Sports has depth
In the surprisingly oft-updated series "Iwata Asks", Iwata sits down with some heavy hitters from the Wii Sports development team. We all know the reason that the game exists: to introduce to gamers, new and old, how easy and intuitive Nintendo's magic voodoo wand of a controller can be. Many, however, have expressed fears on how such a simple title could long hold a player's attention.Iwata asks the developers these very same questions. The developers go through every one of the five games, describing in detail some of the more complex facets of gameplay. Though the lengthy article is most certainly worth a read, some key points are summarized below: In Wii Tennis, the developers note how impossibly difficult it is to "hit the same exact shot twice". The game measures your skill level numerically, and pits you against over sixty progressively more difficult opponents. The game also has a new "rocket serve" feature, whereby if a serve is hit at the very apex of the ball's toss, the first shot will get an intense burst of speed. Though the controller cannot technically read one's full body motions, Wii Boxing was designed to move the player's body in-game when a player actually dodges, via the subtle hand movements during said dodge. In other words, the game will work best when the players actually dance around, dodging punches and counterattacking. Wii Golf has taken nine of the best classic holes from the original NES Golf (on which Iwata himself programmed!), and remade them in full 3-D glory. Only eight people worldwide would have recognized this, but it's a nice little bonus. Wii Bowling contains absolutely no arbitrary random variables, as many bowling games seem to. However, despite this, no one at Nintendo's internal testing team was able to score a perfect 300 game. To help you hone your ball rolling skills, the game offers three training-type minigames to pass the time. Also, in a nice touch of realism, you can actually roll the ball away from the lane or even into adjacent lanes around you. To those who feared that Wii Sports would be a two-day affair, worry not. Between your girlfriend and your grandmother, we're sure that your racket-swingin' days will last far into the future.
Take the Wii pill
Talk about a Revolution. Though difficult to see, the bottom of the poster features Iwata, Reggie, and Perrin Kaplan walking in badass black trenchcoats. If Iwata is Neo, though, where's Shiggy? And is Ken Kutaragi the "architect"? Nah. That guy couldn't make a square out of toothpicks.[Thanks, Spex!]
Nintendo DS: Fastest-selling system of all time! (In Japan.)
And the good times just keep on rolling for Nintendo. Stocks are up, confidence is high, and Mario hasn't starred in a sports game for close to a year. (A streak that will soon end with Mario Hoops: 3 on 3, alas.) Here's another reason to toss a few down, Shiggy: Japanese newspaper Kyoto Simbun reports that sales for the Nintendo DS in Japan have hit ten million, making it the fastest-selling system (console or otherwise) in the country's history.Worldwide estimates of Nintendo DS and DS Lite sales are currently hovering around 22 million, which means that almost half of systems sold worldwide were done so in the Land of the Rising Sun. Another impressive statistic: around 8% of all Japanese citizens own the system. What does that mean? A cute girl on the street has a one in twelve chance of owning a DS. We like those odds.[Thanks, Romath!][via Joystiq]
Nintendo confirms presence at the new E3
The E3 Media...whatever...is undergoing drastic changes in the coming year to reduce the utter chaos of years past. You can read the whole story here (in our wonderful mother-blog, Joystiq). Rabid game journalists immediately contacted the big three...Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft...to see if they would still be attending next year's event. Put those fears to rest, fanboys. Nintendo is the first of the bunch to come forward and confirm direct involvement and participation at next year's Min-E3 (get it?). We may not get a raucous blowout at the Kodak Theater, but we're sure Iwata-san and the gang won't disappoint.
Iwata says Wii will not interfere with DS Lite production
Nintendo's president Satoru Iwata is no farmer, so it should be no surprise that he is in no way trying to place many, many eggs into a single basket. As such, his recent statements about Wii production and the insatiable desire for DS Lites having no effect on one another have left many of us Nintendo sheep able to sleep soundly, assured we will be able to procure our Wii without any worry and DS Lites may reach the hands of gamers the world over steadily, without a dry spell. Of course, this could very well be a different situation for Japanese gamers, who have bought up DS Lites as if they were the hottest, most delectable cakes. So with two completely different production lines manufacturing each of Nintendo's consoles, the company should (hopefully) be able to satisfy gamers in this generation and the next. We sure hope so...
We couldn't resist
Though people like J. Allard and Peter Moore manage to attain a psuedo-celebrity status, Nintendo's executive figures seem to have a following second to none. Shiggy, Iwata, and "The Regginator" are bonafide stars in the gaming industry. Luckily for us, they decided to cash in and take it to the next level. Bling bling.
Complete transcript of Nintendo management briefing
Nintendo has gone ahead and transcribed the entire management briefing, which consists of a rather large, and thankfully in-depth, question and answer section in which all aspects of the company are discussed. Iwata reiterated that we wouldn't see an exact release date and price for the Wii until in or before September, commented on increased R & D budgets, and proudly proclaimed his choice for the name Wii as the console's title. OK guys, no more paraphrasing from me, you'll have to put in the work and read the rest yourselves.[Update:Fine reader sotiri has informed us that an English transcript is freely available via Nintendo's Japanese site. The links have been adjusted and balance has been brought back to Nintendo Wii Fanboy.]
Nintendo granted messaging patent -- Wii IM?
Six years ago, before the GameCube's launch, Nintendo had filed for a patent on a "messaging service for video game systems with buddy list that displays game being played," and on Tuesday they were granted the patent. The details involve a fully-fledged IM system featuring buddy icons, in-game messaging (via text or voice chat), and web-based storage of the user profile (i.e. Nintendo's servers). All the details can be viewed within the patent's claims.You can see the similarities between Nintendo's patent and Microsoft's Xbox Live service, but there are two things you should take from this patent: It does not mean Microsoft copied Nintendo. While Nintendo filed this patent before the Xbox was even launched, chances are Microsoft also filed a patent just as long ago, if not longer. It does not guarantee these services will be included in the Wii. While Nintendo now has patent protection on such services, given the company the option to incorporate all these features into Wii Connect24, that does not guarantee Nintendo's willingness to implement every aspect of the patent into its service, although it is likely we will see a very similar (if not exact) system implemented by the time the Wii launches. Nintendo, we can now confirm, has the ability to launch a fully-fledged online service on par with Microsoft, providing almost the exact same features (fully-fledged messaging, downloadable content). To what extent will Nintendo beef up the Wii's online component?[Thanks, Ianc02]
Peter Moore: I want a free Wii
During a roundtable discussion at E3, Peter Moore discussed mostly his console, yet managed to take a second to say a thing or two on the Wii. In discussing the possibility of purchasing a Wii upon release later this year, Peter called upon Nintendo ass-kicker, and subsequent name-taker, Reggie Fils-Aime to hook him up with a free unit."Well I hope my friend Reggie [Fils-Aime] sends me one, I don't know. [laughs] Look I was there when Iwata-san pulled out that thing. I was there in the front row in Tokyo... and I said [to myself] "You've got to give 'em kudos for trying." And I'm literally going to go over there tomorrow and try to find Reggie or find Perrin [Kaplan] and I think Mario's the game... if you've got to play one game it's Mario. I'm sure I'll get one. Right now I'm trying to get my Brain Age down [laughs]. Look, it's not partisan; I love what Nintendo is doing."So even though a little bit of that comes off as condescending, which you can't blame me for assuming as I wasn't there and only have text to work with, any press is good press, no?
Hints at a $200 Wii price?
In an exclusive interview with GameDaily BIZ, Satoru Iwata answered questions regarding the two different versions of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, the insane popularity of the DS in Japan, and the Wii's pricing. In what easily matters most to us frequenting this page, Iwata commented when asked about a $249 price that we shouldn't be so quick to be dead-set on that price idea.BIZ: I know that Nintendo has not officially announced a price for the Wii, but a rumor we spotted this week in EGM suggests a $249 price tag. Do you want to comment on that?SI: [Laughs] As you know, that is speculation and we did not comment on the price point at all. What we've been repeatedly saying is that it's going to be an affordable price point, and when we say affordable, you may want to check our past records of price points, launching price points for any past hardware... I think you'll agree that we always come up with an affordable price point. So when we announce the Wii price point in the near future, I believe you are going to say, "That's an affordable price point."
Post E3 interview with Iwata
During a brief Q & A with the Seattle Times during E3, Nintendo's president Satoru Iwata commented all things Nintendo from the Wii's challenges ahead to Sony's innovative motion-sensing controller.Q: Do you think Sony copied Nintendo with its new controller? A: (Laughs.) Actually before they made the announcement we already anticipated that they might do that, so I had to laugh. Even though I was laughing, it was with a grim face, I should add. (Laughs.) Having said that, please know that putting the motion-sensor technology into the classic-style controller is one thing. Putting the motion-sensor technology into the Wii remote as well as the "nunchuck" controller, where you can use both hands freely and independently, this is quite another thing. [Via Go Nintendo]
