reggie fils-aime
Latest
E308: Nintendo keynote photo tour
Click to start the tour So, we've had tons of content up for you all yesterday, because that's how we roll and we'll be damned if The Man is going to stop us! For those of you hungry for more, know that we're going to continue the flood of content, but we've also got a huge photo dump from the Nintendo E3 keynote for you. Within, you'll find all of our pics from the luxurious seats found in row 12. Missed some of the bits about how well the DS is selling? We got it in images. Want to see Shaun White's hideous Mii? We got you covered. Check it all out in our gallery below.%Gallery-27788%
Wii Warm Up: Give us your three cents about E3
You've read the drunken ramblings of the Fanboy team as they stumbled through the revelations of the Nintendo press conference. Now it's time to have your say, and let us know just how impressive the lineup of presentations was. Is Cammie a decent enough public speaker with the whole world watching? Will Wii Music stink out concert halls worldwide, or receive a standing ovation? Is Iwata cooler than you? Absolutely.Go on, Nintendo can take your punishment. If you hated it, let fly with reasons why. If you loved it, gush about your favorite game (aside from the default selection of Animal Crossing). All in all, was E3 2008 a success or a blunder for Nintendo? You decide.
E308 Reminder: Nintendo press conference today
Are you ready for some Nintendo megatons? Today at 9am PT (that's 12pm for all of you on the east coast), Nintendo will be conducting their annual E3 keynote, which is sure to be home to some interesting content. Also, we think Reggie will take some names. He may also kick some ass. You'll have the keynote available to you in two flavors. For one, you can get the usual liveblog goodness from Joystiq, but on top of that, we have our own special little something something planned. We'll be conducting a live chat thing to go along side of that, hopefully providing you all with oodles and oodles of content you'll love us forever for. Or, you know, just tolerate.So, be here at 9am PT and don't forget those bingo cards!
Nintendo says core gamers will get new titles at E3
According to an article over at Gamepro, core gamers shouldn't fret going into E3 this year. Even though Nintendo just unleashed Wii Fit on us, the focus for their newest console isn't going to be entirely casual. "We recently announced the upcoming release of Mario Super Sluggers," said Marc Franklin, director of public relations at Nintendo, to Gamepro. "Additionally, we will be announcing several new titles that core gamers will be interested in around the time of E3."This is likely to be music to the ears of fanboys who've wondered where stellar-looking titles such as Disaster: Day of Crisis have been for their beloved console. But, this goes against what Reggie said, in a good way. Where the resident ass-kicker, name-taker said we should expect one big title from Nintendo at E3, we're liking the idea of "several new titles" that Franklin said. Let's hope we get a bunch of new games next month when the show goes down![Thanks, Sonic_13!]
Expect a new game with new characters from Nintendo at E3?
GamePro thinks so, as one of its editors piped up during a recent piece run on the magazine's website. "I've heard strong rumors that Nintendo is going to unveil an all-new game with all-new characters," said senior GamePro editor Sid Shuman. A new game with new characters? Do tell!With Wii Fit come and gone, as well as Mario Kart Wii and Super Smash Bros. Brawl, we think we've been patient enough. We have yet to hear about a big first-party title coming from Nintendo and we're really getting anxious for something big over here. But, as Reggie said, all will be revealed shortly. We guess we can wait a little bit longer ...
Is Disaster: Day of Crisis gone forever?
Sad news, if you're willing to buy into this rumor. According to QJ, a supposed Japanese press release was fired off by Nintendo where they explain that Disaster: Day of Crisis has been put on indefinite hold. We're taking this with a big grain of salt, to be honest, because we don't want the rumor to be true and because QJ doesn't even source anything on the rumor.Without a credible source (or any source, for that matter), we're hard-pressed to buy into all of this. However, it's a good discussion topic, as many are still waiting for Reggie to deliver on his promise of delivering a big Wii title at E3 and hoped this would be it. Until we hear more word on this, we're just going to sit in the corner, with our hands over our ears, singing to ourself as we refuse to buy into this.
Wii Warm Up: Nintendo's next big Wii game
With Wii Fit almost out, our radar will soon be lacking in any kind of activity, as Nintendo has no titles on deck to satisfy our need to play the Wii. We've been thinking what their next big title will be and if, like Reggie said, it'll be available at E3 to play.So let's start tossing around ideas on this one. What do you think Nintendo's big game reveal will be at the show? Will they be pushing Disaster: Day of Crisis, or will we see something else? What do you hope to see? What do you expect to see?
Nintendo "passionately upset" about Wii shortages, won't give out free Mario cakes
Besides being infuriated with leaving over a billion dollars on the table this past holiday season, Nintendo of America is also "passionately upset about the lack of product relative to demand." Those words came straight from Mr. Reggie Fils-Aime himself, who noted that North America was the only Wii-serviced territory where supply and demand were still out of sync. Reportedly, some 40-percent of the 1.8 million Wii consoles manufactured each month are making their way over, but even after 17 months on the market, the average Wii sits around on retail shelves for "just an hour before [it is] purchased." Unfortunately, we're no closer to being able to clone the consoles in order to meet the insatiable appetite.
Nintendo of America 'passionately upset' about Wii supply
On a trip to the Wired.com offices, Nintendo of America pres. Reggie Fils-Aime told the site that a Wii lasts about one hour in the wilds of retail and that makes him a little miffed. Most of the conversation dealt with Nintendo's FY08 profits, but Reggie did say that Nintendo of America is "passionately upset about the lack of product relative to demand."Fils-Aime explains that production is determined by Japan and NoA does its best to remind the folks across the Pacific that there are "missed opportunities" when there isn't enough product. He further points out that North America receives 40% of the 1.8 million Wii consoles manufactured every month, and that NA is the only territory where Wii supply and demand don't match up.
Reggie: Big Wii title coming this holiday, revealed during E3
Reggie had a lot to say to GameTrailers TV host Geoff Keighley, as the interview between the two back during GDC has finally aired. In it, Reggie drops a few bombs on all of us with a soft spot for The Big N, commenting that great content is on the way for Wii during the second half of this year, but we won't be hearing about it until E3. He does tease us, though, commenting that this "great new content" will maximize "all of our key franchises." But, the biggest bombshell of them all is that there will be one "big game for the holiday that gamers will want." He says it's going to be something appealing to both the hardcore audience and the new expanded audience. Let the speculation begin![Via Joystiq]
GDC08: Ubisoft treated like an internal Nintendo team
http://digg.com/nintendo/Ubisoft_was_treated_as_internal_Nintendo_team'; Apparently, developing a "strong, obvious, and accessible" game for the casual crowd will get you treated like an internal team by Nintendo.GameDaily BIZ reports that Reggie Fils-Aime and Satoru Iwata, two of the biggest Nintendo bigwigs out there, showered praise on Ubisoft for My Word Coach. When the game was still in development, Fils-Aime told the French company, "You got it. You guys got exactly the type of game we want for this machine." It was Iwata, though, who told Ubisoft that they would be treated as an internal team from now on. While we're happy for Ubi, we're not sure what to think about Nintendo's enthusiasm. Yes, we get it, they love the casual gamer. But how about us crusty, old, core gamers? Show more developers some appreciation for creating great, non-casual games, please -- or we might just get a complex.[Via Joystiq]
Full DS downloads not coming to DS, Reggie misinterpreted?
When Reggie sat down with the NY Times recently, many might have misinterpreted what Reggie said in regards to future plans regarding DS downloads and the Everyone's Nintendo Channel. Gamasutra states that a nameless Nintendo representative issued a statement regarding the rumor of downloads directly to the DS as "incorrect." An anonymous Nintendo representative apparently said that the real functionality will reside in the Wii being able to download DS titles to be played on Wii. "Users can download games to play on Wii," the nameless NIntendo rep said. This rep also supposedly went on to say "and, in the future, the Nintendo DS will be able to receive demo versions of some DS games from Wii, but not the entire game. The demo will be erased once the Nintendo DS is turned off."We're wondering at the possible alterations our DS games would need to go through in order to be played on Wii. How about you?
Nintendo: No 'complete' DS games via Wii, only demos
While The New York Times was busy correcting the spelling of Reggie's surname (twice!) – it's 'Fils-Aime' – Nintendo got to work righting the Business Day article's bigger blunder, which claims, "Complete games ... will be able to be downloaded into the Wii using its broadband connection, and then transferred wirelessly to the DS." In a statement released today, Nintendo corrected the bogus announcement, explaining that "in the future, the Nintendo DS will be able to receive demo versions of some DS games from Wii, but not the entire game." These demos, like all content that can be beamed to DS currently, will be erased once the handheld is switched off.Mr. Taub penned a real lemon for The NY Times on Monday. The article has a growing list of edits appended to the end and still contains the major error cited today, along with this beautifully muffed sentence: "Mr. Fils-Aime said that future DS device will be more tightly integrated with its Wii console."
Download 'complete' DS games through Wii, NY Times reports
In addition to demos, "complete" DS games will be made available for download onto Wii, Reggie has told The New York Times. It's the first time Nintendo has confirmed plans to offer full, Wii-channeled DS games, but the revelation lacks details. In late November, "Everybody's Nintendo" channel launched for Wii in Japan, highlighted by wirelessly transferable DS demos. While this technology has yet to be released in other regions, it's apparently on the agenda. DS will be more "tightly integrated" with Wii in the future, reports The NY Times – and that could include portable extensions of Virtual Console, WiiWare and Wii Shop Channel too. But how will Nintendo reconcile the obvious limitations? DS can only temporarily store and play downloaded content, which is fine for demos (or single cart multiplayer), but what about so-called "complete" games? Perhaps Nintendo is also developing a memory expansion cart in conjunction with the proposed service. That's one way to re-sell old Game Boy games...
Reggie chats up Wii-to-DS downloads, downloadable puzzles in Professor Layton
Finally, we get some kind of information regarding downloads for our DS from the Wii. Reggie took part in an interview recently with the NY Times to discuss the success of the Wii and DS. Both are doing well, but thankfully this piece focuses more on the DS.Reggie first goes into Wii to DS downloads, which will come via the Everyone's Nintendo Channel. Reggie doesn't go into exactly when we'll be able to mess around with the new Channel, so sadly we're still a bit in the dark. Light at the end of the tunnel comes in the form of downloadable puzzles in Professor Layton. With the game coming in February, we're assuming it'll arrive sometime around then.[Via Go Nintendo]
Nintendo: Wii shortage causing planning problems
When Reggie Fils-Aime talked to Reuters a few days ago, we were so focused on the Nintendo of America president's displeasure with unofficial Wii bundles that we didn't even notice the Reggginator acknowledging the business problems Wii shortages are causing his company. "The level of demand we are facing complicates all of our future business planning," Fils-Aime told Reuters. "All of that becomes a much tougher exercise until we have supply and demand curves that intersect."The hard-to-predict hardware supply complicates other company decisions, Fils-Aime said, such as how many units of Wii Fit to produce. "We at Nintendo America are focused on getting to the point when any consumer can walk into any of our retailers and find a Wii," he said. "Then we can plan, on an ongoing basis, the rest of the business."It might seem a little ridiculous for Fils-Aime to be complaining about the problems the shortages are causing Nintendo. After all, if this was really a concern, couldn't they just spend whatever it takes to turbo-boost the supply chain? Then again, that added expense could become a liability down the road if and when the current Wii mania eventually starts its downturn. Whatever the case, we're pretty sure that any supply problem so dire that it forces a company to pull advertising is less than ideal. We're just saying, is all.
Unofficial Wii bundles make Nintendo unhappy
Nintendo sure loves talking about things it dislikes. Recently we learned that Wii shortages were on the company's ever-growing list of pet peeves. Now, Reuters reports that Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime is speaking up against unofficial Wii bundles, which force customers to buy the console with additional games and peripherals not of their own choosing.We're all too familiar with Wii bundles, which artificially increase the price of the relatively cheap console. GameStop does it. Wal-Mart does it. Now, Reggie is expressing distaste over the practice, claiming that it masks the console's price advantage over its competitors, and forces customers to buy things they don't want.Though Reggie states that Nintendo has contacted specific retailers to express their feelings, he does not address Reuters' question as to whether Nintendo threatened those retailers with fewer shipments. Reggie recently announced a plan to guarantee Wii consoles in 2008 to purchasers who pick up rain check certificates at GameStop retail locations later this week.[Via GamesIndustry.biz]
Wii to eventually get voice support, hints Fils-Aime
We've been hearing rumors about voice capabilities coming to the Wii almost from the very start, and it looks like plans are afoot at Ninty to bring the dream to reality: speaking to reporters during this morning's rainchecks-and-shortages conference call, Reggie Fils-Aime sad that he "wouldn't be surprised" to see voice chat come to the Wii. That's about as straight a confirmation as he gave, although he did say the holdup was mostly in making the right peripheral. Hmm, we're not totally sure we buy that, but we're willing to bet Nintendo is a little more focused on actually getting Wiis out the door first.
Notes from Reggie's Wii shortages conference call
Reggie Fils-Aime, big cheese at Nintendo of America, held a rather short-notice conference call this morning to discuss – what else? – the incredible success of the Wii and DS as evidenced by the November sales figures released last night (or: Hey Reggie, why the crap can't I find a Wii for my kid/parents/uncle/loved one?). Most importantly for those of you still hunting Wii: six national retailers will be running ads in their weekend circulars promoting shipments of the console for this weekend. Keep your eyes peeled at Best Buy, Kmart, Sears, Target, Toys 'R Us, and Circuit City. Super-retailer Wal-Mart will be "pushing out massive amounts" all week long. So, Reggie wants you to know that they're making as many as they can produce, which is currently 1.8m consoles a month. With over 50% of that amount being sold in the US alone last month, it's clear that the North American shortage is getting attention from Japan. Still convinced they're withholding demand? Reggie says, "This shortfall benefits no one."
Nintendo Wii and DS sales on Thanksgiving rampage -- trumps own GBA record
Nintendo of America just announced record sales of their DS and Wii gaming rigs. According to internal sales numbers, Thanksgiving week resulted in more than one million DS and Wii units sold. That's one week, from Sunday, November 18 through Saturday, November 24th and breaks down to more than 653,000 DS units and another 350,000 Wiis. The previous all-time Thanksgiving week sales record was held by the Game Boy Advance in 2005 with sales of 600k at the time. Nintendo also said that Wii sales are on track to hit 17.5 million before March 31, 2008. Now, for those of you saying that Nintendo is purposely limiting production to drive up demand, Reggie has this for you, "A shortage benefits no one, we're disappointed. This was all about how we didn't accurately estimate demand. We need to be more bullish about the potential for the Wii." Come on Reg, you're only just now figuring this out?
