Satoru Iwata
Latest
Nintendo announces $199 3DS XL with 4.88-inch top screen, available August 19th
Folks holding their breath for a "3DS Lite" might want to exhale -- Nintendo has decided to go a different route. Company head honcho Satoru Iwata revealed the 3DS LL this evening on Nintendo Direct, featuring a 4.88-inch and 4.18-inch top and bottom screens, respectively. The new hardware adds over an inch to the current 3DS' display, and ships with a 4GB SD card, to boot. The oversized handheld doesn't adopt the Circle Pad Pro's second analog input, however, retaining just a single thumbpad on the console's port side. Japanese gamers will be able to pick up a 3DS LL in white, as well as in two-tone red / black or silver / white on July 28th for ¥18,900 (about $235). In the US, of course, the handheld will be rebranded as the 3DS XL, just like its predecessor's supersized variant, hitting Yankee shores (in red and blue, no less) on August 19th for $200. %Gallery-158888%
Sean Buckley06.21.2012
3DS LL hardware refresh on July 28 in Japan, packs 4.88 inch top screen and 4.18 inch bottom screen
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed a hardware refresh for the 3DS is currently in the works during today's Nintendo Direct presentation. Dubbed the 3DS LL, this new handheld has a 4.88 inch top screen, a 4.18 inch bottom touch-screen and comes with a 4gb SD card. Iwata also said it will have slightly longer battery life than the current unit.It will not include a new AC adapter, but will be compatible with the 3DS and DSi XL adapter. The 3DS LL will initially be offered in white, black and red, and silver and black.The 3DS LL will be available in Japan on July 28 for ¥18,900 ($235).Update: It's coming to the US!%Gallery-158887%
David Hinkle06.21.2012
Nintendo brings in Namco Bandai to work on new Smash Bros.
During today's Nintendo Direct press conference, president Satoru Iwata revealed new details on the upcoming Super Smash Bros. game currently in the works for 3DS and Wii U. Sakurai will return, but this time he'll have some help from Namco Bandai and Bandai Namco Studios. Two Namco individuals in particular were singled out: producer Kobayashi and Tales series director, Yoshito Higuchi.
David Hinkle06.21.2012
Nintendo Direct livestream kicks off at 11pm ET, watch it here [Update: All done!]
The latest Nintendo Direct Japan press conference, Nintendo's self-indulgent catapult with which it flings news directly at us all, is starting tonight at 11pm ET, or 8pm PT. A U.S.-specific version of the conference is scheduled for midnight.We'll be up, mug of hot tea in hand, ready to feed you all of the scoops. If you care to watch along with us, feel free to check out the stream above.Update: Thanks for tuning in! If you missed anything, feel free to go back over all of tonight's news through this handy link.
David Hinkle06.21.2012
Nintendo's Iwata says Wii U's second screen was nearly scrapped due to price
The idea of a second screen experience is fairly central to the Wii U as it is today, but it looks like it could have nearly been shoved aside as just another concept. In an interview published today by The Telegraph, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said that the company "almost gave up on the idea of the additional screen" during its final discussions about the console, adding that "this was due to our concern over the expected high cost, it may not have been feasible to create this and sell it at a reasonable price point for the consumers." As Joystiq notes, that does suggest it was ultimately able to land on a "reasonable" price for the console, although we're still only hearing unofficial numbers tossed around at this point. You can find the full interview at the source link below.
Donald Melanson06.14.2012
Iwata: Wii U idea was almost scrapped over price concerns
The Wii U's second screen was born out of the idea of allowing someone to play a game while the TV is being used by the whole family, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata told The Telegraph. But Iwata admitted that the idea almost didn't make it to a final product."Sometime during that final discussion we almost gave up on the idea of the additional screen," Iwata said. "This was due to our concern over the expected high cost, it may not have been feasible to create this and sell it at a reasonable price point for the consumers." This should come as some comfort to those of us still concerned about the console's (and controller's) price point, as the continued development of the Wii U suggests that Nintendo hit upon a "reasonable" price.
JC Fletcher06.14.2012
Wii U designed to allow free-to-play games
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata is notoriously less than jazzed about free-to-play games, but the Wii U's online architecture will be set up to support them, just in case someone else feels like doing that. "We have designed the system from a technical standpoint to allow developers to freely take advantage of things like free to play and micro transactions," Iwata said in an investor Q&A held during E3 and released today. The 3DS was recently updated to allow DLC as well; the architecture for Wii U microtransactions is likely the same.Don't take that as an indication of Nintendo's own interest in the model, however. "Currently, we are not actively looking at free to play for our first-party content and I don't think that's a direction that we should go in right now," Iwata said. "But that doesn't mean for the future that there may not come a time where we have specific content that might be suited to that model."
JC Fletcher06.13.2012
Miiverse messages will be subject to moderation before posting
You'll be able to communicate with friends using simple text and drawings through Nintendo's upcoming Wii U (and later 3DS/smartphone) Miiverse service – but Nintendo, famously concerned with keeping profane or otherwise improper communication away from younger users, has some safeguards in place for this seemingly more open system.Speaking to Hero Complex, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed plans to implement three forms of filtering for Miiverse content. The first is algorithmic – automatic content filtering. The second is really, really hardcore: having a moderator read all posts before they're published. Finally, users can flag inappropriate content.Iwata didn't say how long of a delay the moderation would cause, but he suggested "personally, I think 30 minutes should be acceptable."
JC Fletcher06.07.2012
Nintendo's pre-E3 press conference video is now available -- relive the magic again and again
Did you miss any of the magic that was the Nintendo pre-E3 press event? Great news: it's now online in pre-recorded form, so you can watch it to your heart's content. Using the Wii U controller as a TV remote? The Wii U Pro Controller? The unveiling of the Miiverse? It's all there, friends. Experience the magic after the break.
Brian Heater06.03.2012
Catch up on Nintendo's pre-E3 Wii U brief from Satoru Iwata right here
Weren't around a stable internet connection during Nintendo's pre-E3 Wii U presentation? Don't you worry, friend – we've got a full copy of the video care of Nintendo's YouTube channel embedded just above. Magical!
Ben Gilbert06.03.2012
'Miiverse' announced for Wii U, greatly expands Mii Plaza from Wii
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata announced Miiverse today, a "Mii universe" for Wii U, during the company's Nintendo Direct pre-E3 livestream. Miiverse is an online system planned for the company's upcoming system that displays a Mii plaza on the Wii U GamePad – it's looking like a much expanded version of the Wii's Mii Plaza feature.The plaza will show Mii characters gathering around game icons and feature a messaging system for players to connect with players they both do and do not know, as well as a variety of other asynchronous functionality. The messaging system includes a "spoiler" checkbox to prevent players from wrecking a friend's game experience (should they choose to use it), as well as the ability to send images and drawings to one another. Miiverse will also feature a social networking-style "wall" of sorts, where players can post screenshots from games.Miiverse will also inhabit the 3DS and mobile devices (Android, iOS) in the future, though it will not be available immediately at launch. %Gallery-156765%
Mike Suszek06.03.2012
Watch Nintendo's pre-E3 Wii U briefing right here
Nintendo cares not for your meaningless "parameters," E3. It's starting the big show early this afternoon at 6PM ET with a special Nintendo Direct presentation starring none other than Nintendo President Satoru Iwata. The presentation is focusing on "the vision behind the Wii U," according to Nintendo's Twitter account. Set your expectations accordingly, as Nintendo also said, "No Wii U game info until Tues," referencing the company's Tuesday, June 5 presser.Should you be in an area that prohibits streaming video, we'll be breaking out news alongside the presentation, and our friends at Engadget have a liveblog going, if that's your kinda thing.
Ben Gilbert06.03.2012
We're liveblogging Nintendo's pre-E3 press event today at 6PM ET!
Are you ready for E3? Too bad, it's already here, a couple of days early, thanks to the overzealous folks at Nintendo, who just couldn't wait until Tuesday to hold their press event. The company is holding a pre-E3 event, helmed by president Satoru Iwata today at 6PM ET. The broadcast will likely revolve around games, but perhaps Nintendo had more surprises than it could contain in a single event. Find out by following along here.
Brian Heater06.03.2012Nintendo can't wait for its own E3 press conference, schedules pre-E3 broadcast for tomorrow
Remember that wall of coverage Nintendo promised for next week's E3 festivities? Yeah, well, apparently that extends to scooping itself a bit with a Pre-E3 event, two days ahead of its official, real deal Tuesday press conference. Tomorrow, the company's president Satoru Iwata will be hosting a web broadcast with information about the Wii U. According to Nintendo, the early bird event will offer up some more info with regards to games for the much awaited next generation console -- and we'll be liveblogging the news, for your reading pleasure at 6PM ET, so get those plumber caps ready.
Brian Heater06.02.2012
Nintendo releasing retail games on 3DS eShop, starting with New Super Mario Bros. 2
Satoru Iwata dropped the proverbial bomb today in an investor presentation, announcing plans to distribute certain retail 3DS games on the eShop download service, where they will be stored on the SD card. The first game to receive this dual release treatment is New Super Mario Bros. 2, due worldwide in August. In addition, the "Onitore" Brain Training game will be sold in this manner.As for the kinds of games Nintendo wants to distribute digitally, Iwata offered the following explanation: "Nintendo publishes various titles that enable you to enjoy daily communication, such as 'nintendogs,' 'Animal Crossing' and 'Tomodachi Collection,' in addition to the ones like 'Onitore' (temp.), with which you might like to practice every day, and database-type software like 'Hana to Ikimono Rittai Zukan' (sold in Japan only). It must be easier for the Nintendo 3DS owners to feel the merit of being able to carry around only the Nintendo 3DS system with, in particular, these kinds of software titles stored inside."He added that even other, non daily-communication-related titles stored on a single system would be "handy."Nintendo plans to sell codes for downloadable versions at retailers, in addition to directly through eShop, in order to avoid cutting its retail partners out, and to avoid alienating users who prefer to buy everything at retail. "Furthermore," he said, "we recognize that one of the biggest hurdles for the expansion of our digital business is the limited methods to expose digitally downloadable products to potential consumers. This recognition is one of the reasons why we are taking this sort of approach."
JC Fletcher04.26.2012
PSA: Nintendo 3DS firmware update now live in North America
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.
Daniel Cooper04.25.2012
3DS firmware update promises folders, less cluttered home screens on April 25th
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.
Sean Buckley04.21.2012
Nintendo celebrates Kirby's 20th Anniversary on Wii
Opening up the Nintendo Direct conference livestream, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed the company has big plans to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Kirby. A new Wii game will collect past titles and package them on a retail disc – which classic Kirby titles would be included is a mystery.Outside of the existence of Kirby's 20th Anniversary on Wii, nothing else is known right now.
David Hinkle04.20.2012
New Super Mario Bros. 2 hitting this August in Japan
New Super Mario Bros. 2, a new game from Nintendo, is coming to 3DS this August in Japan, Satoru Iwata announced at tonight's Nintendo Direct livestream. Pictures – the first of which you can view below, courtesy of Nintendo of America – showed the 2D title running on the 3DS.
Jessica Conditt04.20.2012
3DS firmware update on April 25 makes it easier to organize Home menu
During the Nintendo Direct conference livestream, Satoru Iwata revealed a new firmware update is inbound. Apparently folks have been complaining of clutter, so the new update is aimed at cleaning up your Home screen. Users will be able to create folders, name them and store up to 60 items within.Update: The Nintendo of America Twitter account pegs the update for April 25.
David Hinkle04.20.2012