Information comes from David Gibson twitter who is attending a Nintendo press event in Japan.

Iwata on the 3DS

  • Business is shifting towards 3rd party reliance, want to strengthen
  • For gamecube missed pric cut opportunity and this influenced 3ds decision to cut price, cash balance enables decision to cut price
  • 3D alone won’t provide full satisfaction, other features important
  • Wiiu is not limited to tv, is multiscreen and believe it is dramatic change from wii, believe tvs will be online and connect to smartphones
  • Need to be more flexible and work with other platforms and use them. Hardware+soft brings value
  • No intention to sell ip on other platforms,but need to take advantage of other platforms they don’t have to increase the value of software
  • Not concerned about people getting tiredness from 3d, will be doing software that is not 3ds focus, perhaps digital side
  • For 3ds and wiiu we are strongly aiming on digital side
  • Digital is where we are yet to expand and where we are aiming for, been doing trial and error so far
  • Plan very soon to announce strategy for combination of digital and packaged and synergy between the two
  • Original DS at 15000yen was not profitable and 3ds is further unprofitable, as volume expands cost down effect
  • On price cut large us retailer told them “feel like christmas is already here”
  • Iwata taking responsibility for 3ds,, taking 50% salary cut and other execs 30% cut, reduced bonuses too
  • Retailers decide over summer for xmas, developers won’t then reduce plans for next yr
  • Price cut now because 1) so install base higher ahead of own title launches and hence success 2) message to developers and retailers

Wii U

  • WiiU won’t play dvd or bd discs thinking the incremental cost-royalties wasn’t worth it
  • WiiU online is being designed with 3rd party now, will include sns,not as rigid as have been in the past
  • Nintendo think wiiu will attract first person shooter games which were unable to be offered on wii
  • Wii sales will focus on late adopters and hence peak more in holiday season
  • Nintendo analyst meeting – said 43% of players only play nintendo hardware, 30% on nintendo and others but only 23% exclusively non-nintendo

Link