Iwata unimpressed by iPad, 3D gaming
Boss also questions demand for HD Wii.
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has said he's not convinced that the new Apple iPad is actually going to be all that.
Speaking to the New York Times he said the iPad offered "no surprises", adding, "It was a bigger iPad Touch."
Nor is Iwata a big fan of 3D gaming, though he thinks movies like Avatar are all right. He said Nintendo will be looking into the possible effects on health of playing games over a longer period, as opposed to watching a two-hour film.
Plus there's the image issue. "I have doubts whether people will be wearing glasses to play games at home," said Iwata. "How is that going to look to other people?'' Clearly he's not been playing much Just Dance lately.
The Nintendo boss also dismissed reports that the next DS will have a motion sensor and that a HD Wii is on the way. ''I question whether those features would be enough to get people to buy new machines,'' he said.
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Comments (81) Latest comment 2 years ago
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What? Does he think he is Chairman Mao? What has he got against glasses. I wear glasses.
/realises that he meant 3D glasses.
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and besides isnt there only like 4 true HD games out there? most games are in some retarded resolution that looked wrong on anything above 720p (aka the jaggies)
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As with the Ipad I dunno isn't that just the mac and ipod merging? Epic if your a scifi fan (see Stargate's 'tablets')
Finally as with Wii HD - why should he still when every core title sells like crack in a rehab centre? Nintendo is only really going to 'upgrade' when it has to
@the minus jockeys - whats up with that today? Is it because many of us are agreeing with him? or is it because a 3D tv/pad is the latest 'epix' you HAVE to buy to make yourself feel better againest your mates.. Yea they may be the latest tech but theres nothing to say they're an instant sucess or even a success at all
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Wow -17 and counting! ok then, I'm certainly not interested in the ipad, i'll go by my DS back and start playing my PSP again........£309 is also way too much money!
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On the other hand, I wonder if Nintendo is actually starting to fear Apple. Ever since the success of the iPhone and the surging of support by game companies, they only had bad things to say about them.
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Clearly the man does know a lot about the electronic gaming industry but is also at the helm of one of the most dogmatic, feet-dragging players of them all. Admittedly they've made some very clever, shrude decisions over the last decade but electronic gaming, IMO, should always be pushing for the "Next. Big. Thing".
I'm not convinced by 3D gaming yet but you can't stop a steamroller from careering out of control down a steep hill that easily...
(In passing, the "IwataLOL" is because I find him quite amusing...)
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Dancing is what the cool kids do, wearing glasses is for nerds.
As for the health effects of 3D gaming, I guess Nintendo has the most experience with that mess (Virtual Boy!).
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It seems to be the hardcore Wii games that are being pirated the most..so it might be a good way to encourage hardcore gamers to purchase the games as opposed to stealing them.
I see little point in the iPad as a gaming platform..but as a superior Kindle it's quite attractive. Although I don't read enough books for it to be a worthwhile purchase.
As far as the 3D glasses comment "How is that going to look to other people?''..
...I wonder if he means how is the TV image going to look to other people who don't have the glasses..as opposed to how silly the person wearing the glasses will look. It could be taken either way.
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As opposed to waggling a white TV remote. That's cool kid!
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It is wrong to assume that every Wii user would buy a next Wii just because it is HD, it didn't work for the PS2/3 shift either.
The same will happen with 3D, but even more drastically, because 3D fans are an EVEN SMALLER niche of those who went HD.
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In fact, that's basically how it was announced, he didn't ever claim that it will be revolutionary, unlike Steve Jobs.
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"As opposed to waggling a white TV remote. That's cool kid!"
No, that doesn't look cool, that looks FUN.
And that's the point
Only hardlycore gamers want gaming to be "SERIOUS BUSINESS!!4!!44!"
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What's next?.... Kaz Hirai not impressed by Natal??
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Nintendo are all about holding technology back, on their tight reigns of draconian control if necessary, whereas companies like Apple are more forward thinking, while kind of doing the same (no Flash in 2010, HAL?).
@Malek86
Its true, they never show it, but underneath, Nintendo are very worried still. Right now, Iwata sounds like a boxer, talking a big game before a fight. iPhone is chipping away at their market and publishers are responding to Apple positively, whereas Nintendo can't even hold onto Wii developers. If Nintendo can't even get that right, while lining their own pockets, the effect of devs/pubs will not be forgotten over night. DS2 has a lot of ground to make up on iPhone/touch, and while I'll still invest in one, its Nintendo's everlasting fear of the internets and giving away a reasonable degree of control to others, that will hurt them more, ultimately.
Ah, Nintendo, they still have so much to learn, but frankly, I'm losing faith in them as every gen passes. One can only stand so many steps forward, and huge leaps backwards.
As for Nintendo's 3D gaming comments, I personally don't agree with this 3D tv biz either. Indeed, we're all just upgrading to HDtv, so for companies to be pushing such new features is ridiculous. I'm looking to upgrade to a LG HDtv this year, and when I do, I don't want another new TV for 15 years, so feel free to come and sell me that stuff, in twenty years, Sony etc. I do agree that if they want this 3D stuff to work and be credible, they have to lose the glasses and work with human eyes alone. Besides, not all of us have perfect vision, myself included.
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As for their next home system, if there's no hard drive, overall system guts or better online service, I'm done with Nintendo home consoles. Owning a 360 has taught me, that while I love fun Nintendo games, I can actually live without owning them, and play a friends stuff. Please get it all right and make me want one, Nintendo.
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edit: To those who negged me; You'd honestly choose the iPad instead of a iPhone or Netbook?
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Funny, that...
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Anyway, Iwata thinks people care about how they look while playing games? That's ridiculous, coming from the boss of Nintendo.
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Isn't that Apple's revolutionary new handheld watering can device?
/gets coat
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Isn't that Apple's revolutionary new handheld watering can device?
/gets coat
I laughed.
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There was no past. Nintendo was always the casual company, and Sony the Graphics Gods.
There won't be a future. Only Wii 2, xbox 720, PS4, Wii 3, xbox 1480, PS5, Wii 4, xbox 2940 and PS6.
There is only the present, repeated ad infinitum.
It's common knowledge!
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Yh Im a little unimpressed by the iPad, a giant version of the existiong Apple handheld model mp3 thing. But im also unimpressed by the DSiXL which is a giant version of ur existing Nintendo handheld model u hypocrite.
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Nintendo admit that the DSiXL is nothing more than a bigger version of the DSi, and are not hyping it up as the greatest innovation of all time.
Apple do not admit that the iPad is nothing more than a bigger version of the iPod Touch/iPhone, and are hyping it up as the greatest innovation of all time.
Subtle, yet important differences there...
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The thing is, people will pay for something if its good and reasonable. PS3's starting price was way unreasonable, and Wii's was reasonable for Nintendo to resell what's more or less eight year old tech. I'm sure many of us would have had no problem paying £250 for a better spec Wii, which would have put in on par with the competition.
Hey, you know what? When I purchased my N64 and GC, they were going for that price at launch £249. I find £200-250 to be the perfect price spot, and when things go over that, its a bit pushy.
What sold PS3 was the advent of Blu Ray (with the uptake of HDtv), despite its high launch price, and its no surprise at all, that when PS3 Slim hit that sweet spot, it sold like the last whore woman on earth. In contrast, what didn't sell GC, despite its power, was the advent entry of the Xbox spoiling Nintendo's comfortable party, and changing what we expect from a console. As a result, I now can't live without HD, online gaming and a hard drive. I wish Nintendo would learn it wasn't the graphical power that was the problem GC, it just was unfortunate to get caught in the use of the above, even though earlier on DC, and then later PS2 had hinted as much. Nintendo were not watching the industry game properly.
What saved the Wii from not selling, was its motion control stuff and slick Apple style advertising. Now the masses all have one, and hardcore types are selling theirs. It should be interesting to watch Nintendo as the Wii phases itself out, for its successor, as they usually talk a lot of crap around such times.
Gameplay over graphics is a noble ideal, coming from Nintendo, but its partly false and a good excuse for them, as they don't want to deal with complex 3d graphics, AI etc (just look at their games of late, and Nintendo know very well, such thing would be offered with a better system). But why can't we have both? Bayonetta has both, Dark Siders has both, as do many other games.
Iwata, nice guy, but he's just another suited Nintendo yes man, to me.
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Typo, iPod, not iPad.
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3D gaming seems like a gimmick to me, and is underlying what we all want - which is better games,. 3D does not make a game better!
iPad is iMeh.
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Who give shit how it looks to other people! What an utterly redundant, company line, thing to say.
I've got news for him, me sat playing Mass Effect 1 on a Sunday morning in pants and dressing gown would look pretty odd to other people as well. But its never really been a big concern as I'm not in the habit of inviting people round to watch me play games.
Whether 3D is good or bad, and whether it is relevant now or not, dismissing it on the basis that people wearing 3D specs "look funny" is just feeble.
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They are only important differences if you buy the hype.
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I don't think that is what was meant with that statement. It seems to be more of a notion that someone else in the room wouldn't be able to see what was going on if they didn't have their own pair of 3D glasses.
Imagine if the Wii was 3D, you'd have to have like a dozen pairs in some instances, and that would get expensive...
Then there's also the oddity of a person who wears glasses suggesting that a different kind of glasses would look odd...
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"It seems to be more of a notion that someone else in the room wouldn't be able to see what was going on if they didn't have their own pair of 3D glasses."
That would be fair comment, relavant to the technology at hand. But that isn't what he actually said.
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Isn't it? Any statement can be twisted anyway you want when you mistranslate, misunderstand or take out of context. The fact this is even up for debate proves as much.
Do you not find it odd that Iwata (who wears glasses in everyday life) would suggest that wearing a different kind of pair of glasses would look funny? It certainly seems like a strange statement to me, given that aesthetically there is little difference between them...
What makes the 3D glasses used to game or watch movies look any funnier than the ones he wears to see?
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"Do you not find it odd that Iwata (who wears glasses in everyday life) would suggest that wearing a different kind of pair of glasses would look funny?"
Well yes, which is why I thought it was a company line rather than a judged statement. Maybe its a translation issue and I've assumed too much. It just seemed like yet another "company man finds fault with competing product" type report.
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"He said Nintendo will be looking into the possible effects on health of playing games over a longer period..."
The standard of language / proof-reading in this article is terrible. I've seen a lot of this lately from Ellie. Come on Eurogamer! I expect better quality than this!
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Well as the only few compainies to come out not to heavy losses last year i think you should..
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The Wii's record breaking sales and unprecedented success are clear indicators of your FAILURE! The fact that Nintendo has left its competitors looking foolish as they try to produce something Nintendo did nearly 4 years ago is a clear indicator of how BEHIND THE TIMES you are.
What you need to is listen to geeks who post on internet forums, they know what the score really is.
Perhaps you need to spend all your days in your bedroom masturbating to understand things better!
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EDIT : Damn youve posted a lot.. i was referring to the message on last page which started "I'm always amazed by the comments on Nintendo news stories"
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Having been forced to work with them I really don't like tablet PCs. They are very uncomfortable to use on the move, and completely underpowered.
Fortunately however, Apple haven't made the mistake of re-inventing the tablet,choosing instead to provide sublime hardware with less power than my smartphone and an O/S designed to run an MP3 player. What's not to love.
And Wii HD? Yeah, woo. I wouldn't buy a Wii that upscaled existing Wii games, they'd still look terrible on even a medium sized screen. I'm sure the next Nintendo console will output HD, but the core Wii hardware never will, that's just a stupid question to put to the man.
Finally, 3D gaming. Well. It can piss right off.
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I'd argue that 99% of shooters havent advanced much (Apart from graphically) since the days of quake and unreal... Difference is, i can say that having played them...
No doubt you're a teenager who's desperate to be all grown up think games where you run around shooting people are much more "mature". When i was a teenager i had the same thing but with movies. You wouldnt catch me watching the latest speilberg movie, i wanted to watch "mature" films with arnold schwarznegger blowing stuff up.
But now i'm a grown up - i look back at those and see them as immature. Given the choice between watching a mindless action shooter or little nemo, i'm now a grown up - i dont need to "look" grown up.. So I'll be much more happier watching something of quality like nemo (which *shock* is a cartoon.. you know they're for KIDS!) than something with blood and guts in them.
I'd argue that mario (and to a certain extent pokemon) appeal more to the grown ups amongst us, who prefer good gameplay over running around corridors shooting things - for the same reason. Just like i'd prefer to watch "kids movie" little nemo because it's a high quality story telling/entertainment - same goes with games.
If you cant look past the graphical style of a game when making your choices on your entertainment.. Well i pitty you as you're missing out on some great entertainment... And all because you're desperate to look grown up, when i reality you're not - or you'd understand that.
Of topic - but What depresses me (as an ex developer) is the number of kids growing up nowadays ONLY wanting dull shooting fests.. when they grow up to my age and reminice about fun gaming experiences they'll only have those to look back on. Subsequently unless the kids then start liking good games again - i can see the whole industry disapearing as people get bored of running down corridors shooting things.
Personally i grew out of that phase when i was 6 and used to run around with a stick going DAKKA DAKKA! So I find shooters to be the least mature genre.. But a lot of you are still young and wont get that.
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Is this a joke?
I wear glasses and I can assure you they aren't nearly as large, heavy or cumbersome as these 3D shutter glasses. Nor do they take batteries or come with red lenses.
The tripe I read in these comments sections is awesome. You're allowed to dislike the iPad, but not 3D. Oh no, not Sony's precious 3D! It's not Sony tech, btw...they're just one of the many TV makers pushing it. I don't dislike 3D because it's Sony - I dislike it because it's not that great.
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Well done for proving my point. You're missing out on some great games because they're too "childish" for the ever so mature you.. I'll let you get back to pointing your stick at things and shouting DAKKA DAKKA DAAKA!
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This is the only gaming forum i can cope with, if i went to any more - i'd be thoroughly depressed!
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Nintendo need a kick up the arse after the last 2 E3s. The competition will be welcome. I can't wait to see how this year turns out.
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A CEO 'yes man'? That's something new.
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I think that from Nintendo's perspective that the current implementation of 3D, where you have to use glasses, might not be what they envision.
The technology has to start somewhere though otherwise there will be no progress. So we'll probably see something like this
1: Somebody will make a start and make the populace aware of the 3D tech, and then after a while Nintendo will come out with their solution to 3D when the tipping point has been reached, innovating on the existing tech and thus gaining mass market acceptance.
Or 2: They'll wait too long having misjudged the market as it's competitors have a hot new product, the mass populace have no qualms about wearing 3D glasses as they have already been exposed to these in the cinemas and pubs and so Nintendo misses the boat again as they did with the CD format and it will take them another hardware generation to recover.
Personally I think Nintendo might be sitting in an awkward position. They're now the leading console manufacturer, in a similar situation as in the SNES days. Do they now just throw away everything that made the Wii so popular this generation or do the lead from the front and embrace the new tech?
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It's going to look ridiculous, like it did with the Virtual Boy.
I'm sure others said this too
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>Don't bother with Smelly - he's a Ninty fanboy cock.
OH NOES!!! HOW DARE someone be a fan of nintendo games?!? That's no allowed nowadays with you "mature" teenager types is it? It's "cool" to hate on nintendo, but if you like their games and dont say they're childish even though you've never actually played them.. Then that makes you a "fanboy cock"
*sigh*.. the logic of the children around here is mind blowing.
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20 Goto 10
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I simply cannot fathom the logic that believes a new colour will drive sales but new features won't.
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Listen here Iwata I am a long time fan of Nintendo but the wii/DS gen games just suck I HATE the "new way to play" I wear classes to play in 3d before I look like a fool waiving my remote around!!
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