Nintendo not frightened of global slump

By Robert Purchese Published 14 January, 2009

Believes fun will prevail.

The boss of Nintendo Korea reckons the global economic recession poses no threat to Wii and DS sales because people always want to have fun.

"Regardless of downturns, consumers pursue something fun," Mineo Koda told the Asian News Network. "Sales of our products do not depend on whether the economy is good or not, but whether we introduce fun products or not."

The Wii has sold over 2 million units in Korea and continues to fly off the shelves worldwide, leaving the Xbox 360 and PS3 far behind. But Koda doesn't even class Sony and Microsoft as marketplace rivals.

"People often ask such questions, and we say our competitor is neither [of] those companies, but consumers indifferent to games," he said.

Despite his bullish stance, Koda sees plenty of challenge in shaking parental negativity towards videogames across the region. He sees plenty of potential, too, as ex-online gamers or those turned off by hardcore pursuits look for something to do.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (23) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Dizzy #1 3 years ago

    Gamers/girls just wanne have fun!

  • DFawkes #2 3 years ago

    "People often ask such questions, and we say our competitor is neither [of] those companies, but consumers indifferent to games," he said. "Beside, if they were our competitors, we've fucked 'em. We've fucked 'em good." He added, before proceeding to bring out an Xbox 360, and a PS3, and emptying his bowels over both.

  • Aggesan #3 3 years ago

    @DFawkes

    LOL :-D

  • rotmm #4 3 years ago

    "consumers indifferent to games"

    Yup, that sums up the Wii userbase quite succinctly.

  • Xerx3s #5 3 years ago

    "Regardless of downturns, consumers pursue something fun,"

    Bad news for the wii then.

    /coat

  • Frandroid #6 3 years ago

    @farticus

    I'd agree that the Wii and 360/PS3 are not in direct competition, but I suspect there'll be quite a large group of people who own the Wii and one of the others. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

  • iago71 #7 3 years ago

    Absolutely. I own all three. I dont really think of the Wii as part of the same category though. To be honest I dont really touch it anymore. Though hopefully something appealing will arrive soon. :)

  • IneptPercy #8 3 years ago

    Thats where the Wii sales come from, using my other half as a normal 25 female, she would never consider the PS3/xbox but has bought a Wii.

    So a lot of us gamers own one as a secondary to a PC/360/PS3 meanwhile people like my other half are also buying them, you can soon see where these huge sales have come from.

    With that she owns Wii Sports, Wii Fit and big brain academy. While I own Zelda, Smash Brothers, No More Heroes, Excite Truck and a few more. So also shows the types of games being sold is very different for the 2 seperate markets.

    The problem for nintendo will be with the "Wii 2", most of us gamers probably won't bother due to the trickly of games from this generation, and the casuals aren't ones who feel they need to constantly upgrade for more power etc.

    As a whole the ressession will probably do the whole games industry good, I know that staying in costs less than going out and with the prices on consoles and games it is a an overal cheaper way to entertain yourself (maybe less so with the PS3 price)

  • Weezer #9 3 years ago

    Nintendo not frightened of global slump
    Believes massive influx of cash will prevail

    /fixed

  • tomnol #10 3 years ago

    As long as 'fun' will be the only factor videogames are measured by, this media won't be taken seriously. So when he is after people who are 'indifferent' to gaming, he should maybe consider the possibility that they are indifferent to gaming *precisely* because he can't offer them more than just fun, which might be a little less than what they are looking for.

    Fun is important, but not everything. In contrast, not every book one reads, not every Website one visits and not every movie one watches is only about having fun.

  • FogHeart #11 3 years ago

    I'm a Wii60 owner (that's the phrase, right?) but the 360 gets the least love. Not because the Wii is so special, but when a good game is released for the 360 I often shrug and wait for its PC release (e.g. will get mirror's edge soon).

    I suppose if more people had their PC hooked up to their TV and used a 360 controller with it there'd be more like me. I'd be interested to see what's stopping most people from this. Want the PC in a different room from where their missus/ gf is, I suppose.

  • secombe #12 3 years ago

    There must be some evidence of consoles taking sales from each other. I'm an example, for a start. If the Wii didn't exist we would own a 360, no question. I can probably say the same for my parents as well actually. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who would have seriously considered one of the other two had the Wii not been an option.

    Loving the usual Wii hate comment peeps anyhow, keep it up guys. And if you ever want a laugh, look back at all the pre-launch comments on how the Wii was going to be demolished by the other two (it was still going after the PS3 was released), back then most people were quite happy to include it in their "list of successfulness"
    Edited by 1 at 14/01/09 @ 18:10

  • smelly #13 3 years ago

    Shhh! Nintendo.. Dont mention the word "fun" on eurogamer...

    We all know that the readers of this site are too "hardcore" to have "fun"..

    (goes back to playing "de blob";)

  • smelly #14 3 years ago

    PS: Bought "De Blob" on the weekend.. So far it's lining up to be the best (single player) game i've played this gen..

    What with this and "world of goo" - my 360 hasnt had a look in since before chrimble when i finished dead space.

  • Oh-Bollox #15 3 years ago

    In contrast, not every book one reads, not every Website one visits and not every movie one watches is only about having fun.

    But the vast majority of the best ones are. If you don't enjoy something, you're not going to want to watch, read, or participate in it.

  • smelly #16 3 years ago

    >....aaaaand the most stupid post of the day goes to smelly!

    Judging by the comments 99% of the posters here post - are you sure?

  • BonzoBanana #17 3 years ago

    Gaming is great value entertainment in general so even if you can't afford holidays or dine out regularly anymore you can still buy games. Also if your worried about the bills or having your overtime cut gaming takes you to another world/existance where you don't even think about that. Basically interactive entertainment is better than non-interactive in that regard. I think gaming in general has a strong footing now and there are people like myself who expect to be gaming for the duration of my remaining life. I don't think the recession will have much effort on gaming retail sales. Maybe the higher price stuff like ps3 consoles will suffer a bit but perhaps with the unemployed needing something to do game sales will increase.

  • sneetch #18 3 years ago

    @smelly
    "PS: Bought "De Blob" on the weekend.. So far it's lining up to be the best (single player) game i've played this gen..

    What with this and "world of goo" - my 360 hasnt had a look in since before chrimble when i finished dead space. "

    Bah. Dead-Space = grey and brown shooter. ;)

    Have to pick up de Blob: I've heard great things about it and your comment has been the final poke that upgraded it from "if I spot it reduced" to "required purchase".

  • smelly #19 3 years ago

    "The Wii isn't a games console, much like I don't think Nintendo are a video games company any more. Well, not in the traditional sense any way. "


    I'd go the other way around.

    Nintendo ARE a video games company.. the only one.. the other 2 are just going after tech bores who dont care about fun.

  • smelly #20 3 years ago

    >Bah. Dead-Space = grey and brown shooter

    Yeah.. but it's still quite enjoyable...

  • robson_wii #21 3 years ago

    I've just started Dead Space on PC which looks quite good on the surface. Is it good? (I loved the HL2 series but was underwhelmed by Left4Dead as the routine of shooting zombies from afar and up-close got tedious from level 2)

    De-Blob is good fun but I haven't made much progress in it but most of my Wii playing time is now being spent on Lego Batman. I know the Lego stuff gets slated but Lego Batman has got personality and a sense of humour in the game which works for me and it is kind-of fun.

    Regarding the article, over christmas and new year (NYE) my Wii had more play time than the rest of the year put together (almost). Everyone who played on it loved it although nobody understood Brawl. WiiFit balance games on NYE were a great success. The Wii is in a league of it's own when it comes to fun which everyone can enjoy (that includes my parents who are in their 70s).

  • smelly #22 3 years ago

    >If you are going to be a dick then at least be consistent about it.

    I am consistent. A troll spouts some shit, i turn it around and apply the logic back at them.

    But I'll stick to my points which were.. That nintendo seem to specialise more in "fun" than relying on tech like the other two do.

    Dead space is fun, and it relies on tech (same can be said for numerous games on both 360 and ps3).. But notice that it's a 3rd party game..

    .. The argument i was replying to was that nintendo themselves dont make "fun" games any more.. And I'm arguing they make more fun games than the other two do (Who concentrate more on the tech).

    It's not f-ing rocket science is it?

  • smelly #23 3 years ago

    >I've just started Dead Space on PC which looks quite good on the surface. Is it good?

    First 20 minutes : "meh.. boring.. seen it all before".. then the anti-grav section comes along and you're like "holey crap".. then it goes back to a "seen it all before shooter".. but it's enjoyable none-the-less.

    Doesnt get bogged down in some anal story - which wins it brownie points with me.


    >nobody understood Brawl.

    I keep picking it up.. still none-the-wiser what's going on.. I cant stand the bloody game.


    (look fanboys! It's possible to own a game on a console and say you dont like it .. without using that as a reason to "hate" the console itself! *sigh*)