Nintendo: Low app prices threaten industry
Games worth more than $2, says Reggie.
Cheap, disposable smartphone games are one of the biggest problems facing the games industry today, according to Nintendo US chief Reggie Fils-Aime.
When asked by GameTrailers whether 3DS games priced between $35 and $45 present good value compared to $1 or $2 App Store downloads, Fils-Aime seized the opportunity to vent some spleen.
"I actually think that one of the biggest risks today in our industry are these inexpensive games that are candidly disposable from a consumer standpoint," he insisted.
Questioned as to whether he would consider mobile phenomenon Angry Birds "disposable", he replied that it was a rare diamond in the rough, adding that the low price points of mobile games are instilling unrealistic expectations in consumers' minds when it comes to more substantial portable titles.
"Angry Birds is a great piece of experience but that is one compared to thousands of other pieces of content that for one or two dollars I think actually create a mentality for the consumer that a piece of gaming content should only be two dollars.
"I actually thinks some of those games are overpriced at one or two dollars but that's a whole different story," he joked.
The 3DS goes on sale in Europe on 25th March priced at around £220. GAME is currently listing software at £34.99, while Amazon wants £29.91 per title.