Trouble in Paradise? Nintendo Shareholders tired of Iwata’s behavior toward the iPhone

Published on August 12th,2011 at 8:51 AM
By >Daimaou - G.G-B

Trouble in Paradise? Nintendo Shareholders tired of Iwata’s behavior toward the iPhone

Category: Gaming - Tags: Android, Bloomberg, Game, Gaming, iOS, iPad, Iphone, Nintendo, TUAW

Trouble in Paradise? Nintendo Shareholders tired of Iwata’s behavior toward the iPhone

TUAW pointed this morning to very interesting article from Bloomberg regarding Nintendo. According to the financial website Nintendo’s investors start to get tired of Iwata’s behavior toward the iPhone and would like the company to focus more on these platforms (iOS/Android) rather than Nintendo’s own 3DS.
Despite the good sale of the Wii, the strong sale of the NDS and the rather poor ones of the 3DS, Nintendo’s shares are slowly but surely going down since the past six years giving the company shareholders so strong grief against Iwata stubbornness.

While I am not a Nintendo Shareholder, I personally agree with the shareholders at this point and would love to see Nintendo flagship IP on mobile devices, as well as would love that more companies developing for Nintendo porting their games on both Android and iOS. After all companies like Level5 could get even bigger revenue if they started to port their games, even old ones to these devices… I am sure that a lot of iOS or Android owners will be interested in playing to Professor Layton on their mobile device. What do you think?

Via Bloomberg

16 Comments

Category Gaming

- Hell Freezes Over, DoCoMo Offers a ROM Update for One of Thier Smartphones (October 23rd,2009 at 11:03 AM)
- [TGS09] Ace Combat Xi… The Ultimate Dog-fighting Game on Your iPhone (September 25th,2009 at 10:49 AM)
- Massive Game & Watch Collection! (August 28th,2009 at 4:43 PM)
- Geisha's Dice for iPhone and iPodTouch (June 22nd,2009 at 3:33 PM)
- Ricepuppet's New Collection (June 15th,2009 at 1:08 PM)

- Japan Probe – News from Japan (Subscribe)

< < Previous Post

Next Post > >

[11/8/2011 06:28]

LG introduces a new Xnote with the P220

[12/8/2011 01:05]

Sony’s latest car stereos feature SiriusXM and Pandora tuners

Participate

http://twitter.com/jacobhalton Jacob

They wouldn’t be in this predicament if Nintendo didn’t short all their systems on features and expect to sustain their company by re-releasing 10+ year old games on a not-so-much-better system than the original just because it has some gimmick like a Wii controller or 3D that hurts your head and you have to hold it a certain distance away.

Besides that, if they focused on making FUN games on good consoles instead of shitty consoles with accessories we constantly need to keep buying, they might have more dedicated fans. They lost me after the N64 and I’m surprised they’ve stayed around this long.

They’re headed down the same path as Sega…..
- Guest
  
  What exactly is wrong with the hardware? If I wasn’t for the wii their wouldn’t be a kinect. Honestly, if your only answer is the peripherals and out of date technology, then your argument is weird. Their architecture isn’t as expansive as thru competitors, but it is more than enough for quality games to be produced. You can blame 3rd parties for their lack o effort in that department. Also in regard to he peripherals, they are all optional. Nintendo doesn’t make you buy anything. They are better at bundling hardware with software than Microsoft, who made their customers pay 100 dollars for a wifi adapter. Not to mention the hardware failures the xbox experience in the beginning o it’s life cycle.
- N385ER
  
  I’m sorry but I have to agree with Jacob on this. When the only major game to draw in customers for your new handheld (that you are pricing like a full console) is a game that was released in 1998, and then subsequently re-released several times over the next 13 years, you are really setting yourself up for disappointment. Don’t get me wrong I loved Ocarina of Time I would even go so far as to argue that it is one of the greatest games of all time. By this point OoT should have just come free with the 3ds itself.
  
  Also when Nintendo (company that makes games for younger children) has to put a warning on the product that says that children should not use the 3d function on the 3DS ( a device that is marketed for its amazing 3D) you can dam well expect it to scare away third parties.
Anonymous

Well, it’s the japanese way of thinking.
First of all, most of them think that selling hardware is better than selling software.. Secondly, they are too proud to make such a “huge” step of porting their super cool games to such newcomers as iPhone or Android.
Which is stupid, since I have both Wii, NDS and iPhone, and I would like to see even old Nintendo games on the iOS/Android platforms too… Also, this is the only way of surviving in this battle.
- Anonymous
  
  Well, with a few exceptions (very very very very very few), Japanese People do not know how to make anything else than hardware. Name me a leading Japanese software company that shine any other worldwide competitors…
  So moving from Hardware to software only for Japanese is :
  
  1) Mentally difficult
  2) Technically Difficult
  3) They do not know how to do it.
- http://www.facebook.com/people/Paul-Martin/100000581434534 Paul Martin
  
  Eh , how about all the game developers that leaders in the world. Capcom Konami Square. etc. they do not make any hardware.
  
  games would not exist with Japanese software companies.
- Anonymous
  
  The exception I was talking about was Video game, but even now most of these companies have difficulties to beat US or EUR production. Now this said name me a Japanese Equivalent to Microsoft, Adobe, Oracle…
Guest

Same old story all you nay Sayers have been saying since late 90′s. However, they are still in business. They havenbeen in worse predicaments than this and have come out on top. The only difference is that we now live in an instant streaming society where trends are judges by the minute. So the investors believe this mobile gaming craze will stick, when the truth is that it will be replaced by something else. Social gamers are hard group to plan your business by. The whole social scene runs on novelty and exclusivity. This trend will end soon enough and Iwata is being smart.
Highspin

I fully understand the opinion of Mr. Iwata, it would be a big step for Nintendo. I think they are afraid to share the same future as Sega and become one software developer among a lot of others. The name Nintendo is very much related to hardware, more than Sega ever was. On the other side Nintendo stands for high quality innovative games. I guess they are afraid, that they have to sell there games for a very low price and get a cheap image by that.

But anyway, I would also like to see games from Nintendo (and other jap. developers) on iOS. I think SquareEnix for example is already doing a good job on the iOS platform. I would for sure buy Nintendo games for my iPod. On the App Store are so many rubbish games so that Nintendo would have an outstanding position there. Of course they would be more expensive, but I do not care. I also buy the SquareEnix or Capcom games there. And I am from an older generation who rather pays more for an good game than wasting time with cheap or free rubbish games. But do not understand me wrong, there are awesome cheap/free or freemium games. But the success of SquareEnix shows that there are enough customers for higher price games.
Highspin

I fully understand the opinion of Mr. Iwata, it would be a big step for Nintendo. I think they are afraid to share the same future as Sega and become one software developer among a lot of others. The name Nintendo is very much related to hardware, more than Sega ever was. On the other side Nintendo stands for high quality innovative games. I guess they are afraid, that they have to sell there games for a very low price and get a cheap image by that.

But anyway, I would also like to see games from Nintendo (and other jap. developers) on iOS. I think SquareEnix for example is already doing a good job on the iOS platform. I would for sure buy Nintendo games for my iPod. On the App Store are so many rubbish games so that Nintendo would have an outstanding position there. Of course they would be more expensive, but I do not care. I also buy the SquareEnix or Capcom games there. And I am from an older generation who rather pays more for an good game than wasting time with cheap or free rubbish games. But do not understand me wrong, there are awesome cheap/free or freemium games. But the success of SquareEnix shows that there are enough customers for higher price games.
Anonymous

Personally I would not like to see Nintendo move its IP to mobile OS’es, it will only devalue the brand. Plus I don’t like smug Apple getting additional value from Nintendo’s IP.
Luay

I think Nintendo is avoiding the real problem. It’s games are not good. The best Mario Kart and Metroid is still on the 20 years old SNES. The best 3D Mario and Zelda are still on the 10 years old N64. Miyamoto’s best days are behind him and the younger developers they have now are mediocre.
Anonymous

I remember when a lot of people were telling Apple to get out of hardware and focus on making software that runs on PCs. The DS was a huge success. The 3DS is a bomb because of lack of games, and because of the well publicized warning from Nintendo that it wasn’t safe for the eyes of children, stopping parents everywhere buying it as they otherwise would.

The 3DS will be another Virtua Boy for Nintendo – they will bring out another portable device without 3D and get their mojo back.

And if they don’t have a plan for doing that… then yeah, make iPhone apps…
http://www.facebook.com/OgyRoss Agustin Ross

Nintendo is a Japanese company run by old Jp men. This basically means they are old fashioned.
They probably still think iOS and Android phones are a passing fad.

The only fad i see is 3D!

Get with the program Nintendo! or see shares fall.
Megan

I was just saying this a few days ago! Yes! Nintendo should definately think of catering to iOS.
I would love to play some old nes games on the go. Many other people I think would too.
Nastya0391

it Will be a great idea. For how much can you sell Supermario Bros . And sel 15 milloon copies of it ???.. Does agrey birds ring a bell .. so it wil be agreat oportunity to EXPAND the bussines. But again is a japanesse CEO. So beeing stubborn is one of the things that he does best. Buy again you know how to blame if Nintendo goes into shadows. And is not the idea to profit if you have a bussines. So Nintendo Shareholders I CAN Glady step as Nintendo CEO and take a line of bussines on this direction.

[24/5/2013 12:42] 0 SQUARE ENIX - "Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn" release date is announced - August 27	[24/5/2013 07:39] 0 Toshiba - External HDD "CANVIO DESK" 1TB/2TB/3TB model - Fast and large, place it horizontally or vertically and connect your TV of Blu-ray recorder
[24/5/2013 06:41] 1 Leica - Limited edition camera - "Leica X2 Yokohama Edition" - Commemorating the opening of Leica SOGO Yokohama store	[23/5/2013 12:42] 0 Audio Technica - Audio speaker "AT-SPC100" that delivers 360-degree sounds
[23/5/2013 12:03] 0 Casio - PRO TREK Outdoor watch "PRW-3000" - 4 models - Displays accurate direction, atmospheric pressure, altitude, and temperature quickly	[23/5/2013 11:18] 0 Muji - Bluetooth compliant speaker built-in charging station - "BSSJT-MJ"
[23/5/2013 10:11] 1 LG Electronics Japan - "Pocket photo" mobile photo printer - Take a photo with your smartphone and print it out right away	[23/5/2013 09:08] 0 CCP - NANO-FALCON - Infrared ray-controlled miniature helicopter - Certified by Guinness World Records
[22/5/2013 12:14] 0 Japanese Robot Art: Nice to Look At, and Don't Forget the Inspiration!	[22/5/2013 09:16] 3 Microsoft - Xbox One: the ultimate all-in-one home entertainment system
[22/5/2013 06:25] 2 I-O DATA - Only 9 mm thin USB3.0 compliant portable 500GB HDD - "Kakuusu 9"	[22/5/2013 05:17] 0 Takara Tomy - Dancing Face-Stand for iPhone - Take photo! Set and choose music! Let's Sing! Dance!
[22/5/2013 04:25] 1 Purchasing behaviour analysis system wants to know what you like	[21/5/2013 11:45] 0 Sharp - 4K compliant "AQUOS UD1" series TVs - 2 models presented at the Sharp New LCD TV Model Press Conference
[21/5/2013 09:10] 1 Elecom - Touch panel cleaner with fragrance - spray type (P-FCS) and wet tissue type (P-FCT5P)	[21/5/2013 05:41] 0 Thanko - Miniature functional camera that looks like a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera