Nintendo's 75th Annual shareholder meeting!

cloud493

– New 3DS selling well, but the old 3DS did not, so HW sales were 8.73m. SW selling well. Pokemon, Smash numbers.
– Mario Kart 8 at 5.11m, Smash Wii U at 3.65m. Wii U HW 2.88m.
– Entertainment has value, centering on dedicated platforms. Providing premium experiences only available on such. Making more SW.
– Xenoblade for New 3DS released. Rhythm Heaven, FE: if released. Supporting 1st-party and strong 3rd-party SW.
– On Wii U, Splatoon, Yoshi’s Woolly World, and Super Mario Maker are being released.
– Card-based and yarn amiibo are being released. The NFC dongle for old 3DS and 2DS being released. Looking to increase demand.
– Supporting amiibo on Smash 3DS with the NFC dongle.
– About DeNA, starting smart device apps this year. Smart devices different from dedicated consoles, so even w/ same IP, adapting play styles to suit smart devices will maximize value and drive the expansion of the gaming population.
– Continuing with film adaptations and character merchandising to increase mind-share of IPs. Ex: Universal agreement. More later.
– Making a marketing appeal for the IPs through experiences only possible at theme parks.
– Making progress with QOL. (No details given.)
– 1st measure: distribution of dividends.
– 2nd measure: selection of board members

Q3: Consecutive launches of 3DS and Wii U were a failure. 3DS recovered with a revised price, but Wii U can’t. Will NX suffer too?
As you say, the launches didn’t go well. Especially the Wii U. The 3DS was restructured domestically with several measures. The Wii U has not been restructured. Looking back, the DS didn’t sell very well right away, but was propelled by Brain Training. Ideally sales would start well, but only Wii has really done that. NX was announced as a new platform alongside the DeNA venture. The NX was announced then to indicate that we are not retreating from game platforms and will continue the hardware business. Normally, the announcement would’ve been made later. It was like revealing a magic trick ahead of time. New proposals require surprises to follow. Such information on the NX won’t be announced until 2016. No announcements today. Third-party hardware selections are based primarily upon install base numbers. Several unannounced collaborations with 3rd-parties are making progress.

Q6: About E3, there were few software titles shown this year. Why were only titles to be released this year shown?
Miyamoto: Regarding E3, what you said is partially true. It’s available on the Internet, so it’s a global announcement. However, it’s normally an event aimed at the NA business. It’s not only for titles coming soon; last year, experiments shown. This year’s announcements didn’t include licensee software, so the number was low. This criticism is understood. Sony and Microsoft had many announcements of future titles that were not playable. VR lined the floor as a dream exhibit. There were lots of video demos of those titles. Nintendo played them. They received high praise as living room game consoles. We collected lots of data and positive impressions.
Iwata: We realize Nintendo fans in Japan were disappointed. It’s a US trade show, so what’s included there is done with both global and American audiences in mind. This is what Nintendo’s booth looked like. It was different from other companies'; everyone was smiling, having fun with games. We didn’t hold a press conference, but had a Digital Event. Before that, we held the Nintendo World Championships. NWC was very lively. We want to correct the lack of satisfaction with E3 streams, but as a whole, reactions weren’t all bad. As Miyamoto said regarding short-term E3 announcements, we decide this on a yearly basis. We talk about future titles when needed. There are years when products are more finished and we can communicate their appeal. That may explain the difference this year.

– Q7: As a game fan, I’m worried about the split between the NX and Wii U.
Iwata: We can’t talk about the NX. If we do, competitors may take our ideas and customers won’t be surprised. This would not be beneficial for the company or its shareholders. The NX is new hardware, and will start from 0. However, the 3DS and Wii U have install bases. Immediately cutting off SW for previous HW upon the release of a new machine is inefficient. We will continue making 3DS/Wii SW while preparing for the NX. We are prioritizing satisfying customers who purchased the Wii U.

– Q8: Apps for smart devices will be released this year, but will they be paid or freemium? What’s the target age group?
Iwata: Smart devices include phones and tablets, which have large global install bases. Profits on big hits are very large. However, this isn’t an easy world in which just adding famous Nintendo characters will result in a big hit. As for monetization, there are regular sales and paid items or “free to play” systems. I don’t think that “free to play” is a good word, so I call it “free to start.” Regular sales aren’t succeeding. Apps for smart devices are highly competitive, and priced low. Some are discounted 90%. As for free to start, it’s possible to sell better progress rates or rare items. It’s becoming a societal problem. Globally, there are more that charge small prices to many users. Nintendo wants to make many apps that are global hits. We want to target many users irrespective of age, gender, game experience, or region to earn small payments from many users. We’re planning titles for this year and next, but not a large number of them. Console SW have big impacts on release, & slow down. Smart device apps’ users gradually increase. Development doesn’t end. I want to raise a few of these.

Interesting stuff, no NX news till next year then. Also the confirmation (to my interpretation) they'll be dropping the Wii brand and maybe even if the DS one if they end up sharing an OS.

cherryghost

Interesting how he says they won't be ditching software support for 3DS and Wii U to favour the NX, this in my eyes suggests a hybrid console is definitely on the cards.

CiDeRmAn

cherryghost wrote: »

Interesting how he says they won't be ditching software support for 3DS and Wii U to favour the NX, this in my eyes suggests a hybrid console is definitely on the cards.

I think that was inevitable tbh
A hybrid console that can operate with or without the extra screen.
They can sell buckets of the handheld, they always do, and they can sell the home console for less by not having to include a pricey tablet controller.
Hopefully this combo will also ensure WiiU backward compatibility, for both physical and digital titles.

I can't actually express how wonderful a Nintendo console with PS4/XB1 power would be, especially if it gains traction with the great unwashed games playing public.
With that kind of audience having access to the likes of Super Mario 3D World 2, Pikmin 4, Super Mario Kart 9 and FZero, not to mention the best of the third parties, could be a revolution.
Certainly move Nintendo from a console you own alongside your other machines into a console you can own exclusively.

cloud493

I'm seeing a separate handheld and home console, just sharing OS and software.

CiDeRmAn

cloud493 wrote: »

I'm seeing a separate handheld and home console, just sharing OS and software.

Yes, but they'll seamlessly integrate, probably more NFC goodness and magic, and will mean you'll play your portable games and then, with a tap, play your home titles with the portable as controller or second screen.
I don't care, I know I'll buy the pair of them as soon as they are out and damn the expense!!

cloud493

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

Yes, but they'll seamlessly integrate, probably more NFC goodness and magic, and will mean you'll play your portable games and then, with a tap, play your home titles with the portable as controller or second screen.
I don't care, I know I'll buy the pair of them as soon as they are out and damn the expense!!

So many amiibo!*




*we'll both buy them both on launch day alright.

Corholio

I was thinking, how good would Iwata/Miyamoto/Reggie Amiibo's be? I'm sure they'd find a game to put them in, Mii fighters in Smash etc.

They are only sort of embracing recently the fact that they themselves are famous so it might be a while I guess.

McLoughlin

So in theory would a mid 2016 annoucning about new console with christmas launch be possible ? or is mid/easter 2017 more realistic launch date ?

cloud493

I'm thinking

- direct in Q1 2016 announcing the thing, the concept, some games, how it'll work
- Live E3 press conference, games, showing the hardware properly, release date, portable console Q3/Q4, home console by the second half of 2017.

sligeach

McLoughlin wrote: »

So in theory would a mid 2016 annoucning about new console with christmas launch be possible ? or is mid/easter 2017 more realistic launch date ?

That is what's going to happen. I said it would well over a year ago. Now the rest of the world has caught on to the spiel.

Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker

cloud493 wrote: »

I'm thinking

- direct in Q1 2016 announcing the thing, the concept, some games, how it'll work
- Live E3 press conference, games, showing the hardware properly, release date, portable console Q3/Q4, home console by the second half of 2017.

Announced Feb, release date confirmed at E3, console out November 25, 2016

Corholio

sligeach wrote: »

That is what's going to happen. I said it would well over a year ago. Now the rest of the world has caught on to the spiel.

It's hardly an exact guess in fairness, especially when nothing has been actually been......announced.