Tagged with: Satoru Iwata

Satoru Iwata revealed more details about Nintendo Network at a recent investor’s briefing in Japan, sharing that this new system (and yes, it is a new system, rather than a re-branding) will be implemented in the 3DS and the Wii U. The new services under this new system include downloadable content (which we were already aware was coming to the 3DS). There is also the possibility of full retail game download though. But Iwata did note that Nintendo has not decided when it will roll out this feature.

Satoru Iwata has shared the following announcement in a recent investor meeting:

Although there is no logo here, we are planning to release a totally new side-scrolling action Super Mario in 2D as a key title for the Nintendo 3DS in the next fiscal year.

This means it will launch on the 3DS between the end of March 2012 and the end of March 2013.

Satoru Iwata has confirmed that StreetPass Quest 2 is on its way and will be released with the new firmware in November. In addition to that, the Mii Plaza will be updated to provide you with a rough geographic location of every newly met Mii after the update hits. There will also be fresh puzzles to be completed via StreetPass.

Satoru Iwata has announced that Nintendo will be hosting another major conference for the 3DS this Friday on October 21st. It will be live streamed via UStream and will apparently deliver news that wasn’t mentioned at the previous conference. You can click here to find the official website for the conference. What do you think will be announced or shown off?

Update: This is what andriasang has said:

As an example of what to expect from the event, Nintendo mentioned details on the 3DS system’s November firmware update and Mario Kart 7′s wireless play support.

The stream kicks off at 8pm on October 21st. That’s in Japanese time.

Masamitsu Ohki, a fund manager at Tokyo-based Stats Investment Management Co. has said that:

Smartphones are the new battlefield for the gaming industry. Nintendo should try to either buy its way into this platform or develop something totally new.

And I always find this interesting debate. I realise there is plenty of contention about where the iPhone and other smartphones are “real” gaming platforms, but at the end of the day, they can play games, so they are gaming platforms. At the same time though, I don’t see how touch screens could provide the same level of accuracy as analog sticks and buttons, which seems to limit the depth that any of these games can provide.

I think it’d be fascinating if Nintendo developed an iPhone title. Even if it was a small one, like a reworking of the augmented reality games included with the 3DS. The iPhone can handle augmented reality just fine, so it’d be interesting to see how that sort of experience, in addition to Nintendo’s branding would sell.

But, Satoru Iwata has said that “Nintendo will only make titles for its own products as long as he’s in charge,” so I wouldn’t expect any deviation from Nintendo’s current way of doing things anytime soon.

Mii Plaza is receiving an update this year. Beyond that though, Mii-based software (like a possible sequel to Find Mii) is in development. This software will be arriving during this fiscal year, which ends on March 31st 2012, and also further software beyond that time frame. Here is the full quote from Iwata:

…we are developing several software titles to take advantage of them. We will not be able to offer you the full or all the specific possibilities of the Miis stored in StreetPass Mii Plaza within this fiscal year, but we can say that you will never let your 300 Miis stored in your Nintendo 3DS go to waste, as we are preparing for a number of software titles, which will feature such as a theme, to be launched in this and the next fiscal years.

I imagine we’ll receive further clarification at the end of September (or early October) when Nintendo holds their annual press conference.

Note: This is a rewrite of an article I wrote based on a misinterpretation, so take this version as fact rather than what I wrote before.

Satoru Iwata has sent out a letter aimed at people who purchased the Nintendo 3DS before the price drop. It doesn’t say anything we haven’t heard before, but it sounds genuine enough. You can read it after the break.

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