Nintendo Boss Satoru Iwata has slammed the rumours that the Japan-based gaming co. is to make a move to mobile platforms – the most discussed being Apple’s iOS.
Iwata backs earlier remarks made that Nintendo will not be making any such move, and that developing games for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad is (translated) ‘absolutely not under consideration’.
This comes despite a furore of speculation, suggestion and investor recommendation that Nintendo’s only hope for handheld gaming would be a move to smartphones following the early-days disappointments with the Nintendo 3DS gaming gadget which had to receive some massive price cuts, that seems to have began to raise the desired sales.
Speaking to a Japanese news source after the recent 3DS conference, the Nintendo President also commented on maintaining the integrity of the brand, now with over 26 years of legacy: “If we did this, Nintendo would cease to be Nintendo. Having a hardware development team in-house is a major strength. It’s the duty of management to make use of those strengths.”
“It’s probably the correct decision in the sense that the moment we started to release games on smartphones we’d make profits. However, I believe my responsibility is not to short term profits, but to Nintendo’s mid and long term competitive strength.” Iwata adds.
The conference also saw the launch of the ‘Expansion Slide’ with extra thumb-stick, as well as a ‘Mystic Pink’ 3DS designed for lady-gamers, and also the much-anticipated release dates for Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7.
It would seem Satoru Iwata is confident that Mario is the much-needed life-raft for the struggling Nintendo 3DS portable.
Source: Nikkei
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