BREAKING NEWS: FIRST REVOLUTION SCREENSHOTS

[Llyranor]

Iwata at GDC

 

Thank you so much for giving me the honor of speaking before you again this year. In my job, I have to talk to a lot of people, but as you all know, since I still have the heart of a gamer, I have the most fun talking to you!

 

Once upon a time, way back in the 1980 s, a company became number one because its products meant fun to young people. Then, in the 1990 s, a bigger company with a bigger brand name and bigger budgets took away the number one spot.

 

Fortunately, that first company also had another line of products that let it remain popular and profitable. This company used that threat to reconsider its strategy, and think how it could regain overall leadership. And this is what it decided.

 

It would redefine its own business, and expand its market beyond current core users. Could this strategy work?

 

Well, we already know the answer. The answer is yes.

 

Because that first company, Pepsi, has returned to number one in its industry displacing Coke. Pepsi stopped asking, How can we sell more cola? Instead, it started asking, What else do people want to drink?

 

Today, Pepsi is number one in bottled water. It is number one in sports drinks. It is number one in health drinks. And, of course, it remains number one in the snacks business that it used to maintain profitability while they executed their disruptive strategy. (As every game developer understands, the three basic food groups are Fritos, Cheetos and Doritos.)

 

I am here today to share some stories about Nintendo. But, I begin with a story about Pepsi because it demonstrates how thinking differently, and holding strongly to your strategy, can disrupt an entire industry and in a good way.

 

For some time, we have believed the game industry is ready for disruption. Not just from Nintendo, but from all game developers. It is what we all need to expand our audience. It is what we all need to expand our imaginations.

 

Several years ago, when I began talking about reaching out to casual gamers and non-gamers, few people listened. Today, Nintendo DS is succeeding in disrupting the handheld market in fact, you could attribute most industry growth last year to just this one product line. Now, people are listening more closely.

 

I know many of you smiled when we demonstrated Nintendogs at the GDC last year, but I m sure not many of you believed it could sell 6 million copies around the world in less than a year.

 

But the success of DS is not based on just one game; it is the story of several new kinds of software creating brand new players.

 

Let me explain how disruption is working for us. Most of you are very familiar with the American market, so let me share some information about Japan.

 

When it launched in 2001, Playstation 2 sold 6 million units in its first 21 months. Soon after, our Game Boy

[Krookie]

It's gone from a 'no' to a 'maybe'.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

Well I've been really impressed by the DS so if they follow the same innovation I'll find enough good stuff on the Revolution to make it worthwhile.

[Krookie]

If I have enough money, I'll buy it. But I'm waiting to buy any next-gen console until all of them are out, and I can really see what I'm buying. No sense (to me) to blow $600.00+ on a 360 and then see the PS3 or Revolution come out with better games/new innovated software.

 

I know that I'll definetly wind up buying a 360 or PS3, at least for Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway. The only reason I'm leaning toward the 360 is because of the price. Also, I may wait until they can really figure out what they can do with the Revolution. It may take a year or two for that Killer App to appear, and personally I don't want to see a $200.00 system sitting in my room, collecting dust for that long.

[mkreku]

Iwata is a very good speaker.

[Fenghuang]

Revolution's gonna cost half of what the 360 does, a third of even a conservative estimate of what the PS3's gonna cost. Even I can afford that.

[metadigital]

Ever hear of Dance Dance Revolution..?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I freestyle, man: I don't follow dance steps. I can't.

 

Also, if it was Spar, Boxing Revolution then I might be interested ... but even then it's not about following dance steps ...

[kumquatq3]

Also, if it was Spar, Boxing Revolution then I might be interested ... but even then it's not about following dance steps ...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Fight Night on the Rev would be a HELL of a workout

[Llyranor]

If I have enough money, I'll buy it. But I'm waiting to buy any next-gen console until all of them are out, and I can really see what I'm buying. No sense (to me) to blow $600.00+ on a 360 and then see the PS3 or Revolution come out with better games/new innovated software.

 

I know that I'll definetly wind up buying a 360 or PS3, at least for Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway. The only reason I'm leaning toward the 360 is because of the price. Also, I may wait until they can really figure out what they can do with the Revolution. It may take a year or two for that Killer App to appear, and personally I don't want to see a $200.00 system sitting in my room, collecting dust for that long.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 5 (PS3, Xbox 360, Rev, PC, PSP) - November 2006

Assassin (PS3, Xbox 360, Rev, PC, PSP) - March 2007

Rayman 4 (PS3, Xbox 360, Rev, PC, PS2, handheld) - November 2006

Brothers in Arms 3 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Nintendo Revolution, DS ) - February 2007

Ninja Turtles (PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Revolution, PC, handheld) - Spring 2007

[Llyranor]

Highlights of the George Harrison interview in the same GI mag:

 

-Harrison admits that a mere uber powered Gamecube would wind up doing just as bad as the GC. Because of this, Nintendo decided to do something totally different

 

-Their main goal was to revive the Japanese market. The DS was to be the first shot at this (and it has clearly succeeded).

 

-Art direction can be just as expressive as photo-realistic graphics. He mentions that the Simpsons wouldn

[Krookie]

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 5 (PS3, Xbox 360, Rev, PC, PSP) - November 2006

Assassin (PS3, Xbox 360, Rev, PC, PSP) - March 2007

Rayman 4 (PS3, Xbox 360, Rev, PC, PS2, handheld) - November 2006

Brothers in Arms 3 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Nintendo Revolution, DS ) - February 2007

Ninja Turtles (PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Revolution, PC, handheld) - Spring 2007

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Oh wow. Thanks.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

2006/7 is going to be expensive.

[Nick_i_am]

Screw the PS3 and Xbox 360, I want those nunchucks.

[Krookie]

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle's game, anyone?

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle's game, anyone?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Not for me. Unless it turns out to be good.

[Fenghuang]

Dude, Turtles in Time!

[Llyranor]

Hmm, yeah, a beat-em-up with that controller *would* rock.

 

Hmmmmm, a hockey game, hmmm.

[Surreptishus]

...don't forget fishing games!! )

[Llyranor]

And adult-only games!

[Meshugger]

And adult-only games!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yup, especially with the "magic wand".

[Krookie]

Aren't 3rd person games going to be hard to do on the Revolution? Like how would you do a game like GTA?

[Deraldin]

Aren't 3rd person games going to be hard to do on the Revolution? Like how would you do a game like GTA?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Why do you think they would be hard to do?

[Surreptishus]

Nunchuk controls movement, wand controls aiming. Like mouse and keyboard combo. This style can be used with 1st or 3rd person perspective.

[Deraldin]

Nunchuk controls movement, wand controls aiming. Like mouse and keyboard combo. This style can be used with 1st or 3rd person perspective.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Exactly. I don't see what's difficult about it.

[ShadowPaladin V1.0]

Exactly. I don't see what's difficult about it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Getting used to the new system.