Nintendo Defeats Sony, Apple is "Enemy of the Future"

[Tom Goldman]

Nintendo Defeats Sony, Apple is "Enemy of the Future"

Despite taking Nintendo to task in the past, Sony isn't even on the company's mind anymore. Now, it's all about Apple.

With the NES and the SNES, Nintendo was able to cement itself as a name synonymous with videogames. After those two consoles, Sony snuck in to the industry and changed what many people once simply called "Nintendo" to "PlayStation" with the PlayStation and the PlayStation 2. This has changed in the current generation, with the PlayStation 3 failing to catch on as well as previous consoles, while sales of the Nintendo Wii have far surpassed it and the Xbox 360. Nintendo doesn't currently expect to be on the bottom of Sony's boot ever again.

According to a PlayStation Move [http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article7118570.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=1063742] set to take on the Wii's waggle, Nintendo isn't concerned. Instead, Iwata has his sights set on Apple.

Iwata describes the iPad and iPhone as the "enemy of the future." There is apparently a "mood of concern" at Nintendo as all divisions hope to "restore the capacity to 'surprise'" consumers again. The leaked reveal of Nintendo's 3DS [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/99347-Nintendo-Reveals-New-3D-Handheld] was surprising, so it may have hidden cards up its sleeve.

The Wii is currently selling well, but sales are down. It's still far ahead of competitors, and Nintendo also has the amazingly strong DS Lite, DSi, and DSi XL handhelds, with the 3DS rumored to be released in Japan possibly as early as this holiday season. Nintendo seems to feel that the hardcore videogame consoles aren't its competition anymore, and more generalized smart technology devices that can also play games are. We'll only know the truth once the casual market gets its hands on Sony's Move and Microsoft's Natal, if Nintendo doesn't come up with something new by then as well.

Source: Kotaku [http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article7118570.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=1063742]

Permalink

 

[Cryo84R]

With almost 100 million iPhone OS devices out there, who can blame them?

 

[Kiithid]

This just in, the 3DS will have support to browsers, crappy (or not) flash games, telephone and an awesome iSt... I mean nStore.

OT: It's good to see Nintendo trying to improve themselves, even if it's only to stomp a rival.

 

[Beltom]

I for one believe that healthy competition is a good thing, and will cause both parties to invest much more time and effort into their products. Let's ring the bell and sit back while they rip each others throats out for out amuseme... I mean out consumer support.

Spoiler: Ding, Ding!

 

[Brotherofwill]

I can't blame them, but this is a sign of where Nintendo is developing towards. They stopped competing in the traditional games market, could be why their quality of products has dropped and why they are hardly turning them out anymore.

 

[soapyshooter]

Sales are down because they are running out of people to sell too. But I don't think Nintendo is competing with Sony and MS anyway and I don't they ever were starting with current gen consoles. Nintendo has moved into the casual market while Sony and MS engaged in a pissing match over hardcore gamers. Nintendo and Apple are in one league, Sony and MS in the other.

 

[Mr. Grey]

So we can expect more shovelware I take it? Good to know Nintendo... but if you don't mind my saying so... it's Sony that doesn't have to worry about you anymore. I wish you the best of luck against Apple though... you're going to need it.

I am honestly excited to see how this turns out, should be fun.

 

[TheDuckbunny]

I can't blame them, but this is a sign of where Nintendo is developing towards. They stopped competing in the traditional games market, could be why their quality of products has dropped and why they are hardly turning them out anymore.

Just what I was thinking. I still like Nintendo's main franchises but I think they're going to be turning their attention elsewhere, following Apple in becoming more of a general multimedia company.

 

[RicoADF]

Considering Nintendo is after casual gamers and the iPhone and iPad has been targeting them it makes sense they're more worried about apple then Sony or Microsoft.

 

[steamweedlegoblin]

With all due respect to Nintendo here, Sony isn't their "enemy" anymore because Nintendo, with the exception of a few titles sprinkled here and there, doesn't do hardcore games anymore. The Wii is marketed for casual gamers and children. So in other words, Nintendo beat their competitor by removing itself from the competition. Or something like that...

 

[Jared]

Talk about aiming high! Well, at least they have ambition!

 

[RicoADF]

If Apple ever released a console you know it will cost 5 times as much as an xbox and do half as much.

And yet it would still sell well because it would be called an iSole and people would fall for the shiny casing & interface.

 

[Aura Guardian]

With all due respect to Nintendo here, Sony isn't their "enemy" anymore because Nintendo, with the exception of a few titles sprinkled here and there, doesn't do hardcore games anymore. The Wii is marketed for casual gamers and children. So in other words, Nintendo beat their competitor by removing itself from the competition. Or something like that...

What's a hardcore game?

 

[Alar]

With all due respect to Nintendo here, Sony isn't their "enemy" anymore because Nintendo, with the exception of a few titles sprinkled here and there, doesn't do hardcore games anymore. The Wii is marketed for casual gamers and children. So in other words, Nintendo beat their competitor by removing itself from the competition. Or something like that...

What's a hardcore game?

I think a 'hardcore game' or 'hardcore gamer' needs to have an agreed upon definition so that people can stop tip-toeing around the subject. If we're going to segregate gamers with special titles, then the least we can do is exposite on WHY they're different and WHY we're separating them.

 

[lleihsad]

What's a hardcore game?

The chief characteristic of a "hardcore gamer" is their dismissive attitude towards the insufficiently hardcore.

 

[Nurb]

this seems appropriate

Spoiler: Calvin and Jobs comics

 

[robakerson]

If Apple ever released a console you know it will cost 5 times as much as an xbox and do half as much.

I don't even think Nintendo is necessarily worried that Apple will release a console, so much as they're worried that all their customers will forego buying $200 handhelds and $300 gaming consoles to buy $500+ phone/browser/laptop/digital book/ipod touch-interface combos, which also happen to run casual videogames.

If I were Nintendo, I would be worried too, since the ipod devices are already the Zynga of the mobile device realm. Millions of people who wouldn't normally consider themselves gamers are already dropping $1-3 here/there to buy casual tower defense and other games from the itunes store. I've personally bought a couple $5 games which were something between a GBA and a NDS game in quality.

 

[Aeshi]

Ignoring the horde of mindless Apple-haters who bash a company whose products they never use because they think it makes them cool for a second:

What
the
Hell?

Nintendo is a gaming company.Apple is an electronics company,why would they be any threat to them?

Also if Apple made a console,and said console was like their computers and OS then it would do everything a xbox 360 can except.But the iBox 360 (as it shall now be known) would:

a)It would actually work (instead of crashing because you didn't dunk it in liquid nitrogen in the last 10 seconds)

b)Would run PS3 games on reduced graphics.

c)Add an extra button that can be bound to whatever you want

d)Would load up things faster.

e)Cost about 50% more

f)Is nearly as tough as a Nintendo console.

g)Would come with some free tools.

Of course all the anti-Apple zealots will still hate it anyway,despite never actually trying it

 

[SaintWaldo]

this seems appropriate

Seems more like plagiarism due to over-zealous inclusion. But at least we know you read Calvin and Hobbes.