Satoru Iwata Re-Elected as Nintendo President

[Steven Bogos]

Satoru Iwata Re-Elected as Nintendo President

Iwata, Miyamoto, and others will retain their respective positions at Nintendo for now.

At Nintendo's annual shareholder meeting, president Satoru Iwata was re-elected as the company's president by the board of directors. Other top-level executives, such as Shigeru Miyamoto, also retained their respective positions. The news should come as a relief to Iwata, who was actually unable to attend the meeting himself due to some health issues that have plagued him since E3 [http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/nintendos-satoru-iwata-missing-e3-over-health-issues/1100-4933/].

There were concerns that Iwata might lose his position this year, as his approval rating has been steadily declining from its all time high of 92.9% in 2011, down to just 77.3% last year.

Nintendo also posted 50% pay cut [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/134309-Nintendo-Reports-455-Million-Loss-But-Has-High-Hopes-For-Next-Year] as a result.

However, a very strong E3 presence, combined with very strong Mario Kart 8 sales, may have been just the push the shareholders needed to regain their confidence in Iwata.

Source: Polygon [http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2014/resolution_notice1406e.pdf]

Permalink

 

[GamemasterAnthony]

Good. If anything, that routine he did with Reggie showed that he was the kind of guy who still likes to have fun...and that's the kind of person you WANT in charge of a company that specializes in the production of games.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

Though actually he was re-elected to the BOARD as shown in that document. It doesn't mention anything about re-election as president. I'm beginning to think the threat of being de-throned from President was just something journalists made up to make things sounds more exciting for Nintendo. Probably due to it not being possible legally due to how Japanese corporate structure works.

 

[Darkong]

"There were concerns that Iwata might lose his position this year, as his approval rating has been steadily declining from its all time high of 92.9% in 2011, down to just 77.3% last year."

An approval rating of JUST 77.3%?

Politicians would kill for that sort of rating, the Republicans have an approval rating of less then 30 (according to Pew) and they expect to make big gains in this years election, it's not really all that small a rating is it?

 

[Scrythe]

"There were concerns that Iwata might lose his position this year, as his approval rating has been steadily declining from its all time high of 92.9% in 2011, down to just 77.3% last year."

An approval rating of JUST 77.3%?

Politicians would kill for that sort of rating, the Republicans have an approval rating of less then 30 (according to Pew) and they expect to make big gains in this years election, it's not really all that small a rating is it?

Let's have some perspective here. We're comparing 70% approval among perhaps a few hundred shareholders (assuming that's where the approval rating is coming from, otherwise if we're talking the board of directors, then it's exactly ten people) vs 30% out of over three hundred million people in the US (before factoring eligible voters and the 57% turnout in the last two elections).

 

[Souplex]

This will displease Michael Pachter.
I'm ambivalent.
I'm sure he's a nice guy, but a new CEO might actually be willing to pull the plug on the WiiU and let Nintendo focus solely on the 3DS.

 

[Mangod]

This will displease Michael Pachter.
I'm ambivalent.
I'm sure he's a nice guy, but a new CEO might actually be willing to pull the plug on the WiiU and let Nintendo focus solely on the 3DS.

True, but since the WiiU achieved a positively METAL sales increase of 666% when the new Mario Kart got released... maybe it's not time to pull the plug on life support just yet?

 

[xaszatm]

This will displease Michael Pachter.
I'm ambivalent.
I'm sure he's a nice guy, but a new CEO might actually be willing to pull the plug on the WiiU and let Nintendo focus solely on the 3DS.

But the primary problem with the Wii U is/was the lack of games. A problem that is finally starting to be corrected and should be rectified in 2015. Dropping the console right now to focus on a handheld that is entering the last few years of its life wouldn't be a particularly smart move. Besides, they are still showing a heavy focus on the 3DS with its many third party titles as well as Pokemon and Codename S.T.E.A.M for first party titles. I'm really not seeing the advantages of pulling the plug on the Wii U right now.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

I don't know if I have the same confidence in Iwata that Nintendo's shateholder's do. Then again, I suppose it's not fair to place all of Nindento's recent blunders at the feet of Iwata.

 

[OldNewNewOld]

This will displease Michael Pachter.
I'm ambivalent.
I'm sure he's a nice guy, but a new CEO might actually be willing to pull the plug on the WiiU and let Nintendo focus solely on the 3DS.

So you honestly believe that pulling the plug on the WiiU and giving a huge fuck you to the ~8-9 million of your most faithful consumer is a good idea? You know what that would mean to Nintendo? People buy a Nintendo product because they know they will get Nintendo games on it. Pulling the plug of a console that is barely 2 years in would be suicide. People would lose faith in Nintendo and not buy future products because who guarantees them that he next product won't have the same thing happen to it if it's not successful, which in turn will make that product less successful. People will wait rather than buy to not live trough the same faith as the poor fans that got the WiiU.

 

[Something Amyss]

Politicians would kill for that sort of rating, the Republicans have an approval rating of less then 30 (according to Pew) and they expect to make big gains in this years election, it's not really all that small a rating is it?

Except this isn't the US, it's not the general public, and it's not the political scene.

Different rules apply.

This will displease Michael Pachter.
I'm ambivalent.
I'm sure he's a nice guy, but a new CEO might actually be willing to pull the plug on the WiiU and let Nintendo focus solely on the 3DS.

That it displeases Pachter makes me happy.

Of course, I'm relatively ambivalent with regards to Nintendo, so I care more about this annoying an idiot than I do about the long-term success of Nintendo. And this does have the potential to have long-term, negative effects.

But hey, Iwata's almost as much a mascot as Pikachu or Mario. I doubt he's going anywhere for a while.

I don't know if I have the same confidence in Iwata that Nintendo's shateholder's do. Then again, I suppose it's not fair to place all of Nindento's recent blunders at the feet of Iwata.

It's been suggested that the recent sales of Mario Kart and it moving consoles may have factored heavily in here. And I don't know if that's true, but it's certainly plausible.

An unproven, possibly short-term success may have negated any of the problems. Not, as you say, that they fall solely at his feet. And maybe the Wii U will turn around now, but I wouldn't exactly be spiking the ball just yet.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

I don't know if I have the same confidence in Iwata that Nintendo's shateholder's do. Then again, I suppose it's not fair to place all of Nindento's recent blunders at the feet of Iwata.

It's been suggested that the recent sales of Mario Kart and it moving consoles may have factored heavily in here. And I don't know if that's true, but it's certainly plausible.

An unproven, possibly short-term success may have negated any of the problems. Not, as you say, that they fall solely at his feet. And maybe the Wii U will turn around now, but I wouldn't exactly be spiking the ball just yet.

Yes it's nice to see the WiiU starting to rebound and whatever, but some of Nintendo's blunder's were pretty big blunders. Like that whole YouTube thing, that's almost EA levels of bad. Then again, the WiiU is the only NextGen console I actually bought and probably will buy so there ya go.

 

[Rellik San]

What the WiiU needs at the beginning of next year is a massively restructured marketing campaign, "This is really the only place you can play..." that sort of thing, hell modify Nintendon't to Nintendoes "Xbox and PS4 don't do 60fps, but Nintendoes." or "1080p gaming? Nintendoes that."

They need to go super hardcore and double down, push hard on Bayonetta, Hyrule Warriors and bundle Splatoon to get people playing it and to make those who already have a WiiU buy it to play with friends. Nintendo can still do a valiant turn around this generation and a LOT of people are of the mind: "Well now there is this, this and this on WiiU and I have been wanting to try this and this, might as well grab one."

If Nintendo capitalise on that, they could see a marked increase in adoption rates.

Of course this all relies on Big N not having a butt fuck stupid marketing department.

 

[Roxas1359]

" or "1080p gaming? Nintendoes that."

Slight correction, if Nintendo were to advertise that then they'd be slapped with false advertising. The Wii U can't do 1080p native, or FullHD. It can upscale to 1080p, just like how the Xbox 360 and PS3 could, but it can't naturally do it.

OT: Well good, Nintendo's CEOs I think are fine where they are and are good standing image figures for the company. Now who does need to be fired? Why it's Nintendo's PR and marketing team who does because they've dropped the ball so hard it has fallen down 2 stories.

 

[Rellik San]

" or "1080p gaming? Nintendoes that."

Slight correction, if Nintendo were to advertise that then they'd be slapped with false advertising. The Wii U can't do 1080p native, or FullHD. It can upscale to 1080p, just like how the Xbox 360 and PS3 could, but it can't naturally do it.

Ah I wasn't aware of that, but regardless, I stand by my point, they need next year when all those games come out to launch a seriously aggressive marketing campaign.

 

[Toadfish1]

So with the lack of any new blood and new ideas, Nintendo will continue to steer their company right into that iceberg.

 

[Toadfish1]

" or "1080p gaming? Nintendoes that."

Slight correction, if Nintendo were to advertise that then they'd be slapped with false advertising. The Wii U can't do 1080p native, or FullHD. It can upscale to 1080p, just like how the Xbox 360 and PS3 could, but it can't naturally do it.

Ah I wasn't aware of that, but regardless, I stand by my point, they need next year when all those games come out to launch a seriously aggressive marketing campaign.

So their only chance is to wade into a battlefield they are hilariously outclassed in? Yes, the sort of games that the WiiU is making allow them to hit 1080p 60FPS easily, much like the Ps3 was able to hit that back in 2008 with Wipeout HD. But the specs render them woefully outdated compared to the PS4 and Xbone, and if they try to claim they are capable of better visuals they'll be laughed out of the market.

As for trying to push their "hardcore" games, I doubt a single non die-hard is going to be fooled that Dynasty Warriors Zelda is anything other than Dynasty Warriors with skins slapped on, and thus about as worth playing as any Dynasty Warriors Extreme Alpha Legends Whatever, Bayonetta will continue to be played by a small group of people who need to see a therapist, and Splatoon will be treated with the respect a tech demo for a downloadable game like that deserves.

 

[Keiichi Morisato]

This will displease Michael Pachter.
I'm ambivalent.
I'm sure he's a nice guy, but a new CEO might actually be willing to pull the plug on the WiiU and let Nintendo focus solely on the 3DS.

So you honestly believe that pulling the plug on the WiiU and giving a huge fuck you to the ~8-9 million of your most faithful consumer is a good idea? You know what that would mean to Nintendo? People buy a Nintendo product because they know they will get Nintendo games on it. Pulling the plug of a console that is barely 2 years in would be suicide. People would lose faith in Nintendo and not buy future products because who guarantees them that he next product won't have the same thing happen to it if it's not successful, which in turn will make that product less successful. People will wait rather than buy to not live trough the same faith as the poor fans that got the WiiU.

that is the situation I am in with the Vita. last E3 Sony pretty much gave the middle finger to everyone who previously purchased a Vita expecting lots of first party support. at E3 not a single first party Vita game was announced, and only a passing mention of Tales of Hearts R (thanks to GameStop for localizing/publishing the game when BandaiNamco wouldn't). honestly... I don't know if I will buy the next Sony handheld out of fear.

 

[KazeAizen]

" or "1080p gaming? Nintendoes that."

Slight correction, if Nintendo were to advertise that then they'd be slapped with false advertising. The Wii U can't do 1080p native, or FullHD. It can upscale to 1080p, just like how the Xbox 360 and PS3 could, but it can't naturally do it.

Ah I wasn't aware of that, but regardless, I stand by my point, they need next year when all those games come out to launch a seriously aggressive marketing campaign.

So their only chance is to wade into a battlefield they are hilariously outclassed in? Yes, the sort of games that the WiiU is making allow them to hit 1080p 60FPS easily, much like the Ps3 was able to hit that back in 2008 with Wipeout HD. But the specs render them woefully outdated compared to the PS4 and Xbone, and if they try to claim they are capable of better visuals they'll be laughed out of the market.

As for trying to push their "hardcore" games, I doubt a single non die-hard is going to be fooled that Dynasty Warriors Zelda is anything other than Dynasty Warriors with skins slapped on, and thus about as worth playing as any Dynasty Warriors Extreme Alpha Legends Whatever, Bayonetta will continue to be played by a small group of people who need to see a therapist, and Splatoon will be treated with the respect a tech demo for a downloadable game like that deserves.

There is so much cynicism here I can't even begin to process it.

 

[Toadfish1]

" or "1080p gaming? Nintendoes that."

Slight correction, if Nintendo were to advertise that then they'd be slapped with false advertising. The Wii U can't do 1080p native, or FullHD. It can upscale to 1080p, just like how the Xbox 360 and PS3 could, but it can't naturally do it.

Ah I wasn't aware of that, but regardless, I stand by my point, they need next year when all those games come out to launch a seriously aggressive marketing campaign.

So their only chance is to wade into a battlefield they are hilariously outclassed in? Yes, the sort of games that the WiiU is making allow them to hit 1080p 60FPS easily, much like the Ps3 was able to hit that back in 2008 with Wipeout HD. But the specs render them woefully outdated compared to the PS4 and Xbone, and if they try to claim they are capable of better visuals they'll be laughed out of the market.

As for trying to push their "hardcore" games, I doubt a single non die-hard is going to be fooled that Dynasty Warriors Zelda is anything other than Dynasty Warriors with skins slapped on, and thus about as worth playing as any Dynasty Warriors Extreme Alpha Legends Whatever, Bayonetta will continue to be played by a small group of people who need to see a therapist, and Splatoon will be treated with the respect a tech demo for a downloadable game like that deserves.

There is so much cynicism here I can't even begin to process it.

I wasn't aware optimism could make 1 GB of RAM equal to 8 GB's of RAM.