Nintendo Snatches Up Former Disney Exec

[Fanghawk]

Nintendo Snatches Up Former Disney Exec

The new VP for "Network Business" will oversee Nintendo's upcoming digital initiatives.

Nintendo is finally getting into the digital marketplace in a big way. With promises of <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/118185-Nintendo-Hopes-Wii-Us-Online-Service-Will-Boost-Sales>free access to the Nintendo Network and rumors of <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/117995-Nintendo-Offering-Insane-Incentives-to-Digital-Publishers>incentives for digital publishers, Nintendo clearly wants to leave its own mark on the digital landscape. Despite these efforts, the initiative remains a risky move with no guarantees, especially considering that this would mark the first time Nintendo has stepped outside its traditional retail model. To assist these efforts, Nintendo announced the creation of a new "senior vice president of Network Business" position and hired former Disney Interactive VP Duncan Orrell-Jones to fill it.

"Effective July 1," Nintendo stated, "Duncan Orrell-Jones will take on the newly created position and spearhead the development and evolution of Nintendo of America's digital strategy for the company's Nintendo 3DS and Wii U video game systems. Orrell-Jones will work at Nintendo's headquarters in Redmond, Wash., and report to Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime."

Orrell-Jones has been a senior VP with Disney Interactive Media Group for an impressive 19 years, where "he was responsible for identifying opportunities to expand Disney's games business outside North America across a variety of platforms." Before that, he served as general manager for the organization's Tokyo office, where he led a 140-person team on supporting various digital properties on multiple platforms.

Orrell-Jones's background makes him a perfect choice for Nintendo as it enters unfamiliar digital territory. Nintendo is clearly taking big steps in catching up to Microsoft and Sony, but we'll have to wait until the release of the Wii U to see how it all plays out.

Sources: Joystiq, <a href=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-06-28-nintendo-of-america-enhances-digital-focus-with-new-hire>Games Industry International

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[Epona]

Orrell-Jones's background makes him a perfect choice for Nintendo as it enters unfamiliar digital territory.

I thought Disney Interactive was against putting their games up via DD. How can a man who worked for Disney Interactive know much about creating a DD store? Not like he got experience in this area from Disney.

On the positive side, he can't do much worse than what NOA is doing now. Maybe now we'll get more VC games too, both on the WiiU and on the 3DS. Then again, he may have nothing to do with the VC.

 

[VoidWanderer]

Who else has been struck by the thought that with the current competitive market we will never see a true unity/Trinity?

We have a Hardware Company (Sony), a Software Company (Microsoft), and a Games Company (Nintendo)...

And the Game Company that is wanting to be preferred by the Hard Core demographic is teaming with a family-friendly company?

Can someone get me a map? Someone has lost the plot and I'll be damned if I follow them!

 

[FantomOmega]

Who else has been struck by the thought that with the current competitive market we will never see a true unity/Trinity?

We have a Hardware Company (Sony), a Software Company (Microsoft), and a Games Company (Nintendo)...

And the Game Company that is wanting to be preferred by the Hard Core demographic is teaming with a family-friendly company?

Can someone get me a map? Someone has lost the plot and I'll be damned if I follow them!

Even with a GPS I'm still lost at this move, even if this guy had actual experience in the field why did they hire a "specialist" so LATE to the Wii U launch? how will that give them the time to implement let alone TEST whatever Nintendo got planned for the Wii U?!

Lately all the gaming news I saw within a SINGLE week was mostly about Nintendo, let me list the ones that shows how "confident" Nintendo is with this plan of theirs

1. Nintendo want's their console to be the #1 choice of "hardcore" gamers with no actual way to convince them from leaving their PS3 or 360 that have at LEAST 30 games that was purchased over the years plus the investment on another system with actual confirmation from the competitors that within a measly TWO years the the Wii U will be obsolete

2. Nintendo Reggie Stated in a interview with Kotaku that (hardcore) gamers always demand more from their games and was surprised by this! Like he was whining because they have to put some ACTUAL effort in getting the hardcore market since it was not as easy as luring casual people to the Wii and still have that mindset

3. The latest news now show Reggie saying "One of the things that, on one hand, I love and, on the other hand, that troubles me tremendously about not only our fanbase but about the gaming community at large is that, whenever you share information, the perspective is, 'Thank you, but I want more.' 'Thank you, but give me more.' I mean, it is insatiable. For years this community has been asking, 'Where's Pikmin?' 'Where's Pikmin?' 'Where's Pikmin?' We give them Pikmin. And then they say, 'What else?'" that's practically asking gamers to WANT their games AND not expect any new/great changes for their software and be content with that, even Nintendo fans are disappointed, your current "lineup" didn't impress anyone

So right now I don's see how they will release ALL the multiplatform games that have been released on the PS3 and 360 to make it matter and keeping the foulmouthed highly competitive gamers from mixing in with their casual (network) crowd and scaring them away

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Who else has been struck by the thought that with the current competitive market we will never see a true unity/Trinity?

We have a Hardware Company (Sony), a Software Company (Microsoft), and a Games Company (Nintendo)...

And the Game Company that is wanting to be preferred by the Hard Core demographic is teaming with a family-friendly company?

Can someone get me a map? Someone has lost the plot and I'll be damned if I follow them!

My bet is that they didn't think it was going to be a problem. They assumed the WiiU would just print money no matter what they did.

Then the 3DS almost bombed, forcing them to understand that they can't simply throw together a console and print money. They are going to have to get experience they simply don't have.