[Nieuws] Geschreven door Zapp-x op 2004-07-02 07:24:31

Iwata Spreekt !

Iwata laat de laatste tijd erg veel van zich horen, en zo ook nu weer. Iwata hield een interview met Japan Economic Foundation, en daarin deed hij een paar merkwaardige uitspraken, onder andere over co-developed games en over Sony. [*]Iwata said he thought the number of gamers would decrease if the industry continues on its current course [*]Nintendo had a "hard time" in the first half of fiscal 2003, but sales improved during the holiday shopping season [*]Sony's PS2/DVD-recorder hybrid "PSX" is according to Iwata "not a game machine but a home electronic appliance." [*]"We are facing a critical situation, in which the number of game players will decrease unless we change tack," Iwata said and added, "We will release software targeted at customers in different age groups. I think the charm of Donkey Konga partly lies in the fact that even a three-year-old child can play it." [*]"Game software should neither be exclusively targeted at children nor adults. Instead, we will develop software which anyone can instantly understand. At the same time, production of software readily acceptable to adults is worth studying," Iwata said. [*]Iwata said that Sony's online golf game did not sell as well as the offline version, which was "proof that customers do not want online games." He added: "At the moment, most customers do not wish to pay the extra money for connection to the Internet, and for some customers, connection procedures to the Internet are still not easy." [*]Iwata implied that some game development costs are skyrocketing to the point where it does not seem profitable [*]Nintendo's president said that more co-developed games with third-party studios are underway. "We intend to expand tie-ups not only with Japanese companies but also with foreign companies. We are now holding negotiations with major Western game developers and will be able to conclude a deal by the end of the year if things go smoothly." [*]He spoke briefly on Nintendo's small stake in Bandai. "A closer relationship would be beneficial for both sides and it will be nice if the two companies can work together in doing something interesting." Bron IGN