UK retailer price cuts: Wii U Premium for £180, Xbox One £410

January 22nd, 2014, 00:01 Posted By: wraggster

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New Super NES cartridge Nightmare Busters now shipping worldwide

January 21st, 2014, 23:51 Posted By: wraggster

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Rhythm fighter Kickbeat listed for Wii U by German ratings board

January 21st, 2014, 00:27 Posted By: wraggster

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Iwata clarifies: Nintendo is not done with consoles

January 20th, 2014, 21:31 Posted By: wraggster

Last week, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata mentioned that the company was rethinking its business strategy following poor sales of the Wii U console. Speculation that Nintendo would cease building consoles immediately followed, but Iwata assures fans and investors that this is not the case.

"The spread of smart devices does not spell the end of game consoles. It's not that simple," Iwata stated. "It doesn't mean that we should put Mario on smartphones." Instead, Iwata sees the new ubiquity of mobile devices as a platform that Nintendo could and should tap to promote its console releases. Here he cites GungHo Online Entertainment's Puzzle And Dragons as an example, pointing out that the 3DS incarnation of the game sold more than a million copies in its first month of existence, despite Puzzle And Dragons being available as a free-to-play offering on all manner of mobile devices.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Iwata remains convinced that good games can sell consoles, regardless of how technologically impressive they might be - though modern customers need more convincing than earlier generations. To that end, Nintendo is reportedly pouring money into research and development, and "Mr. Iwata promises to surprise game players in the future."

http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/20/iw...with-consoles/

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EU eShop update: Unepic, Super Mario Bros The Lost Levels

January 20th, 2014, 18:28 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo has detailed this week's European Nintendo eShop update.
The main highlights are Unepic on Wii U and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels on Wii U Virtual Console.

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Smash Bros. 3DS screenshot hints at a single-player mode

January 20th, 2014, 18:27 Posted By: wraggster

Masahiro Sakurai has posted a new screenshot from the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros. on the Nintendo Miiverse.
The image, which shows Mario standing in an unfamiliar green environment with futuristic platforms, looks to be from some sort of single-player adventure mode.
However, a comment from series creator Masahiro Sakurai posted alongside the screenshot specifically states it is not from Subspace Emissary, a side-scrolling beat-em-up mode last seen in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
"Pic of the day. Where am I......?? To be clear, the new Super Smash Bros. games does not feature a story mode like The Subspace Emissary," he said.
Although Kid Icarus: Uprising studio Project Sora and series lead Masahiro Sakurai are heading up the project, Namco Bandai is handling development duties on the upcoming Wii U and 3DS Smash Bros. games.
Namco Bandai's team includes producer Masaya Kobayashi (Ridge Racer) and director Yoshito Higuchi (SoulCalibur).
"All the top creators from Namco Bandai are gathered here to create a never-before-seen dream team for this project," Kobayashi said when the partnership was announced in June 2012.
"We will fully utilise our experience and knowledge in action/fighting game development, technical capability, and organisation strength, and we hereby promise you that we will developer the best and most powerful Super Smash Bros. titles ever!"
Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS have not yet been given release dates, though they are expected to launch in 2014.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...e-player-mode/

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Rune Factory 4 cancelled in Europe

January 20th, 2014, 18:25 Posted By: wraggster

Marvelous AQL has announced that 3DS title Rune Factory 4will not be released in Europe.
The news was confirmed in an official statement from the publisher, in which it said: "We regret to inform you that the European release of Rune Factory 4 for Nintendo 3DS has been cancelled.
"While Marvelous AQL has made every effort to secure the title's release for this territory, it is, unfortunately, not possible to do so at this time. MAQL and MAQL Europe would like to thank everyone for their support and enthusiasm for their European releases. Please look forward to announcements on new MAQL titles over the coming months."
Rune Factory 4 was first released in Japan in July 2012. A localised English version was released in North America in October 2013.
Rune Factory studio Neverland announced in November 2013 that it would file for bankruptcy and cease operations, citing "changes in the business environment".
In its last Rune Factory 4 preview, NGamer praised the title's "fresh ideas" and talked up the "fine art looking particularly resplendent in 3DS sharp-o-vision".

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...led-in-europe/

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This piracy-enabling 3DS flashcard tried to prevent itself from being pirated

January 20th, 2014, 18:08 Posted By: wraggster

3DS flash card manufacturer Gateway has been accused of allowing users' 3DS consoles to become irretrievably bricked by a secret "kill switch" it introduced in a recent update.Report indicate that the doomsday trigger will activate if users attempt to modify a file within Gateway's illicit game launcher - something many recently attempted after a method to circumvent the 3DS' region-locking was discovered.Once activated, the code will corrupt the 3DS' NAND flash memory beyond repair - leaving some who have used the device with no choice but to send their handhelds to Nintendo for repair.Gateway cards - and other brands - are easy enough to find online.

Users notice that Gateway had introduced the new code via a recent software update, although the company has yet to publicly acknowledge the addition. GBATemp forum users report that its purpose is, ironically, to protect the piracy-enabling code from being pirated itself.Gateway has previously bemoaned the launch of copycat devices which use modified versions of its earlier code, but repackaged and sold as separate products.The company advertises its flash cards as a way to "play backup 3DS ROMs" via its launcher firmware. The sale of such devices is outlawed in many countries, including the UK, although they are still easy enough to find and buy online. Once loaded with game ROMs, the device itself allows for users to play pirated games with little trouble."We are investigating the issue about the recent blue screen bootrom error some users have reported, and we have discovered this is caused by memory corruption due to flawed copying or modifications of our official launcher firmware," Gateway wrote on its official site."We specifically warn users to avoid clone launcher firmware [companies which sell modified, older versions of Gateway's code] and avoid the region-free patches made by Normmatt [the user behind the recent region-free discovery]."

"We can reassure our users that our official (unmodified) launcher firmware is free from such memory corruption and is 100 per cent safe to use."
Gateway

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3DS RPG Rune Factory 4's European release cancelled

January 20th, 2014, 18:06 Posted By: wraggster

The European release of Nintendo 3DS role-playing game Rune Factory 4 has been cancelled, MarvelousAQL has announced.MarvelousAQL Europe issued the following statement to Eurogamer:"We regret to inform you that the European release of Rune Factory 4 for Nintendo 3DS has been cancelled."While MarvelousAQL has made every effort to secure the title's release for this territory, it is, unfortunately, not possible to do so at this time."MAQL and MAQL Europe would like to thank everyone for their support and enthusiasm for their European releases. Please look forward to announcements on new MAQL titles over the coming months."While MarvelousAQL declined to explain the decision, it may have something to do with last year's closure of Rune Factory developer Neverland after it declared itself bankrupt.Rune Factory began life as a spin-off of farming sim Harvest Moon, albeit one where you could wield a sword and battle monsters.Four numbered titles have been released to date for DS and 3DS. Rune Factory 4, already released in Japan and North America, was due to arrive in Europe in spring 2014.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...ease-cancelled

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Nintendo's Next Move: Consolidation

January 20th, 2014, 01:02 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo's Wii U has been struggling while the 3DS has performed admirably - how can Nintendo build on its strengths?
[h=3]Nintendo[/h]nintendo-europe.com


A lot of virtual ink has been spilled about Nintendo in the last couple years, as the original Wii faded into the annals of history and the Wii U struggled to gain any real traction in its first year. Meanwhile, Nintendo's 3DS (and 2DS) continues to defy conventional wisdom and is selling quite well in an era that screams "smartphones have killed the dedicated handheld." It's amazing what the right price and some amazing software can do.
But the fact of the matter is that Nintendo is failing to keep up with the pace of technology - I'm not only talking about graphical horsepower here - and the company is going to have to think long and hard about its next big move in the games business following 3DS and Wii U. I'm not suggesting, as so many others have ad nauseum, that Nintendo take the Sega route and abandon the hardware business, nor am I pushing them to develop for smartphones and tablets.
But after the Wii U lives out the rest of its GameCube-like days and the 3DS nears the end of its successful lifespan, what's Nintendo to do? Launch yet another console, perhaps this time bringing the processing power up to speed with the competition? No, that would be foolish, and it's clearly not the Nintendo way.
To me, the answer is clear. It's time for some consolidation. Scrap the idea of a traditional console. Engineer a new portable console hybrid that gives players the best of both worlds.
Being in the hardware business is difficult enough these days. New consoles require enormous amounts of R&D, manufacturing and marketing. Rather than push out another Wii (or some new console brand) why not consolidate hardware lines and focus on one, singular product? Leverage the business that has been so kind to you since the days of the first Game Boy and focus on your ultimate strength.
"It's time for Nintendo to really sit down and think about its future. Every successful company must endure transformations"

The difference is that the next portable should be far more versatile. Platform differences in today's market are already blurring. Consoles, microconsoles, PCs, Steam Machines, Smart TVs... it's all blending. What matters most is the games, and Nintendo's first-party efforts have always shined. The key here is to engineer a portable that also effectively functions as a home console when you want that big screen experience. Merge that portable with a compelling, feature-rich network like Xbox Live or Steam, and suddenly Nintendo is dominating living rooms again.
It's clear that add-on controllers for tablets and phones will never catch on to the point that mobile could ever truly work as the centerpiece of the living room. But a dedicated handheld, designed by video game engineers with traditional controls, that can play AAA games when connected to the TV while also offering the typical Nintendo portable experience - how could a gamer pass that up?
What I think needs to happen next is Nintendo must use its more than ample cash on hand to build up a real network, to dive headfirst into the online world and create its own ecosystem (a la Steam) that indies, third parties and of course Nintendo games can thrive in. The world is increasingly digital, the potential of PlayStation Now is evident, and even if the cloud doesn't take off right away, day one digital downloads are commonplace on both new consoles.
To its credit, Nintendo has moved more in the direction of digital releases on both 3DS and Wii U with its eShop and a number of indies have been supportive as well, but Nintendo can and should do a better job in building up its network.
A network-centric all-in-one portable is something Nintendo could easily do. The technology is there, and if the obstacles holding back cloud gaming can be overcome, Nintendo could future-proof this new hybrid console as well.
What the company must do now, however, is get aggressive. Poach the competition. Hire top engineers from Microsoft, Sony, Apple and Google. Build out a best in breed network. Stop being so insular and focus on the needs of markets besides Japan. And for Mario's sake, cater to third-party developers for a change. Sony's developer-centric approach with PS4 is winning people over. And the decision that both Sony and Microsoft made to use a familiar PC-like architecture is easing the transition for developers. Nintendo must learn from this and bring outside development back to its side. Assisting more developers with funding in exchange for timed exclusivity might help this cause.
"It's meaningless for third parties to take risks by developing games for the Wii U," Tokai Tokyo Securities analyst Yusuke Tsunoda told Bloomberg back in December. If Nintendo intends to stay relevant, the company must do everything in its power to avoid associating sentiments like this with its future platforms.
Shigeru Miyamoto is getting closer to retirement everyday. Satoru Iwata's tenure as CEO is already on somewhat shaky ground. It's time for Nintendo to really sit down and think about its future. Every successful company must endure transformations. Nintendo's already undergone a few since its playing card days well over 100 years ago. With a streamlined approach to hardware, a robust network, and a developer-first mindset, Nintendo can successfully navigate the 21st century and hopefully outlive me.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-consolidation

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Nintendo should "get out of the Wii U business" - Pachter

January 20th, 2014, 00:55 Posted By: wraggster

The Wedbush analyst sees Nintendo ditching the Wii U and pulling a Sega, but only for a limited time before it launches new hardware
[h=3]Nintendo[/h]nintendo-europe.com


When a company is in trouble, everyone in the industry seemingly comes out of the woodwork to offer up advice. Unsurprisingly, following the bad fiscal report from Nintendo today and the word from CEO Satoru Iwata that the company is examining a new business structure, Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter has chimed in, commenting in his latest note to investors that it's time for Nintendo to abandon the Wii U.
"It is clear to us that the old Nintendo model of proprietary hardware supported by compelling proprietary software is broken," he said. "Nintendo's proprietary software continues to be first rate, but its console hardware is not competitive; the Wii U is under-powered relative to next generation offerings from Sony and Microsoft, and is not competitively priced (priced similar to current generation offerings from the competition). We don't think Nintendo should exit the console hardware business, but think it should consider getting out of the Wii U business, and consider going back to the drawing board on consoles. Nintendo has a console in the marketplace that isn't working, and if it continues to tilt at windmills, its software sales will suffer."
So what's the solution for Nintendo? In Pachter's opinion, the company must swallow its pride and start publishing its first-rate software on competing platforms. Then, once Nintendo is ready to bring a more competitive console to the market, it can withdraw its support from the other systems and focus on its own platform again.
"Under its current business model, if Nintendo discontinued the Wii U, it would sell no console software. We believe that it should reconsider its 'all proprietary, all the time' model, and should consider making its proprietary console software available on other platforms until it is able to release a new console. Once Nintendo has a new console on the market, we think it would make sense for the company to pull all of its software from the PS4 and Xbox One, and go back to being a proprietary software maker. In the meantime, we believe that the company has a problem that it is not acknowledging or addressing," he stated.
Additionally, Pachter believes it's high time that Nintendo give in to the world of smartphones, but only with legacy software: "The company's handheld woes are far more complicated. The handheld business is not failing, but Nintendo handhelds have lost share to mobile and tablet games, and the company will have trouble getting that back. We believe that Nintendo would benefit immensely from embracing mobile and tablet, placing GBA games on those platforms for paid download ($4.99 - 9.99) and developing a broader audience, then releasing current games on the 3DS and exploiting its larger customer base by convincing them to buy a 3DS and a more expensive game. That's hard to pull off, but we believe that Nintendo has the IP to do so."
"We don't believe that Nintendo's troubles are indicative of anything other than that it has an uncompetitive console in the marketplace and mobile is cannibalizing dedicated handheld sales. If Nintendo management addresses these problems, we think that the company has sufficiently strong IP to reverse course and become profitable," he concluded.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...siness-pachter

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Iwata's Wii U and 3DS statement in full

January 20th, 2014, 00:39 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has released a lengthy statement clarifying the events that led up today’s damaging sales forecast reductions.
Nintendo this morning reduced its Wii U unit sales forecast for the current financial year from 9m units to just 2.8m units. It also cut its 3DS sales prediction from 18m units to 13.5m.
Here are some highlights:
“As year-end sales constitute an extremely high proportion of the annual sales volume in the video game industry and the annual financial performance of a video game company rests heavily on its performance in the year-end sales season, we put in place various promotional activities in order to promote sales and expand our audience in the year-end sales season of the previous calendar year. However, it is now expected that our sales will fail to meet our previous forecast by a large margin.”
“Nintendo 3DS continued to show strong sales in the Japanese market. The unit sales for Nintendo 3DS in the previous calendar year amounted to approximately 4.9 million units, falling short of our aim of five million units by a small margin. However, as I explained before, given that every gaming device from the year 2000 onwards apart from Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS did not reach sales of four million units even in their peak years, we can say that the sales figure for Nintendo 3DS in the last calendar year was indeed very high.”
“Outside Japan, while its market share increased as we continued to release compelling titles throughout the year, Nintendo 3DS did not reach our sales targets in the overseas markets, and we were ultimately unable to achieve our goal of providing a massive sales boost to Nintendo 3DS in the year-end sales season. In Europe, while the individual markets showed different results, France was the only market in which we experienced relatively strong sales, and we failed to attain our initial sales levels by a large margin in other countries.”
“Wii U sales showed some progress in the year-end sales season as we released various compelling titles from the summer onwards, launched hardware bundles at affordable price points and also performed a markdown of the hardware in the US and European markets; however, they fell short of our targeted recovery by a large margin. In particular, sales in the US and European markets in which we entered the year-end sales season with a hardware markdown were significantly lower than our original forecasts, with both hardware and software sales experiencing a huge gap from their targets. In addition, we did not assume at the beginning of the fiscal year that we would perform a markdown for the Wii U hardware in the US and European markets. This was also one of the reasons for lower sales and profit estimates.”
Here’s the statement in full:
We would like to explain the modifications of the full-year financial and dividend forecasts announced today.
We revised our full-year consolidated financial forecasts for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014 that we announced at the beginning of the fiscal year by estimating new net sales of 590 billion yen against the initially projected net sales of 920 billion yen, new operating loss of 35 billion yen against the initially projected operating profit of 100 billion yen, new ordinary income of five billion yen against the initially projected ordinary income of 90 billion yen, and new net loss of 25 billion yen against the initially projected net income of 55 billion yen. Foreign currency assumptions for the end of the fiscal year have been revised from 90 yen to 100 yen per U.S. dollar and from 120 yen to 140 yen per euro.
Revised consolidated unit sales projections are, as outlined in “Notice of Full-Year Financial Forecast and Dividend Forecast Modifications,” 13.5 million units of the Nintendo 3DS hardware and 66.0 million units of the Nintendo 3DS software, 1.2 million units of the Wii hardware and 26.0 million units of the Wii software, and 2.8 million units of the Wii U hardware and 19.0 million units of the Wii U software. There are no modifications to our initial projections for the Nintendo DS hardware and software.
As for the estimated annual dividend, if the actual consolidated financial results are in line with our modified financial forecasts, there will be no annual dividend per share. However, on the basis of our dividends paid in the last two years, we have set a minimum of 100 yen for the year-end and annual dividend per share for this fiscal year.
As year-end sales constitute an extremely high proportion of the annual sales volume in the video game industry and the annual financial performance of a video game company rests heavily on its performance in the year-end sales season, we put in place various promotional activities in order to promote sales and expand our audience in the year-end sales season of the previous calendar year. However, it is now expected that our sales will fail to meet our previous forecast by a large margin.
Giving a detailed explanation on our sales performance in and leading up to the year-end sales season by platform, Nintendo 3DS continued to show strong sales in the Japanese market. The unit sales for Nintendo 3DS in the previous calendar year amounted to approximately 4.9 million units, falling short of our aim of five million units by a small margin. However, as I explained before, given that every gaming device from the year 2000 onwards apart from Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS did not reach sales of four million units even in their peak years, we can say that the sales figure for Nintendo 3DS in the last calendar year was indeed very high. However, outside Japan, while its market share increased as we continued to release compelling titles throughout the year, Nintendo 3DS did not reach our sales targets in the overseas markets, and we were ultimately unable to achieve our goal of providing a massive sales boost to Nintendo 3DS in the year-end sales season. Using the U.S. market as an example, Nintendo 3DS became the top-selling platform in the last calendar year, according to NPD, an independent market research company, with its cumulative sales exceeding 11.5 million units; however, the estimated annual sales of the Nintendo 3DS hardware remain significantly lower than our initial forecast at the beginning of the fiscal year. In Europe, while the individual markets showed different results, France was the only market in which we experienced relatively strong sales, and we failed to attain our initial sales levels by a large margin in other countries.
Wii U sales, on the other hand, showed some progress in the year-end sales season as we released various compelling titles from the summer onwards, launched hardware bundles at affordable price points and also performed a markdown of the hardware in the U.S. and European markets; however, they fell short of our targeted recovery by a large margin. In particular, sales in the U.S. and European markets in which we entered the year-end sales season with a hardware markdown were significantly lower than our original forecasts, with both hardware and software sales experiencing a huge gap from their targets. In addition, we did not assume at the beginning of the fiscal year that we would perform a markdown for the Wii U hardware in the U.S. and European markets. This was also one of the reasons for lower sales and profit estimates.
We therefore modified our unit sales estimates in accordance with our performance in the year-end sales season and after the turn of the year, and the drop in software sales had the largest negative effect on our profit forecasts.
Also, yen appreciation against the U.S. dollar and euro, which on one hand affects dollar-based and euro-based sales positively, also increases costs incurred in foreign currencies when they are converted to Japanese yen. While the yen remained very strong for a sustained period of time, Nintendo made a concerted effort to pay more of its manufacturing costs in U.S. dollars in order to minimize its impact. However, as the era of the exceedingly strong yen concluded, our domestic business, which had been progressing at a relatively strong pace, has seen an increase in manufacturing costs, while our overseas business, which is yet to reach its full potential, has not fully benefited from the weaker yen yet. In terms of our profitability in the current fiscal year, therefore, we were unable to sufficiently take advantage of the weaker yen.
As for advertising expenses, and research and development expense forecasts, we made revisions to increase them by eight billion yen and 15 billion yen respectively from their forecasts made at the beginning of this fiscal year. We expect advertising expenses to increase due to the effect of the expenses incurred in foreign currencies to be converted into Japanese yen by using weaker yen rates. The estimated increase of research and development expenses is based on reflecting our ongoing enhancement of the development structure, and new research and development activities. These increases contributed to lowered estimated profit forecasts.
We expect that we will post ordinary income despite the operating loss situation. This is because we now assume that the yen will be weaker than our original assumptions at the beginning of the fiscal year, and re-evaluation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies owned by Nintendo Co., Ltd. at the end of the fiscal year as well as foreign exchange gains at the time of cash receipts and conversions of foreign funds into yen, among other factors, are expected to exceed the projected operating loss.
On the other hand, we expect to post a net loss despite expecting ordinary income mainly because we need to reverse deferred tax assets in relation to the losses carried over from the previous fiscal years mainly in the United States, as we can no longer expect our financial performance to recover in the current fiscal year.
We will provide more information on our short-term as well as mid-term prospects at the Corporate Management Policy Briefing to be held on January 30, 2014, which will take place in Tokyo a day after we announce our financial results for the third quarter.
These are all of the explanations about modifications of our full-year financial and dividend forecasts.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/iwata...n-full/0126873

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Iwata: "It's not as simple as moving Mario onto smartphones"

January 20th, 2014, 00:07 Posted By: wraggster

Becoming a third party publisher is not the easy answer to reversing Nintendo’s ongoing problems, president Satoru Iwata has argued.
Iwata vowed not to resign earlier today after Nintendo cut its sales predictions for Wii U and 3DS, leading Michael Pachter to call for the platform holder to take its IP onto rival platforms.
Now Bloomberg reports that while Iwata concedes that a restructuring of sorts is needed at the Kyoto firm, he doesn’t believe that abandoning its hardware offer is the answer.
“We are thinking about a new business structure,” Iwata stated. “Given the expansion of smart devices, we are naturally studying how smart devices can be used to grow the game-player business. It’s not as simple as enabling Mario to move on a smartphone.
“We cannot continue a business without winning. We must take a sceptical approach whether we can still simply make game players, offer them in the same way as in the past for ¥20,000 or ¥30,000, and sell titles for a couple of thousand yen each.”

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/iwata...phones/0126907

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Pachter calls for Nintendo to go third party

January 20th, 2014, 00:06 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo needs to bring its rich slate of IP to rival platforms, US analyst Michael Pachter has said.
The call to go third party comes following today’s significantsales forecast revisions from the platform holder and the insistence from president Saturo Iwata that he will not resign.
“The Wii U has clearly not resonated with consumers,” he said on Twitter. “3DS selling ‘fine’, but is down around 50 per cent from average DS levels last decade.
“Nintendo software is still great and will continue to be. However, if software remains proprietary, sales are limited when they sell fewer hardware units. The first step to recovery is to acknowledge the problem. I have not seen anything from Mr Iwata that acknowledges that there is a problem.”
Pachter has for many years now called for serious revisions to Nintendo’s business strategy.
Nintendo can still lay claim to some of gaming’s most cherished IP, with brands such as Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Pokemon (co-owned), Mario Kart, Smash Bros, Animal Crossing, Kirby, Starfox, F-Zero, Metroid, Fire Emblam, Wario Ware, Wii Sports, Brain Training, Pikmin, Nintendogs, Advance Wars and Donkey Kong to its name.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/pacht...tforms/0126884

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Iwata: Nintendo 'thinking about a new business structure' following weak console sale

January 19th, 2014, 21:47 Posted By: wraggster

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Platinum wanted Miis in Wonderful 101, could be featured in a sequel

January 19th, 2014, 21:43 Posted By: wraggster

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Pokemon HeartGold, SoulSilver soundtracks now on iTunes

January 19th, 2014, 21:31 Posted By: wraggster

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Nintendo TVii misses 2013 European debut, company apologizes

January 19th, 2014, 21:30 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo TVii, a free service which allows users to connect to internet-based video on demand services like Amazon Instant Video, Netflix and Hulu Plus, as well as cable and dish networks through the Wii U, has been delayed in Europe. Nintendo TVii was scheduled to arrive in European markets by the end of 2013, but almost three weeks into 2014, TVii is still a no-go.

Nintendo has apologized for the delay on their UK website. "We would like to apologise that we were unable to bring the Nintendo TVii service to Europe in 2013 as originally planned," a post reads. No specifics were given as to when the service might make its debut. Instead, users are asked to "please continue to keep an eye out for further announcements regarding this service in the near future."

http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/19/ni...ny-apologizes/

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Nintendo 'thinking about a new business structure'

January 18th, 2014, 00:23 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo is doing plenty of soul-searching in light of its recent abject commercial performance.
On Friday, the company slashed its annual Wii U sales forecast from 9 million to 2.8 million units - a dramatic reduction that it expects will swing its full-year results from profit to loss.
"We cannot continue a business without winning," Iwata said on Friday during a press conference attended by Bloomberg. "We must take a sceptical approach whether we can still simply make game players, offer them in the same way as in the past for 20,000 yen or 30,000 yen, and sell titles for a couple of thousand yen each.

"We are thinking about a new business structure," Iwata added. "Given the expansion of smart devices, we are naturally studying how smart devices can be used to grow the game-player business. It's not as simple as enabling Mario to move on a smartphone."
Investors and analysts have urged Nintendo to broaden its horizons and boost profits by embracing smartphones on multiple occasions over the past few years, but Iwata has always insisted that his responsibility is to plan for the long term, not simply to make a quick buck.
Iwata also said today that there are no current plans to reshuffle Nintendo's management team, and that any announcement regarding potential pay cuts will be made when the company posts its third-quarter financial results in late January.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...ess-structure/

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Smash Bros 4 3DS screenshots show all-star cast

January 18th, 2014, 00:22 Posted By: wraggster

A batch of screenshots for the 3DS version of Smash Bros. 4 has surfaced online, offering a glimpse at how the portably version is coming along.
The portable version of the game is in development alongside the Wii U version in partnership with Namco Bandai, with series creator Masahiro Sakurai in the producer's chair.

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