Iwata: 'We don't care if we beat Sony or Microsoft'

May 18th, 2006, 20:49 Posted By: wraggster

Via CVG

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has been sharing a few thoughts in an extensive interview with The Street.com, captured at E3, and touching on some of the significant issues arising from the show.

Deflecting initial questions on the Wii's price point like a Jedi master, Iwata told The Street, "Sorry, but give us more time before making the announcement. Of course, it's going to be an affordable price point." However, the Nintendo president was clearly in a jovial mood and couldn't resist a quick dart at the PS3's weightier price, adding, "If we put the PS3 as the standard price point, any price point is going to be affordable."

Here on CVG, we're currently expecting the Wii to rumble in at around 150-200 of our great British poundies during launch, but we quite like that Iwata gag, particularly with many industry watchers now seeing it as a gamers 'second console' to accompany their 360 or PS3.

Moving on to address concerns that the big N might neglect hardcore gamers in its overall attempt to broaden the market, Iwata said, "If we had not shown the Legend of Zelda or if we had not shown the Red Steel during the [E3] briefing ...then I'm afraid that people might have misunderstood Nintendo's [motives]. If all they had seen was Wii Sports or something like that, people [might] say, 'Oh, Nintendo has already lost interest toward the games for the serious gamer.'

"The fact of the matter is it's not the case. By taking advantage of the unique controller and very unique play style of Wii, we will not only invite the newcomers but also excite the existing gamers. Now that's the kind of message we really wanted to deliver."

As to who would win or lose the next-gen console war, it appears Nintendo is to rise above such things, with Iwata concluding, "So, what we are focusing upon is not only the current gamers, but also those who are not playing with video games at all. That is our goal, so that's why we are not caring so much about our competition with Sony or with Microsoft. We do not care if we can [beat] Sony or if we can [beat] Microsoft or if we can win in the current market-share battle in the same arena at all. That's not our focus. Our focus is whether or not we can increase the game population."

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