NINTENDO’S NEXT GEN LOOMS
Gaming icon’s boss rules out nothing
Nintendo Co.’s new gaming console Switch is part of a bigger plan that will include more accessories, a deeper lineup of software and possible tie-ins with other technologies.
In his first interview since unveiling the new flagship product, president Tatsumi Kimishima said details about add-ons will be available in the new year. Kyoto-based Nintendo said earlier on Thursday that it will announce pricing and a specific launch date for Switch on Jan. 13, followed by an event where the public can try it out.
“By no means was that everything,” Kimishima said, referring to a video that introduced the product’s name and showed Switch being used as both a console and portable device featuring modular controllers and accessories.
Nintendo’s stock declined after the three-minute clip was released, which Kimishima said was unexpected.
Getting Nintendo back on track is a top priority for Kimishima, who became president a year ago after the death of his predecessor, Satoru Iwata. Quarterly results released this week underscore how Nintendo’s core business is getting weaker due to a stronger yen that reduced the income earned abroad, as well as sharp declines in hardware and software sales. Even the success of Pokemon Go wasn’t enough to make up for sluggish sales, which have declined every fiscal year since 2009.
Kimishima suggested the Switch is part of a bigger ecosystem.
“It may be appropriate to call them accessories. Or it might be better to call them add-on hardware. It’s probably more correct to call them accessories. You can assume that there will be a wider array.”
The new device features a tablet-like display unit that can dock at home and connect with a TV, or be taken out and about with two detachable controllers. Nintendo is betting the hybrid approach will help the Switch become a hit like the Wii, its most-successful console ever thanks to its motion-tracking controllers.
As for Switch’s software, he said Nintendo made a deliberate decision not to disclose specific titles.
A dearth of software releases for the Wii U has been cited as one of the reasons the console was never able to match the earlier Wii in sales.
Nintendo envisions many different scenarios where Switch can be used, such as a family, one person alone — or even by someone who doesn’t have a TV, Kimishima said.
Asked whether Switch would work with hardware from other companies, Kimishima ruled out the possibility for now, but said “we are interested in VR,” referring to virtual-reality technology.
“VR offers new ways of playing, but that depends on what kind of software can be played,” he said. “If you ask us whether there are any possibilities, we can’t say no. It may be that we will build VR software titles, I think that opportunity is available to us.”