Every generation, Satoru Iwata tells investors, gamers, and retailers that they will avoid major software droughts because these can kill a platform’s momentum after launch. Satoru Iwata never learns from anything. He always says he has learned from past mistakes, but his actions never show it.
Instead, every single generation, all we get from him is a whole bunch of “Please understand” and “I apologize for the inconvenience”.
Here’s some examples.
Iwata says Wii will avoid major droughts that plagued GameCube. (March 2007)
“When we launched GameCube, the initial sales were good, and all the hardware we manufactured at that time were sold through. However, after this period, we could not provide the market with strong software titles in a timely fashion. As a result we could not leverage the initial launch time momentum, and sales of GameCube slowed down.
To avoid repeating this with Wii, we have been intensifying the software development, both internally at Nintendo and at developers outside the company, in order to prepare aggressive software lineup for Wii at and after the launch.” says Iwata. He then says, ”We believe it is important to provide the market with strong software without a long interval in order to keep the launch time momentum."
Source:
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/060607qa/02.html
Iwata promises that 3DS will avoid major droughts that plagued Wii and DS.
“It’s important that you be able to supply software with no pause,” said Iwata.
“With the DS and Wii, following the titles that were released at launch, the momentum dropped when there was a gap in software releases. We’re making plans so that this type of thing won’t happen.”
Source:
http://www.vg247.com/2011/01/10/iwata-promises-to-avoid-wii-style-gap-in-software-with-3ds/
Iwata promises that Wii U will avoid major droughts that plagued 3DS and Wii.
“As we learned a bitter lesson with the launch of the Nintendo 3DS, we are trying to take every possible measure so that the Wii U will have a successful launch.”
“The company was unable to launch much-anticipated first-party titles for the Wii nor for the Nintendo 3DS in a timely fashion in the first half of the term. In the game platform business, creating momentum is very important, but the momentum was once lost, and it has had a large negative effect on our sales and profits.”
Source:
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/324133/wii-u-will-learn-from-3ds-bitter-lesson-iwata-vows/
Iwata apologizes for Wii U drought in January and February.
“I apologize to those supporting Wii U about the lack of titles in January and February.”
