In an interview with Nikkei, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa stated that the company might not continue to focus on home console design so that they remain flexible and keep up with the changes in the entertainment business.
He stated the following:
We aren’t really fixated on our consoles. At the moment we’re offering the uniquely developed Nintendo Switch and its software – and that’s what we’re basing how we deliver the ‘Nintendo experience’ on. That being said, technology changes. We’ll continue to think flexibly about how to deliver that experience as time goes on.
Furukawa added that they have been developing consoles for the past 30 years and that their history is far more longer than that. Even though they faced many struggles, he explained that the company has always thought about their next creation:
In the long-term, perhaps our focus as a business could shift away from home consoles – flexibility is just as important as ingenuity.
Nintendo’s Thinking of More Mobile Games and “dabbling in theme parks and movies”
He was asked if Nintendo will adapt to the fluctuations in industry and how they will address it.
Furukawa’s answer wasn’t unexpected. He stated that he would like to secure “a continuous stream of revenue” by increasing the smartphone game development at Nintendo and that they are also “dabbling in theme parks and movies – different ways to have our characters be a part of everyday life. I’m anticipating a strong synergy like that.”
As for the possibility of failure, the president added that developers shouldn’t think about it:
My most important role is to facilitate an environment in which they can demonstrate their own abilities. I’m not a pro developer myself, so I leave the actual development to leaders that can tell what a good game is and what isn’t.
Nintendo’s best-selling video game system in the US is The Nintendo Switch, which has sold more than 8.7 million units from the launch in March 2017 to the end of November 2018.
Robert J. Smith is still early into his career as tech reporter but has already had his work published in many major publications including JoyStiq and Android Authority. In regards to academics, Robert earned a degree in business from Fordham University. Robert has passion for emerging technology and covers upcoming products and breakthroughs in science and tech.
