Please understand
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata made it clear in aletter to shareholders and investorsthat Nintendo isn’t leaving the hardware game. “We believe that we can capitalize the most on our strengths through a hardware-software integrated platform business,” Iwata said, “and therefore this type of dedicated video game platforms will remain our core focus.”
Aswe’ve reported, though, Nintendo doesn’t plan to carry on with business as usual in light of a struggling Wii U. After droppingraison d’etreof entertainment, Iwata explained the company’s new business plans. The new strategy “Nintendo will try to achieve in the next 10 years is a platform business that improves people’s QOL [quality of life] in enjoyable ways.”
Basically, Nintendo is doing what the Nintendo that started as a trading card company did: capitalize on changing technology and different ventures. But can it still do that? Is going full bore into the “health” game a smart move, or do current-console-tied half measure make more sense?
“[W]e will attempt to establish a new business area apart from our dedicated video game business. We have set ‘health’ as the theme for our first step and we will try to use our strength as an entertainment company to create unique approaches that expand this business.”
Message from the President
