Now there have been rumors suggesting that Nintendo could be working on new hardware that they will announce at E3. Turns out the rumors weren’t true and that the company has no new hardware to announce at E3, but that’s only half the story. Nintendo has since announced their plans to introduce new types of video game consoles and software that will target emerging markets.
So we guess while it’s true they won’t have new hardware at E3, it doesn’t mean that they won’t have new hardware at all! Based on Nintendo’s recent financials, the company does not appear to be doing too well. Wii U and 3DS sales have missed the company’s expectations, despite those expectations having been lowered, so it looks like targeting emerging markets is Nintendo’s solution.
According to Nintendo’s president, Satoru Iwata, the new hardware and games will be targeting consumers with lower incomes and those who might not have as much gaming experience as the rest of us. Basically this means that these devices and games will most likely not be targeted at the hardcore gamer.
Unfortunately unlike Microsoft, who recently announced their plans to launch the Xbox One in China, Nintendo has no such plans themselves. According to Iwata, “It would be difficult to enter those markets if we didn’t create something new… For the mass market you need to provide something that most of the middle class can afford.” Unfortunately he declined to comment on the design or specifications of such hardware, but it seems that we can expect such devices to make their appearance as early as next year.
Will this strategy work out for Nintendo? We know that such strategies have worked out for smartphone OEMs, since almost everyone needs a phone these days to communicate, but does everyone really need a video game console?
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