Even bigger headaches for Nintendo: stockholders demanding the shift to iPhones & iPads

Matt Hawkins Contributing Writer, Video Games

Remember how I mentioned how it’s silly for Nintendo to be worried about Apple, that they’re not the big single threat that everyone makes them out to be, but tell that to those who don’t understand the finder aspects of the video game biz? Too bad many of them own stock.

apple2 Even bigger headaches for Nintendo: stockholders demanding the shift to iPhones & iPads

As everyone loves to point out, less and less folks are buying and playing Nintendo’s offerings, and spending more and more time and cash on stuff offered at Apple’s App Store. Which may or may not have something to do with the 3DS not doing so hot, and the aforementioned slashing of the price of the system. But that’s not good enough, and its stockholders in Japan are demanding that Nintendo change it’s strategy.

The president of Nintendo has said time and time again that they will only be making games for their own platform, a stance that won’t be changing so long as he’s alive. Meanwhile, one noted Japanese financial advisor stated: “Smartphones are the new battlefield for the gaming industry… Nintendo should try to either buy its way into this platform or develop something totally new.”

Everyone thinks Nintendo’s prez, Satoru Iwata, is making excuses as to why demand for the system is low, which has thusly affected the stock negatively: lack of hit titles. And that’s no lie; software is what sells… in a traditional game market. And the iPhone and iPad is not part of that category, it’s a totally different audience from what Nintendo generally caters to.

But on that end, Nintendo is faltering. They’ve been able to get by as is on a fairly level playing field, that they’ve been able to dominate, mostly via charging tons of money to developers for the right to make games for them. Why do you think they stuck with cartridges for so long? Because they made a ton of their cash as the ones to actually produce them.

But the world has changed, competition is stiffer… and I’m not just talking about Apple… Sony and especially Microsoft is kicking its ass. And they way they want to make money is no longer viable; reports are coming out every single day practically, stating that the real money is in digital downloads. Not talking about the App Store, but stuff like Steam and the like. And anyone that’s familiar with Nintendo’s Virtual Consoles and Wii/DSiWare channels know already how much Nintendo cares about those ends.

As a result, you have a lack of games in general due to no one wanting to make games for Nintendo’s platforms. And that’s Nintendo doesn’t do a damn thing to help the little guy out; they’re far too greedy, making sure they get every penny for themselves possible. Instead of embracing change, they’re acting even more old fashioned than ever.

Meanwhile, the iPhone and iPad audience are different folks, who would ultimately give a rat’s ass about Nintendo’s offerings to a truly significant degree. But that’s where all the money is right now, so it’s hardly a shocker to hear money hats (who btw, are not the geniuses they are made out to be in such reports) say that jumping ship is the right course of action.

Will Nintendo ever change their ways? Not bloody like, but never say never. They just need to make damn sure those upcoming Mario and Zelda games are well worth the cost of entry.

Mario Pressured to Jump to IPhone as Nintendo Wii, 3DS Slump [Bloomberg]

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