Monday, March 27, 2006

Simultaneous launch in question


A simultaneous worldwide launch for the Revolution console seems to be in question, Bloomberg has learned (via the Taipei Times). They have interviewed Nintendo president Satoru Iwata after his GDC keynote speech. Here´s their story:

Iwata said that unlike Microsoft and Sony, Nintendo doesn't plan to release the Revolution globally at the same time.

"We don't think it's necessary to do the simultaneous worldwide launch simply because others are doing this," he said.

However, Iwata said the very opposite in October, speaking to Nikkei Business. The article was never published online, but numerous sites posted the story. Some even confirmed it with their own sources, as my October post Global Revolution launch after April summarizes.


There is no questioning the validity of Bloomberg and there is only a little chance of the Taipei Times getting it wrong (by translating the article back and forth, for example). At the same time, the Nikkei Business was never discredited either. So here we have Iwata contradicting Iwata.

What could be the reason for this? I believe that Nintendo will have a relative ease of production, given that the hardware components appear to be modelled closely on their predecessors and are not reinventing the wheel (which is precisely what Sony and Microsoft have opted for). So out of those three, Nintendo is in the best position to pull off a simultaneous launch in all three main territories. And if they are able to pull it off, why not do so? Iwata´s new comments could only be a smokescreen intended to fool the competition. That, I believe, is the most likely scenario. Remember Nintendo´s initial responses to the DS Lite and Rev controller features for Zelda: Twilight Princess.

Source: Bloomberg (via Taipei Times)
Thanks to: Revolution Report, GoNintendo, Gamefront (German)

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hm. Looks like Iwata playing mind games again.

Anonymous said...

What I really want to know is if region locking will be removed.

Anonymous said...

Well, he doesn't really deny a global launch, does he?
He only says that they don't have to do a global launch only because Sony an MS does it...

Anonymous said...

He's bluffing.

Falafelkid said...

Hi Vince. Unfortunately, he does:

Iwata said that unlike Microsoft and Sony, Nintendo doesn't plan to release the Revolution globally at the same time.

Anonymous said...

Hi Vince. Unfortunately, he does:

Iwata said that unlike Microsoft and Sony, Nintendo doesn't plan to release the Revolution globally at the same time.


OK, you quoted your own words. But where does his words say that?

"We don't think it's necessary to do the simultaneous worldwide launch simply because others are doing this"

Sorry, maybe I'm too dumb to see it. Or perhaps all others are? ;-)

Btw, gute Seite, besuche sie schon seit längerem regelmäßig! Nette Ablenkung vom Diplomarbeitsschreiben :-)

Anonymous said...

I agree with vince.

Jon Agirre said...

This, and that "launching in June" rumours look to me as a smokescreen for the competition too. Especially for Sony.

Remember that Sony is now re-modelling it's boomerang controller? We all knew at E3-2005 it was supposed to be finished, but hey, now they're struggling to redesign it in a... hum... revolutionary way?

Maybe Sony is waiting for the first impressions on the Revmote in JUNE before attempting give that special touch to it's boomerang controller.

Falafelkid said...

Hi Vince. I see your point now. The paper didn´t quote Iwata directly. But that was an indirect quote, which means he said pretty much exactly that. It wasn´t my own quote, as you wrote. That was a quote from the article. Thanks for your kind comments and good luck with your thesis ;)

Anonymous said...

The paper didn´t quote Iwata directly. But that was an indirect quote, which means he said pretty much exactly that.

Then I hope they have interpreted him wrong, unless they plan to launch it in Europe first!

I think it wouldn't hurt Nintendo to launch the rev earlier in USA or even Europe. Their success in Japan is inevitable anyway.

Anonymous said...

I hope the revo wil come in europe before xmas '06...
A little of topic
I really the new look yuo're using on the blog andreas, nice choice!
Luca S. (Italy)

Anonymous said...

We need a direct quote, in context. The quote that you have posted...

"We don't think it's necessary to do the simultaneous worldwide launch simply because others are doing this"

could mean that they are planning a global release, and not because M$ & $ony are planning to do the same.

They have stated time and time again that they are forging a brand new path in the industry.

Falafelkid said...

Hi Luca. Thanks.

Hi Grahf. Read the indirect quote. That makes it perfectly clear that Iwata said there will be no global launch.

Jon Agirre said...

Anyways... remember that quote from ex-NoE's Jim Merrick about considering European launch prior to american/japanese? "anything is possible"

Anonymous said...

I believe this was just him responding to a question of is he going to follow Microsofts strategy when launching.

He never says no. I believe it's slightly out of context without their question.

Also I believe it may be translated badly.

RGB said...

I honestly never thought there would be a global launch simply because Nintendo have never done it and I dont think ever will.

That can be seen as a silly assumption but I think a safe one.

Depending on when the release is, I dont think software will be ready in all territories upon launch.

Vince did take the words out of my mouth though, but yeh if its not a direct quote than who knows what exactly was said.

Anonymous said...

What I would like to know is: what does Iwata mean with "simultaneous"?

Merrick said there would be up to 14 weeks between the first and the "last" territory. The question is, does Iwata see 14 weeks as simultaneous?

I think 14 weeks are neither too long nor really simultaneous...

Anyway, I would be shocked to see the Revolution coming to Europe later than 14 weeks after its initial launch date...

And to Grandmaster B: yes, Nintendo never did a global launch with one of its consoles, but there are some things different now, this is the first console launched under Iwata's control and the latest handhelds all were really near to a global launch... I still hope to see the Revolution not later than Nov. 2006 in Europe...


Tom

Anonymous said...

Yeah, Merrick suggested a 14 week, meaning more than 3 month, rollout. That doesn't sound "simultaneous" by any stretch of the word.

In comparison, MS pushed out the X360 in a just...what, 3 weeks total? And Sony is promising to do the same thing. Those sound more like simultaneous launches to me, and probably to Iwata as well.

~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

Anonymous said...

Yes, well, look at all the good that came out of that 'three week launch'.

In any case, I'm pretty sure 14 months for all regions is a lot less than other non-handheld Nintendo consoles in the past.

Count your blessings.

Anonymous said...

Well, ok... so he said "not at the same time"... but, who knows what that means? It could just mean not on the same day, or even week. However, I do remember Nintendo clarifying that quote a handful of months ago stating atht it would be a "near-global launch" -- in fact, I believe it was Jim Merrick who said that just before he was released from his position -- he said the Revolution would come out in all regions within weeks of eachother. I think that is what Iwata means in his quote. I wish I could find a source for my quote right now, but I can't.

Secondly, I'm with others on here in calling this a bluff. I'm interpreting it in the same way as Vince and grahf.

Anonymous said...

nintendo have never ever stated global lournch they clearly stated as close as posable to it THERES A DIFFERANCE they stated a loarnch like that of ds they never stated anything else so stop with the ign style twists of comments

Anonymous said...

Were the indirect quotes taken from the Bloomberg report?

Also, until he specificially says that "the Revolution will NOT have a simultaneous global release" and not give a quote referencing what his competitors are doing, then I have to attribut what his original quote was to being lost in translation. Fal, I know you have lots of experience in that field, especially as a journalist dealing with such a multi-lingual industry!

Anonymous said...

"We don't think it's necessary!" LOL, what a cheap excuse !

Shoxware Games said...

Hey Falafelkid - The new logo looks awful! Are you currently playing around with photoshop effects?

But the new news layout is good.

on topic: It would be a shame, if revolution would not launch worldwide.
Thanksgiving for USA means almost sure 2007 for Europe and that SUCKS!

Anonymous said...

maybe iwata is strict on words, meaning that "at the same time" is really impossible, so lets say like on the first of november.

so it can be released within those 14 weeks mentioned by jimmy.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Vince, they must have misinterpreted Iwata-San once again downplaying the competition as him saying there would be no global launch. It is rather like everyone misinterpreting lack of HD support as "no-widescreen" even though they have said that 480p will be the development standard for new *Revolution* software which is not HD but still a widescreen format.
I am sure that Iwata-San was comfirming a global launch but hinting at the *fact* that there are much more important reasons for Nintendo's first Global Launch than foolishly wealthy competition...
vis-a-vis NWC going full throttle.

-Adam

Anonymous said...

I want spore on Revolution,NOW :((

Anonymous said...

Just one thing - find the Bloomberg original. The Taipei Times is so shit it's amazing they can even spell their own name right. We're talking about a paper that actually regularly manages to introduce new errors into wire stories.

Anonymous said...

Fal, check this out. Some people are saying that we may see graphics in April from Nintendo Power! Your thoguhts?

Matt C at IGN hinted at maybe seeing screens in April, then we get this pic of a Nintendo Power mag cover being criptic about the best exclusive this year. Here's the pic:

http://gonintendo.com/wp-content/photos/NintendoPowerScan1.jpg

Anonymous said...

When you consider the fact of graphics, than we must be realistic. You must not expect some mindblowing footage from E3 in may, because Nintendo has told maytimes, that they are focusing on innovation than technic. But im sure we will like the graphics although it is not HD. I am personally more interessed in the gameplay, i wonder how Nintendo will present a Mario with this new kind of controller. I mean there is the oppurtunity to reinvent a new kind of gameplay or to deliver a boring bullshit.
A big secret is, why they did not show us footage of games until today. I mean if Nintendo would show some new 3D peripheral (Visor,3dscreen) at E3, and it would ROCK, then who cares that they are not lauching the machine simultaneously !!

Anonymous said...

If the sub-title goes with the bigger title then they are just talking about a sequel to Castlevania DS. There's enough clues in there to see that.

Moon = Circle of the Moon
Whip = traditional Castlevania weapon

Bingo.

Ian Wilgaus said...

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www.nintendoentertainment.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

17:45, Mar 30th by Ben Parfitt

Nintendo has dismissed a swathe of inaccurate Internet reporting which claimed that president Satoru Iwata had stated the company has no intentions to implement a global launch for its upcoming Revolution console.

Many online stories had quoted Iwata as claiming that Nintendo does not have to initiate a worldwide launch simply because rival Sony and Microsoft have chosen to do so.



“The comments have been taken out of context,” a Nintendo spokesperson told MCV. “What he’s actually saying is that we’re not holding a worldwide launch just because everyone else is doing one too. It’s just another re-iteration of the fact that we’re not looking at what Sony or Microsoft are doing.



"Unfortunately, it seems everyone’s jumped on it and got the wrong idea.”



Meanwhile, Iwata has today revealed to CNN that aims to keep Revolution software prices below $50.



Source: www.mcvuk.com

Anonymous said...

Iwata never says no. It's against his typical respect for others to flat-out say no to something.