Iwata: Cloud gaming not the future

Satoru Iwata told investors at a financial results briefing earlier this week that Nintendo does not believe “cloud gaming is the future”.

[Knight_Crawler]

Just like when Nintendo said that Online gaming is not the future or when they said that apps like netflix, facebook or twitter are not need on a video game console.

Nintendo will forever be part of my child hood memories and Zelda will forever be my favorite game franchise but Nintendo needs to go back to the NES, Super NES, and N64 days and look back on what made them who they once were.

[Chuk5]

Haha, we remembered the exact same blunder. That Online gaming statement, damn I will never forget that.

[guitarded77]

Yep... and before anyone comes to the defense of Nintendo, they should note that this is just HONEST CRITICISM. Honest criticism is what makes the industry grow. By denying where gaming is going, and trying to do their own thing, Nintendo is isolating itself from millions of gamers.

I want Nintendo to succeed, I want Nintendo to be innovative, but Nintendo needs to adhere to the conventions which are becoming standard to gamers. Nintendo needs to listen to gamers, and lead developers in the industry. If they will do this, and continue to take chances with innovative tech, they would be in a great position to make even more money, and gain new fans, and some of their lost fans back.

I like the Wii U, I bought one day 1 and see the potential, but I wish Nintendo would not be so closed to outside influence.

[PS-Analog]

Even if Cloud Gaming was just used for demos, that is already a massive advantage. Who here is fed up of waiting for 1 to 3 gig of data to download to try out a game?

Cloud Gaming could give it to you instantly.

[stuna1]

The crazy thing is.... this is the same exact type of blunder they made with CD vs Cartridges!

Yet you would have some defend them to death just for the 1000th remake of zelda or mario! Talk about having the "Wool pulled over your eyes"! Sure there are others that are guilty of the practice, but come on, we're talking about 20+ years.

Then you have those scrambling to defend the specs of a machine, that without a shadow of a doubt should be a lot more powerful than it is! On the real, people need to cut the crap! instead if trying to go back to the hey-days of generations past. This is the present deal with it.

We went through this same crap when they announced the 3ds, we had the tech savvy fanboys on this site guesstimating made up specs that weren't even close! But let them tell it, they "Hit the nail on the head".

The same things can be said about the WII U now! Because those same ones were 1000% sure they had it right! I wonder what prize came along with that/s

But to get on topic, for those saying that Sony can do no wrong in the crazed and delusional fanboys eyes or, Microsoft's fanboys eyes, wouldn't this statement also hold true to the Nintendo fanboys?

Nintendo makes me believe that they operate in some alternate reality!!!!!

The cloud is not the future!?! Then what is? Cartridges, lol smh.

[rainslacker]

It's not the only future, but it will be part of the future. To what degree, and to what effect still remains to be seen. Nintendo says these kinds of things when they don't want to support it, for god knows what reason.

I like Nintendo, always have, despite not being interested in some of their past few hardware ventures, however I think they should stop trying to dictate how gamers should play. The market itself makes that decision, and it's their responsibility as a company to either adapt or be quiet and watch how it affects their sales.

Speaking to investors in such a way I find to be misleading, and I would hope those investors look deeper than some statement with no backing.

This same thing goes for those people who say DD, SmartPhones, Tablets, F2P, etc are the future. Stop taking such an insular and myopic view of the industry.

[Mounce]

Shhhh...Internet isn't popular at all. Online, who needs that?! Friend codes that will remind people of ICQ for all!

[MaxXAttaxX]

K got it.

[3-4-5]

They aren't the future....They are the now.

They will evolve into something that more resembles regular gaming.

It will all come full circle and those who are casual will wonder why they've been wasting time playing games that are ehhhh when they could have been gaming on Wii U, PS4, or Xbox 720. ( in future or current = as of now )

[ABizzel1]

They aren't the future....They are the past / history.

I love Nintendo and because they have some of my favorite franchises, but they're just so backwards as a business it's not even funny.

Nintendo produces some of the most upsetting sighs, I've had in gaming. It's unfortunate, because they have so much to give, but they JUST. DON'T. GET IT.

@Knight Crawler

You said Nintendo needs to go back to NES, SNES, and N64 days. I get what you're saying, that's when Nintendo was on top of it's game, but I also think that's the timeframe they have in their mindset. They're still in this world of N64, but times have changed and they're failing at keeping up with the times.

I'll always have a soft spot for Nintendo, but the Wii era has left a huge gap in my heart for Nintendo, and while the Wii-U looks like it might rekindle that, every 2 steps they take forward they take 2 back, and it's angering.

Nintendo had a template of what Online gaming is with the Xbox 360 and even the PS3, but they failed at it.

Nintendo are still using Gamecube tech (Wii-U CPU is derived from the same CPU in the Gamecube), and doing just enough to get by rather than stepping it up. I'm not saying the Wii-U needed to be cutting edge, but a simple AMD A8 APU would have made the Wii-U the console it should have been giving the tech available at that time, and it still would have been a $300 - $350 console.

Nintendo knew they were launching the Wii-U at least in December of 2010. Why on earth wasn't there a solid library of games being prepared for launch, especially considering they showed the console off at 2 E3's.

It's like Nintendo doesn't even know what they want to do. They need to get a game plan together and soon.

[badz149]

this guy is out of his mind! he never learn ha?

[Kos-Mos]

He earns more money than every xbox and sony gaming division employee combined so shut it kids.

[Kingthrash360]

Kos mos, his wallet dosnt hide the fact that he's an idiot sometimes.
I remember the online statment and frankly his wallet would be fatter if he'd stop living in the past. Just imagine if the wiiu came out in place of the wii, and he had say, smash brothers or pokemon with online multiplayer... dam if pokemon was a mmo lol he'd have mega paper.

[juandren]

Kos-Mos: Iwata earns $1 million a year. Kaz Hirai earns $101 million. Where the HELL did you learn to do maths?

[badz149]

That's the single dumbest counter argument ever!...of all time!

Just because he's rich, he can't be wrong? Or dumb? Some rich and powerful people make dumb statements and decisions sometimes. Iwata is no exception as has been proven with his statement on online gaming. Remember how Steve Ballmer responded to the iPhone?

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

We know how that turned out!

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

"Satoru Iwata told investors at a financial results briefing earlier this week that Nintendo does not believe “cloud gaming is the future”. Although he acknowledged that it has its advantages (and disadvantages), Nintendo is “trying to work hard on a future where gaming only consoles are not gone."

PLEASE Read beyond Headlines as we ALL should know by now that Journalist pick scary titles to drum hits.

He is just saying that he does not think cloud gaming can keep "Gaming only consoles" going.

Nintendo has already announced Cloud gaming for WiiU.

[PopRocks359]

That's like attempting to ask this community to approach anything with an ounce of respect and objectivity.

Judging by most of the comments here, many of these guys chose to read only the headline and not the article.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

LOL, It's all about the hits. The title could have easily been:

"Iwata: We are trying to work hard on a future where gaming only consoles are not gone."

But that wouldn't have generated as much hits as the one they ultimately decided to use. Journalism at it's finest.

[stuna1]

I could see if everyone viewed things that objectively, but that's not the case! Considering that cloud gaming is being adopted at a enormous rate.

If most thought like that we would still be using floppy discs.

[rainslacker]

I read the whole thing. By that quote alone it shows me that they are more afraid of it because it could cut their hardware out of the equation. The fact remains though that cloud gaming isn't applicable to all consumers, and as such dedicated consoles will never be gone. If you avoid emerging or existing technologies now, you will be behind when you are forced to use them to maintain share in the future.

On-line is a prime example of that with Nintendo. While I feel their online is decent, it is much more centered around a social aspect instead of a game play aspect. I'm sure it will get better, but they were forced to adapt instead of being a market leader that they should have been in the first place given their history.

Gaming specific consoles will eventually be replaced with something else, what and when are still up in the air. If Nintendo isn't ready to evolve at that point then they may be forced to go the way of Sega.

[Jadedz]

Iwata's comments were never stated in those words (article header).

That's the only way to get the majority of N4G members to read Nintendo (negative) related articles.

[solid_warlord]

Nintendo is a hasbeen...we can tell now that the Wii U will be a failure. Sure the new Mario & Zelda games will help sell system but it won't be for long. Nintendo will see it self in the same situation as they were in during there third year of original Wii life...nintendo wont have support from most third party. Don't expect games like GTA 6, future Mass Effect and many other games that will utilise full capability of next gen consoles as it will become harder to downscale to last gen tech that Wii U is.

[RuperttheBear]

Nintendo's been going longer than you, your parents, and your grandparents. Probably even longer than your great grandparents. I'm sure they'll be fine.

[solid_warlord]

@RuperttheBear

Sega, Atari and many others have been in the industry longer than most and they all have either become irrelevant or no longer in existance.

Tuff generation ahead for nintendo. They either will die as a hardware company in the upcoming generation or the next. I forsee a day when Mario games will be released for Sony, Microsoft and PC platforms. Not that i would care for mario games but it will happen.

[RuperttheBear]

The 3ds is the best selling handheld at the moment, the Wii U has sold better than the 360 and ps3 in the same time frame as their release periods. I think they will be ok.

Sega and Atari didn't adapt and took numerous wrong turns, they aren't a valid comparison.

[SuperShyGuy]

a 124 year old company like Nintendo won't go out anytime soon.

The reason Sega and Atari went out is because they made back to back mistakes and bleed money.

For the Wii U to fail it would not only have to have poor third party support but Nintendo's main franchise games would have to flop and the handhelds would have to flop.

[Mr_Stark]

Iwata has gone on record to say that if Nintendo goes down so does it's IPs. Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Kirby, Star Fox, Pikmin etc. will never grace Sony and Microsoft's consoles. Fortunately Nintendo will probably be in the hardware business long before Sony have died out.

[WiiUsauce]

lol yup, you're right Nintendo IS a hasbeen considering the Wii was the best selling console of this ending gen, DS is the highest selling video game platform of all time, and the 3DS is already outpacing the sales of the original DS and has already outsold the lifetime sales of the PS3 in Japan.

Yeah, they are going the way of the dodo, because the Wii U is already outpacing the sales of the 360 and PS3 lol. Yup they definitely will close down reeeeal soon, lol. You're just butthurt hahaha.

Oh and of the top 10 highest rated games of all time, 5 of them are Nintendo games (and even more Nintendo games are throughout the top 100), and the number 1 highest rated video game of all time is Super Mario Galaxy, a very recent Nintendo success.

The only reason why Nintendo fans respond to your guys' comments is because you are always spewing extremely biased, false, and subjective diarrhea out your mouths.

[L6RD7BLU3]

Nintendo man, I just don't know anymore

[1upgamer99]

LOL, Nintendo did not say online was not the future. They said there was not a big enough demand for it back Gamecube came out. I was already online with Dreamcast back then. Nintendo still included it on Gamecube there just were not many games that used it. Wii was a step up for Nintendo for online games, and back then the reason they chose not to do the HD thing was because 7 years ago MOST TVs people had were not HD and there was not enough demand yet to justify the cost. Now with Wii U, The Online is better than my PS3, and its FINALLY HD. As far as Cloud, I don't think Nintendo is saying it has no future, but they want to find a way to keep console gaming alive. I mean hell right now between all the IPAD, Android ( Like Gamestick), Consoles, PC's. There are an awful lot of ways to play games. I respect Nintendo for wanting to keep Game Consoles around. My smart TV has downloadable FREE games that are fun and the Graphics are really nice. I hope people will support Wii U, PS4, and 720 with all of the new ways to play around. Seems like the market is going to be saturated.

[Ck1x]

What's even more interesting is that both Sony and Microsoft knew that HD tv penetration wasn't at mass quantities also. That's why neither company included Hi-def cables with the consoles at launch... The infrastructure is not where it needs to be just yet for cloud gaming to be the next big thing. Many people still experience frequent internet outages and speed inaccuracies. I myself have the 3rd tier service for Road Runner and I almost never get the theoretical download speeds of 30Mbps and I live just a few short blocks away from the main Timewarner office in my city.

[Deku-Johnny]

He's got a point, although I think it will be important to the future of gaming it isn't in itself necessarily the future of gaming.

Yes apps are available on games consoles but they wouldn't be any worse off without them.

Online gaming is integrated into gaming a lot these days, it's important to gaming right now but it's not the now of gaming it's just a fun add on to games, campaigns/story modes are still the most important aspects of gaming and always will be.

[Knushwood Butt]

The more Iwata talks, the more he makes himself look like an idiot.

One thing's for sure Iwata: tagging a tablet controller onto a Wii sure isn't the future of gaming. I would have thought that was your biggest concern at the moment.

[Bigpappy]

Well I don't see Cloud-Gaming as the near future either, but eventually. May be next,next-gen. I do see downloaded replacing physical sooner than later though.

[Lvl_up_gamer]

The problem with cloud gaming is the bandwidth our internet providers cap us at.

Cloud gaming would advance much faster if we either didn't have low caps or caps at all.

Problem is, sure as time goes by, internet providers increase the bandwidth however games also increase in size as well. Games get bigger but internet providers only add a 30 gigs to your existing cap every 3-5 years or so.

So long as internet providers keep caps low, cloud gaming will never take off because there is no market for it...people just can't afford the high cost of internet charges by their internet providers.

[Ck1x]

Now this I agree with. I can see these next consoles focusing more on digital delivery and downloading of software. But home internet service has really been lagging behind 4gLTE in offering fast consistent connections. My phone and tablet always get a much better speed than Roadrunner, but of course with data caps. There's no way anyone would use their cell service as their main connection. Way to expensive right now!
And as much as I'm excited as the next person to see what the next wave of gaming will be. The scary thing about cloud gaming is its just like Netflix, you don't own any of the titles that you have access to play. But unlike most movies, the average game is over 2hrs long to get the full experience and interactive, not linear. So even when Netflix does fail on you, generally the next time you boot it up, it asks if you want to continue where you last left off. How will they go about achieving this in gaming? People wonder why Sony is being so quiet about their Gaikai service that they purchased. I think that they are trying to figure out how to price and market this thing in an attractive way to the customers without scaring them off.

[showtimefolks]

They said online wasn't the future
They didn't wants a CD format in their system
They basically created Sony playstation because Sony only made PD after Nintendo refused to use the CD format
Apps aren't important

There is a reason why 3rd party publishers are scared to support Nintendo, because Nintendo rolls on its own pace and doesn't care about anything but their 1st and 2nd party titles

If this mindset doesn't change than once again Nintendo will have trouble attracting
publishers 3rd party

[BullyMangler]

Nintendos 1st and second party titLes is what inspires OTHER good games . sooo

[showtimefolks]

Maybe to you but stop acting like Nintendo is the only one making great games

[ElitaStorm]

what if he is from le future?

[otherZinc]

Iwata should also note that Wii U isn't the future either...

[Amplitude]

Haha. If Patcher was a company he would be Nintendo xD

[BullyMangler]

weLp, dont forget the gamecube and all the KILLER games it got, . oh and the wiener wii gots mario galaxy 2, skyward sword "hero mode", smash brawL, etc . . (: . .these are all kilLers .(:

[Gamer1982]

@night_Crawler
Exactly! They are in pure denial with there strategys and with there logic. They still think a handheld console will dominate in a world of ipads and smartphones which is nuts. Then wonder why they dont sell as well as previous generations. Imagin if Nintendo released mario and Pokemon on ios and android? I bet they would make a LOT more money than releasing there own consoles and releasing the game on there.

But they are too stuck in their ways and it will eventually be Nintendos downfall.

[helghast102]

"or when they said that apps like netflix, facebook or twitter are not need on a video game console."

Are you saying they are? Disgusting.

[bobtheimpaler]

WTH do they mean not the future? It's happening now!

[the_Predator]

I'm going to be the devil's advocate and say that apps like Netflix and Facebook ARE NOT needed on video game consoles. They're just useless clutter in an attempt to make consoles an "all around device" when all I want is to put in a game, press the power button and BAM, I'm on the title screen.

[LAZL0-Panaflex]

Agreed. They are insignificant now.

[skyrimer]

Agreed. Sometimes I wish Nintendo was a software company only, their hardware makes them always go one generation late in all their games, and lack features that are standard in every other platform but theirs, like said online gaming until recently. It's a pity because 3ds cloud gaming from WiiU would be incredible, and the technology is there as we've seen with remote play on the tablet, but yet again Nintendo will be 1 generation late with that feature, like always.

[Chuk5]

Hey Iwata, remember when you said online gaming was a fad back in 2004? Boy, Nintendo sure could have used the practise to avoid having an 8-year idea of how an online infrastructure works.

[meganick]

In all fairness, online gaming was a fad with the non-PC gaming crowd back in 2004. I think Nintendo just took a "wait and see" approach with console online gaming, and now they've learned its viable, so they now have the 3DS and Wii U eShops and Nintendo network, which are all good, even if they could use some improvements like any online service.

[gumgum99]

What's with the disagrees??

Its not like Nintendo Didn't like the concept of online gaming, they are just not one to follow every trend like a dog follows its tail. It is good business sense to see how such technologies pan out before throwing your dice at it; so if the tech loses its vitality, you don't go along with the sinking ship.

I sometimes wonder how many of the commenters
here actually read the article, and how many actually know a few things on how to run a business?

[rainslacker]

That's the problem though. For a company like Nintendo to stay relevant, they have to have the foresight to see what is going to be popular for the entire life of it's console.

Fad or not, it is up to Nintendo to create what the future will be. They did it with motion controls on the Wii, they did it with the gamepad on the NES. But they took a wait and see attitude with something that was becoming big on PC, and was being asked for long before the Wii and GC came out. MS had the foresight to see what it would bring to gaming, and it payed off big for them. Even Sony had basic networking and internet connectivity as early as 2 years into the PS2 lifecycle. It was obviously going to be important, but Nintendo waited.

The "gimmicks" they create are great and all, but they are leaders in the industry along with MS and Sony. As such it is up to them to make sure they bring out what people will want, and stop downplaying what already exists. When they can't implement something as simple as trophies/achievements at launch because of some apparent feelings that they aren't needed, just ignores what people already have, and have asked for. It isn't even looking at current trends, and shows them stuck in the past.

Cloud gaming may or may not be the future. It certainly won't be the only one. But given Sony's acquisition of Gaikai, you can damn well better believe they are going to be making it important. That's what leaders do.

[Gamer1982]

A fad means its a fleeting idea and it will pass by and nobody cares so no in 2004 it wasnt a fad it may not have been a big hit like it is now in 2004 but it certainly wasnt a fad! People thought 3d was a fad and it may still turn out to be.

[TheDivine]

Nintendo doesn't follow trends they set them. They don't care what everyone else does they do the best they can and try to innovate in ways other dont. Sony is the one that copied sticks, rumble, l and r buttons, ps move, handhelds, touchscreen, and I'm sure a tablet controller eventually. Yes that was bad foresight but at the time it was a fad. Hell iit still is to me, it's for casuals and bros who want to shoot each other all day. I don't want online ANYWHERE near sp gaming. Maybe a touch here and there like demons souls but not much else. If I play mp I want split screen or handhelds in the same room with real friends.

I'm glad one company has integrity and doesn't follow any old trend like this gen when Sony made all their studios make shooters because they were popular or when MS and Sony fight over dlc and preorder bullshit. People thought jrpgs were dead and the whole gen the ds had great jrpg after another. The wii got some of the best jrpgs ever made at a time when people supposedly didn't care for them. Glad thing they didn't follow trends and ditch jrpgs for shooters. Thank god they didn't ditch 2d platformers and 3d platformers also. They make games they want to make and they happen to be the games I want also. Il take Smt4, Mh4, Fire Emblem, Kid Icarus, Pikmin, Devil Survivor, Xenoblade, The Last Story, Bayanetta 2, Luigis Mansion, and Castlevania over another Killzone, Halo, or Cod. Nin is the only company that has actual diversity. Srpg, jrpgs, action, adventure games, space fighters, strategy, dungeon crawlers, farm sims, racers, shooters, fighters, hell their games are genres in themselves.

Fire Emblem in 2 days! I can't friggin wait.

[Prodigy-X]

He better watch what he say because Sony's cloud gaming service could be.

[GribbleGrunger]

PS4 games on the Vita. BELIEVE.

[xursz]

"I just want to play ps4 games on my handheld, is that too much to ask?!"

[LOL_WUT]

Silly Iwata he'll be eating his words once next-gen consoles hit and prove him wrong. ;)

[majiebeast]

If the 20th comes and Sony shows Last of us running on Vita via Gaikai, then it will be a very big part of the future of gaming.

[MontyQ]

Nintendo needs cliffy b he is the chuck Norris of the game industry he canz make da games blat blat bling bling

[Sgt_Slaughter]

Cliffy would ruin Nintendo if he even stepped foot in the Nintendo Headquarters. (Even if you were just joking, let's be real for a second.)

[sway_z]

Sony and Microsoft will make damn sure it is the 'Future' !!

Poor Nintendo.....so old fashioned and traditional ;(

[AngelicIceDiamond]

Ok, None of that will really matter when Nintendo locks down 3rd party exclusives that'll make the PS360 fanboys rage.

Bayonetta 2 is an exclusive fanboys raged. Wait till E3 for more possible 3rd party exclusives.

[solid_warlord]

Zelda,Metroid, pokemon and Mario vs GoW, Halo, GTA, Uncharted, forza hahaha no thanks ..i prefer mature games over those predominantly kiddish titles that nintendo usualy known for. Next gen is gonna be very tuff for Nintendo even though there system is NOT next gen tech.

[Stroke666]

@solid_warlord.... Zelda not mature? metroid not mature? obviously you are amongst the cattle, just following the herd. notice how all the ninty games you mentioned have been around and successful longer than the other titles you mentioned. Don't get me wrong Gears and Halo are great games but honestly don't have the replay value of a metroid zelda or even a pokemon or mario game no matter how you splice it. And you are deluding yourself to think the rest of the next gen consoles will be mind blowing. its good to be hopeful but don't set yourself up for disappointment. more on topic: Cloud gaming maybe a cool idea but like the man says it doesnt ensure the future of gaming only consoles

[madjedi]

"Ok, None of that will really matter when Nintendo locks down 3rd party exclusives that'll make the PS360 fanboys rage."

3rd party exclusives lockdowned by nintendo, that is some strong shit your smoking there.

Short of epic, kojima and insomniac there are not many third party exclusives left. Nintendo is paying for bayonetta 2, if it isn't exclusive they are fools.

This is nintendo their 3rd party support hasn't been good since the snes, you'll get a couple niche exclusives here and there. But 3rd party exclusives are all but dead now.

Lmao at meganick calling online console gaming a fad in 2004, clearly not a everquest or halo player.

If it was a fad then ms pioneered it on consoles and standardized it, i will give them that much credit.

No other gaming company drags it's feet to adapting new technology or ideas so throughly like nintendo does.

News flash gaming only consoles are dead and gone, the second all 3 manufacturers included netflix and many other non gaming features, it stopped being only a gaming console.

I would have thought the wiiutv(whatever it's called) app, would be a dead give away that gaming only consoles are a thing of the past.

It's funny ps3/360 gamers a few yrs ago were talked down to for using their console for more than gaming by nintendo fans. Yet now that miiverse and nintendotv are out there, suddenly it's a brilliant addition to the wii u's uniqueness.

I love how quickly people change their prejudices, when it's no longer a negative against their console.

[ape007]

@solid_warlord

and u call yourself a gamer? smh

[Gamer39]

Cloud gaming its a shit. True gamers like favorites games in nice pack.

Cloud, this only sad individuals trend. Man, too many N haters, huge hate why good? This is yet video gamer generation? Very sad.

[GreenRanger]

Nobody is hating on Nintendo here.
People just don't agree with what Iwata is saying.
That can hardly be called hating.

[Gamer39]

Nobody? Sorry. I dont think so.
Once again, real gamers like favorite games in nice pack.
I agree with what Iwata is saying. Only cloud gaming its shit, and i hope not future.

[madjedi]

"true gamers" "real gamers" If you have to add true or real to the term gamer, your just an annoying wanna be elitist.

Hardcore, real, true it's all generally used as pathetic snub at other gamers you want to appear superior to.

Only one of those terms is relevant and thats hardcore and even then it's meaning can vary greatly depending on the individual.

But let me guess the mentality i don't share the same game choice or view your favorite console makers games as highly as you, so i am not a real or true gamer.

And if you believe that shit, your just as bad as the fanboys you pretend to denounce.

If thats a real gamer, i'll just be a gamer.

[dionnysus]

perfectly said

[tehpees3]

I believe he said Angry Birds is the future. I remember him saying cheaper games with smaller budgets are the future of gaming.

Now he makes an outrageous statement like this.

[SuperShyGuy]

That's not what he said, in fact it was the exact opposite

http://www.nintendolife.com...

[Baka-akaB]

To be fair , they just discovered the internet and dove into , give them time ;p

[Stroke666]

Yeah it took them winning a generation WITHOUT online gaming to catch on.

[Baka-akaB]

I'm sure it was very important for your ego to let out that they've won . I'm happy for you they did

[Eyeco]

and how exactly did they win ? by marketing a gimmick to a horde of casual aka NON-gamers, seriously its no secret that Nintendo has lagged behind in the online department, which as of 2013 is a major aspect of modern gaming how anyone can deny that is beyond me.

[EliteDave93]

Not right now it isnt since many of us dont have the fastest internet in the world. But i can see it work in about 4-5 years.

[BanBrother]

Well, until everyone has super fast internet, how is cloud going to be that big? Sure, on pen and paper it looks good, but what if someone starts downloading? Oh, that's right, you will have to play the game in sub-hd resolution if at all.

Games are getting bigger, while our internet is staying basically the same. A lot of countries don't even have fibre-optic internet.

[MegaLagann]

Very true, I get the feeling people read the headline, because we both know no one here reads the articles, and jumped on the hate train without realizing how impractical a cloud only game console is in 2013.

[Oschino1907]

I doubt you even read the headline as even there it states they are talking about the "future" and not the present.....

@BanBrother - With that kind of pessimistic view we wouldn't even have online gaming, internet, game consoles, computers, space travel, jets, airplanes, tv, phones, cars, trains, publics sewer and water, etc......

If we aren't looking to the future and trying to make theories and things "on pen and paper" into reality then we are stuck in the past. I wish people that talked like you were banned from using any of the things you poo poo on so when those things succeed and become common or popular you will learn to STFU and maybe try to be a little more open minded and optimistic.

Need more "This is why/how it could work" and much much less of "This is why it won't/can't work". If you only knew some of the tech that's already out there and theories close to being reality it would blow your mind but much of it is still far from being common place or widely popular. Thank god we have forward thinkers in control of all those important things and descisions.

Oh and to this statement "Games are getting bigger, while our internet is staying basically the same. A lot of countries don't even have fibre-optic internet."
Funny as Far Cry 3 is about as big as a straight port of Siren (PS2 game from 2004) and GTA San Andreas is bigger. Yet when Siren came out I had Dial Up and maybe just DSL on the home computer. Now I have pretty standard cable internet and download 1GB about every 10min or less.

[Stroke666]

@Oschino1907... think you kind of proved his point, if you read the article you'd have read that Iwata is talking about the future of gaming only consoles and how cloud gaming is not the way to ensure that future. cloud gaming is a great idea for pc users but who now or in the future will buy a gaming console to stream games over the internet? plz STFU if you too don't know what your talking about.

[BanBrother]

@Oschino1907

I can only assume this is an alternate account of yours, as you seem pretty dead-set on going against me. You are still too childish though to have an argument. Don't tell people to "STFU' when they are being perfectly reasonable.

Besides, next-gen consoles will have 'bigger' games, as in 'gb'size. It is much harder to render a game that is in HD and supposed to be 60FPS.

Also, you said you have cable, and can download 1gb in 10 minutes or less. Good for you,as now they have 1 sale. Not every country has internet that fast available.

Seriously,try to understand the argument being had before you start showing your immature, butt-hurt nerd rage. Thanks god we have people who think before they post and make stupid decisions. You are not one of those people, kid.

[KrisButtar]

Your right a lot of places are still without Internet even offered in some areas, like me for example I'm only on this site cause I'm sitting in a tim hortons 25min drive from my house where it is not offered and doesn't plan on coming down to my area for about another 5yrs and when it arrives it's still not going to be high speed. They said about 1mb/s for speed

[Riderz1337]

Neither is an iPad as a controller.

[RuperttheBear]

An iPad doesn't have buttons and control sticks. There is a BIG difference.

[sway_z]

Gaming is a pretty expensive hobby that requires a long term investment by the consumer. I am all for a system that provides a service akin to Netflix where all the games I want to play can be streamed or downloaded as purchase.

People are caught up on ownership rights etc...but once you're done with a game, after a period of time and especially once the sequel releases...how much is that game really worth to you?

Take a look on amazon.com and you will find games less than a year old sub $20...if you consider online passes (pre owned requires online purchase to play MP nowadays) to play on all new games ...then games are worth zilch after purchase.

Cloud gaming is the future...retail games are expensive

[lilbroRx]

Wow...an argument against ownership rights.

I remember finding games less than 5 months old sub 30 dollars...on a shelf. If gaming goes down, prices will not. Storage mediums are not the reason games cost so much. I doubt a bluray costs a manufacturer 50 cents to make.

I prefer the hold the things I spend money on in my hand.

Under a cloud system the game will only be available as long as the company providing it is in business and only under their agreement. If so much as install a mod that is not to their liking, they can revoke your ownership to not just that one game, but everything you have bought. That may sound great to you but I would prefer to be able to do what i want with the things I buy.

[rainslacker]

Yes, I'm caught up on actually owning the products that I purchase. Shame on me for denying the future.

If publishers control the distribution medium completely, which is the case under your scenario, game prices will not go down. They don't now, except for sales, so why do you expect them to when there is no competition in the market.

Steam is an anomaly. It's sales are based on the fact that some revenue is better than none. You would see sales, like you do now sometimes on the console markets, but they will not be as plentiful.

Imagine to yourself if iTunes ever went down. How many billions of dollars of content lost. All of a sudden those ownership rights seem a lot nicer, and all I would do is laugh at people like you who say the rest of us are just "caught up" in them.

[sway_z]

Can't a sensible debate be had on N4G...?

'All I would do is laugh in the face of people like you'

Does that make you feel better at the end of your day??

For the record, I prefer to own my games, but as an additional feature...streaming games you would not ordinarily purchase is a good idea....

[rainslacker]

I'm all for sensible debate, but you didn't really provide that. You made a blanket statement basically saying that people are living in the past and need to get over the concept of ownership. It's projecting a thought process that many people don't share, and doesn't discuss the pros and cons of the actual topic which you were trying to address...otherwise known as debate.

Even in your follow up you provide nothing of substance, and instead focus on one line to discredit my entire post, despite the fact I offered several points of debate.

What you prefer, and what you do, is irrelevant to the topic because you do not speak for everyone.

How much a game is worth to someone is completely subjective. People own and buy things for different reason. Some people would be perfectly happy to stream their content and not be fussed with ownership. Others, and I would hope many, would prefer to stop being bent over by publishers in the name of maximizing revenue at the expense of consumer rights.

[Imalwaysright]

Its good to see that atleast 2 users here on N4g get it. Cloud gaming would give absolute control to publishers because as lilbroRx pointed out we don't own the games we pay for. Looking at how today these publishers/Devs try to abuse us in every way, shape or form i don't even want to imagine what would be of our hobby if publishers had total control.

+ bubbles to lilbroRx and rainslacker.

[shackdaddy]

IDK, I agree with him. I think it'll be a part of the future but not THE future. I don't think people will want to buy games that don't technically become theirs and require a constant connection to their servers in order to play. At least as a main option they don't.

[kagon01]

Lately sad fools are hating on ownership...

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

"Satoru Iwata told investors at a financial results briefing earlier this week that Nintendo does not believe “cloud gaming is the future”. Although he acknowledged that it has its advantages (and disadvantages), Nintendo is “trying to work hard on a future where gaming only consoles are not gone."

PLEASE Read beyond Headlines as we ALL should know by now that Journalist pick scary titles to drum hits.

He is just saying that he does not think cloud gaming can keep "Gaming only consoles" going.

Nintendo has already announced Cloud gaming for WiiU.

[SonyNGP]

Pfft. Who cares about reading beyond the headline? /s

[chadboban]

When cloud gaming can get to a point where there is absolutely 0 input lag then yes it does have a future, although that doesn't mean I want to see retail games disappear. I like my physical games as well.

Also he never said cloud gaming was bad, I guess he just doesn't see a future where gaming only consoles disappear. None of us know what the future holds, but Cloud gaming looks like it will most likely play a big role in the future of the industry.

[lilbroRx]

Hmmmm..., negative opinions getting 3 to 1 agree ratio(ie. first post has over 30 agrees and 2 disagrees). Yeah, I think I had better avoid commenting on this news.

Under conditions like this, any opinion that isn't negative leads to bubble lynching.

This is especially appalling considering that the title in question was taken far out of context to mean something completely different than what was actually said.

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

"Intelligent" but I wish I vote "Funny" too.

[Optical_Matrix]

The same way, back in the PS2-Xbox-Gamecube era, you claimed gamers didn't want Online Gaming/Network heavy systems, only to get humiliated by PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 when the industry in fact moved towards that this generation, and you're now fumbling about to play catch up with your supposedly next generation console.

For anyone who wants to disagree, here's the article where he said it: http://uk.gamespot.com/news...

Given the way Nintendo goes about making hardware and online, I don't really have any faith Iwata knows what he's talking about. As much as I love Nintendo's games, from a hardware perspective as well as understanding what gamers want, they're incredibly out of touch which is why I believe that unless Wii U catches on with mainstream audiences, the Wii U will be designated to "For Nintendo Fans only" status.

Seriously, this statement, coming from the man who thought it was ok to release a console in 2012 where your online purchases are linked to the hardware instead of your networked account, meaning you need to send Nintendo a police report should your Wii U break and you lose all of your purchases. Sony and Microsoft had this sorted half a decade ago. Fix up Nintendo.

Inb4Nintendo Hater. I own a 3DS and a Wii U. Add me on Nintendo Network. My ID is OpticalMatrix. I can't fault Nintendo when it comes to actual games. But when it comes to everything else, I just feel that they're just so out of touch. The only reason I buy their hardware is because of the games. Not because of the hardware quality or anything like that. Such a shame.

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

Yet and still the GameCube had:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

"In 2002, Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II was released for the Nintendo GameCube and Microsoft Xbox. Subsequently, Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution was released for the GameCube in 2003"

I add Online gaming is great. But Wii did not sell systems because of it. Nintendo's Strong Single player Titles (Metroid, Zelda, SMB Galaxy) and Casual Party games, sold systems.

Also, Nintendo Systems were on the Internet in the 80's, Don't believe?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

Online Banking (in the 80's)
DLC content (in the 90's)

So, once again a quote was blown-out of proportion. Context of quotes matter.

And Lastly When did PS3 and 360 humiliate the Wii? I think it was the other way around.

[MegaLagann]

C'Mon, you really expect people to read the article and not just the out of context headline before posting a paragraph about how Nintendo is behind the times?

[ThePsychoGamer]

"And Lastly When did PS3 and 360 humiliate the Wii? I think it was the other way around."

Have you compared the library of the Wii games to the library of 360 and PS3 games?

[Baka-akaB]

"Nintendo Systems were on the Internet in the 80's, Don't believe? "

Of course i believe they were easily online before Sony and MS in the console world . But so what ? So did sega and others like Atarid did it before Nintendo .The first online gaming initiative, Sega Channel, debuted in the winter of 1994 and was more than just a online merchant like nintendo's stuff .

Did Nintendo strive to actually improve it or just stood there happy to have an online service hoping it would catch on ?

Why was it that the biggest change between the famicom game sales and renting system and the ds/wii virtual console was the actual infrastructure of the whole internet ?

Why were outdated roadblocks like the friend system code even in place ?

"In 2002, Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II was released for the Nintendo GameCube "

Sega again . And again so what ? In the very same year Final Fantasy XI appeared on ps2 and one or two years later came Mosnter hunter on ps2 .

Sega was the one with an actually playable online game offering that werent mmos only , such as quake 3 , chu chu rocket .

Being online capable like the snes is just not enough . And hell Nintendo gave up the idea with the n64 before coming back with the GC .

[wiiulee]

cloud gaming is not the future...console makers just need to find more ways to innovate

[Kevlar009]

I thought Cloud Gaming was the innovation?

[MegaLagann]

Well he does kind of have a point. Due to internet speeds, input lag & bandwidth limits in some countries it makes having a mainstream cloud based system almost impossible to do in 2013. Now with that being said, years down the line cloud gaming will be the future, but it'll be a while due to what I listed above. Hopefully by then Nintendo realizes how important Cloud gaming is.

[chadboban]

I hope so too, at the same time though, I don't want retail games to disappear and I don't think Iwata wants that either. I think the statement was taken out of context, I think Iwata was more or less referring to a cloud only future where we only game on cloud and don't use retail games at all hence why he said, "we are trying to work hard on a future where gaming only consoles are not gone".

Of course everyone is gonna assume Iwata said it like he means there will never be a future for cloud gaming. Fanboys can spin anything into something negative.

[gumgum99]

I agree with Iwata-san in that Cloud gaming should be a complimentary venture; not a replacement for the traditional means of playing games. There are certain circumstances beyond our control that would make such a future inconveinent, as I have experienced with Hurricane Sandy.

Enjoyed your gaming? Well you won't be doing it, god forbid if any outages become common in your living area.

[SuperShyGuy]

Well it is the future just not the "right now" future.
I live in a big US city and my internet isn't fast enough to support cloud gaming, also I like the idea of owning my games and not having the sit on some server somewhere so if that company goes under my games are gone forever

[RogueStatus28]

"Nintendo needs to go back to the N64 days and look back on what made them who they once were."

The N64 had huge droughts for games and almost no third party support, it was also a disappointment in sales compared to the PS1. Did you just choose it because you grew up with that console?

[Megaton]

It all depends on ISP greed. Data caps and slow speeds will prevent cloud gaming from becoming mainstream. When ISPs stop ruining the internet, it may become viable.

[CanadianTurtle]

The WiiU has no future.

[Deku-Johnny]

Have you ever played one?

[chrispseuphoria]

The Wii U could have a future if Nintendo actually bring out some new interesting IP's which use the Gamepad's technology rather than shelling out the same game over and over again. Ubisoft used the Gamepad in a much more interesting way with ZombiU and they're a third party company!

[Deku-Johnny]

Just give them time, they're working on plenty of game at the moment and I'm sure in time not only Nintendo but 3rd party companies will discover interesting and innovative ways to implement the Gamepad. People just expect everything to happen right away. The games they have released so far are more of a way of giving us something to play for now. Have you played NintendoLand? That game is great at showing different ways to use it.

[MakiSaad2]

nintendo will always be nintendo
I will always put my money on a nintendo Handheld but not console
I will always put my money on a Sony Console but not handheld

I will never put my money on a Microsoft console nor handheld just a waste of money

[contradictory]

meh, i know that i'm not going to be using Cloud gaming for some time.

mostly because i happen to live in middle of no-fucking-where
and the internet works when it feels like it
especially in stormy weather it just eats a bag

[Kevlar009]

I've been a bit skeptical off it myself. I know my internet won't always work properly for some reason (would hate to have save files unobtainable), and Internet isn't usually the safest place to have files "floating" around (I like to have tangible evidence of my games)

We are certainly seeing the rise of the Downloadable Era, Nintendo has said they are having titles available for both physical and downloadable (maybe it was for 3DS, I can't quite remember).

Cloud gaming looks to be a healthy way to provide consoles without having to go through lengthy production costs. I fear Nintendo will be short sighted as always, they have a tendency to dismiss certain innovations (Disc based games, Online play). I hope what Iwata is saying is "Game consoles will never be 100% cloud/invisible" and not "Cloud gaming will never catch on in any format". They've usually been wrong when they downright dismiss features. They need to embrace innovation that isn't their own, and realize there is a world without Nintendo, it doesn't revolve around them

[Ck1x]

And if people actually would stop and read once in awhile, this thread wouldn't be 70+ comments! As many have already stated, that wasn't Iwata's full quote that they used... (Shocking right...)

[ACEMANWISE]

Cloud gaming is basically the digital format not stored on your device. In either case the content is not yours to own. They are planning the cloud for the eventual realization that gamers are storing their products on their own devices. Think about it.

If anyone ever reads the terms and conditions of current console online agreements, they all say the digital content is not yours. Eventually everyone will begin to say "HEY! If it's not mine why are you storing it on my device?" "Pay me for the storage, or I'll sue."

Hence the creation of cloud gaming. What people don't realize, and rightfully so given the industries' effective stealth abilities of making the gamer believe he/she owns their purchases, is that all the content you buy online today is ALL temporary. The illusion is the perception that you own it by giving the ability to download and store the content on your system. What they don't tell you is that the data is worthless without the final code, or approval, from their company server.

They are using us until the day people smarten up. Then cloud gaming will be available.

[Imalwaysright]

Well said.

[hivycox]

you earn my respect!

[Drainage]

maybe when america gets their shit together with high speed internet and stop overcharging for this slow broadband...

Its not the future yet. Blame america

[tubers]

That's why it isn't the near future. Hello ISP throttlers and data caps!

Instead of improving infrastructure most American ISPs are restricting the experience.

Wonder why JPN and S. Korea have it much better.

[Jamaicangmr]

While i don't exactly like the idea but come on Nintendo look outside the window every now and then, you'll see that technology is changing and you need to change with it.

Not because you don't have a cloud gaming solution doesn't mean its not viable.

[strigoi814]

and i wonder what it is?? tablet controller which is not a tablet? oh my..a console that is only causing confusion to third party developers have a bad future to i guess

[Bumpmapping]

But cheap gimmicks are!

[Mr_Stark]

Cheap gimmicks that Sony & MS want to copy because they're so successful?

[Plagasx]

Nintendo will forever be in the past. Just like the Wii U is technologically.

[PopRocks359]

Yeah. Clearly there's nothing new about that controller. /s

[FlyingFoxy]

Considering OnLive is a failure i think it's safe to say nintendo are right.

Who wants to stream games with lag?, better to download them.. in this day and age anyone should have at least a 10mbps connection.

Mine recently got upgraded from 50mbps to 100mbps, i can download massive games lightning fast on Steam.

Why Stream a game that relies on your ISP, as well as most importantly the service streaming it to you?. there's 2 overheads when there should be only 1. That's why Streaming sucks.

[tubers]

Cloud gaming isn't the near future.. unless most games are turn based strategy or slower paced action games.

We still don't have good enough infrastructure for it.

HELL even regular streaming has quite some input lag.. making fighting games a "meh" experience.

Maybe after a few more years.

[Gitaroo]

ok Iwata, your resignation is already accepted.

[TemplarDante]

Lol 100 Billion yen lmao. He better know how to rob a bank! Or else he may as well resign now!
P.S... the next day....after the conference call..
Sony teased....
to See The Future.... 20/02/2013 :)
Lol he may as well just resign now.

[RFornillos4]

some people tend to forget that not everyone is enjoying fast and stable internet connection, not to mention cheap connection.

unfortunately a major chunk of that gaming populace have either slow or expensive (if you want fast), and unstable internet connection.

[daixx]

Is There a man who satisfied with realtime action game on OnLive?

[Jek_Porkins]

I agree, and it is easy to site there and bring up some past comments that Nintendo made, mostly about online gaming, but the fact is that Nintendo is right more than wrong. If we go on past comments then "next generation doesn't start until Stony says so", which is just insane. Every company says things at time that make no sense.

Saying cloud gaming isn't the future makes sense to me, a life long console gamer who will not be a gamer anymore IF gaming ever goes cloud only. If you look at recent history of non physical gaming, like say OnLive or PSPGO, it is pretty clear that the majority of people don't want to game that way. As an option from time to time? possibly, I do download arcade games, but I never download full games.

To me there are a lot of reasons, I used to work at a game store when I was younger, if cloud ever became a full reality so many people would be out of a job, Gamefly/Gamestop/Play N Trade ect..... All so gaming companies can earn a few extra dollars? no thanks!

I'm glad Nintendo came out against this idea, also glad I supported them by buying a Wii U, Wii, Gamecube, 3DS, DSI, Game Boy Advance, N64, SNES, NES, Game Boy and thousands of games throughout my life.

[TemplarDante]

Dear Nintendo

You introduced me to gaming.
You were always a part of my heart while growing up.
You will always have a special place in my heart.
But...
You need to stop smoking that Nintencrack.
Seriously... they remind me of microsoft and Windows 8 debacle. Like, their not making any mistake, consumers must just take what they give as their holding Mario and Link hostage. Just wake the F up, Ninty. It isnt 1996 anymore!

[hivycox]

I dont' want a future with cloud gaming...It takes away the charm of getting a new game literally... to hold a new case in your hands and the read the instruction on your way to home is a very important part in gaming... whats the point of cloud gaming??? why do they want to fix somthing that isn't broken...

whats wrong with disks ???? people are stupid

[kingPoS]

It's seems like Nintendo's is in it to make great games.
I'd prefer it Nintendo to keep it as simple as possible.
Less apps & more games fits them best.

[BrianC6234]

Why should anyone care what Nintendo thinks about cloud gaming? They're hardly even into online gaming. Maybe in five years they'll finally be where Microsoft and Sony were five years ago.

[Mr_Stark]

That would be a back step though. They currently have the most powerful console ever made and an online infrastructure that rivals LIVE.

[parkerpeters]

Technology wise, Nintendo always seems to be behind the times, but when you look at the games they produce, the first party, mainline titles, they are lightyears ahead of the competition in terms of quality.