Nintendo canned new handheld - Report

E3 2009: President of DSi-maker tells CNBC that company scrapped completed hardware because it wouldn't have sustained company's momentum.

LOS ANGELES--With the announcement of a Vitality Sensor for the Wii, it might seem as if Nintendo produces any old piece of hardware its designers dream up. Not so, according to a CNBC interview with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata.

The DSi has sustained Nintendo's momentum with more than 1 million sold in the US and Europe so far.

In fact, at one point in the past three years, Nintendo threw away an entirely new handheld gaming platform.

"In the history of Nintendo, there are several such examples," Iwata said in the interview. "But when we are launching new hardware, the most important thing is to sustain the momentum. If introducing new hardware won't do anything to do that, well…"

As for the its next console hardware, Iwata acknowledged that new motion-sensing technologies unveiled by Microsoft and Sony could impact the company's decisions. For instance, Iwata said Nintendo hasn't decided yet whether to iterate on the Wii or attempt to introduce another industry reshaping console.

"We have the greater potential to create the blue ocean market when people are skeptical," Iwata said. "So when we realize that other people are coming into [this] market…there are two things we [can] do. One is try to intensify the fun nature of something we are already doing. The other is try to create a new blue ocean."

275 Comments

  • Vegeta-sama

    Posted Jun 16, 2009 3:39 am PT

    Poor E3Abe09... I would like to point you in the direction of the nearest reality check... VGChartz.com

  • E3Abe09

    Posted Jun 12, 2009 9:36 am PT

    PSP Go is going to over sell the DSI

  • Jonwh18

    Posted Jun 10, 2009 3:46 pm PT

    The Wii NEEDS TIMESPLITTERS 4 (a very good FPS series) NOW THEY HAVE HAD LIKE 2 and a half years now nintendo: EPIC FAIL

  • BtmnHatesRbn

    Posted Jun 10, 2009 8:05 am PT

    This story has been on the front page for too long.

  • chupamelpo

    Posted Jun 10, 2009 12:46 am PT

    i love crack

  • Will47

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 9:22 pm PT

    @InsultTolnjury - ya I'm completely with you, they just need to keep with the DSi right now.

  • InsultToInjury_

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 3:53 pm PT

    No need for a new handheld for at least a few years. Take advantage of the DSi everyone is screaming for a virtual console for it they should consintrate on gaining the best out of the DSi before venturing onto new pastures.

  • thedisturbedwol

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 3:13 pm PT

    @Irsp, Give it time. It will come. I believe in the future we will be able to plug into a device with our minds. The question is, would you want to?

  • SQUALL20XX

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 3:04 pm PT

    The DSi is fine

  • lrsp

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 10:32 am PT

    The motion sensing camera technology that Microsoft came up with and showed at E3 this year is pretty crazy. But that game with the little boy creaped me out. I don't know what Nintendo can do next. We have motion sensing controllers coming out on xbox and ps3, and microsoft is looking at motion capture technology. The only thing left to control games is to connect your mind to a console for the most intuitive control experience.

  • AlexTT_spb

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 10:25 am PT

    this Iwata guy is just talking sh*t. most certainly this new handheld never existed. he just said it so that nobody would blame Big N for throwing too much useless hardware onto the store shelves (especially after the announcement of vitality sensor and launch of DSi (nobody would need another handheld so soon))

  • Teyon

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 10:07 am PT

    " gamesock

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 8:46 am PT

    Man, it's always sad to see new technologies and handhelds get canned. Nintendo makes some fine handhelds if I do say so myself."

    You can only say, "If I do say so myself" if you're Nintendo or if you had a hand in making the product. Just thought I'd point that out.

    A hand held would sell more than a virtual pacemaker if you ask me. Don't know what's on Nintendo's mind these days.

  • gamesock

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 8:46 am PT

    Man, it's always sad to see new technologies and handhelds get canned. Nintendo makes some fine handhelds if I do say so myself.

  • jlord149 posted Jun 9, 2009 6:46 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    jlord149

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 6:46 am PT (hide)

    those son of a b... of Sony and Microsoft, as they see nintendo is selling more, tghey try to copy them as if they were small kids doing what the coolest guy in class always does. I HOPE YOUR NEW MOTION SENSOR SYSTEM FAIL, U B@%$#% OF SONY AND MICROSOFT!!!
    Nintendo rocks

  • Sechu

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 4:12 am PT

    In fact what Mr Iwata said is pretty generic. Either we go with hype and keep cash in on the motions sensing control or we invent something new. Wow.

  • Sechu

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 4:10 am PT

    I could not devise from the article what type of hardware the N canned and why.
    It could have been an interesting reading.

  • Antherian_being

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 3:16 am PT

    Yeah, what would it have been like? nintendo seem 2 hav sum original stuff, id like 2 c wat we missed...

  • excalibeast

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 2:58 am PT

    i came to this page because i wanted to know what type of handheld had nintendo canned, after i read this article.... i still wanna know what type of handheld had nintendo canned.

  • bonvoyage10122

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 2:21 am PT

    huh... i learned... nothing! O-O
    lol, and even if Sony and Microsoft are making motion control now, Nintendo has had way more time to perfect it. Sony and Microsoft's motion controls might not even work right, such as the very mild attempt at motion control with Sony's PS3 controller (which fails by the way).

  • Ian_Michael

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 2:10 am PT

    @stziggy
    Exactly gamespot is not CNN. There's a finite amount of info for games compared to anything and everything about the whole world on CNN. Duh.

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