Iwata: Nintendo isn’t ditching home consoles

Despite Nintendo’s continued problems with Wii U hardware and software sales, President Satoru Iwata has stated publicly that the company has no intention of leaving the home console industry.

Likewise he said, he won’t be stepping down as president, despite the fact that the company’s sales forecast dropped from nine million units to just under three million. The company’s stock price also took a beating, dropping by a full 17 per cent.

Iwata also addressed the idea that Nintendo would become a mobile software developer, suggesting that he didn’t think that was a direction Nintendo needed to consider right now.

“The spread of smart devices does not spell the end of game consoles,” said Iwata at a news conference (via WSJ). “The key is to figure out a way to use smartphones to make people aware of Nintendo’s games, and encourage them to try out the console version of the games.”

Nintendo hasn’t given up on the Wii U yet and is reported to be putting a lot of money into research and development. It’s also revamped the advertising to try and make it as obvious as possible that the Wii U is a new system with new games, like in this ad.

Perhaps it will all pay off too. The 3DS had a very slow start, but after a year and an expanded game library, it really picked up and is now one of the most popular consoles out there.

What do you guys think? Is the Wii U dead in the water or can it come back from this?