18:00 11.05.2006 | All news from "Tech News and Articles"
Nintendo may not launch Game Boy Advance sequel (Reuters)
"I would have a second thought about using our resources onwhat would be the next generation of Game Boy Advance,considering the strong support DS is now enjoying," PresidentSatoru Iwata told Reuters on the first day of the ElectronicEntertainment Expo (E3).
"The Japanese game market is now evolving around DS. Wedon't need to do something that will pour cold water on thesituation." E3 is an annual trade show for the nearly $30billion global video game industry.
Nintendo, known for games featuring characters such asDonkey Kong, Mario and Pokemon, said a third-party researchshows about 16 million of its dual-screened Nintendo DSmachines have been sold worldwide, millions more than SonyCorp.'s (6758.T) rival PlayStation Portable (PSP) hand-held.
Strong demand for DS, and its innovative casual games suchas "Nintendogs," in 2005 helped the entire Japanese game marketpost growth for the first time in five years.
Nintendo has sold more than 74 million units of the GameBoy Advance series as of December 2005, cementing the Japanesevideo game maker's dominance in the portable game machinemarket.
Iwata also said more than 10 software titles will beavailable in time for the launch of its upcoming game console,Wii, which is set for release in the fourth quarter of 2006 tocompete with Microsoft Corp.'s (Nasdaq: - ) 360 and Sony'supcoming PlayStation 3.
Although Nintendo dominates the market for hand-held gamemachines, it trails Sony and Microsoft in the console market.
Having a wide range of popular software at the time of thelaunch is considered crucial for success in the game consolemarket.
Iwata said the number of Wii launch titles would be in thedouble digits to avoid repeating a disappointing performance ofits current generation console GameCube, which had a tepidstart in part due to limited availability of game software.
"I am aware that we cannot win user support by offeringonly a few titles at the launch like we did for Nintendo 64 andGameCube ... We want to make it a double digit and we are ableto do that," he said.
Earlier this week, Nintendo said launch titles for Wiiwould include the next version of its popular Zelda game, "TheLegend of Zelda: Twilight Princess," sport game softwarepackage "Wii Sports" and Ubisoft's (UBIP.PA) fighting game "RedSteel."
Although the Wii (pronounced "we"), also known by its codename "Revolution," is described as a next-generation consolecompeting head on with Xbox 360 and PS3, Nintendo does notconsider them as rivals, Iwata said.
"Our target is not to fight the battle in thenext-generation console market, but to expand the game marketand game population," Iwata said.
"We are fighting not with Sony or Microsoft, but withindifference among our potential customers."
Nintendo offers Wii with a motion-sensor enabledcontroller, which looks like a TV remote and allows users todirect action on the screen by swinging it like a bat, a sword,a racquet or a golf club, in an effort to entice people outsidethe segment of hard-core game players with an easy-to-useconsole.
"We are the only one who has clearly made it a mission tolure those who don't play games and those who have quit playinggames, and to break down a wall in a household between playersand non-players," Iwata said.
"If that goal is achieved, there is a good chance that wecan be number one."
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