Iwata: E3 keynote should have been better

[mcj metroid]

“As for the media briefing at E3, of course we had many internal discussions after that. Honestly speaking, none of us at Nintendo thought that our presentation at E3 was as good as it could have been. It is apparent that we could not fully convey the charm of our products. In the past, Wii Sports and Wii Fit were naturally able to convey their appeal on stage since it was something no one had ever seen or imagined before. People seemed to capture the appeal of Wii Sports instantly and although there was some initial confusion with Wii Fit, its appeal did get through to the audience afterwards. This year, however, with the New Super Mario Bros. Wii, four people lined up with Wii Remotes was not a scene that no one had ever seen. Those who actually had the chance to play understood how the game would change with four people playing simultaneously, but we could not address that fun sentiment at the media briefing. Now we strongly feel that we need to look into finding a better way to demonstrate the products’ appeal better at E3 in these times where more people are watching it online via web cast not only in the U.S. but all around the world, than the number of audience who actually watch it in the theatre. In that sense, we learned many lessons from this year’s E3 show. After the media briefing, we had a domestic trade briefing in Japan. There we disclosed the black Wii console and red Nintendo DSi, which made a big buzz among game fans. It is also an important lesson for next year.” - Satoru Iwata

 

link

 

but what do you all think..Is iwata right about his keynote and looking back was e3 good?

[Emasher]

They made good announcements. They didn't present it well though.

 

They needed a bigger stage, more excitement, a bigger focus on the games the people who were actually watching the keynote are interested in, and Miyamoto.

 

Games like Monando (I think thats what it was called), and Sin and Punishment 2 should have been shown during the keynote, and talked about by the presenter, not just a few second clip on a demo reel.

[Dyson]

http://www.n-europe.com/news.php?nid=13463

[Grazza]

Ah, I thought it was a good E3. Is presentation really that important? Surely content is what counts? People viewing it on the internet can download the screenshots and gameplay videos soon afterwards, so it's not like this particular audience will be confused about what they're seeing. Plus, far less people used to watch the webcasts a few years back (2004-2006-ish, if they even existed) and that didn't stop the excitement. The games were enough on their own.

 

Perhaps it's just that this was the fourth E3 showing Wii software. We've pretty much seen everything it can do, haven't we? It's hard to excite people at this stage, even if some of the games looked great.

 

One problem is that Nintendo aren't being clear about MotionPlus. When they revealed it at E3 2008 I was very impressed that they were improving their controller. Now though, have they actually announced anything else that uses it (apart from Wii Fit Plus)? It's sending out the message that they're not sure if it really improves anything.

 

We've had various developers saying their games are better without it - I admire them for their honesty, but I'd hoped it would be a bit more useful than that.

 

If they had shown a lot of new games that needed Motion Plus, and explained why they needed it, that would have made for a better show.

[Shino]

Lol, I think they completely missed the point.

 

NSMB Wii was one of the highlights, it didn't felt too long and the audience understands the concept. Its the motion controlled stuff that you can't show, Wii Sports Resort is great and a critically acclaimed game, but no one at the time gave two shits about it because just showing isn't enough to capture the feeling of it. And then there is the vitality sensor, that interests absolutely no one in the theatre or the people watching it in the internet, and to make it worse there's nothing to back it up! It could have been a plug to the fucking Matrix, but if it doesn't have any software nobody gives a shit about it.

 

Actually liked this years E3 keynote, but it frustrates me that Nintendo completely fails to realise what is actually the problem.

[david.dakota]

Same old rubbish, this time last year Iwata claimed they'd learnt a lesson too. It'll be the same next year, Nintendo wheels out some chaps from Treehouse to take on Reggie at WiiSomething, while Microsoft spurt out sticky white game goo all over the audience.

[mcj metroid]

They're just showing the wrong games really.. People said they wanted more hardcore games so they announced 4 new mario games.. That ISN'T the point.. I HATE using the word hardcore game but it's the only way to describe what I mean these days..

 

I don't think nintendo have come up with a hardcore game idea since pikmin on gamecube and that was 7 years ago...

[Emasher]

They're just showing the wrong games really.. People said they wanted more hardcore games so they announced 4 new mario games.. That ISN'T the point.. I HATE using the word hardcore game but it's the only way to describe what I mean these days..

 

I don't think nintendo have come up with a hardcore game idea since pikmin on gamecube and that was 7 years ago...

 

Are you just talking about Nintendo EAD. Disaster Day of Crisis was created by a Nintendo owned company, and that same Nintendo owned company is bringing us a new RPG IP. Besides that, there's also Cosmic Walker and Dynamic Slash coming, assuming they haven't become vaporware.

 

I really do think it will be much better next year. We'll be seeing the first footage of a new console Zelda game, and hopefully a new Pikmin game, plus (assuming they don't get released early next year, we'll be seeing more of Mario Galaxy 2, and Metroid Other M.

[Pit-Jr]

The problem isnt the presentation either. Theyve ALWAYS had cornball presentations but in the past they were usually backed by 'omg must-have'-caliber games'. But they dont seem to be interested in competing on that level anymore. 3rd parties arent helping matters either. Where was the DQX teaser when you needed it?

[mcj metroid]

Are you just talking about Nintendo EAD. Disaster Day of Crisis was created by a Nintendo owned company, and that same Nintendo owned company is bringing us a new RPG IP. Besides that, there's also Cosmic Walker and Dynamic Slash coming, assuming they haven't become vaporware.

 

I really do think it will be much better next year. We'll be seeing the first footage of a new console Zelda game, and hopefully a new Pikmin game, plus (assuming they don't get released early next year, we'll be seeing more of Mario Galaxy 2, and Metroid Other M.

 

just mean in house. you know.. pikmin did really seem like the last one..

 

i mean from capcom at least were seeing the likes of zack and wiki and sega have madworld and other third parties..

nintendo haven't shown us a new ip since wii sports.. and i think it's fair to put all these " wii" games in the same franchise..

[or else you will DIE]

eh, it was still MILES better than that piece of shit conference in 2008.

[killer kirby]

3rd parties arent helping matters either. Where was the DQX teaser when you needed it?

 

Give the team a chance, they only just released IX

 

E3 isn't really a big thing for me anymore, seems like it's in the back of a lot of minds of game makers now, most of the time all of them have their own press conference thats not around E3, and most of the time it's always better.

[Strange Cookie]

There is definitely room for improvement, like oiling the joint of Reggie to make him less stiff and refuel his kickin'-ass'n-takin'-names-supply.

 

Seriously though, it was a lot better than the previous few years. Iwata himself made the best impression on me. Reggie the worst. Yes, even worse than Cammie. But I agree NSMB Wii suffered from a bad presentation. It was too sterile for something that fun. Let people try it out on the showfloor, but don't let people play it on stage. That works for something like WiiSport Resort or Project Natal, because that's something new that has to be seen first, but not something as familiar as classic 2D-Mario, four players or not.

 

Still, they saved their skin at this years E3 as far as I'm concerned, so they must have done something right.

[Josh64]

I hated it. Until the last 10 minutes when the intense trailers were shown, im talking about Metroid other M and Mario Galaxy 2 of course.

I love my Wii and the games for it, people who complain about hardcore games should do a bit of research and realise there are hardcore games on Wii or just buy a 360 and stfu.

[Shino]

There is definitely room for improvement, like oiling the joint of Reggie to make him less stiff and refuel his kickin'-ass'n-takin'-names-supply.

 

Seriously though, it was a lot better than the previous few years. Iwata himself made the best impression on me. Reggie the worst. Yes, even worse than Cammie. But I agree NSMB Wii suffered from a bad presentation. It was too sterile for something that fun. Let people try it out on the showfloor, but don't let people play it on stage. That works for something like WiiSport Resort or Project Natal, because that's something new that has to be seen first, but not something as familiar as classic 2D-Mario, four players or not.

 

Still, they saved their skin at this years E3 as far as I'm concerned, so they must have done something right.

 

That's basically the complete opposite of what I said, and as such, I disagree. With a passion.

[Patch]

That's basically the complete opposite of what I said, and as such, I disagree. With a passion.

 

Good. Well done.

 

I think every E3 could always be better. Some better than others.

 

I was surprised to see Iwata say that. Not many CEOs would admit something like that. I imagine Nintendo as living in their own little world for 360 days of the year. Then they come to E3 and suddenly realise what they are up against from their competitors and that's when the realism sets in.

 

Think of it that way, and you can see why Iwata grabbed Masahiro Sakurai by the curlies at one E3 and told him he was making another Smash Brothers game.

[Blue_Ninja0]

Don't know about his speech but the selection of games they announced couldn't be better IMO.

Yes I wanted a Pokemon MMORPG and a 1:1 sword motion Zelda in HD but I'm playing with what I consider possible here.

F-Zero or Pikmin would be nice but NSMB, Galaxy 2, and a new Metroid was awesome for me.

Better than the previous recent E3.

[Grazza]

I was surprised to see Iwata say that. Not many CEOs would admit something like that. I imagine Nintendo as living in their own little world for 360 days of the year. Then they come to E3 and suddenly realise what they are up against from their competitors and that's when the realism sets in.

 

I love that image! Hilarious and very probably true.

 

Think of it that way, and you can see why Iwata grabbed Masahiro Sakurai by the curlies at one E3 and told him he was making another Smash Brothers game.

 

Now I can't stop imagining Miyamoto at this year's E3 saying "What, they wanted Zelda?" and then quickly getting one of his artists to draw him that pic of Link without a sword!

[LostOverThere]

Now I can't stop imagining Miyamoto at this year's E3 saying "What, they wanted Zelda?" and then quickly getting one of his artists to draw him that pic of Link without a sword!

Hah, he was probably thinking to himself "What the hell, we give them Super Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid: Other M, New Super Mario Bros Wii and a whole load of other titles and they're still unhappy? Dear God, what have we created!?"

[Strange Cookie]

That's basically the complete opposite of what I said, and as such, I disagree. With a passion.

 

OK.

 

Anyways, I think all in all Sony had the best presentation, but overall, all of the conferences were pretty good actually. I don't think Nintendo should've shown more of Zelda Wii (not like there is anything to show to begin with at the moment). Slightly disappointed there was no Pikmin 3 in any form. Kid Ikarus no-show was pretty disappointing too, and would have liked some Pilotwings. Picky? Who, me? :p Atleast we have something to look forward come next E3.

 

But it was a pretty tense and at times stained presentation. To put it in Prequel Jedi-speak: " I sensed an unusual amount of fear for something as trivial as this E3-conference". Guess they knew they had something to prove. But they pulled through, IMO.

 

What I did miss in the Nintendo conference were third-party-titles, which is Nintendo's weak point. But content-wise, it was a good year. They just need to brush up their presentational skills.

[Patch]

Now I can't stop imagining Miyamoto at this year's E3 saying "What, they wanted Zelda?" and then quickly getting one of his artists to draw him that pic of Link without a sword!

 

Haha! "And quick, while you're at it, dig out that old Phantom Hourglass footage from before we decided to ditch the train system in favour of boats".

[Pookiablo]

It could have been a plug to the fucking Matrix, but if it doesn't have any software nobody gives a shit about it.

 

 

Haha, an excellent (and very funny) point you make there sir! I chuckled muchly!