Retail has still got it. Nintendo has made their fortune these past few decades on retail sales, and they're not about to give up on them now. While they've dipped their toes in the downloadable games pool with the Wii and the DSi, they still have faith that retail sales will continue to serve their massive pocketbooks, with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata givng retail the "competitive edge."
"I do not believe the competitive edge that packaged software has today will easily be taken up any time soon," Iwata said in a recent conference call. He says that Nintendo has provided online sales for the convenience of those who wish to use it, but admit that they have only seen a small increase since the launch of the services.
And as for the future of game sales, he does believe it will eventually switch to an all-online format. But not anytime soon: "...if I am told, 'within a couple of years from today, there will be no retail outlets which will be selling packaged software,' my reaction must be, 'there's got to be something wrong with that assumption because I do not believe people's behaviours can change in such a short time,'" he said.
Personally, I'm already quite fond of the DSi store -- Nintendo just needs to do more with it. Are you for an online-only future?
[Via GI.biz]
Dale North is Destructoid's Editor-In-Chief, a founding editor, and specialist in Japanese gaming. An accomplished musician, Dale was reporting from Japan during the earthquakes of 2011. Luckily, he got the fuck out alive and is home in America now with his wife and beloved corgi, Einstein. Dale is also a co-founder of Destructoid's sister anime site
Japanator. Likes Corgis, Sega Saturn, PSP, iPhone, Photographic tools.
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Contest:
2:20 PM on 05.22.2009
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I'm all for downloadable stuff, but I still believe that something have to be done in order to insure that we can all access our content, regardless of companies dying or we change consoles. I fully expect access to the stuff I bought on the PSN on the next playstation, for example
Uhhhh
No.
I am sorry Iwata but do not even PLAN to destroy retails. Fuck you. No. Don't even imagine it. To have a physical copy of your videogame is in my opinion one of the most grand treasures of beinga gamer.
I don't like WiiWare that much for being an invisible retail program and not to mention the games on it are very underappreciated just for being online.
Sorry but I am completely against to any of that iea even if its product of my absurd imagination.
Most digital downloads are server based, what are you gonna do if that server shuts down?
You think you own your steam games? HA.