A previously unpublished interview with the late, great Satoru Iwata has been remasted and presented in full by Adam Doree on YouTube (thanks, Time Extension).
Conducted by Doree’s website at the time, Kikizo, the interview was originally only available partially back in 2004. The new remaster includes previously unheard comments from the CEO regarding Hiroshi Yamauchi, Iwata’s predecessor who headed Nintendo as its President from 1949 to 2002.
At the time of the interview, the Nintendo DS had been revealed and the Wii (known then simply as the ‘Revolution’) was also teased by Iwata himself. He speaks in the interview about the importance of surprising fans with new hardware, rather than simply relying solely on advanced technical capabilities. These sentiments are well known by Nintendo fans at this point, but it’s always nice to hear them reiterated.
Interestingly, he also mentions that he doesn’t believe the hardware that Sony and Microsoft were working on at the time (the PS3 and Xbox 360) would necessarily have a ‘bright future’, stating that the increased power would require more work, and that it would be difficult for some customers to recognise the difference.
Of couse, we know now that both the PS3 and the Xbox 360 would go on to enjoy great success, but Iwata’s comments here feel quite relevant in 2024, don’t they?
It’s worth checking out the full interview if you have half an hour spare. He also talks about Shigeru Miyamoto’s responsibilities, how the DS was not intended to directly compete with Sony’s PSP, and Nintendo’s share price at the time.
A previously unpublished interview with the late, great Satoru Iwata has been remasted and presented in full by Adam Doree on YouTube (thanks, Time Extension).
Conducted by Doree’s website at the time, Kikizo, the interview was originally only available partially back in 2004. The new remaster includes previously unheard comments from the CEO regarding Hiroshi Yamauchi, Iwata’s predecessor who headed Nintendo as its President from 1949 to 2002.
At the time of the interview, the Nintendo DS had been revealed and the Wii (known then simply as the ‘Revolution’) was also teased by Iwata himself. He speaks in the interview about the importance of surprising fans with new hardware, rather than simply relying solely on advanced technical capabilities. These sentiments are well known by Nintendo fans at this point, but it’s always nice to hear them reiterated.
Interestingly, he also mentions that he doesn’t believe the hardware that Sony and Microsoft were working on at the time (the PS3 and Xbox 360) would necessarily have a ‘bright future’, stating that the increased power would require more work, and that it would be difficult for some customers to recognise the difference.
Of couse, we know now that both the PS3 and the Xbox 360 would go on to enjoy great success, but Iwata’s comments here feel quite relevant in 2024, don’t they?
It’s worth checking out the full interview if you have half an hour spare. He also talks about Shigeru Miyamoto’s responsibilities, how the DS was not intended to directly compete with Sony’s PSP, and Nintendo’s share price at the time.
