Ask Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime what can reinvigorate interest in the company's struggling Wii U, he says it's all about the software.Thoughts?
"It always comes down to the games," says Fils-Aime. "Can you have an entertaining experience that is broad and mainstream? That's the key."
Nintendo pushes to rectify that with the announcements of several Wii U titles, including fresh Mario games and the HD remake of classic epic The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker.
It's also a reason why they altered their approach to their E3 presence, scaling back from a massive press event to a low-key, hands-on gathering with E3 attendees.
"Every year, we think deeply about the best thing to do at E3," he says. "We realize that there many different constituents. You've got the media, analysts, consumers who somehow get a ticket to the show. You have people who are interested from home trying to understand what's going on in L.A. This year, with the wide range of content we have, we believe that doing a sit-down, one hour presentation was not going to be the most effective way to communicate the depth, the breadth and appeal of the games."
The Wii U's slow start has been well documented. After a "very effective launch," says Fils-Aime, the Wii U lost momentum. Since its arrival last November, Nintendo has sold 3.45 million Wii U devices, far off the pace of the Nintendo Wii.
The rocky sales have sparked concerns over support from third-party publishers, highlighted by reports claiming Electronic Arts had abandoned production of Wii U titles.
However, Fils-Aime insists Nintendo has strong partnerships with third-party publishers, and says fresh, first-party content will bolster those relationships.
"Nintendo's responsibility as a platform holder is to drive the install base of the platform," he says. "We take that responsibility very seriously. That's why we create some of the world's best games and some of the most enduring franchises."
Fils-Aime remains confident in Wii U despite the arrivals of Sony's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One, both of which will likely be technically superior to the Nintendo device.
"We focus on gameplay innovation," says Fils-Aime. "We always have. That's what drove our development for Wii U. Our competitors focus on other things and have other aspirations. It's for them to figure out if they can deliver on those aspirations. For us, it's all about satisfying the gameplay consumer."
