Nintendo grows further from fun and games, closer to the practical and utilitarian

Nintendo's as cagey as tech companies come, but the WSJ is reporting on a recent and unusual high level, high impact strategy presentation where in top 'Tendo execs revealed what's described as a change in its current business model: using its foothold in the video game market to sell casual gamers and non-gamers products focused more on utilitarian functions. You know, boring stuff -- like, stuff that's not games. What they want to sell Nintendo wouldn't specifically say, but they're focusing first on the flagship portable, the DS, rolling out what the WSJ describes as "features [that] will be useful in places like train stations, amusement parks or museums and [that] could be accessed wirelessly," as well as a new "television-programming feature for the Japanese market... to check television listings, run searches by keyword and genre, and highlight each family member's favorite programs." Maybe this pseudo-DVR like functionality will somehow play into their forthcoming 1seg tuner, but precisely how the rest of this completely underwhelming and disappointing news will manifest itself is currently up to one's imagination -- something Nintendo's apparently lost. We have heard, though, they might be getting back into the playing card business, and possibly in keeping with that vertical integration, opening up a string of Nintendo themed casinos. Not a bad business to be in. [Warning: subscription required]

Update: TG Daily is reporting Iwata also said Nintendo has no plans to drop the price on the Wii. We're stunned. Like, wow. Nintendo's not intending to drop the price on their already super cheap console that's been sold out for a year straight? Search us.

[RedBull Runner @ Oct 28th 2007 10:17PM]

Hey... maybe they will go back to their original product aswell... Playing Cards FTW!

[FrankTheCrank @ Oct 29th 2007 9:14AM]

As much as I like my hugely tech infused PS3, you have to give it up to Nintendo. They are kicking ass and taking names. Those new rubber grips are PERFECT. And the graphics they deliver are decent enough for 90% of people playing games.

the Wii is just a phenom.

[topspinserve @ Oct 28th 2007 10:28PM]

Is this verifiable? I really thought Nintendo was all about "fun" now, as that's a key word that the execs have been using for a while. And also, why is this news "underwhelming and disappointing?" I don't see how a broadening in company goals can be underwhelming and disappointing...

[N30 G30 @ Oct 28th 2007 10:54PM]

"imagination -- something Nintendo's apparently lost"

Because their last two systems, the Wii and the DS, didn't require imagination?

Is it being able to play games in a new way?

I don't get it.

[Fank @ Oct 29th 2007 2:09AM]

SNAP! He got you there!
What a stupid article, go be ashamed of your self.

[Big John @ Oct 28th 2007 10:57PM]

As a gadget blog, you don't seem too amped to see a device get used in a different way. We see posts when someone hacks a PSP to run GPS but are trashing Nintendo for -- le gasp -- expanding their market? They can't compete in video games to keep it a viable business, so they try to find a way to sustain themselves.

Also, please point out where they'll stop making games. Save the obit til that happens, okay?

[LordFarkward @ Oct 29th 2007 1:04AM]

holy shitzu people, lay down your weapons.

i'm not saying that i agree that nintendo is 'losing its imagination' here, but if you guys have been here long enough you would know the tongue-in-cheekiness of the engadget writers and that not every writer here's perfect. HOWEVER, they do put in a LOT of effort to keep you guys updated, trying to turn boring news into slightly more interesting ones.

and to scream 'wtf is this' and 'zomg i'm taking a break from engadget' because you don't like this ONE article? omg why don't YOU start your own perfect blog with articles that interests EVERYONE you mr. up-yourself-perfect?

i for one don't like ALL the articles of engadget, but then i simply scroll over them if that happens (ie. too apple-biased articles, boring cam corder articles, same ol' same ol' keeping it real fake articles). if you don't like somebody else's back yard just stop visiting it, no need to go pissy all over it until you drown every blade of grass with your piss.

keep up the good work, ryan, and as always i'm sure you won't take this bunch of whiners too seriously.

[Big John @ Oct 29th 2007 1:11AM]

I'm pointing out that the tounge-in-cheek has no place in this post. They aren't tounge-in-cheek about other gadgets being used for purposes other than original. They're pretty damn excited. Yes, they put in effort to update us. Thanks guys, we appreciate that. Yet when a writer puts up a post dripping in snark, how are we supposed to react? Sarcasm translates poorly in written word, especially in short form.

Also, why did you reply to my comment? I'm not aiming a weapon; not screaming 'wtf is this'; not 'zomg i'm taking a break from engadget'. You scroll over articles you don't like, yet felt compelled to list them here. Mr. Up-yourself indeed.

[TEM @ Oct 28th 2007 11:00PM]

Boourns! Bring back fun and games!

[Ryan @ Oct 28th 2007 11:02PM]

They might be trying to get in on what Apple's been doing lately with all of their gadgets? Nintendo might actually have something going for them with the innovation seen with the Wii, but hopefully it's not all too hastily done if they really do expand their business model.

And to the writer of the article, how has Nintendo lost their imagination? This was just one meeting to discuss a different possible areas of business. It probably won't have any effect on their gaming business model.

Thanks a lot for the sensationalism...

[M @ Oct 28th 2007 11:12PM]

Wow, what a shittily written article. Is this the garbage that Engadget has become?

[Tom @ Oct 28th 2007 11:23PM]

What a crappy article. This is hardly "overwhelmingly disappointing", it's just a bit of news on something else Nintendo is trying out. Did you write this article on the toilet while suffering through a monstrous bout of constipation?

[Ryan @ Oct 28th 2007 11:23PM]

This has to be the worst post I have ever seen on engadget... What the heck are you talking about Nintendo losing their imagination? Uh oh, I guess you're right, I mean its not like they did anything new with the Wii right? Oh wait...they did. Engadget as a whole would be a lot better if we didn't have to read these sensationalist posts that Ryan Block very often writes...

[Chris Isley @ Oct 28th 2007 11:43PM]

Yea... this article REALLY sucks.. your stuff i usually good, but this article is very poorly constructed and written.

[K Prasad @ Oct 29th 2007 9:22AM]

i'm not even a nintendo fanboy and I thought this was a horrible article. Was this written by a 16 year old kid? Just really poor.

[Yoshi Likes Boys @ Oct 28th 2007 11:47PM]

I agree with the posters above me. What the fuck is this?

[D. @ Oct 28th 2007 11:49PM]

Wait....what? Nintendo casinos? I'm questioning the authenticity of this entire post. Cards I can see, but the whole "family" image kinda goes out the door when we consider gambling.

[David @ Oct 29th 2007 3:56PM]

Hey thats nothing. I just found out Sony sells totally BORING utilitarian stuff too like walkmans and alarm clocks! totally not rad, dude.

[Matt - Perth @ Oct 29th 2007 12:11AM]

Yeah, I think I might give engadget a break for a while after reading this.... Surely someone proof-read it? Anyone?

[Penguin Warlord @ Oct 29th 2007 12:20AM]

But will the boringness blend?

[Penguin Warlord @ Oct 29th 2007 12:26AM]

Well you see what they mean by that is tha if you compare it to the PS3 and Xbo 36--
...Well look at the PS--
...If you carry the on--
hmmmmm... Blog writers aren't used to staying up until 10:15?

[John @ Nov 8th 2007 6:31PM]

If Nintendo does this i think they will lose what greatness they have right now. I mean nintendo is suppose to be all about fun not stuff that isn't "gamer". Nintendo is about to jump the shark on this.

[Big John @ Oct 29th 2007 1:13AM]

How so? They aren't abandoning gaming. No one said "Nintendo announced today that they're exiting the video gaming industry and moving toward the lucrative television listing market." This is added value to an existing product.

[Andir3.0 @ Oct 29th 2007 5:50PM]

Sony never abandoned gaming with the PS3... but the world all jumped on their throat for making the PS3 a gaming + media center. Now Nintendo wants to do it and they are the saviors of the world!

[skhawaja @ Oct 29th 2007 12:59AM]

go nintendo - I want a company that wrote the book on FUN to make utilitarian stuff - so it won't be so boring and mundane - I'm guessing that the DS will be getting a internet + wifi + microSD expansion?

so that's why they really made a dual screen - onscreen keyboard that doesn't eat up display area

go nintendo!

[skhawaja @ Oct 29th 2007 1:19AM]

before I get flamed :p I should point out that Nintendo had an article about their ds browser in June 2007 okay :p and you can already surf the web with the wii using opera from the wii shop channel of course it's a free download :p

[Big John @ Oct 29th 2007 1:24AM]

I hope you don't get flamed. Most people will approach this 'development' in a similar fashion.

[Kaminix @ Oct 29th 2007 6:13AM]

I agree with most of the people who've posted here, horrible article. It implies this being a step down for Nintendo, as for me I'd rather see it as a step up. When I bought my DS in Japan it already had a lot of "non-game games" available, among them I have the dictionary and a game for testing your kanji skills. Some other non-game apps available would be the browser, the cooking book, learning spanish/english/french... etc.

I think it's a big step up.

[richard knights @ Oct 29th 2007 7:16AM]

Exactly, Nintendo has already been developing non-game apps for the DS and I think its an interesting move forward. These guys know what they are doing and it certainly won't mean they stop the fun side.

[Lemmiwinks @ Oct 29th 2007 6:31PM]

"imagination -- something Nintendo's apparently lost."

are you high?

[airpolgas @ Oct 29th 2007 8:56PM]

Is that really a Ryan Block post? It seems like a post from a 12 year old let loose on the web, bordering on fanboyism.

Fire yourself and re-hire the old Ryan Block. The one that has a blog about gadgets, which Nintendo wants their systems to be. Otherwise, I'll just be reading about them on Joystiq.

Bring on the "Good Eats" DS cartridge!