14 DAY TRIAL // During an investor call, video game and hardware creator Nintendo announced a number of initiatives that were designed to give the company new revenue streams in the near future and make its gaming consoles more interesting to potential buyers.
Satoru Iwata, the leader of the company, has made it clear that there are no plans to drop support for the Wii U or for the 3DS and that there are already plans to better integrate the two devices and create more experiences that use their unique abilities.
Gamasutra quotes sources from the presentation who are saying that an on-demand digital distribution service might be added before the end of the year, tied to the unique Nintendo ID that each player gets.
This would allow players to engage with their favorite experiences regardless of the device they are playing on.
Iwata also suggests that Nintendo is exploring ways to become focused on social mechanics, with an initiative that might lower the price of a game that someone will play with his friends.
Apparently, there are plans to experiment with a number of new ideas first, on a limited group of releases for the Wii U, before implementing wider changes.
Nintendo is also interested in creating a so-called “quality of life” platform, which is designed to mix traditional games and non-wearable devices in order to allow users to manage their health and create a routine that makes them feel better each day.
All the initiatives are designed to convince shareholders that Nintendo has the potential to return to profitability in the coming years.
At the moment, the company is expecting a loss for the fiscal year that ends on March 31 and has slashed sales projections for the Wii U from 9 million to 2.8 million.
Satoru Iwata has already announced that he is slashing his pay by 50 percent.