Interview with Satoru Iwata

Q: How are Nintendo's hardware sales in fiscal 2002?

Iwata: I am certain that global shipments of the Game Boy Advance portable game machine will reach the targeted 15 million units, thanks to the growing popularity of the Pocket Monster series of software. But sales of GameCube game machines fell below our expectations in Japan, and the market share of the machines has not dramatically grown in the U.S. and Europe. It will be difficult to achieve the initial target of 10 million units.

Q: Do you think your products face tougher competition from rivals?

Iwata: All companies are facing a slump in the video game business. We should assume that video games themselves are at a turning point. We are the only company in the world to produce portable and non-portable game machines. By using this advantage, we will release many software products that would link these two types of machines.

Q: What are your overseas strategies?

Iwata: We want to sell hardware and software products in China within a year or two. Due to piracy problems, we are studying several marketing methods, such as selling machines several generations old, rather than the latest models.

Q: Have you started preparations for developing next-generation game machines?

Iwata: Off course we have. We are focusing on devising new ways to play games, rather than pursuing new functions.

January 9, 2002

Jim - News Contributor, GameCubicle