With strong sales of the Wii, DS and top selling software, analysts anticipate Nintendo will post a record operating profit of $5.3 billion (yes, with a “b”) for their fiscal year which just ended on March 31st.
With their competitors reeling (Sony is expected to post record losses), combined with the phenomenal launch of the DSi, which sold an incredible 600,000 in the US and Europe in its first weekend, Nintendo is in a position few other companies can claim: cash rich, sales continuing to rise and a hot new product that will ensure continued success through 2009.
Mike Smith over at Yahoo Games recently reported that Nintendo has filed for a patent that “hinges on making demonstration videos available to players while they’re playing the game, either as a thumbnail view or a full-screen animation. Players could interrupt the demonstration at any point, taking control back to continue playing without assistance. Think of it as a tutorial guide that lasts throughout the entire game.”
Wow. Real time cheat support without needing to leave the game. Gaming purists may argue this takes away the challenge of it all, but I think most gamers would be thrilled with a clue now and then.
Smith also reports that the patent application “also proposes to let players start playing at any point during a game — a feature that’s in many games already, but typically only unlocked once a player has already completed those levels. Just like skimming a newspaper article for the juicy bits, this would allow players to tackle games, in their entirety, at their own whim.”
Read the full article here.
The convergence of TV/computer/game console continues… Starting this Spring in Japan and then most likely reaching the rest of Wii owners by the end of 2009, Nintendo will be rolling out the Wii television channel, called “Wiinoma,” and begin a run at global living-room supremacy. Anyone with at Wii and an internet connection will be able to view Wiinoma, which will deliver Nintendo-produced, family-oriented fare such as cartoons, cooking, lifestyle and educational programming. Most of the content will initially be free, but Nintendo could easily make special pay-per-view programs, payable through the Wii point system.
I’ll be anxious to try out Wiinoma. The big question is - will people make the shift and start watching TV through the Wii? It has been reported that Japan TV execs are worried about the Wii potentially becoming the center of the living room, but the quality (and cost) of the initial programming will play a major part in influencing behavior change. Nintendo will only have one chance to get this right.
For additional details, click here.
Tags: Computer Console, Computer Game, Convergence, Game Console, Initial Programming, Internet Connection, Lifestyle, Living Room, Nintendo, Pay Per View, Television Channel, Tv Computer, Tv Game, Watching Tv, Wii
Nintendo News | 
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Game tracking website vgchartz.com announced that for the week ending 27th December 2008, Wii Sports has now passed sales of Super Mario Bros (NES) at 40.24 million units, making it the best selling video game of all time. The game, bundled with the Wii (just like Super Mario Bros was with the NES in the 80s) in every country outside of Japan and South Korea, reached that milestone after just over 2 years (110 weeks) of sales. The new version, Wii Sports: Resort, which will be released later this year, will fuel continued demand, with some thinking that it could eventually reach the 100 million unit mark.
Last week, a post on Gamespot.com started a buzz across the net about a possible new The Legend of Zelda release sometime next year. In an interview with Lazard Capital Markets’ Colin Sebastian, he states that new releases will help push modest industry growth next year, and one could possibly be the next installment of The Legend of Zelda. Although he admits it is pure speculation at this point, the timing makes sense and would give Nintendo a huuuuuuge boost in game sales in a difficult economic year.
“With this year’s release of Wii installments for Super Smash Bros., Animal Crossing, and Mario Kart, there are few cherished Nintendo series in need of a new-generation debut. That means it’s about time for the publisher to start a second lap of its greatest hits, and if one industry analyst’s prognostication is accurate, leading off that lap could be a second installment of The Legend of Zelda.”
Here’s the link to the full story
Santa, if I promise to start being good now, can you put me on the preorder list? 
Tags: Animal Crossing, Buzz, Game Sales, Installments, Legend of Zelda, Legend Zelda, mario kart, New Generation, New Release, New Zelda, Nintendo, Sebastian, Super Smash Bros, Wii, Zelda Link
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Mark | April 10, 2009
