Doug Bowser on Nintendo's relationship with Microsoft, and the importance of Nintendo Accounts moving forward
Big bad Doug Bowser
While Nintendo’s Doug Bowser isn’t in the public eye nearly as much as Reggie was, he does pop up from time to time during big moments for Nintendo. Right now is one of those moments, as Super Mario Bros. Wonder has just launched for Switch. As Bowser was out and about, Inverse had a chance to chat with the man himself for a few hard-hitting questions.
First up, Bowser was asked about Nintendo’s relationship with Microsoft. Microsoft has been in the headlines for nearly 2 years now due to their interest in acquiring Activision, and that deal just recently went through. While internal emails recently showed that Microsoft would love to acquire Nintendo, that actually happening is incredibly unlikely. That said, Bowser does say Nintendo and Microsoft have a great relationship right now.
We have a great relationship with Microsoft. We consider them to be partners in many, many ways, and you only have to look at Nintendo Switch to see that partnership. Obviously, Minecraft is on Nintendo Switch, and we brought Banjo Kazooie to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. So, we’re looking forward to that partnership continuing.
Bowser was also asked about what comes next for Nintendo after the Switch. Not surprisingly, Bowser wasn’t ready to share inside info. What he did do is echo statements from Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa. Whatever Nintendo does next in terms of hardware, Nintendo Accounts will be a big part of that transition.
Well, first I can’t comment — or I won’t comment, I should say — on the rumors that are out there. But one thing we’ve done with the Switch to help with that communication and transition is the formation of the Nintendo Account. In the past, every device we transitioned to had a whole new account system. Creating the Nintendo Account will allow us to communicate with our players if and when we make a transition to a new platform, to help ease that process or transition.
Our goal is to minimize the dip you typically see in the last year of one cycle and the beginning of another. I can’t speak to the possible features of a new platform, but the Nintendo Account is a strong basis for having that communication as we make the transition.
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enthropy
7M agoWell MS purchasing Nintendo is still better than saudi arabia getting all the stocks like they did with SNK... But I rather have non of that happen and Nintendo stay Nintendo.
To be fair, SNK were in a dire situation at the time and it seemed like they had very little choice. It was that or go bust. Not an ideal situation but neither option is ideal.
That said, Furukawa has stated they have plans should anyone try a hostile takeover so I don't think we need to worry about any of that
To be fair, SNK were in a dire situation at the time and it seemed like they had very little choice. It was that or go bust. Not an ideal situation but neither option is ideal.
That said, Furukawa has stated they have plans should anyone try a hostile takeover so I don't think we need to worry about any of that
I honestly don't know the story behind the SNK thing so I should read up on it, but there must have been another way out. Like let a Japanese company buy them or something. An acquisition perhaps.
Anyways, what I do know is that I boycotted SNK the instant I heard about it. I still have plenty of Fatal Fury and KOF games for the Saturn so I can play them.
Now will be interesting to see how Sony and perhaps even Nintendo will open their wallets to acquire some devs to counter MS's onslaught into the battlefield.
And if Amazon and google want to be relevant in the gaming space they also have to start getting exclusives which means more acquisitions.
It's going to get ugly so I am very happy to read "Furukawa has stated they have plans should anyone try a hostile takeover "
The factors about SNK's troubles were mainly about bad business decisions in the early 2000's, but later on during King of Fighters XII/XIII development, the games were torn apart by critics leading to poor sales (this was before KoF XIII got vindicated).
To summarize SNK's woes this century:
1) They kept making arcade games when the arcade market was being obsoleted by the home gaming market. So SNK couldn't make bank at the arcades anymore and they failed to diversify like Capcom did.
2) SNK released a couple of systems that flopped. Nobody wanted an upgrade one year after a launch of a system and also nobody wanted their 64 system.
3) Neo Geo was easily piratable at that point and SNK couldn't stop the bleeding pirates inflicted on the company.
4) SNK attempted a theme park that was doomed to failure. SNK didn't have the IP power like of a Nintendo so nobody went to SNK's theme park.
5) SNK attempted a 2D rotoscoped art style for KoF XII and XIII. KoF XII was torn apart for being a "beta" to XIII and a poor dream match game. XIII got hated by critics for having 2D graphics so this is why SNK changed to polygonial 3D for all games since XIII. XIV would since be criticized for having "Playstation 2" style character models which improved with XV.
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