Nintendo is looking to step their game up in terms of digital distribution with the 3DS said company President Satori Iwata to an investor.
“We are thinking the release of new hardware should be good timing for a dramatic improvement of this situation. In addition to the function of ‘3D graphics without 3D glasses,’ Nintendo 3DS will have enhanced wireless communication function. Nintendo 3DS will receive various pieces of information automatically if there is a chance of communication while a user carries it even when he or she does not try to start communication proactively by unfolding Nintendo 3DS. By combining Nintendo 3DS with such function, we are now planning to expand our digital-distribution type of business.”
Nintendo has so far kept a lot of their online details and online features of the 3DS to themselves, but at least this statement seems to suggest that they will be taking digital content more seriously with the system.
It’s no secret that Nintendo has dropped the ball with WiiWare/Virtual Console and DSiWare in how they market the content and the games they approve of, in relation to Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network. And a much higher portion of owners of those consoles are connected online than Wii users.
I’m hoping that a Game Boy/Game Boy Advance Virtual Console will be one of the major features of the 3DS. Given that Nintendo has succeeded in snagging major third party support for the system, hopefully they can do the same in the online digital content space as well.
Via GoNintendo