Thackis

The transformation of Nintendo

Over the last decade, it has become painfully obvious that Nintendo is ill-equipped and mentally incapable of competing in the hardcore gaming market.

Like many of us, Iwata was resistive to leaving that market. He went up on stage and lambasted the mobile market and the effect on game prices and quality.

Either out of fear of being ousted, or from a personal revelation, Iwata has now decided to take Nintendo and transform it into something new, and wholly different.

Nintendo is now becoming the company of "fun" and "games". No longer worried or shackling itself to the bounds of what was (a recurring motif at Nintendo), but instead heading off in a new unproven direction.

Last year's E3, the surprise announcement of a new system and the development of mobile games, and this year's E3 go a long way to show us just how far Nintendo has changed and opened up.

Like never before, Nintendo is allowing people outside of the company relatively free rein of some of their properties. Even as far as encouraging them to do something new. Take the case with Browser and Donkey Kong for Skylanders.

Looking at this year's E3 Digital Event, most of the games were not about story, or grit and grime. They were games. Purely simply games designed to be fun and happy.

The most interesting thing is that the core of Nintendo has never changed, and remains intact. It's just everything around that core is transforming. Iwata is betting that what makes Nintendo great will always keep Nintendo great regardless of platform or business model.

Nintendo is embracing this new world, and only time will tell if they have chosen wisely.

Nintendo is dead, long live Nintendo.