Nintendo’s current president and regular spokesperson for Nintendo’s online press conference, “Nintendo Direct”, Satoru Iwata spoke today at an analyst presentation meeting on Nintendo’s plans for the upcoming business year. During the presentation, Iwata spoke of his “commitment” to a business profit goal of ¥100 billion ($1 billion) by the end of March 2014.
Iwata commented on Nintendo’s two-year consecutive losses saying the he “feels strongly responsible”. With that in mind, Iwata explained his basis for meeting the new goal starting with “plans to release strong sellers like the new Pokémon game on the hand-held Nintendo 3DS”.
With the Wii U losing momentum in sales after being released just last year, Iwata also revealed plans to unify Nintendo’s portable console and home console development teams.
When asked how he would take responsibility if Nintendo did not meet this profit mark, Iwata replied “I ask that you understand my use of the word ‘commitment’.” Strong words, which in Japan’s linguistic culture of saying what you mean without saying what you mean has some in the Japanese news media speculating that Iwata is hinting that he may step down as president if Nintendo doesn’t meet its goals.
Iwata has been both a leader and a charismatic icon for Nintendo. Praised by former Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi as “a man with both development and management skills”, he managed to become president of Nintendo at the young age of 43. As understandable as Japan’s cultural custom of “taking responsibility by stepping down” is, it would be a shame if Iwata were to go that way. That might be a little too direct.
任天堂・岩田社長、業績不振で辞任も示唆 ゲーム機開発部門を一本化へ（産経新聞） [gooニュース]
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