Iwata says 3DS will beat 3DTVs to mass market

by Mike Schramm on Nov 10th 2010 6:00AM

A lot of the scuttlebutt we've been hearing about 3D and video games has been centered around 3DTVs (and this week's Call of Duty: Black Ops release has been impressing some folks with 3D-enabled televisions), but Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata says that if anything ushers 3D out of the movie theaters and into the household, it'll be the 3DS. He told the company's investors recently that "people in Hollywood currently do not believe that 3D television sets will be able to spread into ordinary households with rapid speed. I have the impression that they see Nintendo 3DS as a strong candidate to become the very first 3D device to be able to spread into the mass market in massive volumes."

Really, the president of Nintendo thinks the 3DS will be popular? No kidding, tell us another one. But Iwata also said that developers around the world have shown "much stronger interest" in the 3DS than its old dimensionally-challenged cousin, the regular Nintendo DS, did at its own launch. So maybe by next March, we'll all be seeing things in 3D at home. Wait ... without glasses, we mean. No, wait ... aw, you know.

Source: CVG

Tags: 3d, 3ds, 3dtvs, ds, investors, nintendo, nintendo-3ds, satoru-iwata

Reader Comments (48)

That's an awesome cardboard cut-out. Does it come in 3D?

...heh...."scuttlebutt"..

Duh... Anything that's 10x cheaper than the other thing will beat it to the mass market...

Obvious CEO is obvious.

@Ashkental

And you don't need the stupid 3D glasses.

@Ashkental

About the same thing I was going to say.

The 3DS has a huge price benefit. The resolution will probably be the biggest shortcoming as far as non-gaming stuff is concerned (movies, comics, etc.), but considering how insanely cheap it'll be compared to a big 3DTV, I don't think anyone's going to care about those few extra pixels just yet.

(Also, this is like saying HD computer monitors will/would spread quicker than HD TVs.)

@Ashkental Exactly, not only that but it's a pretty cool device. No glasses, it's (hopefully) going to be inexpensive, and once again it's a DS.

Wow... This is probably the first time I've heard corporate ego trips and said, "Well... yeah... naturally."

Funny thing is, I really want a 3DTV. But just like Nintendo DS Vs. iPod Touch I don't see it as a competition.

@Chazzr

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it coming out in April in Japan?

@sonicspike41

Clearly I meant February as April comes after March, not before it.

Maybe if nintendo focused on making TV's they could help out in the 3DTV area.

@Barkley610
Oh yeah, they should totally help out in the 3D TV marketing... like how Sony helped them make gaming syste---OH WAIT!

Sony screwed them over, no way Nintendo's helping them.

Thanks, Captain Obvious!

*begins to seizure and froth at the mouth upon reading 3DS in the title*

wantwantwantwantwantwantwant

In other news today, Humans require air to breathe.

Also, Water is wet.

@AltairArcanum

Water is what?!

@Foetoid sticky

They may beat 3DTVs to the mass market, but there's still the unproven market opportunity of buying/watching movies on portable gaming consoles. Look at how badly UMD films bombed on the PSP and at least they had the ability to be sold-on afterwards. Where as Nintendo's route-to-console will be digital download with no sell-on [after you realise that the 3D adds nothing to the film] and you could have bought the film on Blu-ray for a bit more and get a higher resolution and portability/re-saleability.

Or perhaps I'm just too cynical.

@SSUK iTunes digital copies are not a failure.

@SSUK not too cynical at all. Any sort of proprietary portable movie format is never going to grow to be more than a niche interest if that. Few people want to buy a movie that only works on one device, especially a small one like the 3ds.

@Chazzr I know 40+ people with an iOS device....including myself....I get the "Digital copy" with all the blu-ray movies I buy.....and I wont get them via iTunes but will via Windows Media Player........iTunes for movies is SHIT

@SSUK

UMD's problem *as a movie format* probably was that it was physical. The stupid part is that making the games all-digital hurt the PSP brand, but the movies should go all-digital

The bigger question will be if Nintendo's network is up to the task of delivery. It's going to need to be a sight quicker than the Shop Channel currently is

@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi

The iTunes experience on Windows is seriously lacking. On my mac, however, it's fantastic.

@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi

Holy crap your forehead just picked up the moon with it's gravity.

3D may be cool looking, but I don't trust it, for all I know Charizard is ready to bite my face off.

Thats a no brainer, for one its a DS and two you don't need those STUPID GLASSES,, right there, if they were to have 3d movie/tv rentals i would buy into that and not just games... now if Toshiba could only hurry up and make that 20" tv more like 65" and sell it to me ... but early 3dtv consumers have to be down right mad when they start rolling out glasses free 3dtv's.. i know i was sure mad when they came out with 120hz after i bought 3 lcd's...

@styleznma

You should decaf.

My parents actually bought a new 3DTV a while ago, but since our house in under construction right now we left it in the box so it wouldn't get all dusty and stuff. It makes me sad because I want to check out Black Ops and some of my other PSN games in 3D. I know that's not related to the 3DS at all, but I just thought I'd share.

And just as a side note, we didn't buy the TV because it was 3D. It just happened to be a good TV other than that and there was a pretty good deal on it. Free bluray player and 4 free glasses (that cost $130 each) plus an extra 20 % off the TV.

@Ospov - Now THAT, my good bro, is a cool story.

its only me that had no interest in 3DTV or 3DS?

Just ignoring the fact that the 3DS its not the same 3D from TV...

Duh, 3DS is dirt cheap compared to a 3DTV O_o

If anyone knows where I can buy a 3DTV for less then £300 / $300, please let me know.

@Spunky Monkey 190906 Yeah, maybe when Hell freezes over. Seriously, 3DTVs are way too overrated and cost way too much for the average consumer. The 3DS on the other hand has the advantage because it doesn't force you to watch things in 3D, and it's infinitely cheaper than 3DTVs. Not to mention you don't need to buy those asinine glasses that cost $300.

@therandomizer

To be honest, the only thing the two of them have in common is the fact they play games and do 3D. If I wanted to watch a 3D movie, I certainly wouldn't do it on the 3DS, even if it could do it. So when Mr Nintendo says it'll beat 3DTVs to the mass market, maybe so, but it depends on what the mass market wants from a 3D device.

I've been personally recommending anyone who was planning to buy a DS or portable device for christmas to wait for 3DS to release, to which they have become quite enthusiastic towards doing so, but if someone was wishing to upgrade from HD to 3D, 3DS wouldn't be the first thing to pop to mind, nor would technology shops recommending devices.

So yeah, 'beat it to the market' doesnt mean 'beat it in the market'. It's too early to tell hope both will perform, the qualms of 3DTVs needing 3D glasses may be resolved in a few years with technological advancements, meaning the glasses may no longer be mandatory.

given the price difference, target audience, and lack of having to deal with the MPAA on licensing... I would certainly hope the 3DS would beat 3DTV to the mass market.

Buying any new TV be it 3D or otherwise is a much larger purchase price wise than a portable game console. I don't really see the relation here. HDTV's have taken a while to reach mass market so it makes sense that 3DTVs will take a while as well ... Especially in a down economy.

I don't see the correlation. I'd love a 3D TV but I bought a 52 inch HDTV about two years ago ... Not happening for a few years even though I have the money and credit to buy one.

I miss the Nintendo that was able to sell devices on their own merit and not because some sort of gimmick. Most of the games I play on the DS don't use the stylus control and relegate the second screen to something minor. Most of the Wii games I play use regular controls. I can't see the 3D for the 3DS being any different.

He is absolutely right, I personally think this thing is going to turn a couple of markets around in a new direction.

this is a big "NO SH.T!" moment...

i bet if you sat a person down in front of a free 3DS and a free 40" 3DHDTV, they'd pick the tv. a no "brainer".

@golobulus

I would pick the 3DS. Seriously.

@golobulus

I would pick the one that plays games, is portable, doesn't cost so much money, and did I mention it plays games?

@pluupy you are exactly the type of person this nintendog is talking about... take your ds cuz you are gonna buy the sh.t whether it has 3D functionality or not. anyone wanting to experience 3D is gonna hit that 3DLED/PLASMA-HDTV in an instant. and on the real, anyone with a brain would pick that tv. even if you don't give hoots about 3D...you can sell that hoe on ebay or wherever for maximum coinage. "Soiden" is trying to be "funny" but failing hard.

and another thing... money is the issue, of course. that's why i brought up the free factor. yet you still wanted to talk about dollars... take money out the equation and it'll be a different story on average.

@golobulus

So, putting 'seriously' in my comment didn't convince you I wasn't joking?

@honkyjesusownsu

What??... I cannot see you...
Hello?..
...
HEEELLLOOO?! SOMEONE THEREEEE?!!!..

I agree because I have a TV that is "3D capable" and have no interest in paying extra to buy expensive glasses just to see some stuff in 3D. That and it lowers image quality and I wouldn't buy enough glasses for everybody to watch. Since the no-glasses 3D is not proprietary though and Samsung is beating Nintendo to the market with a no-glasses 3D android phone, I can't see the tech being special forever. Maybe not even for a year. It's tough to see where the gaming industry is headed these days with both MS and Sony opting to extend their console's lifespan and phones taking a huge chunk out of the portable gaming market. I'm sure Nintendo will always make some sort of gaming hardware device but maybe they really are better suited at some point in the future to be a software company. Their software outsells the next big 3rd party and they only release on Nintendo hardware.

Well, I bought my first HDTV this summer and I bought a used DSi off eBay (still haven't sold my DS lite). So, I'm set for both unless I NEED to play one of the big 3DS titles coming out.

The only people that can sell the 3DS to me are third-party developers that port main franchises over to the handheld.

@antiZER0
So... you're already sold on the 3DS I take it?

Not quite blahblah55, see I don't necessarily feel like I must own a console because of one or two must buy titles. For 3DS right now, that must buy is the Kingdom Heart project. Since I don't know anything about the game, I can't say I'm sold on 3DS just as a 3D device.

1. University takes away game time since I want to graduate soon. So I want to get the most milage out of the consoles and handhelds I already own.

2. I own two DS handhelds.... yet I don't need both. Having to sell both to get a 3DS begs to question of why I bought a DSi this year. I was too impulsive.

3. Nintendo's obviously doing great stuff with 3DS, but I'm less inclined to play them solely on brand with my time stretched thin. I have to be picky so I don't buy too many games I won't be playing.

So while awesome titles are coming to 3DS, I cannot invest interest in them purely for entertainment. If Square pulls a dirty move by putting KH3 on 3DS, then I'd feel more obliged to support 3DS.

@antiZER0
So exclusivity and quantity are in question here I take it?
I suppose other than the grand launch titles and a few projects, we still aren't sure if any more great titles will be released later into its lifetime.

...however, not getting it soon may be problematic. Afterall, what if this gets the "Wii launch effect"? Not finding ANY in ANY store for months on end??
...that's why I'm willing to buy it even if I already did buy a DSi.

The 3d tv market is already getting no love at all this kind of gloat post is not really needed. When 3D TVs no longer require extra glasses and don't cost an outrageous amount of money then I will just on that as well though honestly I am holding out for holographic TV.

@paper
Nintendo's just shoving something in Sony's face after they did a whole "Booo, you should help us improve the tech of 3DTV's Nintendo!!!"
Which is completely deserved. Remember, Sony backstabbed Nintendo when they were helping them create game systems that ran off of CDs: They broke off the last minute and released the Playstation.
Then they had the nerve to constantly claim superiority over Nintendo afterwards...
Sony deserves this.

Iwata says 3DS will beat 3DTVs to mass market

Reader Comments (48)

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 6:02AM Apsac D said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 6:09AM xJimmeh said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 6:10AM Ashkental said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 6:20AM Riley Freeman said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 6:24AM sonicspike41 said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 8:32AM Bewoulf said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 6:24AM sonicspike41 said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 6:26AM sonicspike41 said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 6:43AM Barkley610 said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 7:49PM blahblah55 said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 7:00AM Dark Archon PSN Archonik XBL Dar said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 7:04AM Playace said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 7:04AM AltairArcanum said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 7:54AM Foetoid said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 8:31AM Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 7:06AM SSUK said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 7:58AM adv2k169 said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 7:59AM Poor Tom said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 8:32AM Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 10:37AM Mr Khan said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 10:41AM Funkmaster General said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 11:27AM honkyjesusownsu said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 8:43AM k2n said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 9:28AM styleznma said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 11:25AM honkyjesusownsu said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 9:29AM Ospov said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 12:26PM MatthewBlackwell said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 9:53AM Hellequin said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 9:59AM Spunky Monkey 190906 said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 10:13AM therandomizer said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 10:30AM Spunky Monkey 190906 said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 10:53AM Arkanaloth said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 10:57AM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 10:57AM msa said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 11:27AM ShadowXIII said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 11:51AM golobulus said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 1:43PM Soiden said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 8:44PM pluupy said

Posted: Nov 11th 2010 12:22PM golobulus said

Posted: Nov 15th 2010 11:36PM Soiden said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 1:49PM Kodaman said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 3:53PM arrrdawg said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 4:38PM antiZER0 said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 7:52PM blahblah55 said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 9:56PM antiZER0 said

Posted: Nov 10th 2010 10:18PM blahblah55 said

Posted: Nov 11th 2010 9:43AM paper said

Posted: Nov 11th 2010 7:50PM blahblah55 said

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