Pollak: Nintendo have a “smart technology strategy that most people don’t detect”

Nintendo have a “smart technology strategy” that many fail to recognise, according to Ted Pollak, Jon Peddie Research senior gaming analyst.

“This is a recurring theme”, Pollak explained of recent rumours regarding the Wii U’s horsepower. “Technology changes and Nintendo looks like they are falling behind. Nintendo always claims their focus is on game play. However they actually have a smart technology strategy that most people don’t detect.”

Such strategy sees Nintendo create their consoles to suit currently adopted hardware, the Wii releasing at a point in time where standard-definition television sets were still broadly the norm.

“To understand this, we need to go back in time a little. The original Wii was designed for standard definition televisions, and when released, there were ninety eight standard definition TV households for every high definition TV household. Now we are faced with fantastic and powerful consoles coming from Sony and Microsoft that will drive high frame rates for 1080p resolution and much higher for 3D.

“However, if we look at the installed base of HD televisions globally, we may find a very large portion of them are 720p, as those displays were the first adopted and the first discounted.

“So for many people, the new Sony and Microsoft offerings may be an overkill for their current television capability”, Pollak suggested. “Combine this with Nintendo’s proven game play quality, the unique tablet controller, and NFC technology that goes hand in hand with their IP, and I think Nintendo will do just fine with Wii U.

Nintendo must ensure that the console is supported sufficiently at launch for it to succeed, Pollak is keen to reiterate.

“That said, they must have a solid launch slate of titles and all online features enabled from the get-go, or they will face the same stumbling start that the 3DS experienced.”

[Thanks Games Industry International]

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