After a cryptic message was found within Retro Studios' Metroid Prime 3--"Metroid project 'Dread' is nearing the final stages of completion."--many fans assumed that the long-rumored 2D Nintendo DS title was to be unveiled shortly.

Not so, according to the big N. "Nintendo is not making the 2D Metroid at this point in time," the console manufacturer told CVG.

While an apparent denial of the project, the specific wording leaves some waggle wiggle room for debate. Specifically, "the 2D Metroid" could imply that the game does in fact exist and that the title might simply be in development by a third party studio. Or it could be a Metroid with 3D graphics and 2D-style gameplay. Or we could simply be in denial. Retro wouldn't be cruel enough to slide that reference in for no reason, would they?

Newsweek's game guy N'Gai Croal published a fairly candid interview today with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. Croal's questions elicited some pretty interesting responses from Nintendo's lead man, including the fact that Nintendo has several new projects in development that it purposefully didn't announce at the trade show.

"However, we are definitely working on new franchises and we just didn't choose to talk about them yesterday," Iwata told Croal. "Now, if we didn't feel that we had gained a lot of popular momentum and with success that it's shown so far, we might have tried to get out a little more information and do an upcoming products, again, just to build some excitement, but since we do have that momentum right now, we chose not to do so."

The interview touched on Nintendo's pretty strong first party market share, which Iwata said will soon be lessened. "Next year, we're going to... Read more

With nearly $1 billion in sales recorded for the month of July, the year-to-date progress of the North American gaming industry is up some 43% over July 2006 numbers, with NPD's Anita Frazier now putting the yearly estimate of total industry sales at $16-18 billion.

Nintendo has emerged as the clear leader in hardware sales this year, with 425,000 and 405,000 sales of its Wii and DS consoles recorded in July, respectively. Sony's PlayStation 2 pushed 222,000 units, while the PSP recorded 214,000 sales. Microsoft edged out Sony with 170,000 Xbox 360 units sold to the PS3's 159,000. Nintendo's die-hard Gameboy Advance followed up the pack with 87,000 units.

Shack community member Chazums charted the numbers in a series of graphs, showing the yearly current-gen hardware sales broken... Read more

According to recent reports by Taiwanese manufacturers, Nintendo has been forced to delay the planned production increase of its Wii console. Due to the delay, the component makers expect Wii shortages to continue throughout the second half of 2007.

Nintendo had originally planned to boost Wii manufacturing by June, according to the DigiTimes. The hold-up is blamed on a short supply of IC chips and PCBs.

According to the NPD last month, strong sales of Nintendo's Wii showed no signs of slowing. The Wii led all console sales figures with a recorded 381,800 units sold in June, as compared to 198,400 Xbox 360 and 98,500 PlayStation 3 sales.

A recent Nintendo US patent may hint at motion-sensitive followup to the company's insanely popular DS hardware. Detailing a game system with an acceleration sensor and Z-axis contact switch built into its housing, the patent specifications describe a device that would have similar capabilities to the Wii's motion-sensitive controller.

To illustrate possible use of the sensors, the patent mentions several game concepts. One features a computer-controlled tortoise that slides around the landscape based on the "land upheaval" caused by a player's motions. Other examples include a cooking game that would simulate various kitchen activities--complete with motion-sensitive frying pan and knife-slicing controls--and a Super Monkey Ball-esque multiplayer title that would have two players cooperatively tilting a maze board to guide two balls, one for each player, to the goal.

Nintendo has previously released tilt-sensitive portable titles ... Read more

Update: In a followup thread on the PinataIsland.info forums, Rare confirmed that an internal Rare team is indeed handling development on the DS version of Viva Pinata. "It's basically the same game, same principles as the 360 version," wrote the dev, "except it has to take into account the hardware i.e. you haven't got the graphics power of the 360, but you have got the touch screen to do cool things with."

Original story: In a Viva Pinata panel held during the last day of the San Diego Comic-Con International, representatives from Viva Pinata developer Rare and publisher Microsoft announced the business strategy game is in development for DS.

The DS game is the third title in the franchise announced this month, with a PC port of the original Xbox 360 game and a spinoff Xbox 360 party game both revealed at E3. Viva Pinata on DS looks to be an execution of the original game concept rather than a game of a different genre set in the same... Read more

Cashing in on the success of its popular Wii console and DS handheld, Nintendo posted staggering multiples for nearly all its monetary measures in its first quarter report released today. For the three-month period ending June 30, the company's sales increased 160% year-over-year to 340.4 billion yen ($2.818 billion), while profits saw a 416.0% increase to 80.2 billion yen ($664 million) compared to the same period last year.

Nintendo's DS sold 6.98 million units in the quarter, more than doubling the Wii sales of 3.43 million units. The numbers bring year-to-date worldwide sales of DS and Wii to 47.27 million and 9.27 million, respectively.

The two-to-one ratio of portable sales to home console sales was maintained on the software side as well during the quarter, with 34.26 million DS titles and 15.98 million Wii titles sold. Game Freak's Pokémon Diamond ... Read more

Here are new screenshots and movies from upcoming first-party Wii games, including Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Super Mario Galaxy and Endless Ocean. ... Read more

During its E3 press conference today, Nintendo demonstrated Wii Fit, a game allowing players to participate in a variety of fitness-related activities and track their performance and health over time. Using a pressure-sensitive pad peripheral called the Wii Balance Board, the game will track players' movements, and keep a running log of their body mass index figures as they change over time.

The game will consist of 40 different activities from four categories: aerobics, balance, Yoga, and muscle condition. Activities include pushups, balancing, simulation of a hula hoop, a rhythm game serving as step aerobics, a balance-based soccer goalie mini-game, a Marble Madness-like rolling ball game controlled by shifting weight on the pad, and more.

Wii Fit is being developed under the supervision of Nintendo design head Shigeru Miyamoto, and will include the Wii Balance Board. No release date information was announced.

A Uruguayan man owes Nintendo $2.5 million after losing a civil suit brought on by the game giant, Nintendo announced Thursday. The Uruguayan Civil Court ruling resulted from a 2001 raid in Montevideo by the National Board of Intelligence, seizing approximately 30,000 counterfeit Nintendo products valued at more than $1 million.

The amount of property made the raid the largest video game-related seizure in Uruguayan history, according to Nintendo. Even so, the man received an executive pardon for the criminal charges brought against him, at which time Nintendo pursued civil action.

"This action exemplifies Nintendo's commitment to combat the international problem of product piracy," said Jodi Daugherty, a director of anti-piracy at Nintendo of America. "These types of illegal operations... Read more

Bad news regarding highly anticipated Wii titles is hovering above Tuesday like a dark Lakitu.

In a somewhat unsurprising, but still discouraging announcement, Retro Studios CEO Michael Kelbaugh tells GamePro that his studio's upcoming title Metroid Prime 3: Corruption will not feature online multiplayer.

"It's something we talked about early on, but we only have so many resources. We opted to devote those resources to making a better single-player experience," he said.

There is no word on any offline multiplayer mode, although Nintendo's website lists the title as supporting only one player. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is now due to ship on August 27, a week later than originally ... Read more

Developer BioWare and publisher SEGA today announced a partnership to bring a Sonic the Hedgehog role playing game to the Nintendo DS. The game, which has yet to be titled, is slated for release sometime in 2008.

"BioWare is one of the hottest names in RPG development in the world," said SEGA president Simon Jeffery. "Everyone at SEGA has huge confidence that Sonic is in the safest of hands, and that BioWare can create the ultimate handheld RPG experience for gamers of all ages."

Last year, BioWare formed a handheld division devoted to development for the Nintendo DS. At the time, the company sent around a community poll, asking whether fans would like to see a Nintendo DS port of well-known BioWare franchises such as Baldur's Gate, Star Wars: Knights... Read more

Console manufacturers Sony and Nintendo have stated their intention not to allow publication of Manhunt 2 on their systems in its current state, following the "Adults Only" rating assigned to the game yesterday by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board.

Refusal to certify AO-rated games is standard policy for both manufacturers; though the game was not developed for Xbox or Xbox 360, Microsoft has similar guidelines. Manhunt 2 was developed by Rockstar Toronto for Wii, Rockstar London for PlayStation 2, and Rockstar Leeds for PSP. It was originally scheduled for a July 10 release in North America.

In a statement issued to GameSpot, a Sony representative said, "It's currently our policy not to allow the playback of AO-rated content on our systems."

"Games made for Nintendo systems enjoy a broad variety of styles, genres and ratings... As with books, television and movies, different... Read more

An online report from Game Informer claims that key Nintendo of America executives plan to leave the company when its sales and marketing teams relocate from Redmond, Washington to San Francisco and New York City. Among those alleged to be turning down the relocation and remaining in the Seattle area are marketing and corporate communications senior VP George Harrison (pictured left), marketing and corporate affairs VP Perrin Kaplan, and public relations senior director Beth Llewelyn, all longtime employees well known among the video game press and enthusiast community.

News of the relocation began circulating last month. The rumors... Read more

Earlier this week, Nintendo held a press summit to show off some upcoming first- and third-party games headed to Wii and Nintendo DS in 2007. Sadly absent from the event were the company's heaviest hitters--namely Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3 Corruption, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass--all of which are likely to show up at this year's E3 given the recent news that all four games will ship this year.

Despite the lack of marquee titles, Nintendo had some solid offerings playable. Contributor Tracy Erickson attended the event for some hands-on impressions of Next Level Games' Mario Strikers Charged (Wii), Visual Concepts and Blue Castle Games' The Bigs (Wii), Genius Sonority's Pokemon Battle Revolution (Wii), and EA Montreal's Boogie (Wii). Check out his report. Notably, two of the four games, Mario Strikers Charged and Pokemon Battle Revolution, feature long-awaited online multiplayer.

Multiplayer is where this young series is really looking to move forward, promising to be among the first wave of online-enabled Wii titles. A leaderboard will track players, rewarding points for wins and goals. Cumulative records are posted to the board; additionally, the overall performer of each day will be recognized as the "Striker of the Day." Nintendo hosted a small online tournament with players back at the headquarters and, based on that live demonstration, the game runs well in head-to-head matches.
Read the rest...

Nintendo also released the following screenshots and movies for various first- and third-party Wii and Nintendo DS titles:
- Big Brain Academy Wii Degree (Nintendo; Wii) gameplay trailer
- Boogie (EA Montreal; Wii)
- Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day (Nintendo; NDS) gameplay trailer
- Drawn to Life (5th Cell; NDS)
- Jam Sessions (Plato; NDS) (this game is amazing; look for Shack hands-on soon -Chris)
- Mario Party 8 (Hudson Soft; Wii) gameplay trailer
- Mario Strikers Charged (Next Level Games; Wii)
- Metroid Prime 3 Corruption (Retro Studios; Wii)
- Picross DS (Jupiter; NDS)
- Planet Puzzle League (Intelligent Systems; NDS) (you know, Tetris Attack)
- Pokemon Battle Revolution (Genius Sonority; Wii) gameplay trailer
- Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Nintendo; Wii)

Nintendo is a far less innovative company than either Microsoft or Sony, a new report from BusinessWeek suggests. According to the list, compiled by BusinessWeek and Boston Consulting Group, Microsoft ranks as the fifth most innovative company in the world, with Sony placed eighth and Nintendo checking in much further down the line at number 39.

Numerous other factors beyond the company's consoles and video game divisions factored into their placement on the list--evidenced by the inclusion of companies such as 3M, Wal-Mart, and Procter & Gamble.... Read more

In an effort to keep families entertained while they exercise, Nintendo of America today announced that it is donating 100 Wii party packs to YMCA chapters across the United States. YMCA expects the system's motion-based controls--in particular, the golf, boxing, bowling, tennis, and baseball activities that comprise the system's pack-in game Wii Sports--to help parents and children form both strong and health-conscious relationships in its Adventure Guides programs. The Wii and Wii Sports will also see use in YMCA's upcoming Healthy Kids Day events on Saturday, April 14.

"Consumers all over America are telling us the Wii helps them to stay active and fit and also gives them another reason to be together as a family," explained Nintendo senior marketing vice president George Harrison (pictured left). "Wii has quickly become a part of America's fitness plan, from bowling leagues for active seniors to kids and parents who sweat through Wii Sports pentathlons together."

Along with Konami's Dance Dance Revolution, which has seen implementation into public school districts and multiple fitness faciliities, the Wii is fast becoming another prominent public example of combining exercise with video games, which many have dubbed "exer-gaming." Earlier this week, a personal trainer made headlines through the use of Wii Sports in his fitness program.

Addressing what United States Trade Representative (USTR) Susan Schwab refers to as unacceptable levels of piracy and counterfeiting in China, the United States government has made two requests to the World Trade Organization (WTO) for help in rectifying the situation.

The first request, centered around intellectual property right (IPR) issues, calls for China to lower the number of copyright violations required for legal actions. According to the USTR, the current standards are so high that they still allow for large-scale piracy. Another issue is China's policy of apparently permitting counterfeit products to be distributed as long as they are stripped of their infringing features, whereas WTO policy states these products are not to enter the market at all. The request also questions China's stance of not granting copyright holders the ability to lodge complaints about infringement until the copyright has received censorship approval, which can leave works without any type of protection for an extended period of time.

Meanwhile, the second request focuses on a requirement that forces foreign companies to import books, journals, movies, music and videos via state-approved or state-run companies, which significantly hampers the distribution of legitimate products.

Read more...

With the E3 Expo shrinking down to a significantly less ostentatious affair this year, GamePro magazine publisher IDG last year announced its intention to launch its own annual industry showcase event. In January, the name of the show was revealed to be the E for All Expo; it will run October 18-20 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, former home of E3. Today, Gamasutra published initial details of the event, gleaned from a March 6 exhibitor list obtained by the site.

E for All is a consumer event, unlike the theoretically industry- and press-only E3 trade show. Also unlike E3, the show is expected to showcase a large number of already-released titles. It remains unclear how much the show will prove to be conducive towards major announcements, given its public nature and close proximity to the holiday season, by which time publishers traditionally have already released their major news in preparation for the several months of high sales volume at the end of the year. Still, Gamasutra reports that platform holders Sony and Nintendo will maintain a presence at E for All, along with organizations such as IDG, Future Publishing, G4/TechTV, DirecTV, and the World Series of Video Games Tournament.

Major exhibitors are likely to have smaller booths than they maintained at the massive E3, as E for All occupies only one of the convention center's halls. There are also more stringent restrictions placed on exhibitor noise levels and display of sexual materials and models, both of which the Entertainment Software Association attempted to limit at E3 in recent years as the event grew steadily more circus-like.

Though Gamasutra's sources did not reveal registration or pricing information for E for All, the site expects further details to be released in the coming weeks.