Nintendo to Replace Mario and Pokemon...

**warnpro** · 28 May 2003, 10:11 PM

http://n-philes.com/php/epvuevaalkeayyufuapa.php

News: Nintendo's Investement In Next Consoles

The president of Nintendo Co. Ltd, Satoru Iwata, has come out again to say that the direction of the company is not to join the other console manufacturers in making gamers pay extra for online games. Then he also went on to say that Nintendo is investing some of their $6 billion dollars on the successors to the next GameCube and Game Boy. Unfortunately he doesn’t say how much, we only know that it’s "some." Iwata made a bold statement that Nintendo’s developers are hard at work on the next-generation stars to replace Mario and Pokémon.

Yes, you heard right, it looks like Iwata may be trying to take the company into an entirely new direction. He himself has been focused on the creative side of gaming, so he could direct Nintendo in creating such titles. He seems to indicate that the current franchises may be too outdated now for most gamers, so that is why he is saying the next lineup of big-name titles are being developed to “replace” Mario and Pokémon.

In other news today, Sony has announced plans to release a system called the PSX for early next year, it will be a beefed up PS2 hardware with TV tuner, hard disk drive and DVD recorder. Go figure, I though the PSX was already released… confusing name. Sony also says that they are going to work more on their gaming division to increase profits for the entertainment company. Microsoft's Xbox chief today fires off a comment about Nintendo saying "I don't think Nintendo is here for the digital-entertainment revolution. They are a toy company."

Posted by Ethan Pearson, Founder, Director

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I found this on Nintendophiles.com or whatever. Make of it what you will.
Mario isn't going anywhere soon, and neither is the cash cow Pokemon.

I wish I had Iwata's complete quote, I believe something was lost in the translation from Japanese to English.
He probably isn't looking to "replace" Mario and Pokemon, just branch off and make new franchise characters or whatever.

**Kinopio** · 28 May 2003, 10:36 PM

They got there information from this article:
http://www.businessweek.com:/print/m...8_mz033.htm?gb

There is no proof that Iwata said such a thing. Seems more like an assumption from the writer that Nintendo is developing some new stuff to get back some marketshare. Nintendo's biggest advantage is having the 3 biggest franchises in the history of gaming, and giving up on them would be retarded.

THanks for starting bullshit rumors, n-philes.

**Johnny Nighttrain** · 28 May 2003, 10:42 PM

yeah. although it should be noted, that Nintendo is indeed working on new things, in hopes of creating the next GTA, or Pokemon.
but i doubt they have any intentions of getting rid of Mario anytime soon.

**Werewolf** · 28 May 2003, 10:44 PM

The day Nintendo replaces Mario is the day Nintendo goes out of the video game business, I can't see them ever replacing Mario a character well known as thier trademark.

**warnpro** · 28 May 2003, 10:51 PM

Originally posted by Kinopio
They got there information from this article:
http://www.businessweek.com:/print/m...8_mz033.htm?gb

There is no proof that Iwata said such a thing. Seems more like an assumption from the writer that Nintendo is developing some new stuff to get back some marketshare. Nintendo's biggest advantage is having the 3 biggest franchises in the history of gaming, and giving up on them would be retarded.

THanks for starting bullshit rumors, n-philes.

Thanks for the link.
I am not familiar with their web/fan site, but it doesn't seem like very responsible "journalism", and I use that word quite loosely.
Well, like you put it, its more like a B.S. rumor.

Even if Nintendo where phasing Mario and pokemon out (which may never happen, certainly not anytime soon), I doubt Iwata would publicly state it.