In an era of technology that is constantly focused on the future, Nintendo has done a phenomenal job of keeping their tech easy to use and highly accessible to all customers. They have introduced virtual reality, but very lightly with the Nintendo Labo hardware. They have mobile gaming thanks to the Switch, but have introduced a cheaper and easier-to-use version to expand their mass adoption. Nintendo isn’t going too fast, and it has payed large dividends.
In an interview with Japanese paper company Nikkei, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa touched on what the company is looking to do with the newest technology being introduced each day.
“Something I do not want the public to misunderstand is that we are not turning our backs on new technologies – we are constantly researching and developing,” states Furukawa during his interview with Nikkei. “Our hardware development teams evaluate all kinds of new technologies available thus far and consult with our software developers. If they determine that technology can be used with a game, then they will utilize it. We will not be changing this fundamental approach moving forward.”
“As for AR, it is definitely one of the many aspects we are interested in. We are currently researching what interesting ways we can utilize it.”
It is important to note that he says the tech will need to assist or be a part of a Nintendo game to e released. They aren’t going to implement new tech because they can. They will invest in new hardware and software if they see a benefit directly associated with gaming. So many gaming companies are falling into the trap of investing time and money into tech that is barely being used by the common consumers.
Nintendo has experimented with augmented reality before. Back in 2011, the company released ARF cards with the Nintendo 3DS. This allowed players to interact with the cards throughout the duration of their gameplay in specific titles. This included Mario Party: Island Tour, Bravely Default, and Kid Icarus: Uprising.
When it comes to virtually reality from the company, the results have been positive. You won’t hear any sale numbers being released from the company, but they clearly have been good enough to continue the Labo movement going forward and keep producing the easy-to-make VR headsets. Nintendo has no hesitation when it comes to killing products that weren’t selling. Virtual reality very well may be the future of gaming, and getting a product out there is important to them.
We aren’t sure what their next move is for VR, but we know that they are planning on exploring the ideas of AR a little more. Whether they come out with a dedicated piece of hardware or not, you can expect to something in this area before the end of the calendar year. For more VR and AR news and community updates, make sure to check back at VRGear.com.
