Reassures fans
Iwata addresses public concerns about his gaunt appearance post-surgery via Twitter.
I saw many worried comments over how thin I’ve become. The truth is that after a major operation, I lost weight, but during these past two and a half months, thankfully my weight has stabilized, and I’m progressing well. I would truly like to thank my doctors, the hospital staff, and everyone who has assisted me.
Statement on illness
Nintendo issues Iwata’s statement on his absence on E3:
Thank you very much for your continued extraordinary support of us. I am Satoru Iwata, President of the company. Today, there is one thing that I would like to share with you…Recently, as the result of one of my routine physical examinations, an issue was detected. Following a more detailed examination, a growth was found in my bile duct.In general, it is said that a bile duct growth can be difficult-to-treat, partly because of the difficulty of detecting it early. In my case, luckily, it was detected very early and I had no symptoms. I was counseled that removal at an early stage would be the desirable medical option. Therefore I had surgery last week, and I came through it well, as predicted. I have already resumed my business by email and by other means, but it is anticipated that a little more time is needed for me to return to my regular work schedule. As a result, I have no choice but to miss the company’s very important activity, the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, to be held this month. As the president of the company, I regret that I cannot attend the meeting. However, I understand that I have to prioritize my medical treatment and to recover as soon as possible so that I will again be able to do my best to help the company to grow. I hope that you understand. Best Regards, Satoru Iwata
Miyamoto: Hybrid games possible
Shigeru Miyamoto, game developer and manager of Entertainment Analysis & Development at Nintendo, tells Kotaku that in the future, Nintendo may release games that work both on a console like the Wii U and a handheld like the 3DS:
I would say that, five years ago, I would never have thought that a game that I could play on my DS should also run on my Wii. Or that a game that ran on my PSP should also play on my PS2. But, more and more these days, I feel that the game that I play on my 3DS should also play on my TV or that the game that I play on my TV should go with me.
Wii U/3DS Minecraft release possible
Shigeru Miyamoto and Shinya Takahashi, managers of Nintendo’s Analysis & Development and Software Planning & Development departments respectively, tell Kotaku that they are interested in bringing Minecraft to Wii U or 3DS:
We’ve always thought internally that using the [Wii U] GamePad would probably make for a Minecraft that’s very easy to play. And, of course, if we were to do something with Minecraft on the 3DS, similarly we would probably do it where it would be easier to play and could probably reach a lot of kids.
However, they do not give any details regarding negotiations with Mojang or a timeline for release:
Maybe we’re meeting with them [Mojang]! Who knows?
Fils-Aime: Wii U ‘long life ahead’
Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America, says in an interview with Kotaku that, though the Wii U sales are lower than expected, he believes the console can still recover:
We believe the Wii U has a very long life ahead of it. It’s got great content coming that will help define the platform. For us, we think the 3DS is a very illustrative example. It wasn’t just the price cut. It was having great content that started with Kart 7 and 3D Land and then progressed and created a larger and larger footprint.