Nintendo to merge handheld and console divisions by next month

[Blacksite]

Nintendo plans to unite its console and handheld divisions by February 16, combining the two into a singular unit tasked with creating next-generation hardware. As reported by Nikkei, and then confirmed to Engadget by Nintendo, the combined unit will initially incorporate 150 handheld and 130 console engineers, and operate out of a new $340 million facility located just by the company's headquarters (pictured above) in Kyoto, with the facility due to be completed by the end of 2013.

The move represents Nintendo's first major organizational restructuring in around a decade. In 2002, Saturo Iwata replaced Hiroshi Yamauchi as president of Nintendo, and initiated a move which saw the company's two Research & Development teams re-assigned into the Entertainment, Analysis, and Development division.

Today's news follows speculation around Nintendo's restructuring plans which suggested Shigeru Miyamoto would retire from his position as Nintendo EAD boss, being replaced by EAD deputy manager Takashi Tezuka. In a 2011 interview, Miyamoto noted Nintendo ought to be "structured" to operate without him before he'd leave the company.

via Joystiq.

[claud3]

great news, downsize into one and that means less risk off faults in many parts off the company

[Great Daze Tazer]

I think that lately Nintendo are making some uber decisions. 3DS sales are through the roof right now, October is pending the release of Pokemon X & Y the first 3D no birdseye view game & now this news as well. Wow Nintendo are really trying to push themselves ahead atm, great work.

[claud3]

They have not went into direct competition with SONY or MICROSOFT and that has made them fix their house and get it into order

This will make them focus on things that are important

[DeviousOne]

This was definitely a smart business move and cost effective move as well!

[Blacksite]

This was definitely a smart business move and cost effective move as well!

Yeah, I'm interested in seeing where this move will take Nintendo. Maybe we'll see them bounce ideas back and forth between their platforms.

[DeviousOne]

I would hope it they find ways to have the Wii U and 3ds interact with each other. I'm looking forward to how the new smash bros will use that interaction. They have made announcements somehow the two consoles will work together.

[claud3]

i agree, more freedom to brainstorm and come up with excellent invention and great games

[robvandam111]

I would hope it they find ways to have the Wii U and 3ds interact with each other. I'm looking forward to how the new smash bros will use that interaction. They have made announcements somehow the two consoles will work together.

Haven't we seen this before? I mean, this sort of exist since the N64 with the Rumble Pak, Controller Pak and Transfer Pak.

[DeviousOne]

Haven't we seen this before? I mean, this sort of exist since the N64 with the Rumble Pak, Controller Pak and Transfer Pak.

Yea they started with the super gameboy thing with the SNES that just let you play gameboy games on the snes then the pak thing that let upload your pokemon in pokemon stadium. Then that failed attempt with the gameboy advance thing with the gamecube and only pacman vs used it.

However they never had a setup like cross play that the vita has with ps3. Nintendo keeps saying how the two systems will work together in smash bros like you can play single player on 3ds and upload your progress to the Wii U game and continue to play or power up on the 3ds...I have no idea but it would personal be nice since I happen to have the 3ds and Wii U I guess we'll see its gonna be different from previous things nintendo has done tho (hopefully) lol

[Blacksite]

Speaking to investors, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata elaborated on Nintendo's aims regarding the merger of its console and handheld development teams. Iwata takes the surprising stance that putting the two teams together in Kyoto will result in more potential platforms, not fewer.

"What we are saying is that we would like to integrate software development methods, operating systems, and built-in software and software assets for each platform so that we can use them across different machines," Iwata said. "This means that if we manage to integrate our platforms successfully, we may in fact be able to make more platforms." Iwata explained that the ability to share development resources and assets between teams will allow them to work more efficiently, and that they would be "spread too thinly" if they tried to work on more than the current console and handheld platforms.

As usual, it's impossible to guess what Nintendo is up to in specific terms. "We feel that we are nearing a saturation point in terms of simply improving performance or enhancing graphics," Iwata said. "What is far more important for the future of video games is whether we can make new propositions in other aspects and create games out of something that people never expected to see in the form of a game." The problem with things we never expect to see is that we don't know what to expect, and therefore what to tell you.

via Joystiq.