3DS Is The Next Step To Better Digital Distribution For Nintendo

The digital content business isn’t one of Nintendo’s stronger points. While a number of great games exist on WiiWare, the company hasn’t been very successful at instilling a habit of checking the online Wii and DSi shopping channels in the majority of its customers.

The most significant hurdle in this regard has been communicating to users when new digital content is available. One of the reasons behind this, according to Nintendo president, Satoru Iwata, is a lack of effort on Nintendo’s part, and a consequent failure to realize the potential of these channels on the part of third-parties.

This is something Nintendo kept in mind while developing the Nintendo 3DS.

“We are thinking the release of new hardware should be good timing for a dramatic improvement of this situation,” Iwata, stated in reply to a concerned investor who brought up the topic of Nintendo’s difficulties in the digital realm.

He continued: “In addition to the function of ‘3D graphics without 3D glasses,’ Nintendo 3DS will have enhanced wireless communication function. Nintendo 3DS will receive various pieces of information automatically if there is a chance of communication while a user carries it even when he or she does not try to start communication proactively by unfolding Nintendo 3DS.”

Iwata compared this feature to Japanese cell phones, which inform the user of newly-received e-mails by vibrating or ringing. This might give one an idea of the direction Nintendo plan to take the 3DS in, with regard to digital content delivery.

“By combining Nintendo 3DS with such function, we are now planning to expand our digital-distribution type of business,” he concluded.