GDC11: Iwata slams App Store

Nintendo CEO and president Satoru Iwata has hit out at Apple’s focus on building a large quantity of low priced games on the App Store.

The industry veteran – who announced he has been making games for more than 25 years – said smartphone manufacturers don’t value video games as much as they should.

Speaking at the 2011 Games Developers Conference in San Francisco, Iwata said: “We want consumers to appreciate the premium value of software through our platforms. Although Microsoft and Sony are different to us, I believe we all share this idea 100 per cent. We demonstrate a high value of game software.

“However, smartphones and social platforms are not at all like ours. These platforms have no motivation to maintain a high value of game software. For them, content is just created by someone else.

“Quantity is how they profit. The value of game software does not matter to them.”

He also mentioned how the amount of games is creating a higher risk of failure and putting developer’s jobs on the line.

"Our industry has certainly expanded but it also gives me concern. It is difficult to gain true hit status. With such competition even being noticed is extremely difficult," he added.

"Game development is drowning."

Nintendo also announced a new Super Mario game for 3DS at the event, as well as admitting that the performance of their digital services WiiWare and DSiWare have been disappointing.

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