Many people know Nintendo as innovators, embracers of new and uncanny. For this, they are loved by many. But it seems that Nintendo will be staying away from VR until it gains mass appeal.
In an interview with Bloomberg, president of Nintendo America, Reggie Fils-Aime said that: “We’ve been looking at the VR space since the days of the Virtual Boy, with us, we want to make sure our next content is going to be mainstream, mass-market approachable, and when something like VR is at that point, you can expect Nintendo to be there.”
This stance does make sense seeing as how the Wii U is not as successful as its predecessor the Wii, with many citing the controller as the cause. With the upcoming NX, Nintendo is seeking a more mass appeal console. While they aren’t opting to adopt VR right away, Fils-Aime wants you to remember that “There was a lot of gyroscopic technology out there in the marketplace, but it took the Wii and the Wii Remote to really make it mainstream, Even going all the way back to the Nintendo DS, that was the first electronic device that really made extensive use of a touchscreen.”
While Sony, Steam, and Microsoft seem to be embracing the VR platform, Nintendo’s absence may make or break the future of VR. Only time will tell.
Do you believe that VR is the next big thing? Or will it be another phase that gaming will grow out of? Let us know in the comments.