NINTENDO SPEAKS ON THE DS

With all the speculation surrounding the DS, we thought we'd just ask Nintendo directly. Perrin Kaplan, vice president of marketing and corporate communications for Nintendo of America, kindly answered our questions...but keeps us speculating.

GMR: Is the DS a move to counter Sony's handheld plans, or is it part of a bigger strategy?

PK: Nintendo always has something new in the portable arena in development. [The DS] was a unique idea that came to the fore and Nintendo decided to pursue it. It's a different product than our current SP product. They complement each other well. No, this is not a counter to Sony's product. We haven't seen their product. The DS is part of a bigger strategy of continuing to maintain the 96 percent market share we currently enjoy.

GMR: But the DS is a portable system that plays videogames. With plans to continue the regular Game Boy line, how will Nintendo avoid consumers' confusion?

PK: When you see the product at E3, it will become clear. We will be able to support both products with separate campaigns. Portable play continues to be very hot, and consumers have an insatiable appetite for trying out new ways to enjoy games on the go.

GMR: Do the projected DS user base and the existing Game Boy user base overlap, or do you expect different audiences?

PK: Some same and some different. Many early adopters will want to own both.

GMR: Considering what happened with the Virtual Boy, are you at all concerned about a nontraditional gaming machine not gaining acceptance or developer support?

PK: Virtual Boy was in a category of its own since it was such a unique proposition. Portable play has been well established by Nintendo, and players want to experience more and more. This will help feed that appetite.

GMR: What has Japanese and Western third-party reaction been like?

PK: We are talking to third parties now, so you'll hear more soon! We think they'll find it appealing.

Copyright © 2004 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in GMR Magazine.