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[A less bigoted Deku]

You have to remember developers have finite time, resources and money to make games. Valve's philosophy of telling staff "your favourite feature will be cut" exists for a reason. Sometimes there's not enough time to implement a feature, or polish an existing one until it works. Content is always cut, from every game in existence, and sometimes that content can be reworked into something else later.

Maybe publishers think that way, but I don't feel developers do. If they could include each and everything they wanted into a single game they would, but they'd also probably never release a game at all, as the title would get stuck in an infinite cycle of new ideas. Think of something two years into development? You can pull everything back and squeeze it in. It just isn't possible (unless you live in lala land like Valve).

DLC should really just be a modernised philosophy akin to expansion packs. PC gamers have essentially been using DLC long, long before console gamers even heard of the term. It was very common for PC games to have expansion packs released a year or so after the original game. Ideally modern DLC would follow this philosophy, lots of nice, sizable and affordable game expanding content arriving a year or so after the game releases.

The problem isn't so much DLC, it's the awful publishers exploiting it to exploit their customers.

There is also considerable grey area.

Personally, the most recent example of an old(school) established fanbase being forced to deal with DLCs is the Civilization community. Civ5 introduced DLC Civs, scenarios and maps.

The concept was treated with contempt and I think a lot of long time fans simply gave up on the game (there were other gameplay issues that I do not want to get into) but those who stayed were largely satisfied and happy with the pricing. The Steam sales certainly didn't hurt either. But most importantly, The DLC were real meaty downloads in the hundreds of megabytes, and offered major content like fully featured Civ with proper voice acting in the native dialect of that Civ, interesting new units, unique abilites and buildings and not something shoved off to an intern to mass produce.

I am not too concerned about Nintendo's inhouse DLC content though there is a risk they will splinter off more people with a DLC heavy strategy, especially for their first party titles. My view here is to offer good value and perhaps even give the 1st wave of DLC for free, so everyone gets to participate and get an idea of what to expect rather than dismissing their DLC offhand due to some prejudice.

I am somewhat more concerned about what Activision might do. Then again, had they come out with restrictive DLC or no DLC, we would be having the same conversation about how Nintendo hasnt yet discovered the internet.

 

[Yagharek]

DLC works well if you know what you originally bought was fairly priced. eg Mario Kart comes with 8 cups, 32 tracks. If MK Wii U has that, then selling extra cups would not be as offensive a practice as, say, CoD map packs with two out of five of them being rehashes.

 

[AniHawk]

nst is gonna be the dlc place for the 3ds from now on, i think.

 

[Terrell]

this isn't going to happen. it's dlc, the very minimum amount of effort will be put into it.

they'll make someone shitty like genius sonority their dedicated dlc house or something.

Just like DLC and multiple online accounts per console "isn't going to happen"?

I think we're through the looking glass at this point, folks, the negativity doesn't have a place here. Cautious optimism is fine, but cursing Nintendo's efforts like this is just tasteless, even as a joke or a troll.

They've finally given everyone what they wanted for.... what, the better part of 10 years? Not a good plan to take a shit all over it. Attitudes like that are what keep us from enjoying or appreciating anything.

 

[GCX]

nst is gonna be the dlc place for the 3ds from now on, i think.

I can see this happening.

 

[CoffeeJanitor]

I'm pretty bummed that they sound like they will be pushing out DLC, cause I'm not buying it. I just don't see how it would be a good addition to a franchise like Smash or Super Mario. I wish that they would focus all of their efforts on complete titles instead.

 

[Terrell]

I'm pretty bummed that they sound like they will be pushing out DLC, cause I'm not buying it. I just don't see how it would be a good addition to a franchise like Smash or Super Mario. I wish that they would focus all of their efforts on complete titles instead.

Cuz they can't focus their attention on multiple content delivery methods or platforms at all, emirate?

And no one is twisting your arm to buy it, dude. You don't wanna enjoy it, that's your own business.

 

[Wrestlemania]

I'm pretty bummed that they sound like they will be pushing out DLC, cause I'm not buying it. I just don't see how it would be a good addition to a franchise like Smash or Super Mario. I wish that they would focus all of their efforts on complete titles instead.

Take Mario Kart as an example - Nintendo typically have only released one Mario Kart game for each of their consoles, no real need to keep pumping them out when the one they release sells for the lifetime of the console.
Wouldn't it be better if they could continually support it with new track/GP/item/kart/character packs?

 

[jump_button]

I'm pretty bummed that they sound like they will be pushing out DLC, cause I'm not buying it. I just don't see how it would be a good addition to a franchise like Smash or Super Mario. I wish that they would focus all of their efforts on complete titles instead.

Cant see Big N acting like that I'm sure if anyone will do DLC the right way it will be them, but doing it that way we still have everyone moaning that they not much coming out

DLC to be done right should be about 3 to 4+ months from when the game been out and not day 1 that a long time for every to moan about they no DLC

 

[beje]

Forget about Nintendo controlling third parties' DLC, they never did it on Wii and it reached ridiculous levels out of the gate with Megaman 9 (2 bucks if you want to play on hard!), FFIV The After Years and FFCC: My life as a king/darklord.

 

[EricDiesel]

You could cut the needless cynicism in this thread with a knife. Good lord. What's it like having no hope or optimism for anything ever? And don't give me any "realist" crap. There's a difference between being a realist and exaggerating how terrible everything is to make a point.

Gaming had a good run. It's literally over. A slew of bad DLC literally ended video games. Oh woe is me.

Don't like DLC? Don't buy it. Dollars speak louder than words.

 

[-KRS-]

I thought NFC stood for No Friend Code. :|

 

[CoffeeJanitor]

Cuz they can't focus their attention on multiple content delivery methods or platforms at all, emirate?

And no one is twisting your arm to buy it, dude. You don't wanna enjoy it, that's your own business.

Did you read what I wrote? Of course I don't want them to make stuff I'm not going to buy, as I would much rather have them focus on new titles. They have limited resources and developers.

Take Mario Kart as an example - Nintendo typically have only released one Mario Kart game for each of their consoles, no real need to keep pumping them out when the one they release sells for the lifetime of the console.
Wouldn't it be better if they could continually support it with new track/GP/item/kart/character packs?

I don't know. I guess my answer is I would only support this stuff if they came as free downloads. To me, Nintendo has shown itself to be pretty terrible with pricing in the past (NES games for $5 LOL) so I don't see them being overly nice with their pricing now (I know they noted this in the conference but still).

Cant see Big N acting like that I'm sure if anyone will do DLC the right way it will be them, but doing it that way we still have everyone moaning that they not much coming out

DLC to be done right should be about 3 to 4+ months from when the game been out and not day 1 that a long time for every to moan about they no DLC

I'm not sure what "DLC done right" is. I guess I just don't support it overall, unless its random shit that doesn't affect the game. The prime example of this is TF2. All actual content that is important is easily acquirable by anyone, but random cosmetic shit is sold on the side to support the entire game.

I guess I just don't want to be playing Smash and then find out that there are new characters or stages coming that I have to buy if I want the "full" experience. Fuck that.

On DLC as a whole: I don't support it, and yeah, I don't buy it, but that's not gonna stop me from bitching about it.

 

[Mael]

Cuz they can't focus their attention on multiple content delivery methods or platforms at all, emirate?

And no one is twisting your arm to buy it, dude. You don't wanna enjoy it, that's your own business.

Actually no they can't.
Why do you think they never release a handheld the same year as a console?

 

[mclem]

it's cool bro

I hate it because back in my day DLC was known as unlockables, and they came with the standard package of the game.

Back in your day they *still* cost money to develop, and back in your day that cost was covered by the cost of the game. Now they cost money to develop, and that cost is covered by a separate purchase. I still don't see the distinction, other than one of perception.

 

[mclem]

How many tables in Pinball FX 2 should we have expected to be unlockables by classic standards, and conversely how many seem like more than you'd expect to have seen in a single game?

Is it like, I'm being unfairly charged for the first 4 tables I buy, but then the rest are worth the money since they wouldn't have been unlockables back in the day?

Actually, if we're going to run with that: 4 does seem to be the magic number. Pinball Dreams and Fantasies offered that many, as did (I *think*) the retail packs of Epic Pinball. But then again, there's the Pro Pinball series, which only offered one table per purchase.

 

[Graphics Horse]

Actually no they can't.
Why do you think they never release a handheld the same year as a console?

:|

They did just that for the console before their current one.

 

[mclem]

I guess I just don't want to be playing Smash and then find out that there are new characters or stages coming that I have to buy if I want the "full" experience. Fuck that.

Just to highlight the fact that this is a matter of perception: Why do you feel you should get the full experience if you don't want to pay the cost of the full experience?

 

[jump_button]

I'm not sure what "DLC done right" is. I guess I just don't support it overall, unless its random shit that doesn't affect the game. The prime example of this is TF2. All actual content that is important is easily acquirable by anyone, but random cosmetic shit is sold on the side to support the entire game.

I guess I just don't want to be playing Smash and then find out that there are new characters or stages coming that I have to buy if I want the "full" experience. Fuck that.

On DLC as a whole: I don't support it, and yeah, I don't buy it, but that's not gonna stop me from bitching about it.

DLC done right should add something new to the game that wasn't planed, the best and only one I know of is Valkyria Chronicles DLC that come out a year later and they sold more that week then when it first come out

 

[NeonZ]

I don't know. I guess my answer is I would only support this stuff if they came as free downloads. To me, Nintendo has shown itself to be pretty terrible with pricing in the past (NES games for $5 LOL) so I don't see them being overly nice with their pricing now (I know they noted this in the conference but still).

DLC in general is already priced pretty high compared to standalone titles. I won't be surprised if, in this case, Nintendo's prices aren't very different from the average.

Anyway, aside from that, I just completely disagree with your take. Nintendo has shown several times that just by making new titles they can't provide a constant stream of content to consumers. DLC might be a way to avoid that. They don't want to launch a cash-in second Mario Kart in the same system, but they might be able to release new Cups in addition to the 8 initial ones as DLC.

Same goes for Smash Bros. The way the game works, it mostly focused on past games, not current or upcoming ones. With DLC, they could add content based on newer projects to the already existing game, even if they don't feel like releasing a completely new title. That kind of support will take some resources, of course, but it's not like their current model works very well - often creating big gaps in their line up. DLC could help in that point and keep players into their games during those gaps.

 

[LSauchelli]

Maybe I read wrong, but they seem to separate the concept of DLC and payed DLC. Could be like The Witcher.

 

[disco]

DLC in general is already priced pretty high compared to standalone titles. I won't be surprised if, in this case, Nintendo's prices aren't very different from the average.

Anyway, aside from that, I just completely disagree with your take. Nintendo has shown several times that just by making new titles they can't provide a constant stream of content to consumers. DLC might be a way to avoid that. They don't want to launch a cash-in second Mario Kart in the same system, but they might be able to release new Cups in addition to the 8 initial ones as DLC.

Same goes for Smash Bros. The way the game works, it mostly focused on past games, not current or upcoming ones. With DLC, they could add content based on newer projects to the already existing game, even if they don't feel like releasing a completely new title. That kind of support will take some resources, of course, but it's not like their current model works very well - often creating big gaps in their line up. DLC could help in that point and keep players into their games during those gaps.

Exactly! Imagine promoting a new Zelda game with a new skin for a new look Link in Smash Bros. Pretty smooth I say.

 

[CoffeeJanitor]

DLC done right should add something new to the game that wasn't planed, the best and only one I know of is Valkyria Chronicles DLC that come out a year later and they sold more that week then when it first come out

Yeah I guess I would be okay with this, I just don't want to buy the game and then within a month have there be a bunch of DLC releasing...

Just to highlight the fact that this is a matter of perception: Why do you feel you should get the full experience if you don't want to pay the cost of the full experience?

Well I guess that comes back to how I don't buy DLC at all. I don't want to have to pay more than the original price of the game to get everything for the game.

 

[Terrell]

Yeah I guess I would be okay with this, I just don't want to buy the game and then within a month have there be a bunch of DLC releasing...

Well I guess that comes back to how I don't buy DLC at all. I don't want to have to pay more than the original price of the game to get everything for the game.

OK, so... to the point of month-after DLC, this is obviously pre-planned content exclusion. Nintendo has denounced that practice EVERY SINGLE TIME DLC is brought up to them. So you're worrying about something that the company themselves has stated they will never do.

Second, saying you don't want new content is silly. It's like going to a restaurant and bitching that dessert isn't included because it should have been included in the price of your entree.

It's important to keep in mind that there's 2 types of DLC: "planned" and "unplanned". You seem to be mistaking all DLC for the former.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Why do you think they never release a handheld the same year as a console?

They did release a handheld in the same year as a console. GBA/GCN

 

[DragonKnight]

If they re-release the windwaker in HD and release the cut content as DLC i am there day one

 

[CoffeeJanitor]

OK, so... to the point of month-after DLC, this is obviously pre-planned content exclusion. Nintendo has denounced that practice EVERY SINGLE TIME DLC is brought up to them. So you're worrying about something that the company themselves has stated they will never do.

Second, saying you don't want new content is silly. It's like going to a restaurant and bitching that dessert isn't included because it should have been included in the price of your entree.

It's important to keep in mind that there's 2 types of DLC: "planned" and "unplanned". You seem to be mistaking all DLC for the former.

Yeah, I wouldn't mind that. Again, I would rather those resources go into new titles, but that is not the reality of the market right now.

 

[Sammy Samusu]

Japanese Q&A is up: http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/events/120127qa/index.html

 

[Cosmonaut X]

Japanese Q&A is up: http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/events/120127qa/index.html

Ah, this is usually quite juicy (the occasional bone-headed investor question aside) so hopefully a translation will be forthcoming.

 

[StreetsAhead]

Interestingly, the 60% figure for 3DS internet connection ratio seems to have been a mistake on the mistake of Mr. Miyamoto. That figure refers to DS internet connection ratio.

 

[Lord Ghirahim]

Japanese Q&A is up: http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/events/120127qa/index.html

Nothing solid on retail title downloads yet :/
At least Iwata acknowledged that most retailers sell lower than the MSRP.

edit:

ヨーロッパですと、ユーロの危機以降は一般の人までが「自国の政府は破産するかもしれない」と感じるようなニュースが連日報道されると、やはり買い物のムードはよくなくなり

Haha, no. Get the local distributor(s) to lower the 3DS price. Sony Hellas is selling the Vita cheaper than Sony UK by the way.
Localizing the games into more languages wouldn't hurt either.

 

[StreetsAhead]

Miyamoto was the one who said they're working with outside partners on titles, that they'll announce once the games our out later in the year.

He also says because the other companies (Sony, Microsoft) already have HD systems out, the Wii U needs to have network features that differentiate it from them so that it doesn't just feel like the system is 'catching up'. The game/challenge for them is how many unique features that can only be done on Wii U can they include.

Iwata talks about not every game needing to take up a lot of development time and have photo-realistic graphics to be successful, giving Rhythm Heaven as an example. The concept for some games is successful because they are visually cheap, like Friend Collection. He points out that Zelda is a franchise where they intend to be thorough with the graphics, as fans would not have it another way.

Also, lots of out right stating that they're saving Wii U surprises/info for E3, so GDC, for those that were hoping for something, may prove fruitless.

 

[Louis Cyphre]

I am really looking forward to the Wii U. I want to see Nintendo games finally in high def and hopefully with a good online service to support it. Yet after decades of seeing how Nintendo runs itself i am still highly apprehensive they will ever fulfil my needs or desires of what a gaming platform should be in the 21st century. I also have a high degree of pessimism on how they deal with outside parties, namely 3rd party publishers.

Even reading the latest from the team who brought Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD has a few choice words for Nintendo;

Digital Foundry: PlayStation Vita and Nintendo Wii U are the big console launches of this year - what are your thoughts on these systems? Bearing in mind the recent release of GTA3, could you ever conceive of bringing Oddworld titles onto suitably powerful iOS devices?

Stewart Gilray: Well, we've already announced versions of Stranger and Munch for the Vita, but with regards to Nintendo, currently I'm not interested in working with them, or on their platform. Having developed a number of titles over the years for their various platforms, it's become increasingly apparent that unless you are published by Nintendo you don't tend to do very well. They also have this crazy regard to IP and refuse to sign NDAs with indie-developer/publishers, leaving us small guys open to having our ideas stolen with no recourse. We have already looked at doing some stuff on iOS and all I can say is watch this space.

source:
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-the-making-of-oddworld-strangers-wrath-hd

 

[jump_button]

Miyamoto was the one who said they're working with outside partners on titles, that they'll announce once the games our out later in the year.

He also says because the other companies (Sony, Microsoft) already have HD systems out, the Wii U needs to have network features that differentiate it from them so that it doesn't just feel like the system is 'catching up'. The game/challenge for them is how many unique features that can only be done on Wii U can they include.

The only thing about unique features is how fast other copy just look at Mii's I do hope they keep the channels/app like interface, if they do what they doing with 3DS should be all good maybe some games to really show thing off

 

[AceBandage]

Miyamoto was the one who said they're working with outside partners on titles, that they'll announce once the games our out later in the year.

He also says because the other companies (Sony, Microsoft) already have HD systems out, the Wii U needs to have network features that differentiate it from them so that it doesn't just feel like the system is 'catching up'. The game/challenge for them is how many unique features that can only be done on Wii U can they include.

Iwata talks about not every game needing to take up a lot of development time and have photo-realistic graphics to be successful, giving Rhythm Heaven as an example. The concept for some games is successful because they are visually cheap, like Friend Collection. He points out that Zelda is a franchise where they intend to be thorough with the graphics, as fans would not have it another way.

Also, lots of out right stating that they're saving Wii U surprises/info for E3, so GDC, for those that were hoping for something, may prove fruitless.

They're already pretty much laid out what I would have expected from GDC, so I'm good until E3.

 

[StreetsAhead]

The only thing about unique features is how fast other copy

Wii U could be on the market as much as 6-12 months before the 720 and longer for the PS3, and if they provide a unique enough experience (say, cross-game chat, or communities for most multi-player games) they might make a few people jump ship rather than waiting and hoping the competitors copy them.

If the Wii U can build up enough momentum before Sony/Microsoft get going and can provide equal 3rd party support and better online than the PS360, they could be at a serious market advantage by the time the newer systems are released.

They're already pretty much laid out what I would have expected from GDC, so I'm good until E3.

They may talk about some of the newer network features, like the implementation of communities or NFC, and what they mean for game development.

 

[wsippel]

I am really looking forward to the Wii U. I want to see Nintendo games finally in high def and hopefully with a good online service to support it. Yet after decades of seeing how Nintendo runs itself i am still highly apprehensive they will ever fulfil my needs or desires of what a gaming platform should be in the 21st century. I also have a high degree of pessimism on how they deal with outside parties, namely 3rd party publishers.

Even reading the latest from the team who brought Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD has a few choice words for Nintendo;

Digital Foundry: PlayStation Vita and Nintendo Wii U are the big console launches of this year - what are your thoughts on these systems? Bearing in mind the recent release of GTA3, could you ever conceive of bringing Oddworld titles onto suitably powerful iOS devices?

Stewart Gilray: Well, we've already announced versions of Stranger and Munch for the Vita, but with regards to Nintendo, currently I'm not interested in working with them, or on their platform. Having developed a number of titles over the years for their various platforms, it's become increasingly apparent that unless you are published by Nintendo you don't tend to do very well. They also have this crazy regard to IP and refuse to sign NDAs with indie-developer/publishers, leaving us small guys open to having our ideas stolen with no recourse. We have already looked at doing some stuff on iOS and all I can say is watch this space.

source:
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-the-making-of-oddworld-strangers-wrath-hd

Considering all he ever developed on Nintendo platforms was cheap shovelware for no name publishers, I'm not exactly surprised he'd say that. I'm totally convinced Arctic Tale (Metascore ~40) would have sold millions on PS360.

 

[Louis Cyphre]

Considering all he ever developed on Nintendo platforms was cheap shovelware for no name publishers, I'm not exactly surprised he'd say that.

It's not just him though, other 3rd party sources have had issues dealing with Nintendo in the past. As i say, i am hoping Nintendo really caters to them this time but it won't surprise me if the Wii U once again shows Nintendo on their own mission.

 

[AceBandage]

It's not just him though, other 3rd party sources have had issues dealing with Nintendo in the past. As i say, i am hoping Nintendo really caters to them this time but it won't surprise me if the Wii U once again shows Nintendo on their own mission.

How many of those third parties have made extremely good games that didn't sell well on a Nintendo console that would have sold better on other systems?
And what exactly are they expecting Nintendo to do?
Eat the publishing costs of all these games?
It's ridiculous.
Self fulfilling prophecy indeed...

 

[Jokeropia]

Nintendo certainly don't need to cater to any no-name shovelware peddlers like that guy. Doing what they're already doing with 3DS should be just fine.

 

[richman555]

I always thought the Wii had so much potential with Channels and its user interface. They never really did much with it following the launch.

Its good to see that Nintendo is realizing that we now live in a connected world. Certainly games can be played without online features but it has become so common anymore. With the advent of Facebook and social networking things have been taken to another level. Its not only about playing a game head to head online.

Nintendo also has to realize that much of Apple's handheld success is due to its App Store. There are no boxed games, no distribution of discs or cartridges, the model can work without a physical store. Most of all people know and understand how this works and find it to be convenient.

I think the more Nintendo offers in terms of online there will be less of a reason for me to own another platform. I hope they embrace the online world as it will be good for their company overall. It certainly isn't going away.

MS and Sony's 3 biggest selling points are HD graphics and a good Online infrastructure and 3rd party game support. 3rd party support was supposed to be an priority with the Wii U so we shall see how it unfolds. We will also see how MS and Sony differentiate themselves if Nintendo becomes more similar.

 

[Hasemo]

How come I didn't notice this before.
*Looks at OP expecting news about region-unlocking of the 3DS and leaves disappointed.*

 

[Louis Cyphre]

How many of those third parties have made extremely good games that didn't sell well on a Nintendo console that would have sold better on other systems?
And what exactly are they expecting Nintendo to do?
Eat the publishing costs of all these games?
It's ridiculous.
Self fulfilling prophecy indeed...

This isn't just about how well their products sell, it's about dealing with Nintendo too. Nintendo has always taken a different path than the other players (namely Microsoft and Sony).

 

[test_account]

Late to the party here, so probably already answered somewhere, but does "Iwata thinks the company can reach break-even on 3DS hardware in Q3 of this year." means that the 3DS hardware is currently sold at a loss (in Japan i guess?)?

 

[Red UFO]

Late to the party here, so probably already answered somewhere, but does "Iwata thinks the company can reach break-even on 3DS hardware in Q3 of this year." means that the 3DS hardware is currently sold at a loss (in Japan i guess?)?

Yes it is. In all regions too, I believe.

 

[test_account]

Yes it is. In all regions too, I believe.

Ok, thanks

How come I didn't notice this before.
*Looks at OP expecting news about region-unlocking of the 3DS and leaves disappointed.*

Hehe, i didnt notice this thread before today either.

 

[AzaK]

How many of those third parties have made extremely good games that didn't sell well on a Nintendo console that would have sold better on other systems?
And what exactly are they expecting Nintendo to do?
Eat the publishing costs of all these games?
It's ridiculous.
Self fulfilling prophecy indeed...

We only have that snippet from that guy, but regardless, if Nintendo refuses to sign NDAs with indie devs, that's pretty shitty.

 

[Sammy Samusu]

The sales pace of the Nintendo 3DS drastically increased worldwide in the last year-end sales season and it was found out that, for the first year after the launch, the platform was selling at a faster pace than either the Nintendo DS or the Wii. This brought a pleasant surprise to the video game industry and changed the thoughts of third-party software developers for the better. We are now expecting a strong software lineup for the platform.

The specific titles will be released by each software developer, so I will not mention them here. I can say, however, that there will be more and more highly-anticipated titles for the Nintendo 3DS even in the U.S. and Europe where home console game systems lead the market.

GTA, Bioshock, Call of Duty, Mass Effect, Elder Scrolls, Assassins Creed, etc... all coming to to your Nintendo 3DS in 2012.

Spoiler

Imagine: Gamez

 

[AceBandage]

We only have that snippet from that guy, but regardless, if Nintendo refuses to sign NDAs with indie devs, that's pretty shitty.

Aren't NDAs up to the publisher?
Seems like something that would be taken care of on their end...

 

[donny2112]

They also have this crazy regard to IP and refuse to sign NDAs with indie-developer/publishers, leaving us small guys open to having our ideas stolen with no recourse.

Nintendo would be incredibly stupid to sign NDAs before knowing what the game is. From their position, they usually have dozens of gameplay ideas sitting around that they haven't put into games, yet or possibly ever. To have an Indie come up, get Nintendo to sign an NDA without knowing the game, not have the game picked up, and then Nintendo come out with a similar game years later that was based on an idea they had years before the Indie arrived would open them up to tons of time/money-wasting lawsuits. Unlike Sony/Microsoft, Nintendo has game ideas from decades of in-house game designs that may or may not eventually make it into games. That puts them in a different position, then, in regards to what they open themselves up to by signing NDAs.

Other than the GBA-GCN connectivity fund that was a ruse to fund a Final Fantasy title on GameCube, I don't recall of Nintendo ever doing something like Sony did with their funding to encourage small developers on their system or Microsoft's Indie games section, either.