E3 06: Iwata: First-party Revolution games <$50, hints at HDD

Outspoken executive tells CNN/Money that he "cannot imagine" self-made Nintendo games being more expensive than current-gen titles, says new storage info coming at E3.

When it unveiled the pricing scheme for Xbox 360 games, Microsoft confirmed many gamers' fears that third-party games for the console would cost $59.99. However, the company marked down three first-party games--Project Gotham Racing 3, Perfect Dark Zero, and Kameo: Elements of Power--keeping them at the traditional price point of $49.99.

Now, Nintendo executives have revealed that they will also be keeping the cost of their first-party next-generation games below $59.99. Speaking with CNN/Money, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said he "cannot imagine any first party [next-gen] title could be priced for more than $50." The company has already said that its next-gen console, the Revolution, will be cheaper than its rivals.

"In the US, we're going to see the next-generation cost an awful lot," Iwata told the site. "I really don't think that there's going to be a lot of acceptance by current customers of the $60 price tag. They may allow that for a limited number of premium titles, but not all."

During the interview, Iwata also touched on worries about the Revolution's very limited built-in storage capacity. In its current form factor, the console will come with only 512MB of flash memory. Nintendo intends to digitally distribute games from its classic NES, SNES, and N64 consoles, the largest of which clock in at around 70MB in size, but has not announced plans for a hard drive peripheral.

Iwata told CNN/Money that concerns over the Revolution's built-in storage capacity would "be addressed" at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. However, he pointed out that the console has slots for SD Cards, which can currently store up to 4GB of memory apiece. He also reminded interviewer Chris Morris that the console has several USB ports, meaning an external hard drive is a distinct possibility.

151 Comments

  • jedimastergerco

    Posted Jun 8, 2006 9:02 am PT

    WHY DO YALL WANT AN HHD IN THE WII WITH SD CARDS YOU CAN PUT SAVE GAMES ON THE PC!!

  • zeldacube

    Posted Apr 10, 2006 10:50 am PT

    SD cards are fine. I use them else where also, like my camera and stuff.. USB externals are fine too, could go wrong with having a larger one. About time I get a larger USB drive anyways.. can't wait.. it's gonna be soo aweomse!!

  • Zinimus

    Posted Apr 3, 2006 4:49 am PT

    HDD is a Hard Disk Drive

  • Taegukki

    Posted Apr 2, 2006 3:58 am PT

    Sounds good.

  • remmbermytitans

    Posted Apr 1, 2006 12:50 pm PT

    isnt it odd how the ds cards, look awfully close to a sd memory card? could you possibly just have to plug it in to have connection to the two?

  • TheWhippet

    Posted Mar 31, 2006 8:59 pm PT

    Um.. What the dickens is a HDD? o.o (Not joking, I have no idea)

    Uh, the memory cards for the GC were good. They held enough games for me and I have about seventy >.>

    Oh, and MadonnaProject, if you don't like Nintendo, the ignore it. They are not making you read the news about them. They're not making you have to do anything with them. Just ignore it if you don't like it.

    If you had been alittle more mature about the way you gave your arguments and actually used proper punctation and spelling, and not being stupid, II would appluad your intelligent argument.

    From a kiddy Nintendo fangirl

    P.S. Please don't flame me. I am just trying to help you not look like an idiot.

  • rocklee111

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 7:32 pm PT

    MadonnaProject 6
    ______________
    ok sweet to bad games like "GTA MGS and devil may cry" cant get much more inovative so ummmm i am sure u will keep buying them even if they are the same game with better graficks. o and about the graficks thing nintendo probaly jest looked at psp and ds sales. which is a current situation where low graficks are beating a better grafick system.

    7.whats with all the secrecy?
    _________________
    ok chill out man..... 7 and 8 seem to contridict one one anouther in 7 u said "tell us what the hell your garbage console is going to be" and in 8 u said "one distinguishing feature which is the controller and that can be easily copied" i dont get it are u saying that people should coppy it by even mentioning that it could be copied by outher systems ? jeas for a peace of crap a lot of people want to copy it ( by saying its eazly copied u make it sound like people would want to copy it but u also say its a peace of crap?)

    MadonnaProject 10
    _________________________
    i have never hade a problem with my game cube memery card and im holding over 20 games on it and some games have more then one file. o i dont supose u have ever owned a cube so u wouldent relly know would u? jest a gess tho. little higher priced...lol ( and most games that are worth buying for the xbox360 are not 50 more like 60. and ps3 is going to be like 80

    P.S before u start screaming like a made man NINTENTARD ( i prefer pc games more ) o jest dont like trash talkers like your self. who only look at the flaws of one system and thinking the outher ones are perfect

  • MadonnaProject

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 2:08 pm PT

    10.and whats with the sd cards? the gamecube had some o the worst memory cards available. too little memory and they cost a lot. i can see that happening with the revolution again. a cheap console is not so cheap when you have to buy a toned down game, with low capacity memory media every other week.(especially not when you can get the game on a 360 pr a ps3 for a little higher price with full on graphics, or maybe even the same price as the rev game since most xbox 360 games are fifty bucks).

    think about this. and then whine and moan about your revolution being all great. man nintendo should just stop hardware development just now and save everyone a lot of hassle.

  • MadonnaProject

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 2:06 pm PT

    9. also whats so special about 20 years of games that nintendo is going to put out for the revolution? you can play any and ALL of those games through emulators on the pc, ps2, xbox, psp. OH GEE ITS NOT LEGAL. well its perfectly legal if you own original copies of those titles anyways. and even if it isnt, lets face it, were no all saints. and do you really think nintendo is going to let you copy their downloaded games onto media which can be taken elsewhere and played on your friends console? NO SIR. if they did it would mean you download something from them with a one time cost and distribute it for COMPLETELY free of charge amongst friends and loved ones. (and if you really loved those loved ones you wouldnt be giving them 2d games with plinky noises in the first place). so either you can download a game locked to be played on your own revolution (a workaround for which can be found by hackers soon) or you can download games from nintendo and share with everone on the planet (i am sure lots of websites hosting these games will spring up). in either case it will be a WRECKED idea for nintendo. since not many people play snes games to begin with except for a few nintendorks and geeks. STILL IN THE NICHE NINTENDO?

  • MadonnaProject

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 2:05 pm PT

    8.nintendo knows theyre in a bind. they have a weak console, with only one distinguishing feature which is the controller and that can be easily copied. so wheres the so called "revolution" wheres the way you are going to change gaming? im for one NOT going to be flailing my arms about after a hard day at work trying to get link to fizzle out torches so i can pass onto the next dungeon and once again rattle my brain trying to figure how to pass yet another 10000 rooms. im going to be kicking aliens behinds in a round of halo or burnout as if i was dishing out the punishment to my boss.

  • MadonnaProject

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 2:04 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

  • MadonnaProject

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 2:03 pm PT

    6.so youre going to get the rev for 199 bucks. youre going to get their games for 50-60 bucks. first and second party developments. well and good. what are you going to do when you want games like NBA titles, or Soccer titles, or games like GTA? or MGS? or devil may cry? or other big name franchises? nintendo will HAVE to come up with a more traditional controller. and once it does who is to give the certainty that game developers will be willing to make watered down games (since face it - most games of this kidn will be made tailored for the ps3 and 360). would u really want to buy a game for 50 bucks which looks like an xbox game or would u shell a few bucks more for a game which looks crisp and fantastic? and also has additional features (since remember? nintendo never has additional features - heck even resident evil 4 has less features than the ps2 version).

    7.whats with all the secrecy? i mean come on....tell us what the hell your garbage console is going to be. it was all mysterious and fun THREE MONTHS BACK. now its getting old and tiring. besides what else is there? we know about the specs, media drives and controller......the only remaining specs seem to be color schemes....OH WAIT WE KNOW THAT TOO.

  • MadonnaProject

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 2:02 pm PT

    4.So what happens when sony and microsoft come out with their own forcefeedback or whatever pointing devices, which is someting there is already a lot of evidence that theyre doing? would a weaker console with its "not so unique" controller still be as attractive? when bigger and better consoles have the same unique controls? while offering MUCH more power and freedom in the developers hands?

    5.nintendo has always offered crippled consoles and they have their proverbial head up their anuses when it comes to keeping up with the times (anyone remember their claims of people not wanting online play?). carts in the n64. minidvds in the gaycube. this allowing very little space to maeuvre with. why do u think most n64 game maps weere basically one big room or field with platforms circling around the whole place....instead of a more open environment where you feel like you can run for a mile?

  • MadonnaProject

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 2:00 pm PT

    2.Nintendo should have come out with something which propelled it out of the NICHE which its stuck in right now and that would be possible if they took on sony and microsoft head on. i dont have an iota of doubt nintendo could beat sony and microsoft at their own game if they played their cards right, and with a positive reputation and respect amongst developers and gamers alike they would win everyones support.

    3.Instead nintendo prefferes to make a console that will keep developers less keen to make games for them due to the sheer difference and uncertainty. Since most developers rely on tested and tried waters can you name how many would actually be willing to risk making games for the rev? i know it will cost lesser to develop games for, but just how much is LESS? if developers arent willing to code games for the gamecube right now, then sure as hell they wouldnt be willing to risk making games for the rev, which is even a farther departure than the gamecube itself. (what do u think a single rwevolution games gonna cost 100 bucks to make? HAH).

  • MadonnaProject

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 1:59 pm PT

    SERIOUS FLAWS IN NINTENDO STRATEGY NINTENDORKS SHOULD BE AWARE OF:

    1.The console is not very powerful. Its less powerful than the original xbox in fact, now i am with the next person who thinks power isnt everything, but only a fool would believe that a more powerful hardware doesnt allow the programmers more freedom to be more innovative. case in point : look at how the xbox can run high end pc games, with a hardware that costs a fraction of what it takes to run the same games on the pc. (ever wondered why most fps on the ps2 are of the "baricaded" kind where to proceed you need to kill so and so people and then magically a door open to let u get ahead? ever wonder why halo2 and farcry instincts are such a freedom filled experience with gorgeous open environments?) yeah its the brute force thats behind all that making it possible.

  • jcloverboy

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 1:55 pm PT

    Totally need a HDD. What's the point of releasing games on Virtual Console if they don't give consumers oppurtunity to fit more than a handful of games on 4 GB cards. The virtual console will be more successful if a HDD is present.

  • skyvader

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 11:47 am PT

    Ultimately it would rock if the SD cards were DS compatible by way of a GBA/SD cart or actual DS/SD hybrid. Then you could not only d/l classic games to play on rev but also take them with you on the DS or GBA. I would shoot for the DS more as it has the power to play N64 games and back including the ones from genesis and turbo days.

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 10:52 am PT

    A HDD would be nice. But at least there are slots for SD cards, and USB ports.

  • Ericvon71

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 7:25 am PT

    It is going to be very amusing once this so called perfect consoles comes out.

  • Autolycus

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 5:50 am PT

    USB FLASHDRIVE, problem solved (usb 2.0 required)

  • deejay246

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 5:39 am PT

    come on nitendo stop being one step behind the comptition

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 5:30 am PT

    dang, they better put a hard drive in the REV......or bump up the flash memory by about 10 gig.

  • MrPuzzlez

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 12:45 am PT

    It would be nice if they could use thumb drives on the USB ports...

  • KiLLer_ba

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 12:42 am PT

    That's great, they might release first party games for less than $50 but would that be the same for 3rd party companies? I have plenty of SD cards so I dont have to worry about the Rev 512 MB of flash memory. But Yea, Nintendo should comes out with an Hard drive for the Rev.

  • metdevthegamer

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 12:37 am PT

    I hope they do extend their memory unit's capacity, but I still like it how they allow for so many alternative ways to save memory. It would be cool if they made some sort of card for the system like Gamecube's Memory Card, maybe an SD Card or a Memory Stick, to come with the console.

  • Inkslinger-F355

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 11:22 pm PT

    Maybe I can plug my 64DD vaporware into the USB port, wave my
    silly ass magic wand revo controller around a couple of times, and
    the F*&^^%*ING TWILIGHT PRINCESS will come the F*^%^ out.
    nintendo. so. out. of. touch. so sad.
    'course, i'll be in line to buy the damn thing when they finally release
    their next gen zelda.......sigh

  • Konfusion

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 10:16 pm PT

    Nice, I was wondering what to do with this 200 GB SATA drive. External USB enclosure, here I come! ^_^

  • Kwiksilva

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 9:33 pm PT

    either way this new system is gunna be great

  • buildar

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 9:30 pm PT

    Nintendo seems to be reacting to what the other 2 companies have done, everybody keeps saying that nintendo is forging ahead into new waters, but i think nintendo was pushed into these new waters with the rev. When they made a system that was the same as the XBox and the PS2 they got killed, so in responce they decided they had to do something different. I hope it works out for them, I'd hate to see the other classic company go the way of sega.

  • edgemtz

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 9:10 pm PT

    I read somewhere that 16 GB cards are coming this year end,they didn`t talk about prices touhg.

  • X-C-QT-R

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 9:10 pm PT

    Krazy respect to nintendo lokking out for the gamers as usual

  • BobbyBobby85

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 8:56 pm PT

    SD cards are not that expensive. In fact, they are far cheaper than Memory sticks for the PSP, and if people are willing to whip out upwards of $80 for a gig of memory on Sonys handheld, how bad is it to get the same amount of storage on Revolution for around $50?

  • Buttloaves

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 8:35 pm PT

    SW337. I can't wait to play next gen games on a Pentium 1 with 88 megs of RAM and a video card that was invented by Noah.

  • FuguNabe

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 8:18 pm PT

    I have no probs as long as they can ensure SD card's cost goes dowm. There's certainly an advantage to external storage as it allows for easier backup and much easier to carry around perhaps to a friend's console rather than taking the whole damn thing. That's just my opinion..... I certainly hope games are not made like PC games in this coming generation where they are not perfectly the way it was meant to be from the get go. I hate for console games to fall into the 'if it's broke then patch it' mentality of PC games. While enjoy PC games I hate that aspect of PC gaming of today. Whatever Nintendo decides I'll wait to hear it from them at E3. I just want to see the games and the controller in action more but I suppose this is relatively important too.

  • ryustruck

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 7:57 pm PT

    k when the more than sign is pointing AT 50 (like

  • i_love_my_ds

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 7:35 pm PT

    E3 has never seemed so far away.......

  • hegehegemaster

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 7:16 pm PT

    External HDD sounds like an obvious peripheral. I wouldn't mind SD cards so much as long as the prices on them go down...

  • xeidog69

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 6:45 pm PT

    actually moral, if its accepting of any form of external harddrive, then you could do the cheaper method, that is by the external shell, with that shell you can place any hard drive inside the shell and viola you got a external hard drive, this would be a great idea, because over the years I have done many upgrades for myself and others, I have at least 15 hard drives that r in perfect condition stashed away, all ranging from 20-40 gigs a piece..I could makle good use of all those hard drives this way...

  • Khimarhi

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 6:34 pm PT

    Nintendo's plans seem sound. Let's see how the consumers take it

  • markshell

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 6:12 pm PT

    At least they let us choose =)

  • Dirk13

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 5:50 pm PT

    You know what, ever since GDC having no DS Lite america announcement, which was already a long wait, i dont want to see Iwata speak again until the next words out of his mouth detail out a DS Lite North American release date, for Mario's sake Iwata, what is so big that you cant just tell us? is it really still that uncertain?

  • map4000

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 5:48 pm PT

    i dont care if the memory is in a card ,inside or outside WATEVER ,if theres memory and it isnt expensive cool then

  • orangeillini14

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 5:21 pm PT

    A 4GB HDD seems reasonable.

  • NeoJedi

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 4:23 pm PT

    Let's hope Nintendo does not make the mistake of not including an HDD with the Revolution... and if the games cost less than $50, that will be sweet.

  • PlatinumZelos

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 4:20 pm PT

    Nintendo is going to tell us that people don't want internal hard drives.

  • sigma8

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 4:13 pm PT

    I hope the HD is not built-in. I've had the joy of having a built-in HD crash (Xbox). Losing all my save games is not fun, and if I have to buy enough memory cards to back them up anyway, why don't I just keep the saves on memcards to begin with? Besides, Samsung already is making 30 gig flash rams.. I bet a year after this thing comes out, memcard storage space will not be a big issue.

  • 3ternalsword207

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 3:56 pm PT

    hopefully it will use both sd cards and a hard drive. the hard drive better be cheap enough to be profitable yet easy to sell and is economical.

  • Gazornenplat

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 3:35 pm PT

    Just be thankful the N64 used carts instead of CDs. Maybe that was Nintendo's plan all along...

  • MadonnaProject

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 3:07 pm PT

    also if nintendo is not going to release their console worldwide, solely because the others are doing it and the squinty eyed nintendorks dont wanna do anything sony and microsoft do then perhaps they would be done good to be informed that sony and microsoft have are also coming out with consoles. maybe nintendo shouldnt do that as well and just develop for other consoles. its gonna happen to them sooner or later. why delay?

  • SnowFarmer

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 3:06 pm PT

    The games won't cost more because they aren't really anything more complex than GC games with tweaked controls. But hats off to Ninty for keeping the price down. I doubt Nintendo will have an internal HDD, but I'm sure they will have a Nintendo braned one to sell you as an add on. Hopefully you will get some kind of download credit when you buy it.

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