Nintendo president defends 3DS child warnings
Top exec stands by recent warnings that the 3D handheld should not be used by children aged 6 and under; also reveals game giant aiming for 1.5 million units sold in home country by end of March.
With the Nintendo 3DS due to arrive in Japan on February 26 and other territories before the end of March, the publisher has already begun to release a steady stream of information about the stereoscopic handheld and its software. The latest news has come from Nintendo World 2011, a three-day public preview event in Tokyo, Japan, where the publisher announced a long list of 3DS launch titles over the weekend.
The event was also an opportunity for Nintendo to reiterate its message about health and safety in relation to 3D technology. According to gaming blog Andriasang, the publisher has previously issued warnings claiming that the 3DS's 3D mode should not be used by children under the age of 6. During Nintendo World 2011, children were able to play demos only in 2D, a move that Nintendo president Satoru Iwata defended in an interview with Japan's Wall Street Journal.
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According to the article, Iwata said the warnings are an attempt to share information with customers and to warn users against long periods of play, not an indication that the 3DS is dangerous.
Iwata also stated that, based on the "opinion of experts consulted by the company," some specialists believe extended viewing of 3D video could have a negative effect on vision in young children. Iwata did not disclose who the experts were but said that the 3DS packaging will include information and warnings about prolonged play and 3D viewing for children.
In the same interview, Iwata also said that Nintendo plans to ship approximately 1.5 million 3DS units in the Japanese market by the end of March and 4 million units worldwide in the same period.
For more information, check out GameSpot's latest breakdown of the 3DS.
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