[Valigarmander]

Iwata Explains DS Successor Quote Confusion

The skirmish of words between Nintendo president Satoru Iwata and Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun has been volleying shots back and forth, and now Iwata has explained where the confusion may have started. Kotaku reports that in a recent investor call, Iwata declined to talk specifically about new hardware in development, like the company's next handheld. But, he said in the interview with Asahi Shimbun, the reporter asked, "The graphics for the next DS will be highly detailed and it will contain a motion sensor, right?" Iwata says he replied, "Those things are naturally being required. But do you think it would sell with just that?"

If Iwata's claim is true, then Asahi Shimbun was accurate in their initial report, but that accuracy was based on a bit of a leading question, and the paper was actually quoting its own reporter instead of Iwata. Also, they seem to have left out a piece of Iwata's reply that he feels was important. It seems he wants to stress that features like better graphics and a motion sensor are obviously going to be included, but Nintendo is looking to introduce more than just that. This could close the book on this particular media fight, unless the newspaper comes back with a comment of its own -- which is entirely possible.