Nintendo, like many Japanese developers, has never really embraced the first-person shooter genre. Part of this stems from the cultural (East vs. West) game design differences and part of it simply stems from Nintendo's insistence on providing family friendly experiences. The fact is, however, that shooters like Halo, Call of Duty, and others have blown up on this side of the Pacific and Nintendo President Satoru Iwata doesn't feel too great about that.
"Currently, in the western countries especially, war-themed gun-shooting games, which are not well-received in Japan, are very popular," he said in an investor Q&A [thanks Kotaku]. "It is a reality that some of these games sell 10 million units per year in those markets, and this is one valid type of video game genre. I would personally feel sad if all video games became something like that, but on the other hand, I do not think such games should disappear."
Iwata was talking to investors about how 80% of Nintendo's business now comes from outside Japan, and while we're doubtful that Nintendo itself will really get engaged in the shooters market, it's probably one of several reasons that the company has made a stronger effort in attracting top third parties to the Wii U.
It's clear that core games will have a home on Wii U. id's John Carmack recently told us that Wii U would be a "slam dunk" for his Tech 5 engine, and Activision Publishing boss Eric Hirshberg also acknowledged that it's a system from Nintendo that's finally more suited to his company's games.
