Iwata Apologises For E3 News

Nintendo's President and CEO, Satoru Iwata, has apologised for the distinct lack of anything 'Super Mario' or 'Zelda' at E3, while insisting that Nintendo has not forgotten its hardcore fans.

Speaking to Forbes, Iwata said: "If there is any perception that Nintendo is ignoring the core gamers, it's a misunderstanding and we really want to get rid of that misunderstanding by any means. We are sorry about [the E3] media briefings, specifically for those who were expecting to see Nintendo show something about 'Super Mario' or 'Legend of Zelda.'

"However, the fact of the matter is the so-called 'big titles' need a long, long development period," Iwata continued. "We really didn't think this year's E3 media briefing was the time to do so."

What Iwata did say at E3 is that the Mario and Zelda development teams are "hard at work, and will bring new titles to Wii". Well, we didn't expect them to be sitting around twiddling their thumbs to be honest.

It's certainly understandable that Nintendo's exceedingly loyal core fanbase is becoming impatient. As the gaming giant soars back to the top with casual titles such as Wii Fit and Brain Training, is it forgetting the gamers that got Nintendo there in the first place?

Sure, Super Mario Galaxy was a great game, while the other classic Nintendo franchises haven't been let down by the likes of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and Mario Kart Wii. But where are the other classic Nintendo IPs?

What's happened to Starfox, Donkey Kong, and Pilot Wings? What about the possibility of new IPs in the same vein? Surely Nintendo won't continue to hand out doggy biscuits to its core fans and perhaps it should consider preparing them a ravishing three course meal for their loyalty.