Epic Games President Mike Capps, talking to IndustryGamers:

I think that’s the real challenge for us now, rather than worrying about the difference between a couple consoles and some order of magnitude, whether 3X or 4X. It’s about how do we deal with iPhone 8… if you watch where the gamers are going that’s where they are. Your iPhone 8 will probably plug into your TV, or better yet, wirelessly connect to your television set to give you that big screen gaming experience with good sound. So really, what’s the point of those next-gen consoles?

iPhone 8? I’ll be amazed if this doesn’t happen with the iPhone 5, since gaming over AirPlay is already possible (if sometimes a little laggy) with the iPad 2. I don’t think next-gen games consoles will vanish overnight, simply because they are, relatively speaking, much more affordable than an iOS system (which would require several devices and an Apple TV for wireless gaming streams), and also because Apple still doesn’t entirely get gaming itself. However, should Apple add AirPlay mirroring across its entire line, the Apple TV would go from being a niche concern to, potentially, a 101-quid add-on that turns any iPod touch, iPhone or iPad into a games console. At that point, Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony would have a massive fight on their hands.

This one passed me by, so thanks to Wired for pointing out this gem from Nintendo president Satoru Iwata:

In my mind, I would like to make the presence of the Nintendo eShop much larger in three years [sic] time.

Three years? Really? Nintendo needs to be working on digital now. It needs to be competing with the might of the App Store now. If it doesn’t, the presence of Nintendo regarding digital downloads in three years won’t be on the eShop, but will be on the App Store.

I already today translated Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata’s apology regarding the 3DS, but I realised I wasn’t done. After all, Nintendo hasn’t just apologised to early adopters, but it also unveiled the Ambassador program.

Great Price, Great Games

Finally Somewhat Competitive Price, Not Enough Games!

Nintendo of America today announced plans to drop the suggested retail price of its portable Nintendo 3DS™ system to $169.99 in the United States. The new price takes effect Aug. 12 and makes an outstanding value even better.

Our console wasn’t selling so we’re now getting desperate. Maybe by Christmas, we’ll be giving it away for free.

Building on the popularity of The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time™ 3D, which launched June 19, the upcoming game calendar for Nintendo 3DS is a Who’s Who of iconic video game franchises. Star Fox 64™ 3D arrives on Sept. 9, followed by Super Mario™ 3D Land in November, Mario Kart™ 7 in December and Kid Icarus™: Uprising during the holiday season.

Look! We’ll be releasing at least three games before Christmas, based on really old series that you’ve played to death! No other console has such a range of games, according to our exhaustive research!

And don’t forget that Nintendo 3DS has a bunch of fun features, including Nintendo Video™, the Nintendo eShop and access to Netflix, that make it a must-have video game system.

Also, luckily, no other handheld system has any access to videos, otherwise we’d be totally screwed about now! Phew!

But what about the 830,000 of you who already own a Nintendo 3DS?

Man, we really wish we could have put a ‘5’ in front of that ‘830,000’.

You’re some of Nintendo’s most loyal customers

And, presumably, are fiercely questioning that decision.

and we’re rewarding you for getting in on the action early with not one

*ANTICIPATION*

not 10

*IT’S JUST LIKE BEING AT A SUNDAY MARKET, WAITING FOR THE GUY SELLING BOXES TO REVEAL THE PRICE OF THE BOXES*

but 20 free downloadable games from the Nintendo eShop!

Wow! 20 free downloadable games! Hurrah!

Here’s how it works:  The 20 free games are available to anyone who owns a Nintendo 3DS system and uses a wireless broadband Internet signal to connect to the Nintendo eShop at least once before 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Aug. 11.

We don’t care enough to extend this offer indefinitely.

1. Starting Sept. 1, Nintendo 3DS Ambassadors will be able to download 10 NES™ Virtual Console™ games at no charge and before they are available in the Nintendo eShop to the general public.

Free NES games to use when you’re not playing your 3DS updates of N64 updates of SNES updates of NES games!

2. By the end of 2011, Nintendo will provide Ambassadors with 10 Game Boy Advance Virtual Console games. These include games like Yoshi’s Island™: Super Mario™ Advance 3, Mario Kart™: Super Circuit, Metroid™ Fusion, WarioWare™, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ and Mario vs. Donkey Kong™. These games will be available exclusively to Ambassadors, and Nintendo currently has no plans to make these 10 games available to the general public on the Nintendo 3DS in the future.

We don’t currently have any plans, but please don’t read any of our press releases after August 11! KTHANKSBYE!

Via TechCrunch, Satoru Iwata’s apology to 3DS owners:

This unprecedented timing for a price cut is because the situation has changed greatly since we originally launched the 3DS.

We copied those smartphone guys in laughing off the threat from Apple. Man, I wish we’d paid attention to what actually happened to those smartphone guys.

We decided it was necessary to take this drastic step in order to ensure that large numbers of users will continue to enjoy the 3DS in the future.

The 3DS? Yeah, that’s screwed. Maybe if we do a fire-sale more people will buy one.

If the software creators and those on the retail side are not confident that the Nintendo 3DS is a worthy successor to the DS and will achieve a similarly broad (user) base, it will be impossible for the 3DS to gain popularity, acquire a wide range of software, and eventually create the product cycle necessary for everyone to be satisfied with the system.

It’s really really screwed.

We feel a strong responsibility to develop the 3DS as a platform

Although not enough of a responsibility to come up with any new ideas for games.

— to ensure that, in the end, everyone is satisfied; we will make every effort to do so.

Unless we have to make some new ideas for games.

Additionally, we know everyone is waiting for Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7.

Like we said, we’re not big on new ideas for games.

They are scheduled for release in November and December, respectively

Nor are we that big on rushing recycling our existing properties.

Man, I hope we don’t end up like those Sega guys…

Ste Pickford, basking in the glow of his new game’s slew of great ratings on the App Store:

It was while basking the warmth of a positive critical response, and wondering how exactly to turn ratings into dollars, that my good mood was punctured by an email from somebody offering their services to “improve our visibility” on the App Store.
I was suspicious, but curious.

Curious because I’ve been asking pretty much every iOS developer I know for tips and advice (and every one of them, to a man, has been brilliantly forthcoming and helpful), so I’m always ready to listen to anyone who might be able to help us reach a wider audience for our game.

Suspicious because since releasing the game and firing out press releases to every review site I can find, I’ve soon learned that pretty much the only review sites who ever reply to emails are the ones who come back with a price list for the different reviews they offer. (Yes, really! I’d pay for straight advertising for a game, but I’d never pay for a review.)

Well, the “App Store visibility” guy emailed me straight back with his price list:

$100 for 100 App Store ratings and 20 written reviews

$200 for 200 App Store ratings and 45 written reviews

$300 for 300 App Store ratings and 70 written reviews

Woah!

Indeed. This isn’t something that’s restricted to the App Store, of course. Amazon’s been plagued by this problem for years. But in a store where devs are clamouring for attention, fighting to be heard above the noise, I suspect some might get tempted. Here’s hoping Apple’s slapping down anyone who goes for this.

It’s also reprehensible for sites to still be charging to review products. I don’t really care whether you state as much in your terms or your ‘hidden’ about-us page, this is utter bullshit. If you need revenue, get it from advertising—don’t have devs pay you for an ‘expedited’ review on some random iOS website that hardly anyone knows about, enabling said dev to excitedly add that they got 4/5 from WeGetPaidToReviewiOSApps.com.

*CALMFACE*

Anyway, Pickford again:

Yikes, I hope our phenomenal critical response doesn’t mean that people think we paid for those ratings!

Likewise. Magnetic Billiards: Blueprint is a very good game, and anyone who thinks the ratings came from paying some dodgy geezer for ’70 written reviews’ clearly hasn’t played the game. And given that I’m not reviewing this one for Tap! (someone else is), I can say this having actually paid for this game myself.