This generation has been marked by a battle for exclusive content between Sony and Microsoft, and now that Nintendo is finally entering the HD fray, one would assume that they too would be reaching out to third-parties for exclusivity deals. According to Nintendo's Global President Mr. Satoru Iwata however, it appears that this is not the direction the company plans to go.
Speaking during an analyst meeting at E3, the Nintendo boss explained that while Nintendo isn't opposed to exclusive content, they'd like to refrain from battling with Sony and Microsoft over it. “While Nintendo is not entirely opposed to exploring that option, I don’t think it would be an appropriate course of action for Nintendo to get into a battle with a company like Microsoft over the cost or the expense of trying to go head to head in a situation to try to obtain exclusive rights,” Iwata explained.
He went on to add that if a third-party developer were to propose new ideas on how to take advantage of the Wii U's unique capabilities, "there is a high possibility that Nintendo will be a partner with that third-party in an unprecedented manner.” Well jeez guys, I'd hope so.
It's no secret that Nintendo's relationships with third-parties has been particularly weak in the past, so this continuing trend – while disappointing – shouldn't come as all that much of a surprise. Hey, at least we can play year-old games like Arkham City and Mass Effect 3, right? Yeah, I'm shaking my head too.
[Source]
