Apple's Tim Cook Meets Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto During Japan Visit

[MacRumors]

While on a visit to Japan, Apple CEO Tim Cook met with Nintendo's legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Earlier this morning, Cook posted a good morning greeting from the county alongside a picture of him walking through torii, traditional Japanese gates that are often posted outside of shrines.

Photo via Tim Cook​

Cook tweeted that he was learning how to play the upcoming Super Mario Run as he met with Miyamoto and his team at Nintendo's Kyoto headquarters. Miyamoto appeared at Apple's September special event and announced that the new game would appear on iOS by the end of the year.

Nintendo had consistently refused to license its intellectual property to other platforms, fearing that it would threaten its console and handheld-based business model. However, in early 2015 it changed its mind, announcing that it would partner with Japanese mobile game make DeNA to release 5 mobile games by March 2017.

Miyamoto says the Japanese game maker had realized that most children's first interaction with technology is more likely to be a parent's smartphone than one of its game consoles. By putting simple games based on its biggest characters, like Mario, on mobile devices the company hopes that it can convince players to migrate over to its first-party hardware for more complex experiences.

In addition to Super Mario Run, Nintendo and DeNA plan to release Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem this fall, though details for the latter two games have been scarce thus far.

Cook's Japan trip comes shortly after the CEO made a stop in Shenzhen, China, announcing that Apple would be opening a new research and development center in the city. It's unclear what else Cook has planned during his Japan trip.

Article Link: Apple's Tim Cook Meets Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto During Japan Visit

 

[MH01]

Timmy, the worlds social butterfly . Apple could also learn from Nintendo what happens when you stagnate your hardware .

Hardware your company was built on.

 

[Denmac1]

Uh...Tim...Macbooks....Mac Pro...Mac Mini...??? You know...those computers that made the company great in the beginning...

Edit: Getting really tired of seeing these 'dog & pony' shows in Japan & China. Let's get back to Cupertino, finish the spaceship and back to business.

 

[Applebot1]

Long as I can remember people in here have been saying Apple should buy Nintendo.

 

[ShadovvMoon]

If they could go ahead and release 'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild' for Mac, that'd be great.

 

[MH01]

Long as I can remember people in here have been saying Apple should buy Nintendo.

Please no. The last thing Nintendo needs is penny pinching . They went down the Tim approach already, and found out that through innovation like the Wii they became relevant again, though you can only milk a single product for so long

 

[4jasontv]

Long as I can remember people in here have been saying Apple should buy Nintendo.

Nintendo Market Cap: 35.94 billion USD. They could do that in a minute. Here is what that would be like.

 

[kcamfork]

Um... is that an android phone Tim is holding???

 

[Soni Sanjay]

Apple should buy Nintendo. It would be great.

 

[typographer]

It is time for Apple return to Mac.

 

[bchreng]

Timmy, the worlds social butterfly . Apple could also learn from Nintendo what happens when you stagnate your hardware .

Hardware your company was built on.

I think it was more software than hardware for Nintendo. Stuff like Mario and Zelda sells systems despite gimmicky hardware.

 

[terminator-jq]

Apple fans are waiting for the new Macs to be revealed. Nintendo fans are waiting for the NX to be revealed. Look at the Waiting for Skylake thread on this site or the Reddit NX site and you can see that both groups of fans are growing impatient, maybe even slightly crazy. I find myself in both camps. I may need therapy after this.

Meanwhile, Tim Cook and Miyamoto are sitting around laughing and having a good time. Do they not like money anymore???

 

[Uni Grad]

Im sure this was what they were actually laughing about!

Read from right to left (like a Japanese manga):

 

[Nr123*123]

What are these "Macbooks" people keep talking about? Apple makes great emojis and are so proud of it. Here's last year's phone and some terrible music.

 

[.Joel]

Let's get back to Cupertino, finish the spaceship and back to business.

Funniest reply i've read on MacRumors for years

 

[Speedy Dingo]

Timmy, the worlds social butterfly . Apple could also learn from Nintendo what happens when you stagnate your hardware .

Hardware your company was built on.

I don't overly agree that Nintendo stagnated their hardware like Apple has with the Mac hardware. Nintendo's "problem" was that their hardware was considered too radical or different, "gimmicky" in the gaming community. The Wii introduced motion control gaming to the masses, which was unique at the time. The Wii U tried to capitalise on the touchscreen market by having a pad controller, and it also introduced off-screen/TV play by being able to play games just on the controller. Again, another innovative feature from Nintendo within the industry.
The other problem Nintendo faces is the perception that they only make games for children, which the gaming community pinned on them. Yes games like Mario, Kirby, Yoshi, etc are geared towards a more family orientated group, but it doesn't make them any less fun to play. And because you can't find the Call of Dutys, Halos or Gran Theft Autos on Nintendo platforms, it has cost them. So my theory is that Nintendo didn't stagnate hardware, as they're always looking at ways to innovate, but their lack of 3rd party support is what's got them in the situation they're in. They'll survive with their 1st party titles, but for some people that's not enough to own their consoles, hence the Wii U selling well below even the poor-performing GameCube.

 

[Mr Fusion]

Sad that a legend like Miyamoto would grant an audience to this loser. Apple's Chief Executive Cheerleader will never come close to making an impact in the world of technology & gaming as this man has.

Actions speak louder than words Tim. Go back to Cupertino and unveil an all-new Mac lineup, or stay in Japan and resign from Apple. You're useless.

 

[Lancer]

Without the story me bet is Tim just read the recall news from Samsung LOL

 

[hiddenmarkov]

I think it was more software than hardware for Nintendo. Stuff like Mario and Zelda sells systems despite gimmicky hardware.

its both I think.

The gamepad concept too exclusive and not many rushing to port and develop for it. Especially when gamepad is iffy amongst wii users. I hate it, my son hates. So young and old in agreement there lol. When we coop play best I can get is my son lets me use the "normal" game controller once in a while.

And Nintendo seems to force feed this or press hard anyway. I really wanted starfox reboot to be good. And hated that game minutes into game play. Its reliance on the game pad way too high for my tastes.

they lost a lot of exclusives, games now on anything. years ago some games started on nintendo then migrated. Now...many don't even swing by and say hi.

Exclusives they do have....wear thin. Mario not the powerhouse he used to be. And can't carry the genre's it covers like it used to with the new stuff out there. Take your pick, 2d 3d platformer based on releases..better options out there. their only exclusive I have liked is splatoon tbh. Innovative "shooter" style game and one I'd say a nice breath of fresh air into a realm stagnant for years.


And Nintendo is the last holdout for no region free. Not sure if hardware or OS. 3ds I'd say it be a bit hardware since reading a cartridge. Either way other game systems said if you want to play a Japan market game on US console/handheld....have at it. Not Nintendo. If a ploy to boost hardware sales, it failed.

Even I told my son who is half Japanese when he got his 3ds you get one. We can go on base and buy the US market one at the PX or we hit up a store down the way (I live in Japan) and get the Japanese one. Pick one and only 1. he chose US...wants a JDM game better hope for a translated version to US at some point basically.

They should have opted for what sony did...software sales. Player X wants a JDM game...just has to source the game in some way. Which many ways exist to do that.

 

[MH01]

Sad that a legend like Miyamoto would grant an audience to this loser. Apple's Chief Executive Cheerleader will never come close to making an impact in the world of technology & gaming as this man has.

Actions speak louder than words Tim. Go back to Cupertino and unveil an all-new Mac lineup, or stay in Japan and resign from Apple. You're useless.

I was thinking in the back of my mind how this is a meeting with a legend and a pretender. Now imagine that pic with Steve there.

 

[Markoth]

I'm sick of Cook. He travels the world like he's all that, and brags about it on social media, all the while his company is in serious need of attention, and he doesn't seem to care! Come on! Release the new Macs already! They should have done it before school started, like normal! This is already far too late, but better late than never, I suppose...

 

[alleggerita]

His stocks just rised 1-2% because of Samsung. C'mon guys, he's just taking a well deserved break.

/s

 

[vmachiel]

Uh...Tim...Macbooks....Mac Pro...Mac Mini...??? You know...those computers that made the company great in the beginning...

Edit: Getting really tired of seeing these 'dog & pony' shows in Japan & China. Let's get back to Cupertino, finish the spaceship and back to business.

Maybe he's doing that because the work is finished, and the event is coming

 

[laudern]

Apple NX confirmed!!!

 

[otternonsense]

Seems to me Cook has been chasing distractions because he doesn't even like what he does. I don't mean to say he doesn't work hard. But he is foreign to the league of leaders like Steve Jobs and Shigeru Miyamoto, visionaries driven by love, passion, who poured their souls into making their companies what they are today. Tim picked up a company with the momentum of a rocket mid-flight, and is working day and night to "optimise" and profit.

Think about it, and how it reflects on Apple's products. Cycle by cycle they have stabilised into rather basic, unsurprising consumer electronics. They can never reach Steve's level because there's just no love in making them. You could feel it with an iMac G4 or iPhone 4. Walk into an immaculate Apple Store now to be surrounded by rows of soulless gadgets signed off by a workaholic accountant with a thing for fitness.

Maybe the best thing Cook can do is indeed resign and pass Apple's reigns to someone with real love for technology, design and innovation.