Nintendo has doubled back on a warning it gave out on its upcoming handheld release, the 3DS, which said that it could harm the eyes of children.
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has said that the autoscopic 3D screens are not “dangerous” but that the warnings issued were “about informing our customer, even though it may not necessarily be positive for our sales,” he told the Wall Street Journal.
The original warning claimed that long-term exposure to 3D images on the upcoming handheld console could have adverse effects on eyesight development in children six and under, but no official medical evidence was released with the warning last month on Nintendo’s website.
The company president’s move to reassure the public comes after the momentum from leading sales of its DS and Wii consoles reached a lull last year after successive growth in the years before. While Nintendo’s simpler gaming variety stole the market from Sony’s PlayStation and Microsoft’s Xbox, Nintendo now faces stiff competition from the smartphone app market.
Iwata said that he would not release Nintendo titles on these new platforms as they would hurt the games’ unique value, but Nintendo has opened up the gateway to more outside development for its upcoming console.
Nintendo plans to ship 4 million 3DS units by March 31, with 1.5 million shipping in Japan and 2.5 to the rest of the world.
Nintendo’s stronghold over the 1980s gaming market led them to issue high licensing fees to any development studios looking to sell their games on Nintendo consoles – a move in the gaming market that has been diminished in today’s market.
