Being as awesome as usual, he explained the reasons for the keynote's direction BEFORE THE KEYNOTE!

http://seanmalstrom.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/at-gdc-nintendo-will-focus-hard-on-downloadable-games/

At GDC Nintendo will focus hard on downloadable games

At GDC, expect Nintendo to really ram the message to developers of downloadable games on DSi. You might wonder why Nintendo is pushing it so hard.

Lately, I have noticed a change with developers. More and more are going toward linux and mac. The vast many are attracted to the iPhone. In fact, I have developer friends asking if I want to be part of their project for an iPhone game. It is like a new gold rush to make iPhone games.

Of course, where everyone fishes there is not going to be that much gold. DSi has the decisive advantage because the entire installed base is gamers unlike the iPhone.

The difference between the DS and the iPhone is like that between the console and the PC. The iPhone is more like a handheld PC and shouldn’t be considered as a dedicated game machine (because, well, it isn’t). The PSP will be the true victim of the iPhone since the PSP tried to become a ‘handheld PC’ after a fashion.

However, the rapid flow of developers toward the iPhone is creating worry at the paranoid Nintendo. The worry is that iPhone gaming will be ‘good enough’ where people won’t want something else. This fear is of course silly since PC platforms cannot and do not absorb dedicated game console games. But the attitude one must have in the disruption era is to be paranoid all the time. This paranoia will have Nintendo rapidly respond with DSi’s downloadable games.

Anyways, if you go on Apple sites you will discover that Apple fans have a serious case of Wii envy. “Look, the iPhone can be used as a wii-mote!” “iPhone will destroy the DS! Look at how much better its technology is!” I should hope so since the DS came out almost five years ago. Apple fans may know the computer industry but in the gaming industry, there is a major difference between a dedicated game system and a PC, handheld or otherwise. PCs are hardware that can run games. Game machines are hardware designed to run games. This means the game machines easily differentiate themselves where PCs will not follow. An example is a controller designed for input for gaming.

This industry has been a big yawn lately. Maybe Nintendo might announce some new games. But most of Nintendo’s focus will be aimed, like a laser, on DSi’s downloadable games.

That's... kind of spooky.

And wasn't the focus on Wii downloadable games? I don't think they even mentioned downloadable DS games. But a good guess on his part nonetheless.

No, it was almost entirely a DSi show, oddly enough.

Damn... that guy is so right all the time... O_O

 There was a lot of DSi, but unless Moving Memo, Warioware or Rythym Heaven are downloadable there was no mention of DS downloadable games just Wii ones.

WarioWare and I think Moving Memo are DSiWare.

It's not spooky, they said that they'd be discussing this heavily beforehand...

Well Malstrom continues to amaze me. I thought it would share focus with WiiMotionPlus but obviously it isn't ready yet.

I knew no major announcements at it but good job on figuring out the focus of downloadable stuff and what not. Although the Zelda bomb on the DS was quite the surprise for me. I pretty much thought no big games would be announced haha. But to get people excited about DSi I guess it is good to announce a big game.

Not too creepy. I, like most, assumed Motion Plus would have more of a role in all of it, but that downloading would be another focus.