Iwata didn't expect this massive succes for Splatoon.

[IkePoR]

Skullwaker said:

IkePoR said:
Because every old man at Nintendo told him that "if it ain't got Mario or Pikachu it don't make sense". Splatoon was greenlit and the young devs did their thing and look at this... a fucking success. It's a shame it'll probably be the only new IP we get for many years because of blind, greedy, draconian old men.

I don't think this is true. We have been getting new IPs from Nintendo for a while, and that won't change. It's just that this is one of the first ones in a while that was a huge success.

In fact, I'd say that because of Splatoon, they may encourage younger devs to experiment more and create new concepts.

A reasonable theory though it's about just as likely to happen as the wigs telling the young devs to milk this new cow until she shrivels up and then it's back to Mario spin-offs for several years.  I don't mean to sound jaded but lately it's hard not to be with the facepalming decisions Nintendo's made recently.