pure gold :

Once upon a time, way back in the 1980's, a company became number one because its products meant 'fun' to young people. Then, in the 1990's, a bigger company with a bigger brand name and bigger budgets took away the number one spot.

Fortunately, that first company also had another line of products that let it remain popular and profitable. This company used that threat to reconsider its strategy, and think how it could regain overall leadership.

And this is what it decided.

It would redefine its own business, and expand its market beyond current core users. Could this strategy work?

Well, we already know the answer. The answer is yes.

Because that first company, Pepsi, has returned to number one in its industry displacing Coke. Pepsi stopped asking, "How can we sell more cola?" Instead, it started asking, "What else do people want to drink?"

Today, Pepsi is number one in bottled water. It is number one in sports drinks. It is number one in health drinks. And, of course, it remains number one in the snacks business that it used to maintain profitability while they executed their disruptive strategy. (As every game developer understands, the three basic food groups are Fritos, Cheetos and Doritos.)

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=11223

^^^^ I was AT that speech. It was awesome. Everyone was totally shocked to realize he was talking about soft drinks, the laughter was enormous =) That was the speech that made me really respect him

celine said: Louie said: Great! I'll go with "DSi America announcement with launch just some weeks afterwards". I'm more interested in what he will say than what he will eventually show.

Same here, especially as it is about developing games for more people then Nintendo's disruptive strategy. Too bad we don't get it from the horse's mouth.

Should see some great uses for WM+

i'll be waiting to actually her his whole speech, not just any possible juicy announcements.

What made me respect him was the 2005 GDC speech.

He spoke like a deveoper at the head of a multibillion dollar company. He show his heart as a gamer.

He explained the revolution.

I call a Zelda announcement.
His last two GDC appearances had Zelda trailers, with 06 having the revelation of Phantom Hourglass.
I expect the speech to be in a similar vein to 06-people not expecting the success of Wii Sports/Fit, potential of WiiWare, improving online, possibilities of new control schemes.
Overall I'd like Iwata to follow a theme of "Nintendo will lead, third parties can follow us" in relation to a wider range of Wii titles, especially core titles.
Should be an interesting and insightful look into the mind of the man who's changed the industry dramatically over the last few years. Looking forward to it.

EDIT: also, be interesting to see what he says about Wii Fit/Mario Kart Wii sales in relation to GTAIV.

Classic!

Oops double post.

Yah that was a really good one too, that was my first GDC ever =)