Nintendo hires Disney vet Duncan Orrell-Jones for new network business job

Nintendo of America Hires New Senior VP of Network Business

Duncan Orrell-Jones to Lead Nintendo's Online Efforts

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nintendo of America announces the hiring of a new senior vice president of Network Business. Effective July 1, Duncan Orrell-Jones will take on the newly created position and spearhead the development and evolution of Nintendo of America's digital strategy for the company's Nintendo 3DS and Wii U video game systems. Orrell-Jones will work at Nintendo's headquarters in Redmond, Wash., and report to Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime.

"Duncan Orrell-Jones brings knowledge and hands-on experience to Nintendo that will help us develop and implement long-term digital initiatives for our systems," Fils-Aime said. "By creating this new position we're demonstrating our commitment to the expansion of our online business, and Duncan is the perfect person for the job."

Orrell-Jones comes to Nintendo from The Walt Disney Company, where he has worked since 1993, most recently as senior vice president in the Disney Interactive Media Group. In that role, he was responsible for identifying opportunities to expand Disney's games business outside North America across a variety of platforms. Prior to that he also served as the senior vice president and general manager for the Disney Interactive Media Group in Tokyo, where he led a 140-person team to drive the company's digital properties on various platforms.

Orrell-Jones holds a bachelor's degree in physics from UCLA and an MBA from Emory University's Goizueta Business School.

For more information about Nintendo, visit http://www.nintendo.com.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ home console, Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.9 billion video games and more than 630 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company's website at http://www.nintendo.com.

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THQ sees net loss of $239.9 million, still in business

by Jessica Conditt on May 15th 2012 5:30PM

THQ saw a net loss of $239.9 million for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012, $100 million more than the previous fiscal year's loss of $136.1 million.

"We have made significant changes to our business, and are on track to execute our strategy of delivering quality connected core gaming experiences, beginning with the sequel to the award-winning Darksiders in August," president and CEO Brian Farrell said in a THQ earnings statement.

THQ has seen a rough year, with plummeting revenue despite the success of Saints Row: The Third and WWE '12. THQ laid off 240 employees, slashed the salaries of its head honchos and cut its "kids' licensed video games" department earlier this fiscal year, following quarter losses of nearly triple the previous period.

THQ has sold through 84 percent of its shipped uDraw tablets and expects to sell its remaining inventory in fiscal 2013. The company's "future kids' license commitments" have been reduced by $30 million, THQ reports.

THQ describes its emergency layoffs, salary cuts and company rehashing as follows: "The company exited the traditional kids' licensed games business, and streamlined its product line, organization and cost structure to support a smaller company positioned for sustained profitability."

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NintendoWare Weekly: The eShop is open for business

by Ben Gilbert on Jun 17th 2011 10:45AM

Good news, folks! Nintendo's 3DS eShop is now officially open for business, and the second week of operation brings the Game Boy version of Donkey Kong to hang out with the bikers and heroes already residing in the eShop. A handful of DSiWare and WiiWare offerings are also said to be available, though as of this morning, none of the DSiWare games were actually available for purchase.

Additionally, for you stalwarts still holding out for a demo of Bit.Trip Flux before dropping the $8, that's now available as well. The reward for your patience: finding out first hand that it's a great game.

WiiWare Bit.Trip Flux [demo] (Gaijin Games/Aksys Games, 1-4 players, 0 Wii Points): Bounce shapes to the beat in this followup to Gaijin Games' critically acclaimed Bit.Trip Beat.Snail Mail (Sandlot Games, 1-4 players, 600 Wii points): Race snails against opponents in a battle for domination of the intergalactic mail.Virtual Console Mega Man 5 (Capcom, 1 player, 500 points): Mega Man is out for vengeance against the defected Protoman in the fifth Mega Man entry on NES.3DS eShop Donkey Kong (Nintendo, 1 player, $3.99): That Pauline-thieving Donkey Kong is back to his old tricks, only this time he's being nefarious on the original Game Boy.DSiWare Gold Fever (Tik Games, 1 player, $4.99/500 DSi Points): An "arcade puzzle game" themed after the Old West, in the Gold Rush era.Zimo: Mahjong Fanatic (Agetec, 1 player, $1.99/200 DSi Points): Mahjong, but only for the most fanatical of mahjong players.Hidden Photo: Puzzle Party (Subdued Games, 1 player, $4.99/500 DSi Points): Can you find all the hidden stuff in these photos? What about if we pretend it's a party? Great!Beach Party Craze (Alawar, 1 player, $7.99/800 DSi Points): Run for your lives, it's a Beach Party Craze! Wait, wait, we meant to say fun for your lives, as this beach party management sim is heating up DSiWare.

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Dragon Quest 25th anniversary merch features plushie slimes, business card cases

by Mike Schramm on Jun 19th 2011 8:30PM

The legendary Dragon Quest series (originally published in Japan in 1986, and of course in North America as Dragon Warrior after that) turns 25 this year, and Square Enix is giving all of its gifts away. We've already heard about a Wii collection coming out, but as you can see above, some of the prizes are a little less practical. That's a pair of plushie slimes on the left, and on the right is a Smile Slime Crystal Mascot figurine, measuring about 6 centimeters tall. Both special slime items also have a DQ 25th anniversary logo on the back. Both of those will be 1554 yen, or about $19 US.

Additionally, Square Enix is offering some special edition tote bags for the anniversary for about $26 each, and some Dragon Quest business card holders (with art featuring the first three games) for around $20 US. All of the swag is supposed to be available starting late July in Japan.

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