Iwata said he is taking responsibility for the 3DS, which translates into a cut in his paycheck. “For cuts in fixed salaries, I’m taking a fifty percent cut, other representative directors are taking a 30 percent cut, and other execs are taking a 20 percent cut,” said Iwata.
A brave move. It’s inconceivable to imagine western executives accepting failure in a similar fashion for their underperforming products – otherwise there’d be more Toyota Corollas and fewer Ferraris in Silicon Valley parking lots.
Drawing a parallel to the Apple ecosystem: the disappointing sales of the Nintendo 3DS handheld demonstrate a point missed by many companies jumping into the tablet market – it’s not just about the hardware. As Bill Clinton might have said if tech was his bag instead of politics, It’s the software, stupid. The 3DS has been plagued by delayed and cancelled games since its release. As a result people aren’t buying. Nintendo can cut prices all it wants, but until gamers have a reason to get the 3DS, they’re gonna stay away in droves.