Nintendo disclosed plans for a Quality of Life (QOL) platform a while back, but never provided us with any details. It’s a platform shrouded in mystery, as they keep most of the information to themselves. Many have speculated that the QOL platform is a sort of plan B after the Wii U’s disastrous sales. What we do know is that Nintendo is looking to improve the quality of people’s lives, but that’s quite vague. Nintendo’s CEO, Satoru Iwata, has said that “health” is key, but this will not be like the Wii Fit, as many may think. Nintendo has plans to incorporate themes that they’ve not incorporated into any of their existing platforms. We have no idea what is really going on with the QOL platform, though some recent activity from Nintendo has given us a small glimpse at what they’ve been up to.
Nintendo Quality of Life Platform – What is it?
Nintendo filed three QOL trademarks on July 25th that shine a little light on what the QOL platform may actually be. The trademarks include “providing games via communication by handheld game apparatus with liquid crystal displays,” “controllers and joysticks for consumer video game apparatus,” and “electronic circuits, optical discs, ROM cards, ROM cartridges, CD-ROMs, and memory cards storing programs for consumer video game apparatus.” These trademarks are stirring up more questions. What exactly is this “handheld game apparatus with liquid crystal displays?” What is Nintendo up to? Will this really help Nintendo after how poorly the Wii U performed at retail?
It’s difficult to think how exactly a handheld game apparatus could change the quality of of someone’s life, and promote health. Does Nintendo intend to get us up and moving with this handheld? Or by health, are they referring to more than just physical health? With hardly any details it’s impossible to pin down what the QOL platform will be exactly. It’s been described as a “completely new field of business,” so the possibilities are endless. The only other detail provided is that it will be using some form of “non-wearable” technology.
A full launch of the product is said to be scheduled during Nintendo’s fiscal year, April 2015 to March 2016. Though hopefully we’ll be learning more soon, especially with the trademarks hinting that progress is being made on the platform. What do you think this mysterious QOL platform will be and will do?
More to come as information is released!