Former Nintendo Exec: The company doesn’t “understand modern gaming”

Former Nintendo executive Dan Adelman has slammed the publisher, saying it’s archaic, stagnant and fails to reward risk-taking by employees.

Adelman summed it all up in an interview with Dromble by saying Nintendo does “not really understand modern gaming”.

“Because of the hierarchical nature of Japanese companies, it winds up being that the most senior executives at the company cut their teeth during NES and Super NES days and do not really understand modern gaming, so adopting things like online gaming, account systems, friends lists, as well as understanding the rise of PC gaming has been very slow. Ideas often get shut down prematurely just because some people with the power to veto an idea simply don’t understand it,” Adelman, who worked at Nintendo from 2005-2014, expanded.

“[A second] problem is that there is very little reason to try and push these ideas. Risk taking is generally not really rewarded. Long-term loyalty is ultimately what gets rewarded, so the easiest path is simply to stay the course. I’d love to see Nintendo make a more concerted effort to encourage people at all levels of the company to feel empowered to push through ambitious proposals, and then get rewarded for doing so,” he continued.

Adelman thinks some of the problems stem from differences in culture. “Kyoto-based are to Japanese companies as Japanese companies are to US companies. They’re very traditional, and very focused on hierarchy and group decision making. Unfortunately, that creates a culture where everyone is an advisor and no one is a decision maker – but almost everyone has veto power.

“Even Mr. Iwata is often loathe to make a decision that will alienate one of the executives in Japan, so to get anything done, it requires laying a lot of groundwork.”

Adelman worked for Nintendo of America and helped deliver digital distribution platforms including WiiWare, DSiWare, and the 3DS and Wii U eShops.