Nintendo Focuses on Fun

Nintendo is one of the venerable names in video games. But when it comes to making and selling game consoles, it hasn't been very vital of late.

As the industry embarks on a new technology cycle, President Satoru Iwata is trying to change that. While rivals Sony (SNE Quote) and Microsoft (MSFT Quote) argue over whose new console has the best graphics or the fastest processor, Nintendo hopes to lure gamers by focusing on making its upcoming Wii game machine fun to play.

Iwata's idea is that there are millions of consumers out there who represent a potential market but who aren't currently playing games. And they won't be lured in by great graphics if the games behind them are too complex or just plain boring. ...