Nintendo values the "freshness" of our product information, and in general disclose information of our major titles to be launched at year-end during the E3 show, which is to be held in Los Angeles in June this year. However, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata introduced some of the titles that will launch later this year.
In Japan, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSiver for Nintendo DS were launched in September 2009, selling 3.74 million units by the end of the year. In March this year, Nintendo will release them in U.S. and in Europe.
While Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSiver might be thought of as remakes of Pokémon Gold and Silver that were launched ten years ago for GameBoy, they are not mere remakes. Those who used to enjoy Pokémon Gold and Silver 10 years ago can once again enjoy the software together with people of different generations. For Nintendo, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSiver is positioned as the strategic software to expand the overseas' Pokémon populations.
Mr. Iwata introduced another new Pokémon title, which should become one of the most anticipated Nintendo DS titles for this year. The Pokémon Company International and Nintendo have been developing a new Pokémon title with the aim to launch the software this year.
The cumulative global sales of all the Pokémon series software have reached 130 million. This new Pokémon software will become the first brand new Pokémon title in 4 years since Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, which sold more than 5.8 million units in Japan, was launched.
Of course, this totally new Pokémon title will include new fields of adventure and a number of new Pokémons living there. As a totally new version, it will contain various unprecedented experiences.
New title of Golden Sun franchise, which was announced at E3 2009, is planned to launch in 2010.
For Wii, Nintendo will launch XENOBLADE in spring 2010. This is the full-scaled RPG title developed by Monolith Software. At E3 2009 it was announced with a temporary name, "Monado: Beginning of the World." Nintendo decided to call it XENOBLADE to honor Mr. Tetsuya Takahashi who poured his soul into making this and who has been working on the XENO series.
Metroid: Other M, which was also announced at E3 2009, will come out in summer 2010 for Wii. Yoshio Sakamoto, the father of Metroid franchise, Team NINJA of Techmo Inc. and the video production have joined forces to develop this new Metroid game.
Nintendo is working with MistWalker in order to seek a new form of RPG by choosing the universal theme of human emotion. Another full-scaled RPG, The Last Story, is planned to come out in 2010 for Wii.
At the E3 this year, Nintendo would like to show you a software that utilizes Wii Vitality Sensor, which it announced at last year's E3 show.
Super Mario Galaxy 2, a Mario action title in 3D world, will be launched this year.
And, Nintendo will show the new Zelda title for Wii at this year's E3.