Apple-Nintendo not a perfect match

Speculation about an Apple-Nintendo deal has been around for years, rekindled recently by fresh speculation since word leaked that Apple may be recruiting game engineers.

At first, we thought the idea might prove popular among supporters of the two companies, which could theoretically link arms and take on the empires of Microsoft and Sony. But many bloggers on both sides of equation--who could very well represent two of the most loyal constituencies on the planet--don't appear to think much of the idea.

A key reason cited among both Apple and Nintendo fans seems rooted in culture and independence. Each company has fought alone for so long, bloggers say, that they wouldn't be able to adapt well to each other's cultures and thereby preclude the benefits of any possible synergy.

Blog community response:

"For Apple to just acquire a 3rd party to leap into a market, the party would have to be willing to compromise quite a bit, which Nintendo (with much of the same character as Apple) probably would not allow. Second, Microsoft took huge losses with the Xbox in its attempt to penetrate significantly. One thing that Apple and Nintendo share that perhaps Microsoft and Sony might not, is that lack of desire to be the number one for market share. Apple and Nintendo seem to be two companies quite alright carving out a niche of quality over quantity."
--techNtalk

"All of this stems from reports relating to an Apple games division. Frankly, wherever possible, Apple does things in-house. There's still a touch of the NIH (Not Invented Here) syndrome at Cupertino."
--Insanely Great Mac

"There are quite a few proponents to a Apple/Nintendo buy-out, mainly by Apple fanboys who probably wants more games on their Mac platform. What they don't realise is that Nintendo (along with Sega) has one of the most loyal and vocal fanbase in the video gaming industry. And many would like to see Nintendo remain an independent game provider company."
--jon choo's weblog