Why You Won't Be Playing Super Mario Bros. in VR Anytime Soon While Nintendo is investigating virtual reality technology, it is focusing on its forthcoming NX console until VR becomes more mainstream.

By Lydia Belanger

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA / Staff | Getty Images

While Sony will debut a virtual reality add-on for the PlayStation 4 this October, it sounds like Nintendo's anticipated debut of its next games console will not incorporate the buzzy technology. In other words, there will be no virtual immersion into Mario's Mushroom Kingdom -- at least not any time soon.

At Nintendo's annual shareholders meeting on Wednesday, president and CEO Tatsumi Kimishima asserted that while the company is researching VR technology, it is choosing to focus its efforts on the impending launch of its next console, codenamed the NX, scheduled for a March 2017 release.

Forrester Research forecasts that 52 million units of VR head-mounted displays will be in use in the U.S. by 2020. But in its recent report on virtual reality, Forrester touched on the balance between "overheated hype" and "excessive VR skepticism." It seems that Nintendo, in investigating but not yet implementing, perceives VR in a similar way.

Related: Meet the Little-Known Entrepreneur Behind the $1 Billion Gaming Company You've Never Heard Of

While its competitors dabble in VR, Nintendo is skeptical as to whether the world is ready to don headsets to play its games. During the meeting, game creator Shigeru Miyamoto, father of Mario, Donkey Kong and The Legend of Zelda, noted that while many gamers spend hours on end in front of their screens, VR headsets are not conducive to such long-term play. The technology has been reported to induce headaches and nausea after prolonged exposure, which also may deter parents from allowing their children to use it.

Miyamoto also said that he did not believe VR was a major talking point during this year's E3 gaming conference. Ultimately, too few people have had experiences with VR to make it mainstream. The company wants to make sure its users are aware of and excited about the technology before investing heavily in it.

"It takes content-creating companies like us to really make things that the consumers wants to experience, that they want to jump into the particular technology," said Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America, in an interview with Bloomberg West. "That's how we move it forward."

Nintendo has been slow to incorporate trendy tech in the past. A prime example is its use of game cartridges rather than optical discs until the release of the GameCube console in 2001, while other systems used CDs throughout the 1990s. In other cases, Nintendo has led the charge. The company experimented with a VR-like project in 1995, the Virtual Boy, although the endeavor was a failure.

Related: What You Can Learn From Nintendo's Weird and Wonderful 125 Years

"Though not a commercial success, Nintendo was a pioneer in VR with Virtual Boy, and revolutionized gaming last generation by embracing new motion control technology with the introduction of the Wii," wrote Liam Callahan, industry analyst for The NPD Group, in an email to Entrepreneur. "Nintendo has always been a company willing to take risks. Regarding their recent reluctance with VR, I believe Nintendo is staying focused on a successful launch of the Nintendo NX."

Nintendo is open-minded to VR, notwithstanding its caution today. "We want to make sure that our next content is going to be mainstream, mass-market approachable," Fils-Aime told Bloomberg West. "And when something like VR is at that point, you can expect Nintendo to be there."

Despite Nintendo's ups and downs, the company has always shown it wants to introduce the next big thing and stay true to its brand, not just follow the trends.

Lydia Belanger is a former associate editor at Entrepreneur. Follow her on Twitter: @LydiaBelanger.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Innovation

4 Ways Market Leaders Use Innovation to Foster Business Growth

Forward-thinkers constantly strive to diversify and streamline their products and services, turning novelties into commodities desired by many.

Business News

JPMorgan Shuts Down Internal Message Board Comments After Employees React to Return-to-Office Mandate

Employees were given the option to leave comments about the RTO mandate with their first and last names on display — and they did not hold back.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Leadership

From Elite Athletes to Tech Titans — Discover the Surprising $100-Million Habit That Leads to Extraordinary Success

Success comes from mastering focus, eliminating distractions and prioritizing what truly matters.

Business Process

The Best Times, Days and Months To Post on YouTube (2023)

When is the best time to post YouTube videos to maximize their effect? Discover the best time to post on YouTube in this detailed guide.

Business News

Your Old Apple AirPods Can Soon Act as an Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid, According to the FDA

The new software is compatible with the Apple AirPods Pro and accessible through iOS — for free and now FDA-authorized.