More mystery product clues from Iwata

Having learned (or thought we learned) some more about the mystery product Nintendo plans to unveil at E3 - it could be movement based, and it could be backwards compatible with existing software, for those who missed out - Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has given us some more cryptic clues by way of an interview with Japan's Mainichi Shimbun newspaper.

Asked what kind of game the new product will be (and, to clarify the emphasis, nobody really knows if it's a game, a console, a peripheral, or what), Iwata-san offered a less than direct response. "Over the past twenty years, games have followed a straight path in development that has made them more complex and good looking. This law of growth and success is no more. Put frankly, games have stopped selling," he said.

"We want to offer to customers a play experience that they've never had before," he continued. "We're not expecting everyone to cheer following the announcement. It's okay if ten per cent of the people say the product is 'interesting' and word spreads with people finding themselves wanting to try it." Pressed on specifics, he went on. "We want to make a game that returns to the point that anyone can play it. However, our company does not support a product that combines software and hardware into one. The product uses a platform, but it does not fit into the specifications of the current hardware platforms."

To recap then, it could be movement based, it could be backwards compatible with existing software, it's extremely accessible, and while it uses an existing gaming platform, it does not fit into the specifications of current hardware platforms. Any guesses? Anybody?