Speaking to Times Online about Vitality, big wig has said that he expected rival systems from and to arrive earlier than they have.

"To tell the truth, I expected them to come up with stuff like this last year. So in my mind they're later than expected.

"We are happy that it is now becoming an standard. However, we still have no idea about when their products will be available, or how much they will cost, or what sort of software they will be used with," he continued, playing down the threat to the Wii's dominant status.

"So, I am not in a position to judge whether they are a threat or not. And they should bear in mind that over the next year Nintendo will not be standing still. We're always at work on something new. I am actually looking forward to engaging in that sort of competition, because it gives our whole industry the chance to expand the gaming population.

"I cannot deny the existence of pressure after all these years when we were selling more and more of our products, because we were in effect raising a bar that we then have to keep clearing. But there are two types of pressure. One is desperate pressure, the other is a healthier pressure. This is a challenge. This is something I can enjoy. This pressure can't bring me down, or make me unhappy to go to work every day."

More from Iwata and his team as we get it.

By Luke Guttridge