Nintendo to debut first smartphone app 'Miitomo' in spring 2016
After announcing intent to produce mobile titles for smartphone like iPhone earlier this year, Nintendo on Wednesday announced "Miitomo," a freemium app scheduled to see release in the first property will see release in March 2016.
The Japanese gaming giant announced Miitomo during an investors conference in Tokyo, and while most expected a gaming release, The Wall Street Journal describes the upcoming title as more of a communications app.
In Miitomo, users can design their own "Mii" avatars, a feature introduced with the Wii console years ago, and talk to other app users. According to executive Shinya Takahashi, the app's mechanics will encourage people to open up about themselves. Exact "gameplay" was not discussed, though Nintendo plans to market in-app purchases that will somehow figure into the equation.
Miitomo is the first of five mobile apps Nintendo is developing for release by March 2017. Initial estimates pegged a first launch before the end of 2015, but CEO Tatsumi Kimishima said the company needs more time for proper promotion.
Nintendo also announced a new membership service called My Nintendo for storing character and game data in the cloud. Users will be able to migrate files and other online assets between mobile operating systems and consoles, while a built in communications module will enable online chats.
Nintendo's plan to bring gaming titles, including classic franchise properties, to mobile operating systems like iOS was revealed in March when the company announced a partnership with mobile app developer DeNA. As part of the deal, the two firms bought into each other for $181 million.
The Japanese gaming giant announced Miitomo during an investors conference in Tokyo, and while most expected a gaming release, The Wall Street Journal describes the upcoming title as more of a communications app.
In Miitomo, users can design their own "Mii" avatars, a feature introduced with the Wii console years ago, and talk to other app users. According to executive Shinya Takahashi, the app's mechanics will encourage people to open up about themselves. Exact "gameplay" was not discussed, though Nintendo plans to market in-app purchases that will somehow figure into the equation.
Miitomo is the first of five mobile apps Nintendo is developing for release by March 2017. Initial estimates pegged a first launch before the end of 2015, but CEO Tatsumi Kimishima said the company needs more time for proper promotion.
Nintendo also announced a new membership service called My Nintendo for storing character and game data in the cloud. Users will be able to migrate files and other online assets between mobile operating systems and consoles, while a built in communications module will enable online chats.
Nintendo's plan to bring gaming titles, including classic franchise properties, to mobile operating systems like iOS was revealed in March when the company announced a partnership with mobile app developer DeNA. As part of the deal, the two firms bought into each other for $181 million.
Comments
So "smartphone" is a plural form now?
Um no- please bite me this freemium junk. Super Mario Brothers Pocket @ $4.99 a pop- boom millions sold and sold to people who will never ever buy Nintendo gaming hardware. Thank you Nintendo Stockholders.
As far as I'm concerned those people don't deserve Mario.
Nintendo's right to be careful with their IP's, it's very easy to dilute things. This first title is basically going to be a test of DeNA's infrastructure and give another chance for Nintendo to make sure they can get the app code done right. They're likely to be value add games like Fallout Shelter that extend the content of their main titles on the console .
Sure, just like it’s ‘iPhone’ and not ‘the iPhone’ since there’s apparently only one in existence in the entire...
... Apple’s new philosophy is just the HitchHiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Mark 2. APPLE HAS REALLY ONLY MADE ONE IPHONE AND ONE IPAD, EVER; THEY’VE JUST SOLD QUANTUMLY DIFFERENTIATED COPIES OF A SINGLE PRODUCT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF TIMES!
????
Nintendo's right to be careful with their IP's, it's very easy to dilute things.
I’d love for the currently rumored vision of the NX to be true (physical compatibility with every game and controller they’ve ever made, as well as a virtual library of the same), but at the same time, I know that Nintendo is just whizzing currency down the toilet by not just emulating NES, SNES, GB, and GBA games on iOS.
Give people that simple stuff–the things whose controls can be emulated on-screen–and rack up tens of millions to then put toward funding either new IP for iOS or the NX itself.
Sure, just like it’s ‘iPhone’ and not ‘the iPhone’ since there’s apparently only one in existence in the entire...
... Apple’s new philosophy is just the HitchHiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Mark 2. APPLE HAS REALLY ONLY MADE ONE IPHONE AND ONE IPAD, EVER; THEY’VE JUST SOLD QUANTUMLY DIFFERENTIATED COPIES OF A SINGLE PRODUCT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF TIMES!
????
I’d love for the currently rumored vision of the NX to be true (physical compatibility with every game and controller they’ve ever made, as well as a virtual library of the same), but at the same time, I know that Nintendo is just whizzing currency down the toilet by not just emulating NES, SNES, GB, and GBA games on iOS.
Give people that simple stuff–the things whose controls can be emulated on-screen–and rack up tens of millions to then put toward funding either new IP for iOS or the NX itself.
I don't know, I'd argue the reasons against it are the same reasons Apple doesn't put iTunes on Android; it might bring a lot of short term cash but it's not worth it in the long run. I expect this mobile content will be original, unique experiences.
I had high hopes for this (i.e. Nintendo on Apple TV) but Nintendo completely missed the mark. This is completely squandered opportunity for them - releasing an exciting title on a fresh platform with buzz. Nintendo is rolling out a basic feature of a platform that debuted in 2006. There's nothing compelling about this game.
If they offered worthy versions of their 16-bit games on iOS, they'd be big hits.
What kind of game is that, and who the hell is it for? Ages toddler - 8 years old?
I think that most people are interested in the good old classics. Bring me some Donkey Kong, bring me some Donkey Kong Jr, some Super Mario Bros, that's what people want.
For the idiot who says "they don't deserve it"...blow all of us. Nintendo is greedy/dumb not to utilize the brand properly. I agree they should take careful steps but they are at the nutzo end of the spectrum.
I fear that Nintendo is going to become insolvent long before they realize that a dedicated licensing program with lots of new development for mobile would have saved the company. What a shame.
I wonder who will buy up the IP in bankruptcy.
I'm a massive Nintendo fan, and have only ever owned Nintendo consoles. Their games are second-to-none.
But really Nintendo, really? This is an opportunity to have an addressable market of like a billion people, and you have he ability to develop a game that could wipe the floor with anything else on the iOS platform. Yet, you launch with more of this Mii trash? Why not an extremely high quality franchise game optimized for touch control? A shitload of people would be willing to buy something like that for $15 or so.
My fantasy is that Apple buys Nintendo, and all their future games are exclusive to iOS devices and Apple TV (using Apple's gamepads). Apple can then stop worrying about the HW business, and focus on what they're great at- software. And, iOS will instantly become a platform with some of the best games in the world. Net positive for both. I believe Nintendo can make some great looking stuff with starting with the A8 chip, that's not an issue.
I had high hopes for this (i.e. Nintendo on Apple TV) but Nintendo completely missed the mark. This is completely squandered opportunity for them - releasing an exciting title on a fresh platform with buzz. Nintendo is rolling out a basic feature of a platform that debuted in 2006. There's nothing compelling about this game.
Funny, the Apple TV's gaming controller is pretty much a ripoff of the Wii Remote from 2006.
Funny, the Apple TV's gaming controller is pretty much a ripoff of the Wii Remote from 2006.
Yes, it seems to function more or less the same. Too be honest I don't care who originally had the idea. The Wii was a fun device, and the Apple TV is great for media (Movies, TV, Music). And now it's adding universal search with voice recognition, apps and games. When Nintendo was said to be onboard, I had hoped they and Apple had something big for the release. But no. Nintendo has been struggling for a while now, and getting in early on a new platform could've energized their sales. Others will fill the void.
i dont remember the touch surface in the wii remote, or a speech assistant mic. motion, yes, touch, no. and claiming that because it has motion is a ripoff is like saying something with buttons is a ripoff.
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/annual1503e.pdf
The hardware margins will be very low vs software, possibly negative but without the hardware lock-in, the titles might not sell in the same volume or at least in enough volume at price points they'd hit on mobile to match the revenue on proprietary hardware. Console titles typically sell in higher volumes than PC for example, despite PC ownership being an order of magnitude higher. Cumulative 3DS software sales have been 245m units over 4 years so say 60m Nintendo games per year and revenue was $1.24b last year so ASP of $21, Wii U was 69m games over 3 years so 23m per year with $706m revenue, so ASP of $31.
There will be some overlap with older games but to hit the same revenues if they put out $5 games on smartphones/tablets (knowing Apple takes 30%), they need to move 6-8x the units of games per year or about 544 million copies per year. Candy Crush managed to top 500m in a year but that's top of the entire App Store and the app is free. With multiple titles, NIntendo could probably manage this volume but it's not guaranteed, especially not every year. With hardware lock-in, there's less competition for visibility for new software titles.
They spent $0.53b on R&D, $0.46b on advertising, $0.18b on staff (admin costs). They state $2.79b cost of sales, $1.58b on admin. Net income was $348m. Assets are around $11b. Some of the costs will be software and some hardware so it's hard to split them out to see exactly how profitable each is but it's likely they make most of the profit from software. The hardware mostly helps push the software sales.
Nintendo's current president (the last one died in July) explains some of the motive for this app:
http://kotaku.com/nintendos-bold-predictions-1739577522
It sounds like they want to use apps as a marketing tool like a lot of companies do. They have sold around 10m Wii Us and 54m 3DS total:
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/sales/hard_soft/index.html
and they hope to get 100-200 million online account members through smart devices with the intention of improving on the numbers for existing hardware. They are gearing up for their NX hardware launch next year. I don't think they want to give up their proprietary platform just yet any more than Sony or Microsoft would give up their consoles to focus on PC games. The adoption of the NX platform will let them see what the best route will be for them.