Nintendo plans to release 5 smartphone games within next two years

Posted:
in iPhone edited May 2015
Legendary video game maker Nintendo plans to take a "less is more" approach with its entrance into the smartphone gaming market, revealing this week that it only plans to release a handful of games within the next few years.


Nintendo's Wii U home console.


Discussing his company's March quarter results, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata said they will "carefully select appropriate IP and titles" for smartphone games. About five titles are expected to be released by March of 2017, with the first to arrive before the end of this year.

"You may think it is a small number, but when we aim to make each title a hit, and because we want to thoroughly operate every one of them for a significant amount of time after their releases, this is not a small number at all, and should demonstrate our serious commitment to the smart device business," Iwata said.

The company remains firmly committed to its own proprietary consoles, however, including the current-generation New 3DS and Wii U. Nintendo hopes to tie consumers in with connectivity on smartphones, tablets, and even PCs with an "integrated membership service."

"Doing so will encourage a greater number of people to associate with Nintendo IP, to become familiar with the charms of video games and, eventually, to explore more premium experiences on our dedicated game systems," Iwata said.

Nintendo first revealed in March that it plans to bring its classic characters, along with some new faces, to "smart devices" through a partnership with mobile app developer DeNA.

As part of the deal, the two Japanese firms agreed to buy into each other for $181 million. Nintendo's stake in DeNA will amount to 10 percent of the firm's outstanding shares, while DeNA will take 1.24 percent of Nintendo.

Console makers Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony have seen a tumultuous few years after Apple's iPhone, iPad and iOS App Store ushered in the era of bite-sized mobile gaming. With developers focused on iOS, Android and other mobile platforms, traditional console makers have been largely relegated to the living room, the main exception being Nintendo's 3DS.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 34
    thewhitefalconthewhitefalcon Posts: 4,453member
    Quote:


     Console makers Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony have seen a tumultuous few years after Apple's iPhone, iPad and iOS App Store ushered in the era of bite-sized mobile gaming. With developers focused on iOS, Android and other mobile platforms, traditional console makers have been largely relegated to the living room, the main exception being Nintendo's 3DS.


    Well, Microsoft was always in the living room or on your PC, so I'm not sure how that's changed. The only device that's been impacted is the Vita, which has largely been abandoned on all fronts except for Japanese RPG's. The Wii U's lacklustre sales have very little to do with smartphones.

  • Reply 2 of 34
    thewhitefalconthewhitefalcon Posts: 4,453member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

    Dumb move IMO.

     

    Nintendo is still living in the 90's

     

    They should just look at CandyCrush Saga and see the potential.  If a crap game like that can gross billions imagine what Nintendo's classic titles can command?




    It's not all about money. CandyCrush is a disgusting title produced by a disgusting company. I'd rather not see Nintendo down that road.

  • Reply 3 of 34
    ceek74ceek74 Posts: 324member

    Nintendo, WTF happened to you?  Within the next 2 years?  Seriously?!!  What's next, 65-bit gaming?

  • Reply 4 of 34
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    sog35 wrote: »
    Dumb move IMO.

    Nintendo is still living in the 90's

    They should just look at CandyCrush Saga and see the potential.  If a crap game like that can gross billions imagine what Nintendo's classic titles can command?

    Mario Bros' alone would be a herd of cash cows.
  • Reply 5 of 34
    xixoxixo Posts: 450member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

    Dumb move IMO.

     

    Nintendo is still living in the 90's

     

    They should just look at CandyCrush Saga and see the potential.  If a crap game like that can gross billions imagine what Nintendo's classic titles can command?


     

    Agreed. "Don't hurry. iOS has only been out since 2007. We'll get back to you in... 2017"

  • Reply 6 of 34
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    xixo wrote: »
    Agreed. "Don't hurry. iOS has only been out since 2007. We'll get back to you in... 2017"

    They're staggering the releases. It'll be 5 games in 2 years time starting with one this year. It's a smart play.
  • Reply 7 of 34
    mubailimubaili Posts: 453member

    only disgusting compa

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

     

    Please explain. Why is KING a disgusting company?


    If follows that only disgusting company produces disgusting games; and we all know CandyCrush is a disgusting game; hence KING is a disgusting company. Period.

  • Reply 8 of 34
    thewhitefalconthewhitefalcon Posts: 4,453member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

     

    Please explain. Why is KING a disgusting company?




    Well, Candy Crush was inspired by an older game, and once CC took off they tried to sue the company that made the older game claiming it was a ripoff. They also tried to trademark the word candy.

  • Reply 9 of 34
    evilutionevilution Posts: 1,399member

    Sounds to me like Nintendo don't want to get too deep into smart phones but need to make enough money to carry on developing their console.

    If their next console is a hit, expect them to stop making mobile games.

  • Reply 10 of 34
    pscooter63pscooter63 Posts: 1,080member

    I wonder if, underneath the covers, this is about dragging their developers (kicking and screaming) beyond their own "walled garden".

     

    Someone already mentioned Super Mario.  Franchises including Zelda, Punch-Out, *Kart (racing), Paper Mario, and maybe Resident Evil series might stir some retro interest.

  • Reply 11 of 34
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    evilution wrote: »
    Sounds to me like Nintendo don't want to get too deep into smart phones but need to make enough money to carry on developing their console.
    If their next console is a hit, expect them to stop making mobile games.

    One doesn’t have to effect the other. Release old titles on mobile, and the new ones on the console.
  • Reply 12 of 34
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    The bigger issue is that they are likely to be more Mario Temple Run etc and not simply porting original titles over to smartphones etc. I saw a guy on the bus the other day using an emulator to play the original Super Mario Bros game on his Samsung and it worked just fine. He had no issues with controls etc. but Nintendo isn't likely to do that cause they want to sell their hardware. Even though I'm not sure those games actually work on the current machines anyway
  • Reply 13 of 34
    techprod1gytechprod1gy Posts: 838member
    For any idiot that compares this to CandyCrush and "Nintendo should do this...blah blah blah" should be shot on the spot. I fully respect this approach. Give me an iPhone, iPad, PC, Mac version of a quality Nintendo game and I will a heavy price. All of these free and low cost crap games are getting old. Nintendo will do well.
  • Reply 14 of 34
    evilutionevilution Posts: 1,399member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by dasanman69 View Post





    One doesn’t have to effect the other. Release old titles on mobile, and the new ones on the console.



    Of course it does. Nintendo, being Japanese will have great honour. They don't want to stay afloat through other systems.

  • Reply 15 of 34
    thewhitefalconthewhitefalcon Posts: 4,453member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by TechProd1gy View Post



    For any idiot that compares this to CandyCrush and "Nintendo should do this...blah blah blah" should be shot on the spot. I fully respect this approach. Give me an iPhone, iPad, PC, Mac version of a quality Nintendo game and I will a heavy price. All of these free and low cost crap games are getting old. Nintendo will do well.



    I think this sentiment is widespread, given that Apple continues to headline the "Pay once and Play" section on the App Store.

  • Reply 16 of 34
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,015member
    Other than Wii, I don't see why Nintendo would do anything else. Apple and Android own mobile gaming now, and for the foreseeable future.
  • Reply 17 of 34
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    evilution wrote: »

    Of course it does. Nintendo, being Japanese will have great honour. They don't want to stay afloat through other systems.

    What great honor is there in going broke?
  • Reply 18 of 34
    evilutionevilution Posts: 1,399member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by dasanman69 View Post





    What great honor is there in going broke?



    Japanese people have killed themselves through honor. Going broke is nothing.

  • Reply 19 of 34
    wigbywigby Posts: 692member

    I wish they signed an iOS exclusivity deal for the releases. That would be a big coup for Apple and also let Nintendo maintain their status as a premiere game developer.

  • Reply 20 of 34
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    If you can't beat them, join them (finally). Hopefully some good games come out of this: Mario Kart, Smash Brothers, Metroid, etc.
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