Nintendo’s First Mobile Game Arrives This Year, Four More Incoming By March 2017
Despite a string of annual losses (that finally ended, by the way), Nintendo is careful not to pounce on every money-making fad, choosing instead to focus on its reputation for putting out games that people generally like to play. It's that mindset that kept Nintendo out of the mobile game business, one that's littered with a mix of crappy casual titles and some surprisingly good ones, but that will finally change when Nintendo releases its first mobile game later this year.
Nintendo plans to take a cautious approach to the industry, and instead of releasing a multitude of games in hopes that one will become the next Angry Birds, the company will release fewer titles, each one coming with several coats of polish. According to Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, who tipped investors about the company's plans, the first mobile game will arrive by the end of the year.
As previously announced, the forthcoming mobile titles will be produced in partnership with DeNA Co., a player in the mobile gaming space. It's a big win for DeNA, which gets access to Nintendo's coveted characters, though there's also a lot of pressure to maintain the quality of games that Nintendo's customers have come to expect.
It will be interesting to see what types of games come from this venture. The freemium model is the one that currently dominates the mobile scene, though it can be (and often is) annoying. Iwata said he wouldn't totally turn his back on freemium play, but at the same time, he said he's looking at new ways of competing in the mobile gaming space.
Nintendo has revealed any other details about its first mobile game, such as what characters will be used or what type of gameplay will be involved. However, Iwata did say that a total of five games would be released by March 2017.
Nintendo plans to take a cautious approach to the industry, and instead of releasing a multitude of games in hopes that one will become the next Angry Birds, the company will release fewer titles, each one coming with several coats of polish. According to Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, who tipped investors about the company's plans, the first mobile game will arrive by the end of the year.
As previously announced, the forthcoming mobile titles will be produced in partnership with DeNA Co., a player in the mobile gaming space. It's a big win for DeNA, which gets access to Nintendo's coveted characters, though there's also a lot of pressure to maintain the quality of games that Nintendo's customers have come to expect.
It will be interesting to see what types of games come from this venture. The freemium model is the one that currently dominates the mobile scene, though it can be (and often is) annoying. Iwata said he wouldn't totally turn his back on freemium play, but at the same time, he said he's looking at new ways of competing in the mobile gaming space.
Nintendo has revealed any other details about its first mobile game, such as what characters will be used or what type of gameplay will be involved. However, Iwata did say that a total of five games would be released by March 2017.
