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Nikkei says Nintendo about to unveil its approach to mobile development [Update]

Nintendo may soon launch game demos and advertising efforts on smartphones and tablets.

That's according to the Japanese business paper Nikkei (via Dr. Serkan Toto), which reports this week that all the chatter about Nintendo branching out to mobile platforms is about to culminate in an announcement that will take place on Thursday.

Late in 2013 Nintendo executives revealed that the Mario maker was "experimenting" with smartphones and tablets, though it will likely never publish full Nintendo games on mobile platforms. But Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said Nintendo was considering launching apps and smaller games that would aim to drive consumers to Nintendo's hardware.

http://tabtimes.com/news/tablet-gam...paper-says-nintendo-about-unveil-its-approach

Japanese newspaper The Nikkei just reported on its website (2am Tuesday JST) that Nintendo is finally going mobile within this year.

According to the country’s biggest business publication, Nintendo will make such an announcement this Thursday, the day it holds a briefing for investors.

But Nintendo will not simply put Mario, Pokemon or other games on smartphones. According to the report, Nintendo plans to use Android and/or iOS devices (not confirmed at this point) to market its console games.

To be more concrete, The Nikkei writes that Nintendo wants to use smartphones to expand its potential user base by spreading information about new game releases, i.e. by using video to introduce future titles. (This will probably happen through some kind of official Nintendo app.)

In addition, Nintendo is said to be planning to put so-called “mini games” on smartphones, playable demos of console games – content that can only be purchased in full on Nintendo hardware. The reasoning here is to give smartphone-only players a taste of the experience without making the actual game available on non-Nintendo devices and convert these users into Nintendo customers.

According to The Nikkei, this content will be entirely free, and Nintendo is not planning to offer paid or freemium games on smartphones at the moment.

To make it clear again: this information is not coming from Nintendo itself. Expect further details during the company’s briefing on Thursday.

http://www.serkantoto.com/2014/01/28/nintendo-smartphones/

Update:

So I finally got the chance to read the Nikkei. I think it sound sensible, an app to make introduce release dates, videos, characters, and so on for their retail games. This is web content, sure, but no different from a Cracked or Buzz Feed apps.

It also says they will introduce short, fun and free games to encourage purchase of full software and make games purchasable from the smart devices. The goal being to increase their profit ratio with more online purchases.

Improve in emerging Asian markets and increase licensing efforts.

Nikkei's article contains information previously stated by Mr Iwata during past press conferences, including statements which relate to Nintendo's willingness to make use of smart devices to promote our products.

However during such past announcements Mr Iwata has also stated that Nintendo's intention is not to make Nintendo software available on smart devices and as such, we can confirm that there are no plans to offer minigames on smartphone devices.

http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/28/nintendo-denies-smartphone-games/

"We will share the materials from Mr Iwata's Corporate Management Policy Briefing in English when his presentation is finished."

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ni...ini-games-to-smartphones-report/1100-6417388/
 
1253886001_office-no.gif



Go away, Iwata. Just go.
 

dugdug

Banned
So, something more akin to Knack's Quest or that PS All Stars thing?

Now we get to see if Knack's Quest will be more popular than whatever Mario app Nintendo releases.
 
so game apps and at best games like Knack Quest which only add to your game (like unlocking collectibles)

you know if they wanted to try Dr.Mario could work
 

Gannd

Banned
I don't think they'll release any games on mobile platforms (other than their own platforms) I could see a native Miiverse app for mobile platforms. I wouldn't mind a "Nintendo Direct" app for mobile platforms. I don't want them to devalue their IP by releasing bad, cheap, ports that don't do anything but convince people that they don't need a Nintendo platform because Mario is on their iPhone. And, I don't want them to get in on the F2P model that mobile currently uses which is (imho) anti-consumer.
 

-Horizon-

Member
Demos on mobile devices? I do have to wonder how that would work if true. You know, with the whole lack of physical buttons might not help portray the actual game well.
 

ys45

Member
So this is how it's going be now ? All the big Japanese video game company are going mobile ?

Wow that sucks -_-
 

Ryaaan14

Banned
So they want you to use an actual tablet along with the "tablet" Wii U gamepad. Or use your mobile phone alongside your mobile console. Can't wait to see this shitstorm.

Stay away from mobile Nintendo.

Stay away from it.
 
Virtual Console on ios/android, is there a better way to monetize your older games? Add in some ads for 3DS titles so kids will be interested to get the sequels after they finish Super Mario Bros.
 

JoeM86

Member
Doesn't sound too bad really....

Of course not. They've been saying this for months, but people including analysts and news outlets over-react and say "ZOMG NINTENDO GAMES ON SMARTPHONES CONFIRMED", which is bull.

I doubt we'll even have "demos". It'll just be a means to advertise their games. That's that.
 

gofreak

GAF's Bob Woodward
Marketing apps would be a very, very boring (and ultimately pretty unsuccessful) route.

Demos of games for 3DS on mobile would be at least a somewhat new approach. Or cut down versions for 99c, buy the full thing on 3DS etc. If they did it consistently, for all games, I think that could be cool.
 

Zabant

Member
How I read this:
Nintendo are going to start making "games" I will not want to play.

This genuinely makes me glum
 

TunaLover

Member
Demos on mobile devices? I do have to wonder how that would work if true. You know, with the whole lack of physical buttons might not help portray the actual game well.
I'm more intrigued in see how Nintendo will provide content for other platforms when their own systems are starving for VC games.
 
But Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said Nintendo was considering launching apps and smaller games that would aim to drive consumers to Nintendo's hardware.

If this news is accurate, I just don't see it working out how they want it.

Edit: The more I think about this as just apps for advertising/NDs, the more sense it makes, though this isn't the major shift in business most would be imagining.
 
Of course not. They've been saying this for months, but people including analysts and news outlets over-react and say "ZOMG NINTENDO GAMES ON SMARTPHONES CONFIRMED", which is bull.

I doubt we'll even have "demos". It'll just be a means to advertise their games. That's that.

Yeah, people don't seem to read, especially the part about these ads/demos used to get people to buy Nintendo hardware.
 
Two scenario's here that I'd be OK with:

  1. Put out demos, ads, and companion apps on phones/tablets, but keep games strictly on Nintendo's gaming-hardware.
  2. Announce a new gaming handheld that's built for and around games, but is also a phone.
 

javac

Member
Nothing wrong with this. It's not that big of a deal. In fact I think this might not be aggressive enough.
 

Bit-Bit

Member
I have a feeling the way Nintendo goes mobile won't be the way we think they should.

Instead, they'll probably release an app that delivers Nintendo Directs to people's phones and tablets or something.
 

Hystzen

Member
Just release any Pokemon game like firered on iOS or android then watch that money roll in

Still be interesting see Nintendo trying a new policy
 

Mithos

Member
I doubt we'll even have "demos". It'll just be a means to advertise their games. That's that.

I doubt any game demos too, I'm sure I read somewhere about you cant release a demo of a game on iOS platform, and then release the game elsewhere only.

Advertisement apps, thats probably all we'll see.
 

kubus

Member
Why does every article seem to try so hard to use other words to refer to Nintendo. "Mario maker" is getting really old.

OT: Please don't fuck this up Nintendo.
 
From Serkan Toto site:


Japanese newspaper The Nikkei just reported on its website (2am Tuesday JST) that Nintendo is finally going mobile within this year.

According to the country’s biggest business publication, Nintendo will make such an announcement this Thursday, the day it holds a briefing for investors.

But Nintendo will not simply put Mario, Pokemon or other games on smartphones. According to the report, Nintendo plans to use Android and/or iOS devices (not confirmed at this point) to market its console games.

To be more concrete, The Nikkei writes that Nintendo wants to use smartphones to expand its potential user base by spreading information about new game releases, i.e. by using video to introduce future titles. (This will probably happen through some kind of official Nintendo app.)

In addition, Nintendo is said to be planning to put so-called “mini games” on smartphones, playable demos of console games – content that can only be purchased in full on Nintendo hardware. The reasoning here is to give smartphone-only players a taste of the experience without making the actual game available on non-Nintendo devices and convert these users into Nintendo customers.

According to The Nikkei, this content will be entirely free, and Nintendo is not planning to offer paid or freemium games on smartphones at the moment.

To make it clear again: this information is not coming from Nintendo itself. Expect further details during the company’s briefing on Thursday.

http://www.serkantoto.com/2014/01/28/nintendo-smartphones/
 

Sendou

Member
How I read this:
Nintendo are going to start making "games" I will not want to play.

This genuinely makes me glum

No.

Nintendo is going to start advertising games you (or I don't know. Do you like current Nintendo games? That's what I mean now) want to play through channels like mobile devices. You're right in calling them "games". They are not games. They are glorified advertisements if the article is correct and this is smart from Nintendo.
 

Shaanyboi

Banned
Virtual Console on ios/android, is there a better way to monetize your older games? Add in some ads for 3DS titles so kids will be interested to get the sequels after they finish Super Mario Bros.

I'd like my old games to not play like total dogshit, thanks
 
I expect 'companion' apps to promote their 3DS/Wii U games, not actual smartphone games. If this is the case, I expect these apps to do jack all.
 

Mononoke

Banned
1253886001_office-no.gif



Go away, Iwata. Just go.

Iwata needs to go, to be sure. But you act as if this is only a decision Iwata would make. Chances are, if they had someone else in there, they would probably try to drive Nintendo more towards the mobile market than Iwata.

So as a gamer that loves Nintendo, you probably actually want Iwata to stay right now (granted, you probably wanted him to run the company a lot better than he did, so they wouldn't be in this position to begin with). But at this point, Iwata's refusal to fully go into the mobile market (and instead use it to market/advertise), is the best option for Nintendo fans that don't want them going mobile at all.

I think Iwata needs to go, just because I approach this from a business perspective, and I think he's doing an awful job. But the reality is, I think we could be in a much worse spot as gamers, depending on who they get to replace him.
 

Guevara

Member
Imagine the shittiest app you can that basically only delivers choppy videos of Nintendo Directs and trailers for upcoming games. That's what I expect.
 
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