The lights are on
Last week’s news that Nintendo will miss its sales and overall financial forecasts for the current fiscal year led the company to suggest it will explore different business models moving forward. While mobile seems like the obvious place for a company already dominating the handheld space, anticipation of Mario and friends making the jump to iOS and Android are premature.
Speaking on Friday during a news conference, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata talked about how the company might approach other segments. “The key is to figure out a way to use smartphones to make people aware of Nintendo’s games, and encourage them to try out the console version of the games,” Iwata suggests. "It doesn’t mean that we should put Mario on smartphones.”
In November, Nintendo purchased stock in Dwango, which owns mobile video company Nico Nico Douga. At the time the company wasn’t specific about the motivations behind the purchase, but was clear that it wasn’t to distribute titles via the service.
[Source: Wall Street Journal]
Our TakeNintendo is smart to approach mobile cautiously. A hasty move could have the negative effect of eroding 3DS hardware and software sales. However, using mobile as a complement to games on 3DS and Wii U could work out well.
An official Pokédex that hooks into the next Pokémon game, a Super Smash Bros. tournament app, and a way to record Mario Kart replays for mobile viewing could all be ways that Nintendo leverages and monetizes a mobile market that’s ripe for second-screen experiences. Nintendo has some room to grow in its approach to online, but with the potential revenue, an investment in infrastructure makes sense.
I'm interested in seeing what nintendo does going forward. I'm a big fan of the big N, and being backed into a corner might actually end up being good for them in the long run (forcing them to do something drastic no one has done before)
Pokedex App FTW! :3
I like Nintendo's way of thinking, never count them out.
They just put Mario and smartphones.
Approaching the mobile market might be a way for Nintendo to gain a better view of how to make a better social experience for gamers, and to take that knowledge and give their own particular style to it, making it something enjoyable and not some dull marketing buzz like with so much of social gaming "features" with modern consoles.
At a position where if I have time outside and am outside my house then I would rather engage in social activities. Haven't had a handheld since the Genesis Nomad (Sega Genesis in handheld form with a built in screen).
nintendo can use game spin offs to make mobile games and also use accessories to games as dream reader is to pokemon black/white 2 use AR to scan real life objects (pets,food,pics of manmade things,picks of nature) to find pokemon and items to use in game,a super toad mobile game, metroid pinball mobile game, so much can be done without making main titles on mobile nintendo can make extra money by investing
Nintendo games on smartphones would eventually ruin the franchise. Just look at Sonic. Now if they released a new IP, that might be a different story.
They aren't developing games for mobile market... for now. It's just a matter of time. Like Michael Pachter said, handheld market is shrinking every year more and more that it will became a point that would be not profitable at all. So right now ,Nintendo home console market is struggling with no signs of recovery.They only rely in the handheld but just to be overshadowed by smartphones and tablets.
Is just unavoidable that they have to release as third party console devss and to the smartphones/tablets market , more sooner than later. And everybody would be benefit from this, who would not be atracted to play a Dr Mario in their smartphone F2P?. Look at Sega they have really good games and they survive to their console manufacturing mistakes, it's the same with Nintendo just in a different period of time.Just remeber my words, we will see Mario in every device in a not very distant future and for the joy of everybody.;)