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Nintendo Unveils New Web-Based Service for Smartphones

Thursday May 8, 2014 4:58 am PDT by Richard Padilla
As a part of its latest financial results briefing (via Engadget), Nintendo has unveiled a new web-based service optimized for smartphones to coincide with the upcoming release of Mario Kart 8. The web app will allow all users to view gameplay videos and other information, while those with a Nintendo Network ID will be able to upload videos, establish their rankings, and see friend activity over time.

nintendo_smartphone_web_service
This is the layout for a smartphone. This web service will enable more people to easily watch Nintendo’s official videos, view rankings, watch videos that their friends have shared and videos of tournaments in which they have participated.

This “Mario Kart TV” (temp.) web service is available even for players without NNIDs, but by logging into the service with an NNID, they will be able to easily find their rankings, videos that their friends have shared, videos of tournaments in which they have participated, and it will be convenient to access this service through smart devices even when they are not at home.
The reveal of the new service comes four months after Nintendo president Satoru Iwata acknowledged that the company would consider "a new business structure" that involves smart devices after a third consecutive annual loss. Shortly after Iwata's comments, Japanese business newspaper Nikkei reported that Nintendo's mobile push would focus on marketing demos and not full games, with those claims later denied by Nintendo.

Nintendo has faced heavy competition from mobile platforms in recent years, with App Annie and IDC finding that consumer spending on games for iOS and Android rose to 4x that of dedicated gaming handhelds.

Nintendo's investors have also called on the company to develop titles for iOS and other platforms, while others have suggested that Nintendo should "buy its way" into the smartphone market by either acquiring technology or developing their own. While this newest web service may not be a large initial showing, it may also indicate that Nintendo is testing the waters ahead of more full-fledged efforts in the future.

Tag: engadget.com
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racer1441
31 months ago
Dear Nintendo,

Put the NES games on the ipad. Charge $20 per game and save your company.

Till then, shut up.
Rating: 16 Votes
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Reason077
31 months ago
Wait, Nintendo has discovered the internet exists?! Well, it's a step forward.
Rating: 15 Votes
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JaySoul
31 months ago
Ninten-d'oh! Too late.
Rating: 11 Votes
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mr.steevo
31 months ago
Finally, a reason to buy an iPhone.
Rating: 8 Votes
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Rizzm
31 months ago

Wait, Nintendo has discovered the internet exists?! Well, it's a step forward.


Lol right? Also it was pretty smart of them to make a 1080p system in 2012. Perhaps this HD craze is more than just a passing fad. :rolleyes:
Rating: 6 Votes
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WinstonRumfoord
31 months ago
Oh wow, talk about too little too late.

Watching nintendo self destruct is quite sad.
Rating: 5 Votes
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joelvega125
31 months ago
This has been said many times before: If they made their games available on iOS, they would make a killing. Period.
Rating: 3 Votes
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Ninja Dom
31 months ago
I'm a huge iOS fan but there's one thing that a lot of posters do not know about Nintendo.

Nintendo is steeped in heavy tradition. The company is over 100 years old.

If you want to play Nintendo made video games then you will always have to buy a Nintendo machine to do it.

Nintendo would rather stop making video games altogether (and move to something else), than make video games for a platform that is not theirs.
Rating: 3 Votes
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phillipduran
31 months ago
If you want some money Nintendo, come to the iOS App store.

Just Super Mario Brothers and Zelda alone will score you millions and millions of dollars.
Rating: 3 Votes
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JohnGrey
31 months ago

Remember, there are CURRENTLY more Wii U's in people's homes than Xbox One's. Yes I'm aware of the launch time differences but I can't see Xbox One selling much in Japan either.

According to today's earlier Fiscal Performance meeting, Nintendo are still putting growth in the Wii U and the company is still concentrating on the Wii U for the fore coming future.


With respect, the future of the Wii U is pretty grim. Disregard its already tarnished year-one reputation, which generally sets the tone for a console's life time. Disregard the lackluster third-party support and generally poor-quality proliferation of its internal IP. The macroeconomic climate for this generation is a galaxy apart from the last, and what little YoY percentage increases that will occur in this generation will come primarily from pure red-ocean cannibalization.
Rating: 3 Votes

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