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Nintendo Confirms No Games Coming to iOS, But Service App in the Works
During a strategy briefing that took place in Osaka, Japan, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata today confirmed (via The Wall Street Journal) that Nintendo has plans to "actively" use service apps for smart devices, but does not have plans to introduce key Nintendo software, like its portfolio of games, on third party platforms.
According to Iwata, Nintendo is aiming to use service apps to both build a bridge with its customers and deliver information on Nintendo products. Service apps are not intended to make money for the company, but instead will be used to "make connections with customers."
Iwata did acknowledge that Nintendo's apps would need to be more than a simple advertisement in order to engage customers, but he did not elaborate on what tactics the company would use to entice customers to use a Nintendo app. Neither a potential release date nor any additional information on the content of the service app was divulged.
Iwata did, however, say that the game console will continue to be at the center of Nintendo's strategy and there are no plans for the company to abandon its hardware business.
News of Nintendo's foray into mobile first surfaced in mid-January after company president Satoru Iwata indicated Nintendo would consider a new business structure involving smart devices in light of increasing competition from both iOS and Android and competing consoles.
On Monday, Japanese business newspaper Nikkei suggested Nintendo would release an iOS and Android app featuring game information and playable mini games, but Nintendo quickly refuted the claim and insisted it had no plans to make Nintendo software available on mobile devices.
Earlier today, Nintendo missed its earnings forecast and announced an operating loss of 1.58 billion yen ($15.3 million) for the December quarter. The company expects another loss of 33.4 billion yen for the final quarter of the year with a total operating loss of 35 billion yen ($355 million) for 2013.
During today's event, Nintendo also announced plans to bolster its profits by introducing an on-demand gaming service, allowing Wii U players to access Nintendo DS games, and releasing a non-wearable health monitoring device in 2015.
According to Iwata, Nintendo is aiming to use service apps to both build a bridge with its customers and deliver information on Nintendo products. Service apps are not intended to make money for the company, but instead will be used to "make connections with customers."
Iwata did acknowledge that Nintendo's apps would need to be more than a simple advertisement in order to engage customers, but he did not elaborate on what tactics the company would use to entice customers to use a Nintendo app. Neither a potential release date nor any additional information on the content of the service app was divulged.
Iwata did, however, say that the game console will continue to be at the center of Nintendo's strategy and there are no plans for the company to abandon its hardware business.
News of Nintendo's foray into mobile first surfaced in mid-January after company president Satoru Iwata indicated Nintendo would consider a new business structure involving smart devices in light of increasing competition from both iOS and Android and competing consoles.
On Monday, Japanese business newspaper Nikkei suggested Nintendo would release an iOS and Android app featuring game information and playable mini games, but Nintendo quickly refuted the claim and insisted it had no plans to make Nintendo software available on mobile devices.
Earlier today, Nintendo missed its earnings forecast and announced an operating loss of 1.58 billion yen ($15.3 million) for the December quarter. The company expects another loss of 33.4 billion yen for the final quarter of the year with a total operating loss of 35 billion yen ($355 million) for 2013.
During today's event, Nintendo also announced plans to bolster its profits by introducing an on-demand gaming service, allowing Wii U players to access Nintendo DS games, and releasing a non-wearable health monitoring device in 2015.
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55 months ago
Don't worry, it will just take another 3 years of negative profits until they get the picture.
55 months ago
This is a very similar type of arrogance that RIM exhibited; we know what happened to them...
55 months ago
To sum up most quotes here:
"Cuz I like Apple, I'd really love them to release stuff on my iPhone. But since they won't, I'm gonna say they're dumb and don't know what they're doing then make an off the cuff reference to RIM cuz apparently these two almost entirely unrelated companies working in entirely different markets are somehow related in some way".
"Cuz I like Apple, I'd really love them to release stuff on my iPhone. But since they won't, I'm gonna say they're dumb and don't know what they're doing then make an off the cuff reference to RIM cuz apparently these two almost entirely unrelated companies working in entirely different markets are somehow related in some way".
55 months ago
They will go the way of RIM. By the time they decide to go to mobile, it will be too late. RIP Nintendo.
They're already mobile, and making a ton of money off of it. Why would they want to port their games to the smartphones?
Unlike RIM, the iPhone isn't a direct competitor to their core business. Their business is games. They don't need to go 3rd party to become a success. What they need to do is make the WiiU more of a draw than it currently is.
55 months ago
They will go the way of RIM. By the time they decide to go to mobile, it will be too late. RIP Nintendo.
55 months ago
Forest for the trees Nintendo, Forest for the trees!!!
Thats an app I would never download. Why would I. While I would pay a few dollars to play Mario Cart on my iPad, I'm not going to buy a Wii U to play it.
Thats an app I would never download. Why would I. While I would pay a few dollars to play Mario Cart on my iPad, I'm not going to buy a Wii U to play it.
55 months ago
Here is an email I sent to Nintendo back in 2004. Yes, I save stuff like this. I've ranted to many a company over the years and I keep them all. Well they are still around after 10 years.... but depending on how you look at it, barely.
Nintendo had a good run with hand-held units, but we know what's happening to those. And yeah, they had good luck with the Wii as a gimmick machine that "regular" people could get used to. Only problem, the gimmick dies. Motion is great, but I wouldn't give up my regular controller for anything.
----------------------------
To: Nintendo Of America
Subject: Sorry To Say, Nintendo Has Lost It!
Date: Saturday, February 07, 2004 6:19 PM
Nintendo used to be the standard-bearer for all gaming systems. Now, it’s too bad Nintendo was left behind.
You guys missed the boat in CD gaming, and you missed the boat in on-line play. The real downfall of Nintendo is its ego. You feel that if Nintendo isn’t doing it, it’s not right for gaming.
I guess it started way back, when you guys continued to use game cartridges when you could have easily switched to the CD format. And then when the Game Cube comes out, surprise, a new proprietary format disc. Who would have guessed?
When the hottest thing in the gaming world was on-line multiplayer, where was Nintendo? I guess Nintendo is happy at the end of the pack.
Nintendo won’t be around in ten years time, and that’s a shame since you had the world. You cater to little kids and forget about the people who made Nintendo what you are. Yeah, give us more fuzzy character games, and forget about the good stuff, because you are doomed to go the way of all the other great systems that lost their way.
You mean you sent this email to Nintendo two years before they released the Wii. Presumably they were developing it at the time and that went on to become the highest selling last gen console with sales of over 100 million units, outselling both the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.... You sent the email to THAT Nintendo. By the way, unless they go bust and close up shop within the next eight days, I guess you missed your ten year prediction as well. Very few companies hit the mark on ALL their products... even Apple, so you'll excuse me if I don't write them off just yet.
55 months ago
They're already mobile, and making a ton of money off of it. Why would they want to port their games to the smartphones?
Unlike RIM, the iPhone isn't a direct competitor to their core business. Their business is games. They don't need to go 3rd party to become a success. What they need to do is make the WiiU more of a draw than it currently is.
Sorry, but I really have to disagree. iOS has shown itself to be a quite sizable gaming platform. Just go look at the number of games available. So from that stand point it is a competitor. Also, from the mobile perspective, I would rather carry only a single device, not two. In other words the days of carrying a DS and a phone are numbered. most people will carry a phone and play their games there. Convergence to a single device is the direction we are all going.
I do see the console living on but as a niche. There will always be some serious graphics that won't work on an iPad, iPhone, ATV, but in the not too distant future it will not be for the masses.
The only alternative I see to this is what Xbox is trying to do by converging the living room electronics so that it is it is more than just a game console. I don't know if that approach will work long term, but I don't see Nintendo going in either way.
55 months ago
To sum up most quotes here:
"Cuz I like Apple, I'd really love them to release stuff on my iPhone. But since they won't, I'm gonna say they're dumb and don't know what they're doing then make an off the cuff reference to RIM cuz apparently these two almost entirely unrelated companies working in entirely different markets are somehow related in some way".
It's more like I'm not going to carry a DS around with me and I'm more likely to play a Nintendo game if it could be played under IOS or Android. Seriously, if their market is only kids in school, the DS is fine (carry around a DS in your backpack). If they want to also target an older market, they should also focus on IOS / Android. I can't see the negative financial consequences especially if they only do it for older games as some have suggested. Also, even though it's a total different industry, the RIM management and Nintendo management seem to have a lot in common. It will be interesting to see where Nintendo will be in five years (I doubt they will go under but they might be bought out).
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