Nintendo Confirms Second Mobile Game Will Be Focused on a 'Familiar' Character

Tuesday February 2, 2016 5:50 AM PST by Mitchel Broussard
Nintendo today gave new hints regarding its mobile game plans, which will see the gaming giant release five games in total before March 2017 in a partnership with developer DeNA. During a quarterly profit meeting, the gaming company confirmed that its second mobile experience will be built around one of its popular and established characters, but no word was given specifically on which Nintendo franchise that would be (via The Wall Street Journal).

nintendo_iphones
“The second game won’t be another communication app, and we plan to adopt one of our characters that fans are very familiar with,” Nintendo CEO Tatsumi Kimishima said.
In October, Nintendo revealed details about the first game to be released from its DeNA partnership, an app called "Miitomo" that will focus on social network-like interactions with the company's customizable Mii avatars. Miitomo will be a free-to-play experience, but the company has said that subsequent games will be pay-to-download games.

The partnership with DeNA was announced in March of 2015, with initial expectations suggesting the first official Nintendo-published mobile game to be released before the end of 2015. Nintendo decided to push back Miitomo's launch to better explain what the app is and earn the mobile game a better promotional push. Miitomo is expected to launch sometime in March, and there was no time window given for the company's second game.

Tag: Nintendo
54 comments


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profets
41 months ago
I know Nintendo is similar to Apple in the way that they want to create and control their hardware/consoles and software. But imagine if they partnered with Apple, say with something like the Apple TV? Let Apple build the hardware and support the app ecosystem, and let Nintendo build the controller and develop their first party games.

You'd have a huge install base for Nintendo to hit with their games (where I imagine they generate most of their revenue) and it would make Apple a real big player in the gaming market. Would be such a big win for both sides. Can only hope.
Rating: 12 Votes
Avatar
IGI2
41 months ago
Please make some great games for Apple TV! :)

Nintendo should be able to do that!
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
Pakaku
41 months ago

Please make some great game for Apple TV! :)

Nintendo should be able to do that!

Even Nintendo's controller designs have never been as bad as the Siri Remote...
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
smacrumon
41 months ago
"MARIO!, MARIO!, MARIO!, MARIO!, MARIO!"
[MEDIA=youtube]r2zps0pzrxk[/MEDIA]
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
iosuser
41 months ago

But why? Nintendo already make a handheld and a home console. If you enjoy their games - buy them and their consoles. A new iPhone alone costs more than a Wii U, a 3DS, and all the major games for each one combined. They've never been interested in adding media playing abilities to their systems (no Nintendo-made system has shipped with a DVD player for example) so what could Apple provide for Nintendo? Their systems sell great worldwide... except for the Wii U of course.

Look at it this way. Nintendo announced that as of Dec 31st the two newest Pokemon games sold 25.92 million units worldwide, full price/non-mobile pricing, on a system they also sell and make a profit on.
[doublepost=1454427842][/doublepost]
Don't worry about it

http://kotaku.com/damn-nintendo-is-selling-lots-of-amiibos-1756565556
http://kotaku.com/strong-game-sales-are-helping-power-nintendo-1756565443

Nobody should gloss over mobile gaming. It's pretty dire compared to real systems, but it's cheap and convenient. Every major studio makes small mobile games alongside their gigantic, "real" games.


Those who care for quality, as I imagine all Apple users do, should dread the news. If/when Nintendo has to port their titles over to iOS, who do they optimize a particular game for? iPhone 5? iPad Air? Controller support? Likely they'll optimize for the lowest common dominator, and that would be touchscreen control, the ultimate worst nightmare playing a Nintendo title. Kill me before making me play Mario or Donkey Kong on a touchscreen! Just imagine if Apple ceased making Macs and licensed Mac OS. Just imagine running OS X on the typical horrible Windows trackpad, only worse.
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
iosuser
41 months ago

I dont see how Mario Kart would be watered down by mobile?

Control for one. All Nintendo games have the tightest and most responsive controls. If one doesn't do well playing a Nintendo game, he/she cannot blame the control. To maintain quality, Nintendo must have complete control over hardware and software, like Apple does.

I believe console gaming is generally in a downward trend, with Nintendo in the most dire position. I would hate for Nintendo to turn into a Sega, but unless they pull a rabbit out of the hat with the NX, it seems going mobile is inevitable sadly. I have all the consoles. The only one I really play with is Nintendo. In fact, I just dusted off my Gameboy Advance SP and just started playing Metroid Zero Mission again :)

I do hope if/when Nintendo goes mobile, they'll release a controller and make that a requirement to play their titles, to at least preserve the quality in the controls.
Rating: 2 Votes
Avatar
theelysium
41 months ago

So many comments suggesting that Apple should buy Nintendo.. obviously oblivious to the Japanese attitude at business. Nintendo has got loads of cash and would gladly commit harakiri instead of getting bought by Americans.



No, No I have always been opponent of a partnership. I do NOT think Apple should buy Nintendo! Apple might cut too much if the buy Nintendo, but in a partnership they can fill in the gaps for each other.
Rating: 2 Votes
Avatar
0098386
41 months ago

I know Nintendo is similar to Apple in the way that they want to create and control their hardware/consoles and software. But imagine if they partnered with Apple, say with something like the Apple TV? Let Apple build the hardware and support the app ecosystem, and let Nintendo build the controller and develop their first party games.

You'd have a huge install base for Nintendo to hit with their games (where I imagine they generate most of their revenue) and it would make Apple a real big player in the gaming market. Would be such a big win for both sides. Can only hope.


But why? Nintendo already make a handheld and a home console. If you enjoy their games - buy them and their consoles. A new iPhone alone costs more than a Wii U, a 3DS, and all the major games for each one combined. They've never been interested in adding media playing abilities to their systems (no Nintendo-made system has shipped with a DVD player for example) so what could Apple provide for Nintendo? Their systems sell great worldwide... except for the Wii U of course.

Look at it this way. Nintendo announced that as of Dec 31st the two newest Pokemon games sold 25.92 million units worldwide, full price/non-mobile pricing, on a system they also sell and make a profit on.
[doublepost=1454427842][/doublepost]

The beginning of the end:(

Don't worry about it

http://kotaku.com/damn-nintendo-is-selling-lots-of-amiibos-1756565556
http://kotaku.com/strong-game-sales-are-helping-power-nintendo-1756565443

Nobody should gloss over mobile gaming. It's pretty dire compared to real systems, but it's cheap and convenient. Every major studio makes small mobile games alongside their gigantic, "real" games.
Rating: 2 Votes
Avatar
gpat
41 months ago
So many comments suggesting that Apple should buy Nintendo.. obviously oblivious to the Japanese attitude at business. Nintendo has got loads of cash and would gladly commit harakiri instead of getting bought by Americans.
Rating: 2 Votes
Avatar
sudo1996
41 months ago
Watch it be Morshu from the not-well-known Zelda game Link: The Faces of Evil.
Rating: 1 Votes
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