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[Griss]

Dammit though, I'm kicking myself for not posting a thread I wrote out two days ago. It was called 'Are we approaching the end of a Nintendo Golden Age' and the points were

1. The 3DS and Wii U have received 3 years of stunning software, and we should celebrate that
2. Those release schedules are quickly slowing in frequency and in some cases quality
3. The Wii U has been so unsuccessful that Nintendo might drastically change tack with their software output, and the 3DS is declining too

Now it would seem so reactionary to this news, whereas had I gotten it out in time it would have seemed like the celebration of the last 3 years that it was supposed to be. But it's just funny that I had this feeling like... This era is about to end. Wish I'd put in down in digital ink.

 

[guit3457]

Investors are happy.

24% right now....

 

[balladofwindfishes]

Gotta say, I really don't have high hopes for the kinds of games DeNA x Nintendo will put out, at least personally.

Why not?

Nintendo are masters of the minigame, they've always been. It probably comes from their arcade origins.

I think at the very least they are going to release mini games or titles that "make sense for mobile" like Dr Mario.
I can see them phasing out consoles in the future and starting to release main titles for PC and mobile at the very least.
They simply can't grasp a solid online infrastructure and third party support to continue.

oh lawd, a Doctor Mario mobile game, there goes my time

 

[Astral Dog]

Investors are happy.

It would be weird if they weren't after all their Nintendo should go smartphone suggestions

 

[Griss]

You missed out a group - Nintendo fans ..... Oh!

Yes, both of them have been buying LOTS of games.

 

[Cyd0nia]

We are afraid we are loosing the Nintendo we know and love, which we will if their games take off on mobiles.

Nobody should be worried about this.

Look at EA. They're making good money on mobile with things like the Sims, NFS and Fifa spin offs. SEGAs championship manager and similar games are doing well on the platform. You haven't seen EA become disinterested in creating Mirrors Edge 2, or Battlefront.. in fact their whole Star Wars deal was probably geared to making them a whole lot of money in the traditional market as well as mobile.

Nintendo are even more sensible and actually protective over their brands and legacy. They've had a year to know that Wii U isn't going to light the world on fire but we're still getting the most beautiful Zelda game to date and whatever else they announce at e3.

This doesn't compromise them, it strengthens them. Reasoned, well researched diversification is sensible. This helps safeguard the Nintendo we know and love.

 

[Fine Ham Abounds]

That's obviously not what they aim to do at all.

I'm not sure much is obvious other that what Iwata has stated. What do you think is obvious?

 

[tearsintherain]

Does DeNA have a footprint in US/EU?

I'm more interested in their club nintendo replacement, I'm a bit uncomfortable with Nintendo sharing my gaming data with some third party company to provide "rewards" and discounts on crap I have no interest in buying, plus I don't know anything about DeNA and am not sure I'd want my personal data on their systems.

I assume the new rewards system will be optional so not a huge deal, but I always found CN charming and its a bummer its being replaced by something that sounds like a credit card loyalty program.

How well does the mobile gaming market transition between Japan and the rest of the world anyways? Are things like Angry birds, Words with Friends, candy crush, minecraft, etc super popular there or do they have their own niche set of top selling games?

 

[daxgame]

Investors are happy.

HOLY SH
I'm gonna have a big cake tonight

 

[Nirolak]

Does DeNA have a footprint in US/EU?

Yes, I think that's part of why they were chosen.

DeNA is a long time Japanese success on both featurephones and smartphones (had some difficulties recently, but have gotten a notable hit again), but also used to have a Top 3 hit with Rage of Bahamut in the West.

You would know them best by the "Mobage" brand if you've ever seen them.

 

[Trago]

This is some strange news to wake up to.

Also, Nintendo going PC?? Yes please??

 

[gAg CruSh3r]

Pokemobile might shatter the charts.

With online battles? I will buy in a heart beat.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

Nobody should be worried about this.

Look at EA. They're making good money on mobile with things like the Sims, NFS and Fifa spin offs. Championship manager and similar games are doing well on the platform. You haven't seen EA become disinterested in creating Mirrors Edge 2, or Battlefront.. in fact their whole Star Wars deal was probably geared to making them a whole lot of money in the traditional market as well as mobile.

Nintendo are even more sensible and actually protective over their brands and legacy. They've had a year to know that Wii U isn't going to light the world on fire but we're still getting the most beautiful Zelda game to date and whatever else they announce at e3.

This doesn't compromise them, it strengthens them. Reasoned, well researched diversification is sensible. This helps safeguard the Nintendo we know and love.

EA is probably a poor way to calm fears because you could easily point to Dungeon Keeper and Plants V Zombies 2 as examples of mobile F2P focus destroying long time, popular brands, which I think people are afraid Nintendo would do.

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

You should read previous comments, they are sure Nintendo will abandon traditional systems.

Will they? its a possibility, but not for mobile/tablets, they have said before, its not a sustainable model for them, just like they said they will use smartphone gaming for some things.

I was talking about recent comments, but I do truly believe that mobile gaming could be one of the pillars of the company, and that this is a move is a reaction to the current dedicated gaming market heavily contracting over the past years.

Is something that IS already happening. With software costs rising every few years and less consoles sold each gen, I don't think it should be that unthinkable that Nintendo at some point decides is not worth, specially if mobile gaming becomes sucessful for them.

 

[StevieP]

Nobody should be worried about this.

Look at EA. They're making good money on mobile with things like the Sims, NFS and Fifa spin offs. Championship manager and similar games are doing well on the platform. You haven't seen EA become disinterested in creating Mirrors Edge 2, or Battlefront.. in fact their whole Star Wars deal was probably geared to making them a whole lot of money in the traditional market as well as mobile.

Nintendo are even more sensible and actually protective over their brands and legacy. They've had a year to know that Wii U isn't going to light the world on fire but we're still getting the most beautiful Zelda game to date and whatever else they announce at e3.

This doesn't compromise them, it strengthens them. Reasoned, well researched diversification is sensible. This helps safeguard the Nintendo we know and love.

EA isn't trying to sell you dedicated hardware. How bout a comparison with Microsoft or sony.

 

[Schnozberry]

This is going well beyond "lending some IP". It's a strategy shift or a third pillar if you want. Of course they will allocate resources to it, they have even a capital venture.

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/release/en/2015/150317/05.html

I'm sure Nintendo will take the same approach that they have taken with second parties. They will dedicate enough resources to ensure competent project management and quality control, and DeNA will do the development. It's an arrangement has worked for them.

 

[Kai Dracon]

Yet the amount of "Flappy Mario" posts in this thread is ridiculous.

Why can't people accept that we might actually get something good out of this? I mean, this is finally a reason for me to get an iPhone. It's a reason for me not to immediately sell the next iPad someone gifts me. It means that I might be able to operate in the same sphere of gaming and play the same games as my sister, my mom, my little cousins, and it means that all of those people that I care about might suddenly get a better quality of game. All of that is actually kind of exciting!

It seems a lot of people have a very shallow idea of what mobile represents. They actually think the only applications on mobile are flappy bird clones, full stop. In fact, that attitude plays into the concern and frustration from mobile developers that quality applications and software do have trouble becoming visible amid all the cheap microtransaction trap applications. But there is good stuff on mobile.

That also goes along with what Iwata was voicing about mobile for a long time, and generally being mocked for it: the danger of devaluing game software to the point that quality software was no longer profitable to make and deploy, because nobody would pay for it. I kind of wonder if Nintendo's intention will be to try and directly fight that now, by using their brand power to push quality mobile software to the top of the heap and get it noticed.

 

[Interfectum]

This is some strange news to wake up to.

Also, Nintendo going PC?? Yes please??

You can edit your account information on PC. There's nothing here about Nintendo making games on PC.

 

[Effect]

Why not?

Nintendo are masters of the minigame, they've always been. It probably comes from their arcade origins.



oh lawd, a Doctor Mario mobile game, there goes my time

I think this is what people really should be expecting after what Iwata said. Not full fledge console or hand held games. Glad he was direct about that. The controls aren't there. However mini-games might very well translate much better and a lot of those are already included in many games and like said they have a LOT of experience with them already. That can be used to push people to the other systems.

 

[Tagyhag]

As far as my business ignorant ass is concerned, this is great news.

I don't see the quality of Nintendo's games going down, and this is just another way that they're future proofing their company.

 

[Derpyduck]

Good. Bring the Mario version of Puzzles vs Dragons to mobile and I won't have to miss out on it.

 

[Trago]

You can edit your account information on PC. There's nothing here about Nintendo making games on PC.

Ah ok thanks. I dunno what to make of this news.

 

[slit]

So it seems that Nintendo is still making dedicated hardware.

If so it doesn't bother me if they want to do some mobile games. I don't understand why some are freaking out.

 

[Interceptor]

This is some strange news to wake up to.

Also, Nintendo going PC?? Yes please??

No, but you will have access to your membership via your PC.

 

[Klossen]

Say I bought Nintendo stocks for a hundred bucks five minutes before the press conference went live. How much would they be worth now?

 

[KingSnake]

Nintendo is the developer who innovated so much with so many different control methods, including touch screen and motion control. Why wouldn't they make good mobile games? They have all it takes in house already. The only difference is that they will be cheaper, smaller and with less content, but overall who says that it wouldn't be the same value for money?

I'm sure Nintendo will take the same approach that they have taken with second parties. They will dedicate enough resources to ensure competent project management and quality control, and DeNA will do the development. It's an arrangement has worked for them.

It was in the Q&A where they mentioned that Nintendo will handle the front end while DeNA will handle the back end. It even in the slides where DeNA is presented as specialist in internet, infrastructure, back end practically. This is not Hyrule Warriors, Nintendo has now 10% of DeNA and DeNA has 1% of Nintendo. It's a long term thing.

 

[Guevara]

Why not?

Nintendo are masters of the minigame, they've always been. It probably comes from their arcade origins.



oh lawd, a Doctor Mario mobile game, there goes my time

I just mean that I don't expect the games they make to appeal to me. You're right, they probably are going to be minigames and minigame collections, which I don't really want. We're still a long way from mainline new Mario on my iPhone, for example.

 

[StevieP]

So it seems that Nintendo is still making dedicated hardware.

Then it doesn't bother me if they want to do some mobile games. I don't understand why some are freaking out.

"Why would I buy this console/handheld? I'm already playing Mario on my iPhone"

 

[Fine Ham Abounds]

I think this is what people really should be expecting after what Iwata said. Not full fledge console or hand held games. Glad he was direct about that. The controls aren't there. However mini-games might very well translate much better and a lot of those are already included in many games and like said they have a LOT of experience with them already.

100% guaranteed Warioware Mobile

 

[Trago]

I think it would be cool if these mobile games they are making made it to the handhelds. Unless they are like, strictly touch based.

 

[slit]

"Why would I buy this console/handheld? I'm already playing Mario on my iPhone"

I'm assuming different games.

Maybe I'm wrong?

 

[Thunder Monkey]

Precisely. I honestly think they can smash it and help raise the mobile bar for everyone. This is what they do best.


Heh. Thing is, all of my problems with Nintendo start and stop with their hardware and services. Today has been all about them sticking to what they do best, and letting others do the rest.

Yeah, just giving you shit man.

At least it's playful shit.

 

[WonderzL]

Well...

source

 

[Asd202]

So it finally happened.

 

[Orbis Tabula]

As far as my business ignorant ass is concerned, this is great news.

I don't see the quality of Nintendo's games going down, and this is just another way that they're future proofing their company.

This is exactly how I feel. As much as a lot of people feel that going mobile is a danger to Nintendo, doing nothing is even stupider. A huge, huge, huge portion of the population only plays cell phone games, and until now, Nintendo has not done much to get those customers. They were getting killed down market because they had little to no presence. Having IPs available in that space is a good thing.

A bad idea would be a full-fledged pokemon game on iPhones for 3 dollars, because than no one buys a 3DS. But a Pokemon like game? A game designed to get more people aware and interested in the Pokemon world in order to convince them to upgrade to the 3DS? That's a better idea.

 

[Gamecocks625]

I'm simultaneously excited and cautious about this. Any talk of using mobile to be a tool to drive customers to their own portables has me concerned we shouldn't expect anything above a few mini games or teasers. We'll see though!

 

[Grym]

Nobody should be worried about this.

Look at EA. They're making good money on mobile with things like the Sims, NFS and Fifa spin offs. SEGAs championship manager and similar games are doing well on the platform. You haven't seen EA become disinterested in creating Mirrors Edge 2, or Battlefront.. in fact their whole Star Wars deal was probably geared to making them a whole lot of money in the traditional market as well as mobile.

Nintendo are even more sensible and actually protective over their brands and legacy. They've had a year to know that Wii U isn't going to light the world on fire but we're still getting the most beautiful Zelda game to date and whatever else they announce at e3.

This doesn't compromise them, it strengthens them. Reasoned, well researched diversification is sensible. This helps safeguard the Nintendo we know and love.

EA doesn't make handheld hardware. If Nintendo can make bank with their IPs on the phone/tablet smart device route and are able to upsell through that to their console, I see no possibility of a new gameboy or DS or whatever after anything they currently have in the works is done

 

[Interceptor]

I'm assuming different games.

Maybe I'm wrong?

You´re right.

 

[TheJoRu]

Investors are happy.

Wow, HOLY SHIT!

I mean, obviously it'd go up...but DAMN! Investors wanted Nintendo-games on mobile, badly.

EDIT: +26.5% at the moment.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

I think this is what people really should be expecting after what Iwata said. Not full fledge console or hand held games. Glad he was direct about that. The controls aren't there. However mini-games might very well translate much better and a lot of those are already included in many games and like said they have a LOT of experience with them already.

I look at stuff like WarioWare Touched, Mario Party DS, the minigames from Mario 64DS and Nintendo Land's touch/gyro games and see potential for really great, high quality, addicting mobile games rather than forcing Mario 64 to control with a touchscreen which would be bad, but seems to be what people are expecting.

But man, it's going to be really stupid to see comments if Nintendo ever makes a touch based Balloon Fight game with a Balloon Trip mode. The comparisons to Flappy bird will be obnoxious (even though the concept of Balloon Trip pre-dates Flappy Bird by over 30 years). But it seems like such a good idea for a mobile game to me lol.

 

[Fine Ham Abounds]

"Why would I buy this console/handheld? I'm already playing Mario on my iPhone"

"Why would I buy a new Nintendo console? I already have Mario on my SNES"

 

[Effect]

100% guaranteed Warioware Mobile

No doubt. Of all the IPs that might work the best without much change.

I look at stuff like WarioWare Touched, Mario Party DS, the minigames from Mario 64DS and Nintendo Land's touch/gyro games and see potential for really great, high quality, addicting mobile games rather than forcing Mario 64 to control with a touchscreen which would be bad, but seems to be what people are expecting.
.

This.

 

[Interfectum]

I look at stuff like WarioWare Touched, Mario Party DS, the minigames from Mario 64DS and Nintendo Land's touch/gyro games and see potential for really great, high quality, addicting mobile games rather than forcing Mario 64 to control with a touchscreen which would be bad, but seems to be what people are expecting.

But man, it's going to be really stupid to see comments if Nintendo ever makes a touch based Balloon Fight game with a Balloon Trip mode. The comparisons to Flappy bird will be obnoxious (if if the concept of Balloon Trip pre-dates Flappy Bird by over 30 years).

Gumshoe on iOS... killer app.

 

[Instro]

This is some strange news to wake up to.

Also, Nintendo going PC?? Yes please??

Did I miss this? Link?

 

[crooked spin]

Finally. Iwata actually making smart decisions!

 

[FryHole]

"Why would I buy this console/handheld? I'm already playing Mario on my iPhone"

From the conference. They think they can avoid this attitude with obvious superiority of the full-fat experience.

For the consumers who are connected with Nintendo through smart devices and interested in Nintendo’s IP, we would like to provide even more premium gameplay experiences on Nintendo’s dedicated game platforms. By taking this approach, we firmly believe that doing business on smart devices will not shrink our dedicated video game system business and will instead create new demand as this broader reach will enable us to provide consumers around the world with more opportunities to experience the appeal of Nintendo IP, and instead of trying to seize the other’s demand, dedicated video game systems and smart devices will benefit from the synergies created between them.

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

I'm assuming different games.

Maybe I'm wrong?

Maybe not a traditional Mario game, but a Mario game like Rayman Jungle Run?

I would bet on it.

 

[GCX]

This is exactly how I feel. As much as a lot of people feel that going mobile is a danger to Nintendo, doing nothing is even stupider. A huge, huge, huge portion of the population only plays cell phone games, and until now, Nintendo has not done much to get those customers. They were getting killed down market because they had little to no presence. Having IPs available in that space is a good thing.

A bad idea would be a full-fledged pokemon game on iPhones for 3 dollars, because than no one buys a 3DS. But a Pokemon like game? A game designed to get more people aware and interested in the Pokemon world in order to convince them to upgrade to the 3DS? That's a better idea.

Yep. Essentially smartphones are an advertising platform for Nintendo.

 

[Cynn]

Imagine a Mario Party with touch screen games inspired by Warioware with asynchronous online play. It could be absolutely amazing. Instead of the crappy free to play games my group chat plays now, we could be playing Mario Party during breaks at work.

I'm totally bummed Mario Party 10 isn't online. That series screams for network play.

 

[NolbertoS]

And so it has come to pass, that Lord Iwata, has journeyed from the wilderness and taken Nintendo into the promised land. Never thought I'd live to see the day that Nintendo would go mobile. I expect thousands of indie developers will now go under or get crushed. Nintendo is going for the mobile crown and takin on Minecraft, Clash of Clans, Candy Crush and Angry Birds, I'd wager to bet Mario will come out the winner.