Nikkei, Nintendo about to unveil its approach to mobile development

[heartgold]

One of the most perfect track records Nikkei a Japanese newspaper who have leaked most of Nintendo's hardware consoles beforehand has now give an insight of how Nintendo will make a move to mobiles and such an announcement will be made this Thursday, the day it holds a briefing for investors.

To be more concrete, The Nikkei writes that Nintendo wants to use smartphones to expand its potential user base by spreading information about new game releases, i.e. by using video to introduce future titles. (This will probably happen through some kind of official Nintendo app.)

In addition, Nintendo is said to be planning to put so-called “mini games” on smartphones, playable demos of console games – content that can only be purchased in full on Nintendo hardware. The reasoning here is to give smartphone-only players a taste of the experience without making the actual game available on non-Nintendo devices and convert these users into Nintendo customers.

http://www.serkantoto.com/2014/01/28/nintendo-smartphones/

That's exactly how I felt i would be, who really expected Nintendo to push full length games onto mobiles, except shareholders.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

Well it's probably more just dabbling in the mobile market to expand their audience, like I could see them making accompanying apps for their larger games.

EDIT: A good parallel would probably be like GBA-to-Gamecube connectivity that gave you little games on your GBA.

 

[pwsincd]

i could see NFC accompanying apps , that fuction in a limited way standalone.

 

[FAST6191]

Here is hoping said "demos for the phone crowd" is the first step on the path to them making games for phones instead of, or alongside I guess, their own handhelds.

 

[KingVamp]

^ Yeah, no.

 

[Foxi4]

A bit late, Nikkei. The "approach" is well-known already.

“It’s a topic that comes up all the time. It’s a debate that’s constantly had,” said Nintendo of America president/chief operating officer Reginald "Reggie" Fils-Aime during a wide-ranging interview with KING 5 News. “We recognize that there are a lot of smartphones and tablets out there, and so what we’re doing is we’re being very smart in how we use these devices as marketing tools for our content.”

That means special gaming messages and video content. But what about a little gameplay?

“We’re also doing a lot of experimentation of what I would call the little experiences you can have on your smartphone and tablet that will drive you back to your Nintendo hardware,” Fils-Aime said. “It’s largely going to be much more marketing activity-oriented, but we’ve done little things where there’s some element of gameplay – a movement, a shaking, something like that.”

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Nin...ment-with-smartphones-tablets--236254591.html

Secret revealed, first-party oriented mini-games that are supposed to sell the 3DS and the Wii U, aka, "for the full experience, buy our console". No full-sized games, no Virtual Console, no nothing - Nintendo wants to keep those assets on their dedicated hardware. People need reasons to buy Nintendo consoles, making their trademark content available on mobile would be partially shooting themselves in the foot unless they also sold mobile phones/tablets with a dedicated framework themselves like Sony, something Nintendo doesn't do. Mobile will be used as an interactive advertisement platform - people are supposed to enjoy what they see on mobile and choose to buy the consoles as a result.

 

[Arras]

As long as the "minigames" are actually somewhat similar to real games available on Nintendo platforms and not completely unrelated this could work, I suppose.

 

[Foxi4]

As long as the "minigames" are actually somewhat similar to real games available on Nintendo platforms and not completely unrelated this could work, I suppose.

I'm expecting something along the lines of Sonic Dash or Pokemon Trozei! - simple yet effective.

 

[heartgold]

Something like Pokedex 3D on your phone, or EV training app. Actually that would be really cool.

 

[Gahars]

Why not offer a limited selection of Virtual Console games on mobile devices? Maybe create a program where people that own a Nintendo device, and have a Nintendo online account (nudge, nudge), have access to the complete VC selection on their Nintendo and mobile devices.

Make it a tantalize taste of the whole program and entice buyers into buying one of your systems. Even if they don't buy a 3DS or Wii U, you still make money from the game purchase.

Put me in, coach, I'm ready.

 

[Foxi4]

Why not offer a limited selection of Virtual Console games on mobile devices? Maybe create a program where people that own a Nintendo device, and have a Nintendo online account (nudge, nudge), have access to the complete VC selection on their Nintendo and mobile devices.

Make it a tantalize taste of the whole program and entice buyers into buying one of your systems. Even if they don't buy a 3DS or Wii U, you still make money from the game purchase.

Put me in, coach, I'm ready.

The very idea is that you're supposed to wave the carrot just our of the user's reach, you have to give the promise that the carrot's really delicious but never give the user a single bite of it before their wallets bleed out into your dollar bucket.

They shouldn't make the entirety of VC available, that much is obvious, but the solution you propose isn't half bad - after all, that's exactly what Sega's doing to great effect with Sonic CD Lite, among other titles. Tie that with a couple first-party-inspired fun minigames and you've got a winner.

 

[osirisjem]

In addition, Nintendo is said to be planning to put so-called “mini games” on smartphones, playable demos of console games – content that can only be purchased in full on Nintendo hardware.

I'm not to sure people will rush to download playable demos to tease themselves.
This seems like a strategy just to placate shareholders.
Not sure if this is going to be effective.

I guess if people really liked a few Nintendo mini-games, they might ask for the console for christmas !

 

[Foxi4]

I'm not to sure people will rush to download playable demos to tease themselves.
This seems like a strategy just to placate shareholders.
Not sure if this is going to be effective.

I guess if people really liked a few Nintendo mini-games, they might ask for the console for christmas !

People will download anything that's free and will keep them occupied on the bus or in the waiting room. If Nintendo plays this smartly, they can really raise brand awareness by doing this.

 

[Wisenheimer]

If true, it is interesting, because that is what I thought Nintendo would do.

I would like to see a Nintendo app that allows actual Nintendo customers to do things with the games they own. They could be little phone games that unlock achievements (once Nintendo releases a real achievement system) in your home or portable console games.

 

[osirisjem]

People will download anything that's free and will keep them occupied on the bus or in the waiting room. If Nintendo plays this smartly, they can really raise brand awareness by doing this.

Does MS, or Sony use this strategy somehow ?

 

[Foxi4]

Does MS, or Sony use this strategy somehow ?

Sony has PlayStation Mobile - they distribute PSOne Classics and dedicated PSMobile content on it. In addition, they have PlayStation All-Stars Island - and app consisting of first-party-related minigames. As for "games playable on mobile", there's the upcoming PlayStation Now service which allows the users to stream PS1/2/3 content onto practically any device of their choosing... so yes, the competition has equivalents.

 

[osirisjem]

Sony has PlayStation Mobile

But that doesn't run on Android / iOS , non ?
I thot PS Mobile was a device like a 3DS.


Nope: it's an app too
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.scee.psxandroid
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/playstation-app/id410896080?mt=8

Well, considering that, Nintendo is stupid for not replicating with PS Mobile did *a long time ago*.

 

[Foxi4]

But that doesn't run on Android / iOS , non ?
I thot PS Mobile was a device like a 3DS.


Nope: it's an app too
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.scee.psxandroid
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/playstation-app/id410896080?mt=8

Well, considering that, Nintendo is stupid for not replicating with PS Mobile did *a long time ago*.

The PlayStation App is a bit of a different pickle altogether - it only syncs your phone with PlayStation Network content at this time, but may be expanded in the future when PlayStation Now rolls out.

PSMobile is a dedicated app and marketplace for PSMobile-Certified smart devices, it's embedded in their ROM/downloadable from Sony's site and allows playing the dedicated content on certified devices.

 

[GBA rocks]

If the iPod Touch or iPad Mini is already in the hands of "little Timmy", you're a bit late Nintendo. Dad's not gonna ALSO buy a 3DS this year, and no mini games can change that. Especially in a SEA, an OCEAN of non-nintendo full games on the appstore. How is "new blood" (what nintendo needs, newly born customers) even gonna discover the nintendo app or why should they be impressed by it.

As for adults and people already knowledgeable about everything Nintendo, they will (or will not) buy the 3DS/WiiU anyway, no need (or no use) to be teased with mini-games.

 

[Dork]

If the iPod Touch or iPad Mini is already in the hands of "little Timmy", you're a bit late Nintendo. Dad's not gonna ALSO buy a 3DS this year, and no mini games can change that.

Yup, Nintendo is done because of a totally objective generalization.