Nintendo working with DeNA to make smartphone games

[Duo8]

Nintendo is teaming up with DeNA, a Japanese mobile game company, to make games with Nintendo's IPs. They will also launch a cross-platform service compatible with phones, PC and Nintendo's devices. These will be entirely new games developed by DeNA and not ports of Nintendo games.
They also formed a capital alliance. Nintendo bought 10% of DeNA while DeNA bought 1.24% of Nintendo.

Further details at the press conference.

Leveraging the strength of Nintendo's intellectual property (IP) and game development skills in combination with DeNA's world-class expertise in mobile games, both companies will develop and operate new game apps based on Nintendo's IP, including its iconic game characters, for smart devices. The alliance is intended to complement Nintendo's dedicated video game systems business and extend Nintendo's reach into the vast market of smart device users worldwide. Under the alliance, DeNA will also be able to strengthen its gaming business at a global scale by leveraging Nintendo's IP. To ensure the quality of game experience that consumers expect from this alliance of Nintendo and DeNA, only new original games optimized for smart device functionality will be created, rather than porting games created specifically for the Wii U home console or the Nintendo 3DS portable system.

In order to create completely new game experiences for smart devices, all Nintendo IP will be eligible for development and exploration by the alliance. As these consumers enjoy the unique kind of gameplay found only with Nintendo, they will have the opportunity to explore even more premium experiences on Nintendo's dedicated video game platforms. Information on upcoming games and availability will be forthcoming.

Nintendo and DeNA also plan to develop an online membership service that is accessible from smart devices, PC and Nintendo systems, such as the Nintendo 3DS portable system and the Wii U home console. The membership service, which is targeted to launch in the fall of 2015, will be built on DeNA's extensive experience and capabilities in online membership services.

As part of the long-term relationship and commitment by each company, Nintendo and DeNA have also agreed to form a capital alliance. Under the capital alliance, Nintendo will acquire 15,081,000 of DeNA's treasury shares, which corresponds to 10.00 percent of its total outstanding stock, for a total of approximately 22 billion yen. DeNA will simultaneously acquire 1,759,400 of Nintendo's treasury shares, which corresponds to 1.24 percent of its outstanding stock, for a total of approximately 22 billion yen. The payment is due April 2, 2015.

Source: DeNA

Press conference: YouTube

Full English Translation: Link

 

[T-hug]

Full PR:

Nintendo and DeNA Form Business and Capital Alliance
Companies to develop new game apps featuring Nintendo IP for smart devices and a new multi-device membership service

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nintendo Co., Ltd. (Tokyo: 7974) and DeNA Co., Ltd. (Tokyo: 2432) today entered into a business and capital alliance to develop and operate new game apps for smart devices and build a new multi-device membership service for consumers worldwide.
Leveraging the strength of Nintendo's intellectual property (IP) and game development skills in combination with DeNA's world-class expertise in mobile games, both companies will develop and operate new game apps based on Nintendo's IP, including its iconic game characters, for smart devices. The alliance is intended to complement Nintendo's dedicated video game systems business and extend Nintendo's reach into the vast market of smart device users worldwide. Under the alliance, DeNA will also be able to strengthen its gaming business at a global scale by leveraging Nintendo's IP. To ensure the quality of game experience that consumers expect from this alliance of Nintendo and DeNA, only new original games optimized for smart device functionality will be created, rather than porting games created specifically for the Wii U home console or the Nintendo 3DS portable system.
In order to create completely new game experiences for smart devices, all Nintendo IP will be eligible for development and exploration by the alliance. As these consumers enjoy the unique kind of gameplay found only with Nintendo, they will have the opportunity to explore even more premium experiences on Nintendo's dedicated video game platforms. Information on upcoming games and availability will be forthcoming.
Nintendo and DeNA also plan to develop an online membership service that is accessible from smart devices, PC and Nintendo systems, such as the Nintendo 3DS portable system and the Wii U home console. The membership service, which is targeted to launch in the fall of 2015, will be built on DeNA's extensive experience and capabilities in online membership services.
As part of the long-term relationship and commitment by each company, Nintendo and DeNA have also agreed to form a capital alliance. Under the capital alliance, Nintendo will acquire 15,081,000 of DeNA's treasury shares, which corresponds to 10.00 percent of its total outstanding stock, for a total of approximately 22 billion yen. DeNA will simultaneously acquire 1,759,400 of Nintendo's treasury shares, which corresponds to 1.24 percent of its outstanding stock, for a total of approximately 22 billion yen. The payment is due April 2, 2015.
About Nintendo
The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii U™ and Wii™ home consoles, and Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ families of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 4.3 billion video games and more than 680 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii U, Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™, Nintendo GameCube™ and Wii systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company's website at http://www.nintendo.com.
About DeNA
DeNA (pronounced "D-N-A") is a global Internet company that develops and operates a broad range of mobile and online services including games, e-commerce and other diversified offerings. Founded in 1999, DeNA is headquartered in Tokyo with offices and game development studios across the globe. DeNA Co., Ltd. is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (2432). For more information, visit: dena.com

 

[Deleted User]

Welp, Nintendo 'Fusion' is starting to look more and more legit.

 

[zoogie]

Nintendo's stock price will go up while, at the same time, my heart will sink.

 

[ShinyLatios]

Whoever is translating this sounds like she's about to cry.

 

[Pedeadstrian]

Well, time to learn how to hack .apk files so I can bypass stupid freemium design.

 

[guitarheroknight]

First mobile game: Pokemon Shuffle

 

[Deleted User]

Wonder what the games will be like.
Probably like other crappy mobile games just with Nintendo Characters.

 

[Pedeadstrian]

Wonder what the games will be like.
Probably like other crappy mobile games just with Nintendo Characters.

I looked at the games they've made so far. Most are the usual, cookie-cutter games that you can find everywhere. Some seem more interesting, like DOT, but of course, it's pay2win (or at least pay2not-have-to-wait-forever).

 

[T-hug]

If you check out transformers battle tactics you'll see everything that is wrong with Dena. Pay2Win at it's peak: http://kotaku.com/the-latest-transformers-game-had-me-until-i-spent-20-o-1684424229

 

[TemplarGR]

It's over people. Nintendo, instead of correcting its mistakes, makes more of them. They really are doomed.

 

[WiiUBricker]

They will probably make casual games for smartphones. As long as they keep quality games on 3DS and Wii U I don't mind.

 

[TemplarGR]

They will probably make casual games for smartphones. As long as they keep quality games on 3DS and Wii U I don't mind.

They won't. After getting rich by freemium sh1t, they will bring that sh1t to their other consoles as well... You can count on it. Nintendo IS greedy after all...

 

[p1ngpong]

Going mobile was inevitable, mobile gaming is huge in Japan. Pretty much every major game company has a mobile development arm now. Nintendo as usual are last out of the gate with adapting with the market. I am sure all of the Nintendo fans will lap up whatever they come up with like they usually do, mark my words.

 

[WiiUBricker]

They won't. After getting rich by freemium sh1t, they will bring that sh1t to their other consoles as well... You can count on it. Nintendo IS greedy after all...

Not really man. It seems that Nintendo aims to use smartphones as a tool to convert smartphone gamers to console gamers.

Nintendo has decided to deploy its video game business on smart devices but it is not because we have lost passion or vision for the business of dedicated video game systems. On the contrary, now that we have decided how we will make use of smart devices, we have come to hold an even stronger passion and vision for the dedicated video game system business than ever before. Nintendo has made this decision because we have concluded that the approach of making use of smart devices is a rational way for us to encourage even more people around the world to recognize the great value of the wonderful game software available on our dedicated game systems.

 

[TemplarGR]

Not really man. It seems that Nintendo aims to use smartphones as a tool to convert smartphone gamers to console gamers.

Lol. Only a fool takes a company's marketing department seriously.

There aren't smartphone gamers. There are only gamers. People that play the random game on a smartphone but do not own gaming equipment and are not playing normal Video games, are not gamers, and will never be. You can not "convert" them. If they wanted to play real games, they would have done it already...

 

[WiiUBricker]

Lol. Only a fool takes a company's marketing department seriously.

There aren't smartphone gamers. There are only gamers. People that play the random game on a smartphone but do not own gaming equipment and are not playing normal Video games, are not gamers, and will never be. You can not "convert" them. If they wanted to play real games, they would have done it already...

I can understand that you are pissed off, as many nintendo fanboys, but stop with the name calling and behave. Thank you.

 

[Flame]

Its in Nintendo DNA to be late to the party... A Mario party 10%.

Anyway... About fucking time.. Give me pokemon crystal with wonder trade.

 

[Deleted member 331788]

"Game app based" ....using Nintendo IP's?? ...sounds like this will just be some crappy add-on apps for your mobile device. That's for games you've already purchase for your Nintendo Console ...or crap like what has already been produced e.g the Pokémon App type stuff!

...and if I'm wrong and we start to see games like New Super Mario Smart Phone ...then that would be my last drop of respect for the company!! ....and it will be goodbye Nintendo!

 

[WiiCube_2013]

On the bright side games which are smartphone-type won't be making its way to the home console(s) any more, or at least when they'll get this out.

Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars and Kirby and the Rainbow Curse are home console games... really Nintendo? *smh*