RIP, old friend.

Miitomo, brainchild of mobile game producer DeNA, has passed away. It was just over two years old.

The cause of death is currently unknown; however, it is believed that the de-emphasizing of Miis on the Nintendo Switch – as well as Nintendo’s increasing focus on adapting traditional games such as Mario and Animal Crossing for mobile – played a role in Miitomo's untimely and tragic demise.

As of May 9th, the servers for the mobile app have been taken down, and users have had their access to the game revoked.

Nintendo paid tribute to its fallen offspring with the following eulogy:

We want to thank you for enjoying Miitomo so much.

Miitomo’s service has come to an end as of Wednesday 9th May 2018, 16:00 (JST).

We’ve come a long way since the app was launched, and once again we want to thank everyone who’s been involved.

We hope to go on to even bigger and better things in the future with Nintendo, and we hope you’re there to share the fun.

We hope to see you again soon!

In its lifetime, Miitomo had many accomplishments. Within a month of launching, the app claimed over 10 million users, and 300 million conversations between friends. It also contributed to an 8% increase in Nintendo’s shares within a week of its launch.

Miitomo was beloved by its fans, and will surely be missed in the world of mobile gaming.

However, for those looking to fill the Mii-shaped holes in their hearts, Nintendo announced on April 30th that a browser-based Mii Maker tool will launch by the end of this month. Users will even be able to use the same Miis they played Miitomo with.

All good things must come to an end – hopefully this shift of focus will mean more exciting things are on the horizon for Nintendo in the months to come. In the meantime, let's pour one out for Miitomo.

Do you think Miis will become a relic of the past for Nintendo, or has the company not quite given up on them yet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below...

[source japanesenintendo.com]