After today's financial reports confirmed major losses for Nintendo, there are once again calls for the company to take its greatest IP treasures onto other platforms, such as smartphones and tablets. We've heard this all before, with investors saying similar things when Nintendo dropped the 3DS retail price. It's as likely now as it was then.
As reported by Games Industry, Japanese analyst Nanako Imazu — from brokerage firm CLSA in Tokyo — told the New York Times that he expects shifts in the market to make Mario on smartphones a reality.
Nintendo has to deal with the change and let Mario games be played on non-Nintendo devices. I think it will take at least couple of years to see that.
While smartphones and tablets pose significant competition to Nintendo, Satoru Iwata and others have said that its franchises won't appear outside of the company's own hardware. We suspect that Mr Imazu will be disappointed, but time will tell.
[source gamesindustry.biz]
Comments 102
Maybe someday years and years from now, but no way is Nintendo letting their IPs on other platforms. CDi anyone?
No! I feel that would really take away a lot of the quality for one. I personally never want to see Mario on anything other than a Nintendo system.
Maybe they could throw a few Mario clocks and calculators on these phones to keep these analysts quiet. Just keep the good games on the Nintendo platforms.
only time will tell....
Mario is pretty much what is selling Nintendo consoles these days, so to license him to other devices would pretty much seal Nintendo's doom as a hardware manufacturer.
Lol oh these professional analysts and their opinions based on logical numbers. They're so silly.
They do it's called Mario bros on the Atari
Happy now dumb analyst?
yes, have them give away one of their number one selling points and while we're at it, all iDevice upgrades should be free. It ain't gonna happen, so shut up!
Nintendo phone coming soon to a retail near you
@Mathieu_W Well, there's Spirit Tracks and Phantom Hourglass, but that's beside the point. Touch controls like that just wouldn't work for Mario platformers. It just isn't precise enough. Smartphone touch controls are strictly for shooters and puzzles. It just doesn't translate well with platformers.
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
The closest another device will get to a Mario game is MariO the game that mixes Mario, and Portal.
The day I have to use a piece of BLEEP, unresponsive touchscreen alone to attempt controlling Mario on an Apple product is probably the day I turn in my video gamer's membership card and hang up my control pad. That day will likely mean social game like FarmVILE and smartphone shovelware have taken over gaming, and I'll need to find a new hobby.
Watching paint dry would possibly be more entertaining than gaming at that point. I exaggerate, but not by much.
@LordOtaku
Nice one! Don't forget all the consoles Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr. are on.
So Sony can take losses in the billions for 4-5 straight years, and analysts never call for Uncharted or God of War on iOS, but Nintendo takes a $500 million loss for one year and they're calling for Mario and Zelda on iOS. What do they have against Ninty?
BTW, I don't dislike Sony (I own a PS3), just wondering why the analysts are singleing out Nintendo, when other gaming companies have financial problems that are just as bad (if not worse).
I really don't see Nintendo going that route. But you never know.
Not this crap again...
Once more, quality will drop to compete in price, their hardware sales will take a huge drop without exclusivity and smartphones are AWEFUL for hardcore games.
The Future of Mario?:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Dv_DXqdC9k
if this happens then no one will buy nintendo consles, and nintendo probably knows this
Hahaha, NO! Stop with that non-sense you "analysts" that can't analyze anything properly
@fluttershy yeh and last I checked those ports sucked
Analysts know numbers.
Nintendo knows gaming.
Analysts don't know whats good for gaming, or anything for that matter, they just know numbers and base all their logic on numbers and sales figures. It's like a child telling a proffesional they're doing it wrong...
Thats crazy talk!
This "analyst" is off his rocker!
The should go ahead and put "Mario's Missing!" or "Hotel Mario" on a smartphone, just to shut them up.
I have no doubt that official Nintendo games would sell well on a smartphone, but to stay in the competition Nintendo can't let all of its big IPs onto other gaming platforms. Nintendo would be dooming its own consoles if they let that happen.
Nothing's impossible, but not likely any time soon.
Asking Nintendo to put their IPs on other platforms is pretty much asking Nintendo to stop being a hardware company.
They would lose all the money from hardware sales in favor of their competitors now gaining that money as well as money from using their platform to sell Nintendo's games. What part of that equals Nintendo making more money?
@Demonic I second that.
How bout these investors shut up and bathe in their money.
Why would I play a platform game on a touch screen? My stupid thumbs will be all over the screen.
Three things.
1. THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!
2. Shut up about how crappy your games are for the smartphone. That's really all they want is a good smartphone game.
3. You would have to have an imense amount of storage on your phone to have a Mario game. For example, an 8GB iPod touch. Bzzt! No more storage space left. 16? Bzzt! Try 6GB. Download time? Estimated time remaining: 2 days.
Do these "analysts" realize Nintendo would probably LOSE money if they did this? That's would basically be like Nintendo shunning their own systems. Not to mention it would be bad for gaming as a whole, instead of the deep releases we always have gotten we would have smaller games that would have to be really cheap. Not to mention the fact that I don't think any of the Nintendo games would work well on a smartphone. Keep Nintendo games on Nintendo systems please. This guy doesn't seem to know much about gaming, or how it makes money for that matter.
Are you sure the analyst is male? As far as I know, "Nanako" is only for women/girls.
Nintendo developing for other platforms is the same as getting out of the hardware business. Neither Sony nor Microsoft develop for any other platforms. Nintendo is clearly not ready to quit hardware just yet, but it's not obvious to me what they should do in the long term.
@KAI7321 the horror...o and don't forget this classic Zelda title!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNpLXo55yfw
The 3DSiPhone is something I would buy, and it would probably be cheaper than the iPhone I used to type this.
If they do that would be a major blow to their consoles. I wouldn't have gotten a 3DS if I could have gotten the same games on a smartphone, and I doubt anyone else would've.
Just so I'm clear: I hate Apple products and smartphones.
I'll never understand why people who call themselves "Nintendo fans" don't like the idea of Nintendo making money.
Good to know there are so many people on this website who know more about the business side of making games than business analysts. Or to put it another way: if the analysts should leave Nintendo to making the games, the gamers should leave the analysis of Nintendo's business to the analysts.
Hes like asking MS too put Halo on Wii or PS3. I say that pigs will fly before any gaming compagny puts there #1 franchise on a different platform.
I think it would be logical to make some applications for smartphones, but I doubt a conventional Mario game would be a good fit.
It just seems that Nintendo wants quality, which demands a higher price, and they most likely wouldn't be open to making a small, $0.99 app for phones. I do think they should make an Android and Apple application of Duck Hunt... maybe with an option to shoot that annoying dog too...
It would be such a dissapointment. Nintendo, i would truly be ashamed if i EVER saw Mario beating up Bowser on my friends' XBox console. It is JUST NOT WORTH IT! The Wii U will help.
You know, Sony should make LBP, Modnation Racers and Uncharted for 3DS. Sony needs to get used to the change and realize Vita just isn't doing it. And Microsoft should make games for PS3- just because.
It'll happen when sony has halo and gears, and microsoft has god of war and ratchet and clank.
He's not saying Nintendo should put its new games on the iPhone or iPad, he's saying Nintendo should put Mario games on iPhone or iPad. A simple port of Super Mario Brothers would sell in bucket loads and not be competitive with The New Super Mario Brothers 2 on 3DS in any way. Nintendo makes more money and can reinvest it on acquisitions or new IP development.
How anyone could be against that idea is beyond me.
@Choco
It wouldn't be smart. They have the 3DS to take care of. The last thing they need is anything cannibalizing their platforms. A little "fling" with the smartphones would be ok. But to make a total shift- outrageous. Not only that, the phones these days just plain suck. They're not reliable as a phone should be, battery life plays a key role as well as the fact most phones are rushed to market just to compete with "the latest technology" when really, they need to get back to making phones dependent. I'm tired of thinking "Hm, I wonder if my phone is going to hang up or crash today".
I only have 3 games on my smartphone. Honestly, as big of a gamer I am and how I'm open to any gaming platform, gaming on a smartphone, for me, isn't ideal.
Smartphones have a LOOONG way to go anyhow.
@dark-insanity
THIS
Wha does your personal opinion of smartphones have to do with anything? Other people (including me) enjoy using them a great deal.
I also quite explicitly said that no one (not me, nor this analyst) said Nintendo should focus on smart phones. A few apps and lesser games (which is exactly what Microsoft and Sony have done) can be used intelligently to increase brand awareness and engagement with Nintendo's own gaming platforms. If nothing else putting a simple port of Super Mario Brothers on the iPhone would be a clever little, cheap, marketing activity.
I think Nintendo fans should care less about their own taste in gaming platforms, and more about what the iPhone and iPad could do for Nintendo's overall business.
@Waltz: Nintendo's having enough problems populating its own VC, let alone a VC for an iDevice, tbqh. There's also the fact that its games were created for a device that features buttons — I can't see Miyamoto being okay with their games being released for a device with such an obvious playing-experience handicap.
I would suggest Nintendo would be best off acquiring a smartphone specialist developer, and giving them license for Nintendo characters. There are a lot of good ones out there that Nintendo could pick up quite cheaply.
It's not even a persoonal opinion. It's a well known fact.
And I acknowledge what you explicitly said, no need to reiterate.
And I think people like you need to look at the bigger broader picture and realistically see how bad it can be to their business at this point. No sugar coating needed.
My stance is this: If you want to play Playstation games, buy a Playstation. If you want to play Nintendo games, buy a Nintendo system. If you want to play Xbox games, buy an Xbox. Most of the people (from what I see) are people just complaining about not wanting to buy another platform to play games they want to play (which I find ridiculous and any gamer should know the differences between 1st party and 3rd party).
We can agree to disagree.
I think the difference is that you look at Nintendo as a gamer. I see it as a business, and so do the very qualified and experienced analysts that gamers seem to think they can dismiss.
That's going to lead to a different perspective on what Nintendo should do next. Agree to disagree, sure, why not? We're never going to come to an accord when you're an apple and I'm an orange.
I see it as both, actually. I know myself more than anyone else, thanks. I'm more of an orange than an apple, though. I prefer it.
You can be an apple :3
Giving up Mario's exclusivity would be a rockhead business move.
@komic: actually, if you want to play Playstation games, buy an Xperia Play. If Nintendo could partner with a smartphone dev and craft a perfect 'Nintendo phone' in a similar manner, i could see it happening, but not as it stands right now.
also, with as yellow as that chocobo is, he'd have to be a banana :3
@ChocoGoldfish
I think you said similar things about that other analyst. You know, the one who's always wrong? Ah what was his name? Oh well. The point is that these analysts haven't proven to be any authority on the video game industry. How many said the Wii, DS, and 3DS would fail? They were all as wrong as could be. I've been right concerning Nintendo more often than they have, so why should I, or anyone, listen to them? Because they have degrees hanging on the wall? Let me ask you this then. Medical Doctors spend many years in school to become doctors. That said, if any given doctor repeatedly fails at a certain procedure, people won't want to go to that doctor for that procedure. They can't trust his/her results. How is the situation with these analysts any different? No matter how long these analysts spent getting educated, if they have a bad track record with Nintendo, they should be treated the same as the doctor when they try to make predictions about the company.
Update: I remember now! It was Pachter! He's the analyst who's never right!
This won't happen in a million years! but strange things have happened over the years, like back in 1992 if someone said in 10 years time you'll be playing Sonic on a Nintendo console you'd probably laugh at them! So this could happen, I bet in the Nintendo vaults some where they are looking at it and the technology of making it or allowing it to happen...
This day this happens is the day Nintendo dies.
@TBD - wouldn't I be a lemon? You know, sour and all? :3
@chocobo but mario bros on iPhone would take away from Vc downloads. Also I am having trouble playing games on my new iPhone so I don't want to have Nintendo mess that up
Also we're Nintendo fans because we like both there systems and there games
This isn't exactly shocking news. Nintendo farmed out several properties on the Colecovision way back in the day. We had Donkey Kong and Popeye, I'm sure there were more. Yes, it was a different time, and I know Colecovision pre-dates the Famicom (at least here in the States, I don't know about Japan or Europe), but the Big N still had its property on something other than genuine Big N machinery.
It sucks, but worse things have happened in life. It wouldn't surprise me, if someday down the road, several years from now, if the iPod/iPad/iPhone Nth-Generation device hits the market. Complete with a tiny etching of Mario's hat on the back, right next to the apple.
What's the problem with putting the games on other systems? It's not like it will play very differently. It's still the same game.
@jamouse actually they do play different I prefer nes mm2 over my iPad version
@ShadowChaos
YES, Nintendo Phone is the answer!
@waltz: no, because I like lemons. >:3
OH NO SHE DI-INT
If they put mario and zelda on smart phones, that would retain people from buying the Wii and 3DS, and other nintendo platform right?
but yes, a Nintendo phone would make great sense!!!
Because why would people need to buy a new nintendo game system, when they already have mario on their phones? This would really affect the sales of all the systems, and potentially get rid of VC, because, now almost everyone has a phone today.
I also think a port of Duck Hunt would be nice, as well as other old games like Dr. Mario. It would make extra money but not compete with their consoles. Seems good to me, whatever will make money for nintendo!
classic mario could sell on iphone. olympic games or games with mario cameo, okay...
but please, PLEASE no huge titles! I buy nintendo for their franchises, they characters,their style. because its unique to nintendo.
The analyst only knows about numbers and stuff. Gamers know what they like. Some gamers are against this (me for example) and some are for it. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Doesn't make that person wrong. That being said, Nintendo has said that they have no plans to do this. So chill out already everybody. A full fledged game isn't right for smartphones, at least not the way they are now.
@Jamouse
because if nintendo do the same games onn the WiiU and on the PS4, then i will NOT buy the WiiU but go for the PS4. id rather have 1 system for all my games.
maybe nintendo will do like sega one day, making only games for consoles.
honestly, i do hope nintendo focuses on its handheld world and stop their home consoles. Since the n64, its always behind the others. Theyre saved by mario and zelda, but that cant last forever. Im sorry fans, but the Wii didnt do it for me. Mario and zelda didnt justify the hundred dollars required to play them. My PS3 offered me tons of games while my friend's Wii accumulates dust until a good Nintendo sealed game comes out. once a year or so. Plus my ps3 is a blue ray device, i can link it to my pc to watch streamings or divx. heck, i even use it has my mp3 player when i have people at home.
That would be the biggest mistake nintendo could make. Give away their biggest assets, and pay other companies licensing fees for it. NEVER!
That is one of the most terrible ideas I've ever heard in my life.
Mario is the most recognisable character in video games... the idea of him going to a system that isn't even good for playing games is disgusting.
A Mario platformer on a phone or tablet with nothing but a touch screen would be a horrible experience, and I don't know how anyone can think otherwise.
Nintendo's systems (if they still make them) would make less money and Mario would get a bad name.
Phones are good for making phone calls, not for games.
I have a Smartphone, and I've tried many games on it... a few are a bit of fun for about five minutes, and the rest are absolutely terrible.
Also, I wouldn't want Nintendo to make a Nintendo phone.
I'm perfectly happy carrying around a phone in one pocket and a gaming system in another.
The last thing I want is to be receiving phone calls while in the middle of playing a game.
Just leave Nintendo games on a Nintendo system, and phones can stick to their Angry Birds crap and whatever.
@Yrreiht #22
And just after I finish laughing at the analysts.
OOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MYYYYYYYYYYYYYY GOOOOOOOOOOOOD! Is this for real?
No. Kthxbai Analysts. Have fun trying to ruin childhoods <3
Whilst I'm sure Nintendo could sell software profitably on other platforms, the fact is that it would mean the erosion of their own hardware platforms as others have said because they'd be taking resource away from development on their own platforms. I'm sure someone will respond that they could license the IP to a 3rd party, but why would they license a 3rd party to produce software for a platform they don't make themselves rather than one that they do?
I'm sure it's more of a reflection of analysts who feel that Nintendo should simply stop making hardware. If they ever stop making money on hardware or, more importantly, the software that runs on it, then they might have a point. If the Wii-U tanks I think there's a greater chance this could happen, though I doubt they would abandon 3DS regardless
it makes no business sense for Nintendo to try and compete with 5$ games.
And I want to look like Jon Hamm.
@Otaku What? A port of SMB on a completely different system would take away from another systems sales?
Capcom have done this well. I can play Phoenix Wright, Ghost Trick, Marvel vs Capcom 2, SFIV all on my phone. I can also play Minecraft, Sonic, Secret of Monkey Island games, Final Fantasy games, Dead Space, Grand Theft Auto, Chrono Trigger and many more.
mario on ps3... hmmm picks up playstation move controller no. chucks the controller
It won't happen unless there's a single gaming format. I mean most people own phones and ipads too, but Apple has many exclusives of its own. As long as there's a hardware market, Nintendo will always get sales of their consoles BECAUSE of their games.
Microsoft and Sony don't have this - most of their exclusives are bought third party titles (like with Tomb Raider, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil and Crash Bandicoot they eventually end up on other consoles). You have much more chance of them moving to Nintendo than Nintendo moving to someone else. Nintendo own all of their exclusives, they'll never expire and it's their main draw - if they develop for others it'll completely devalue their unique selling point.
I couldn't see mario selling well on a phone/tablet anyway. I work for Toshiba and get new laptops/android phones/tablets/cars every year. I have games on these devices and TBH I dont play them because of how craptastic the experience is, just dont enjoy them at all. People can go on about business degree this and that all they want but the truth is if you were a CEO of Nintendo would you sell out in the hope of gaining a few measly dollars at the same time as damaging your console units just to please a few analysts. The highest business degree holder in the world (if there is such a person) would only sell out if the bottom of the barrel is hit and Ninty aint anywhere near it yet, far from it to be precise. Capcom and all these other devs can do it because they only deal in software not hardware so they have nothing to lose
I can see Mario selling well on a phone, but than that would be one step for nintendo into being a third party, not a first party. Would I like to see a Mario or Nintendo game on a tablet or smartphone? HELL NO!!!! I freakin hate tablets and smartphones, and I believe those devices are RUINING GAMING!!!! ><
Stick with your guns, Nintendo, your investors are just stupid money hungry doochebags.
Nice subtitle.
These analysts do not understand Nintendo's business model. Most of them are part of the "I want Nintendo to fail because it doesn't fit my preconceived notions" crowd.
No. Nintendo games stay on Nintendo systems. No exception. I'd take a 3DS Mario to a watered down, touch control Mario any day.
I do like the idea of Nintendo Phone though. Maybe they could team up with Nokia.
PIGs only fly at a Pink Floyd concert, and fat chance at Pink Floyd ever performing again (with Richard Wright and Syd Barrett both dead).
Mario=Nintendo
and
Nintendo=Mario
and
Pink=Floyd
Like having Nintendo games on non-nintendo platforms "worked" before...
I'm sick of these investors who say Nintendo should make smart phone games. I'm sick of nearly ALL the investors in the video game industry. They always want a company to rush a product out off the door, make a cash cow from a beloved franchise, etc. They only care about the money, not about the games.
SHUT YOUR ****ING MOUTHS, INVESTORS!
But yeah, you can never trust analysts completely.
I have to admit, I'm an Apple fan as I have never owned a PC in my life and of course I have an iPhone and an iPod. BUT, I also have a Wii, a DS and a 3DS and I really hope Mario will only show up on nintendo game consoles.
"Idiot Analyst wants Nintendo to kill strongest selling point"
What else is new?
Do these guys even realize Nintendo sells hardware as well?
There's no way Nintendo could sustain itself if they stop making their games exclusive. Either they stop making consoles, or they'll keep on making games for them.
Another idiot analyst?
Sure of courseeee it would make more money if it spread....but the thing is it's doing just fine on a Nintendo console, and it should stay that way. Nintendo has to be unique they can't sell themselves away.
It will never happen.
Mario on non-Nintendo platforms, that's like if Burger King decided to turn over their whoppers to McDonalds. Mario is Nintendo's number one seller and mascot, why would Nintendo want him on other devices which had nothing to do with them.
So why don't these analysts ever moan about Microsoft putting Halo on the iPhone or Sony putting Uncharted on Android?
Why is it only Nintendo that's making the "huge mistake" by not putting their properties on third party platforms?
This entire debate is just sickeningly stale, to be honest.
@Navi people don't understand how awful having NINTENDO products on non NINTENDO systems would be for NINTENDO.
Also of course I'm seeing Nintendo as a gamer, they are a video game company after all
would lead to a dilution of mario quality
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