All DeNA and Nintendo Smartphone Apps Currently in Development are Free-to-Play

Seems to be a conflicting report as to what Nintendo was saying a few weeks ago during their investors meeting...

@Oubie Exactly what I was thinking. Here's a NintendoLife article about it. Although upon reading it again, it doesn't exclude things like microtransactions, they just don't want to do it in a crappy way.

"Iwata-san stated that pricing "will be compared with the prices of other smart device game applications", but made clear that even in free-to-play the company will be aiming for structures that don't draw criticism for shady practices. The goal is to earn a small amount of revenue per player from many millions around the world, as opposed to extracting large sums from a small audience through dubious, addictive models."

We'll have to wait and see how this plays out. Maybe Nintendo can get free-to-play right?

Didn't they say their games weren't going to all be F2P?

Anyway, this almost kills my interest in them. I don't want to play Nintendo games drowning in microtransactions.

@Wouwter Iwata-San stated

I don't think it matters what he said anymore. Not that it really ever mattered, if what he said mattered there wouldn't even be games on mobile, he's the one who empathic ally stated they would never put games on mobile.

Free to start, is unfortunately probably the way to go. If you look at DeNAs website that's what they do, and they are really the ones making the games, it's almost more of an IP licensing deal for Nintendo. It's who they got in bed with.

@Wouwter Indeed! I hope they can get free-to-play right. I'm on board to give their mobile games at least a try, though the 3DS will remain my mobile gaming device at least throughout 2016 with all the RPGs coming.

Well, F2P actually works without shady deals and practices.
You have the "pay as much as you like" modell. Think of this 3DS minigame collection where you could lessen the games price by playing the game itself.

You can offer content on a "unlockable DLC" basis. Sure, it would lock you out of content, but its not using the usual "oh, dont want to wait 2 years untill you can play again ? Better pay up" routine.

If the "Nintendo Account" ends up being subscription based, you could also link those two together and either lessen the price or make them entirely free for NinAcc customers.

There are several ways to "milk" a product without blatantly ripping people off. In the mobile business, transparency would be a huge step forward.

Nice, because I didn't intend to pay.

"march 2017"

@rjejr Well, in the Q&A section of the latest Corporate Management Policy Briefing / Semi-Annual Financial Results Briefing, Kimishima said that Nintendo is developing the applications:
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/151029qa/index.html

@rjejr It might have been like a 'no, a 3DS XL is not coming'-style denial while they were working on a deal with DeNa. Remember, the announcement of mobile games caused Nintendo to reveal working on the NX just to reassure people they are still in the 'hardcore' gaming business. I think his words on how Nintendo will operate when going into the mobile gaming business still stand and I'd like to see Nintendo keep themselves to those words (ie no crappy practices).

Also, I'm pretty sure Nintendo will be making the games, at least that's what they said: "Moriyasu furthered this sentiment by stating that Nintendo will make the games and DeNA will support them." (Source)

@Oubie I do hope not everything will be free-to-play though. I recently bought my first mobile game (Steven Universe: Attack the Light) and really loved it. I'm sure Nintendo could make mobile games that are worthy of actually purchasing as well.

I got no probs with this. My main one is when they bring out Fire Emblem. That will be really hard to do a free to download.

@rjejr Yet Mr Iwata was the one who made it happen in the end. This deal is his work, plus Pokemon Go had a huge amount of input from him.

@Mister_Wu it was announced months ago that Nintendo were making the games and DeNA were doing the mobile architecture and Nintendo Account.

Well those are the games that make the most money so it makes sense.

@Einherjar "NinAcc"

I hope that never catches on.

@Mister_Wu @Wouwter @MadAdam81 I'm long past the point of believing anything said at Ntinedo by anyone at Ntinedo. How's that? Too many course changes. They use a spirograpgh for a compass. It's a company of politicians.

F2P? That's disappointing.

@Dr_Corndog At least if it's F2P, we can all try the games without paying.

I wonder what the stats are for the number of market participants that play a free mobile version of a game, and then eventually buy the full CONSOLE release?

"Strong virality of mii"

Although I know they mean that they hope that having one's own mii will be desirable and open potential revenue streams by increasing awareness of and attachment to the Nintendo brand, I can't help thinking of the plot of a low budget film where infected miis sneeze into the faces of mobile users spreading an incurable disease.

Is the Mii thing still all that strong? I guess maybe more in Japan?

Wait, didnt Nintendo say they where making these four other game paid, from there latest's Investor meeting? (or did i read that wrong?)

Free to play on their mobile games will probably work out best for them, but I would have preferred some premium (but not too expensive for mobile) games

"Emotional attachment to avatars..."

Excuse me while I go lol.

Agent Smith: " they are called free-to-play, not because they are free, but because they are not free... "

@bezerker99 i play a few online games and I'm emotionally attached to the game/avatar...

Thanks for the heads up Tom I made a video but I gave you the credit like always

Hmmm, and Kimishima said only the first one would be free-to-play. We'll see, the whole mobile-business stinks anyway!

@Soren True. I just don't expect much out of them now.