Nintendo has revealed its latest financial results, and though we await the full transcript of President Tatsumi Kimishima's briefing the early noises online suggest that much was kept rather close to the chest. Nevertheless the company is working to charm investors into keeping the faith after results that saw a notable drop in profits and a slowdown in sales momentum for the 3DS, in particular.
Naturally investors are clamouring to know what Nintendo and DeNA have up their sleeves for their next smart device apps, as Miitomo will arrive in March. As previously announced on multiple occasions, we're looking at 5-6 apps coming in the next 18 months (roughly), and we're likely not far off details of the second app from the partnership. Tomoaki Kawasaki, an analyst at Iwai Cosmo Securities Co., was quoted as saying the following on the topic.
There is a lot of attention on Miitomo in March and what it will say about the company's strategy. Nintendo absolutely needs a new growth driver.
Kimishima-san hasn't revealed details, but Bloomberg is quoting the executive as saying the following about the company's next arrival in the mobile space.
Our second game will not be a communication app. We are going to pick some intellectual property that is very well known to everyone. There are plans for new businesses in the works.
That description naturally brings Mario to mind, and there'll be a lot of intrigue when Nintendo and DeNA unveil the first 'game' for iOS / Android, especially as Miitomo is a communications app. We must also remember that Nintendo is co-publisher and funder of Pokémon Go, which is set to be a huge release on smart devices this year.
Which franchise do you want Nintendo to bring to smart devices next? Or would you simply prefer that all smartphones and tablets are destroyed and only dedicated gaming systems are allowed?
[source bloomberg.com]
Comments (90)
Interesting… Maybe they could make a Doodle Jump style game? It would either be a hit...or a terrible idea. Quite interesting though, to see where they go with this.
Hmm not sure. I love all Mario games and really want a new wider audience to enjoy him but the quality obviously won't be good on a mobile. I'll try/buy them all tho still
Mario Kart GO.
Obviously, it's Smashstone, the Super Smash Bros card game!
...actually, that sounds cool. If it was fun, I'd play it.
Do Mario Maker, but don't allow them to play the levels, only make them. Develop an AI try to navigate the level in the app to see if it works before uploading.
hmm... F-Zero AudioSurf.
Guessing it'll be a Mario game.
Hmmm.....Kirby?
"It's-a-me, in-app-purchase!"
See when they say intellectual property in my head that doesn't mean a character it sounds more like a gaming genre something like brain training or picross possibly
Hideki Konno is a man we can trust!
If they made a DBZ Dokkan Battle style game but with smash bros charecters then they would be the most downloaded game on the aindroid app store. I mean theirs so many characters they could choose from, as well as have alternate forms, assist trophys, final smashs, ect. Its a brilliant idea and would definitely be a great addition to thier mobile game lineup
I don't really care what franchises they use, as long as it's a fun game in the end! Miitomo will be an exciting moment, but whatever comes next will be the real first game out of Nintendo for smart devices, and I can't wait what it will be like playing Nintendo on my phone
I think it's safe to say there'll be at least 1 game from the Zelda universe this year,what with it being it's 30th anniversary.Have several in game ads promoting Zelda U and past games and they're onto a winner.
super mario player. tho' i think i already said that before.
A Nintendo TCG wouldn't be a bad idea actually..
Mario Golf would be easy on mobile, but easiest port would be Tipping Stars.
How about Puzzle & Dragons Mario edition?
Meanwhile, my kids are still waiting for the Pokémon card game on Android.
@LUIGITORNADO Let people play it if they have an external controller. Like a Dualshock 4 maybe?
"Please don't be Mario Match-3..."
They already did that and released it on the 3DS last year.
@Braok My idea was give them a taste and bring them to the purchase of a system that they can play it on.
I mean, who wouldn't pay $1.99 to build Mario Levels? Catch is...you need a Nintendo system to play the levels.
Another app could be the fly mini game from Mario paint. I think I'd download that today if Nintendo made it avail on the smartphones.
I hope with whatever mobile games they make they also offer a release to the 3DS or something.
Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble 2
Pokemon Shuffle 2: The Shuffling.
Please not Fire Emblem..... PLEASE NOT FIRE EMBLEM!!!!!!!!! ANYTHING BUT THAT!!!!!!!!!!
Flappy Mario! (user was knifed for this post)
It is an endless runner, Mario collecting gold coins.
As long as there isn't any in app purchases.
@booker_steve Exactly what I was thinking, Puzzle & Dragons is pretty much a mobile title so may as well port the currently 3DS exclusive part like what happened with Pokemon Shuffle.
Super Mario Endless Runner confirmed.
It's probably a Match game or something like the Kardashian game.
These are the only things that do well on mobile at the given time.
Wario! Warioware (GBA style) on mobile is such a perfect fit. Surely something they could knock out and charge 99p a pop. Though no doubt it'll be free with annoying IAPs.....
I'd still get it though, how awesome would that be for a commute or dropping the kids off?
Well, Nintendo crams Mario into every other thing it does, so mobile wouldn't be surprising.
Clash of Clans - Mario edition.
Mushroom houses, Peach Castle, Yoshi mounts and Toads armies.
@Yorumi Game != intellectual property.
@RainbowGazelle
Actually Mario hasn't been in that many games over course of Wii U and 3DS.
There was more Mario games released on N64 and Gamecube than the systems that followed.
It's Captain Rainbow!
I want to smartphone gaming to die, it is a cancer to gaming, showing only the worst, like pay to win and games made not to make fun, to make money, also is a cancer to humanity, smartphones is just making everything worse is like a drug, including social media, let's destroy that.
"Growth driver". That term makes me feel queasy. Everybody always wants more. Grow or wither is always the option for international businesses.
@Charinzardon
That's a horrible misrepresentation of smartphones and their apps.
Smartphone gaming only accounts between 1/3rd and 1/2 of the total iOS and Android App stores.
Smartphone gaming is no worse for the industry than AAA Blockbuster games and shooters.
All three are causing the industry to narrow.
I prefer all smart devices to be destroyed and only dedicated gaming systems to exist.
@LUIGITORNADO
That is a really good idea that does exactly what Iwata said their goal with smartphone games/apps is for: lead people back to Nintendo hardware.
@invictus4000
Did you miss the fact that Sony and Microsoft heavily marketed their current systems as HD multimedia devices and Sony has been marketing the 4K movie aspect of PS4.
I mean Sony pushed Blu-ray and multimedia features on PS3 more than they did games in their marketing campaign.
PS3 only had Blu-ray, to ensure Blu-ray would win the format war.
IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH GAMES according to then Sony CEO.
Sony heavily pushed DVD feature of PS2 the first 3 years of PS2 over gaming.
Sony heavily pushed CD features of PS1 over gaming the first 2 years (until FFVII hit).
Yeah 3 out of the 4 latest winning consoles haven't been dedicated systems.
@Palom My thoughts exactly!
Didn't they say only Miitomo would be free and the rest would cost money? I wouldn't worry too much about IAP.
Please make a normal smash bros game on iOS or smash bros card game, that would sell extremely well And would be pretty fun to play.
@NF6429
You need to take a hard look at mobile trends and how paid games bomb spectacularly
@Xenocity
Good point, I'd rather just have a console game at this point than a smartphone game, smash bros is the only game I'd ever play on mobile, if it was on there, are you sure paid games don't sell well. I've seen loads with some impressive figures, for example, the room, the sims,
I think a Splatoon phone game would work well. It could be similar to the minigames in Splatoon.
@SideBOffStage
Imagine if they brought the canceled shooting minigame from splatoon to mobile, I would love that
@SideBOffStage And you could collect different items to then transfer 'em onto the real game.
F-Zero!
lol
@Splatburst That would be pretty amazing
9 years ago Nintendo announced they were doing a 3D Mario game on a console with less buttons than its predecessors. Many thought it couldn't be as good. I don't think Nintendo will make a game that's like the ones already out there for mobile devices. They won't be restricted by the limitations, but embrace the possibilities and create a game that could only exist on a mobile and could only be made by Nintendo. At least that's what I hope. Their record of publishing absolute stinkers in the last year alone (yes, I acknowledge the great games, but their has been some in-house filth from them) doesn't produce the certainty it once did. However, I am hopeful that their first mobile game will be something really special.
"Or would you simply prefer that all smartphones and tablets are destroyed and only dedicated gaming systems are allowed?" Ha!
I'm definitely excited and intrigued by Pokemon Go. Not sure precisely what to expect just yet, but with the folks behind it, I could see it being a massive hit across borders.
It doesn't say anywhere that it'll be a game or Mario, but I'd imagine it'll be a Mario game. Nintendo's investors didn't react too well when Miitomo was revealed, so a smartphone Mario game would help appease them.
Mario seems to be the safest bet, pretty much. It's either that or Pokemon, and the latter already has games released or to be released for mobile.
@TantXL I think that Kimishima at some point confirmed the games coming after Miitomo would be ''free to start'' as well. So there'll definitely be microtransactions, I believe.
Don't expect Nintendo to take an idea like Doodle Jump, Flappy Bird etc and slap Mario on. Look at what they did for the DS and ESPECIALLY the spin off Kirby games to see what Nintendo could do with an existing character. They have a huge wealth of puzzle titles (many with Kirby, Yoshi, Picross, Panel De Pin, Dr Mario etc) they could easily port but again this is Nintendo, expect the unexpected...for example a God damn Metroid Sports title.
As this year is Zelda's 30th anniversary, it could be a Zelda title. But I think Mario maybe a safer bet.
It'll either be
Touch My Mario!
Or
Pokemon Amie Mobile
@LinkSword Oh darn, Didn't know that. really sucks. Thanks for informing me.
Mario platformer would work well and would be very fun and popular! Still most GBA emulators show that a lot of games work on mobile with a D pad and a and B buttons on the screen perhaps what the NX controller will be like
The fact he's being secretive shows they've got something big planned for Mario or link
@Wakkawipeout "Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble 2"
That would be awesome!
Or Nintendogs, maybe? Or maybe even something Animal Crossing related.
@LUIGITORNADO That's stupid. You have to play while making the level.
@NF6429
No paid games rarely do well.
The Sims is free (or less than $2) on Smartphones with tons of IAP for extra features.
~90% of the money in smartphone gaming is free to play
Nintendo is not on mobile until Mario is on mobile.
Most here would be upset with a Mario runner, but seeing how many kids love Temple Run and Minion Rush, I would not dismiss it as a strategic business move (and you know you would play it)
MARIO OR RIOT!
A Mario endless runner should be a natural choice for one of Nintendo's first mobile games, it's a genre that they haven't done before and should sell gangbusters.
Whatever it is, there's guaranteed to be in-app purchase...
@hadrian This is true, they don't like to just copy existing games, they like to put their own twist on things. But then there's no reason why they can't put a twist on the endless runner and do something totally unexpected but still platforming related.
"Very well known to everyone "
With an emphasis like that, I could not help but think Mario as well..
Now I'm not so sure anymore...
Couldn't it just as well be another N- Tetris game? XD;;
*There's also the case with those investors to consider..
(they went in expecting Mario on mobile)
If Ninty already had something in mind, or were willing, then why didn't they reassure them from the start?
Either this is Nintendo giving in or... umm
...yeah, sorry.. I don't know where I was going with my ramblings XDD
It will be Pikmin
Miyamoto said he was working on the next Pikmin already. It's Pikmin.
Tap phone screen to toss Pikmin, or shake phone,
It works.
@Xenocity Your point being?
"Metroid Federation Force GO!" confirmed
Please no more endless runners.
"Well known" to everyone doesn't confirm it's Mario. Donkey Kong is also a widely recognizable character.
Everyone is saying Mario and because Pokemon GO is coming out everyone ruled out the possibility to a Pokemon port! I mean, that's what first came to my head.... Ooo! Or some type of Zelda game, considering the anniversary this year!
@bluedogrulez
"Nintendo is not on mobile until Mario is on mobile."
My sentiments exactly... and probably the sentiments of a lot of that casual/mobile market they're after too. My niece is one of those kids that loves Temple Run so a Mario variation would be an instant download. I know for sure my mom would play the hell out of a Dr. Mario mobile game, and my brother's always looking for a traditional Mario on mobile before I have to remind him that Nintendo isn't (well, wasn't) on mobile. As much as some hate the over reliance on Mario, he is what's going to get this ball rolling.
I see it being something small, like a Pictures With Mario type game that uses cell phone cameras...or even a small advance of the original Mario Bros game. Other than that, they may even skip Mario and do a Pokemon type game...pass by others to gain Pokemon by fighting theirs...would be a somewhat good idea! Something that they could've even done with the 3DS.
I don't want them to bring anything to android or Apple. I want it all for myself on the systems I bought. Well that's how I feel. But I guess they gotta do what they gotta do to stay in the game. It just feels like they are selling their soul or something. God I hate playing on my tablet or phone. It's hard to believe that Tablets and phones have become the number 1 way of making money in the industry. The controls are usually so uncomfortable
I personally think a smart way to have a good mobile presence while promoting Nintendo's own hardware is to have a Mini Mario Maker app. You can download the app for free and use it to create levels. The catch is that you have to purchase an NX device and a copy of Super Mario Maker 2 (or New Super Mario Maker or whatever the hell it is called) in order to play the level you have built.
You clearly missed the part where I said an AI would play it.
The first one was Pokemon Shuffle, right? The second Pokemon Go! and the third... Dr. Mario?
Pokemon!
Is this where I leave my shout for an advance wars game.
Please please please
@VanillaLake The Pokémon games don't count. Of course they are Nintendo mobile games, but Pokémon Company is independent.
The first mobile game aside from Pokémon is Miimoto, so this is the second one.
Tbh im surprised Mario wasn't the first... I think Zelda could make an interesting transition to mobile gaming... it already holds some good puzzle elements to it... it would work well as a puzzle-dungeon trawler, with a boss fight every few floors and the need to locate special items to progress.
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