It could be that Nintendo's relationship with Nvidia goes beyond simply working together on the Switch; if a report emanating from China is to be believed, Nvidia has been given permission to release some of Nintendo's older games on its Shield hardware.
The report was brought to light by industry analyst Daniel Ahmad:
Before we get too excited, it's worth noting that this deal only applies to China at present. Given how difficult it is to sell consoles in that region, it would appear that Nintendo is using smart devices like the Nvidia Shield to crack the market and sell its games. If this is true, Nvidia would benefit by having a major stream of exclusives for its line of Shield systems, which it is looking to launch globally this year.
As Ahmad himself is keen to stress, much of this is rumour and speculation at present, but the fact remains that New Super Mario Bros. is coming to China - yet we've had no word on a Switch release in that region.
If the Shield connection isn't believable, then how else can Nintendo release the game in China? Share your thoughts with a comment below.
Thanks to SLIGEACH_EIRE for the tip!
Comments 72
wait why does this guy have me blocked
I dunno how to feel about this...
Well it's definitely better than nothing!
It's a huge market that they need to take advantage of, China has a ton of potential customers. Making money on 10 year old games is a good idea too.
It's a hard market to position yourself in. You never know when consoles are going to get banned again... It's a HUGE market, though... so is it worth launching your console? Or just striking a deal with someone who is already there?
Good luck to them!
3rd party here we come!
@DarthNocturnal If it is real, don't expect it to happen outside of China. This is very much Nintendo trying to sell its games in a market where consoles don't tend to sell that well. It's actually quite a clever strategy.
If you're going to try out a brand new market, why not try it with one of your best selling games of all time?
Do people know Mario in China?
Is China paying for stuff now then?
New Chāojí Mǎlìōu Xiōngdì already came out on the IQue DS in 2009.
@kamikazilucas
You're probably one of the various blocklists people use.
Has anyone here actually read the Chinese text, or does it secretly say "this is fake news"?
@DarthNocturnal Don't see any reason why it wouldn't happen. According to Daniel Ahmad it will eventually be a worldwide thing, not sure where he's basing that on, but I don't see any reason why it will be China exclusive.
@Fiyaball Nintendo officially submitted the trademark and the game is approved, so yes, it's real.
@kamikazilucas I think you meant @Dezzy
China is a weird place when it comes to video games, so I won't draw any conclusions on whether or not this will happen worldwide.
That cool and all but wouldn't it make more sense to release a game that would take advantage of the hardware? It just seems like they want to squeeze that 11-year-old game for everything it's worth. Lol
@Dezzy yeah maybe, but its weird because i did follow him and then he just randomly blocked me, its not like i said anything stupid i hardly talked to him
Why New Super Mario Bros., a DS game, of all things?
That sounds interesting. .....it might happen
@Octane getting consoles approved for use in China is hard. Their regulations and import rules are very weird.
This is a unique case where it's easier to use a device like the shield than it is to get their own console approved. N64 clones with sd card slots only hit the region a couple of years ago.
I highly doubt Nintendo will canabalise their 3DS sales by offering it outside of China. And once again if they did - it would be easier and probably would have hit the rest of the world first.
NINTENDO GOING 3RD PARTY CONFIRMED!!!!
Actually, I think it's a clever strategy from Nintendo and besides it's NSMB on a tablet by Nvidia not Sony or MS.
Nvidia and Nintendo are working together on Switch so this can only mean good things for their business relationship in the future.
Hmm, interesting.
Nothing that will affect us though. Even if they did release this game on Shield outside of China, who's gonna buy a Shield with one old Nintendo game over a Switch...
Exactly..
Strange. Nintendo said they would release the Switch in Hong Kong.
Back up plan in case Switch fails?
Surely the switch is the perfect system for China?
@abe_hikura
China's market is different. They're still buying modified versions of the N64 over there. I doubt even the Shield will sell anything noteworthy in China. None of the higher end systems (to us westerners) ever break the market.
For some reason, I REALLY don't like this. I wish they would commit in one way or another. Make Nintendo all 3rd party, or remain exclusive to Nintendo consoles. (Excluding mobile style like games for mobile phones of course)
@Damo I thought Nvidia Shield was just a marketing ploy to sell the Tegra chips to Ntineod and now it's a dead system?
OK, snide remark out of my system, which Shield devices is Nvidia selling in China, tablet, Sheild handheld or Shield TV?
I know the focus of the article is Mario 3d party, which really shouldn't be news anymore w/ SMR on Android and Apple, Pandora's box is open and once open, well you know the rest, but I'm curious what devices Nvidia is selling in China. I know as a tech guy you probably know.
In my opinion, China is the dullest place for video games. Boring, counterfeit stigma, etc. Even i'm half Indonesian-Chinese have no desire to learn Chinese language or even think about to visit / stay at China. Instead, I know Japanese language better than Chinese. Japan in my opinion is the most interesting place to visit. There are a lot of so creative things from Japan, mesmerizing me as usual. Again, it just my opinion.
Does anyone pay for a legitimate copy in China?
They'd do well to get Blizzard on their side while they're at it. China loves them to death and a portable console that people can play Star Craft, Diablo, Hearthstone, and Overwatch on would make some serious bank just from that region alone.
@Link506 woah dude, that avatar
If true... welcome to 2006...
From my understanding, China is very picky about selling foreign hardware in their markets. I believe they are just opening up to the idea of Sony and Nintendo selling their consoles as long as they are manufactured inside the country borders?
Regardless, this is better way to go about it's market. Considering how they localized the N64 into the iQue.
I know Nintendo makes money selling consoles and I never want them to stop. They are leading innovators in both consoles and games even though they are not perfect. But they also need to make money selling games, and if they are not going to put games out on Xbox/pc/ps, then tablets and mobile is a logical place to also sell games. As long as Nintendo keeps doing what they have been for 30+ years, I'm ok with anything that gets Nintendo products into people's hands. And since partnering with nvidia with switch, this is a great move. I just hope that switch is really the start to an integrated platfrom like steam and iTunes where 15 years later, I can still access my games from on new devices just like those platforms. This is really why I love that my Wii/u has transferred all my years of gaming into 1, 300+ game system. 8 person smash on day 1 without buying new controllers.(but it dies and am I am f) It's also why I'm not hurrying to buy everything again when switch releases either.
lol I can't believe how many people are living in their own bubbles. Sony's Play station and Microsoft Xbox have already entered China OFFICIALLY years ago, and, don't be surprised, some of my Chinese friends bought their consoles.
I don't get the whole idea of people thinking China is still that weird country that produces bootlegs and not paying for anything. Yes, there are still people like that in China. But come on, now China is the second largest luxury consumer in the world - what makes you think they can't pay for their games when they can afford 700usd shoes?? And if you doubt it, go search "China’s sales of PlayStation VR sets top Asian markets".
I had my own version of this country before, just like some of you. But I visited China last summer and the country blew my mind. Seriously, don't live in your own little world. There are always more to see.
@ZurapiiYohane64 you do know chinatown do not equal to the actual China, right?
@Anti-Matter I learnt both Chinese and Japanese. Went to both countries. Made many Chinese and Japanese friends. Although they are very different, but both of them have very impressive features and characteristics. Japan also learnt a lot from China back in the day, so naturally they share many things with each other.
If you think it's a boring place for gaming, you can search NetEase's Onmyoji. I think it's a perfect example of the relationship of Chinese and Japanese folklore and culture. It's a Chinese mobile game based on Japanese history but has a lot of yokai/spirits from both countries. And the Chinese company hired a lot of famous Japanese seiyuu, too.
@JaxonH probably the same amount of people that would buy a Switch for one old Wii U game.
All Chinese gamers play is MOBA PC games and smartphone games so Nintendo is pretty smart about this, PS4/XB1 did not do well in China.
I can already play NSMB (2006) on my Shield through the DraStic Nintendo DS Emulator, lol.
@gatorboi352
Not even close. I don't think a single person on this earth would buy Switch just for one game (actually I'm sure plenty would just to have the greatest game ever made on the go- I don't know anyone who would buy a Shield for NSMB on the go, of course China is a different story).
Everyone I've talked to (including myself) is buying it for the five years of games that are coming, and the fact they can all be played on the go or on the TV. And that new Zelda game... that is going to be the best of the generation- that's just the cherry on top. The first fruits of many to come.
@kamikazilucas The pathetic loser went on some blocking spree last year. Blocking everyone who follows anything that's Xbox. Like games,fans and executives. He blocked me cause an Xbox guy named Tim Dog was following me.
@TwilightOniAngel whats his problem with xbox?
@TwilightOniAngel
A lot of people have an irrational hatred of Xbox. Idk why, maybe cause they're a western megacompany. I think it boils down to hatred of MS which spills over to Xbox as well. It's illogical, but then again I see people hate Nintendo just as much and even Sony in some cases. In fact I know a few gamers who absolutely abhor Microsoft and nomatter how many times I try to tell them they should care about games more than platform, they just don't want to hear it. I don't blame people for being turned off by their launch blunders, but some people hide behind that as a mask for their loathing. It's the only excuse they need to continue hating them... forever.
I think people just take video games way too seriously, and become so enamored with one specific brand that it bothers them when they see any other platform get attention from people or do well. They might never say as much but you know that's what is really going on. When a person is triggered and bothered by people enjoying a brand, they've got issues to sort out. I don't know who this dude is but it sounds like someone I don't really want to know.
I don't like the sound of this. I know how hard of a market China can be for gaming consoles, but I'd prefer it if Nintendo didn't just give their games (old or not) to someone else for release. Maybe it is leading up to both companies working to create a console together in the future? This brings to mind how Sony and Nintendo where going to originally working together to create what became the Playstation before they fell out with each other.
Is it native? Or it is the iQue version emulated on the nvidia shield?
@YingofDarkness "Both companies leading up to create a console together in the future".
Sit down my son, I have to tell you something
Like someone care about china and nvidia shield...
as long as Nintendo makes lots of money and invests it in making games for the switch, i'm happy.
Since when is the Shield a smart device?
Makes sense. Although emphasis on "time" in the phrase "timed exclusive"! Could be very useful for nVidia in China.
@MilitiaMan
If the back up plan is "rely on 10 year old games selling on niche Nvidia hardware in a country that is quite averse toward dedicated gaming hardware", then no...
@Octane On the contrary, there is very little reason for this to happen outside China.
@YingofDarkness Genuinely not sure if you're joking...
The Nintendo Switch is technically launching in China on the same day as the rest of the world... within their Hong Kong district, at least.
@8itmap_k1d There is if this is the deal between Nvidia and Nintendo. Nintendo got the custom Tegra chips for a bargain price and in turn Nvidia is allowed to publish a select range of Nintendo games to promote their Shield.
More teamwork between Nintendo and Nvidia? Yes. Yes.
Hopefully Nvidia is already working on the tech to beat the competition to the pulp with the Switch's successor. Better start planning ahead!
@Octane Of course, although there are specific and unique reasons why this is happening in China.
Clever move by Nintendo. And also a good way to promote their games there.
NVIDIA OR NOW NintendoVidia
@kamikazilucas me too, he blocks everyone lol
A strange but interesting deal, particularly considering the Shield could/can be considered a direct competitor to the Switch in many ways.
Also, how can Nvidia sell the shield in China without any issues but Nintendo can't apparently sell the Switch or any of its other consoles there? That's what I'm getting from the article anyway.
I would probably go as far as to say that New Super Mario Bros is THE least good 2D Mario game, and that if anything should be used as a test, that just might be it.
@JaxonH "I don't think a single person on this earth would buy Switch just for one game"
You're making my point. Just look at how many people wanted a "I'm not buying Switch and instead playing BotW on my Wii U" option on this article's comment section: https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/01/poll_what_are_your_nintendo_switch_pre-order_and_launch_day_plans
@gatorboi352
So???
Let people do what they want.
..so ....what does this have to do with the price of rice in China?..
@JaxonH oh, and do what they want they will. Switch, unfortunately, could be the beginning of the end of dedicated Nintendo hardware.
Luckily, gamers like you and I have PlayStations and XBoxs to play when that happens. Not being married to any single brand is a great feeling.
@gatorboi352
Indeed it is.
Although I must say, I think Switch will do well. But whether it does or doesn't, not my concern. I just play the games it provides, and enjoy it for what is is
@BLP_Software I don't count the Switch as a full collab between the two because all it seems Nvidia did was provide the chip for it. Besides that Nvidia still has their own separate stuff (like the Shield and TV). That is why I mentioned the Sony and Nintendo's previous efforts to create a console together. It is something both companies were working on together unlike with the Switch. Was that a little clearer?
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