Nintendo Goes Mobile
What does Nintendo’s move to mobile mean for its current systems? What’s the Nx? We try to answer some of the deal’s burning questions…
In the space of a single announcement, Nintendo has defined what is likely to be the next chapter in its long history.
At a Tokyo press conference, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed that his company is forging an alliance with Japanese mobile giant DeNa – a deal that will see a range of Nintendo games appear on mobile devices for the first time. Further, the two companies are working on rolling out a new cross-platform replacement for Club Nintendo, which will be available on PC as well as phones, tablets and Nintendo’s own systems.
As if to allay fears that Nintendo’s turning its back on making its own hardware, Iwata also announced the Nintendo Nx – a “dedicated game platform” which will be formally unveiled in 2016.
It’s been announced that Nintendo is to release games for tablets and phones in a new venture with Japanese mobile company, DeNa…
For years, Nintendo pretty much had the handheld market to itself, thanks to the huge popularity of the Game Boy and its successors. But in more recent times, the rise of the smartphone and similar systems has chipped away at Nintendo’s dominance.
In a Tokyo press conference, Nintendo laid out its future plans for mobile gaming. And while Nintendo’s resisted the temptation to create games for rival systems, it’s clear that a change of thinking has been in the air for some time.
Not long ago, the company talked about the possibility of creating new mobile experiences designed to promote the Nintendo brand, and games like Pokemon Shuffle and Puzzles & Dragons: Super Mario Bros Edition hinted at this new direction.
Together Nintendo and DeNA are going to be launching a new cross-platform membership service. This will replace the outgoing Club Nintendo and work on PC and mobile devices as well as Nintendo’s own 3DS and Wii U.
