Nintendo announced a landmark decision yesterday, partnering with DeNA to bring Nintendo's beloved franchises to smartphones and tablets, breaking Nintendo's longstanding tradition of restricting its games to its own consoles. Apart from announcing a brand-new game console codenamed NX, the company confirmed in tandem, in a statement with GameSpot, "a core system compatible with a variety of devices including PCs, smartphones, and tablets, as well as Nintendo’s dedicated video game systems." It's a controversial move that has had Nintendo fans split between doomsayers and profit-minded supporters. I believe this decision is inevitable and will likely be the cornerstone of Nintendo's future success.
Given Nintendo's domination of the handheld market with its multiple DS and 3DS consoles and plenty of commercially successful and critically-acclaimed handheld software, it has between Microsoft and Sony the most experience in the "mobile" space. Indeed, this bold venture into mobile will further separate Nintendo from having to compete with Microsoft and Sony directly, charting its own course as it has with the Wii.
Also, Nintendo's franchises have the recognition to crossover to the mobile platform without much trouble, with a bubbly, accessible appeal that will win over parents whose kids are already locked into their respective iPhones and iPads. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't asked yourself why Super Mario Bros. isn't on your smartphone already. (I have.) Sure, we'll need to see how it will handle bringing over Zelda, Donkey Kong, Mario Party, and Super Smash Bros. (just to name a few), though I wouldn't count them out for a second.
The concern, however, is that Nintendo is spreading its attention away from the Wii U and that for mobile it will need to navigate the treacherous waters of a market known for games and apps that are sold well below premium price, if not free-to-play, and that would somehow tarnish the developer's brand of quality. The developer will need to demarcate what is appropriate for the 3DS and separate it from what is appropriate for mobile. Are the likes of Pokemon Shuffle or the upcoming Super Mario version of Puzzles and Dragons a template for something fit more on mobile anyway? Are we going to see a free-to-play version of these games on mobile and then a fully-priced version on 3DS?
At the same time, one of the advantages of having games on mobile and the 3DS is the prospect of integration and cross-buy opportunities. This might be the starting point for a dedicated profile across all of Nintendo's systems as well as handheld, where your progress on a Nintendo mobile game could impact another game on the 3DS or the Wii U through special unlocks and in-game perks. Maybe you might be able to download games for your Wii U through a Nintendo app on your phone. And hey, I haven't even scratched the surface as to what amiibo compatibility might look like across these platforms. Whatever the case, this will push Nintendo to address its sometimes sluggish approach to technology.
Of course, Nintendo may merely be responding to the Japanese market where mobile games are given center stage and console gaming has been floundering. One look at the show floor for Tokyo Game Show, and you might wonder where all the non-mobile games are. Even if Nintendo only has a mediocre showing on mobile platform, the sector is so gargantuan that it would still be considered a financial success. Casual gaming is a pie whose delectable smell cannot be ignored.
If Nintendo plays its cards right, it can not only enter the mobile market, but it can become the head honcho of the platform, leading by example and showing how to do things right. It has the chance to reinvent, influence, and give legitimacy to mobile gaming in a way that no other game publisher has. Because while Nintendo is careful and may be slow to change, when it does something for the first time like DLC, it tends to do it well. I only hope that this will hold for microtransactions.
Nintendo has been justifiably cautious when it comes to mobile and is now taking an incredible, optimistic leap of faith. Nintendo is known for taking small conservative steps and rehashing familiar franchises to protect consumer confidence, but along with Nintendo Directs, DLC, and amiibo, this venture is yet another indication that it's embracing a forward-facing strategy instead of looking back. Let's see if it reaches the stars.
