Tomy, Nintendo agree to tie-up in marketing videogame software
TOKYO - Japanese videogame maker Nintendo Co., will begin marketing and distributing game software developed by toy maker Tomy Co. in Japan from next spring, a Tomy spokeswoman said.
Tokyo-based Tomy currently makes two games, including the war game Zoids VS, for Nintendo's GameCube and seven games, including the hot-seller Little Buster Q, for Nintendo's handheld Game Boy Advance units.
The companies' alliance would allow Tomy to tap Nintendo's sales and marketing resources for all games, said Tomy spokeswoman Shigemi Sugaya.
"For a toy maker, there is a limit to boosting sales of software," Sugaya said. She declined to offer sales targets.
Under the agreement, Nintendo will market, distribute and sell Tomy's ninja fighting game called "Naruto," which is scheduled for release next spring.
Last month, Kyoto-based Nintendo reported its profits dropped 45 percent in the fiscal first half as a price war with rivals chipped away revenue and sales of its Game Boy Advance fell worldwide.
