Topic: Nintendo and mobile gaming...

[lolmonade]

I think it would be silly for Nintendo to go mobile-only.  That said, I think there are certain game series (Brain Age & Nintendogs come to mind) that I'm not sure people are willing to pay retail price for, and may be able to net a better profit if Nintendo had a willingness to release these types of games on smartphone/tablet platforms.

[tendoboy1984]

Who said anything about Nintendo going mobile only? I was talking about them making mobile games as a side project while they continue to focus on their consoles. They could make some extra cash that way because many people would gladly buy Nintendo games on smartphones / tablets. It worked for Sega and their Sonic games.

Instead of simply porting classic Mario and Zelda games to mobile devices, I was thinking Nintendo could make a minigame collection (look at Super Mario 64 DS and the various Kirby games for examples). Game & Watch titles would also work well on mobile devices because those games are simple and easy to play.

[Oblivion]

Who said anything about Nintendo going mobile only? I was talking about them making mobile games as a side project while they continue to focus on their consoles. They could make some extra cash that way because many people would gladly buy Nintendo games on smartphones / tablets. It worked for Sega and their Sonic games.

Instead of simply porting classic Mario and Zelda games to mobile devices, I was thinking Nintendo could make a minigame collection (look at Super Mario 64 DS and the various Kirby games for examples). Game & Watch titles would also work well on mobile devices because those games are simple and easy to play.

[nickmitch]

Who said anything about Nintendo going mobile only? I was talking about them making mobile games as a side project while they continue to focus on their consoles. They could make some extra cash that way because many people would gladly buy Nintendo games on smartphones / tablets. It worked for Sega and their Sonic games.

Instead of simply porting classic Mario and Zelda games to mobile devices, I was thinking Nintendo could make a minigame collection (look at Super Mario 64 DS and the various Kirby games for examples). Game & Watch titles would also work well on mobile devices because those games are simple and easy to play.

1) That cash flow isn't strong.
2) You would take away resources from putting games on the Wii U?
3) That didn't work for Sega, Pachinko machines are their bread and butter right now.
4) We've heard your idea already; it's stupid.

[tendoboy1984]

Sega themselves don't make Pachinko machines. Their parent company Sammy does. Sega just makes video games and arcade games.

Nintendo making mobile games wouldn't take away resources from Wii U or 3DS development. They could just set aside a small 5-man team to make mobile games.

[NWR_insanolord]

To paraphrase Chris Kohler, saying Nintendo should get a little bit into mobile gaming is like suggesting someone get a little bit pregnant. Going down that road is the first step toward leaving the hardware business, and they couldn't go back.

[tendoboy1984]

To paraphrase Chris Kohler, saying Nintendo should get a little bit into mobile gaming is like suggesting someone get a little bit pregnant. Going down that road is the first step toward leaving the hardware business, and they couldn't go back.

Why can't Nintendo do both mobile games and their own hardware/software? Microsoft makes games for mobile and Xbox, and even Sony is starting to make games for mobile devices.

[NWR_insanolord]

The absolute biggest selling point of Nintendo hardware is Nintendo software. If you introduce ways to get that on other hardware, you are sowing the seeds of Nintendo's downfall.

[UncleBob]

Not that I see this as a good idea, but the only way I see Nintendo going Mobile is if they create a phone that plays Nintendo games and is the only way to play them.

[NWR_insanolord]

The sales of a Nintendo-made proprietary phone would make the Wii U look like the second coming of Wii/DS.

[nickmitch]

Sega themselves don't make Pachinko machines. Their parent company Sammy does. Sega just makes video games and arcade games.

They issue a consolidated set of financial statements: they are the same company.

Nintendo making mobile games wouldn't take away resources from Wii U or 3DS development. They could just set aside a small 5-man team to make mobile games.

Setting aside a small team = taking away resources.
Hiring a small team = spending money that could be spent elsewhere

[ThePerm]

The only way developing for other mobile platforms even kind of, sort of works for Nintendo is if they don't use their established franchises because they don't want people thinking Mario and Zelda can be had on anything except Nintendo hardware. That's still silly because using their brands is the easiest way to sell those games.

Perhaps there could be some interaction between your phone and 3DS like Streetpaases picked up via the upcoming Miiverse app then transferring them to 3DS at home. I carry around my 3DS specifically for Streetpasses so maybe Nintendo shouldn't do anything to discourage that.

Gameboy Phone

Close enough?

this was my concept art years ago

[UncleBob]

The sales of a Nintendo-made proprietary phone would make the Wii U look like the second coming of Wii/DS.

I don't disagree.

[BlackNMild2k1]

The sales of a Nintendo-made proprietary phone would make the Wii U look like the second coming of Wii/DS.

On the other hand, a Nintendo handheld that was capable of Wi-Fi calls (video/voice/text) would be pretty damn popular
(just for the fact that it was a Nintendo handheld, nothing to do with the communication features)

[UncleBob]

I don't think it would.  A) Nintendo would probably not actually let you use any of those features for fear of child predators and B) It'd be awfully bulky.

[BlackNMild2k1]

The only [addition needed to] whatever the handheld was is a better Wi-Fi chip and software. I don't think any bulk would be added.

Part of Nintendo's problems is not embracing the advancement of technology, that's why all their attempts at modernization appear to be half step implementations.
Let the tech do what the tech is capable of doing. They need to be a little more forward thinking in their design and stop creating obstacles that need new hardware to be overcome.

[UncleBob]

The only aspirin it would be too whatever the handheld was is a better Wi-Fi chip and software. I don't think any bulk would be added.

I'm sorry, I don't understand your crazy moon language.

Seriously though, it wouldn't add bulk, but could you imagine talking on a phone the size of a 3DS?  Even the GBA?

[Ian Sane]

Nintendo can't make a phone because you need to be hip to current technology to pull that off.  The phone market would rip Nintendo apart.  There is no room for Nintendo to do their wacky Nintendo solutions that reinvent the wheel.  The only way I could see such a concept working is if they teamed up with an existing phone company and let them handle everything but the videogame stuff.  Otherwise we would get the Nintendo equivalent of N-Gage side talking.

Do you look at the interface of the eShop or the Wii U and think "I want THIS company making my phone" or any sort of practical non-entertainment software for that matter?

[Adrock]

Even if Nintendo made the best phone ever, I'd have no interest in it. I already have an iPhone and I'm happy with it. Like Nintendo's hardware, it does what I need it to do and I have no reason to switch as long as it does. I was mildly interested in Blackberry Z10 and from what I demoed of it at Best Buy last year, it certainly was competent (though a dead-ringer for WebOS). I just had no answer for the most important question: Why?

There's no reason for Nintendo to throw their hat in the ring. The market is too complicated and crowded as it is.

[BlackNMild2k1]

The only aspirin it would be too whatever the handheld was is a better Wi-Fi chip and software. I don't think any bulk would be added.

I'm sorry, I don't understand your crazy moon language.

Seriously though, it wouldn't add bulk, but could you imagine talking on a phone the size of a 3DS?  Even the GBA?

DAMN THAT TABLET AND IT'S SWYPE CORRECTIONS!!! (I should proof read more often.....)


I can't decipher what that first sentence was supposed to say...

[UncleBob]

Yes, yes you should.

[nickmitch]

Figured I'd post this here.

The big gist is that Nintendo could make $2.7 billion in 7 years by going mobile.  Sounds juicy right? 

[Shaymin]

That number is based on a set of assumptions that have no basis in even the biggest phone fan's wet dreams.

[NWR_insanolord]

Any prediction like that you could see made would make things Michael Pachter has said look like they were based on really solid evidence.

[nickmitch]

Agreed.

The article even states that US mobile game sales in the US were $11.8 billion.  It neglects to mention that Apple takes 30% of sales their platform (which could reasonably be half).  So, that number is 15% too high.  Then it fails to point out that that's the entire pie in the US.

Nintendo's sales last year were more than half of that entire pie.

Admittedly, Nintendo has been taking losses, but to produce a profit under those circumstances, a huge chunk of their staff would need to be cut (hardware devs would be unnecessary anyway) and that doesn't look good to any investor.