Nintendo is developing games for smartphones – Wired UK
James Temperton:
Mario, Link and Donkey Kong could soon be coming to Android and iOS after Nintendo announced it will start developing games for smart devices. The company said the games wouldn’t be ports of existing titles but would be “completely new game experiences”.
Nintendo will partner with fellow Japanese developer DeNA and both companies creating games as part of the deal. All of Nintendo’s franchises are up for grabs, the company confirmed. DeNA is responsible for one of Japan’s most popular mobile gaming platforms and specialises in mobile and social games.
“To ensure the quality of game experience that consumers expect from this alliance of Nintendo and DeNA, only new original games optimised for smart device functionality will be created,” Nintendo said in a statement. Details of specific titles in development and availability will be announced in the near future.
Nintendo plans to launch an online membership service as part of the deal. My guess is the games will be free downloads, but you’ll have to be a paid subscriber in order to play the game. Nintendo can get use this as a way around the “free-to-play” shenanigans, but who knows if the service will be worth paying for.