Nintendo finally considering smartphones

[kuwisdelu]

Just hours after announcing severely scaled back projections for fiscal year Wii U sales and after projections of yet another fiscal year loss, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata told the audience at an Osaka press conference today that the company might look to smartphones to change up its struggling business.

"We are thinking about a new business structure," Iwata told the press, according to a Bloomberg News report. "Given the expansion of smart devices, we are naturally studying how smart devices can be used to grow the game-player business. It's not as simple as enabling Mario to move on a smartphone."

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/01/nintendo-president-hints-at-exploring-smartphone-gaming-support/

While I absolutely respect their dedication to hardware integration, which has served them so well over the years and has allowed them to differentiate themselves against other consoles despite lackluster specs... I really, really want Pokemon and Legend of Zelda on my iPhone!!

 

[GhostWhoWalks]

It's a worrying move, as they're going down the Sega path; once their games are no longer exclusive to Nintendo systems, they'll lose a major selling point and it will just be downhill from there. While I'm sure Nintendo will never stop making games, I also prefer their consoles and handhelds (have owned some form of Gameboy or DS since I was 10), so video gaming will suffer a major loss if that line comes to an end.

I'd prefer that they instead push to further facilitate third-party and indie development for their systems, but maybe that's a pipe dream at this point.

 

[StormChord]

Get me Skyward Sword on my iPhone and all is forgiven.

 

[LOG]

I just want their games officially on the PC already.

 

[Channy]

I've always wanted a Pokemon MMO with every region, special quests that make the legendary's impossible.. like the stories you hear about MMO bosses.. If Nintendo can give me that, I would follow them anywhere.

That said, I'm not sure it's the greatest move. I know SquareEnix went mobile and a lot of people I've seen had the mindset of "Why would I buy FFV iOS for 30$?" Well, it's the whole game not just a mini game.. they still have to make their money. I fear people might have the same expectations and get upset.