Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
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Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
I'm not sure what the split in responsibilities is, but apparently it's not a licensing deal: Nintendo and Japanese mobile giant DeNA are co-developing the games, and DeNA is handling backend/analytics. Straight ports are not happening on mobile, and there'll be some coordination so releases aren't directly competing with one another, but otherwise, it sounds like anything is up for grabs. This deal encompasses every Nintendo IP.
DeNA has made a bunch of games with their Disney/Marvel license, although they've been card battlers, tower defense, etc. rather than platformers, adventure games, and the like.
DeNA will play a significant role in Nintendo's new account system / cross-platform loyalty program that's replacing Club Nintendo.
DeNA has made a bunch of games with their Disney/Marvel license, although they've been card battlers, tower defense, etc. rather than platformers, adventure games, and the like.
DeNA will play a significant role in Nintendo's new account system / cross-platform loyalty program that's replacing Club Nintendo.
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re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
Nosing around on the U.S. iTunes App Store, DeNA has a bunch of games in there. They own Mobage, so anything you see under that is part of that same corporate family.
I'd bet on seeing these games stateside, although we might not see everything, and they might not pop up at the same time.
I'd bet on seeing these games stateside, although we might not see everything, and they might not pop up at the same time.
#4
DVD Talk Godfather
re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
I'm glad Nintendo has finally come to their senses on this. I hope it's not too late, although it definitely could have (and should have) happened a few years earlier.
#5
DVD Talk Legend
re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
This should have been done five years ago. Japan has been bailing on consoles for years.
#6
DVD Talk Limited Edition
re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
I don't know who in their right mind would want to play Nintendo games on a small touch screen.
#7
DVD Talk Godfather
re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
For what it's worth DeNA seems to enjoy the microtransaction style game quite a bit. Hopefully not a sign of what's to come for Nintendo.
http://kotaku.com/you-might-not-like...ile-1691952503
#10
Banned by request
re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
Knowing Nintendo, I think all of the games will cost cash up front and not have in-app purchases. If there are in-app purchases, it will be for additional content, not pay to win items.
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re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
I dunno. They've done several free-to-play experiments on the 3DS. Anymore, F2P pretty much is the mobile gaming market. While there definitely is an audience for premium games, it's such a niche that I don't think Nintendo would ever recoup that $200 million investment in DeNA, let alone profit handsomely from it, with paid-up-front mobile games.
#12
DVD Talk Legend
re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
In the every least they'll probably have a Mario Kart that comes with only 2 base characters/karts and make you pay extra for anyone else.
#13
DVD Talk Hero
re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
DeNA is going to be running things, as they should since they're the experts in the field, so it will no doubt be more of the freemium/pay to win model. They're not porting over any platform games. For instance, there's already a pokemon card game out, but it's a pretty poor interface to the PC game, they could definitely start there. One thing amiibos have shown us is that there is still a lot of demand for their IP.
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re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
Iwata's keeping it vague about free-to-play vs. premium:
Will you pursue a premium strategy where you charge users up front for games? Or will you offer free-to-play and try to capitalize on in-app purchases?
I understand that, unlike the package model for dedicated game systems, the free-to-start type of business model is more widely adopted for games on smart devices, and the free-to-start model will naturally be an option for us to consider. On the other hand, even in the world of smart device apps, the business model continues to change. Accordingly, for each title, we will discuss with DeNA and decide the most appropriate payment method. So, specifically to your question, both can be options, and if a new Nintendo-like invention comes of it, then all the better.
On the other hand, Nintendo does not intend to choose payment methods that may hurt Nintendo’s brand image or our IP, which parents feel comfortable letting their children play with. Also, it’s even more important for us to consider how we can get as many people around the world as possible to play Nintendo smart device apps, rather than to consider which payment system will earn the most money.
Will Nintendo or DeNA be developing these games? And is Mr. Miyamoto [creator of Mario, Donkey Kong, Zelda and other iconic Nintendo franchises] working on anything smart device-related?
Development of smart device games will be mainly done by Nintendo, but it is significant that we are forming a joint development structure with DeNA. Nintendo, through experience in the dedicated game system business, is good at making traditional game products. But for smart devices, in addition to the “product” aspect of a game, the aspect of an ever-evolving “service” is very important—a service that encourages consumers to play every day even for a short time. DeNA has extensive know-how in developing the “service” side of things, and will be primarily responsible for the service-oriented operations. We will be able to greatly leverage strengths of each party.
As for any involvement of Mr. Miyamoto, we will discuss it when possible, but for now, understand that his priority is on the development of Wii U titles that will be launched this year.
I understand that, unlike the package model for dedicated game systems, the free-to-start type of business model is more widely adopted for games on smart devices, and the free-to-start model will naturally be an option for us to consider. On the other hand, even in the world of smart device apps, the business model continues to change. Accordingly, for each title, we will discuss with DeNA and decide the most appropriate payment method. So, specifically to your question, both can be options, and if a new Nintendo-like invention comes of it, then all the better.
On the other hand, Nintendo does not intend to choose payment methods that may hurt Nintendo’s brand image or our IP, which parents feel comfortable letting their children play with. Also, it’s even more important for us to consider how we can get as many people around the world as possible to play Nintendo smart device apps, rather than to consider which payment system will earn the most money.
Will Nintendo or DeNA be developing these games? And is Mr. Miyamoto [creator of Mario, Donkey Kong, Zelda and other iconic Nintendo franchises] working on anything smart device-related?
Development of smart device games will be mainly done by Nintendo, but it is significant that we are forming a joint development structure with DeNA. Nintendo, through experience in the dedicated game system business, is good at making traditional game products. But for smart devices, in addition to the “product” aspect of a game, the aspect of an ever-evolving “service” is very important—a service that encourages consumers to play every day even for a short time. DeNA has extensive know-how in developing the “service” side of things, and will be primarily responsible for the service-oriented operations. We will be able to greatly leverage strengths of each party.
As for any involvement of Mr. Miyamoto, we will discuss it when possible, but for now, understand that his priority is on the development of Wii U titles that will be launched this year.
#15
DVD Talk Limited Edition
re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
A "free-to-start" Zelda/Metroid release might possibly be the worst thing I can imagine in gaming.
#16
DVD Talk Hero
re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
I imagine there will be a Mario endless runner in no time, and "freemium" Pokemon and Animal Crossing games in the works.
#17
DVD Talk Limited Edition
re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
Not sarcastic. The DS and the Wii U have touch screens but you still have a d-pad/analog stick for controls and you use a stylus. People seem to be excited about this because they assume they will release classic Nintendo games on mobile and I don't see how that is even slightly a fun way to play those games.
#18
DVD Talk Godfather
re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
Not sarcastic. The DS and the Wii U have touch screens but you still have a d-pad/analog stick for controls and you use a stylus. People seem to be excited about this because they assume they will release classic Nintendo games on mobile and I don't see how that is even slightly a fun way to play those games.
I completely agree with you on not being fun without physical controls; I remember being excited to see titles like GTA on mobile, or even classic beat em ups, until actually trying them made me realize they're terrible to control.
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re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
Nintendo announced in their financial briefing that they're targeting 5 mobile games for release before March 2017. So, they're definitely not going for quantity over quality. The first will be released in 2015.
#20
DVD Talk Legend
re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
It seems like WarioWare would be an absolutely perfect game for mobile.
#21
DVD Talk Hero
re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
The problem with something like Warioware is that it doesn't exactly engender in app purchases.
Animal Crossing, Pokemon, a mobile-Injustice-like Super Smash Bros, a mobile version of the Mario Puzzle and Dragon or some other puzzle game using their IP, I'd think that's where the money would be.
Animal Crossing, Pokemon, a mobile-Injustice-like Super Smash Bros, a mobile version of the Mario Puzzle and Dragon or some other puzzle game using their IP, I'd think that's where the money would be.
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re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
I'm not sure if Pokemon is part of Nintendo's mobile deal. The Pokemon Company has been kicking around on mobile for a little while independently of Nintendo (who owns a third of the company but doesn't own Pokemon outright).
#23
DVD Talk Hero
re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
I thought both Game Freak and the Pokemon Company are majority owned by Nintendo anyway? I know they have a couple of games (a TCG portal for their web game which never works on my ipad, and a pokemon camp game) on mobile already, and I'm surprised they haven't done more considering the "gotta catch 'em all" nature of the game. I assumed it was because they wanted mobile-like games to be on the 3DS (I think they recently launched a F2P pokemon game on 3DS).
#24
DVD Talk Hero
re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
I wonder how well the Angry Birds Cart game is doing, because a Mario Kart one would make a killing.
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re: Nintendo Mobile Gaming: Mario Kart Tour coming Summer 2019
Game Freak develops almost entirely for Nintendo but is independent. They actually developed a PC/PS4/Xbox One game that'll be coming out this year, published by Sega...and, interestingly, isn't coming to any Nintendo platforms at all. I've seen some references to Nintendo owning a sizeable chunk of Game Freak (Wikipedia once said 54%), but that appears to be false. Wikipedia still says that Nintendo owns Creatures Inc., but as far as I can tell, that isn't actually the case.
Neither Game Freak nor Creatures is on the list of subsidiaries and affiliates that Nintendo has in their securities filings. (The Pokemon Company is listed, though.)