Nintendo Commits to Mobile Gaming

As if their dominance with the Nintendo DS is not enough, Nintendo is in talks to take their games to your smartphone by partnering with DeNA.

In a recent article on Polygon, [1] a statement was released today that new Nintendo IP will be developed for smart phone devices, which means that these will not be simple ports of Super Mario or Metroid, but all new titles to play.

"In order to create completely new game experiences for smart devices, all Nintendo IP will be eligible for development and exploration by the alliance," reads the statement. "As these consumers enjoy the unique kind of gameplay found only with Nintendo, they will have the opportunity to explore even more premium experiences on Nintendo's dedicated video game platforms."

So who is DeNA? Well according to Wikipedia, they are a provider of mobile games and e-commerce websites based in Japan, and they own one of the most popular cell phone gaming platforms, Mobage. [2] Their official website alone showcases their more recognizable hits like Go Go Ghost, Star Wars Galactic Defense, and Marvel War of Heroes.

This move just furthers Nintendo's hold on the handheld market, and partnering to create games that reach out to devices not exclusively produced by Nintendo show they are beginning to adapt to the times. As for the quality of the games, that will have to be seen, but Nintendo is usually pretty good at producing quality handheld titles.

The Nintendo 3DS is still a dominant force, and as of December 2014 it has moved over 50 million units worldwide. [3]

[1] - Polygon - Nintendo finally commits to making mobile games with new partner DeNA - http://www.polygon.com/2015/3/17/8230521/nintendo-mobile-games-development-dena-ios
[2] - Wikipedia - DeNA - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeNA
[3] - Nintendo - Consolidated Sales Transition by Region - http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1412.pdf