Nintendo Enters Mobile Gaming; Begins Work on Next Console

[cdj]

From Game Informer:

Today, the house of Mario and DeNA, a major publisher of mobile titles worldwide, announced an alliance to bring Nintendo IP to mobile devices.

The games that DeNA will be working on are completely new, rather than ports of existing titles. Nintendo's entire slate of intellectual property is open to the mobile company to tap for its creations. Nintendo continues to hope that its mobile presence will drive interest in its dedicated video game console devices, something the company has stated as a goal for entering the smartphone and tablet space.

In addition, DeNA will be developing a membership service for Nintendo that will be accessible on PC, 3DS, and Wii U. The as yet unnamed service is targeted for launch later this year, however it was not specified if this will be a regional rollout or if the duo will attempt worldwide release.

Courtesy: Game Informer (http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2015/03/17/nintendo-dena-press-conference.aspx)

***

During its press conference with DeNA this morning to announce a strategic alliance, another major bit of news was revealed. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata confirmed that a new hardware platform is in development.

Nintendo is currently working on the system under the code name "NX." The company isn't yet ready to reveal additional details, other than the DeNA-developed membership service (confirmed to replace Club Nintendo later this year) will be integrated.

More details about the console (and whether it is a living room device or handheld video game hardware) will be coming in 2016.

Courtesy: Game Informer (http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2015/03/17/nintendo-announces-new-hardware-in-development-codenamed-nx.aspx)

[CLW]

Nintendo should give up on hardware and just make games for PS4, XB1, PC, Mobile, etc...

I'd buy another 5 titles a year probably if I didn't have to buy that POS excuse of a console in the Wii U.

[JBHuskers]

Nintendo should give up on hardware and just make games for PS4, XB1, PC, Mobile, etc...

I'd buy another 5 titles a year probably if I didn't have to buy that POS excuse of a console in the Wii U.
Been saying that for years.

[souljahbill]

Y'all are crazy. 1) The Wii U is FAR from a POS and 2) Their money is made in hardware.

[Rudy]

Nintendo's console days are numbered. The casual fans have gone mobile or stayed with the 3DS. The Wii U is a complementary machine. There is no gimmick to bring back the masses like motion controls. Worse yet I wonder if people are sick of Nintendo just recycling the same games over and over on each machine. If people are sick of Super Mario and Mario Kart there is no helping Nintendo.

If Nintendo is serious about console gaming they will actually solicit advice from developers. They will make the console FAR more powerful to compete with Sony and MS and allow for third party ports and actually good games for the hardcore gamer. But I don't see that happening. I personally will never buy another Nintendo console again. My kids are tired of the Mario stuff and with their 3DS there are very few games that they need the Wii U for that they can't get on the handheld. It's a party system that's a lot of fun when people get together but largely collects dust for us. Every 6 months we'll get a new game, it will get played for a week and then go back to dust collecting.

[cdj]

If Nintendo can't get EA, Ubisoft, etc. on board with their next console, they are just wasting their time.

Last I heard, their stock rose significantly following word of the mobile gaming investment. That is a very smart move, but hopefully the games are actually fun/good.