News from Nintendo hints at a new mobile subscription service for new and existing titles.
Nintendo Hints Netflix-Style Mobile Subscription Service
For a regular monthly fee, mobile gamers and casual Nintendo fans alike could soon have access to a whole catalog of games – on the go.
Nintendo insiders previously made comments regarding the state of the mobile gaming market last month in Yokohama. Now, the teased subscription service could compensate for flagging sales from titles like Super Mario Run.
Previously, head developer Shigeru Miyamoto advocated for a return to a traditional approach to game development, shunning micro-transactions and freemium games in the process. The transition to a subscription service provides a robust alternative, though – especially considering Nintendo’s impressive back-catalog of classic titles.
“It’s necessary for developers to learn to get along,” Miyamoto stated. “When seeking a partner for this, it’s important to find someone who understands the value of your software.”
Nintendo is currently gearing up for the release of Dragalia Lost, a mobile title that will be the first such game that doesn’t rely on already-existing Intellectual Property.
Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima expressed resolve earlier this summer. “We still want to release two to three titles a year in the smart-device business,” Kimishima stated. “That thinking has not changed. And at the present time, we have no intention of rapidly increasing this number each year.”
The staid course Nintendo has set for itself stands in stark contrast to other mobile publishers, and the current gaming market in general, where games like Fortnite and PUBG seem to argue in favor of free games utilizing micro-transactions.
“Right now, there are not very many titles yet,” Kimishima admitted. “I expect to see an increase in sales come about when we are able to present consumers with several enjoyable applications, including those that have already been released.”
Depsite the overwhelming success of certain free-to-play titles, Nintendo still maintains an impressive back-catalog of games adults grew up with. Just as Netflix originally saw headway with entire seasons of defunct TV shows, Nintendo could establish a core audience for new titles with re-releases of classic titles in a mobile format.
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