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[Tripon]

http://www.wsj.com/articles/nintendos-mobile-partner-dena-says-the-game-has-just-begun-1450899005

But the pair’s initial announcements have disappointed gamers and investors who hoped for a smartphone adaptation of a legendary Nintendo franchise, such as Mario the plumber. Many investors and analysts are growing impatient and questioning whether DeNA gives Nintendo the edge it needs to break through in the competitive, hit-driven business of smartphone games.

The lack of details surrounding their partnership has also fanned concerns that the two may not be working well together. Some analysts were surprised when Nintendo this year struck a separate agreement with a partner company, Pokémon Co., and San Francisco-based Niantic Inc. to develop a game for mobile phones.

Mr. Moriyasu said the partnership is “going smoothly” even after Nintendo’s longtime president, Satoru Iwata, died in July of cancer.

Nintendo declined to comment on its partnership with DeNA.

Under a deal unveiled in March, Nintendo took a 10% stake in DeNA, while DeNA acquired 1.24% of its partner, giving Kyoto-based Nintendo the upper hand.

“At this point it’s unclear whether they will succeed,’’ Hitoshi Sato, senior analyst at InfoCom Research, said. “There are countless smartphone applications and games being produced globally, and DeNA is still relatively unknown outside Japan.”

Mr. Moriyasu says the pair are still on track to release five titles together by March 2017. All of the games currently in development with Nintendo are free to play, meaning that in-app purchases will be needed to generate revenue. For Miitomo, he said users will be able to buy clothing for their avatars.

Mr. Moriyasu said he has been testing Miitomo on a specially installed iPhone kept under tight security in its headquarters.

But investors and analysts are growing restless.

“I’m sure DeNA has a lot of ideas about mobile games they could create for Nintendo,” said Serkan Toto, a Tokyo-based game consultant. “The question is, is Nintendo listening?”

 

[Miracle]

Curious to see what these future 5 FTP games are.

 

[Oregano]

That line from Dr Toto sure sounds like "Nintendo isn't doing what I predicted they would." to me, probably in regards to branding. I guess we'll see.

 

[Finale Fireworker]

I feel so vulnerable.

 

[sir_bumble_bee]

Are people really that concerned after the stealth reveal of Miitomo? Because the first game doesn't have Mario in means the partnership isn't going well?

 

[Ridley327]

It seems weird that they're using TPC as some kind of proof that things aren't rosy with the DeNA partnership, seeing as TPC has always done its own thing and was on mobile long before Nintendo even thought about it.

But yeah, I figured that some shareholders wouldn't be thrilled that Nintendo isn't just doing f2p cannon levels based on NSMB2.

 

[Shikamaru Ninja]

Curious to see what these future 5 FTP games are.

1. Miitomo
2. Miisports / Miiplay
3. Miidogs
4. Miibrain
5. Steel Diver 3: Revengance Wars

Kind of serious minus the titles.

 

[Zee-Row]

I can't wait to pay crazy money to progress in their games. Sorry I didn't like Final Fantasy Record Keeper.

 

[Calvero]

1. Miitomo
2. Miisports / Miiplay
3. Miidogs
4. Miibrain
5. Steel Diver 3: Revengance Wars

Kind of serious minus the titles.

i'd buy a nintendoggy mobile game

 

[Little Mons†er]

My boy Nintendo bout to SLAY the world

HOLD ONTO YOUR WEAVES FELLOW GAFFERS!

 

[Fat4all]

It better of 'just begun', shit's barely been announced.

 

[thefro]

Should have a Wario game that's pay to win where he makes fun of you for paying him money.

 

[Yukinari]

A game that plays like Rayman Jungle Run or Sonic Runners with nintendo characters would make a lot of sense. Even if i find the business plan behind Sonic Runners to be disgusting we all know it would make bank.

 

[Ridley327]

Should have a Wario game that's pay to win where he makes fun of you for paying him money.

That's...actually kind of great. Evil, but great.

 

[Little Mons†er]

A game that plays like Rayman Jungle Run or Sonic Runners with nintendo characters would make a lot of sense. Even if i find the business plan behind Sonic Runners to be disgusting we all know it would make bank.

That's so unlike Nintendo to do such an unoriginal thing.

Be unique, like Queen Gaga

 

[Yaari]

I hate all Mii related games.

 

[Pizza]

1. Miitomo
2. Miisports / Miiplay
3. Miidogs
4. Miibrain
5. Steel Diver 3: Revengance Wars

Kind of serious minus the titles.

That's a solid title for a submarine character action game, count me in

 

[Miracle]

1. Miitomo
2. Miisports / Miiplay
3. Miidogs
4. Miibrain
5. Steel Diver 3: Revengance Wars

Kind of serious minus the titles.

That title sounds a lot better when you say it with a pirate accent.

 

[Regiruler]

1. Miitomo
2. Miisports / Miiplay
3. Miidogs
4. Miibrain
5. Steel Diver 3: Revengance Wars

Kind of serious minus the titles.

Steel Diver is steel battalion lite. Out of all nintendo's IPs, it's the absolute worst to come to mobile.

 

[Stilton Disco]

That's so unlike Nintendo to do such an unoriginal thing.

Be unique, like Queen Gaga

This is mobile gaming we're talking about here. Originality is fine and dandy if you want million to one odds of being financially viable, but if you want to make money hand over fist, you stick to what works.

Plus anything unique will just get ripped off by King in such a way that it'll overshadow the original anyway.

 

[NoKisum]

Should have a Wario game that's pay to win where he makes fun of you for paying him money.

It can secretly be a crowdfunding project. After a year or so of Wario insulting you, he announces that the money he "stole" from everyone is going towards development of the next WarioWare game.

 

[foltzie1]

Miitomo
Badge Arcade
Warioware
Mario Party Mobile
WiiSports (dont forget the wrist strap!)

In all seriousness I think the Badge Game they have would be a good fit for mobile. Its already rather addictive.

 

[Sheriff_Battlesnake]

Advanced Wars bby

 

[Piers]

Investors: come on give us exactly ur games but smartphones
Nintendo: noooooooo buy our consoles for that
Investors: but we don't wanna lol

 

[Makonero]

It can secretly be a crowdfunding project. After a year or so of Wario insulting you, he announces that the money he "stole" from everyone is going towards development of the next WarioWare game.

Then the game will be delayed a year, will be retooled into a multiplayer game, sold in chunks, and second crowdfunding effort will provide the actual original concept

 

[MegaManTrigger]

 

[Jon Carter]

So they're having an unprecedented partnership?

 

[ViciousAnchovy]

Should have a Wario game that's pay to win where he makes fun of you for paying him money.

I might actually dump some money into that just on principle.