Nintendo partners with DeNA to make games for mobile platforms, membership service, capital alliance
Today, Nintendo and DeNA are hosting a joint press conference, where the two companies are going to make some major announcements. But thanks to a press release published a few minutes ago, we already know what it will all be about.
Nintendo and DeNA have decided to enter into a business and capital alliance, with one specific goal in mind: develop and operate new game apps for smart devices. But that’s not all: a multi-device membership service for consumers is also in the works, and will be for consumers worldwide (not just in Japan).
The two companies will create games based on Nintendo IPs, which will not replace Nintendo’s traditional console business, but supplement it. That way, the company can “extend [its] reach into the vast market of smart device users worldwide”. For DeNA, this alliance is there to “strengthen its gaming business at a global scale”.
One note about the mobile games made with Nintendo IPs: they will be entirely new, and won’t consist of ports of already existing or upcoming Wii U or Nintendo 3DS games. The PR also confirms that pretty much all Nintendo IPs will be eligibile, and the company won’t keep some of them away from mobile platforms.
One of the goals of those mobile games is to allow consumers to enjoy the unique gameplay found only on Nintendo consoles, in order to “lure” them towards “premium experiences” on dedicated Nintendo gaming platforms. This is definitly what Satoru Iwata meant when he said he wanted to take advantage of mobile platforms to strengthen its video game business. More info about the games should be announced shortly, during today’s press conference.
Finally, we learn that Nintendo and DeNA’s are planning to develop an online membership service accessible from Nintendo consoles (such as Wii U and Nintendo 3DS), PC, smartphones and more. Its launch will happen in Fall this year, and will be “built on DeNA’s extensive experience and capabilities in online membership services”.
One of the most important aspects of this alliance is that Nintendo and DeNA are actually going to form a capital alliance:
– Nintendo will acquire 15 081 000 of DeNA’s treasury shares (~ 22 billion yen).
– DeNA will acquire 1 759 400 of Nintendo’s treasury shares (~22 billion yen).
Source: Nintendo / DeNA PR
