August 12th, 2011

Should Nintendo develop for smartphones?

107 Comments

Masamitsu Ohki, a fund manager at Tokyo-based Stats Investment Management Co. has said that:

Smartphones are the new battlefield for the gaming industry. Nintendo should try to either buy its way into this platform or develop something totally new.

And I always find this interesting debate. I realise there is plenty of contention about where the iPhone and other smartphones are “real” gaming platforms, but at the end of the day, they can play games, so they are gaming platforms. At the same time though, I don’t see how touch screens could provide the same level of accuracy as analog sticks and buttons, which seems to limit the depth that any of these games can provide.

I think it’d be fascinating if Nintendo developed an iPhone title. Even if it was a small one, like a reworking of the augmented reality games included with the 3DS. The iPhone can handle augmented reality just fine, so it’d be interesting to see how that sort of experience, in addition to Nintendo’s branding would sell.

But, Satoru Iwata has said that “Nintendo will only make titles for its own products as long as he’s in charge,” so I wouldn’t expect any deviation from Nintendo’s current way of doing things anytime soon.

  • Coolguy

    No…nuff said:)

    • Hiro

      Nintendo already made a app called PokeTap so it’s already been done, sorry guys.

    • Hiro

      Actually it’s The Pokemon Company that made it, still it’s a Nintendo franchise.

    • SkywardSword

      Nintendo would never fall into enemy hands.

    • Colin

      No matter how pathetic an excuse for competition the enemy is

    • Ap0c

      it is hot to say “nuff said” isn’t it? I read it everywhere in every topic on every website. I really start getting anoyed by it.

      Nuff said…

  • Julian

    keep systems alive

  • isamoth

    not only no but he** no if gaming moved to purely iphone and android i would stop being a gamer

  • Jmaster720

    David we’ve already been through this!!!!
    THE ANSWER IS A BIG FAT “NO”
    Do you honestly want friend codes that can’t connect to other smart phones :P……. DX

  • Infernite

    I would always agree with Iwata’s desicion. I don’t want to purchase 5 different consles for five different nintendo games. And, again, phones would never match the greatness of real gaming. Someone else said this, but if this happens, I would find a new hobby.

  • Captain Falconq

    I wouldn’t mind, tbh. As long as if they don’t focus on it too heavily.

  • megajacobf

    I would love a 3D nintendo tablet

    • drwill439

      I take it you havent seen any Wii U pics.

  • ManByMyles93

    No. Trying to play games on something like the iPhone is frustrating. Especially with only a touch screen. Who wants to play Super Mario Bros with VIRTUAL BUTTONS?!!

    • Sigh…

      So the zelda ds series is fustrating to you? There actually already are emulators that play great on smartphones I dont see why it wouldnt work but I respect Iwata’s decision

  • RockMan

    no, Cellphones are a terrible way to make games. a Nintendo DS will last you 7-10 years while a simple Smartphone will last up to 4-6 months will being outdated and a new phone will pop up just to keep up to your gaming needs. it gets really expensive you getting a smartphone without a plan. Handhelds are much bettter to play games. Dont Do it Nintendo!

  • That64Kid

    The quote at the end by Iwata made me feel warm inside :3

    “Nintendo will only make titles for its own products as long as I’m in charge.” You go Iwata :D!!!!

    • http://3dsblog jester

      iwata: “bitch, as long as im in charge my bitches work for me, Pimp Daddy out!”

  • http://3dsblog jester

    NO!! work on eshop instead.

  • The Hungry Llama

    Aw hell naw.
    No analog.
    No ABXY. No L/R.
    Hell, no D-PAD.
    Nintendo would make themselves look like total asses to develop for smartphones. I hope they won’t.

  • http://3dsblog jester

    touch controls suk on iphones

    • ManByMyles93

      Hell yes, you got that right.

    • Jmaster720

      <( '.' <) Amen

    • http://OperationMoogle.wordpress.com/ Brian L.

      Yup.

  • CrispyGoomba

    Developing software for iPhones and such would defeat the purpose of having Mario excluesive to Nintendo systems.

    So glad Mr. Iwata has some common sense.

  • Pat

    Ahem…

    FUCK NO

  • knots

    No. Nintendo shouldn’t develop for anything other than their own systems. Smart phones are easier to hack and get games for free. Plus apple over prices everything and touch screen controls in place of physical joysticks and buttons are horrible. Something awesome like nintendo shouldn’t be blended in with someone horrible like apple.

  • kenneth

    doubt they will ever do that. they are not into smartphones and to be honest i hate most smartphones there screens are too small to be entirely that useful in my opinion and i woudnt really use a cell phone because no one would really call me. So i am kind of glad they dont.

  • http://www.youtube.com/user/AllieRX87 AllieRX

    Nintendo developing their own smartphone is more likely to happen instead of making games for other phones.

  • Mega

    Big NO

    i cant believe you like that idea DAVID nintendo should live on on their portables i love my 3ds :)

  • NAX

    Theres no button mashing with a smartphone:(

  • TheFreak

    I read the article title and it said ”Should Nintendo give up all Dignity and carefully built up reputation that it has assembled over the years to cater to an audience that considers 99 cents minigames as a full title.”

    The Answer to that is FUCK NO

  • http://www.youtube.com/user/ReligiousHero Dan

    I wouldn’t like it.

  • Santiago

    no

  • Requiem

    The day Nintendo publishes for other companies is the day I quit videogames.

    • http://OperationMoogle.wordpress.com/ Brian L.

      Agreed.

  • trolz

    Nintendo smartphone:
    200 Mhz processor
    3 inch resistive touch screen
    0.3 megapixel camera
    240 x 160 resolution screen

  • sammaster9

    I don’t think ninty will do that. If they make a lot of games for iphones, then people will be less tempted to buy nintendo consoles and handhelds

  • fangjokerooz

    fuck smartphones they are destroying game companies now

    • ManByMyles93

      Agreed.

    • http://OperationMoogle.wordpress.com/ Brian L.

      Agreed x2.

    • Wildman

      Agreed x3
      *shakes fist at Apple*

  • megajacobf

    what I meant by tablet I meant maybe something like the wii u controller

  • King Boo

    how is that sony smart phone/psp thing selling….. that’s what I thought

    • ManByMyles93

      You mean the Xperia Play? Yeah, don’t see the point of its existence.

  • kidtendo

    I’m glad they refused to feed Apple’s arrogance.

  • cancelln

    I’m noy for Nintendo making iPhone or Android games but they are making a Pokemon spinoff music game: Pokemon Say, Tap

    • cancelln

      *not

    • Requiem

      That isn’t Nintendo themselves, but the Pokemon company. Nintendo doesn’t have full control over them so they can’t keep that company from doing that.

  • Shadowfoxpd

    They could do something like the xperia play and have their own games exclusively on the phone with it still running android/another os to be able to get other games not exclusive to nintendo.

  • Shadowfoxpd

    They could do something like the xperia play and have their own games exclusively on the phone with it still running android/another os to be able to get other games not exclusive to nintendo.

  • http://3dsblog jester

    iwata doesnt even have a phone, he has a 2 tin cans and string. hes also planning on getting a walkie-talkie.

    • ManByMyles93

      lol

  • Ryan

    No.

  • ManByMyles93

    Let’s all stick to a REAL gaming handheld like the 3DS, shall we? Smartphones are the future of handheld gaming, my ass.

  • Apple

    Yes.

    • ManByMyles93

      lol, Nintendo ain’t going to put their games on your devices.

  • AncientBaby

    They really shouldn’t… People wouldn’t be as compelled to buy their systems then, and they won’t be able to be as innovative as they want.

  • Scio

    For Nintendo to give super mario tiltles is just absurd.Apple is like a hoe that wants other’s monie to buy more heroin.

    • http://3dsblog jester

      pimp daddy iwata…. gonna backhand that hoe

    • xenoleingod

      keep that pimp hand strong iwata

  • Matthew

    Nintendo, don’t do it. People will think your copying Sony, just like Sony has copied most of your previous systems. Don’t get me wrong though. Sony is an amazing company. They may copy Nintendo, but all if their systems seem to be a lot better in graphics, and some games. But there’s 2 things that Sony will never have… Mario and Zelda! (And that adventurous feel!)

  • Dillon

    I see all these “no” answers. Why not? It will only make Nintendo money & smartphone fans happy. Those who hate the idea, don’t buy then. Everyone has a smartphone now, and most smartphone owners are of that “Nintendo nostalgia” age. It’s win/win. Some of you treat these games like their sacred. Their not. What separates Mario from Angry Birds is sanctimonious fan nostalgia & platform availability. The end result for both are the same: money for the developers & happy fans.

    • http://3dsblog jester

      phones are for communication & handhelds are for gaming. Useless apps are killing games & just killing the real gaming experience. A mario game for $40 on 3DS but on iphone it would be $3-$12. Nintendo would just betray us and gaming wouldn’t be the same….. thats why!

    • ManByMyles93

      Who wants to play Nintendo games with a virtual joystick/buttons that don’t interact very well with your fingers? Playing Mega Man 2 on the iPhone was awful. I’ll be happy to play it on an actual gaming system, the 3DS, thank you very much.

  • https://sites.google.com/site/hybrilynx/ David Hoyle

    i heard you can call people with a psp. i didnt think the 3ds would have it, but since i think of everything its nothing new. i even had my own nintendo handhelds with plans and etc for phone calls and texts etc etc when i did like nintendo. of course since im alone is smarter then nintendo, well i dont know what else to say.

    • Requiem

      No offense but I kinda didn’t understand most of what you said…

      But I’m just going to comment on the psp calling thing: yes the psp can make calls using Skype, a program that allows you to do voice chat and instant messaging. Of course, the psp needs a mic for the voice chat. And I think to call an actual phone, you need to buy credits(like a prepaid phone) to use on the Skype program.

    • https://sites.google.com/site/hybrilynx/ David Hoyle

      just, i think of everything, meaning, i create my own games, consoles, even gameplay video things like cut scenes, plans like phones monthly plans etc, and just other things. just everything. even things for modern day life, like inventing a new skateboard kind of thing. so alot of things bore me real easy since its not better then my own stuff, and stuff like this website page would already be invented if i was in control of nintendo.

      yes im very bad at explaining however. i could probably be a millionaire real easily but college is a pain in the butt and companies really dont care about people who dont go to college.

  • Peter

    N FREAKING O.

  • http://OperationMoogle.wordpress.com/ Brian L.

    “Should Nintendo develop for smartphones?”

    No. End of story.

    • http://OperationMoogle.wordpress.com/ Brian L.

      I personally cannot stand using smartphones for handheld gaming. I don’t like 100% touchscreen games for my more serious gaming. iPhone games are…cute…but they’re not the same as a full-feature handheld gaming device.

      Nintendo is a game company that’s the last of their kind. They actually make their own games and game devices. They’re the most unique company out there, and if that every changes, I’ll generally stop playing games.

      I love my PC gaming, but whenever a new Zelda arrives, I push it out of the way. And I’m not totally against play something like Angry Birds on a smartphone–but Angry Birds ain’t no Kid Icarus: Uprising.

      I’m not mad at the success of smartphone games–I plan to pocket on its success myself, making “cute” apps for them. But I think smartphone games are better as neat features on your phone than as a sole platform of portable gaming.

      I prefer handheld gaming devices in every way. Heck, as much as I’m not fond of Vita, I’d rather folks buy a PS Vita than think iPhones compare to dedicated handhelds. But 3DS will rule when better games arrive.

      Hang virtual joysticks! Hang buying an iPhone only to have it obsolete in about a year! Give me physical buttons, TWO screens, and exchangeable game media, or give me the blue screen of death!

  • koops

    We cant let them win so no!

  • Trulaw

    No, that would not be good. I’m glad Mr Iwata doesn’t think so either.

  • RNorthex

    gaming on a smart phone….man, ppl are really getting obsessed with this
    i hope vita owners will have fun as well playing games while ppl call/can’t call them

    and yeah, i really would like to play with like 2 fingers on a screen that can get pretty uncomfortable, awkward and unresponsive

    no physical buttons: no advanced games
    those idiots who love their smartphones so much should get accustomed to this fact
    smartphones…whatever happened to the real definition: PDA?

    • ManByMyles93

      Epic Games says that developers turn from systems like the 360, and PS3, and PC to focus on creating hardcore games for the iPhone.

  • Cosmo Black FTW

    NO!!!
    It would be the end of Nintendo. Sorry David but not even AR game that you would want on the iPhone because then all exclusivity would be gone.

  • Ed

    What do all these “analysts” think we are doing on the 3DS? Playing tetris in 3D?

    Cellphones still don’t offer SNES/Genesis quality experiences.

    The 3DS might not sell 100 million, but I still expect it to be profitable. I feel the Wii and DS were almost “flukes”. Where a bunch of moms got them during a midlife crisis.

  • Jodel

    Umm….probably no because due to the controls being too faulty and the constant tapping could strain your fingers during gameplay

  • Satoru Iwata

    Yeah, that’s right, muh peeps! Nintendo ain’t gonna make no games for them lame-ass things they call phones! We make stuff for OURSELVES, home boy, we ain’t gonna cater to no rich bastards or shit! 3DS and Wii U for life! NINTENDO, BITCHES! … We out.

    • ManByMyles93

      G’ya, Iwata speaks the truth.

  • http://www.YouTube.com/khfanlizzie lizzie1238

    No. Phones will never be real gaming devices. With the exception of that Sony phone with gaming buttons, phones do not have buttons, and virtual buttons are very difficult to use. For example, playing games on a gba emulator on my iPod, the controls of the emulator do not work very well and are not very accurate with touch control.

  • JTA777

    If Video Games go out of buisness Nintendo needs to keep going some how…

  • Kai_tvxq

    nop

  • Zack

    I actually think that it would be a good idea as long as they focus on the other projects like 3ds and Wii U more. If they focus too much on Iphone, the things that matter more will begin to get lame.

  • james braselton

    hi there your right nintendo needs 3d tablets 3d tvs 3d cellphones nintendo needs too compete with other devices 3d computers laptops in 3d 3d desktops 3d nettops 3d netbooks 3d smartbooks

  • Lia

    Meh.

  • jandro

    nintendo iphone? that would print money i bet

  • jandro

    maybe it could have cartridges and downloadable via virtual console

  • jandro

    with buttons

  • Pedro

    If Nintendo stops making consoles, then I’m done with videogames.

    I don’t want to see Nintendo games on any other platform, phone or console.

  • Wildman

    No!
    Plain and simple.

  • A

    yes ~ they should consider making at least a couple of games ~ so they can attract more people ~ and it’s still they’re gain all in all

  • guy

    For now I would say FUCK NO!!!!! but if i actually see nintendo make a smartphone themselves then things will get interesting

  • LazyKite

    if the 3ds was a mobile phone as well, it would never have needed a price cut! a missed opportunity for Nintendo! so hopefully they put a phone into the “lite” version.

  • Johnny

    No they need to stand their ground! And from the looks of things they are. If Nintendo were to start developing their games on iOS then the handheld market would be lost, handheld games consoles would die and in the long run Nintendo would lose money from that. I want Apps and handheld games to remain two separate things as they always have been, the line is blurring now, and it’s predominately up to Nintendo to save that market.

  • casualhardcore

    now guys if you really want Nintendo to stop from developing their own smartphones then spread the love for the kinds of games that we enjoy. no use in, say, telling them to not do something despite the financial incentive.

  • Craig

    Actually David, the “Phone” part says it all. Phones are for calls and texts. Android is for applications. Game Consoles are for Games – end of. Smartphone games are actually affecting the gaming market since they came along, it deters people from paying for proper games and all… It’s against what Nintendo believe in and I don’t think they should change just for money – they’re about more than that. If you want Smartphone crap, try Sony.

  • this is a joke right?

    gaming on phones blows ass! no controls, no real games. the emulation sucks, next question will be something like “should Nintendo develop for Microsoft?” if the best android game is Zenonia and Angry birds is the most popular….then keep them.

    game systems play games better.
    phones are good for calling and txting.
    tablets aren’t really good at anything.

    • http://OperationMoogle.wordpress.com/ Brian L.

      LOL Sadly, I think you’re right about the tablets. They’re toys posing as necessary.

  • Some random guy

    There is only one politically correct answer….
    NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

  • Adam Roman

    Why not? If they do, it’ll probably just be NES ports. If Nintendo can get tons of money for reselling Super Mario Bros on the iOS and Android markets for $3, why not?

  • http://twitter.com/ArnoldOtaku Randy Arnold

    I love how David just brought up the question, if Nintendo should develop for smartphones and then you say it will ruin gaming. Like it or not, mobile gaming is getting big. It’s easy to develop for and the games are cheap. I still don’t get why NIntendo doesn’t at least put a few mario/metroid/zelda games on the platform. Sega already has like 5 sonic games. My philosophy is Nintendo could release a few games, (heck even have some 3rd party company port old games) and be done with it. They could even market their own consoles and crap. It’s not like they would stop developing for the 3DS or anything. Just a way for them to make some extra money.
    There’s my 2 cents, take it or leave it. Frankly I don’t care, just wanted to vent.
    (I do have to say, I agree with some of you guys. But some of you are blowing it way out of proportion)

    • http://OperationMoogle.wordpress.com/ Brian L.

      I personally don’t think mobile phone gaming will last for very long. Mobile gaming is a fad. Handheld gaming is a time-tested legacy.

      Sooner or a later, the causal gamers will grow tired of Angry Birds and players of the few core titles of mobile devices will grow using a touchscreen for virtual controls. And the games are cheaper for a reason–they’re smaller.

      I think physical buttons, advanced screen layouts (like 3DS’s 3D screen with its dual-screen layout or Vita’s HD widescreen) and interchangeable media that dedicated handhelds feature will always win.

      There’s no way Iwata wants to give in on their legacy to the likes of Apple, who, while I love Macs, I think are becoming a bit of a monopoly these days.

  • shadow

    My view is this, Nintendo should for sure make games for iPhone/Android but these games should be small games like Angry bird type or games that can work on a touch screen.

    For more serious gaming like Zelda i say no make them exclusive for 3DS. After all i too agree with you David. Nothing beats the analog stick and button for gaming.
    Some games work pretty well on touch but its not the same accuracy and feeling.

    Nintendo should for sure be open for the idea. They cant afford to be stubborn.

  • marioman123

    no

  • drwill439

    While some games(Phantom Hourglass/Spirit Tracks and Elite Beat Agents and Scribblenauts) work great as touch exclusive titles, games like Super Mario 64 and most other games that have standard ctrls WILL NOT WORK. I played a Rayman game (one of the ones from the PS1, cnt remember which) on a friend’s iPod, and the experience died. Hell, i played boxhead (a 2d flash shooter, look it up) on an iPod and it wasnt the same. Slip up an inch and the virtual joystick pulls the other way. I dont think so, Masamitsu Ohki.

  • Brett

    Whereas I think that Nintendo’s games that were developed for systems with dpads and buttons shouldn’t be ported to smartphones, multitouch screens offer new possibilities for gaming and i have no doubt that a company as talented at making games as Nintendo could come up with some awesome ideas.