Let's face it. Pokemon Go is a cultural (and financial) phenomenon that only a few games in history have managed to become and similar to the likes of the Wii, it was captured an audience far beyond the core Nintendo fanbase that usually play their games.

But what does this success mean for Nintendo? Do they still invest in mobile as a small part of their business while keeping their dedicated consoles/games their primary focus? Or do they go the other way around where mobile eventually becomes their primary focus while dedicated consoles/games are placed on the backburner? Or perhaps they invest equally on both? What do you think?

I think they've awakened to the fact they can excite a very large mainstream audience. I think a lot of other companies are warming up to that fact as well.

I wouldn't be shocked to have Miyamoto or someone else from Nintendo drop into the Apple keynote to unveil their next smartphone game. It's big wins all around for everyone involved.

Also a successful smartphone game business and successful console gaming business aren't mutually exclusive. In fact, I think we're going to start seeing a strong symbiosis between the two. In fact, it's already that way - Pokemon Go would probably never be this successful if the handheld games hadn't already done so well.

The thing is, even if numbers fall considerably, shouldn't that be a message that they need to make a better game, rather than that mobile users are unpredictable and not a reliable source of income?

People think this is an either or scenario.Its not.Nintendo will keep its focus on dedicated gaming hardware, but they will also keep making one smartphone game here and there for their biggest IPs as a means to market their console games.In another words, what they basically said so far.

I don't think their focus between console and mobile will be equal, but I think they'll continue to push for more small size games of their IPs. We're gonna be seeing that later in the year with AC and FE.

Well probably a few large implications

1.) The whole "where did the Wii/DS audience go to?" mystery (for those who it was a mystery) has been answered fairly definitively I would think. Not only does iOS/Android have the mass market/casual audience Nintendo has been craving, it is *bigger* than even the peak DS/Wii audience. The casuals are on smart devices, they always were.

2.) Animal Crossing iOS/Android from a financial POV just became the most important game Nintendo has in development. If this becomes a big hit also ... Nintendo's stock price will skyrocket. Which likely means I think Nintendo is probably have some development meetings right now to ensure this game is something that will be a hit. IE: If they were kinda half-assing its development before, they definitely are not anymore. Fire Emblem is also important.

3.) All of Nintendo's IP catalog now likely has to be given consideration for mobile. Mario Kart. Smash Brothers (like that Marvel Heroes game). Zelda (touch based like the DS Zeldas), and some kind of Mario, and more Pokemon of course now likely have to happen in the next 2 years or less. Amiibo usage on smart devices will likely also happen (most phones/tablets have NFC readers).

4.) I don't think it means that they will try any less with the NX, *but* I think two realities are coming into pretty sharp focus -- mobile may become Nintendo's no.1 profit driver and Nintendo may well become the biggest mobile game maker in the world (for profit). Pokemon Go is just the tip of the ice berg, the Candy Crush and Angry Birds guys don't have Mario, Mario Kart, Zelda, Smash, Animal Crossing, Nintendogs, Tomodachi Collection, and many other IP that could be made into successful mobile product, not to mention Pokemon itself could have 3/4/5/6 different product lines on mobile.

5.) NX could be delayed now if Nintendo feels they need a bit more time. It always seemed like the March release date was really a "well we want something before the end of the fiscal year for our shareholders to feel happy about" type thing, but Pokemon Go pretty much ensures their stock price is going to be very strong through the fiscal year, so on that basis it isn't really the end of the world if they launch NX in May or June or September.

I justheard about this game the other day.

What kind of financial success are we talking about?

Why did this game become so successful?

Being a smartphone game I assume it's heavy on microtransactions?

It's the biggest game probably since Minecraft from the looks of it, has the potential to go even bigger. Has more daily users than Twitter, more downloads than Tinder, something, something, something. It's the craziest gaming story of the year, maybe the decade. And it isn't even availably worldwide yet, lol. 

Wow, there's already signs that it will be that enormous? Incredible phenomenon. Have u tried it?

Great post above btw, a few very logical things that will happen with Nintendo. It's really eye-opening and the so very obvious question one asks - why not earlier? So much wasted potential. But anyway, like you say, the Nintendo IPs are perfect to make into cute but cynical money-sucking mobile games. They will make so much money. So much.

I don't like it though since I hate mobile and everything about it. But perhaps all the money for Nintendo, some of it will spill over to console game development.