| Soundwave said: The "back end" that DeNA provides is basically micro-transactions. Mobage is driven by "Mobacoins", a virtual currency that you use to make in-app purchases. This is all about making money, Nintendo is just not going to put it so bluntly, but they didn't invest over $100 million in DeNA for trivial little things they could do on their own. They needed an outside partner if they want to have highly monetized big money apps like Game of War, Clash of Clans, etc. Those games require constant new things to spend money on and an interface to manage all that money that will be coming in on a daily basis. Their traditional game platforms have become too unpredictable and boom/bust of a business for Nintendo to rely on completely, they want a small number of "big money" smartphone apps that can provide the company with constant revenue in case there are down stretches/financial quarters that happen in the future. That's what this is all about IMO. |
No, The back end will be a mobage like platform for Nintendo to house their games in. Or it'll be firmware that unifies all of their future mobile games in someway. Actual technical back end stuff.
it's not all about making money. Nintendo has directly stated ways they plan to tackle mobile that directly contradicts what you're saying. Their strategy with mobile directly conflicts with a cash cow Mobile business model. DeNA isn't doing anything to nintendo could've done on their own.
They don't want to have highly monetized apps. They've already confirmed that. Their business model for mobile will be nothing like those games. They've already detailed how it will be like. And there are tangible video game examples of how those games will be like.
No one is saying that Nintendo doesn't plan to profit from mobile. But it's completely wrong to think that this is the decision based on uncertainty. It's a decision based on opportunity. Not just an opportunity of profit, but opportunity of brand expansion primarily. What they really want is for their brand to have large cultural relevance again, and this is one of the many ways they plan to do it.
