Shareholder urges company to take the mobile space more seriously
Nintendo may be entering into the mobile games space. The famed developer has said in the past that it has little to no interest in developing an publishing games for mobile devices. These games may be exactly what the company needs to remain relevant with consumers and generate more revenue, however. One of Nintendo’s most prominent shareholders, Seth Fischer, is now urging the developer to set its sights on mobile gaming in order to take advantage of the popularity that exists within that sector.
Mobile gaming continues to be quite lucrative for the game industry as a whole
Mobile games have become one of the most lucrative aspects of the game industry. Consumers are becoming more reliant on their mobile devices, which also means that they are using these devices for the sake of entertainment more regularly. Mobile games have become one of the most popular entertainment sources among consumers with smartphones and tablets. These consumers have also shown that they are willing to spend money on these games regularly. As consumers become more mobile, Nintendo may risk losing its relevance with new and future generations of consumers if it does not accommodate their interests.
Nintendo has an aversion to mobile gaming
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata notes that any short-term gain the company would receive from releasing its franchises on mobile devices would not be worth the development effort. Iwata does acknowledge, however, that Nintendo’s most beloved franchises do not need to be brought over to mobile devices. Instead, the developer could produce new titles that would be ideal for mobile devices while retaining the pedigree of its longstanding franchises.
Company may lose relevance with consumers as they become more mobile
Mobile games have become a popular pastime throughout the world. In Japan, consumers are spending hours upon hours playing these games and many are spending large sums of money on these games as well. If Nintendo continues to ignore the mobile space, the developer may end up facing an uncertain future, especially as its competitors begin to become more involved in the mobile world.
China’s mobile commerce market becomes a battelfield for two large companies
Two of China’s largest companies have entered into a proverbial war over the mobile payments market. Both Alibaba and Tencent have high hopes for the mobile space and have been aggressively establishing a strong presence in the mobile commerce sector. Alibaba has managed to capture a strong lead with its Alipay platform, but Tencent still has a strong connection to Chinese consumers through its WeChat application. Now, the two companies are beginning to fight in the cab-calling services arena.
Cab-calling services receive more attention from Alibaba and Tencent
Cab-calling services are becoming somewhat common in China. These services are very straightforward in than consumers can call for a taxi and arrange for transportation. Some services allow users to pay for their taxi directly from a mobile device. This is meant to make it more convenient for consumers that have become more reliant on their smartphones and tablets to pay their cab fare. Alibaba and Tencent have entered into a price war with their respective Kuaidi and Didi applications.
Applications set to compete more aggressively
The two applications offer similar cab-calling services. As such, they have begun intensely competing with one another for consumers that will likely use one over the other for the foreseeable future. Tencent has announced that those using the Didi and WeChat applications will receive a price subsidy on their travels. Alibaba has also announced a similar initiative, claiming that those using the Kuaidi application and paying for their trip with the Alipay platform could receive significant discounts.
Mobile commerce competition continues in China
Competition in the mobile commerce sector is unavoidable for large companies that intend to establish a strong following in the mobile space. Chinese consumers have become enthralled with the concept of mobile payments and new services are becoming available to them at a rapid pace. These services intend to capture their attention and support for years, but few have managed to actually do so. Tencent and Alibaba have managed to attract support from most consumers in the country concerning their mobile initiatives.
