The video game giant may soon make controllers for smartphone and tablet games.
Nintendo hinted that a mobile game controller could be in the works in the future. The company revealed at its recent 76th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders that it may be considering designing its own smart device controller. The Japanese multinational consumer electronics and software company is no stranger to developing physical game controllers. There is huge potential that the company could benefit from designing and selling these controllers. They are likely to appeal to both Nintendo fans and older gamers who’ve grown up interacting with video games via button-pushing.
Nintendo also hinted at placing its focus on developing games engineered around touch screen controls.
During the Q&A at the general meeting, Shinya Takahashi, Nintendo’s general manager of entertainment planning and development, told shareholders, “I believe Nintendo’s way of thinking is to look at whether action games are really not impossible (without a physical controller for smart device applications) to create and how we can make it happen to create such a game.”
Takahashi explained that Nintendo will focus on making the best “Nintendo-like” applications, including those that are for everyone from children to seniors. In other words, the company does not intend to pour all of its energy only into action games.
In regard to the hint about developing a mobile game controller for smart device applications, Takashi said that “it is possible that we may also develop something new by ourselves.”
Mobile game controller hints aside, Nintendo also appears to be seeking programmers for smartphone games.
Nintendo has reportedly listed job openings for programmers interested in working on the development of its mobile games. The fact that the company is seeking to hire programmers specifically for its mobile gaming endeavors reveals that it is clearly dedicated to improving its position in the mobile games market.
Nintendo’s first game for smartphones and tablets, called Miitomo, has received mixed reception. It was a huge success when it was first released but has since dramatically declined in popularity, losing many of its users. It will be interesting to see if the company has better success with its Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem titles that are due out for mobile platforms this fall.
Although a mobile game controller for Nintendo games remains only a discussion at this point, such a device could help boost the company’s success in the industry.
Miitomo resembles other social applications in that it allows users to interact with one another in real time. They will be using their Mii avatars to accomplish this, with the avatars themselves serving as a way to allow user sot get to know one another. Nintendo intends to introduce some of its popular characters into the mobile game at a later date, introducing some nostalgia into the title and making it more familiar with consumers that have been Nintendo fans since the company got its beginning.