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Nintendo On Mobile Games And Not Calling Them ‘Free-To-Play’

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9 years ago

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Nintendo Moves to Mobile

Nintendo has shared a bit about its plans to get into the mobile gaming market in partnership with DeNA. When the plans were first announced, many gamers were sceptical about the idea of Nintendo mobile games, particularly when it comes “freemium” games. That’s the type of game where you can play it for free at first, but then after a while continuing the game becomes essentially impossible without paying for some in-app bonuses. You know, microtransactions. Nobody wants to have to pay 99 cents each time they want to catch a Pokemon.

At a shareholder meeting, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata said that he doesn’t want Nintendo to use the term “free-to-play” to describe these games at all. “We do not want to use the free-to-play terminology that implies that you can play games free-of-charge. Instead, we use the term “free-to-start,” as this term more aptly describes that at the beginning you can start to play for free.”

First of all, that actually sounds like a good idea. It’d be nice if all mobile freemium games would adopt that terminology. But since they won’t, let’s move on. “The fact of the matter is, game software with a one-time payment system has not been doing a great job on smart devices,” Iwata said. He believes that mobile game prices are just so low, there’s no point in developing the kind of games for mobile devices that would only require a one-time payment.

“Since Nintendo wants to cherish the value of software, there will be a limit to how low of a price we might want to attach to our game applications for smart devices. The price of our game applications on smart devices will be compared with the prices of other smart device game applications. We believe we should not limit our payment system only to one-time payments.” So Iwata basically wants the pricing of Nintendo mobile games to match the pricing of other mobile games. Which, sadly, means microtransactions. But Iwata didn’t rule out providing one-time payment options.

Candy Crush Saga

Candy Crush Saga is one of the most notorious free-to-play games out there, designed to become so difficult that players have no way to proceed without microtransactions.

Iwata was also sure to let people know he’s aware of the negativity surrounding microtransactions. “Some games are designed so that the players will be so excited psychologically… that they do not think twice about pushing the button, which immediately completes the monetary transaction and the player is charged with the bill. We know that some of such games have become a social issue.” Iwata reckons the number of people who actually spend money on these sorts of games in Japan is quite small. But because that small number of people spends enough money in microtransactions to buy “several dedicated video game systems,” the free-to-play/free-to-start model is very profitable.

But he says that’s not the case overseas. Many freemium game companies are asking less and less of their customers. He doesn’t think the model he described for Japan would work abroad. Emphasising the importance of making games that appeal to all demographics around the world, Nintendo wants to make games that are cheap but popular. “In other words, even if a consumer makes a relatively small payment, because of the large consumer base, the game can generate big revenue.”

Iwata also emphasised that Nintendo doesn’t want to adopt the “notorious” business model of charging a small number of players a lot of money. He said that could harm Nintendo’s brand.

So the bottom line here is that Nintendo is, for now, treading carefully into the mobile world. It seems they have a good understanding of the gaming community’s dislike of the traditional free-to-play business model and are trying to be as transparent as possible. That’s particularly clear in their desire to call their games “free-to-start.” As long as Nintendo’s mobile games include some sort of one-time-pay option (perhaps a full version and a free version), we won’t have much to worry about.

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Rhiannon likes video games and she likes writing, so she decided to combine them. As well as writing about video games, she also belts out the occasional science fiction or fantasy story, edits videos, and eats strawberry oreos. In that order.

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Sony is reportedly engaged in discussions to form a partnership for a potential bid on Paramount

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April 19, 2024

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There hasn’t been much buzz lately about any new acquisitions in the world of video game intellectual property. According to a recent report, Sony is currently engaged in discussions with a well-funded partner to potentially acquire the renowned film studio Paramount, along with all the exciting possibilities that come with such a merger.

As reported in the New York Times (thanks, ResetEra), Sony Picture Entertainment is reportedly in discussions with Apollo Global Management, an investment firm, as per two sources familiar with the matter. In the past, Apollo had made an offer to acquire Paramount for a minimum of $26 billion, but their bid was ultimately turned down.

The terms of the joint bid are currently under discussion, and there is a chance that the two parties may decide against making a formal offer. Unnamed sources have revealed that Paramount is currently in exclusive discussions with Skydance, preventing any official offer from being made at this time. Investor opposition to the recent deal that Skydance brought seems to have been significant.

The potential impact of such an acquisition is immense. First and foremost, it would introduce adaptations of Sonic and Halo into the expanding media empire of the PlayStation platform holder. Following the announcement, Paramount’s stock experienced a significant 11% surge in after-hours trading.

What are your thoughts on the news? Is there a possibility of Sony acquiring Paramount? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Helldivers 2 Players Face Overwhelming Hordes of Factory Striders

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April 18, 2024

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In the ongoing conflict against the Automaton invasion fleet, the Helldivers 2 players have successfully halted their advance. However, the situation has now reached a tiresome stalemate. Yet again, the machines refuse to take a break from their relentless pursuit of progress, with reports emerging of the Factory Striders being deployed in record-breaking quantities.

There have been reports of alleged machines that were supposedly encountered during Operation Swift Disassembly, which was just the beginning of a larger campaign. However, these accounts should be taken with a grain of salt, as they are unverified and seem to be more on the imaginative side. Factory Striders have gained a reputation as formidable weapons platforms that can produce more Automatons while enduring significant damage. If the machines are able to withstand such a relentless assault, it will be necessary to develop innovative strategies.

Have you come across groups of Factory Striders in Helldivers 2? Which strategies are proving to be the most effective in taking down these armored brutes? The Orbital Railcannon Strike will prove to be a valuable asset in the comments section below.

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Todd Howard affirms that the timeline of the Fallout series is coherent and well-constructed

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April 18, 2024

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The recent release of Amazon’s adaptation of Fallout has ignited a renewed interest in the series and brought attention to the captivating alternate history that forms its foundation. Fans have expressed concern that the TV show’s events might be at odds with the plot of the Obsidian Entertainment video game New Vegas. Warning: Spoilers ahead for New Vegas and Amazon’s show!

Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard and Fallout TV executive producer Jonathan Nolan recently sat down with IGN to discuss the timeline. Howard was taken aback when showrunners Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet presented him with the surprising concept of obliterating Shady Sands, the bustling capital of the New California Republic, in the aftermath of the events in New Vegas. Howard eventually warmed up to the idea: “After discussing it, we realized that this could be a significant story moment that many things hinge upon.”

It seems that they had to make some tough decisions to ensure everything fell into place, but Howard emphasizes the importance of preserving the integrity of the Fallout timeline: “We take great care with the timeline. There seems to be some confusion in certain areas. However, all the events from the previous games, including New Vegas, did occur. We take great caution in that matter. We’re really pushing the limits here, but the explosions occur right after the events of New Vegas.

What are your thoughts on this? Is it up to par? Even though it may not have a significant impact on the overall quality of the games or show, it is comforting to know that those in charge are paying attention. We value your feedback and would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

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