Nintendo to shift focus from mobile games after Animal Crossing win - The UpStream

Nintendo to shift focus from mobile games after Animal Crossing win

posted Monday Jun 22, 2020 by Scott Ertz

Nintendo to shift focus from mobile games after Animal Crossing win

A few years ago, Nintendo made an announcement that shocked the industry: they were bringing their intellectual property to mobile devices. Nintendo has allowed games based on its characters and world on other platforms in the past but has been resistant to the idea in recent years because of the negative experiences they've had. Despite their concerns, games featuring Mario, Animal Crossing, and Pokemon have all found their way to iOS and Android devices. That era might be coming to an end if a report from Bloomberg is accurate.

The move to mobile was a surprise to many, not just because of the past licensing issues. The Switch, which is designed to be both a home and portable console, was the new face of the company. Releasing games for mobile devices could potentially undermine the uniqueness of the Switch. However, the reality of the situation turned out to be the opposite. Sales of first-party Switch games cannibalized usage and sales of the mobile titles. Most notably, the release of the most recent Animal Crossing: New Horizons destroyed usage of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, its mobile companion. In fact, sales of the new title have driven Nintendo's shares to a 12-year high.

With that information at hand, it makes less sense for Nintendo to split its resources developing new titles for mobile and Switch when the best-case scenario for the company is to focus on its own platform, especially if it is generating more revenue. But, it appears that the decision could have been made last year. Since Mario Kart Tour released last year, there have been no mobile games in development. Instead, it seems the company will focus on maintaining the current mobile games and developing new titles for the Switch.

Are you going to miss new mobile titles from Nintendo, or is the experience on the Switch where they should focus?

Advertisement

Login to CommentWhat You're Saying

Be the first to comment!

We're live now - Join us!
PLUGHITZ Keyz

Email

Password

Forgot password? Recover here.
Not a member? Register now.
Blog Meets Brand Stats