Gaming
Nintendo doesn’t want players spending too much money on its mobile games
Definitely a smart move from the company.
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Mobile games have a reputation for being greedy and money hungry, but Nintendo wants to buck that trend in an effort to keep its image as spotless as possible.
According to a new report from the Wall Street Journal, game makers working with Nintendo on titles like Dragalia Lost and Fire Emblem Heroes are being told to pump the brakes when it comes to in-game mechanics that entice the player to spend more money.
The reason?
Nintendo sees mobile games as a way to bolster its presence and “increase interests in its game characters.” Which I totally get. While slightly different because it’s Pokémon, the mobile Pokémon Go definitely increased my interest in the series as a whole.
The same could be said for upcoming mobile games like Mario Kart Tour and Dr. Mario that are in the works. The mobile presence brought on by these games can definitely intrigue new players and spark the imaginations of old-school players again, but not if Nintendo comes off as greedy during the games’ lifespans.
Some games are already feeling the pressure from Nintendo
According to the report, an employee of CyberAgent, the developer of Dragalia Lost, states, “Nintendo is not interested in making a large amount of revenue from a single smartphone game. If we managed the game alone, we would have made a lot more.”
It should also be noted that this is the first time in 17 years that CyberAgent has cut its fiscal-year earnings report due to lower-than-expected sales in the game. When the game released, drop rates on loot crates were extremely low for top-tier characters, Nintendo asked the company to bump those drop rates up.
Overall, it seems like a smart move from Nintendo. In a time where many people are talking about the negatives of gacha systems and loot crates, working with your developers to improve those chances will definitely go over with your player base.
What do you think? Smart move from Nintendo? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.
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