Nintendo and Apple to partner on games for iPhone?

[Natoma]

http://www.noheat.com/2007/06/18/nintendo-and-apple-to-partner-on-games-for-iphone/

These exclusive games will be released on the iTunes Store at a $29.00 price point a few months after the iPhone launches. No word on whether Nintendo will be distributing iPod versions of these games. A major hangup in development has been the lack of buttons on the iPhone that was remedied by a touchscreen D-pad. One might wonder how Nintendo fans may see view playing on a phone without a traditional D-pad.

Asked anonymously whether or not these games would cut into Nintendo DS sales, we heard a resounding no. The logic is that because the licensed games will be exclusive and cater to an older audience they should not intrude into Nintendo’s existing markets.

The one thing Nintendo does worry about is their amount of control of Apple. While not developing a cell phone internally has its advantages, giving up control of platform has not historically been a practice Nintendo has taken. Nevertheless Nintendo sees gaming on Mobile Smart Phones as a threat to their core business and a partnership with Apple could be seen as a bold move into a very profitable market. One thing is for sure Nintendo should expect to share in the marketing spotlight of the iPhone in the same way that AT&T has.

Pretty bold development if true, particularly considering the choke hold Nintendo has on the portable gaming market with the DS.

Go revenue stream expansion!

 

[patsu]

Heh heh... this is one of my personal predictions. *If* true... go Nintendo go ! Innovative companies must be rewarded (in my book).

 

[StefanS]

This stuff is missing any credible link. The only source is rumour from a while back. Doesn't seem very trustworthy to me.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Nintendo don't make games for other people's hardware. I'd find it bizarre for them to start now when they're doing better than they've ever done before. Nintendo IPs make their platforms - where sell them to other hardware? Unless they think the iPhone is going to sell crazy amounts and they want a piece of the software pie, it seems improbable to me. Plus with control by a touchscreen d-pad, you'll be obliterating much of the game view. That's just rubbish!

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

What about the CDi? That had zelda.

 

[patsu]

Yes it's only a rumor. It will take a long time to materialize (some day, I continue to hope and predict ).

 

[taucias]

What about the CDi? That had zelda.

That was only because of their bodged SuperCD project with Philips though.

 

[ninzel]

Some of Nintendo's best games could work with just a stylus.

 

[DeadlyNinja]

Why would they release a game on the iPhone when they can do it on the DS? What does the iPhone offer for video games that the DS doesn't?

 

[ninzel]

What does the iPhone offer for Nintendo that the DS doesn't?

fixed

Another audience that in turn could be turned on to Nintendo,the DS,the Wii and gaming in general. Plus another stream of revenue.
And before anyone says it,yes some existing Ipod users already have a DS as well,but not all do.

 

[morlock]

fixed

Another audience that in turn could be turned on to Nintendo,the DS,the Wii and gaming in general. Plus another stream of revenue.
And before anyone says it,yes some existing Ipod users already have a DS as well,but not all do.

Folks that spend $500 on a mobile phone is'nt exactly the same audience that's interested in Nintendo-games IMO.

 

[Skrying]

Folks that spend $500 on a mobile phone is'nt exactly the same audience that's interested in Nintendo-games IMO.

How not? They're willing to spend money on a device and are certainly into "hip" items. I'd say that is certainly Nintendo's market.

 

[Capeta]

Why would they release a game on the iPhone when they can do it on the DS? What does the iPhone offer for video games that the DS doesn't?

Most people would rather carry a phone with them and have some cool games that can be played on the phone itself (if done right) especially if the phone is very capable of quality graphics with a nice screen. Most people don't want to carry around a phone AND a DSL or PSP.

If this is true then it basically says Nintendo is testing the waters for a DSL/phone hybrid in the future possibly developed with help from Panasonic/NEC cellular phone division.

 

[Lazy8s]

Nintendo has made games for Sega Sammy's Pico systems, so it's not unprecedented.

Getting Nintendo games on the iPhone could go some ways toward exercising the phone's hardware 3D acceleration, if it's indeed equipped with such.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Yeah, 'coz Nintendo are really the company to push 3D abilities in hardware

 

[inefficient]

Regarding games on phones, I was just in a store looking at phones today, and the new Docomo 2.0 phones have a bunch of gaming stuff on them

I looked at a Panasonic P904i phone that I am considering buying that had a 3D katamari game on it.

One of the phones (D904) has a motion sensor in it, and there was a marble game featuring that functionality

And then there was this other phone that had a game on it that used the built in CCD camera as sort of an eye toy for playing games. There was a boxing game where you made punching motions toward the phone to control the game.

 

[Simon F]

Regarding games on phones, I was just in a store looking at phones today, and the new Docomo 2.0 phones have a bunch of gaming stuff on them

I looked at a Panasonic P904i phone that I am considering buying that had a 3D katamari game on it.

It's not exactly,say, Nokia N-95 quality 3D.

 

[Lazy8s]

That's mainly the result of API and game size limitations, though, as the hardware is relatively similar.

While Nintendo games might not always directly push the performance standards of the hardware, the effect they have of opening up a market for other console developers could lead to the phone's performance standards being pushed ultimately.

 

[Fox5]

The wii looked like nintendo wanted an apple collaboration.

The advertising, logo, and the system all borrow from apple's look, and the manual for the wii only mentions the wii's photo/movie player officially supporting quicktime, jpeg, and mp3. Wouldn't it have been neat to have ipod integration over usb? Yes, yes it would have. (though I don't own an ipod, but for the casual user it would work great)