Nintendo, one of the leaders in the handheld consoles and video games, wants to enter the business of making apps for smartphones. Its recently announced "Miitomo" will be launched by March 2016
Miitomo, the first ever mobile game from Nintendo, will be free-to-play with paid add-ons. According to a blog at The Wall Street Journal, the video game maker's President, Tatsumi Kimishima, unveiled Miitomo during a strategy briefing for investors in Tokyo. But the app from Nintendo won't be ready by next year. As written on Japan Real Time via WJS, "In conclusion, Nintendo has introduced its long-awaited and highly anticipated first smartphone app, called Miitomo, but pushed back the release date to the spring of next year.
"The title is a new franchise for the company- first of five smartphone apps Nintendo plans to release by March 2017. But we're not sure whether to call Miitomo a game. Users will design their own avatars, or miis, to communicate with other users"
In addition, according to Polygon, with Miitomo app users designing the look of Nintendo Mii's and use them as avatars to communicate with other players. As announced early, Miitomo and other future aps will be launched in partnership with with mobile game company DeNA
As to why the app is being released at a later time, Mr. Kimishima explaines that the company want to have more time to fully market and explain Miitomo. Since the company is currently focused promoting other titles, they will begin promoting Miitomo after the 2015 holiday season.
In addition, Nintendo will create a Nintendo Account as part of its mobile plans. This is a new service that will work for all Nintendo devices and also PC and mobile platforms. While this could be its replacement for the Club Nintendo loyalty program that the company discontinued early this year, it is best to wait for an official announcement from Nintendo.
