Categories: MobileSwitch

Nintendo Reflects On Their Successful Mobile Partnership With DeNA

Satoru Iwata, president of Nintendo Co., right, and Isao Moriyasu, president and chief executive officer of DeNA Co., shake hands during a joint news conference in Tokyo, Japan, on Tuesday, March 17, 2015. Nintendo dropped its resistance to using its characters on mobile devices as the maker of Mario and Zelda teams with DeNA to develop new games for smartphones and tablet computers. Photographer: Akio Kon/Bloomberg *** Local Caption *** Satoru Iwata; Isao Moriyasu

5 years ago, late Nintendo president Satoru Iwata inked a deal with Japanese mobile developer DeNA to assist in making Nintendo smartphone games and laying down the groundwork for the Nintendo Account system.

During the 80th AGM, an investor asked about the company’s partnership with DeNA. Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa says that their partnership for the last 5 years has been good, as they achieved their goal of “expanding the population touched by Nintendo IP” on smart devices.

In the last 5 years, both companies released a few smartphone games such as Mario Kart Tour, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, and Fire Emblem Heroes. Furukawa pointed out that Mario Kart Tour has worked as a great funnel in expanding the number of Nintendo Account users, and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp helped to get some players who were never into video games to get a Nintendo Switch and Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Hence, Furukawa believes both companies will continue to work together for the years to come.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments.