The developer working with Nintendo on the gaming giant’s first mobile games has revealed all titles will be free to play, meaning they’ll be reliant on in-app purchases.
Speaking during an earnings call on Wednesday, the CEO of DeNA Isao Moriyasu said “games currently in the pipeline are all free to play.” (via WSJ).
The two firms are working together on a host of titles with five games to release by March next year.
Miitomo will be released in March, but appears to be more of a communication app based around Nintendo’s Mii avatars, rather than an actual game.
New Nintendo CEO Kimishima said: “This will help people who are hesitant to talk about themselves to communicate with others, and reveal a side of your friends you never knew.”
Speculation had suggested the other four games in the works would be paid downloads, but DeNA’s comments seem to confirm they’ll all embrace the unpopular freemium model.
See also: Best iPhone Games 2015
So, Ninty fans, if you’re hoping against hope for a Mario Kart port for iOS or Android, just know you’ll probably be asked for cash to power up cars, race on certain tracks, unlock new characters and everything in between.
For a company so focused on unlocking the fun and letting gamers play, it seems somewhat of a strange move from Nintendo.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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