Nintendo Will Explore Paid & Free-To-Play Models For Mobile Games

A couple of days ago Nintendo surprised everyone when they announced that together with Japanese online company DeNA, they would begin making games for mobile devices. Now the question we’re sure many are asking is how will Nintendo price their mobile games? Will they adopt the popular free-to-play model, or will they go paid and charge a premium like what Square Enix has done?

It turns out that is a decision that Nintendo has yet to make. In an interview with TIME, Nintendo’s President and CEO Satoru Iwata revealed some of the company’s plans for mobile and how they plan to go about charging for it. When asked if they plan on adopting a premium strategy or adopt a free-to-play model that relies on in-app purchases, Iwata states that both options are worth considering.

Iwata understands that the free-to-play model is a popular choice amongst developers and that it will “naturally” be an option for them to consider. He also adds, “On the other hand, even in the world of smart device apps, the business model continues to change. Accordingly, for each title, we will discuss with DeNA and decide the most appropriate payment method.”

However what Nintendo will not do is hurt their brand image or IP with their pricing decisions. “Also, it’s even more important for us to consider how we can get as many people around the world as possible to play Nintendo smart device apps, rather than to consider which payment system will earn the most money.” So, which model are you hoping that Nintendo will lean more towards?

Tyler Lee
Categories: Cellphones, Gaming
Tags: Apps, Nintendo