According to Kimishima, it seems that the reason for picking Animal Crossing is due to its wide appeal and the ability to appeal to men, women, and children. “The Animal Crossing series has been played by a wide range of consumers including children and women. I think there is a good chance that those consumers would enjoy this.”
This echoes DeNA’s (the company working with Nintendo to develop these games) statement from last year in which they wanted to create games that appealed to as many people as possible. As to why they chose Fire Emblem, they claim that this is to help appeal to the passionate fans of the game that has expanded beyond Japan’s borders and into America. “This series has many passionate fans, particularly among gamers in their 20s and 30s. As I mentioned before, the latest title, Fire Emblem Fates, is selling well in America and has found a wide audience outside of Japan as well.”
In any case both the Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem related titles are expected to see a launch later this year on mobile devices. With the success of Miitomo, we’re curious to see if Nintendo will be able to replicate that success with more popular franchises.