Nintendo’s recent partnership with Cygames is yet another example of the company going “all in” when it comes to something they believe in. Not only are they putting their full resources behind the creation of Dragalia Lost, a new RPG from Cygames, but have bought 5% of the developer’s stock to completely solidify the partnership.
Despite the seriousness of their new deal and being open to additional partnerships in the future, Nintendo is still sticking with their original plan of releasing 2-3 mobile titles per year. Although this may sound a bit contradictory, it’s actually part of a “slow burn” approach to their smart device application expansion, as explained by Nintendo president, Tatsumi Kimishima, in a recent financial briefing.
What we want is to release applications for smart devices that can be played for a long time, and if we can increase those kinds of titles, then we will build up a line-up of titles that consumers will truly enjoy.”
So, what does this deal mean for the relationship between Nintendo and their original mobile partner, DeNA? It actually won’t change a thing because, in the mind of Nintendo, what DeNA brings to the table is very different than what Cygames has to offer.
The new collaboration with Cygames involves game design and development, while DeNA supports the all-important Nintendo account system, so the roles these two companies play are different.
Only time will tell if this very methodical approach to mobile games will work for Nintendo or not. Either way, it seems the game giant is serious about their investment in Dragalia Lost as well as their goal to create long lasting experiences for their mobile customer.
Source: Nintendo
