What if Nintendo goes mobile?

Nintendo is undoubtedly known for its games and consoles. A traditional company that is pratically videogame´s synonymous. For years and years, Nintendo seemed to be unbeatable and its income was enough to keep things running fine. Franchises like Mario and Pokémon were strong and a valuable reason for users to purchase its consoles. However there might be something weird happening to the company recently. It seems that its consoles hasn´t same appeal and its audience is migrating gradually to other devices.

Nintendo´s Radar?

Seems that Nintendo doesn´t appreciate looking beyond videogame market. What matters to them is offering cool consoles and good games focusing on child or teenager audience. And it seemed to be an appropriate strategy. Mario, Zelda, Pokémon: does anyone doubt Nintendo´s vocation? Thanks to Shigeru Miyamoto, a bunch of well designed titles provided cash flow enough to Nintendo expand and finance its empire worldwide.

Despite of being a specialized company, Nintendo should have to pay attention around and develop new products constantly. Videogame market is promising but there´s a lot of novelties out there when it comes to technology market. Perhaps Nintendo should have taken a look in the neighborhood: Apple was leading a true revolution on whole markets like music, mobile devices, tablets and personal computer. Google was introducing its Android OS into countless devices, spreading its Chrome browser and taking over advertisement market right behind our noses. Minecraft and GTA were becoming more and more famous among players. Whatsapp was attacking carrier operator´s income source and Instagram was reinventing photography. Meanwhile, Nintendo seemed to get busy with an accelerometer for Wii joystick and also if Pokémon would be White or Black.

Game market was back in 70´s and 80´s a novelty but it has become today´s commodity. Nintendo used to move fast and was tuned with its audience. Nintendo was very sharp on doing beautiful devices, with nice features and games to supply the market. It was novelty. It was, somehow, technology. But consumers are never standing still when it comes to technology market and seemed that Nintendo took a nap on the top of market. What was cutting-edge technology started to spread around and became gradually popular.

Emulate or not emulate?

Emulator´s advent was ignored by Nintendo. And as a company affraid of the unknown, started to chase emulator´s creators instead of embrace them and try to figure out what was this new frontier. A lot of new applications could be produced emulating other devices. Who knows what would be the impact of releasing a Super Nintendo Game Service on Google Play or App Market? What if you could play Super Mario Bros on your Samsung device? It would, at least, spread Nintendo brand and attracting users to get to know and purchase Nintendo´s products.

Everybody knows that today´s children are tomorrow´s grown ups. Nintendo didn´t. For some unclear reason, they simply ignored tons of children that became adults and still loving its products. Customers that didn´t care to spend hours in a line to purchase Nintendo´s consoles and that could surely tend to try any product with Nintendo brand on it. Adults that purchase videogames, mp3 players, tablets, clothes. Taking a look at Sanrio´s backyard would give a slicest idea of all sort of thing Nintendo could have worked on.

Design Design and Design

Why on earth would a company try to enter in a market steady and with strong competitors as mobile market was back at 2006? Apple did. After getting some experience on small devices launching Ipod, Apple simply decided to develop its own mobile phone. The rest of history all of us know. Same risk could take Nintendo back at that time with all knowledge of its portable devices: they were cute, well design, robust and with a large audience that could risk purchasing a "N-Phone" just because it had a Nintendo logo on it. However, it seems that Nintendo could still take this risk nowadays...

Imagine a device as well designed as Nintendo DS or Wii console where you could play a game, make calls, listen to musics, take pictures, record some videos and connect to internet? A device you don´t have to worry with a battery-life or if it will explode on your pocket. It would be surely a dream coming true that could be brought to reality soon. Although a little bit late, it is still feasible to design a device like that or at least, take advantage of a part of this concept. Nintendo still strong, even running a risk to get kicked out videogame console war on next decade.

Nintendo and Apple has both a wide fan base that could defend them aggresively. Loyal fans could be turned into regular customers when it comes to mobile market allied with Nintendo´s power brand. It also can rescue the company from the dark side of losses and perhaps bring its operation to generate profit to stock holders. Nintendo is well known to return from the ashes as it made at Wii´s launching occasion. Nintendo just have to get back on track and return to create technology and not run behind it. The big question remaining here is: "Why Nintendo didn´t do it before?"

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