New business model aims for US$855 million in profits in several years.
Nintendo
president Tatsumi Kimishima (pictured right) revealed the company’s broad plans for the future on Friday. Kimishima said that Nintendo will announce details about its next-generation “NX” platform in 2016.
The company president said that the NX will not be the successor for existing game hardware, and it will be based on a completely new concept. Kimishima also stated that Nintendo‘s plans to release smartphone games and collaborate on a project with the Universal Studios theme park are advancing.
Kimishima said that the company’s goal is to establish a new business model related to video games, and releasing new projects will be an important part of that plan. The company is continuing licensing discussions so that other companies can use Nintendo‘s game characters in films and television anime.
Kimishima confirmed that Nintendo‘s first smartphone game will launch in March. Nintendo hopes to release smartphone games that feature the company’s well-known characters within the year.
Nintendo is also planning to diversify its revenue sources. Nintendo hopes that with fan support it can earn 100 billion yen (about US$855 million) in operating profits within several years.
Nintendo announced last March that it “is developing a game hardware platform with an entirely new concept under the developmental codename NX” with mobile services company DeNA. Nintendo‘s late former president and CEO Satoru Iwata then revealed in May that the company is considering making the console region-free. Square Enix announced in July that it is bringing its Dragon Quest X: Mezameshi Itsutsu no Shuzoku Online (Dragon Quest X: Awakening of the Five Races Online) online game to the PlayStation 4 and NX platform.
Nintendo unveiled its first smartphone game Miitomo in July. The communication app that will use Mii characters will launch this March. Nintendo is also working with the The Pokemon Company, GAME FREAK, and software development company Niantic (Ingress) to release the Pokémon GO smartphone app for Android phones and iPhones in 2016.
Nintendo plans to launch approximately five smart device titles by the end of March 2017. Nintendo had originally planned to release its first smart device title by the end of 2015, but delayed the title “to further improve the application and to optimize the overall smart device business.”
Nintendo reported its first positive operating income in its 4-6 month financial reports in five years in October. The company reported an operating profit of 8.9 billion yen (US$73.8 million) for the six month period ending on September 30. Kimishima became the new Representative Director and President of Nintendo earlier in September.
Sources: Mainichi Shimbun, IGN
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