Nintendo and DeNA’s first smartphone games will be free-to-play

Nintendo’s goal is to have five mobile games released by March 2017. All of Nintendo’s mobile games that are now in development will be free-to-play titles with optional IAPs coming with them.

If you’ve ever played a game that’s free to download then you’re probably well aware that free doesn’t necessarily mean “free” when it comes to mobile gaming, there are always microtransactions or in-app purchases for either unlocking levels or getting content that’s locked behind a paywall.

Nintendo’s first mobile app is Miitomo and it was shown to investors at a meeting last month. They hoped that Nintendo would announce a better game, maybe something involving an original Nintendo character like Mario or Yoshi, and that it would come sooner, Slash Gear reports. Moriyasu is avoiding calling Miitomo a game, considering it more of a communication app. The other news out of the Nintendo announcements was that a few of the games would be F2P and a few ‘pay-to-download, ‘ a statement that made many of our readers hopeful that Nintendo will be going the premium route, too. He actually was uncomfortable with the term “free to play” and preferred calling it “free to start”. Additionally, Moriyasu also warned against referring to DeNA’s first smartphone project with Nintendo, Miitomo, as a game, saying instead it’s an entertainment feature, though in the fullness of time and with the addition of new features it could become such.