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Nintendo's smartphone offerings haven't reached a "satisfactory profit point yet," according to outgoing president Tatsumi Kimishima.

Chris Kerr, News Editor

May 1, 2018

1 Min Read

Nintendo's smartphone offerings haven't reached a "satisfactory profit point yet," according to outgoing president Tatsumi Kimishima

The company has been attempting to make headway on mobile since the launch of its debut (and now defunct) smartphone app Miitomo in March 2016. 

In the two years since, the Japanese console maker has brought a number of key franchises to mobile with the launch of titles like Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes, and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp

Looking from the outside in, you'd be forgiven for thinking that current roster was performing admirably. Super Mario Run, for instance, currently boasts around 20 million monthly active users, while Fire Emblem Heroes reportedly earned $300 million during its first year

Nintendo, however, is more subdued in its praise, and although the company acknowledges its lineup has delivered the goods in terms of raising consumer awareness, it claims they've yet to turn a profit that meets expectations. 

"We will continue the services for existing applications while also releasing new applications in order to increase Nintendo’s presence in the smart device business," commented Kimishima during a recent financial briefing.

"The efforts we have made to date have yielded certain responses to our goal of expanding the number of people who have access to Nintendo IP. Even so, we have not reached a satisfactory profit point yet, so our goal is to further expand the scale of this business to develop it into one of the pillars of revenue."

About the Author(s)

Chris Kerr

News Editor, GameDeveloper.com

Game Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.

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