Free-to-Play options considered by Nintendo CEO, Satoru Iwata

Iwata talks about new business models like F2P.

Posted By | On 07th, Jan. 2013

satoru_iwata pic

Nintendo made its first foray into the DLC business with the Wii U and it seems that they will be experimenting more with new business models such as Free-to-play.

He also revealed that it will be something entirely new and won’t be put into old franchises like Mario.

“We [as an industry] can now do distribution by digital means as well as micro-transactions, and the ways to obtain money through supporting entertainment have increased,” he said to Nikkei.

“I have no intention of denying charged games or the free-to-play model. If we were to talk about if Nintendo were to do that, however, I do not [have] much inclination to do that with Nintendo’s established well-known products, where people trust their interesting-ness.”

Again he reterirated that it won’t be put into franchises like Mario or Pokemon and will be used in a creative way.

“For new titles with no established base, if, in the process of development, we found it to suit the free-to-play model, we might follow that route, or we might do something like ‘cheap-to-play’,” he said.

“Our sales methods have been freed up and I have no desire to extinguish that freedom. If we were to release something like that, it is not a betrayal but the birth of an interesting idea through our new found freedom, that’s all. I am not talking about changing how we sell Mario or Pokémon.”

Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Thanks, Eurogamer.


Tagged With: , ,

Keep On Reading!

Stranger Than Heaven’s Story is “Very Extensive,” But Features Fewer Play Spots Than Yakuza

Stranger Than Heaven’s Story is “Very Extensive,” But Features Fewer Play Spots Than Yakuza

The maps are also "roughly the same scale" as the Yakuza series, though each has a distinct size, says RGG Stu...

Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls Highlights Ms. Marvel’s Flexible Moves and Hard-Hitting Combos

Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls Highlights Ms. Marvel’s Flexible Moves and Hard-Hitting Combos

With stunning elasticity and the ability to increase the size of her limbs, Kamala Khan can move fast and dish...

PS6’s Bill of Materials Increases by $200, $1000 Price Fears Could End Up Coming True – Rumor

PS6’s Bill of Materials Increases by $200, $1000 Price Fears Could End Up Coming True – Rumor

Leaker Kepler_L2 posits a grim update for the next-gen console while claiming that its specs have been "locked...

Virtua Fighter Crossroads is An “Open Sandbox RPG,” Says Producer, Where “Player Choice Matters”

Virtua Fighter Crossroads is An “Open Sandbox RPG,” Says Producer, Where “Player Choice Matters”

RGG Studio's Riichiro Yamada also promises a "lot of side content", including "side quests with the old cast" ...

Star Wars Eclipse “Simply Cannot Be Completed” if Quantic Dream Proceeds With Layoffs, Say Devs

Star Wars Eclipse “Simply Cannot Be Completed” if Quantic Dream Proceeds With Layoffs, Say Devs

After announcing layoffs for 115 employees following the failure of Spellcasters Chronicles, developers are st...

Dinoblade Launches on July 23rd, Prehistoric Souls-like Combat Showcased in New Trailer

Dinoblade Launches on July 23rd, Prehistoric Souls-like Combat Showcased in New Trailer

What began as a humble series of animations by Jean Nguyen back in 2022 has evolved into a full-fledged PC tit...