Nintendo investor wants mobile games with microtransactions

February 28th, 2014, 00:16 Posted By: wraggster

A Hong Kong hedge fund manager is calling on Nintendo to begin developing and selling mobile games with microtransactions.
Oasis Management founder Seth Fischer also suggests the company adopt a free-to-play model with microtransactions.
"Nintendo needs to embrace this thematic change in consumer demand, behaviour and expectations to stay relevant," said Fischer, in a letter obtained by Reuters.
"Just think of paying 99 cents just to get Mario to jump a little higher," Fischer writes in a letter to Nintendo president Satoru Iwata.
"We believe Nintendo can create very profitable games based on in-game revenue models with the right development team. The same people who spent hours playing Super Mario, Donkey Kong and The Legend Of Zelda as children are now a demographic whose engagement on the smartphone is valued by the market at well over $100 billion."
Previously, Nintendo has resisted calls to release its games on mobile platforms, despite a number of analysts urging the corporation to make the switch.
In August, Nintendo chief executive Satoru Iwata told CVG that releasing games on mobiles would only represent a short-term fix.
"If I was to take responsibility for the company for just the next one or two years, and if I was not concerned about the long-term future of Nintendo at all, it might make sense for us to provide our important franchises for other platforms, and then we might be able to gain some short-term profit," he said.
"However, I'm really responsible for the long-term future of Nintendo as well, so I would never think about providing our precious resources for other platforms at all."
Earlier in February, Iwata announced that Nintendo would be looking into making a smartphone app that would help promote the company's Wii U and 3DS titles.
"Nintendo would like to establish a firm channel on smart devices through which we can connect with consumers," he said.
"This channel will enable not only us but also third-party publishers to communicate all the fun content on Nintendo platforms to consumers. "

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