A new patent at the Japan Patent Office by Nintendo Co., Ltd. and Intelligent Systems Co., Ltd., published on January 23, 2020, is for an information processing system for a game program. This new Nintendo and Intelligent Systems patent aims to improve interest in a game character, more specifically by providing a user an incentive to obtain items associated with said people.
The overview, in this translation by BlackKite, paints somewhat a clearer picture:-
The Information Processing System grants a game object related to a specific game character to the user when the assigned requirement is fulfilled.
The Information Processing System executes the game provided by the game object owned by the user, out of the game objects related to a specific game character and/or a different game character.
Regardless of whether the user owns a game object related to a specific game character or not, the parameter related to that character will be updated based on the game’s execution results.
When the parameter fulfills the event execution requirement, regardless of whether the user owns the game object related to the specific character related to the parameter or not, the character event where this specific character appears will be executed.
The images seem to indicate Nintendo and Intelligent Systems’ existing Fire Emblem franchise, although Intelligent Systems filed a mystery trademark for カクトデール (Kakutodale) back in 2018. It also follows the course of action of the Forging Bonds events in Fire Emblem Heroes. During those segments, players can end up fighting enemies to earn affection points for one of four heroes. As your points accrue, you earn rewards like feathers or cosmetic items for your own party members. Even if you don’t get the Forging Bonds characters from a banner, you still build affection with them during the event.
This isn’t the only recent move by the company. A touch pen attachment patent was filed by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch Joy-Con, as well as one for a passive walking apparatus.
As for other Intelligent Systems developments, Fire Emblem: Three Houses is available for the Nintendo Switch. The Ashen Wolves campaign will be available on February 12, 2020 in North America and February 13, 2020 in Europe and Japan.