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Nintendo and DeNA recently announced a partnership by which the two companies would collaborate to develop smartphone games using Nintendo properties and also create Nintendo’s new membership program. Since then, a summarized version of their presentation has been shared on Nintendo’s investor site and reveals when talks of the partnership between the two companies first began.
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata says he first met DeNA CEO Isao Moriyasu in 2010, when the latter approached Nintendo with a proposal to use their properties in mobile games. Moriyasu’s enthusiasm for such a collaboration caused Nintendo to continue talks with him beyond that first meeting.
“At some point in the past, I realized that there would be great potential for global synergy by combining the efforts of the two companies, as we would face dynamic environmental changes,” Iwata said to analysts and the press. “Since then, in addition to my discussions with Mr. Moriyasu, key persons from both companies have been discussing these possibilities.”
Moriyasu adds that specific plans regarding an alliance between Nintendo and DeNA only began in Summer 2014.
“We had numerous meetings where I myself talked to many Nintendo members in person,” Moriyasu said. “The more we talked, the stronger I believed each company’s strengths could complement one other. I started to wonder how huge of an impact we would make globally as one team.”
One of the reasons that DeNA were keen on a partnership with Nintendo is because competition in the mobile games space has intensified and it has become increasingly difficult to get games noticed. Moriyasu says he believes recognized I.P. is the most effective way to make your game stand out, so an alliance with Nintendo, who own some of the most recognized I.P. globally, made sense.
Presentation slide courtesy Nintendo.
