http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2015/150317e.pdf

In a joint between DeNA and Nintendo, Nintendo will be making games for the Mobile Market.

"Nintendo and DeNA intend to jointly operate new gaming applications featuring Nintendo IP, which they will develop specifically for smart devices. Consequently, Nintendo expects to benefit from new business opportunities as more consumers encounter Nintendo IP, and DeNA expects to strengthen its core business of mobile gaming internationally through the use of Nintendo IP."

Live @ 5 PM local, 4 AM EST: English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNi6ZbMKh_w Japanese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sMJPEplO0Y

Person Tweeting from Press conference: https://twitter.com/serkantoto Slides and transcript (Q&A not included) in English: http://www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/release/en/2015/150317/index.html

(1) Joint development and operation of gaming applications for smart devices using Nintendo’s intellectual property (“Nintendo IP”), including its characters

Nintendo and DeNA intend to jointly operate new gaming applications featuring Nintendo IP, which they will develop specifically for smart devices. Consequently, Nintendo expects to benefit from new business opportunities as more consumers encounter Nintendo IP, and DeNA expects to strengthen its core business of mobile gaming internationally through the use of Nintendo IP.

(2) Joint development of a new multi-device membership service

Nintendo and DeNA expect to develop a new core system compatible with a variety of devices including PCs, smartphones and tablets as well as Nintendo’s dedicated video game systems, and are to jointly develop a membership service utilizing this system, with a launch targeted for the fall of 2015. The companies expect to further enhance their customer relationships through the membership service. In addition to the business alliance described above, the two companies agreed to a capital alliance in order to create synergies between their businesses and strengthen their relationship in the medium to long term.

Stream is over.

I'm glad they aren't giving up on dedicated systems. At first it sounded like they might, but the more he talks the more hopeful I am that its not the end of them. Gonna be weird that they will be making stuff for smartphones, but I suppose it does make sense considering how widespread they are.

Oh snap, new console, NX

I wonder if it will be a home console or another hand held? I guess we will find out next year =).

Man, a month after the N3DS they announce a new piece of hardware? Huh. I just bought my N3DSXL about a week ago. But there's no way this can be a new home console, right? The Wii U is too young and too much of a failure to have run it's course considering their R&D cost. It's got to be a handheld. Or maybe the dream handheld/home console combo people seem to want?

Or maybe the NX is like four years out anyways so it doesn't matter. Who knows. They say we'll hear more next year, so I'm not upset yet!

Edit: Just saw the graphic with a PC, phone, tablet, Wii U, 3DS, and NX all together at once. So the NX is neither a handheld nor a home console? Iwata called it "the new hardware with a new concept NX" so it seems he's insinuating that it's something that's meant to coexist with your home console and handheld. What the hell is that market?

Edit edit: Oh god I just realized... What if this is a fitness tracker?

Aren't consoles usually announced a year before it comes out? So a new console is 2 years out at this point

@quid_pro_bono: The Steam Link market that's what NX is in. Or it could be their quality of life system that they've talked about before. Either way its a few years out at best.

@byterunner: I know you didn't see it, but in my edit I talked about a slide that shows the wii u and 3ds coexisting with the NX. Seems like it's a new category of hardware

In the Q&A at the end, when asked about timeframe for release of the mobile games, Iwata said he doesn't have anything to announce right now but that he doesn't see the advantage of the collaboration if they're not able to release something this year. Development will be handled by both Nintendo and DeNA, with Nintendo doing most user experience work and DeNA will do more backend analysis and server work. Sounds like Nintendo develops the games and sends them to DeNA to get them working. He was also adamant that the mobile games will not just be 3DS ports, due to needing the games to be tailored to the mobile platform. Iwata is definitely saying the right things here, hopefully it pans out.

Iwata says that Nintendo won't shy away from "free to start" and "extra charge" games, but also said they are aware of the reputation microtransactions have in the mobile market and that they want to avoid this sort of business for Nintendo. Specifically, he said that they don't want to target children in that way. I'm assuming that's in response to the legislation in Europe regulating this stuff.

:o I had no idea that this stream was happening. This translator is putting me to sleep :|

Too bad this won't be in this week's Bombcast, we'll have to wait a whole week to hear what the crew thinks... This news is great from a business perspective, but who knows what weird bad things might happen within the "console wars" side of it.

@beachthunder: Yeah you can just read my posts in this thread. I was already studying for finals so I put this on in the background. I think I hit all the highpoints.

This was a super dry stream. It's obvious that they're just announcing the stock buyout and strategy for the future. For those interested, Nintendo is buying 10% of DeNA for $181 million and DeNA is buying 1.24% of Nintendo. Some of the Q&A people are trying to get specifics about the NX and the mobile games to be developed, but they're not saying anything. Iwata did say that the reason they announced the NX was to make sure that people understand that Nintendo is still committed to the dedicated gaming hardware market. So people who are still pulling for Nintendo to go 3rd party dev for PS4/Xbone seem to still be out of luck.

Also, Iwata is still on the "redefine entertainment, expand your quality of life". Redefine entertainment like Brain Age and Wii Tennis, he said.

The way Iwata was talking about the NX, it sounds like the NX will be their next generation of dedicated gaming hardware (IE: Console)

They said that they specifically aren't going to be using "gacha" techniques, which are super popular in Japan, so that's kind of interesting. Seems like more of that kind of bad business stuff they're trying to avoid. Iwata seems really intent on making sure these games don't damage Nintendo's "family friendly" reputation.

Iwata also just said that their social network-y user account will start in Fall of this year and will include a new royalty program to compensate for the closure of Club Nintendo.