News
Wall Street Journal: Nintendo Plans The Legend of Zelda Smartphone Game
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that "people familiar with the matter" told the newspaper that Nintendo plans to release a The Legend of Zelda game for smartphones.
The Wall Street Journal also stated the same sources said Nintendo's planned Animal Crossing smartphone app is "likely" to launch in the latter half of 2017, with The Legend of Zelda game following afterward. Nintendo and DeNA declined to comment for The Wall Street Journal's story.
The newspaper also stated that The Pokémon Company is planning a new Pokémon card game app, citing "two people familiar with the matter." The Pokémon Company also declined to comment for The Wall Street Journal's story.
Nintendo originally slated the Animal Crossing smartphone game for fall 2016, but then Nintendo decided to delay the game until its current fiscal year (which started on April 1) in order to "accommodate the releases and operation" of Fire Emblem Heroes and Super Mario Run. DeNA then revealed earlier this month that it plans to launch the game before March 2018.
Nintendo launched its first smartphone game, Miitomo, in March 2016. Super Mario Run launched for iOS on December 15 and for Android devices in March, and Fire Emblem Heroes launched on February 2.
Nintendo originally planned to launch approximately five smart device titles by the end of March 2017. Nintendo announced a capital and business alliance with mobile game developer DeNA in March 2015. As part of the alliance, Nintendo is lending its IP to DeNA in order to create new smartphone games.
Source: The Wall Street Journal (Takashi Mochizuki)
