Nintendo considers making controllers for its smartphone games

Nintendo shows no signs of slowing down when it comes to developing mobile games

. (David McNew/Getty Images)

With five gaming apps planned for release before March 2017, it’s clear that Nintendo has big plans for the mobile gaming market, plans which it now appears could possibly involve the company creating its very own mobile gaming controller.

So far Nintendo’s mobile offerings have been the social media communication app Miitomo and the yet to be released mobile versions of Fire Emblem and Animal Crossing.

None of these titles have mechanics that really cry out for controller support, however, notes taken at the company’s recent 76th annual general shareholders meeting revealed that Nintendo is considering developing hardware as well as software as part of its mobile gaming venture.

In a question and answer session, it was put to Nintendo that “many people would like to play Nintendo's action games as smart device applications. But smart devices use touch panels, which may not be suited to action games. Does Nintendo have any plans to launch a physical controller and invest in new titles of quality action games?”

General Manager of the Entertainment Planning and Development Division, Shinya Takahashi, responded “Physical controllers for smart device applications are available in the market and it is possible that we may also develop something new by ourselves.” He went on to add the caveat, however, that “Nintendo's way of thinking is to look at whether action games are really not impossible (without a physical controller for smart device applications) to create and how we can make it happen to create such a game.“

This is an interesting response in the sense that it suggests Nintendo is actively considering pursuing two different avenues with its mobile games, greatly broadening their appeal.

Importantly, Takahashi doesn’t shut down the idea of creating new action titles that would make use of a physical controller, leaving us to wonder what its plans in this area might be and whether we might finally see new mobile versions of classic titles such as Zelda and Mario.

The possibility of this was bolstered by President Tatsumi Kimishima who stated that, having learned from the development of Miitomo, “In future support for smart devices, if we have a good plan, we will make active use of any of our Nintendo IP without restriction.”

Takahashi’s response also suggests, though, that Nintendo will continue to innovate, developing new and less traditional games that don't require a controller, appealing to those who liked the direction the company took with Miitomo.

Outside of this news, it was confirmed in the question and answer session that Nintendo is now preparing to manufacture the NX, keeping it on track for its March 2017 release.