My Nintendo to join the mobile world

Remember the update for Steam’s mobile app last week? Nintendo has a similar content roll-out planned. This plan not only seems to be the sinew between their Wii U and 3DS market, but it also ties into their planned mobile device market.

Via the Nintendo official website using a PC or smart device, users will be able to find interesting games and videos, much like the eShop, and buy games instantly which can be automatically downloaded onto the user’s Wii U or Nintendo 3DS either at that moment or next time the console is on/on standby.

With the announcement of Miitomo, the first of five upcoming smartphone titles, Nintendo plans to take top the mobile market in more ways than just free-to-play games. Nintendo will offer gifts in the form of discounts, birthday gifts (yes really!), and something similar to their old Club Nintendo. When Club Nintendo was in full swing, points were earned by buying new games and entering codes online. Now, users can still gain points by purchasing games, but other methods now include playing games and presumably unlocking points with time or certain challenges.

These points, pooled together between a user’s 3DS, Wii U and Mobile games over the same account, can be used to buy add-on content, original merchandise, or coupons to get a discount on new software. Essentially, it’s predicted to be “earned” like trophies or achievements that can be spent. There’s even talk of providing members benefits involving real-life locations such as theme parks and retail outlets!

They will also have a friends list and save data that spans across different Nintendo devices via Nintendo’s new cloud system. All of these new programs will be part of a system called My Nintendo and it should be ready in time for Miitomo in March of 2016.