I recently had the opportunity to read Allison Cheng’s blog regarding Nintendo’s decision to start developing smartphone apps. In terms of creating new consoles, Nintendo is known primarily for deviating from the mainstream formula of standard controllers and jaw-dropping graphics. Instead, it focuses on granting gamers new game-play experiences, concentrating on being fun and different. This has usually paid off for them, as shown by the fact that five out of the ten top best selling consoles were created by Nintendo.
However, I believe that its move to develop smartphone apps is actually not disruptive innovation, but rather a try to catch up to other huge game developers already on the block. EA and Square Enix, for example, are big names in the gaming industry since its inception (as well as Nintendo). In this case, Nintendo has seen the huge gains possible from the smartphone app market and is trying to cement its presence as a new player this time rather than a founding father of the industry.
While other big developers have tried dominating the industry, out of the top ten best selling apps on amazon, only one was developed by a company that does not focus solely on developing apps (Hearthstone by Blizzard Entertainment). Nintendo will therefore have to try on its innovation cape as usual in order to compete in the smartphone world.
