Nintendo looking to bring mini-games to smartphones - Report

Update:

Nintendo has said to GameSpot that it has "no plans" to offer mini-games on smartphone devices. "We can confirm that we have not made any new announcements or disclosed the contents of the Corporate Management Policy Briefing which will be held in Japan on 30th January 2014," said a Nintendo spokesperson.

"Nikkei's article contains information previously stated by Mr Iwata during past press conferences, including statements which relate to Nintendo's willingness to make use of smart devices to promote our products."

"However during such past announcements Mr Iwata has also stated that Nintendo's intention is not to make Nintendo software available on smart devices and as such, we can confirm that there are no plans to offer mini-games on smartphone devices."

"We will share the materials from Mr Iwata's Corporate Management Policy Briefing in English when his presentation is finished."

Original story: Japanese newspaper Nikkei (via Kotaku) has reported that Nintendo is working on getting their legendary stable of characters onto smartphones, which would presumably mean iPhone and Android.

Nintendo will use the smartphone market to deliver trailers and information for upcoming games, according to Nikkei. This suggests some kind of Nintendo-based companion application, with the report also saying that Nintendo would use smartphones to give out more detailed information--such as character information--about its upcoming and current titles.

The Nikkei article also mentions that Nintendo will use smartphones to deliver free mini-games, and that Nintendo will formally announce it plans during its earnings report tomorrow. Presumably these mini-games would be designed to whet the appetite for the full version of the software, with players than encouraged to purchase the game on 3DS or 2DS.

GameSpot has asked Nintendo for comment.

Last year Nintendo launched a browser version of its Wii U (and now 3DS) social community Miiverse, which was a rare example of the company making its content available outside of its own platforms.

Nintendo has recently mentioned using phones and other devices to promote the company. "We are thinking about a new business structure," Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata said at a press conference last week, following the company's financial reports. "Given the expansion of smart devices, we are naturally studying how smart devices can be used to grow the game-player business".

"The way people use their time, their lifestyles, who they are--have changed," the Nintendo boss said in another view. "If we stay in one place, we will become outdated."