Satoru Iwata has offered further insight into how Nintendo’s new loyalty program will work in terms of connectivity.
Speaking in the latest financial results briefing, as spotted by , Iwata discusses the complex nature of the new program, and that it isn’t just a quick rehash of the company’s existing Club Nintendo program.
“What we are aiming to establish is not a simple extension of the existing loyalty program but a loyalty program with, say, the entertainment elements,” Iwata, “where the members feel that they have received certain rewards as a result of not only their purchases but also the history of their gameplay and how each consumer has interacted with others.
“Since it is impossible to define the requirements for this sort of loyalty program 100 percent in advance, we see it very advantageous that we are able to work with DeNA who will be able to flexibly deal with such requirements.”
The news comes a week removed from the , where Iwata gave a brief of what the new program will entail.
“While we will announce the details of this integrated membership service at a later date, I can share with you at a high level the idea is that the consumer can access multiple devices using one common ID,” Iwata previously said. “The service will include multiple devices such as Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, the new NX, smartphones and PCs.”
The new program is part of Nintendo’s plan to develop smartphone games featuring popular Nintendo characters thanks to a partnership with DeNA. The plan, in a nutshell, is to spread Nintendo IP to new, untapped markets, which in turn will act as a gateway to Nintendo’s dedicated gaming systems. Imagine playing a Pokemon spinoff on a tablet, the idea is that people will enjoy it, then transition to 3DS for the full Pokemon experience.
The key, Nintendo believes, is in the new cross-platform loyalty program.