Nintendo first announced last March via a report on Wired that they are now working with mobile developer DeNA to start releasing games for the mobile market. Now, Konami is doing the same. However, the main difference is that Konami has stated that it will pursue its goal aggressively, hinting that it may leave gaming consoles permanently.
According to an interview with Nikkei and cited by Gamespot, Konami President Hideki Hayakawa announced their plans to shift away from consoles and instead focus almost entirely on the mobile games industry.
"We will pursue mobile games aggressively," Hayakawa explained. "Our main platform will be mobiles. Following the pay-as-you-play model of games like Power Pro and Winning Eleven with additional content, our games must move from selling things like 'items' to selling things like 'features.'"
Hayakawa continued to explain that the company was motivated by the success of "Power Pro," a mobile sports game developed and published by the gaming giant.
According to a report from Nintendo Life, Konami makes significantly more money from its other departments than it does with video game development. The company also runs casinos, Pachinko machines, and health clubs. Video games are what made it famous though, particularly titles such as "Metal Gear Solid" and "Castlevania."
This is very different from the approach Nintendo is taking. As reported by Game Spot, Nintendo is not abandoning its home console and handheld console. Instead, the company is developing a new digital service that will cater to Nintendo players across all platforms, from mobile devices to PC and consoles such as the 3DS and Nintendo NX.
"Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain" may be the last Triple A title for Konami on home consoles. Developer Hideo Kojima is also most likely going to leave the company once the game is finished and released, allowing him to work on console games independently or for other developers.
