Nintendo has "major" DSi app strategy

By Robert Purchese Published 20 March, 2009

Pushes developers to split resources.

Nintendo wants DSi developers to turn some of their attention to creating applications for the handheld's camera and music player.

The aim is to offer all kinds of software on the DS Shop and DSiWare services when the redesigned handheld launches across Europe on 3rd April.

This "major app strategy" was aired during a top secret Nintendo Developer Conference earlier this week, according to Develop.

Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata is apparently poised to speak about a marketplace "increasingly willing and eager to embrace new game design possibilities" at GDC next week.

Nintendo, we're told, is keen to position its hardware as the place for innovative new game and software design, and offer developers new ways to make money.

Check out our recent Nintendo DSi article to see what else we think the console company's thinking about.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (10) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • DFawkes #1 3 years ago

    I'm not sure what part of this ins news. I know it is news, but which part I'm not sure. Of course they'd want DSi apps to sell this incremental DS upgrade (downgrade if you love the GBA slot). Having apps is good for them to sell, and good for us to buy, if they're good.

  • Venkman90 #2 3 years ago

    If they get the app store stuff running on it (SMB3 etc...) then I will probably grab one

  • sneetch #3 3 years ago

    Increasingly I fear that all Nintendo's upcoming eggs are in their hand-held basket. If you get my meaning.

    However, my DS Lite will continue to do for me, I don't use it enough to justify upgrading.

  • jonsaan #4 3 years ago

    I'm usually first in line to knock the ipod touch, but I really hope Ninty take heed of the app store. The pricing is incredible, perfect for impulse purchases and lots of free stuff.

    Nintendo have never been good with free stuff. They won't give you the steam off their piss normally.

  • Venkman90 #5 3 years ago

    Yeah, I agree on the iphone thing, it does seem to be "lets shoehorn a franchise into this un suitable format"

    The PSP seems to have the sole mandate on "advanced" portable gaming but fails in other areas, a "new" DS with upgraded hardware would be nice, and for gods sake give some old titles away!

  • secombe #6 3 years ago

    The PSP seems to have the sole mandate on "advanced" portable gaming but fails in other areas

    Interesting point, so called 'advanced' systems have never really been the market leader and have never really been what the market is about. Plenty of powerful machines have appeared, but it's always the simpler ones that catch on.

    Whilst the PSP is a great bit of kit, I've never really treated it like a portable machine as such, 90% of the time it's played on the sofa or in bed. The DS goes everywhere, mainly due a combination of battery life, portability (protected screen, for a start) and most importantly - the majority of games feel more suited to the portable experience.

    Personally I'm going to give the DSi 6-12 months before I pick one up (people have short memories - I got my original DS in Canada a month before the UK release...I can't remember buying more than 3 games for about 18 months, the release schedule was painful) as I think given a bit of time, the "Virtual Console" approach could really take off. We already have some superb WiiWare games filtering through from small developers, yet DSiWare has even more potential and should be easier/cheaper still to develop for.

  • neonemesis #7 3 years ago

    Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata is apparently poised to speak about a marketplace "increasingly willing and eager to embrace new game design possibilities" at GDC next week.


    Correct me if I'm wrong but haven't all of Nintendo's conferences been based on a similar theme over the past few years? I hope they have more to say than this. Again.

  • Thalanos #8 3 years ago

    Funnily enough I think the DSi camera could be be a bit of a revolution.

    Developers could have the potential to do some very cool augmented reality on a handheld (think Eye Of Judgement forthe PS3, but with DS graphics). Just imagine all the money Nintedo could make selling Pokemon trading cards that you point your DSi camera at and see a little animated 3D Pikachu sitting on it. I'm not surprised Nintendo want to push developers to use the camera at all.

    I honestly think you will be seeing stuff like that appearing over then next couple of years and people going crazy for it.

  • sneetch #9 3 years ago

    @Thalanos
    Funnily enough I think the DSi camera could be be a bit of a revolution.

    Developers could have the potential to do some very cool augmented reality on a handheld (think Eye Of Judgement forthe PS3, but with DS graphics). Just imagine all the money Nintedo could make selling Pokemon trading cards that you point your DSi camera at and see a little animated 3D Pikachu sitting on it. I'm not surprised Nintendo want to push developers to use the camera at all.

    I honestly think you will be seeing stuff like that appearing over then next couple of years and people going crazy for it.

    That would be incredibly cool, I always thought the Eye of Judgement was a fantastic idea (mind you, I'm an ex-Magic junkie so I'm a bit unhinged when it comes to card games :) ).

  • smelly #10 3 years ago

    "Correct me if I'm wrong but haven't all of Nintendo's conferences been based on a similar theme over the past few years? I hope they have more to say than this. Again. "


    Are you a developer? What interest is it to you what they say at a conference for developers?

    For all you know.. he might just get up on stage and start showing people source code examples.