Nintendo is bringing Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem to mobile

It looks like Nintendo’s mobile strategy won’t just be about casual play.

The Japanese company revealed today that two of its most popular franchises, Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem, will both be coming to mobile. Nintendo’s first mobile game, Miitomo, launched in March. Players have downloaded it over 3 million times. While Nintendo traditionally only worked on console gaming, the struggles of its Wii U system had the company looking for new sources of revenue, including the $34.8 billion mobile market.

https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/725224236340629504

Miitomo was an original title that focused on communication and interaction with friends. Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem, however, are known quantities. Animal Crossing games have players move into a new town, decorate their house, and do other low-stress activities like fish and plant flowers. Fire Emblem, meanwhile, is a tactical series filled with swords and magic.

We don’t know exactly what form these series will take on mobile, but it’s interesting to see Nintendo bring known franchises to mobile (and not go to obvious choices like Mario or Zelda first).