Nintendo is to turn to smartphone developers in a bid to boost sales of its struggling Wii U consoles, with the Japanese giant currently in the process of modifying the machine to run mobile apps.
That's according to The Japan Times, which cites "company sources" as stating that the bid to bring smartphone software on board is designed to "help spur console sales."
Mobile mover?
The report makes no reference to the kind of apps Nintendo is looking to court, or how in a practical sense they would work on Wii U, though it's likely the console's tablet-like controller (see below) will have an important role to play in this approach if true.
Estimates suggest Nintendo has sold around 3 million Wii Us worldwide since it launched in November 2012, with the company having cited "weaker than expected" sales of both Wii U and 3DS during its most recent financial results.
Some retailers have taken to dropping the Wii U's RRP in recent weeks in an effort to boost sales, with its predecessor the Wii still outselling the new console in many major regions, almost seven years release.
[source: The Japan Times]
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