Nippon Ichi Software talks smartphone expansion in Weekly Famitsu

The latest issue of Weekly Famtisu has a feature on Nippon Ichi Software, including the reveal of a Game Variety smartphone app due out as a free download soon in Japan, and an interview with company CEO Sohei Niikawa.

Game Variety is a portal app for other downloadable apps from Nippon Ichi Software. The app allows you to search and purchase other apps. Apps planned for release through this platform include Shin Hayarigami, Yomawari, Shogi, Go, Reversi, Mahjong, Chess, and more.

Here are the notable tidbits from the magazine’s interview with Niikawa:

• Niikawa believes the company needs a system to keep many types of users engaged in Nippon Ichi Software’s games in order to keep the company in business for many years to come.
• There is a large demand for portable game consoles in Japan. Therefore, reevaluating smartphones as a type of portable game console, Niikawa felt the need to adapt Nippon Ichi Software’s games to the platform as well.
• Nippon Ichi Software plans to release one or two smartphone titles each month.
• Games from the original PlayStation era are planned for release. There are also plans to borrow titles from other companies to put on this platform.
• Nippon Ichi Software is also looking into releasing Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure (The Puppet Princess of Marl Kingdom). If it can call awaken hope through smartphones, it may lead to the development of a sequel.
• In the future, Nippon Ichi Software would like to launch new titles simultaneously on smartphones and consoles. It is currently building an environment to make that possible.
• The company’s basis will continue to be consoles. Mobile is a segue to expand its reach to the market.
• It is looking into adapting Disgaea as well.

Thanks, Ryokutya2089.