During E3 last week, Nintendo producer Miyamoto revealed their ongoing plans to develop a free-to-play game that Nintendo would show sometime before the end of the year. Since Nintendo won't use popular games like Mario of Pokémon for their free-to-play template, Nintendo will instead opt for the less popular series, Steel Diver.
Steel Diver most recently released at the launch of the 3DS handheld. To ensure Nintendo's dedication to creating an entirely new game, Miyamoto made clear his intentions with Steel Diver's direction.
With no specific platforms yet mentioned, Miyamoto said: "There is something we’re doing with the Steel Diver idea that I think is going to open things up with that game… It’s going to be very fun. "
Like most free-to-play games, the new Steel Diver will feature a 4-player multiplayer mode that will offer microtransactions and possibly a subscription.
"We’re exploring from a perspective of where we can take that from a multiplayer standpoint – it's going to have this four-player battle mode that I think is going to be very interesting."
Since most Nintendo franchises don't need the help of a free-to-play model to boost sales, the concept remains novel to Nintendo. Miyamoto expressed that he wanted to provide a balanced pricing model that wouldn't negatively affect the "entertainment value" of the end product.
Expect to see more of Steel Diver in upcoming Nintendo Directs.
Source: IGN