Nintendo has partnered with DeNa to release the free-to-play mobile Miitomo. The game is primarily a social app where users can create Miis to interact with others. Free games have to make revenue somehow, and Miitomo is doing this with microtransactions ranging from $1 all the way up to $78.
Miitomo launched in Japan on March 17 for iOS and Android, but users with Japanese accounts can access it regardless of their region. NeoGAF users and Dr. Serkan Toto immediately noticed the Miitomo Drop minigame in the app, which is basically a pachinko machine that rewards players with new clothing for their Mii.
In-game currency can be earned by playing, but it can also be purchased through the app. The most expensive one is 105,000 coins for $78.
So the App Store lists 120 yen as the only in-app purchase. But inside Miitomo, the biggest IPAP is 8,800 yen ($78). pic.twitter.com/ay5uJs0TTO
— Dr. Serkan Toto / Kantan Games Inc. (@serkantoto) March 17, 2016
It’s unclear if there will be more content to buy aside from Mii clothing or currency for the pachinko game. Nintendo dabbled in free-to-play gaming with Rusty’s Real Deal Baseball, but the transactions in those games were under $20.
With their first mobile app, Nintendo are delving into the divisive practices of pachinko games and expensive microtransactions.
What do you think of the microtransactions in Miitomo? Are you less interested in the game because of this addition? Let us know in the comments.
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