Nintendo tests free-to-play waters with Steel Diver

Nintendo's Steel Diver franchise is returning with a new free-to-play title, according to IGN. The company previously indicated at its recent investor briefing that it would be exploring a free-to-play model with an upcoming title. However, Nintendo said it would be steering clear of flagship franchises like Mario or Pokemon to avoid diluting the "degree of trust" the brands have built up with consumers. Instead, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto says they are returning to 3DS launch title Steel Diver to plumb the depths of free-to-play. "There is something we're doing with the Steel Diver idea that I think is going to open things up with that game," Miyamoto tells IGN. He also specified that the Steel Diver title is not a port with monetization features added on top, but reconfigured to take advantage of the free-to-play format. "We're exploring from a perspective of where we can take [the game] from a multiplayer standpoint," Miyamoto continues. "It's going to have this four-player battle mode that I think is going to be very interesting." It's unknown at this time which platforms the new Steel Diver is bound for, as well as whether the free-to-play Steel Diver will work under a subscription or microtransaction model, or some combination of both. However, Miyamoto states that the publisher hopes to be able to unveil it "relatively soon."