Nintendo looking at free-to-play model

Nintendo plans to expand its business in several different ways, including a look at the free-to-play model.

Company president Satoru Iwata revealed to a group of investors that a free-to-play Mario is a real possibility in the future.

"We will not simply change our existing packaged software distribution channels," he said during a Nintendo Q&A.

"Rather, we might have many other types of business models in addition to packaged software. For example, we might see more games that are similar to free-to-play games, games that cost much less or games that require a monthly subscription fee."

Iwata said Nintendo now has flexible payment systems in place with the online stores of the 3DS and Wii U, and now it's just a case of using them.

"Nintendo 3DS and Wii U have flexible systems to handle such trends, so it is now a question of putting these ideas into action," he added.

"I can definitely say Nintendo will make new offers that go well beyond simply replacing packaged software with digital software."