Nintendo Reveals New Action RPG 'Dragalia Lost' Coming to Smartphones Later This Year

Nintendo this week revealed a new smartphone game coming to iOS and Android devices this summer, called "Dragalia Lost." The game was created through a partnership with Japanese mobile developer Cygames and is described as an all-new "original action RPG" for smartphones. Nintendo co-developed Dragalia Lost and will "jointly operate" the app with Cygames once it launches (via TouchArcade).

For now, not much is known about the game's story or gameplay mechanics. The Japanese website includes a trailer, which shows off a few of the game's characters and glimpses of the RPG gameplay. The game is also up for pre-registration for users in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.

The payment structure of the game is also unknown, but previous apps by Cygames have been reliant upon Japan's popular "gacha" system, which encourages players to spend real money on in-game currency that they can use to unlock random items. In terms of payment, most of Nintendo's other smartphone games so far have been reliant upon a free-to-play system, which helped turn Fire Emblem Heroes into Nintendo's "most successful mobile game to date."

Nintendo's new partnership with Cygames confirms a previous rumor that the company is seeking additional game developers to add to its slate after its partnership with DeNA fell behind schedule. DeNA helped Nintendo launch Miitomo, Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes, and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. The next smartphone game inspired by a Nintendo property will be Mario Kart Tour, expected to launch by March 2019.

Draglia Lost will launch first in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau this summer, and then afterwards debut in North America and Europe. Nintendo also noted that it has obtained an approximate 5 percent stake in Cygames "for the purpose of facilitating the partnership."