Fire Emblem Invades Mobile Devices Next Month

Following the success of Super Mario Run and Pokémon Go (and the curiosity that is Miitomo), Nintendo is bringing another one of its core franchises to mobile devices. As announced during a during a 20-minute Nintendo Direct presentation, Fire Emblem Heroes will debut on February 2, 2017 on both Google Play and the Apple Store.

Fire Emblem Heroes mixes Fire Emblem's classic, grid-based strategy warfare with a tried-and-true free-to-play market system. That means that some of the series' staples—the rock-paper-scissors-inspired strength and weakness system, for example—will be there, while others, like permanent character death, won't. In addition to fighting and strengthening their armies, players will also be able to use orbs (which can be won in battle or, naturally, purchased with real-life cash) to recruit their favorite characters from across the Fire Emblem franchise.

Fire Emblem Heroes wasn't the only news Nintendo dropped regarding Fire Emblem. In the same video, they revealed the next main entry in the Fire Emblem franchise, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, will come out May 19, 2017 on Nintendo's 3DS. A Dynasty Warriors and Fire Emblem mash-up in the vein of Hyrule Warriors (called, appropriately enough, Fire Emblem Warriors) is coming to the Nintendo Switch sometime this fall, with a Switch-exclusive entry in the main Fire Emblem franchise due in 2018.

Fire Emblem Heroes won't be Nintendo's last foray into mobile gaming, either. A previously-announced Animal Crossing title is due to hit phones and tablets later this year, while the Switch will reportedly use smartphones for multiplayer matchmaking. That's a big change in direction for the Kyoto-based gaming company, which ignored the mobile market for years in what some considered one of its biggest mistakes.