Nintendo creating new franchise

Nintendo is working on a brand new franchise, according to Mario and Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto.

The much-loved designer said that he's been pretty busy with the new title lately, but he wasn't willing to go into further details.

"It's pointless to talk about other features, no matter how fulfilling, without releasing games of our own, so we hope you'll look forward to the games to come," he told Famitsu [via Kotaku].

"Next spring, with the release of Mario Kart 8, we'll have a general selection available, so I've been thinking it would be a good time to bring out a new franchise.

"I can't say too much in detail right now, but I've been pretty busy with this title these days."

Nintendo has been criticised for milking the same franchises in recent years with very little new IP.

A brand new franchise could also help to stimulate sales of the Wii U, which is struggling to shift units around the world.