Profits from Super Mario Run Still Not Satisfy Nintendo

Super Mario Run represents Nintendo's first step into the realm mobile gaming. Despite being criticized for its high price, the game set a record as the fastest growing iOS app - downloaded 50 million times within one week of its release. The Android version itself was recently available, launched on March 22 yesterday.

Based on information from analysts, of all people who downloaded the version free demoIn fact, about one million users decided to buy Super Mario Run, giving Nintendo a profit of up to US$14 million. Even though this number looks big, the Japanese company has expressed dissatisfaction with the sales performance of Super Mario Run, especially the iOS version.

Reported by Nikkei Asia, Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima said that the game failed to live up to their expectations. The release of Super Mario Run on Android has great potential to increase the number of players playerbase, but that doesn't mean the game gives Nintendo a profit spike. Currently, the biggest money-making machine for the Japanese entertainment company in the mobile category is Fire Emblem Heroes.

There is a possibility that the reason why Super Mario Run is not as profitable as Fire Emblem Heroes is in the monetization system. When the free version of Super Mario Run was served as a demo, Fire Emblem Heroes carried the method freemium where players can 'unlock' new characters. In Japan, this format is known as porridge. The presentation seems to match gender Strategy role playing from Fire Emblem Heroes.

Interestingly, Nintendo has no plans to shift their focus to the segment free-to-play with system microtransactions. They still prefer the Super Mario Run-style approach, while Fire Emblem Heroes is an exception. For Nintendo, directives ala porridge against the characteristics franchise those who are focused on business game console traditional.

For Nintendo, the main mission of launching games on mobile is to embrace more gamer, and they don't mind if the process costs the company revenue.

Just like on iOS, you have to spend US$ 10 to access all the content of Super Mario Run on platform Android. The good news is, after that you don't have to pay anything again.

After its release on iDevice, Nintendo introduced the Friendly Run feature in the Toad Rally mode, then added a mode easy difficulties in January to make it easier for players to complete levels on the World Tour.

With Games Industry.