Nintendo’s Shares Drop Following Super Mario Run Release

Yesterday saw the long-awaited release of Nintendo’s Super Mario Run on iOS, making it the first in-house Nintendo game to launch on a non-Nintendo platform. While the game has been generally well-received by critics, there were some complaints that immediately arose that put a damper on things. It looks like some of Nintendo’s investors took some of that bad press to heart, as the company’s shares dropped by around 4% at the end of the game’s release day.

While we can’t know for sure why some investors have reacted the way they did, it’s easy to point the finger at some of the issues consumers were complaining about when the game finally launched. By far the biggest problem had to do with the game’s price, and how little of the game is playable for free. You are allowed to play 3 of the game’s 24 levels for free, but if you want to play the rest then you’ll have to pay $10. Most have agreed that $10 is too high of a price for the content that is being offered, with many turning away from the game after the free levels are up.

Another issue that many have cited is the fact that the game requires a constant internet connection in order to be played, which Nintendo has more or less implied is a means of combating piracy. Whatever the reason for it, if you’re in an area with a shaky internet connection (or can’t connect at all) then you simply can’t play the game. Seeing as this is a game that is meant to be played on the go, this can quickly result in aggravation on the player’s part.

However, despite the complaints that have been noted, the game is still doing very well from a sales perspective. The game immediately shot to the #1 spot in the App Store in several markets, and is expected to make somewhere around $60 in its first month. This goes along with the fact that reliable industry analysts have previously predicted that the game will reach 1 billion downloads in its lifetime.

Super Mario Run is currently only available on iOS, though it is expected to come to Android devices at some point in 2017. You can check out our beginner’s guide for the game by clicking right here.