Following Mario's mobile success, Nintendo plans to release 2-3 new iPhone games each year

Fresh off announcing results for "Super Mario Run"— which for now remains an exclusive to Apple's iPhone — Nintendo will reportedly be sticking to a schedule of just two or three mobile games per year.

The Japanese game-maker's plans were revealed by Reuters, though no new titles were identified. The company is due to release "Fire Emblem: Heroes" for iOS and Android on Thursday, and "Animal Crossing" for iOS sometime in Nintendo's next financial year, April being the earliest possible timing.

"Animal Crossing" was delayed this week for the sake of "Fire Emblem," as well as the Android version of "Mario," which should arrive in March.

The trio could potentially represent Nintendo's mobile slate for 2017, though it might have room for one more if it doesn't count "Mario's" arrival on Android.

At the moment the company is focused mostly on the Switch, a new console also launching in March. The device can double as a handheld with a tablet-sized display, which should help unite Nintendo's platforms.

The company is presumably limiting its mobile releases to avoid eating into its proprietary platform sales. Unlike other console makers, it typically turns a profit on each device sold, and relies heavily on first-party games to draw people in.

For the Switch, though, some 70 in-house and third-party developers are working on 100 games, and the catalog is likely to grow from there.

Nintendo has so far generated over $53 million from "Super Mario Run," based off an unlock rate somewhere over 5 percent. While more than what analysts expected, CEO Tatsumi Kimishima is reportedly dissatisfied, having hoped for double-digit percentages.

13 Comments

SpamSandwich 32917 comments · 19 Years

About 7 years ago

If Nintendo were to simply convert all of their early arcade and home video games to iOS they would have a continuous revenue stream from people wanting to relive those classics. Wake up, Nintendo!

schlack 727 comments · 11 Years

sog35 said:

Nice.

Mario Run is an awesome game. Don't let people fool you. The only idiots who said it isn't have not finished the game.

Go get all the Black Coins and then report to me. If you didn't get all the black coins you didn't finish the game.

$53 million in revenue is awesome. It probably only cost a few million to make the game.

I think there was some confusion about the in app purchase. I suspect if they just charge $10 outright they'd get a lot more sales. The game is great. Excellent control mechanics for the phone.

dangermouse2 27 comments · 8 Years

sog35 said:

SpamSandwich said:

If Nintendo were to simply convert all of their early arcade and home video games to iOS they would have a continuous revenue stream from people wanting to relive those classics. Wake up, Nintendo!

They will. Eventually.

People would gobble up Super Mario 1,2,3, Zelda 1,2,3 ect like no tomorrow.

Or even better? They should charge $10 a month for a Nintendo subscription. You can play all the classics from the arcade, NES, SNES, N64 for $10 a month on iOS/AppleTV.

And Super Mario 64, I'd buy that, YET AGAIN, for iOS in a heartbeat.

techprod1gy 838 comments · 11 Years

I would pay $10 for each classic port. Might be steep but think of how most people spend money on lesser of things. I do like the idea of a subscription to play any of the classics also...$10 a month would be a steal for someone who appreciates gaming.

tundraboy 1913 comments · 18 Years

They will try to resist it, try to deny it even, but Nintendo will soon realize that iOS is critical to their continued survival and prosperity.