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Nintendo Share Prices Decline in Reaction to 'Super Mario Run' Pricing and Internet Connection Criticisms
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Maybe I used the wrong terminology but mobile gaming does not equal console gaming. Nintendo is the leader when it comes to portable console gaming.
Lots! It's a narrow minded view of the market to assume people are. Connected all the time. And not everyone has unlimited data. We are talking about markets larger than just the US now.
I can only assume these people have a. never played a Super Mario game and b. not played past the first level and c. do not realise there is more to a Mario game than reaching the flag. Super Mario Run is a solid Mario title and one of the few games that intelligently approaches designing a game for touch screen.
The reason for the share price drop is more likely about the sales figures that came out ($5 million in the first 24 hours). Considering the hype around Mario's first mobile game, marketing put out by Nintendo and Apple for months in advance in the app store, the websites, on daytime and late night shows... that's not a huge number. At its peak, Candy Crush was making about $10 million per day... for months.
The criticisms *may* have affected downloads, but it's pretty indirect and a strangely subjective line to draw when there are actual numbers that tell a clearer story.
Personally, I'm loving the game and I'm really happy with almost all the decisions made (one handed, one time IAP, the price, the replay-ability to collect different colours of coins, gameplay). I do think the lack of offline mode was a mistake for all the commuters. Piracy just isn't a big deal on iOS. It's unnecessary friction.
This was the reason Nintendo didn't move into mobile sooner. A lot of racing to the bottom on price and the only way to make money is freemium IAP models where people have to buy bags of gems, have cool down timers, buy boosts and unlock subsequent levels or share on Facebook.
The criticisms *may* have affected downloads, but it's pretty indirect and a strangely subjective line to draw when there are actual numbers that tell a clearer story.
Personally, I'm loving the game and I'm really happy with almost all the decisions made (one handed, one time IAP, the price, the replay-ability to collect different colours of coins, gameplay). I do think the lack of offline mode was a mistake for all the commuters. Piracy just isn't a big deal on iOS. It's unnecessary friction.
This was the reason Nintendo didn't move into mobile sooner. A lot of racing to the bottom on price and the only way to make money is freemium IAP models where people have to buy bags of gems, have cool down timers, buy boosts and unlock subsequent levels or share on Facebook.
People aren't going to spend any money on software when there's 10 similar competing games for free.
Also, you don't need to use a ridiculously large font size. It looks obnoxious and seems to me like you're seeking attention.
Dumb. $9.99 is a fine price for a Mario branded game. I'm sure they will release updates that expand the game, add new worlds etc. what else would the rainbow bridge be for?!? The internet connection requirement is moot. A lot of games require it that are extremely popular, such as Kabam's Marvel's Contest of Champions and many others.
WOW, people are complaining about a free trial? They should charge $10 upfront? Ok, Mr. Armchair CEOs out there. Nintendo made a handheld console quality game for $10, instead of $40, and all the negative reviews are related to things that would make it easier to pirate or further discount the price with family sharing. I'm sure most of you are trolling from a $700+ iPhone, or a $1500+ MacBook. People just can't wrap their minds around the concept of paying for something they can't physically hold (music, movies, apps, etc...).
You're just paying for the brand name. The game itself is not fun. It doesn't matter if you have Mario and a Nintendo logo. If the game sucks, it sucks. The greatest thing about it is the visuals. If it had live multiplayer where you could race against your friends or random people over the internet in real time, it would be way more exciting and possibly be worth $10. Why is it I can play anyone around the world for FREE in real time in Clash Royale but I have to pay $10 to play against someones prerecorded ghost in Toad Rally?
Apple did this to themselves. They allowed freemium games to dominate their app store. That's where your butt hurt should be directed.
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How about charging $ 2.00 per level, so the player can pay as he advances?
Not everyone may be able to pay $10.00 in one shot, but $2.00 is almost painless, even if it's more often.
Not everyone may be able to pay $10.00 in one shot, but $2.00 is almost painless, even if it's more often.
I don't understand all the negative reactions to the pricing.... if people rate the game low because of what they feel about it, fine, but to bash it because you don't get the whole game for free is asinine.
A free stuffed Mario doll with a $15.00 purchase of the game may be good therapy for that.
Last I checked, actual "handheld console quality games" are paid upfront and don't require an always-on internet connection. For that matter, Super Mario Run being "handheld console quality" is entirely an opinion. I'm more than happy to pay $40 for good 3DS games, and I think Super Mario Run is a 99 cent game with Mario slapped on it. Nintendo still hasn't proven that there is a middle ground between free, IAP-riddled, and forgettable mobile games and their full-priced, full-fledged, high quality handheld experiences. And yet, that middle ground is where Super Mario Run is priced.
Somehow people don't understand the purpose of rating something.
Ratings should be based on the gaming experience, not on price or other irrelevant reasons.
I think it's fun. Trying to get all the coins is a real challenge and they even change the courses a little bit when you go for higher coins. The Rally mode has become a lot more fun once I started figuring out how to maximize points and fill the bar to get coin rushes and combo those together after I start one to extend it. I wish there were more incentives that make you want to get the things you spend coins on. And right away I was able to buy the golden Mario statue, whatever that does. Only thing I really don't like are the boo houses—I've never liked them since the beginning, so at least that is consistent.
Their biggest mistake is making it free to try. That kills reviews. Apple needs to make it so that games that have IAP to unlock the full game don't allow reviews until it's unlocked.
Also people here are saying it doesn't allow installing on family devices. But someone else told me they could install it on their iPhone and iPad without paying more. Is there some logic that blocks family share purchases but not same iCloud redownloads? I want to put it on my iPad but I don't want to pay twice. I wish I could put it on my wife's iPhone. She doesn't care enough to buy it but would play it a little if I installed it.
Their biggest mistake is making it free to try. That kills reviews. Apple needs to make it so that games that have IAP to unlock the full game don't allow reviews until it's unlocked.
Also people here are saying it doesn't allow installing on family devices. But someone else told me they could install it on their iPhone and iPad without paying more. Is there some logic that blocks family share purchases but not same iCloud redownloads? I want to put it on my iPad but I don't want to pay twice. I wish I could put it on my wife's iPhone. She doesn't care enough to buy it but would play it a little if I installed it.
Nintendo's mistake wasn't in pricing the game at $9.99, it was in offering it for free at all. Entitled brats who think everything should be given to them are allowed to comment, dragging down legitimate reviews.
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So true. I've no problem with the price. I think it's very fair. I won't download it though because the times I expect to play it will be underground in a subway with no connection.
It seems a bit paranoid and silly to always require a connection; especially on iOS.
Complaining about the pricing is incredibly stupid, as the game is extremely polished and very well designed. To me that would be like complaining that a Frozen doll at the Disney store costs $25. It is a brand name plus a certain level of expected quality that you are paying for.
Complaining about the internet connection requirement is a very valid criticism though. If you pay for the game, why shouldn't you be able to play it on the subway, on an airplane, or let your kids play it on an iPad on a road trip. That is where they screwed up. I mean, checking in before submitting scores to the server or before getting coins from challenges is fine, but at least keep the primary game open when you don't have internet.
Complaining about the internet connection requirement is a very valid criticism though. If you pay for the game, why shouldn't you be able to play it on the subway, on an airplane, or let your kids play it on an iPad on a road trip. That is where they screwed up. I mean, checking in before submitting scores to the server or before getting coins from challenges is fine, but at least keep the primary game open when you don't have internet.
Sigh. So the average App Store user is fine with a free app that includes pay/time walls and IAP that empty your wallet, which makes these free games hardly free, yet they're complaining about Nintendo's "pay wall" to unlock the entire game? Maybe they should go and play candy crush/clash Royale and come back after spending $100 on a pointless game just to progress through levels.
I agree with people who've said that Nintendo should've offered the game as an up-front $10 purchase with no always-on internet connection. Could've netted them more customers.
I agree with people who've said that Nintendo should've offered the game as an up-front $10 purchase with no always-on internet connection. Could've netted them more customers.