Nintendo has decided to shift its focus away from mobile games featuring the iconic Mario character, following a series of moderately successful but ultimately underwhelming releases. Super Mario Run, released in 2016, grossed $60 million in its first year, while 2019’s Mario Kart Tour generated $300 million, a small fraction of Mario Kart 8’s ongoing $3 billion revenue. In a surprising move, Nintendo removed Dr. Mario World from app markets in 2021, two years after its release, without providing any explanation.
Shigeru Miyamoto, a key figure in designing multiple Nintendo consoles, including the Wii, stated in an interview with Variety, “First and foremost, Nintendo’s core strategy is a hardware and software integrated gaming experience.” He explained that translating the Nintendo hardware experience to mobile devices proved challenging, leading him to take on the role of director for Super Mario Run. Miyamoto said firmly, “Mobile apps will not be the primary path of future Mario games.”
Super Mario Run featured an automatic running mechanic, with players controlling Mario or other characters while timing jumps to collect coins and avoid obstacles. The game involved series creator Shigeru Miyamoto and was developed primarily by the team behind New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS. Although the first three levels were free, players needed to make a one-time payment to access the full game.
Mario Kart Tour, a 2019 kart racing mobile game, was the ninth mainline entry in the Mario Kart series. Developed by Nintendo EPD and published by Nintendo for iOS and Android devices, the game was announced in January 2018 and released in September 2019. Despite its success in the mobile market, it pales in comparison to the performance of Mario Kart 8.
With Mario’s mobile gaming journey coming to an end, fans can expect Nintendo to continue focusing on its core strategy of providing integrated hardware and software gaming experiences in the future.
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