Super Mario Run was downloaded 2.85 million times on its first day of availability for the iOS, and reviews have described it as one of the best runners available, with great design and replay value.
However, despite the lofty Day One downloads and the generally positive reviews, Super Mario Run is stumbling out of the gates, partly due to the criticisms that it has received for its price point and payment model, along with news that the game will not be receiving additional content in the future.
Super Mario Run Sends Nintendo Stocks Into Freefall
Nintendo's stocks have been dropping over the past five days, with prices declining by over 16 percent during that span. Before the freefall, Nintendo's share price has increased over 20 percent over a month's time.
Looking at the entire year, the stocks of Nintendo are still up by over 50 percent from the beginning of 2016. However, compared with the massive increase that Nintendo's shares experienced after the launch of Pokémon GO, the reception to Super Mario Run had been lukewarm at best, with investors now selling more of the Nintendo stocks that they hold.
Super Mario Run Payment Model And Price Point Criticisms
Among the concerns of investors over Super Mario Run is the payment model that the game is utilizing, along with what is said to be a wrong price point.
While it has long been known that the game will charge $9.99 to allow players to unlock all its features, consumers not in the know only see that the game is listed as free on Apple's App Store. They are then disappointed to find out that, after beating the first three levels of the World Tour mode, a purchase of $9.99 is required to keep playing.
It would have been possible to utilize the free-to-play model for Super Mario Run, allowing players to unlock new levels and characters by either paying for them or by achieving certain milestones. However, as Super Mario Run is currently set up, even after paying $9.99 to supposedly unlock all the game's features, players still have to grind and collect massive amounts of Toads in Toad Rally similar to the work that needs to be done in free-to-play games.
No Additional Content For Super Mario Run
Another point of criticism against Super Mario Run is that there will be no future DLC for the game, as said by a spokesperson for Nintendo.
According to the spokesperson, the company is not planning to release additional content for Super Mario Run, whether free or paid. Basically, after paying $9.99 for Super Mario Run, what players get is all that will ever be offered by the game.
The Future Of Super Mario Run
With all these criticisms against the game in place, Nintendo may have a hard time reaching its expectations for Super Mario Run.
Legendary developer and Super Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto previously said that for the franchise to continue, it will have to evolve alongside the new technologies being developed for the video game industry. Super Mario Run for the iOS might not be the best example for that goal, however.
