Nintendo’s Stockholders Not Pleased With Super Mario Run
Nintendo’s stock lost seven percent of its value over the weekend. The main reason for this was “poor performance” of Super Mario Run, which is kind of subjective. The app opened at #1 in most markets and was downloaded over three million times on its first day, despite costing well over the typical price of a phone download ($10).
But it’s that price that worries investors. Despite the game’s quality (critics call it addictive, but short), Super Mario Run currently has a 2.5 rating on the App Store and the main complaint people cite is how much it costs. To console gamers used to paying $60 or more at the gate, this may look bewildering. But the phone market is a lot worse off than that of dedicated gaming markets. There’s no quality control and everybody is used to getting everything for free, or close to it. As a commenter on Polygon put it, “Why would I pay ten bucks when I can download a game, play until I hit a pay wall, then move on to the next one, and honestly get just about everything that game has to offer by the time that happens?”
Not only are stockholders unhappy about the price, they’re miffed over what Nintendo did next: announce absolutely no DLC for Super Mario Run. There will be small cosmetic updates from time to time (one just debuted today and adds a few Christmas-themed items), but what you get for $10 is what you get, forever. Most apps are designed to continue to generate money, and one as high-profile as Super Mario Run choosing not to do so is insanity in their eyes.
But if I were someone who held Nintendo stock, you’d think I would have figured out by now the company doesn’t care what I think. And on behalf of the millions of consumers and fans, let me say to the stockholders, “Join the club.”