Let that sink in for a second, ok? Fire Emblem Heroes is more profitable than Super Mario Run. Now, you might be wondering what that means, or how that’s possible, or why it matters. Don’t worry, we’ll explain.
What it means is that though Super Mario Run has been downloaded over 150 million times (between the iOS and Android platforms) and has been out since December, it means that Fire Emblem Heroes is making more money than it. And likely has made more money than it period. This comes from Wall Street Journal reporter Takashi Mochizuki, who states on Twitter:
Nintendo chief: # of Fire Emblem downloads less than 1/10 of Mario, but revenue is bigger than Mario.
— Takashi Mochizuki (@mochi_wsj) April 27, 2017
As for how this is possible, context is everything. Though Super Mario Run has been downloaded 150 million times, it’s free to download. But, to get the full game, it costs $10 (something that many of us felt was too high a price for a mobile game) and there’s no hard number as to how many people spent that ten dollars. In contrast, Fire Emblem Heroes is free to play in full, and it only costs money when you want to get more orbs (for summoning characters) or revitalize your stamina or Dueling Crests. The first of the three though is no doubt the reason it’s more possible
The first of the three though is no doubt the reason it’s more profitable, as players (including some hosts of the Nintendo Entertainment Podcast…) shell out money whenever possible to try and get 5-star heroes.
Still though, this is a huge win for Fire Emblem, and proof of how Nintendo should be making their mobile games and how to handle microtransactions for them. Be sure to read our reviews of Fire Emblem Heroes and Super Mario Run!
