'Super Mario Run' App Store purchases exceed reported 3% guesstimate, Apple says

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2017
Reports claiming a low number of $9.99 "Super Mario Run" upgrade purchases are said to be inaccurate, based on supposed "wrong assumptions" made by an app analytics firm, AppleInsider has learned.




Analytics firm NewZoo made headlines on Tuesday for an estimate suggesting "Super Mario Run" has generated about $30 million in gross revenue, equating to around 3 million purchasers. NewZoo has also tallied 90 million downloads for "Super Mario Run."

According to The Wall Street Journal, while downloads are high for Nintendo's "Super Mario Run," the amount of players opting to buy the $9.99 unlock for the title are supposedly low -- estimated at 3 percent of the user base by NewZoo.

However, AppleInsider reached out to Apple for comment on the matter, and was told by sources within the company that attach rates are "more than 3 percent" and "some wrong assumptions have been made by [NewZoo]."

Apple declined to provide more data on the situation.

"Super Mario Run" still retains the top spot on the free app chart on the iOS App Store. However, after a brief period at the top of both the top grossing app index on store, the game has since fallen to 14th place. "Pokemon Go" continues to lead the top grossing charts after six months of release.

"Pokemon Go" has a different model than "Super Mario Run" for income, relying on in-game consumables, rather than a one-time purchase like "Super Mario Run."

"Super Mario Run" is free to download from the App Store, though unlocking the full game requires a $9.99 purchase. The title is a 204-megabyte download, which grows to 345 MB after the first data download -- and there are a few as the game goes on.
gatorguyai46

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    Unlike some others reporting the news you actually did some independent checking rather than accept it at face value. Nice job!
    techprod1gy
  • Reply 2 of 11
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    Man do I wish Apple would acquire this company.

    I think it's sad how low of a rating the game has because Nintendo allowed people to play it for free.
    Some people suggest Nintendo should have priced it at $9.99 from the jump with no demo.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 11
    I bought it. Totally worth it. Don't see the problem with paying a few bucks for a great game. People got spoiled with free apps and thinking they're entitled to everything for nothing.
    mike1fluffheadwatto_cobraflashfan207jSnively[Deleted User]
  • Reply 4 of 11
    steven n.steven n. Posts: 1,229member
    The Verge's interpretation on Apple's comment.

    "Without any real numbers, 'more than 3 percent' probably simply means 3.01%"

    ai46
  • Reply 5 of 11
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,275member
    I was all set to hand over the $10 until I found it there's no horizontal iPad support. If they add, I will buy it.
    ai46
  • Reply 6 of 11
    NY1822NY1822 Posts: 621member
    steven n. said:
    The Verge's interpretation on Apple's comment.

    "Without any real numbers, 'more than 3 percent' probably simply means 3.01%"

    but yet they are the first to cream over sales of Amazon Echo without any "real numbers"
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 11
    I bought it. Totally worth it. Don't see the problem with paying a few bucks for a great game. People got spoiled with free apps and thinking they're entitled to everything for nothing.
    I completely agree. I played the demo and really liked it. Then I used some of my iTunes balance from last Christmas and got the full version. Was a no-brainer for me. Maybe they should have put the price on there at the beginning and not offered the free demo. 
    watto_cobraflashfan207[Deleted User]
  • Reply 8 of 11
    I bought it. Totally worth it. Don't see the problem with paying a few bucks for a great game. People got spoiled with free apps and thinking they're entitled to everything for nothing.
    So true!
  • Reply 9 of 11
    bugsnwbugsnw Posts: 717member
    mike1 said:
    I was all set to hand over the $10 until I found it there's no horizontal iPad support. If they add, I will buy it.
    Yeah, same here. I have no issues at all paying $10 for some joy in my life but holding the iPad in portrait mode just feels wrong. This game is a horizontal scroller.....it just seems right to have it played horizontally. The simple tap/hold tap game play leaves me cold..... That said, this is a good thing to happen for the iOS app store
  • Reply 10 of 11
    I bought it. Totally worth it. Don't see the problem with paying a few bucks for a great game. People got spoiled with free apps and thinking they're entitled to everything for nothing.

     It's not the cost of the app that's the problem. It's the way they are managing it so that if I want to play and have my wife and two children play it, I have to buy it 4 times. I'm not spending $40.
  • Reply 11 of 11
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member

    However, AppleInsider reached out to Apple for comment on the matter, and was told by sources within the company that attach rates are "more than 3 percent" and "some wrong assumptions have been made by [NewZoo]."
    Who was the person contacted at Apple? If that's an official response the department or person should be identified. If it's not an official response, then there's no more validity in that claim than the source in The Wall Street Journal story.
    edited January 2017
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