Nintendo’s latest app, Fire Emblem Heroes, earned more than $2.9 million in worldwide gross revenue and was downloaded more than two million times within a day of its launch in 39 countries, Sensor Tower said.
The app is the gaming giant’s second high-profile mobile game, following Super Mario Run.
While Pokemon Go ($10.2 million) and Super Mario Run ($8.4 million on iOS only) earned more, Fire Emblem out performed Supercell’s Clash Royale, which grossed around $1.4 million on day one (click image to enlarge).
In terms of day one downloads, Super Mario Run led the way with 6 million, followed by Pokemon Go at around 4 million and Fire Emblem at 2 million.
The majority of downloads and revenue for the new title came from Japan, followed by the US.
“This isn’t at all surprising given the popularity of Nintendo’s fantasy role-playing IP in its home country compared to other territories. But as one of the lesser known properties among non-hardcore gamers, especially in the West, we’re definitely impressed by its standing with US smartphone gamers so far,” the report said.
The app also came in seventeenth place in terms of revenue on the US App Store.
The report added that this is not an indication of how Fire Emblem Heroes will monetise in the long run, noting that “the initial players are likely to be the most diehard fans of the property, thus willing to spend more, and may not have progressed far enough into the game to really feel the need to monetise”.
The game is free to download and play, but “lures users into spending money to unlock special in-game items” in a controversial technique called “gacha” in Japanese, according to a Bloomberg report, something Nintendo had traditionally avoided.
However, the report noted that “Nintendo’s ethical resolve has been whittled away by investors pushing for more success in the fast-growing smartphone market” and after being unsatisfied with Super Mario Run’s performance, the firm “is changing gears and adopting techniques that have been so profitable for rivals.”
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