Nintendo Sends Out Super Mario Run 2 Survey
By Jasmine Henry 26 December 2016
Nintendo sends out a survey to Super Mario Run players that suggests that the game is about to get cheaper and that Super Mario Run 2 could happen in future.
It’s pretty safe to say that Nintendo’s new mobile platformer, Super Mario Run, has been a roaring success. The game has already been downloaded over 40 million times and it also set an App Store download record at launch. But while many companies would sit, back, relax and toast to the game’s performance, it seems that Nintendo is already thinking about what else it can do with Super Mario Run.
According to Power Up Gaming, Nintendo recently sent a survey to Super Mario Run players who have their My Nintendo accounts linked to the game (which is required to unlock Toad as a playable character). One of the questions it asked is “what is the most what you would pay for the full game [of] Super Mario Run.” The mobile game is free to start, with a $10 price tag to unlock the entire game, but the question seems to suggest that Nintendo is willing to change that.
Although Super Mario Run made $14 million in just three days, Nintendo investors have expressed some concern at the high price point of the game. Nintendo stocks have dropped as a result, so the company may well be considering a switch to free to play (or even just a lower price) to appease these stockholders.
Another question the survey asks players is “would you be interested in playing a Super Mario Run sequel if one was released in future?” with respondents able to choose between “I would be interested and would likely purchase,” “I would be interested but I would not likely purchase,” and “not interested.”
The fact that the question has been asked doesn’t necessarily mean that Super Mario Run 2 is in the works, of course, but many players of the first game will already be thinking of a wish list for the sequel. High on those wish lists will be no Internet requirement, as Super Mario Run is always online. This requirement poses a significant problem for users who have run out of mobile data (and therefore cannot play the game on the go) or those who often travel where Internet connections are blocked or aren’t allowed (such as underground trains and aircraft), and many likely hope that this feature is scrapped next time around.
A sequel might also rework how the Toad Rally tickets function, or eliminate them altogether. Players have expressed frustration that the Toad Rally multiplayer mode requires the use of tickets and that although the new Super Mario Run game mode, Friendly Run, is a ticket-less workaround, this isn’t enough. Whether Nintendo will use that feedback for Super Mario Run 2 (or whatever the sequel may be called) is unclear, but the company certainly has a lot to consider moving forward.
Super Mario Run is now available on iOS while an Android release is expected sometime next year.
