Nintendo on Tuesday announced it is delaying the release of the currently untitled mobile version of Animal Crossing, which was previously slated for release before the end of March (via The Verge).

animal crossing
Nintendo said the much-anticipated mobile game won't appear until the following financial year, which runs from April 2017 to March 2018. Nintendo had originally planned to launch mobile games featuring characters from both the Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem franchises last fall, but delayed them to focus attention on its first official iOS title, the more easily recognizable Super Mario Run. Fire Emblem remains set for release on iOS this Thursday.

News of the delay came during Nintendo's third-quarter earnings call, in which it reported a net profit of 64.7 billion yen ($569 million) and 174.3 billion yen ($1.5 billion) in revenue. Game sales were predominantly driven by Nintendo 3DS titles Pokémon Sun and Moon, which combined sold nearly 15 million copies, followed by Super Mario Maker, also for Nintendo 3DS, selling over two million copies.

During the earnings call, Nintendo also revealed official download and revenue numbers for Super Mario Run, announcing that the game has been downloaded 78 million times globally, earning more than $53 million in revenue so far.

Top Rated Comments

Planey28 Avatar
110 months ago
Nintendo are doomed.

Nintendo should just scrap all their hardware and release iOS games.

I want Nintendo games for free and I deserve them.

Apple are doomed.


Think I've got the comments section covered :)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mark-vdw Avatar
110 months ago
I'm calling it: they're re-working the mechanics of the game to incorporate micro transactions. Because they consider the approach to Mario Run's buy-once strategy a failure.
Sounds plausible.

Still, kudos to Nintendo for sticking their neck out with SMR and trying something specific on the monetization, with the single-IAP instead of upfront payment or freemium. But public reaction wasn't positive (many less-devoted followers who weren't expecting the block after 3 levels were upset), and the revenue stream from Super Mario Run is probably peanuts compared to Pokemon Go with its in-app purchases.

I wouldn't be surprised to find out one day that the original goal of the Kingdom Building mode in SMR was have a "hub world" like in many other mario games, but one that you could build through coins or microtransactions, with different buildings leading to the different levels. In some parallel universe, people got that version of the game, and are complaining that Nintendo should have tried a single IAP instead ;)
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pupi Avatar
110 months ago
Don't mind it much, will be plenty entertained with the Switch meanwhile.

At the same time, AC on the iPhone has the potential to be amazing. I hope it's not too nerfed.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Speedy Dingo Avatar
110 months ago
I'm calling it: they're re-working the mechanics of the game to incorporate micro transactions. Because they consider the approach to Mario Run's buy-once strategy a failure.
Anything Nintendo does on the App Store will be seen as them doing the wrong thing. Mario Run was seen as greedy and deceptive because of its paywall. :rolleyes:
Fire Emblem will be Freemium with IAP. People will complain about why it's so shallow compared to a 3DS version. They'll demand a deep and engrossing version with no IAP and it be free. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

I want Nintendo games for free and I deserve them.
Pretty much.
Mobile game industry has bred players to think all games should be free with time/pay walls and ridiculous IAPs. Or in Nintendo's case, players want all their games for free just because.
Casual players would rather waste hundreds of $$ on IAP than spend $10 to unlock a full game.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive These Five Perks

Wednesday July 9, 2025 9:20 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, did you know that Apple offers you five perks beyond the extra storage space, at no additional cost? Here are the perks included with all iCloud+ plans:Private Relay keeps your Safari browsing history entirely private from network providers, websites, and even Apple. Hide My Email generates unique, random email addresses whenever needed. Hom...