Mobile Games Hotspot is a curated weekly roundup of the top stories in gaming on-the-go.
Watch out for blue shells as Mario Kart Tour finishes its first week of launch with over 90 million downloads globally, making it Nintendo’s fastest launch on mobile, reports analytics firm Sensor Tower.
The milestone surpasses Nintendo’s previous record holder, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, which saw a total of 14.3 million downloads in its first week back in October 2017. The U.S. market brought in the majority of installs for Mario Kart Tour, totaling 13.2 million downloads, while Japan and Brazil followed, making up the second and third positions.
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While Mario Kart Tour delivered an impressive number of downloads, Nintendo’s sixth mobile launch was not the most successful in terms of revenue. Ranking third among Nintendo’s other mobile game efforts, Mario Kart Tour brought in $12.7 million in player spending, falling behind Super Mario Run‘s $16.1 million in 2016 (although that game’s $9.99 paywall to play the full offering certainly had an effect on its numbers) and Fire Emblem Heroes, the company’s most profitable mobile launch at $28.2 million. It’s also worth noting Mario Kart Tour‘s Gold Pass subscription currently features a free two-week trial, after which it will run users $4.99 per month.
With Mario Kart Tour‘s first week wrapped up, players can expect changes to challenges and unlockables — including the chance to unlock the Mario Musician character — in coming weeks and months.
Here’s what else is happening in the world of mobile games:
Call of Duty: Mobile Debuts With a Bang
Initial reports of Wednesday’s launch of the highly anticipated Call of Duty: Mobile showed that the shooter had amassed over 3 million downloads in its first 12 hours, a stat that now pales in comparison to the more than 20 million downloads recorded from the full first day on the market. Players in India accounted for the most installs of any region, making up 14 percent of the total player base. Meanwhile, the U.S. held the No. 9 slot with roughly 9 percent of total downloads. Sensor Tower reports that an approximate $2 million has already been spent on in-game purchases.
Minecraft Earth Rollout Begins in October
Minecraft Earth, the AR game that includes location-based features and real-world maps akin to Pokemon Go, will launch this month in select countries. A closed beta version of the game bowed this summer. The latest edition of the game is set to be released anytime in the next few weeks in early access. While developer Mojang and publisher Microsoft did not specify which countries would be included in the rollout, a worldwide launch is likely on the horizon.
Pokemon Masters Impresses but Can’t Touch Pokemon Go
Pokemon Masters wrapped up its first month as the second-highest grossing mobile game in the franchise’s history. According to Sensor Tower, an estimated $33.3 million was generated worldwide. Comparatively, Pokemon Go ended with an incredible $302 million in 2016, a figure nine times greater than that of Pokemon Masters, an admittedly difficult stat to follow up. Downloads for Pokemon Masters currently sit at 12 million globally.
Dragon Quest of the Stars Set for 2020
The previously Japan-exclusive Dragon Quest mobile game is headed worldwide in the form of Dragon Quest of the Stars. Battles and RPG elements make up the majority of the title, while artwork by series veterans Akira Toriyama and Kanahei will also be included. The original Japanese version of the game debuted in 2015 and the localized version is currently set for a 2020 release. Android users can look forward to a closed beta test that begins Oct. 30 and ends Nov. 28.
