According to Sensor Tower Store Intelligence data, Nintendo’s first quarter in 2019 has been its third-best period for mobile gaming revenue to date. The Japanese publisher’s mobile titles grossed approximately $85 million worldwide across the Google Play and App Store, which is a six percent increase year-over-year. This figure still trails behind the fourth quarter of 2018 ($112.3 million) and the first quarter of 2017 ($106.6 million).
Fire Emblem Heroes was the company’s top earner during this period, with an estimated total of $46.6 million player spending globally. This was a 30 percent decrease when compared to the game’s first-quarter earnings in 2018 ($66.2 million). However, quarter-over-quarter it was a five percent increase for the title.
Nintendo’s most recent mobile release Dragalia Lost suffered from a 55 percent decrease in revenue in the fourth quarter of 2018 (earning roughly $23.4 million), but this was still enough to increase the company’s overall mobile growth and prevent it from being “down 23 percent” from the previous first quarter.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp had somewhat of a resurgence in player spending during the first quarter of 2019, with gross revenue worldwide reaching $12.9. This was a 30 percent increase year-over-year when compared to the $9.9 million it pulled in 2018. Lastly, Super Mario Run made up just three percent of Nintendo’s total mobile revenue (approximately $2.3 million) in the most recent quarter – though, this was a 15 percent increase compared to the fourth quarter of 2018. Compared to the first quarter earnings in 2018 ($3.9 million), this was 41 percent less.
The upcoming mobile releases Mario Kart Tour and Dr. Mario World – releasing in the second half of this year – are expected to make significant contributions to Nintendo’s mobile earnings.