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Nintendo’s Japan-first approach for Fire Emblem Heroes pays off as it nets $2.9 million on its first day

Already a top grosser in the US and Japan

Nintendo’s Japan-first approach for Fire Emblem Heroes pays off as it nets $2.9 million on its first day

Nintendo and DeNA’s Fire Emblem Heroes is off to a strong start after the game brought in a reported $2.9 million on its first day.

Mobile data firm Sensor Tower claims Nintendo’s latest foray into the mobile market brought in the money after being downloaded more than two million times on the App Store and Google Play.

The report also claims the revenue generated outperformed Supercell’s hit game Clash Royale, which is thought to have taken $1.4 million on its first day.

Fire Emblem Heroes is still behind Super Mario Run’s reported $8.4 million and the $10.2 million Pokemon GO was estimated to have brought in.

The game’s downloads put it on a par with Clash Royale, but was once again behind the estimated 4.2 million downloads for Pokemon GO and six million for Super Mario Run.

Big in Japan

An “overwhelming majority” of downloads and revenue were said to come from Japan, with the US ranking in second.

According to App Annie, Fire Emblem Heroes peaked at ninth in the US App Store top grossing charts, and as of February 5th sits at 11th spot.

In Japan, the game has sat at third place since February 3rd. It’s an impressive feat given the fierce competition it faces from Japan’s long-standing top grossers such as Monster Strike and Puzzle & Dragons.

The early success of Fire Emblem Heroes in Japan is not all that surprising given the popularity of the IP and the game’s Japan-first design.

Just how long the game will generate significant revenues remains to be seen. Our IAP Inspector said the game is a slick mobile debut for the franchise with little pressure to spend at present.


Head of Content

Craig Chapple is a freelance analyst, consultant and writer with specialist knowledge of the games industry. He has previously served as Senior Editor at PocketGamer.biz, as well as holding roles at Sensor Tower, Nintendo and Develop.