Super Mario Run Downloaded 10 Times As Much As Pokemon Go On First Day, Says Report [Update]

Update 2: Polygon reports that App Annie has published more recent data, which states that Super Mario Run was downloaded over 10 million times worldwide on December 15. That's 10 times the amount Pokemon Go managed in its first day.

App Annie also notes that 20 million people pre-registered for the game (meaning they clicked the 'Notify' button on Super Mario Run on the App Store), and that the game made $4 million in its first day.

Update: Another research firm, App Annie, has an even more optimistic report regarding Super Mario Run's first day. The game was downloaded by an estimated 3.5 million users in just the US, according to its data (via Polygon). We'll report back if Nintendo or Apple share any official figures.

Original story: Super Mario Run was downloaded nearly 3 million times during its first day of availability, far outpacing Pokemon Go on its opening day, according to mobile analytics company Apptopia.

Super Mario Run was downloaded 2.85 million times on day one, compared with 900,000 for Pokemon Go, according to the firm's data (via VentureBeat). How quickly that will drop off remains to be seen--Pokemon Go reached 5.6 million downloads by its third day and has continued to grow.

It's an impressive figure for Mario and Nintendo's mobile game debut, though it also isn't an especially fair comparison. Super Mario Run is available in 150 countries, whereas Pokemon Go launched in only three countries, albeit on iOS and Android (Super Mario Run is iOS-only for now).

Furthermore, Super Mario Run was also the subject of an extensive marketing campaign. It was unveiled during a high-profile Apple event this summer, enjoyed advertising on the App Store (including a new system that let you sign up to be notified upon its release), and made an appearance on The Tonight Show. Pokemon Go enjoyed none of this, showing up in July with little warning.

Like Pokemon Go, Super Mario Run is a free download. However, the specific business models the two use are quite different. Pokemon Go is playable indefinitely without paying, but it also offers ways to continue paying indefinitely for in-game items. Super Mario Run's first few levels are free and then it offers the rest of the game as a single $10 purchase.

It's a premium price for mobile, though that hasn't stopped it from reaching the No. 1 spot on the App Store's Top Grossing (and Top Free) charts in the US. Pokemon Go has been a mainstay on the Top Grossing charts since its release, though it seems doubtful Super Mario Run will have the same staying power due to its single-purchase model.

Another research firm, SuperData, recently projected that Super Mario Run will hit 30 million downloads in its first month, bringing in $60 million. It has since reduced that figure to somewhere in the $12-$15 million range. Meanwhile, analyst Serkan Toto has said previously that he expects it to eventually eclipse 1 billion downloads, something only a small number of games have ever accomplished.