Super Mario Run Requires Internet Connection for Very Real Reason

Carl Williams writes, "Super Mario is coming to the iPhone in a few days, December 15th to be exact. That is great news for Apple iPhone users, bad news for everyone else. For many of us that watch Super Mario grow from his 2D incarnation battling Donkey Kong on girders up to his first standalone adventure and beyond, Super Mario Run just seems “wrong” for some reason. We probably shouldn’t feel this way though. This is not the first time Mario has struck out on a non-Nintendo owned platform. It is the first time that Mario has done so and still been developed in house by Nintendo though. One concern though is that Super Mario Run will require an Internet connection to run in any of the three planned modes. The reason may surprise you."

[zeal0us]

Piracy.
Too bad it doesn't stop rip offs from being created.

[NukaCola]

So why can't they make it so when you purchase it you sync up with the server the first time and then you can play it offline? Seems like I can't play on flights or places I don't have good service

[triverse]

Exactly. If you are in an area with bad service, or no service at all, then you are simply not going to be playing Super Mario Run. At all.

[1nsomniac]

Ahh the old piracy buzzword. Piracy when a consumer is involved. Data collection & marketing research, when corperations are involved.

A very strange world we live in.

People up in arms how someone who downloads a game is scum. Same person is happy for corperations to steal information on every aspect of their lives. Then sell it on as if it's their own property.

[PhoenixUp]

That'll always be an issue because Nintendo could always shut down the servers and render the game non playable like Sega did with Sonic Runners

[triverse]

That does bring up an interesting point. Going with an always on Internet connection requirement does give Nintendo quite a bit of control over when, how and where gamers can play Super Mario Run (even after ponying up the rumored $10 price tag to do so).

Imagine if Nintendo had that kind of control over the original Super Mario Bros on NES? Would there still be gamers able to play it on the original hardware today, or would Nintendo have long shut down the servers forcing players onto newer hardware (and another purchase) to keep enjoying it?

[TWB]

Yeah no. An always online DRM has never been properly justified with piracy arguments, because you are going to drive away more people, than gain from pirated copies.

Maybe in mobile gaming it could be a different thing, but generally speaking, NO.

[triverse]

We will have to wait a few more days to see the beginnings of the sales figures appear for Super Mario Run. Will fans reject it based on the obvious concerns or will they blindly accept it, shell out $10 and enjoy the game for whatever time Nintendo permits?

[The 10th Rider]

It is a bigger issue with mobile games. It's pretty easy to copy a game from one device to another and, unlike a game like BF1, it's a small file. That's one reasons so many mobile games go the free-to-play route and make their money off of microtransactions and ad revenue. Square Enix is even worse when it comes to always online for their mobile games, biggest reason I haven't picked any of them up.

[Dirtnapstor]

Not sure why this is speculated as a problem. If you have a smart phone, you will have an internet connection whether it be through wifi or your service. I guess if you're in a dead zone, you're out of luck. But I think that issue is becoming more and more rare.

[81BX]

I get what youre saying but the other aspect is they can shut down the servers when ever they want to forcing you to either not play or move on to the next version for more $, also data farming.

[stokedAF]

Was anyone really going to buy this for 10-15 dollars or whatever? Lol

[triverse]

We will find out in a few days how the sales go.

[stokedAF]

True. It seems like the person who would be interested in something like this would already have a 3ds. It's Mario though so anything is possible.

[marioJP87]

Do they not know they jailbreak community will hack this game and enable offline playing mode?

[triverse]

That is what makes me think there is more to this than just "security" for Nintendo. I think maybe, just maybe, Apple was willing to pony up some cash to make Super Mario Run exclusive.

[_-EDMIX-_]

OH so punish the user?

I see they just didn't learn the mistakes of other publishers.

[DragonKnight]

This is Nintendo we're talking about. The word "learn" is not in their vocabulary. They are well over 100 years old and are seeking to become the avatar of the term "draconian business practices."