Nintendo says mobile will not be the "primary path" of future games starring Mario

Nintendo has said it doesn't plan to make Mario games on mobile the "primary path" of future games starring the company mascot.

This is according to what Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto told Variety.

"First and foremost, Nintendo's core strategy is a hardware and software integrated gaming experience,” said Miyamoto. "The intuitiveness of the control is a part of the gaming experience.

"When we explored the opportunity of making Mario games for the mobile phone — which is a more common, generic device — it was challenging to determine what that game should be. That is why I played the role of director for Super Mario Run, to be able to translate that Nintendo hardware experience into the smart devices."

Miyamoto admitted that Mario games on mobile helped bring the franchise to the attention of an expanded audience and also helped expand the gaming experience.

Nintendo has had some hits in the mobile market, such as 2016 release Super Mario Run, which made $60 million in its first year. There was also the 2019 release Mario Kart Tour, which earned $300 million.

When we can expect the next game starring Mario is anyone's guess, as Miyamoto said only to keep an eye on future Nintendo Directs.