Nintendo was until relatively recently hesitant to go down the mobile gaming route, but since it changed strategy the platform has been quite successful for the Japanese veteran.
Take for instance, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. The iOS and Android game launched in late 2017 and has since become a very profitable game for Nintendo. Near the end of 2021, we learned that Pocket Camp had surpassed $250 million in lifetime player spending, making it the second-most successful mobile title for the Japanese corporation (Fire Emblem Heroes is easily number one, with over $650 million spent in the game).
In Pocket Camp, the player is tasked to build a "fun campsite for you and your friends to enjoy". Like other entries in the series, you're required to design and maintain an environment, which is a campsite in this instance; build furniture, and get involved in contests.
However, the in-game currency, known as Leaf Tickets, can be purchased in micro-transaction style to allow building without needing the required raw materials or to speed things up. In addition, there's monthly subscription service called Pocket Camp Club that allows members to use features such as extra storage, monthly Leaf Ticket handouts, and a caretaker for your campsite. There's also the recent Merry Memories Plan, along with other tiers, and plans. In summary, there are different ways for Nintendo to make money and for players to spend.
The issue is that if players want to gain access to a wide variety of plans - let's say the Furniture and Fashion plan, the Happy Helper plan, and Merry Memories plan - then they'll have to plan for outgoings that exceed what gamers spend on something like Xbox Game Pass (thanks, GamingBible).
The latest plan and update has caused some consternation, since the monetisation has perhaps grown too much for some, with one fan loudly calling for a boycott to "get their [Nintendo's] attention". Some Pocket Camp players in this subreddit expressed their approval, but there seemed to be more who actually liked the update.
"I enjoy the update and honestly, the plan is pretty dang cheap. I really like having more animals at the campsite, it's always hard to pick amongst my favorites. The widget is pretty simple but cute too," wrote a Melasyn.
Others, meanwhile, just don't seem to care all that much: "It’s just an app I go on when I have free time. I got bigger fish to fry," said a Misuteriisakka.