According to a new report, less than half that achieved by “Pokemon Go” in the first month, Nintendo’s upcoming “Super Mario Run” mobile game on Apple’s iOS is forecast to earn more than $71 million in worldwide gross revenue during the same period.

20 million iOS users are ready to download the game on day one, said SensorTower, an analytics firm that tracks app data, said in research published Thursday even as “Super Mario Run” is set to be released on Apple’s app store on December 15.

Nintendo is charging $9.99 for the full version even though the game is initially free to download. SensorTower predicts that “Super Mario Run” will gross $71 million in its first 30 days taking into account the “millions” who have pre-registered to get a push notification when the game goes live.

The $143 million seen for hit game “Pokemon Go” and the $107 million seen for “Clash Royale” in its first month were significantly more than the figures for Nintendo’s Super Mario.

“Pokemon Go” is a game that lets users roam the real-world looking for fictional creatures to catch. In partnership with Nintendo, the app is developed by Nianctic.

Analysts feel that Mario could be bigger than Pokemon despite the lower expected first month income.

“We have no doubt that first month downloads of ‘Super Mario Run’ will be historic—likely much greater than ‘Pokemon Go’ — thanks to months of prominent featuring by Apple, extensive media coverage, and more,” Randy Nelson, head of mobile insights at SensorTower, wrote in a blog post on Thursday.

As it looks to revive its business, “Super Mario Run” marks Nintendo’s first real mobile game. An app called “Miitomo” which was more of a social networking service, has been previously released by the company.

Because it is charging $9.99 for the full-game in an era where most mobile games are free and releasing it on Apple’s devices which could potentially cannibalize its own handheld hardware sales, the Japanese gaming giant is taking a few risks with “Super Mario Run”.

But particularly as its console division has suffered of late, Nintendo has little choice but to embrace mobile.

“It’s going to be crucial game for Nintendo … they absolutely have to nail it,” Serkan Toto, CEO of Japanese gaming consultant and advisory group Kantan Games, told the media.

Nintendo would be allowed to successfully charge a fee for the game by the strong brand of Mario, Toto added. “Nintendo is the only company in the world that can put a $10 fixed price mobile game out there,” Toto added.

As the company looks to gain traction for the upcoming Switch – a hybrid handheld and traditional console – set to be released next year, investors are excited about Nintendo’s pivot to mobile and also see it as a way for it to boost the brand. Shares of Nintendo are up over 68 percent year-to-date, reflecting bullish investor sentiment.

(Adapted from Reuters)