Nintendo Scores Big in Hollywood with Mario Galaxy Movie Surpassing $350 Million

Nintendo seems unlikely to take any lessons from the critical backlash against The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Meanwhile, reports suggest that Halo: Campaign Evolved will not feature a skin shop. In other news, Saudi Arabia has increased its stake in Capcom amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. It’s your Morning Checkpoint for April 6, 2026, and an interview with Sony’s Hiroki Totoki from February is making waves again as the company reportedly scales back its PC efforts. What if console gaming remains largely unchanged for another decade while AI transforms the rest of the tech landscape?

According to reports, the Super Mario franchise has achieved a notable milestone, being the only animated series to have two films open with over $350 million globally. In North America, The Mario Galaxy Movie’s five-day performance places it behind Moana 2 ($225.4 million), The Super Mario Bros. Movie ($204.6 million), and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen ($200 million), but ahead of Zootopia 2 ($158.8 million).

Not too shabby for a sequel that Mario’s creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, initially envisioned with minimal narrative ties to the original 2023 film. Its release during a busy spring break likely helped draw in families looking for entertainment options.

In Halo: Campaign Evolved, players can expect a variety of skins to customize Master Chief’s look, featuring styles based on his Mark V armor sets. However, the game reportedly won’t include a microtransaction shop, indicating that these cosmetics will be unlockable rather than available for purchase.

Could the game make a surprise appearance after the June Xbox showcase, as some speculate? Fable is anticipated for late 2026, though it might still be delayed. Gears of War: E-Day is set to be featured in the showcase, hinting at a late summer or early fall release, likely avoiding a clash with Call of Duty. June could be a suitable launch window for Halo, but the franchise may face competition from a new Forza Horizon title launching in May.

Reports indicate that the latest influx of shovelware on the digital storefront includes several knock-offs of the recently released I Am Jesus Christ sim on Steam, which has surprisingly garnered decent user reviews.

In the realm of game updates, a significant change in the latest 1.02 patch for a fantasy adventure game expands camp storage capacity to 1,000 slots. Pearl Abyss is also refining player navigation, addressing one of the game’s biggest pain points. A highly anticipated quality-of-life improvement allows for fast travel on the map even when Kliff isn’t completely stationary.

In financial news, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince has increased its equity stake in Capcom to 6.04 percent, raising its total shares from 26.78 million to 32.18 million. This move is reportedly for investment purposes, in addition to a separate 5 percent stake held by the country’s sovereign wealth fund.