Nintendo recently revealed the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection, a tribute to Mario’s 35th anniversary, but the collection won’t be available for long, a move that has left fans of the long-running Mario franchise perplexed at the reasoning. However, there’s a strategic reason the developer is only releasing the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection for a short amount of time, and it likely all comes down to money.

Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection features a variety of the franchise’s greatest 3D hits, including Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario GalaxyThere were rumors that such a collection would be appearing on the Nintendo Switch circulating earlier this year, and it appears those rumors were correct. Super Mario 3D All-Stars wasn't the only game Nintendo announced with a limited release either, as there is also a new game for Nintendo Switch Online Members titled Super Mario Bros. 35, a battle royale style game that involves 35 players facing off against one another much like Tetris 99, which will only be available to play until March of 2021.

RELATED: What Mario's Battle Royale Is & How It Works

3D All Stars will release on September 18th, but there will be limited physical and digital copies sold. The Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection will only be available to buy for a limited time, until March 31, 2021. In much the same way, the new battle royale Super Mario Bros. 35 will also only be available to play on the Switch until March 31st, too.

Why Is Super Mario 3D All Stars Only A Limited-Time Release?

super mario's 35th anniversary

It’s not only the fact that Super Mario 3D All-Stars is an anniversary collection that explains its exclusivity. By making it a limited-time release, Nintendo likely hopes to increase its sales of Super Mario 3D All Stars. Doing so fosters urgency among consumers, who are left with the knowledge early on that not only is there a limited window to purchase the collection, but there are limited quantities. Plus, it adds an air of exclusivity knowing that some fans may not get their hands on copies of the collection. This encourages gamers to buy the collection as soon as possible, for fear of it selling out, thereby encouraging higher sales.

This is a new strategy when it comes to video game releases, one that if it proves successful, could set a precedent for how Nintendo (and possibly other developers) release games. But at the same time, it may leave players frustrated, especially if they feel pressured to buying into a collection simply because it’s only available for a short window. If Super Mario Bros. 35 is a big hit among Switch players, the fact that it will disappear after only six months may be a major grievance.

The limited window for Super Mario 3D All-Stars makes Nintendo appear determined to make a considerable profit in the last quarter of 2020 and in the first of 2021. When a company prioritizes its potential profit at the expense of consumer satisfaction, it doesn’t usually reflect well. If this method of release is a flop, then it could be detrimental to the success of future Super Mario launches, but only time and consumer response will tell.

NEXT: Everything Included In Super Mario 3D All-Stars