The Switch is still selling well and people really like Pokémon. Here are the headlines from Nintendo’s latest earnings release.
1. The Nintendo Switch has now outsold the Wii
The combined sales of the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, and Nintendo Switch OLED Model have reached an impressive 103.54 million units worldwide. The number takes the console past the 101 million sales attained by the Wii, but a way distant of the DS’s 154.02 million units.
The Switch has reached the 100 million unit milestone faster than any other console in history, and Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa remains bullish about the console’s future:
“Switch is just in the middle of its lifecycle and the momentum going into this year is good. The Switch is ready to break a pattern of our past consoles that saw momentum weakening in their sixth year on the market and grow further.”
Read our report for a full breakdown of Nintendo’s console sales.
2. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl sell like hotcakes
A combined 13.97 million copies of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl were sold between release in November and the end of 2021. The game is already within touching distance of 2018’s Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee, which stands at 14.33 million units sold. It’s an eye-watering performance for a bare-bones remake of a 15-year-old DS game. That being said, I liked them well enough. I’m probably part of the problem.
3. Metroid Dread and Mario Party also do the business
Other Switch tent-poles are also doing well. The MercurySteam-developed Metroid Dread is close to becoming the franchise’s best-selling title with 2.74 million units sold. Mario Party Superstars – which came and went as far as we’re concerned – has also sold a whopping 5.4 million units.
4. Nintendo Switch sales and production are expected to slow in 2022
Nintendo has modified its Switch hardware sales forecast for the fiscal year ending March 2022 due to semi-conductor shortages and supply chain challenges. The original estimate of 25.5 million units sales was already reduced to 24 million, and it’s been revised again to 23 million units.
5. Nintendo’s business strategy won’t involve acquisitions, but it might include NFTs.
Shuntaro Furukawa has reiterated that the company isn’t interested in following Microsoft and Sony by acquiring external publishers or studios. Instead, an investment of 100 billion yen will boost the company’s internal development capacity. Furukawa says:
“Our brand was built upon products crafted with dedication by our employees, and having a large number of people who don’t possess Nintendo DNA in our group would not be a plus to the company.”
And on the thorny the subject of NFTs and the Metaverse, Furukawa adds:
“We do have interest in this area, we feel the potential in this area, but we wonder what joy we can provide in this area and this is difficult to define right now.”
Well said.
Via: Nintendo and a h/t to: David Gibson
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