Nintendo Posts First Annual Profit in 4 years

Nintendo - First Annual Profit in 4 years

Nintendo has turned over an annual profit for the first time in 4 years.

After a 23 billion yen ($191 million) loss last year, the company’s fortunes have changed with a much more more promising 41 billion yen ($344 million) profit this year.

Nintendo managed to shift 9.3 million 3DS handhelds (including 2DS and new 3DS models) in the last 12 months. This brings the lifetime sales for these handhelds to 52 million units, which is still only about a third of the lifetime sales for the original DS (154 million).

Prior to the launch of the new 3DS and 3DS XL models, sales for the 3DS “did not grow as anticipated”, Nintendo noted in its results briefing today. However, it went on to say that the company’s new handheld models had “a good start and continue to sell well”.

Besides handhelds, Nintendo only managed to shift 3.6 million Wii U consoles last year. This brings the total lifetime sales for the console up to 9.54 million worldwide (less than half the lifetime sales of the GameCube). With Sony confirming last week that the PlayStation 4 has passed the 22 million mark for sales, this puts the Wii U figures into perspective.

Nintendo is hoping to sell another 7.6 million 3DS and 3.4 million Wii U consoles in the coming 12 months, which will go along way to ensuring another year of profit.

On the software side of things, 3DS Pokémon remakes Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire sold 9.94m units combined.

Super Smash Bros. sold 6.75 million copies on 3DS and 3.65 million on the Wii U.

Mario Kart 8 has sold 5.11 million copies since it launched last year. Both Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. will continue to be supported with more DLC.

This coming year will herald the release of Xenoblade Chronicles X and Fire Emblem on 3DS. The Wii U is set to see the release of Splatoon, Yoshi’s Woolly World and Mario Maker.

Card and yarn based Amiibo will also be launched this year, as well as the NFC reader for 3DS and 2DS.

By the end of 2015, Nintendo will have also released their first smartphone apps, developed with new partner DeNa.

All in all, this sounds like a pretty busy year for Nintendo.

Chris Corbett

Chris Corbett

Junior Editor
Chris loves gaming, ginger beer and facial hair. Probably an unhealthy amount. He plays loads of different games (with ginger beer in hand) and loves writing about his experiences.
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