Nintendo has released its first quarter financial results which delivered a net profit, significant 3DS success and some cringe-worthy Wii U figures. Alongside the main results, Nintendo has released some other tid-bits of information to highlight notable landmarks and game sales over the last three months.
One of the most notable highlights was a 150% increase in download revenue over the equivalent Q1 results in 2012, no doubt assisted by download sales of key 3DS retail titles; retail downloads weren't available on the 3DS in the equivalent period last year, while they're also standard on the Wii U.
Also of note are two 100 million unit landmarks. The big one is for Wii hardware, with its 210,000 unit sales in Q1 tipping it past 100 million lifetime sales; there's a similar landmark for the 3DS, with that figure now passed for software sales.
Nintendo's results also included some impressive unit sales figures for key 3DS titles over the last three months, including one that's only been released in Japan to date:
- Tomodachi Collection — 1.39 million (Japan only)
- Animal Crossing: New Leaf — 1.54 million (1.19 million of which were outside Japan)
- Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon — 1.43 million (worldwide)
Some positives there for Nintendo that reflect the healthy state of affairs for the 3DS. We'll be breaking down the figures from today's results in a feature later today here on Nintendo Life. Until then, let's all raise a glass to the Wii, joining the 100 million club.
[source nintendo.co.jp]
Comments 21
Ok we get it! Wiiu is selling poorly and it will continue to do so until a few of the big titles come out. Why on a nintendo site do we keep getting riminded of "cringeworthy figures" or "poor hardware sales"? You guys realy need to restructure how things are worded.or maybe report on something we havnt knowm about for the last 6 month
Well done to the Wii. Not my favourite Nintendo console but it really did find a whole new audience.
Can't really tell much by them saying digital revenue has increased from last year when none of their consoles sold retail games digitally. I'd expect the jump to have been a lot higher going from no retail games to almost every game now being available digitally. I just wish they'd implement a proper account system and I think they'd see a lot more digital sales.
@Marshi If I'm summarising the key points of the results in a sentence, poor Wii U figures are part of it. We're positive a lot, but if the truth is ugly, then we'll still tell it.
The next two quarters will be more important in terms of seeing how the Wii U is doing, something we're also said plenty of times. We'll be balanced, but not needlessly sugar-coat bad news.
"It's a marathon, not a sprint."
Indeed.
raises glass as I continue to think fondly of Xenoblade Chronicles and Brawl
@ThomasBW84 Thank you for the reply.im not saying to avoid the truth,and generally I LOVE your site as its the best place to go for any nintendo related news. But you do tend to talk about the "poor sales" of wiiu at least 4 times a week and sometines in articles where the reference isnt relevant!
Admittly the reference is valid here,and in the case of articles such as asda not stocking wiius ofcourse its relevant. But it seems to be reference alot more than nessasary and worded in a negative manner.
Please understand. I love your work and this site. I just had to voice my concern as it was becoming increasingly frustrating seeing sentances in this negative manner
If Nintendo are making a loss on each wii U surely it is a good idea to make sure they make a profit of each by selling at least a few games and not sell that many.
If Nintendo as a whole is profitable that is all that matters.
(Microsoft is considered to have won by losing 6 billion on the 360 hardware whatever metric its nonsense. The whole thing is expected to be profitable by 2020.)
@Marshi Nintendo related site plus WiiU's low sales equals WiiU's low sales news and comentaries. If WiiU breaks out you'll see a lot of high sales news. It's just the way it is.
@DarkCoolEdge It wasn't always like that I had a look at some old Super Play magazines and they never wrote about anything other than how good things were they didn't say that something was a niche title or give any preconceptions. They didn't even really care about the business side of it.
Personally, I think this has been a pretty boring summer for games. Aside from "The Last of Us", there really hasn't been much to get anyone in gaming truly excited. Pretty much since E3 everyone is just waiting for the fall/winter to come.
Right now, everything feels like the water at the beach, rolling back, before a big wave hits. It just looks worse for Nintendo right now.
@Marshi Well, that's right. When my bro introduced me to this site, I fell in love instantly.
We've had a lot of 'WII U STRUGGLES' and all, and we may still be seeing so until around fall, but sometimes it's kind of downing to see them, but I have to accept, though I skip some of the comments.
Best Ninty news site I've gone to is this site, too, of course!
Good sales for Luigi.
I'm surprised that people don't prefer the physical disc. What happens when they no longer offer the title via download and your memory card is erased, etc? With physical media, you still have access to your game.
@Mainer82 People buy on steam all the time without thinking about a server being turned off, as they should. The costs are minimal because even if you release a new console system, you are still going to serve up files anyways, there is no harm in moving old games to your new servers....(in fact there probably isn't going to be any new server, they will just put the new games on the file server they have had anyways)
Technically, Nintendo should be able to serve their downloads for the forseeable future just on the nature of how cheap it is to run a download server. Storage space is nothing, the only real costs is the network bandwidth, which is already going to be paid by serving new content.
I can easily see Microsoft doing its level best to force you on its new system by shutting off servers. They seem like the most anti-consumerist.
@Mainer82 i think its more a matter of space for some and some areas dont have gaming stores so its easyer
Not surprising. There are a lot of great downloadable titles available on Nintendo systems, like the new Mii Plaza games and Mighty Switch Force 2 on 3DS, Trine 2: Director's Cut on Wii U, and older classics like Airport Mania on WiiWare/DSiWare, to mention some that I've enjoyed recently.
That's awesome, I downloaded Animal Crossing and Luigi's Mansion.
I know the software sales is a good number but I never understand something.. There's about 30+ million 3DS's out there so let's say to reach 100 million the average 3DS owner has to have 3-4 games well I've got 23 3DS games (not counting eshop downloads) So who are these 3DS owners with less than 3 games???? (Okay granted I am on my third 3DS but still!!)
I download pretty much all my 3DS games as I have a US machine, but live in the UK. Having games shipped over costs an absolute fortune thanks to VAT, it's much easier to get a friend to buy eshop credit and email me the codes
@Great_Gonzalez That's awesome, I have 18 3DS games. Lol [Excluding eShop exclusives]
7 2011 games
7 2012 games
4 2013 games
& Yeah, I dont understand a 3DS owner that have less than 3 games.
I had Animal Crossing downloaded as my so many games promotion. Then I lost all my downloads when I transferred my digital content to a new 3ds xl last weekend, and the new 3ds was faulty.Nintendo don't want too know and I'll never download any titles from now on, physical copies all the way.
Does anyone know the name of the person or chairman of Nintendo uk?
@unrandomsam We were kids. I prefer to know everything, not a sweet covered vision of the reality. Besides, these are true nintendo fans. They're just trying to be objective. There's nothing wrong with it.
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