Nintendo Sells More Consoles and Games, Still Loses Money

We got good news and bad news for the Big N, so let’s start optimistically with the good news.

First of all, you remember the hype that followed Nintendo's E3 reveals (this, this, this, this and this just to name a few), and how excited people were for the many games being offered?   Well, excitement is only as good as the revenue it creates, and in Nintendo’s case, it worked: they sold over half a million Wii U’s this financial quarter, more than 200,000 the amount sold than the last.  Also impressively, nearly three million copies of Mario Kart 8 were sold in the same time frame—making it a ‘must own’ for any proud Wii U owners.   Additionally, the 3DS is selling much better as well—hitting stride by selling 820,000 units in the course of the quarter, compared to the 590,000 sold last quarter.

The bad news, though, I think is something you’ve already seen coming: despite the bolstered sales, Nintendo is STILL losing money.  They reported a net loss of 9.4 billion yen, which equates to roughly 92 million USD.  Nintendo chalks this up to continuing lackluster sales of the Wii U, and that Mario Kart 8 is pretty much the only smash hit the console is enjoying at the moment.   Still, compared to the $457 million they lost LAST quarter, this is unmistakably an improvement.

Plus, all the huge games at this year’s E3, like Super Smash Brothers, Bayonetta, and the Pokemon remake are yet to come out.   So maybe next financial quarter will bring even more good news?