Iwata: Animal Crossing has appeal overseas
During Nintendo’s latest financial results briefing, an investor told president Satoru Iwata that he believes Animal Crossing: Wild World “was not so well appreciated” in the west in terms of sales. This isn’t so, Iwata said.
Wild World sold at least five million copies overseas. This may not seem like a huge figure compared to Japan’s success, “but there are already some core fans of the Animal Crossing series overseas too.”
Iwata explained:
You mentioned that the reception of “Animal Crossing: Wild World” was not so good overseas. The sales of this game have reached no less than five million copies overseas. There are few companies whose result of selling more than five million copies of a product is considered not up to scratch. It is true that the sales figure overseas, meaning in the U.S. and Europe, is relatively small compared to the fact that the number of sales has surpassed five million copies only in Japan, but there are already some core fans of the Animal Crossing series overseas too. When we announced “Animal Crossing: New Leaf” through our Japanese Nintendo Direct presentation, many consumers worldwide viewed it on the Internet and we received a lot of requests from overseas consumers who wanted to play it as soon as possible. We would like to first promote the attractions of this game to such a core fan base.
Iwata also discussed how Nintendo can try to promote Animal Crossing: New Leaf overseas:
By observing what has happened surrounding “Animal Crossing: New Leaf,” we have been able to analyze how the relevant information spread in Japan and how so many people were willing to participate in these communications. Before we released “Brain Age” for Nintendo DS overseas, we promoted it there in reference to how it had become popular among people here in Japan. As we did for “Brain Age,” we would like to have overseas consumers understand this game with the help of our knowledge of what happened to this game in Japan and what kinds of information channels were suitable for it. When it happens, we will have more opportunities to have more people abroad accept the Animal Crossing series. Some might be concerned about whether the graphics used for this series will appeal to consumers overseas, but I think we have the odds in our favor.
