Nintendo says it’ll take time for Switch to spread in the Chinese market
This information comes from the Q&A portion of Nintendo’s latest financial results briefing…
Regarding the Chinese market and the launch of Nintendo Switch in December 2019, please explain the growth potential and how you are planning to increase sales going forward.
Furukawa:
We are very pleased to have launched Nintendo Switch in China in December 2019. Because theproduct was just launched, the extent of our sales thus far is limited. As mobile and PC games make up the bulk of the Chinese market, we are working closely over the long term with Tencent to spread the appeal of Nintendo’s unique software and the like.
Satoru Shibata (Director, Senior Executive Officer):
While the Chinese market has an extremely large population of people who play games, the majority play mobile applications or PC games, and the practice of purchasing dedicated hardware and software to play games is not yet ingrained, so we believe that it will take time for Nintendo Switch to spread through the market. Our goal with China is the same as it is for other markets: to provide a unique Nintendo Switch experience where friends and family can come together to play and smile. By doing so, we hope the appeal of Nintendo Switch will be embraced by people who
currently play PC games or mobile applications, which could then lead to the system’s adoption across a wider range of audiences. Currently, demo events at retail outlets in China are being held. By actively working to raise awareness of Nintendo Switch, we would like to expand our business in China over the medium to long term.
