These graphs show the download sales transitions in the recent three fiscal years. In the just-ended financial year, following on from the third quarter, the fourth-quarter download sales grew dramatically and the total download sales for the full fiscal year reached 31.3 billion yen. The digital download sales increase of about 30 percent compared to the previous fiscal year should be mainly attributable to such facts as the sales of the digital versions of both the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software increasing, especially in the overseas markets.
We launched a new product category – amiibo – simultaneously with “Super Smash Bros for Wii U,” and the end of the subject fiscal term marked a total shipment of approximately 10.5 million units worldwide. As we had shipped approximately 5.7 million units by the end of calendar year 2014, it is safe to say that we achieved very strong growth even in the period immediately after the year-end sales season was over. Our assessment is that people purchase additional amiibo figures without any seasonal bias, as they are relatively more affordable than video game titles.
Our consumers have been inconvenienced by stock shortages on some of the figures in our amiibo lineup. We have increased production for amiibo figures that have sold out very quickly after launch, that are indispensable to play a certain game and for which we have received strong demand from retailers and consumers. However, we are very sorry that we can?t promise at what point we will likely be able to resolve the current situation because figures such as these require a considerable amount of time to produce, store shelf space is limited and it is difficult to precisely predict the exact amount of overall demand.
On the other hand, the number of software titles compatible with amiibo is increasing and consumers’ recognition and understanding for amiibo has improved significantly compared to the launch period, so we believe that we can predict further sales growth.
This pie graph shows the most recent regional shipment breakdown of amiibo. The U.S. and Canada, shown in red in the graph, have an overwhelmingly large 66 percent share, showing a tremendous presence overall.
In addition to figure offerings in the amiibo lineup this year, we are planning to release Yarn Yoshi amiibo and card-type amiibo. The first software title that is compatible with these amiibo cards is “Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer,” which for Nintendo 3DS. Simultaneously, we will also launch the “Nintendo 3DS NFC Reader/Writer” so that not only the owners of New Nintendo 3DS, which is equipped with NFC functionality, but also the owners of the original Nintendo 3DS systems can play with amiibo. The NFC Reader/Writer enables consumers to play with amiibo on the original Nintendo 3DS systems, and we believe we can expect further growth in amiibo sales with this significant increase in the number of compatible hardware systems.
Update: Bumped to the top. Post now has the English slide. Also, full comments from Iwata about Wii U’s lineup:
These are the already announced Wii U titles that will be released in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016, and there are also unannounced titles that are not listed here. Among these titles, there are games that actively utilize the Wii U GamePad, including several we showed at E3 last year that are considered part of the Wii U GamePad utilization project led by Mr. Miyamoto.
In the case of other such titles as “Mario Maker (temp.),” I believe that the type of gameplay that lets consumers use the GamePad to take advantage of their creativity to create UGC (user-generated content) for everyone to enjoy offers tremendous possibilities, and I also believe that the nature of the gameplay that encourages parents and children to play together has great potential as well.
Nintendo included a slide in its latest financial results briefing that provides a look at upcoming titles for Wii U. Take a look at the image above.
Wii U is maintaining momentum even after the start of the new year, especially in the overseas markets.
This is the year-on-year Wii U hardware/software sell-through ratio for the October-December period we showed at the Third Quarter Financial Results Briefing.
The momentum gained during the year-end continued into the fourth quarter.
As the ratios show, software in all regions and hardware in the overseas markets exceeded those of the previous year.
Our analysis is that this increase is not so much owed to the release of new titles but instead to the release of two classic multiplayer titles for Nintendo’s home console last year.
Specifically, I believe it was significant that “Mario Kart 8” and “Super Smash Bros. for Wii U” were released in the same year and that we have been able to maintain users’ active use of these titles months after their respective releases.
We are trying to motivate our consumers to continually play the games that they have purchased and are placing emphasis on the ability to keep a high replay value even after time has passed since their release by adding new functionalities via software updates or by digitally offering new add-on content such as new characters and new courses. This is an important effort for maintaining the performance and momentum of evergreen titles and further extending their lifespan.
In the video game platform business, although people tend to focus on the huge spike of sales immediately after a game release, looking back at the history of Nintendo’s handheld game systems, not only does hardware sell well with new titles, but our systems also tend to sell well paired with big titles that have become evergreen.
This tendency is strongest in the overseas markets, and we will aim to expand our hardware by promoting new titles as well as retaining the energy of our abundant evergreen titles (which are not new on the market but maintain consistent sales.)
These are the cumulative sales figures of some of the Nintendo 3DS software sold so far. Although “Mario Kart 7” was released in 2011, “New Super Mario Bros. 2” and “Animal Crossing: New Leaf” were in 2012 and “Pokémon X” and “Pokémon Y” were released in 2013, each of these titles sold more than 1 million units in the subject fiscal year. In the overseas markets especially, many titles tend to become evergreen and sell consistently even long after their releases.
“Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS” was released in fall last year and sold 6.75 million copies by the end of the subject fiscal year. “Tomodachi Life” was released in Japan in November 2013 and in the subject fiscal year overseas, and it sold particularly well in Europe with the global cumulative shipment reaching 4.15 million units. Also, from their release in November last year to the end of the subject fiscal term, 9.94 million units of “Pokémon Omega Ruby” and “Pokémon Alpha Sapphire” were shipped. While on one hand, we will keep these titles evergreen and on another we will add new quality software, we aim to further expand the sales of Nintendo 3DS hardware by increasing its broad software lineup.
In addition, as I mentioned in my presentation for the last Financial Results Briefing, we are working on further promoting multiplayer gameplay using the local communication function of Nintendo 3DS in the overseas markets as well. This shall play a major role for franchises such as “Mario Kart,” “Animal Crossing,” “Super Smash Bros.,” “Pokémon,” “Monster Hunter” and for the “YO-KAI WATCH” game, which will be released in overseas markets in the future.
This is the graph displayed in the last Financial Results Briefing, which shows the percentage of change found in the sell-through data of Nintendo 3DS hardware and software in each market for the third quarter of this fiscal year compared to the corresponding term of the previous year.
As you can see, except for Japan, where New Nintendo 3DS contributed to the full quarter, the hardware sales fell far short of the previous year in the U.S. and Europe where the new models were not available during the third quarter and in Australia, where they were launched in late November.
In the fourth quarter, you can see the launch of New Nintendo 3DS in the overseas markets boosted the sales of both hardware and software from one year prior and brought momentum to the platform once again.
On the other hand, the Japanese market was in between big titles and this resulted in a different outcome after having enjoyed five double-million sellers in the latter six months of the year 2014.
In the Japanese market, the cumulative sales of Nintendo 3DS hardware since its launch are about to reach 19 million units. Regarding the Nintendo 3DS software market, the situation remains promising not only because there have been numerous major-hit titles released since the latter half of last year, but also because we have high hopes for the many titles that are planned to be released this year by both Nintendo and other game software developers. On the other hand, regarding the Nintendo 3DS hardware, four years since its release, we are seeing a certain level of positive results by the release of New Nintendo 3DS, but we still have not been able to break free from the period beyond the popularization of the Nintendo 3DS in which the performance leveled off. I believe that the key to revitalizing the Nintendo 3DS business in Japan is by intensifying its appeal to even more generations of female consumers.
This year, we are planning to release titles that offer high potential to appeal to female consumers, and we would like to further strengthen our approach to reach a female audience covering wider generations.
Meanwhile, in the overseas markets, the Nintendo 3DS hardware has not spread to a level where it has reached its market potential. In other words, there is plenty of room for growth.
Since the release of New Nintendo 3DS in February this year, especially for the large-screened New Nintendo 3DS XL, stock in stores has continued to run low in the U.S. and Europe, which of course is a sign that the game platform has momentum.
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata once again weighed in on the amiibo stock situation during the company’s financial results briefing today.
Iwata is aware that some figures are selling out, which is causing inconvenience for customers. However, supply is increasing for amiibo that have become rare, are needed for play, or are highly requested at stores.
Iwata stated that a date can’t be promised as to when the situation will be resolved. This is due to the fact that amiibo take time to produce, shelf space is limited, and Nintendo can’t predict how much demand there is.
The newest Paper Monsters Recut update is now live in North America. Once applied, players should find a much smoother experience thanks to the elimination of certain bugs.
Developer Mobot Studios passed along the update news on Twitter:
Paper Monsters Recut #WiiU patch is finally live for North America! Buggy Blast Away! pic.twitter.com/q1V0HpsveT
— Fletcher (@MobotStudios) May 8, 2015
Paper Monsters Recut’s update previously came to Europe in March.
Thanks to Cameron for the tip.
During Nintendo’s latest financial results briefing, CEO Satoru Iwata commented on what lies ahead for Wii U in terms of software. Iwata mentioned that, at last year’s E3, games were announced that make use of the GamePad such as Mario Maker. He also stated that there are more Wii U titles for this fiscal year that haven’t been announced yet.
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata shared a brief update about the company’s mobile plans during today’s financial results briefing.
According to Iwata, Nintendo wants to have five mobile games out by March 2017. This may seem like a small number, but the Big N wants them to become hits. Additionally, given the business, Nintendo doesn’t believe their plans are half-hearted at all.
It won’t be too long before we see Nintendo’s first, true effort for smart devices. The goal is to bring out the first mobile title this year.
