Nintendo profits sink on declining console sales, weak game selection

Oh how the mighty have fallen. Nintendo just announced that its interim net profit was cut by more than half to ¥69.49 billion (about $770 million), from ¥144.83 billion last year at this time -- figures that won't be helped by the cheaper Wii price tag announced at the end of September. Speaking of which, Nintendo sold only 5.75 million Wii consoles from April to September (down 43% from last year) and cut its full year sales forecast for the April 09 to March 2010 period to 20 million units, down from an expected 26 million. DS sales were also off 15% from last year and we doubt that a bigger screen on the new DSi LL model will change that dramatically.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 29th 2009 10:14AM]

Anyone could have predicted this. developers loved the controller but they didnt love the limits of the actual hardware. Resulting in development of games that could not meet core gamer requirements.

[Jeff Kibuule Posted Oct 29th 2009 10:54AM]

Everyone who wanted a Wii has bought one already. And this new group of "casual gamers" that Nintendo is targeting don't buy a shitload of games like us hardcore games did back in the day.

Yep, Nintendo, this is what happens when you get greedy and forget about who propped you up from 2002-2006 in the Nintendo dark ages. You're just getting your just desserts.

And for further proof, when's the last time you had to wait more than 3 years for a Zelda console game?

[docpark Posted Oct 29th 2009 10:59AM]

The problem is that a new DS cartridge costs about as much as 10-20 iphone games. My son has an iPod touch and whenever I get a game, he can load it up on his iPod touch under the same license and play as well. He hardly touches his DS -he's been slogging through Pokemon Emerald since he was 5 and now he is 7 and still slogging, same with Pokemon Diamond. He is on the cusp of outgrowing it.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 29th 2009 11:41AM]

It's funny even though they sold a lot of consoles its obvious they didnt learn nothing from the gamecube fiasco when it comes to games

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 29th 2009 12:24PM]

Why does that man have only four fingers?

[Ark Posted Oct 29th 2009 1:11PM]

Seems to me like this sort've thing is inevitable, the sales have to drop eventually. I think they have some solid games on the way (New super mario, mario galaxy 2, Other M, and, dare I say it with my fingers crossed, Zelda??)

That said, I don't think Nintendo is sweating too much over in the mushroom kingdom

[StalkyTheFish Posted Oct 29th 2009 2:57PM]

IMO, yes the Wii has a games inventory problem because of an excess of simple-sports and "family" games and not much else. (Pet simulators?! SERIOUSLY?!) But the Xbox360 kind of has the same problem with way too many pro-sports games and shooters and not much else. You could say the same of the PS3 with RPG and racing, although the PS3 seems to be becoming more balanced of late. None of the current consoles seems to have as genre-balanced a library as the PS2 or N64 had.

I've had a Wii for almost 2 years and I think I have like 5 games for it, not counting Wii Sports. MarioKart Wii, which pretty much only gets played when friends are over. Klonoa, which is a passable platformer with some frustrating characteristics. Williams Pinball Collection, which is quite good for a budget game. Mario Galaxy, which I finished and has no replay value, and Geometry Wars, which is just awesome. Tried and traded WarioLand-Shake It because it got tedious. Traded Namco Museum Remix, because the older Namco Museum for the GC is better. Same with Monkey Ball Banana Blitz: SMB2 for the GC is better. My brother had Animal Crossing on the GC and it was pretty fun, so I might try City Folk now that the price has come down. Considering Ghostbusters also. The only game that has me drooling is of course Mario Galaxy 2, but who knows when that will come out. I heard January, but you know Nintendo and release dates...

Between price drops and new releases I'm getting closer and closer to springing for a PS3. I suspect by this time next year I'll have one... and maybe 2 more Wii games.

[kibbledbits Posted Oct 29th 2009 4:05PM]

of course their sales are plummeting. Nintendo is the perpetual one trick pony that keeps reinventing itself as a one trick pony

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 30th 2009 4:56PM]

Nintendo is destroying gaming, by selling their consoles to grandma's who leave them under the TV, theres only one wave of grandma's and parents who think they can loose weight on wii fit at a time. Whereas the Xbox 360 and PS3's sales will stay at the same pace. Selling a console that wants you to do sports and family things is GAAAAAAY, the graphics are poor and the game selection is terrible, the only thing i'm looking forward to getting is the Metroid Prime collection, Xbox and PS3 have Modern Warefare 2 in sights which will have a MAJOR rise in sales.


Don't comment on my spelling, just my point.........................................................Fuck Wii!