Nintendo has released a report bragging about its lifetime console and handheld sales, playing down poor Wii U sales.
The Japanese company’s annual report for the 2013 financial year has revealed Nintendo has sold 268.97 million consoles since it launched the Family Computer in 1983 and 385.15 million handheld units since the original Game Boy was released in 1989.
Further highlighting 2195.09 million console software and 1907.25 million handheld software sales, Nintendo is certainly celebrating its achievements.
Preferring to focus on the good old days, Nintendo has seemingly chosen to play down the 36.4 billion yen (£239 million) operating loss it posted for the year ending March 31.
“Nintendo posted an operating loss for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2013,” reads Nintendo President Satoru Iwata’s statement. “However, we strive to regain ‘Nintendo-like’ profits for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014 by providing many people with fascinating games and services.”
Despite Iwata’s promise that Nintendo will return to form, it’s difficult to overlook the poor Wii U sales that are holding the company back.
It was recently revealed that just 160,000 Nintendo Wii U consoles were sold last quarter, meaning the newest console has only shifted 3.61 million units globally since launch until March. This is very short of the 5.5 million predicted by Nintendo.
“We continue to make brand new and unique proposals, and make efforts for the growth of the home entertainment industry with a mission that is to pleasantly surprise people and put smiles on the faces of everyone Nintendo touches.”
However, it isn’t all doom and gloom for the 3DS manufacturer. In fact, net sales are up 3.8 per cent to 81.5 billion yen (£547.5 million) and net profit at 8.6 billion yen (£57.9 million) for the quarter ending in June.
R&D costs for the quarter relating to marking costs for the Wii U and 3DS meant that again Nintendo posted an operating loss of 4.9 billion yen (£33 million) for the quarter.
Nintendo has maintained its sales predictions, hoping to ship 9 million Wii U consoles and 38 million Wii U games by the end of the 2014 financial year.
Next, read why the Wii U is Nintendo’s Dreamcast.
