Another financial quarter has come to a close, and video game and console developer Nintendo has reported positive results. The company recently published its Nine Months' Earnings Release, which covers the period beginning in April 2020 and concluding in December 2020.
Both hardware and software performed well during these nine months. In particular, island life simulator Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which released for the Nintendo Switch in March, experienced a high sales volume. Since its release, the game has shipped 31.18 million units. This officially makes Animal Crossing: New Horizons one of the fastest-selling Nintendo titles of all time, nearly surpassing the original Super Mario Bros. title.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons' success has been attributed to the game releasing at the perfect time, at the very beginning of the quarantine and lockdown period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The game, which combines relaxing gameplay with a bright tropical aesthetic, appealed to many stressed-out gamers who found themselves needing peace and quiet. In addition, Animal Crossing: New Horizons' online multiplayer features allow players to visit a friend's island in order to meet up with friends in-game who they may currently be unable to visit in person. Animal Crossing: New Horizons also regularly releases new free content in the form of seasonal events celebrating everything from Wedding Season to the recently announced Festivale.
Other games which performed well include Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which sold 8.6 million units, Super Mario 3D All-Stars with 8.32 million, Super Mario Party with 3.72 million, Paper Mario: The Origami King with 3.05 million, and Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit with 1.08 million. As 2020 marked the 35th anniversary of the Super Mario Bros. franchise, Nintendo was heavily focused on releasing new Mario titles and promoting existing games featuring the plumber siblings.
Due in part to delays caused by COVID-19, Nintendo plans to continue the celebration in 2021 with more Mario-themed games, events and tie-ins. The re-release of Super Mario 3D World for the Nintendo Switch, which also includes the brand-new Bowser's Fury add-on, is debuting in February and is currently projected to sell well.
Several other Nintendo titles achieved high sales during the nine months covered by the latest financial report. These included The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its prequel Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Pikmin 3 Deluxe, Pokemon Sword & Shield, and Ring Fit Adventure.
Ring Fit Adventure's success in particular was also attributed to COVID-19, as the "fitness RPG" allows gamers to work out at home while gyms around the world remain closed. These updated totals make Ring Fit Adventure the third best-selling Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) on the Nintendo Switch, after Pokemon Sword & Shield and Pokemon Let's Go, Pikachu! & Let's Go, Eevee! Positive reviews of Ring Fit Adventure have praised the title's use of RPG mechanics to create an expansive story mode which succeeds in making exercise fun.
As the pandemic continues and people around the world remain at home, video game and consoles are projected to continue experiencing high sales. In particular, the Nintendo Switch outsold the Nintendo 3DS in lifetime sales in late 2020, when it officially surpassed 80 million units shipped.
Nintendo concluded its report with an updated projection for the fiscal year which will end on March 30, 2021. The company now predicts that its full-year revenue will reach 1.6 trillion yen (15.3 billion USD) and that it will ship approximately 205 million games in total.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons and all other titles mentioned in this article are currently available for the Nintendo Switch.
Source: Nintendo 9-Month Financial Results Announcement via nintendo.com