Nintendo narrowly missing sales targets for its Wii U console and 3DS handhelds for the year can be regarded as a moot point with the company posting very healthy results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015.
With results not seen since 2011, the company reported net sales of 549.7 billion yen ($4.6 billion), with 75.4 percent consisting of overseas sales, and an operating income of 24.7 billion yen (US$207 million). Ordinary income was 70.5 billion yen (US$591 million) and net income was 41.8 billion yen ($350 million).
The company projected to move 3.6 million Wii U units for year and today’s results revealed it skidded up just short with 3.38 million consoles. The breakdown by region is 1.85 million in North America, just 0.53 million in Japan and 1 million in other regions. This brings global lifetime sales since launching in November 2012 to 9.54 million and the company hopes to sell another 3.4 million of its troubled console by the end of next financial year.With Nintendo setting out to offer quality titles in a plan to boost Wii U sales, it notes that the two hit titles for the platform were Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, which racked up sales of 5.11 million units and 3.65 million units, respectively.
The New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL “got off to a good start and continued to sell well” with 2.45 million units worldwide. That’s 1.34 million in Japan, 0.67 in North America and 0.44 in other regions.
However, sales of the entire 3DS family prior to the launch of the new handhelds “did not grow as anticipated” bringing the handheld family down. The global sales of the 3DS family was an eye-watering hit-or-miss on its target of 9 million with 8.73 million units. Nintendo has reduced its sales forecast for this fiscal year by 13 percent to 7.6 million.
Nintendo 3DS software punched in 6.27 million with hits such as Pokémon Omega Ruby/Pokémon Alpha Sapphire and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS achieving strong sales numbers.
Nintendo believes Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, Rhythm Tengoku and the new Fire Emblem game will be positive for the 3DS in the coming year. Splatoon, Yoshi's Woolly World and Mario Maker are also expected to boost Nintendo software sales, along with new "amiibo" cards and yarn-knitted amiibo for the amiibo range.
For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016 Nintendo projects demure net sales of 570.0 billion yen, an eyebrow raising operating income of 50.0 billion yen, an ordinary income of 55.0 billion yen and profit attributable to owners of parent of 35.0 billion yen. Jenna Pitcher is a freelance journalist writing for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter.