According to a report out of Tokyo (Investor’s Business Daily, 7/31/’09), “sales of the once unstoppable Wii console have tumbled for the first time since its launch three years ago, sending the game giant’s quarterly profits down 61%.” Prior to the bad news, Mario Kart Wii and Wii Fit notched holiday sales records just half a year ago. “Nintendo’s sales in the Americas fell 38%…troubling signs for a company that derives 87% of its revenue from overseas markets.” A stronger yen reduced Nintendo’s net overseas profit value after repatriation to Japan but the dark clouds impacted the entire gaming industry. Sony’s Playstation 3 and Microsoft’s Xbox360 are both looking at lessening sales. Deutsche Securities analyst Satoru Kikuchi blamed Nintendo’s falling sales on the lack of bockbuster games: “These casual gamers and light users (are) getting bored. Nintendo needs to keep their attention with new software, but that hasn’t happened.” We’ll see if Wii Sports Resort, New Super Mario Brothers Wii and Wii Fit Plus can pull Nintendo and others out of the slump.
Tags: Mario Kart Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, New Super Mario Brothers Wii, Nintendo, Sony Playstation 3, Wii, Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus, Wii Sports Resort