Nintendo has announced an increase in sales projections for its flagship Switch console, now aiming to sell 15.5 million units in the current fiscal year, CNBC News reports.
The Japanese gaming company had previously estimated sales of 15 million Switch consoles for the fiscal year ending in March.
For the fiscal third quarter (October to December), Nintendo exceeded LSEG estimates, reporting net sales of 598.6 billion Japanese yen ($4 billion) and net profit of 136.7 billion Japanese yen. While net sales saw a 6% decrease year-on-year, net profit witnessed an 18% increase.
Nintendo’s success in the December quarter highlights its ability to prolong the lifespan of its nearly seven-year-old Switch console.
The company attributed recent momentum to the release of the “Super Mario Bros. Movie” and the flagship Zelda game last year, which revitalized interest in the Switch and bolstered sales of the aging console.
Nintendo disclosed that the “Super Mario Bros. Wonder” game, launched in October, had a promising start with sales of 11.96 million units. The Mario movie also contributed to increased sales of older titles such as “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.”
Additionally, Nintendo has also revised its financial forecasts for the current fiscal year, anticipating net sales of 1.63 trillion Japanese yen and net profit of 440 billion yen, up from previous estimates of 1.58 trillion yen and 420 billion yen, respectively.
In the upcoming quarter, Nintendo plans to release new games featuring characters from the Mario universe, including Donkey Kong and Princess Peach.
Despite ongoing success with the Switch, speculation persists among fans and investors regarding the potential release of a successor to the flagship console. Analysts anticipate a new Nintendo Switch to debut this year.
