Nintendo expects to double profits this year

by Blake Snow { Jan 10th 2007 at 2:45AM }

Reuters reports that Nintendo believes they'll make a lot more money this year than even they expected. The company raised its profit estimates by 28% to $1.5 billion more than doubling its leftovers from the previous fiscal year. Nintendo also raised its total revenue forecast by 22%, increased its sales target of DS games by 15%, and is planning to sell 21 million Wii games on the year. And you probably already guessed it; mo' money problems were blamed on "the strength of the DS" and Wii that is "off to a flying start," as one analyst so aptly put it.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Fozzie @ Jan 10th 2007 2:55AM

Nintendo is kicking MAJOR ASS.

Purple_Haze @ Jan 10th 2007 3:36AM

I agree with Fozzie.

Splorky Fish @ Jan 10th 2007 3:45AM

This will be great for my investment portfolio.

Ben @ Jan 10th 2007 3:55AM

Double? Thats it? A bit of a conservative estimate.

Nick @ Jan 10th 2007 4:06AM

What? All the Sony and Microsoft fanboys have been telling me Nintendo's going out of business?

You mean they're making money?

boatloaDS of money?

wiird.

tack @ Jan 10th 2007 5:14AM

Company for gamers and last gen's hardware in the same sentence? When will people start to realize a system designed to be playable by paris hilton, wasnt made for gamers. Zelda was great, but the game isnt long enough to last till other good games are released. Looking at the game lineup it might be a while.

The DS is great with an M3 or R4 slot 1 card.

Fozzie @ Jan 10th 2007 5:30AM

^^^^

Obviously not a very intelligent person.

brad @ Jan 10th 2007 5:38AM

The surging sales of Nintendo's game products is contrasting to woes at Tokyo-based Sony, which last year had to cut its shipment target for its competing PlayStation Portable and delay the launch of its PS3 console. Sony expects a loss of 200 billion yen at its game unit this business year.

2ez @ Jan 10th 2007 6:24AM

WHAT!

But I thought Nintendo was teh doomed!/111?

hef @ Jan 10th 2007 6:39AM

Yeah well with people paying 50 bucks (AU) for the required component cables they have to be winning financially. Dirty gouging bastards! Did I mention I hate Wii? Yes. Yes I did.

Szu @ Jan 10th 2007 6:49AM

@7

http://www.joystiq.com/2005/11/18/paris-hiltons-new-toy-an-xbox-360/

hef @ Jan 10th 2007 7:14AM

I just visited the link above. Is it wrong to be to be turned on by a skank with a wok-eye? I think it probably is. I'd just pop it in her dumper to teach her a lesson.

Lou D @ Jan 10th 2007 7:27AM

Well that's a lesson she'll never learn as we've already seen another gent try to teach her that lesson...

Tom Strong @ Jan 10th 2007 8:36AM

Profits are up because Wii is a rip-off. $250 for Gamecube 1.5??? $60 for that cheap controller? But Wiitards eat it up anyway, of course, so Nintendo rakes in the money.

Ignatius @ Jan 10th 2007 8:51AM

@Tom Strong;

You apparently haven't played the Wii. Not only is the hardware more powerful, the controller, the interface, the games, everything is different. What the hell? Why is it a GameCube 1.5?

You realize the form factors are insanely different? The Wii is a hell of a lot smaller than the GameCube and much more powerful. GameCube used 1.5GB MiniDVDs, Wii uses DVD4.7 and DVD9s.

The Wii also includes ports for GameCube controllers and memory cards, why? For complete backwards compatibility! The Virtual Console provides backwards compatibility with all of Nintendo's past systems (minus the Virtual Boy) and some that they didn't even make!

Tell me, how does the Wii become the GameCube 1.5 when it is completely different from it's predecessor besides the fact that it is completely backwards compatible with it?

Szu @ Jan 10th 2007 8:54AM

@15

Please refer to my previous post, just in case here's the link.

http://www.joystiq.com/2005/11/18/paris-hiltons-new-toy-an-xbox-360/

Here's another link to add to the previous post:

http://www.popoholic.com/photo.php?id=paris-hilton-sony-launch-02&title=Paris%20Hilton%20PlayStation%203%20Launch%20Pictures

I maybe a Wiitard, but at least I don't play a system that's associated with Paris Hilton. I hear you can contract a virus or something.

LongshotX @ Jan 10th 2007 9:01AM

Tom Strong I feel you. No matter how you try to put it the Wii is simply a Gamecube with a new controller. This is not a revolutionary machine. It's not doing any new. Motion controllers have been around long before the Wii. The console is using outdated hardware (last gen) and it just kills the potential immersiveness a gamer might experience if he had a true next generation platform.

Graphics Sound Gameplay and Control are not mutually exclusive. But Nintendo has decieved a lot of you, and that's why I guarentee nearly 90% of the Games for Wii, especially third-party manufactured games will be crappy downgraded ports with tacted on WiiMote controls.

Its amazing that the Wii is even selling at all when the only good games are Zelda:TP and maybe, though its debatable Wii Sports. Other than that the Wii is boring. There is no type of Live like connectivity, or Media rich features. So for $250 it is hardly a good value considering for $50 dollars more you can get an Xbox 360 Core and play an assortment of great games NOW, in HD, on Live, download demos, and watch movies (well you do neeed a HDD but you can get a cheap one on Ebay for 50 bucks- shipping not included).

the Brayn @ Jan 10th 2007 9:05AM

"I maybe a Wiitard, but at least I don't play a system that's associated with Paris Hilton. I hear you can contract a virus or something."

That's because all Paris wanted from the Wii is the controller, she likes the rumble functionality.

justin @ Jan 10th 2007 9:13AM

good bye playstaion... nintendo rains supreme

http://www.wiiuser.org

Callandor @ Jan 10th 2007 9:17AM

@ Longshot X

I don't give a fuck if you call the Wii "A GameCube with a new controller" because I'm having a fucking blast with my Wii and I love the controller. It works a lot better than other motion controllers before it and it's really fun.

Slaziman @ Jan 10th 2007 9:21AM

Attention, attention, the Wii is more powerful than the GameCube, whoever thought they used the exact same CPU and GPU please shoot yourselves now.

@LongshotX
People are buying the PS3 when the only above average game is R:FOM, and it costs 300$ more than the Xbox 360! Amazing no?

The Wii does have WiFi capabilities, and I'm certain it will evolve to be a good online service like Xbox Live, and most gamers already own a computer for their media needs. You also forgot a WiFi adapter and a Xbox Live Gold membership, adding up to 250$ more than the Wii if you get the HDD from Ebay for 50 bucks as you say, or 300$ if you get a HDD from the shop. Even without the WiFi adapter its 200$ more. So your comparison is bullshit.

samik @ Jan 10th 2007 9:29AM

Good news for the company most focussed on gamers - not surprising either, the wii sells for 250 and its processor, grpahics card and RAM together cost just 50 (some isupply report was the source if you want to know) - no matter how much everything else costs they would still make a killing. On top of that the DS. I just wonder - they have a 10bn cash hoard i believe why dont they splurge a billion dollars and buy a few game companies like Capcom - wont make business sense but can you imagine, RE5 /Assasin's creed / The next GTA to be Wii exclusives LoL.

Scott @ Jan 10th 2007 9:34AM

LongshotX, the Wii is targeted at people that want to PLAY GAMES with their friends. Got that? I don't want to download demos, watch movies, OR play on Live with 12 year olds with turrets syndrome.

What is so hard to understand about that? "Media rich features"...Give me a break!

If the Wii is a Gamecube with a new controller, then WTF is an Xbox 360? An Xbox with a new graphics card?

jonathan @ Jan 10th 2007 9:44AM

Congrats Nintendo! Just promise me if you become #1 again, you won't get all arrogant again like Sony is now.

(posted via Wii-a great system!)

gameclu @ Jan 10th 2007 9:59AM

All I know is that Wii Sports is more fun, imho, than anything I've played on the 360. And I've put in over 60 hours into oblivion, ranked in the top fifty in Dead Rising, and found all them rotting birds in Condemned.

vidGuy @ Jan 10th 2007 10:47AM

I played the 360 last night for the first time since I bought the Wii on launch day. Now, some gamers here may not agree with what I'm about to say, but know that I'm 21 and have been a gamer since the NES.

The Wii has great potential to change the video game industry. How the hardware and game companies handle the new market could be good or bad for gamers.

After putting in well over 100 hours on the Wii since launch playing Wii Sports, Zelda, Madden, and Trauma Center (in that order), plus several classics from the VC, going back to the 360 was just different. Here are some thoughts

- the 360 graphics are amazing. After playing Wii, plopping down in front of Call of Duty 3 in 1080i blew me away all over again.

- the 360 controller isn't as impressive as it once was, at least after the Wii remote. I feel like my hands are pressed too far together (I've been playing Zelda and Madden with one hand on each knee). After thinking about this for a second, I grabbed a DualShock (an approximation of the SIXAXIS). I cringed and threw it back down. No DualShock for me.

- I don't want to be swinging my arms around all the time (Wii Sports), but I am equally bored with my former video-game-hunch while playing.

- the 360 is loud as hell. I can't hear the Wii from more than two feet away. The 360 can be heard from the other side of the room (or house on a quiet day).

- Load times suck, period. Load times on the Wii are so minimal that I don't think about them, but the 360 brought them back to the forefront.

- The Wii interface is nice, but the 360 provides more options. For grandma, Wii wins. For everybody else, the 360 wins in interface.

- I love being able to download demos.

- I've had the 360 for 6 months and the Wii less than 2 months. I own three 360 games (COD3, Prey, Dead Rising) and three Wii games (LOZ, Madden, Trauama Center), plus Wii Sports and Bomberman 93, which get the bulk of the multiplayer time.

Basically, the Wii is great at what it does. I would much rather play Wii Sports against my girlfriend than COD3 by myself or online. But it's less about the game and more about the interaction between players. For some reason, Wii Sports is amazing at getting people together and excited and letting them have fun, despite the low-level approach of the game.

When I want to hole myself up for a weekend, get away from everything, and experience a great, deep game, the 360 provides the experience I'm looking for. I can get in a comfy spot and soak it all in, even if my hands get cramped. The visuals and the sound pull together a very impressive package. Dead Rising or GoW is going to keep me playing by myself for longer periods of time than any Wii game, even LoZ (which I've only played for an hour or so at a crack).

Which will get more playing time? I'm not sure. The Wii will be played more often, with more people, but more as a fun way to pass an hour than to game for a weekend. The 360 will be played less often, probably just by myself and my roommate, but for longer periods of time. Both have great games coming that will ensure many hours.

As I said, the Wii can change the industry. But there absolutely has to be a balance between the new and old. Deep stories, immersive visuals, etc can't go by the wayside. There needs to be an equal number of games you'll play with others and by yourself.

The Wii is going to corner the market on fun, interactive, multiplayer games. It'll have a dozen or so stellar single player games. And it'll create a huge following, leading to huge profits for Nintendo. But by itself it doesn't look like it will offer EVERYTHING a gamer might need.

The 360 presents the newest approach to the old (tried-but-true) gaming. It does great at what it's built for. But it fails to offer the full package in the way of simple, fun, multiplayer games.

As you can see, it's Wii60 FTW for me. And I hope we'll have something from both companies next generation that learns from the other's success.

unit @ Jan 10th 2007 11:01AM

@ longshotx:
"So for $250 it is hardly a good value considering for $50 dollars more you can get an Xbox 360 Core and play an assortment of great games NOW, in HD, on Live, download demos, and watch movies (well you do need a HDD but you can get a cheap one on Ebay for 50 bucks- shipping not included)."
I noticed how you had the word "now" in caps. Cuz the 360 sure as hell didn't have anything worth playing when it first came out! Do you remeber how crappy the launch was?! was it easy justing the price of the system when it first came out? It wasn't doing a damn thing different than what the original xbox could do. and still isn't, everything that's on the x360 could be done on the original xbox cept' for the hd content. and you mention media rich features, with the sells of the wii it's obvious that people could give a damn about a "media rich features"

RogueStorm @ Jan 10th 2007 11:13AM

Got a Wii last week. I just turned on and played my 360 for the first time since then last night and only to play with my brother on Live. Wii Sports pwns me and my whole family right now. My wife was the one that insisted we buy it, not me (I was waiting for them to release a black version of the console, but white goes with my 360 pretty well anyway). Call me a Wiitard if you want, but I've been a gamer my whole life and I am literally addicted to playing Wii Sports right now.

CLShortFuse @ Jan 10th 2007 11:13AM

It's funny how people criticize Nintendo for "what they're doing to games" (negatively). They're made they've focused on gameplay instead of 720p/1080p, HD-DVD/BlueRay, Internet, IPTV, TV Shows, Movies and Music. Those bastards at Nintendo completely missed the point of a gaming system.

CLShortFuse @ Jan 10th 2007 12:04PM

Previous comment, now proofread!:

It's funny how people negatively criticize Nintendo for "what they're doing to the gaming system". They're focused on gameplay instead of 720p/1080p, HD-DVD/BlueRay, Internet, IPTV, TV Shows, Movies and Music. Those bastards at Nintendo completely missed the point of a gaming system.

Aex @ Jan 10th 2007 12:28PM

@CLShortFuse

I don't know why you feel it is a good thing to simply focus on gameplay and completely disregard game mechanics.

FACT! Both gameplay AND game mechanics are important parts of video games.

IMO, focusing on one of those too much will leave you with a shallow library. I feel there needs to be a good balance between the two of them.

I have critized the Wii ALOT because I predict a completely shallow library due to the required use of the Wiimote. Great sales, updated profit expectations, and crazed Wiitards bashing other systems are not going to change this. What will change this is two to three years time. In two to three years time, the Wii will be past the "It's New" hype and we will see if it truly is a "Gamecube 1.5" or a "Revolution". I know I'm hoping for the latter, but it is to easy to see it become the former.

awiifemale @ Jan 10th 2007 12:31PM

Agree with vidguy on a lot of what he says.... my 360 has been very neglected since the Wii arrived. I've only got 3 games for my 360, but I've got 10 for the Wii- soon to be 11 when Wario comes out next week!

I'm probably not going to play the 360 again till April when Forza 2 comes out.

I've never owned a Nintendo system before, but I love the Wii! Good job Nintendo!

razer @ Jan 10th 2007 1:04PM

I finally got to play a Wii for a few hours and I have to say it was fun but only for about 30min. Each console has it's pluses and minuses, but don't for a minute tell me the 360 launched sucked compared to both of these consoles(Wii/PS3)?? Are you kidding me? CoD2, Condemned, Kameo and even Perfect Dark to an extent were fantastic launch games. When I played CoD2 there was nothing like it on consoles and it felt like you were playing next-gen. I think the people who say the launch sucked are just haters. I've always thought Wiitards were the better of all console fanboys, but this thread has changed my mind. They are just as delusional as the rest.
@Unit: Everything can be done on the original XBOX that the 360 can do? You sir get the stupid ass award of the day! That statement is just plain wrong!

unit @ Jan 10th 2007 1:21PM

@34 razer
cod2 felt like next-gen? are you sure about that? cod2 plays exactly like cod1. all that was different was the gfx's. if you had played cod2 on the pc, would you have said it was next-gen? And besides the gfx upgrade and hd, what could have not been done on the original xbox? please enlighten me

SuperMario21 @ Jan 10th 2007 1:22PM

@18

All of the people who think that the Nintendo Wii doesn't have great games at this point...they are right. There isnt alot to choose from. But the more I think back...the Xbox 360 was the exact same way. And in 2007, the Nintendo Wii is coming out w/ some great games. Mario Galaxy, Sonic and the Secret Rings, Super Smash Bros, Metriod Prime 3, No More Heroes, and Disaster: Day of Crisis

benjamin @ Jan 10th 2007 1:30PM

What? No 'It prints money' picture for this article?

Paul @ Jan 10th 2007 1:43PM

Nintendo has a stout business model, don't sell at a loss.

They make profit on every Wii and DS. The Virtual Console games are almost pure profit to Nintendo (minus some license fees to third partys). They have loads of licenced accessory's that people are actually buying. Not to mention they sell out of controllers left and right(not cheap controllers either). Im sure also that people are buying multiple games for the Wii

benjamin @ Jan 10th 2007 1:44PM

@#36: Personally, I've got a high 'attach rate' (a phrase I'd learned from Joystiq, actually) for my Wii.

Twilight Princess, Metal Slug, Trauma Center and ExciteTruck.

Given that the console's only been out for, what, 3 months, that's not too shabby I think.

If anything, I'm really impressed with the Wii's launch lineup, and there's a number of interesting games (Sadness, Wario and Elebits come to mind) coming up too.

Longshotx @ Jan 10th 2007 1:51PM

I have to agree that you Wii Fanboys are very delusional. Aside from Zelda:TP, Rayman Raving Rabbits, and maybe Wii Sports the Wii's launch is not as great as many of you are making it seem.

Let's face facts you Wii fanboys want the great graphics and sound and media rich experiences that both the Xbox 360 and PS3 (well not quite yet) have. You cringe at the sight of games like Mass Effect, Gears of War, Halo 3, Alan Wake, Blue Dragon, Crackdown, BioShock, GRAW 2, etc because you know that deep inside you'll never see games like this because they are simply not possible on the Wii. Keep your WarioWare or your quirky games like Cooking Mama or Elebits. Most of us, many who grew up with Nintendo back in the early 90's will have moved on.

If the Wii truly wanted to revolutionize something then it would have created a superior online experience, it would have utilized better hardware to add to the immersion factor, and it would have included media rich features. You can cry on all you want but the Wii was rushed to make money, and it did a hell of a job of robbing all of you who purchased it. When the Xbox 360 arrived it may have had a few problems but at least when you opened the box you knew you could download demos before you bought the game DAY ONE, watch trailers of new releases DAY ONE, check out quirky online games DAY ONE, have mulitplayer sessions with voice chat DAY ONE, connectivity to your computer DAY ONE. You talk about what the Wii will have but it isn't there TODAY. Where are the Wii Channels? Picture Channel give me a break. Mii Channel is for little kids. And what else is there? Nothing. There ain't nothing but empty slots. And you say "Oh it'll be there someday". The question is WHEN. And why did they not come with the system. Why is the Wii limited to 480p (Component cables I might add are not included). Do you really want to browse the internet in standard definition? Trust me it will fail. Everything about the Wii seems tacked on. Not to long from now you'll be able to buy a Wii Ver2 with built in DVD. Why is this not presently included when it 2007. Nintendo isn't trying to save you a buck. The Wii is hardly expensive to manufacture. Tell me why after you buy you $40 controller do you have to go out and purchase an additional piece to play certain games (Nunchuk).

The Wii might be whats hip now but trust me in 2-3 years people will look at you like you're an idiot why you mindlessly play inferior games on the Wii and they're playing some spectular game that cannot be recreated on the Wii and I'm not speaking on just graphics.

Well I'm on graphics let me add that Graphics and Gameplay are not mutually exclusive. You can have both. Their is no reason why a new Nintendo system cannot have both, but Nintendo has fooled you all.

The Wii will do well but just as a Rocket loses its momentum after it is fired so will the Wii.

Pwnut-Butter @ Jan 10th 2007 1:55PM

Lolz, the Wii isn't solely directed to the "hardcore gamers." There are now tons of moms, grandmas, anti video game advocates that have a Wii or want to get one after playing it. Those same people see a 360 or PS3 and just walk away without looking twice. So, not only is the Wii getting attention from those who already play games, people who have never touched a controller in their lives are swinging away with the wiimote.

baby sea tuna @ Jan 10th 2007 1:59PM

If Nintendo really expects to double its profits in 07 with any help from me, they might want to seriously consider not only making enough hardware and peripherals to satisfy demands (it's been 2 months and I still have yet to find a second nunchuk,) but bring out some frikkin games. Otherwise it's going to end up a slightly more ergonomic paperweight than its older brother.

NintendoFanbot @ Jan 10th 2007 2:25PM

@ LongshotX

If anything, the only real reason that MS is venturing into TV shows, movies, music, that "awesome media-rich experience for GAMERS" is because they're still trying to find a way to pay for Xbox Live. PS3 and its network, in trying to keep up with MS, has turned into a black hole for money. The only reason XBL and related things were up DAY ONE (as you put it), was because XBL was already live with Xbox1. They could have been working on the 360 service ever since the original Live was launched.

You should also be careful, I might start blindly calling your favorite games and preferences inferior.

Here, I'm impersonate what you said in a new scenario:

LOLz DS is week it can't even have Morrowind but n-Gage does and it does media too and has onlinez lolz DS is inferior to n-Gage lmao

Please, a developer will do what they want, if they want to try making a decent game for Wii, they'll do that. If they really want it to be, it will be really good.

Madden used to be a joke to me but on the Wii, EA did some really cool stuff.

Nintendo fanboys will howl alright, but only for laughter's sake.

I like Microsoft, in fact I'm rooting for them this gen along with Nintendo, and will likely by a 360 (especially if Tekken goes to it), but I'm not slamming MS right now but your own careless post.

Slaziman @ Jan 10th 2007 2:46PM

@40

LongshotX you are a fucking moron. Everyone and his mother has a DVD and a computer for all the media rich features you mention, I'd rather not pay TWICE for the same thing. In fact, I would love a Xbox 360 stripped of it's MEDIA RICH features and sold for 100$ less!

Not only that but it seems everyone is buying BOTH the 360 and the Wii! And I might be alone here, but I'm just a 16 year old kid living with his parents, and the TV in my room can't even handle 480p! And it's not that me and my family are poor, but seriously, only a spoiled brat would get a 1000$+ HDTV for his bedroom!

Why browse the Internet on a console when there are computers that handle this task much more efficiently, and computer monitors are already HD? Personally I bought a 360 to get the cool first person shooters and it's live functionality, but the media features you mention have been almost untouched :s

As Nintendo said, the HD revolution is not here yet, even if their competitors say so, specially not in Europe, we still use shitty SCART here, component cable input is only available on expensive "HD ready" TV's :/

So why charge a lot for hardware that will largely go unused and alienate an audience that does NOT have 1080i/1080p TV's and does NOT have 400-600 EUROS (about
550-800 dollars because the tax here is killing) to drop on high-end consoles? I'm glad Nintendo is here to deliver to that audience, and make gaming more acceptable in the mainstream, instead of keeping it in the geekzone.

Evan @ Jan 10th 2007 3:57PM

@Longshotx "You cringe at the sight of games like Mass Effect, Gears of War, Halo 3, Alan Wake, Blue Dragon, Crackdown, BioShock, GRAW 2, etc because you know that deep inside you'll never see games like this because they are simply not possible on the Wii."

Yawn. Most of those games don't interest me because I don't shoot my load at the sight of bloody violence.

However, I am disappointed that the Wii will never have a game that looks as beautiful as Viva Pinata. But after one whole year, the 360 has only one exclusive "family" game?!? And it still doesn't have any "play with my girlfriend" games. At launch, the Wii matched or surpassed the 360 in every genre, save the "I jerk off to violence" and the "I assert my maturity through video games" genres.

Inspired @ Jan 10th 2007 4:13PM

Articles like this show why Nintendo is going down, baby! All they do is make profit! They need to take a leaf out of MS and Sony's book, cause losing money is what's in! M I RITE?!?! LOLROXORZOMGWTFBBQ!!!!11111

roflcopter @ Jan 10th 2007 6:20PM

@40

"Let's face facts you Wii fanboys want the great graphics and sound and media rich experiences that both the Xbox 360 and PS3 (well not quite yet) have. You cringe at the sight of games like Mass Effect, Gears of War, Halo 3, Alan Wake, Blue Dragon, Crackdown, BioShock, GRAW 2, etc because you know that deep inside you'll never see games like this because they are simply not possible on the Wii."

Why do you assume everyone's gaming preferences are the same as yours? Out of the games you mentioned i only want to play 3 (Bioshock, Alan Wake, and Mass Effect, in that order), and i'm able to play 2 of those on PC. As far as the rest is concerned, i'd rather play duck hunt...seriously, if next-gen is sci-fi shooter n+1, and ultra-realistic tactical-combat simulator #infinity in HD, then fuck next-gen.

Zegim @ Jan 10th 2007 6:52PM

The Wii and the DS are less powerful than the PS3 and y the PSP, yet Nintendo can literally swim in money while Sony copes with losses.
If that doesn't spell clear and loud that "more power" for the sake of it and charging for it is not a financially sound idea.

Mr. Khan @ Jan 10th 2007 6:58PM

This seems oddly linked to another comment on the one about great franchises, and someone balked at how GTA outsold Zelda

If... The Wii outsells the others, it will be for the same reason GTA outsold Zelda, both GTA and Wii appeal by simplicity, which just doesn't appeal to SOME people (GTA didn't appeal to me, but Wii does, go figure)