Nintendo half-year results show profits down in '09; still making boffo bucks
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Oct 29th 2009 at 1:40PM } 
The Wii has now sold 56.14 million units globally, while the DS has reached 113.48 million in unit sales. There's been a general slowdown of software sales, however, as the House of Mario has had fewer high-profile releases so far this year -- we count only: Wii Sports Resort. Although investors may see the profit decline as a bad thing, it's not like Nintendo's plump plumber is going to be forced to cut back on those hearty meals any time soon.
Source -- Nintendo financial report [PDF]
Source -- Nintendo profits slide (MCV)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Oct 29th 2009 1:44PM
C'MON VITALITY SENSOR...WHERE ARE YOU...NINTENDO NEEDS YOU
Cody @ Oct 29th 2009 2:19PM
$20 says Planet will purchase it day one and immediately insert it onto his penis.
Darth Bradwart, Dark Lord of the Sith @ Oct 29th 2009 2:24PM
20 bucks says he wont be the only one.
Which will be more abused...Milo? or the Vitality Sensor?
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Oct 29th 2009 3:15PM
Of course I will Cody.
Then I'll shove my cock in your mother's ass or as it is known 'round these parts, "The Mariana Trench 2".
WREturns (Please buy and rate my iPhone game, Shape Tapper!) @ Oct 29th 2009 3:16PM
Good God, Cap...
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Oct 29th 2009 3:22PM
I know. My standards have lowered since I married Rosie. But hey, fat chicks put out.
Cody @ Oct 29th 2009 4:04PM
lol that's funny, I know a fat chick named Rosie
@ WREturns
it's the per usual reply from Cap... amazing the wrath one can have when envy is involved.
Pro Tip: Click on his username and check out his homepage for the pure definition of obsessed.
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Oct 29th 2009 4:49PM
Cody, there is nothing to envy about you. Not your thin jaw line douch-stache, not your superfluous fanboyism for all things Nintendo, not your "business" South Syde douche-tainment.
You are the definition of a fuckwad and I'll prove it with a little help from Wolfram Alpha:
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/2784/douche.jpg
You should be happy, I made you Internet famous.
President Taco @ Oct 29th 2009 5:17PM
I love it when the Cap'n rips into Cody. I hate that stupid douche-bastard so much.
esposch @ Oct 29th 2009 9:03PM
Is Rosie's surname Pakm, per chance?
DLF @ Oct 29th 2009 1:45PM
No Punch-Out love?
Darth Bradwart, Dark Lord of the Sith @ Oct 29th 2009 1:46PM
Oops, guess it's time to launch a new DS.
Oh, wait...
Autobot (Now with Vitamin D)! @ Oct 29th 2009 2:11PM
Sony will retaliate with another psp-
Oh wait...
Darth Bradwart, Dark Lord of the Sith @ Oct 29th 2009 1:48PM
I'm not ready to hang out the "Wii is a FAD" banner just yet, but Ninty should be watching this closely so they can act before it becomes a real problem. Sure, they can handle a reduction in profits now, but if the trend continues then they need to reexamine their business model.
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Oct 29th 2009 1:51PM
Please, they'll just release some new Mario/Zelda/Mii/Pokemon game, Nintendo fans will rejoice, buy millions of copies and Nintendo will regurgitate the same bullshit again the following year.
Darth Bradwart, Dark Lord of the Sith @ Oct 29th 2009 1:52PM
They did release new Pokemon games this year. Didn't work, evidentally.
Maybe it's because everyone in Japan has a DS...
Mr Khan @ Oct 29th 2009 3:57PM
It did work, actually. Heart Gold and Soul Silver are still in the top-10 worldwide software every week, according to VGChartz. Very impressive, considering that it's Japan-only for now and legs is a much more foreign concept to the Japanese.
sam @ Oct 30th 2009 9:39AM
@Khan: By 'didn't work', maybe he meant 'to increase DS sales'? Which didn't increase much, but it's not like they were bad anyhow.
Not really surprising that Pokemon DS 'didn't work' to increase Wii sales, though...
Lunastra78 (PSN: lunastra78) @ Oct 29th 2009 1:52PM
Just had a look at VG chartz and 18 of the 20 most-sold games ever are Nintendo. I gotta give it to them; that is a huge accomplishment.
Darth Bradwart, Dark Lord of the Sith @ Oct 29th 2009 2:00PM
That may sound nice, but which makes a company more money? A dozen multi-million sellers, or four dozen titles that all sold a million each? It's all about perspective.
Mr Khan @ Oct 29th 2009 3:56PM
All depends on initial budgets and whatnot, so the question is more academic.
Storm Eagle [Resident Capcom Megafan] @ Oct 29th 2009 1:57PM
YEEEEESSSSSSS. It's MIIIIIINNNNEEE ALLL MINNNEEEE!
Apollo @ Oct 29th 2009 1:59PM
P-P-P-P-POKKKER FACCCCCEEE!
GewurztraminerX @ Oct 29th 2009 2:08PM
The DSican'tbelievetheymadeanotherone should help.
Lyano @ Oct 29th 2009 2:15PM
That is because people still buying it no matter how many new DSi will come out.....
Darth Bradwart, Dark Lord of the Sith @ Oct 29th 2009 2:21PM
No, the PSPleasereleaseapsp2withdualanalog will win.
Joanna D @ Oct 29th 2009 2:20PM
All of the Apple blogs are claiming this is iPhone's fault. Do you guys believe them?
Darth Bradwart, Dark Lord of the Sith @ Oct 29th 2009 2:21PM
Not really. Despite what Apple says, the Touch and iPhone are not seen as replacements for the DS or PSP.
bongoes Sector 2814 @ Oct 29th 2009 3:14PM
"All of the Apple blogs"
I think that explains it.
Zsavior @ Oct 29th 2009 5:23PM
Which apple blog is saying this I need this life. Since I read a post not to long on dig they aren't even the number one smart phone yet. That kool-aid Steve gives out must be delicioust .
Jeff @ Oct 29th 2009 7:19PM
Yes, everything is Steve Jobs fault!
Just kidding, Apple gives themselves way too much credit. They actually believe the Iphone is a serious gaming platform.
Cypher @ Oct 29th 2009 2:33PM
Hell, profits could be down 50% and Nintendo would still be making obscene amounts of money.
Darth Bradwart, Dark Lord of the Sith @ Oct 29th 2009 2:34PM
"Nintendo's profits took a 52 percent dive in the first-half of 2009"
They already did...
Cypher @ Oct 29th 2009 2:38PM
Wah wah wah.
Henri made in ore @ Oct 29th 2009 3:13PM
Time to go with plan B.OUR NEW MONSTAH!AHHHH IT WILL PRINT MONEY DESSSSU KA
carg0 @ Oct 29th 2009 3:14PM
when you've been at the top, like Nintendo has, there's nowhere to go but down.
SoshiKitai @ Oct 29th 2009 3:27PM
Or go down to find another up.
Mr Khan @ Oct 29th 2009 3:55PM
Actually, Iwata himself declared that they had "failed" with Wii. Very bluntly acknowledging their inability to keep a steady flow of the hardware-movers. A strangely self-denigrating comment, but ultimately the right one to make.
Though NSMBWii is the ideal holiday title (that'll sell to practically anyone), and they'll keep things rolling in 2010. Hopefully seeing the first trifecta calendar year ever (though they had a trifecta fiscal year once, the one ending March 2003)
WREturns (Please buy and rate my iPhone game, Shape Tapper!) @ Oct 29th 2009 4:02PM
Do you have a link for that? I'd be interested to read it.
Mr Khan @ Oct 29th 2009 4:35PM
actually was mistranslated, apparently. He said "stalled," not "failed."
Still, a rather blunt assessment.
http://www.nintendoeverything.com/?p=26779
ManekiNeko @ Oct 29th 2009 7:02PM
This was a much fairer analysis than the one printed on Engadget. I believe that ended with the phrase "Oh, how the mighty have fallen" or some such nonsense. Glad to see journalistic objectivity is alive and well SOMEWHERE.
Ozzman_79 @ Oct 29th 2009 7:26PM
$766 milion profit during a recession? Oh yeah, they're in REAL trouble. Anyone heard of a company called GM?
Darth Bradwart, Dark Lord of the Sith @ Oct 29th 2009 7:58PM
Government Motors?
Purple Haze @ Oct 29th 2009 10:45PM
Last year they had Wii Fit, Super Smash Bros Brawl and Mario Kart. This information doesn't surprise me.
Asmerom (PSN: neon6plz) @ Oct 30th 2009 2:31AM
Look at that Nintendo. Looks like we you guys won't be getting those G5s this year.
Guess you'll just have to settle for those G4s...
sam @ Oct 30th 2009 9:38AM
Are you referring to the Wii processor? Because that's similar to Apple's 'G3' processors, not G4.
Also, I think if Wii sales decline, that rather increases the chance that we would get a new system more quickly, compared to if they were still sold-out everywhere. Presumably the dramatic success of the system will cement Nintendo's decision to use cheaper (and smaller and less power-hungry) processors in their next system too.
Asmerom (PSN: neon6plz) @ Oct 30th 2009 10:05AM
Actually, I was referring to the G5 planes and how this will only be a slight setback for Nintendo.