US video game industry sees record April sales: survey

Spending on video games in the US jumped to a new April record as locked-down consumers sought refuge in play, industry figures released Friday showed.

A total of $1.5 billion was spent on video game hardware, software, accessories and game cards, eclipsing a previous April high of $1.2 billion spent in the US in 2008, according to NPD analyst Mat Piscatella.

April was the first full month of tight restrictions on people's movements in the US to prevent the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus.

Sales of video game software alone climbed 55 percent to $662 million, a new record high for the month, according to NPD.

"Final Fantasy VII: Remake" was the top-selling game during the month, setting a new sales record for the blockbuster vide game franchise, Piscatella's analysis showed.

"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare" continued to be a hot seller, being the second most purchased title during April, followed by "Animal Crossing: New Horizons."

Animal Crossing has been the best-selling game for Nintendo Switch consoles during the past year, according to NPD.

In a sign that people stuck at home want to move a bit while sheltering-in-place, the latest edition of "Just Dance" from Ubisoft boogied its way onto the NPD list of top selling games.

US spending on video game hardware more than doubled to $420 million, the highest April total since 2008 and despite the fact that new PlayStation and Xbox consoles are due for release later this year.

Nintendo Switch was the most popular console among buyers.

"Year-to-date dollar sales of Nintendo Switch are the highest of any hardware platform in US history," Piscatella said in his analysis.

Meanwhile, sales of Xbox One and PlayStation 4 were each up 160 percent from the same month last year, according to NPD.

The news comes with several big tech firms moving deeper into gaming.

Google recently launched its streaming game service Stadia, and the new Apple Arcade platform offers titles for iOS-powered devices.

Facebook last month launched a stand-alone app allowing users to create and watch livestreams of games.

Amazon this week released its first big-budget gam Crucible from its Amazon Game Studios.

Agence France-Presse

'Animal Crossing' and cooped-up gamers fire up Nintendo profits

Nintendo's popular Switch console and blockbuster games including "Animal Crossing" fuelled a strong rise in profits and sales, which were also helped by players being stuck at home because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Japanese gaming giant said Thursday it had notched up annual net profits of 258.6 billion yen ($2.4 billion) in the fiscal year to March, a gain of 33 percent from the year before.

Sales climbed nine percent to 1.3 trillion yen and the firm was quick to point out the success of "Animal Crossing: New Horizons", which it said had enjoyed the strongest-ever debut for a Nintendo Switch title.

"Nintendo Switch performed very well without losing momentum," the Kyoto-based firm said in a statement.

The conglomerate is one of a "handful" of major companies seeing significant business opportunities from the coronavirus outbreak, said Hideki Yasuda, an analyst at Ace Research Institute in Tokyo.

"Demand for video games has shot up among people staying home following the outbreak," Yasuda told AFP.

Nintendo shares, which closed up 3.24 percent on Thursday before its earnings announcement, have surged some 27 percent since early March.

However, the firm also pointed to risks arising from the pandemic, including production and procurement of parts, and delays in Research and Development.

For the current fiscal year, the firm predicted reduced sales and profits, as the Switch enters a "crucial" fourth year -- past consoles began declining in popularity after three years.

Nintendo sees net profit at 200 billion yen for the fiscal year to March 2021, down 23 percent from the previous year, with annual sales forecast at 1.2 trillion yen, down 8.3 percent.

STAYING HOME WORLDWIDE

Yasuda said the popularity of the latest "Animal Crossing" title should continue to drive profits for the current fiscal year.

The leisurely game has struck a chord with players around the world, many of them enjoying a virtual release from the restrictions on movement and social activity imposed to contain coronavirus.

"'Animal Crossing' does not involve lots of violent actions," noted Yasuo Imanaka, chief analyst at Rakuten Securities.

The ability to invite online friends to play and shop together in this virtual world has appealed to those cooped up due to coronavirus, Imanaka told AFP.

"This perfectly fits the feeling of people staying home worldwide," said Imanaka, adding that the game's calm vibe was especially appealing to women and children.

Among other Nintendo titles, "Pokemon Sword" and "Pokemon Shield" have also become multi-million-unit sellers, following big hits "Super Mario Maker 2", "The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening", and "Fire Emblem: Three Houses".

Launched in March 2017, the Switch has become a huge global seller, helped by innovative, family-friendly titles that have wowed critics and gamers alike.

Sales of both its regular Switch platform and the Switch Lite -- a smaller, cheaper version -- reached 21 million units for the fiscal year, well above its annual target upgraded three months ago.

Rival Sony is scheduled to report its annual results next week as it prepares to launch its next-generation PlayStation 5 console later this year.

Analyst Imanaka said games such as "Animal Crossing" would not fizzle out immediately as coronavirus restriction are gradually lifted.

"I am expecting those people who have started playing video games or online games will continue playing them in this quarter at least," Imanaka told AFP.

Agence France-Presse

Tencent, Nintendo to launch Switch console in China

SHANGHAI - Chinese internet giant Tencent and gaming titan Nintendo on Wednesday announced plans to launch the Japanese company's popular Switch console in China from next week.

Expectations for the console's launch in the world's largest games market has helped to push up Nintendo's share price this year.

The console will be sold in China from December 10 for 2,099 yuan ($297), the companies said at a launch event in Shanghai.

"Nintendo has long hoped to provide Chinese consumers with Nintendo's games and entertainment, and now this dream has come true," said Shigeru Miyamoto, the renowned game creator of "Super Mario Bros" and "Donkey Kong", said in a video message.

Nintendo had said earlier this year that it was working with Tencent -- China's leading online video game company as well as a giant in messaging and myriad other apps -- to roll out the Switch in China.

The Switch has become a huge global seller, aided by the release of innovative, family-friendly titles that have been well-received by critics and gamers.

The console will come with "New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe Edition" pre-installed, with "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Edition" and "Super Mario Odyssey" also available soon, company officials said.

Tencent added that it would work to "enrich" the console's game line-up, including with titles created by Chinese developers, and that up to 20 games could be available to play on Switch in 2020.

China in 2014 began easing a more than decade-long ban on consoles imposed out of concern over the negative impact gaming may have on children.

Tencent itself was hammered by a Chinese government games crackdown launched last year that led to a months-long license approval freeze. The government again cited youth gaming addiction and other concerns as the reason.

The crackdown shaved around $250 billion off Tencent's stock market value by the end of last year.

China also last month imposed a curfew on gamers under 18.

Gaming analysts have said console-makers like Nintendo face an uphill climb in China, where smartphones have become the dominant gaming platform, due in large part to Tencent's success in online games.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Nintendo launches new Switch game console

TOKYO - Nintendo's Switch console goes on sale Friday in a global launch seen as key for the Japanese videogame giant to reverse flagging sales and compete with Sony's top-selling PlayStation 4.

The $299 unit, which works both at home and on-the-go, blends the Super Mario maker's history in the console business with its fledgling mobile gaming strategy, which got a big brand win after Pokemon Go's success last summer.

Kyoto-based Nintendo is aiming to sell more than two million Switch consoles in its first month.

Strong demand for the new unit would help Nintendo close the book on poor sales of its last console, Wii U -- the disappointing follow-up to the smash hit Wii, which sold over 100 million units worldwide after its launch a decade ago.

Switch has a removable screen that lets players dock it at home and also use it on the go like a tablet with detachable controllers -- called Joy-Con -- on both sides.

The idea is to give gamers a more immersive experience with realistic physical sensations matched to what is happening on-screen.

A remote control feature means players can take their eyes off the screen to face off, punching the air in a boxing game or getting into a gun duel.

In past years, Nintendo has scored hits with traditional home consoles, such as the Nintendo 64 or GameCube, and portable devices likes GameBoy and the DS handheld.

"Switch is probably one of the most important consoles for Nintendo in the past decades," said Serkan Toto, a Tokyo-based games industry consultant.

"(It's) the first time where Nintendo basically combines portable games and home console games into one device, into one platform."

But trying to score a win in two different markets is risky, Toto added.

"Some people could say that Nintendo is trying to kill two birds with one stone and that it could actually land in the middle and not really catch any of the target groups," he said.

Investors have been underwhelmed so far. Nintendo shares are down about 15 percent from October, when the firm gave gamers a sneak peak of its newest console.

While it has dipped a toe into the mobile gaming market, the Nintendo also needs to keep up with console maker rivals Microsoft and Sony, which has racked up huge sales of the latest PlayStation -- it has sold more than 53 million units globally since its debut in late 2013.

mis/pb/fa

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Nintendo reboots with new portable Switch game console

TOKYO - Nintendo will unveil its new portable Switch games console Friday as it looks to offset disappointing Wii U sales and go head to head with rival Sony's hugely popular PlayStation 4.

The hybrid console -- it can be played at home and on the go -- comes as Nintendo dips its toe into the mobile gaming market after scoring a big win for its brand this summer with the success of Pokemon Go.

But Switch got off to an inauspicious start in October when a sneak peak at the console left gamers and analysts underwhelmed and with many unanswered questions.

Nintendo's Tokyo-listed stock dived after it released a three-minute video about the product on its YouTube channel.

But the firm is expected to release more details on Friday, including the price, when it shows off the console to media at an event scheduled to start around 1 p.m. (0400 GMT) in Tokyo.

A briefing in New York will follow later in the day with the unit set to go on sale in March.

The device has a removable screen that lets players dock it at home and also use it on the go like a tablet computer with detachable controllers on both sides. It uses cartridges rather than discs.

Switch will be crucial for Nintendo which needs a hit product to offset the flagging fortunes of the Wii U and its handheld 3DS device, as rival Sony racks up huge sales of the PS4 -- it has sold over 50 million units globally since its debut in late 2013.

In November, Sony started selling the $400 PS4 Pro, which promises even sharper graphics than earlier versions.

After struggling to fix its weak finances, Nintendo abandoned a long-held consoles-only policy and entered the smartphone game market last year.

In March, the Super Mario maker released "Miitomo" -- a free-to-play and interactive game -- as it tries to compete in an industry that has increasingly gone online.

This summer it scored another hit with the Pokemon Go app released in July, but the impact on Nintendo's profits will be limited.

The company is the creator of the Pokemon franchise but does not own the licence for the game, which was developed and distributed by US-based Niantic, a spinoff of Google.

Last month, Nintendo released the Super Mario Run game for iPhones, which topped download charts and drew more than 40 million downloads globally in the first four days after its release, according to the company.

But analysts warned its popularity could be hampered by a relatively high $10 price tag for access to the full game, since many online offerings are free.

source: news.abs-cbn.com