Nintendo news (January 31): Corporate Management Policy Briefing / Nintendo Power Podcast

Today’s Nintendo news: report for the latest Corporate Management Policy Briefing now available (in English), but also…

• Nintendo Power Podcast
• Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp
• Dragalia Lost

Corporate Management Policy Briefing

Today, the usual meeting with investors took place in Japan. This one was the annual Corporate Management Policy Briefing, and you can find the full report on this page.

For those who don’t feel like reading the entire 14-page document, here’s a quick rundown of the major announcements:

• the animated movie by Illumination will be released in 2022 worldwide. Production is moving “smoothly”, with Nintendo directly funding it along with Universal. Nintendo will own the rights to it, meaning that they will be able to “leverage (it) for business opportunities”. In other words, they will be able to have merchandise, develop games, etc. without having to pay for a licence;
• about 40% of Mario Kart Tour players are women;
• the Nintendo Switch has sold about 48 million units as of December 2019, which means Nintendo overshipped the console during the holiday season (which is standard practice to avoid shortages). Indeed, shipments have already topped 52 million units;
• Nintendo Switch sales during the current Fiscal Year are up by 23% compared to the same period last year;
• the Nintendo Switch sold over 2 million units in December in the United States alone, which the best month ever for a Nintendo console in the country. During the Fiscal Year, sales are up by 16%;
• in Europe, the Nintendo Switch sold about 600 000 units during Black Friday week, and sales are up by 15% this Fiscal Year;
• in Japan, Ring Fit Adventure has a real impact on Hardware sales, with many people buying the console alongside the game. The game is particularly popular with women (more than other games);
• Luigi’s Mansion 3 has sold over 4 million units since launch (as of December 31st), which is twice better than Luigi’s Mansion 2 on Nintendo 3DS. Game is particularly popular in Europe and North America, with people in their twenties buying it at launch and families during the holiday season;
• Pokémon Sword and Shield have sold 12.28 million units during the first 9 weeks, which is even better than Pokémo Sun and Moon (the previous record holder). Sales remain strong to this day;
• Nintendo sold 56.59 million games this Fiscal Year (+26%);
• sales of third-party games increased by 50% during the same period;
• Nintendo Switch Online now boasts 15 million subscribers worldwide. Those amount for a certain amount in total digital sales. However, Nintendo mention that they are users who do not renew their subscription, which is why they are going to keep improving the service moving forward;
• the Nintendo Switch attracts both new users, and users who already own a Nintendo Switch but are looking for a secondary device;
• Nintendo feel that they have not “fully communicated the special features and appeal” of the Nintendo Switch Lite;
• no new Nintendo Switch model will be released in 2020;
• Nintendo will merge their 4 Tokyo office in the future, with the new location at Kanda-Nishikicho in Chiyoda Ward.

Nintendo Power Podcast

Here’s the latest episode of the Nintendo Power Podcast:

Masterclass gameplay, pixel-perfect nostalgia and laugh-out-loud storytelling have taken Shovel Knight from indie darling to blockbuster franchise. In celebration of the game’s final new campaign after seven years of ongoing development, host Chris Slate talks to Sean Velasco and Sandy Gordon from Yacht Club Games about the game’s creation and evolution, and what comes next. The group also recommends games they’ve been enjoying, takes the Warp Zone Quiz and picks their top upcoming titles for Nintendo Switch!

• 00:30 – Shovel Knight Unearthed with Yacht Club Games
• 39:41 – Pro’s Picks
• 45:57 – Warp Zone Quiz
• 49:43 – Game Forecast

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp

Here’s the prev iew trailer for the latest Fortune Cookie (and related set of Stamp Trade rewards) in Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, Olivia’s whimsical cookie (now available until April 30th):

Dragalia Lost

Here’s the latest episode of the official Dragalia Lost webradio programme:

Dragalia Lost (Android, iOS) still does not have a release date in Europe.