Switch 2 sales boost Nintendo's profits

The runaway success of the Switch 2 console drove up Nintendo's net profit by more than 50% in the nine months to December, the Japanese video game giant said yesterday.

- KATIE FORSTER

But a global memory chip shortage, created by massive demand for artificial intelligence hardware, threatens to push up manufacturing costs for the Super Mario maker.

The Switch 2 became the world’s fastest-selling games console after launching to a fan frenzy last summer.

It is the successor to the original Switch, which soared in popularity during the pandemic when games such as Animal Crossing struck a chord during long lockdowns.

Both are hybrid devices that can be connected to a TV or used on-the-go.

“Nintendo Switch 2 got off to a good start following its launch on June 5 and unit sales continued to grow through the holiday season,” Nintendo said yesterday.

In April-December, net profit jumped 51.3% year-on-year to ¥358.9 billion ($2.3 billion), it said, and revenue nearly doubled on-year to ¥1.9 trillion.

It sold nearly 17.4 million Switch 2 devices during the nine-month period.