Nintendo Reports Lower Earnings, but Sales Remain Strong for Platform Entering Its Ninth Year

Nintendo reported a significant drop in sales and profits for the fiscal year 2025. "Even so, sales were steady for a platform that has entered its ninth year," the company stated. Mario Kart 8 in particular remains a phenomenon.

Nintendo has released its fiscal 2025 report. From April 2024 to the end of March 2025, net sales totalled 1,165 billion Yen (-30,3%; ~€7.12 billion), with sales outside Japan of 890 billion yen (~€5.44 billion) accounting for 76.4% of the total, and operating profit was 282.5 billion yen (-46.6%; ~€1.72 billion). Interest income of 56.1 billion yen and other factors resulted in an ordinary profit of 372.3 billion yen (-45.3%; ~€2.27 billion) and profit attributable to owners of the parent of 278.8 billion yen (-43.2%; ~€1.7 billion).

"Sales of both hardware and software declined compared to the previous fiscal year, when sales were substantially driven by The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (released in May 2023) and Super Mario Bros. Wonder (released in October 2023). Even so, sales were steady for a platform that has entered its ninth year," Nintendo stated.

Hardware sales were 10.80 million units (-31.2% year-on-year). This means that 152.12 million consoles have been sold worldwide, and the Nintendo Switch is expected to catch up with the Nintendo DS (154.02 million) in the current fiscal year.

Software sales totalled 155.41 million units (-22.2% year on year). Sales of games released during the fiscal year: Super Mario Party Jamboree sold 7.48 million units, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom sold 4.09 million units and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door sold 2.10 million units. This means that Super Mario Party Jamboree is selling faster than its two predecessors (Super Mario Party and Mario Party Superstars). Additionally, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe sold 6.23 million units (cumulative sales: 68.20 million units). The total number of million-selling titles for this fiscal year reached 24, including titles from other software publishers, Nintendo said. Software digital sales climbed from 53.5% (+3.3%).

Sales Numbers as of 31 March 2025 (ranked by sales in fiscal year 2025)

• Super Mario Party Jamboree - 7.48m (FY2025 release)
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - 68.2m (+6.23m)
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom - 4.09m (FY2025 release)
• Nintendo Switch Sports - 16.27m (+3.16m)
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder - 16.03m (+2.6m)
• Animal Crossing: New Horizons - 47.82m (+2.47m)
• Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - 2.1m (FY2025 release)
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - 36.24m (+2.02m)
• Mario & Luigi: Brothership - 1.97m (FY2025 release)
• Luigi's Mansion 2 HD - 1.88m (FY2025 release)
• Pokémon Scarlet / Violet - 26.79m (+1.87m) (has surpasses the sales of Pokémon Sword / Shield)
• Super Mario Odysey - 29.28m (+1.33m)
• Donkey Kong Country Returns HD - 1.27m (FY2025 release)
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - 21.73 (+1.12m)
• Mario Party Superstars - 14.0m (+1.1m)

For the current fiscal year (April 2025 to March 2026), Nintendo expects to sell 4.5 million Switch (1) consoles and 105.0 million games. Nintendo Switch 2 will launch on 5 June 2025. According to Nintendo's official forecasts, the new console is expected to sell around 15 million units in fiscal 2026 - from April 2025 to the end of March 2026, or in ten months. Switch 2 software sales are estimated at 45 million over this period.

The financial forecast for the next fiscal year is 1,900.0 billion yen in sales, 320.0 billion yen in operating income, 380.0 billion yen in ordinary income and 300.0 billion yen in income attributable to owners of the parent. Nintendo: "For the purposes of our financial forecast for the next fiscal year, U.S. tariff rates effective on April 10, 2025, U.S. Eastern Time, are maintained throughout the fiscal year. Changes to tariff rates may affect our financial forecast. We will continue to monitor the situation to respond to changes in market conditions."

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