Quick take:
- Nintendo has hinted it may join the metaverse if it can continue to deliver “surprise and fun” to its fans.
- The video game console maker said it sold 18.95 million units of Nintendo Switch in the nine months ended December 31, 2021.
- The company said Switch console cumulative sales have now surpassed 100 million, exceeding the lifetime Nintendo Wii console sales.
The Japanese video game console maker has hinted it may consider joining the metaverse if it can find a way to continue delivering “surprise and fun” to its users.
The company said in Thursday’s results announcement that it sold 18.95 million units of Nintendo Switch in the nine months ending December 31, 2021. Although this was a significant decline from the same period in the previous year, the company has maintained impressive Nintendo Switch sales figures since launching five years ago.
The company said it has now sold more than 100 million units cumulatively, surpassing the Nintendo Wii console’s lifetime sales.
The Kyoto-based video game maker launched an OLED model of the Switch console in October in its bid to extend its footprint in the traditional gaming ecosystem. It is one of the few video game companies that have resisted the lure of modern gaming ecosystems, stressing the importance of continuing to offer fun and surprise to its fans.
The company maintains that it won’t be getting into partnerships that do not serve its purpose. Speaking at Thursday’s news conference Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa told analysts that “it wouldn’t be a plus to suddenly bring in people who don’t have Nintendo’s way of thinking.”
Asked about NFTs, Nintendo said it retains an interest in the space, saying the area has potential. “We feel the potential in this area, but we wonder what joy we can provide in this area and this is difficult to define right now.”
Recently, several traditional video game developers have partnered with blockchain companies to venture into the new world of blockchain gaming, NFTs and the metaverse. For instance, Ubisoft teamed up with Tezos to offer in-game items, launching its own blockchain gaming platform, Quartz.
Jam City also joined the metaverse craze announcing its first title for the immersive world, Champions: Ascension, while Microsoft gobbled $69 billion to buy Activision Blizzard, a move that will augment its gaming business that features Xbox series of consoles and augmented reality glasses, HoloLens.
Nonetheless, Nintendo seems to have taken a more open approach to the metaverse compared to the people behind Playstation. The inventor of the world’s most popular gaming console Ken Kutaragi said last month he doesn’t see the point of joining the metaverse.
On the other hand, Electronic Arts’ CEO Andrew Wilson told analysts during its most recent conference call that as the metaverse evolves, it will play a crucial role in the new space.
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