Global sales for Nintendo spin-off Pokémon Pokopia
have surpassed 5 million units since launching on March 5, pushing company shares up 7% in Tokyo trading on Friday and signaling a much-needed financial lift for the flagship Switch 2 console.
Nintendo Co. shares surged after global sales of its hit game Pokémon Pokopia
topped 5 million units since its March launch, with some analysts saying the stock is back on its upward trajectory. Nintendo shares closed 7% higher in Japan on Friday after it revealed sales of Pokémon Pokopia
surpassed 5 million units on its flagship Switch 2 console. Shares of the Switch 2 maker climbed as much as 7.5% to ¥8,945 in Tokyo on Friday, on course for their third weekly gain. That would be the longest winning streak since November, when the stock began its months-long drop. The milestone was hit just over four months after it launched on March 5, Nintendo said on Thursday. This would make it the second-best-selling game on the Switch 2, ahead of Donkey Kong Bananza
and behind Mario Kart World.
The catalyst behind the financial bump is Pokémon Pokopia,
which surpassed 5 million units sold globally just over four months after its March 5 release. Analysts watching the publisher point to the sales surge as a sign that the stock is returning to an upward trajectory.
Cozy Gameplay Drives Unexpected Blockbuster Success
First announced in September last year, the game wasn’t seen as a huge blockbuster, given it is a spin-off from the main Pokémon franchise. Its gameplay has elements of Animal Crossing,
one of Nintendo’s most popular games on the original Switch. Nintendo on Thursday announced the latest sales figure for the game, which blends Pokémon characters and lore with gameplay similar to Animal Crossing, highlighting what’s known as a cozy life simulation.
That crossover appeal has translated into elite standing on Nintendo’s current hardware. The title now stands as the second-best-selling game on the Switch 2, trailing only Mario Kart World
while sitting comfortably ahead of Donkey Kong Bananza.
Console Headwinds and Hardware Sales Pressures
Investors watch updates of game sales closely because hit titles can often drive shipments of Nintendo’s console, which has faced some headwinds. Rising memory prices forced the company to raise prices of the Switch 2, which went on sale just over a year ago.
In the June quarter, Nintendo sold 3.82 million Switch 2 consoles, down 34.4% year-on-year. The company forecast sales of 16.5 million Switch 2 consoles in its fiscal year ended Mar. 31, 2027, which would also be lower than the same period the previous year.
Expansion Packs and Nostalgia Fuel the Roadmap
Nintendo on Thursday also announced expansion packs and updates to Pokémon Pokopia
as it looks to bring new gamers to the title and keep current players engaged. Shares of Nintendo are still down more than 16% this year. But, over the last month, the stock has rallied more than 26% as investors bet on an improving outlook and hope upcoming blockbuster games spur console sales.
Nintendo plans to launch “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,” a remake of the classic first released on the Nintendo 64 in the last 1990s, on the Switch 2. Two new Pokémon games are also slated for next year. Pokémon and Zelda are among of Nintendo’s two most popular franchises. Looking ahead, the company plans to launch The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,
a remake of the classic Nintendo 64 title from the late 1990s, alongside two new Pokémon games slated for next year.
