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There's no doubt that the Nintendo Switch has seen its fair share of success in Japan, North America and Europe, but is it really a worldwide phenomenon? As it turns out, yes, it is.
As revealed in Nintendo's latest financial report, the company's recent efforts to expand into "growing markets" — mainly defined as Asia and Oceana, but basically all regions outside Japan, North America and Europe — have produced positive results for Switch sales, with purchased hardware numbers increasing 6.4-fold when compared to 2017 in these regions.
This increased interest in Switch has meant that these markets now contribute 11.9% of total hardware sales, up from 5.4% in FY2017 (which included the 3DS and Wii U alongside the Switch, let's not forget).
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Nintendo's expansion into these other markets has come in a variety of ways. The company boasts that many first-party games are now available in more languages, allowing "consumers to enjoy titles previously hindered by language barriers". On top of this, it has also aimed to provide "attractive shopping environments", with local talent appearing in regional commercials, promotions, pop-up stores and hands-on events becoming more commonplace in wider regions.
Of course, Nintendo is still relying on the ol' faithful big three of Japan, North America and Europe for the majority of its sales, but that global reach is ever-expanding.
What do you make of Nintendo's approach to broadening its worldwide reach? Let us know in the comments.
[source nintendo.co.jp]
Comments 15
The marketing sales analysis of the difference between the Wii U and the switch. That wasn't hard was it!
Oh wow that's quite the jump, love to see it as the more people throughout the world get access to (Switch) games thanks to them being available in more languages etc. the better!
Considering games are especially expensive in Africa, Oceania, and other Asian territories like the Middle East and South Asia, this is very impressive. Switch has managed to break into markets that other companies have struggled to for years now.
That increase in share is HUGE, especially considering how well it sold in the 3 main markets
Well, I guess it's about to be official then that the Switch is the GOAT. It is for me, at least.
@Wario_Waha Sony will lie again and say they shipped over 200 million PS2.
Since I live in South America, I don't count?? hahahaha. Jokes aside, the Switch will become the best selling console of all time. I've said it from the beginning, confirm it now!
I wonder if this will prompt Nintendo to localize their games into more languages than before. I know this is mostly about "other" regions, but there are still big markets in Europe that lack the local language support.
@Rhaoulos since you posted it’s now 205 million.
Did they fix the game yet... Or are we waiting 5 months more for an announcement that's going to fix the issues?
@Edu23XWiiU Heck, I live in Mexico and most of the time we don't count as part of North America in the eyes of NoA.
We never had access to the old My Nintendo from 2003, Club Nintendo or the current physical goodies of the new My Nintendo, which means we never had a chance to get their physical goodies or exclusive games either such as Doc Louis' Punch-Out!! and Grill Off with Ultra Hand on the Wii, the Game & Watch Collections on the DS or Club Nintendo Picross on the 3DS.
It wasn't until in 2016 when we finally had some chance with My Nintendo Picross Zelda Twilight Princess and WarioWare: Touched!
Anyway, I'm going on a tangent.
I wonder what those non-traditional territories would be. I imagine African countries, Eastern Asia and (I'm not sure about this) Central America.
@Wario_Waha It will not be at around 160 million units in March next year, which is when the current fiscal year ends. It'd need to ship 14 million more units in six months for that which is obviously not happening if you have been paying attention at all. It'll need until the end of 2025 to reach that. 160 million would already be above the PS2.
@HammerGalladeBro I thought that Nintendo had presence in Mexico. Club Nintendo Magazine always mentioned a Kikuchi person, who was a representative of Nintendo for the region, as well as Steve Singer. But yeah, the rewards club was only for certain territories, I think it started in 2003 in Japan. I hope they add official representatives and distributors for South America in the near future.
@HammerGalladeBro Yeah, that's the same here. They say "The Americas", but here in Brazil both the eshop and oficial support by Nintendo were available only 2 years after the Switch had been released.. Brazil for sure is a non traditional territory for Nintendo. God only knows what they mean by "The Americas"
@John_Deacon US and Canada, their biggest markets in the region.
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