Nintendo surpasses Switch forecast; Animal Crossing tops demand

Japan’s Nintendo Co Ltd (7974.T) advanced with a 200% increase brought by surging demand in Switch games console. More so, Animal Crossing: New Horizons sold a record of 13.4 million units in its first six weeks, on track as the company’s fastest-selling game.  

The Kyoto-based gaming company showed its operating profit soaring to 89.4 billion yen (678.32 million pounds) in the first quarter, placing above analysts’ forecast. Nintendo expects to sell 19 million Switch units in the current year- a forecast widely deemed conservative.

In the year ended March, Nintendo managed to sell 14.8 million units of the hybrid home-portable device and 6.2 million units of the handheld-only Switch Lite. The company recorded an overall total of 21 million Switch consoles surpassing its initial estimates of 19.5 million.