Nintendo reported that they saw a net loss of ¥48.3 billion ($623.4 million) for the nine month period ending December 2011 and a full year loss of ¥65 billion ($840 million) is now expected. Comparatively, they saw a profit of ¥49.5 billion ($638.8 million) for the same period during the previous fiscal year.
Dinging the results heavily was the continued strength of the Yen affecting exchange rates and the devaluation of the company's stock following a disappointing 3DS launch and diminishing returns of the Wii and 3DS. Also cutting into the margins was the increase in investments and manufacturing related expenses, most likely tied into the planned release of the Wii U in 2012.
Net sales for the period were posted at ¥556.1 billion ($7.1 billion), down roughly a third from the ¥807.9 billion ($10.4 billion) during fiscal 2010. Sales were affected by the slow start of the 3DS, the later price cut affecting margins and also the price cut to the Wii console as well.
The nine month period saw sales of 11.43 million 3DS units, with worldwide lifetime sales now eclipsing 15 million; software sales for the system were 28.04 million units, highlighted by Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 selling over a million apiece. Estimates for the full year are 14 million 3DS units sold, down from 16 million despite the price cut.
Sales of all Nintendo DS hardware were 4.64 million units during the first three-quarters of 2012, with 51.2 million games sold worldwide. The Wii console sold 8.96 million units and 89.06 million games with The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword called out as a success. However, Nintendo revised its Wii forecast downward for the full year from 12 million to 10 million units.
