Dr. Mario World: Nintendo working on a new mobile game

Dr. Mario World, its latest mobile title featuring popular Nintendo characters, will be released in mid-2019.

By: REUTERS
| Updated on: Feb 01 2019, 10:38 IST
Mario Kart Tour will be released later this year
Mario Kart Tour will be released later this year (AFP)

Japan's Nintendo Co Ltd said on Friday it was developing a mobile title with Line Corp in the company's latest push into mobile gaming.

"Dr. Mario World", its latest mobile title featuring popular Nintendo characters, will be released in mid-2019, the Kyoto-based company said in a statement.

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Nintendo needs to find new sources of revenue to offset its aging 3DS handheld device, but despite releasing mobile titles with DeNA Co and CyberAgent Inc it has yet to score a big hit.

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The company will undershoot its target of releasing two to three mobile titles in the financial year ending March after saying on Thursday that title "Mario Kart Tour" needed more work and pushing the release date back to mid-2019.

Japan's Nintendo Co Ltd has also slashed its full-year hardware forecast for the hybrid home-portable Switch console, revising a figure that had been treated with scepticism by investors and added to pressure on its share price.

The Kyoto-based gaming company said it expected to sell 17 million Switch consoles in the year ending March from 20 million previously and also cut the forecast for its aging 3DS handheld, underscoring the need to find other sources of revenue.

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"We didn't work hard enough to convince customers of the Switch's appeal," Chief Executive Shuntaro Furukawa said at an earnings briefing.

At the same time, Nintendo smashed profit estimates for its October-December quarter and upgraded its Switch software forecast to 110 million units from 100 million previously, announcing that hit titles "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate" and "Pokemon: Let's Go" have shifted over 10 million copies each.

Operating profit for October-December was 158.6 billion yen ($1.46 billion), the highest in nine years and the second consecutive third-quarter rise. That was well above the 149 billion yen average of 11 analyst estimates compiled by Refinitiv.

ALSO READ: Nintendo bets new Hex-Nut Pokémon will boost Switch sales

Nintendo shares lost 29 % of their value last year as investors questioned the Switch's ability to appeal beyond hardcore gamers and the strength of the games pipeline. However, renewed enthusiasm following reports of strong demand for Switch software has helped lift the stock 16 % this year.

The stock closed up 2 % ahead of the earnings.

Nintendo said it sold 14.5 million Switch consoles in the April-December period along with 94.6 million software units.

(with inputs from agencies)

 

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First Published Date: 01 Feb, 10:38 IST
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