Nintendo has been on quite a roller coaster ride this past month. The release of the massively-popular Pokemon Go caused the company’s stock to double in value, but it later took a dive when Nintendo admitted they’ll only be receiving a small portion of the Poke profits. And now, the company has released more bad news.
According to Nintendo’s quarterly financial report, the company lost a whopping 24.5 billion yen (or around $232 million) over the past three months. Ouch. The reason for this is pretty much what you’d expect – the Wii U isn’t selling, and Nintendo didn’t release any hit games during the period. A strong Japanese yen also means Western sales aren’t worth as much to the company.
In another unfortunate turn, Nintendo also announced the delay of Pokemon Go Plus, the pricey little wearable accessory that alerts you to nearby critters. The device was supposed to arrive July 31, but will now launch in September. That definitely feels like a missed opportunity — Pokemon Go will still be popular in September, but it might not be the cultural phenomenon it is now. But hey, while you’re waiting, you can always download the PokeDetector app for your smartwatch.
So, is Nintendo doomed to wallow in the red for the rest of 2016? Not necessarily. Pokemon Go profits will start rolling in soon, Pokemon Sun and Moon hits the 3DS this holiday, and, of course, there’s that adorable mini NES on the way. Still, it’s very clear this is a major transitional year for the company, and the Nintendo NX and more mobile hits can’t come soon enough. Here’s hoping Nintendo starts playing with power again in 2017.