Dear Reader:
Splatoon a major driving force for Nintendo, more brand tie-ins coming
The driving factor behind Wii U hardware sales over the fiscal year ended March 2016 was Splatoon, released in May of last year. Strong sales have continued into 2016, leading us to ship 4.27 million units worldwide in this fiscal year. This title started off with early appeal among core gamers and has gradually spread to the young consumer and female demographics, providing an excellent illustration of Nintendo's strengths.
The number of participants for the in-game events called "Splatfests" has been steadily increasing since the first such event.
The 13th Splatfest, held from April 23rd to the 24th in Japan, saw around 790,000 participants, a record number.
With a total sell-through of 1.49 million units in Japan at the time the 13th Splatfest was held, this means that more than half of the software owners participated in this event. It is no small feat for so many users to be playing a title almost one year after launch, not only in Japan, but across the globe.
We have already expanded this IP beyond the game with a variety of products and events, and we will continue to take advantage of Splatoon's massive popularity to support products and events and create tie-ins with external partners.