Odyssey

Corporate Management Policy Briefing: Nine Months Financial Results for Fiscal Year Ending March 2018

The corporate management policy briefing for the nine-month period ending March 2018 outlines Nintendo’s strategic focus on expanding the reach of its intellectual property across hardware, software, and smart-device platforms.

• Nintendo Switch global cumulative sell-through surpassed 13 million units by the end of 2017, with North American sales velocity outpacing the original Wii launch trajectory.
• Three flagship Switch titles—Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild—each exceeded 6 million units in sales, driving high hardware attach rates.
• Nintendo is expanding its platform ecosystem with the scheduled September 2018 launch of Nintendo Switch Online and the introduction of the Nintendo Labo product line.

Consolidated Results for the Nine Months Ended December 31, 2017: Nintendo Co., Ltd.

Nintendo Co., Ltd. reported significant financial growth for the nine-month period ending December 31, 2017, driven primarily by the successful market adoption of the Nintendo Switch hardware and software.

• Nintendo achieved a 175.5% increase in net sales to 857.0 billion yen and a 494.6% surge in operating profit to 156.4 billion yen for the nine months ending December 31, 2017.
• The Nintendo Switch drove hardware sales of 12.13 million units and software sales of 47.10 million units, supported by major titles like Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Splatoon 2.
• International markets accounted for 74.7% of total revenue, confirming the company's heavy reliance on global demand.

Nintendo Earnings Release: Supplementary Information (Nine-Month Period Ended December 2017)

The Nintendo earnings supplementary information for the nine-month period ending December 2017 details a period of significant financial growth driven by the strong market performance of the Nintendo Switch platform.

Six Months Financial Results Briefing: Fiscal Year Ending March 2018

The financial results briefing for the six-month period ending September 2017 outlines Nintendo’s strategic progress across three core pillars: the expansion of its smart-device business, the maintenance of the Nintendo 3DS platform, and the growth of the Nintendo Switch installed base.

• Nintendo revised its fiscal year 2018 hardware sales projection for the Nintendo Switch to 14 million units, targeting a cumulative sell-in of over 16 million units within the console's first year.
• Super Mario Odyssey achieved rapid commercial success, recording over 2 million units in global sell-through within three days of its October 2017 release.
• The smart-device business saw significant engagement, with Super Mario Run reaching 200 million downloads and Fire Emblem Heroes showing increased overseas sales.

Nintendo Consolidated Results for the Six Months Ended September 30, 2017

Nintendo’s consolidated financial results for the six months ending September 30, 2017, demonstrate a significant recovery and growth trajectory driven primarily by the successful market adoption of the Nintendo Switch platform.

• Nintendo achieved a significant financial turnaround for the six months ending September 30, 2017, with net sales rising 173.4% to 374.0 billion yen and an operating profit of 39.9 billion yen, compared to a 5.9 billion yen loss in the prior year.
• The Nintendo Switch drove this performance with 4.89 million hardware units and 22.02 million software units sold, supported by key titles including Splatoon 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and ARMS.
• Nintendo revised its full-year forecast for the period ending March 31, 2018, to project 960 billion yen in net sales and 120 billion yen in operating profit.

Nintendo Earnings Release: Supplementary Information (September 2017)

This supplementary earnings information for the six-month period ending September 2017 details a significant financial turnaround for Nintendo, driven primarily by the successful market adoption of the Nintendo Switch hardware and software ecosystem.

• Nintendo achieved a significant financial turnaround for the six-month period ending September 2017, reporting net sales of 374,041 million yen compared to 136,812 million yen in the previous year.
• The company returned to profitability with an operating profit of 39,961 million yen, reversing the 5,947 million yen operating loss recorded during the same period in 2016.
• Profit attributable to owners of the parent reached 51,503 million yen, supported by an ordinary profit of 69,591 million yen.

Art Direction Bootcamp: How Being Different Makes All The Difference

In this 2015 GDC presentation, Ninja Theory’s visual director Alessandro Taini outlines a philosophy of art direction centered on the pursuit of originality through unconventional creative processes.

• Art direction should prioritize originality by resisting generic industry tropes and avoiding literal keyword-based brainstorming, which often leads to clichéd visual results.
• Creative teams should derive inspiration from non-gaming sources such as fine art, experimental animation, and real-world materials to ensure a distinct and authentic aesthetic.
• Visual direction should function as a 'digital double' of the creator, incorporating personal history and diverse cultural influences to move beyond derivative design.

Monetizer: Glu Mobile's Odyssey: Age of Gods

The mobile role-playing game Age of Gods, developed by TalentWalker and published by Glu Mobile, serves as a case study in the challenges of cross-market game localization.

• Age of Gods, developed by TalentWalker and published by Glu Mobile, fails to bridge the design gap between Asian market complexity and Western player expectations, leading to an inaccessible onboarding experience.
• The game’s tutorial is ineffective at explaining core mechanics like turn-based combat, squad management, and resource cultivation, leaving players without context for basic objectives or item quality tiers.
• Monetization is hindered by an unconventional pricing structure that features a steep jump from a $1 entry point to an $8 tier, while aggressively pushing a $20 recommendation over smaller options.

Games You Might Not Have Tried - ep 6 - Find New Games - Extra Credits

This analysis highlights a curated selection of video games chosen for their unique design perspectives, mechanical innovation, and ability to provide distinct player experiences.

• Games that prioritize unique design vectors—such as procedural generation, asymmetric roles, and unconventional storytelling—often provide more compelling player experiences than those following conventional industry trends.
• Titles like 'Cart Life' and 'Papers, Please' demonstrate that minimalist UI and moral decision-making mechanics are effective tools for fostering player empathy and simulating complex human experiences.
• Handheld titles like 'Crimson Shroud' and 'Etrian Odyssey IV' successfully adapt traditional tabletop and dungeon-crawling mechanics into modern, accessible formats.