Wii propels Nintendo sales to record heights

The phenomenal success of Nintendo's Wii games console has helped the Japanese manufacturer to double its profits during the six months to the end of September. Nintendo said on Thursday that net profit reached 132.42bn yen ($1.2bn) for the first half of its latest fiscal year, up from 54.4bn yen for the same time last year. …

[Anonymous Coward]

New high score

I shot 184 tanks, oh and Nintendo are doing well, good for them, but I got 184 tanks!

So where's the article about me?

Sure I got a platinum medal on the Wii, but where's my parade?

Where's the elReg article, 'Half Russian Englishman with Fillipino wife scores 184 on Wii Play Tanks!'

[Anonymous Coward]

Good for them - E-rated wins over T & M rated

Good for Nintendo! It isn't just innovation that sells. This also shows that selling family-friendly games (E-rated) instead of sex-and-violence (T- and M-rated) games sells much better. Also, selling games aimed at kids, females, moms & dads, and even grandparents -- makes perfect financial sense.

Sony is struggling. I hope that they can catch up.

Shame on Microsoft for aiming almost exclusively on the 14-to-34-yr-old male market, the "Billy Gates" market. Nintendo is proving that the Billy Gates market is only a niche market.

[Anonymous Coward]

I Smash My Flat Mate At Boxing Tonight ...

Is the most exercise I've had in years and I'm loving it ... roll on that mat thing for skating games and more fitness ... oh and in a few weekends time

TRACK AND FIELD for a new generation ... that is gonna be it's killer app after sports! I forsee saw arms instead of callased fingers back in the day when you used to steal 10 pences from your mum's purse to play down the arcades.

Loving mine since I got it 2-3 weeks ago!

[Anonymous Coward]

So what next ?

How do you build on that ?

Sony are using the PS3 to promote Blu-ray. Microsoft the XBOX 360 with Toshiba will promote HD-DVD.

Will there be a Nintendo product to consider as the home media device ? Apple and Nintendo to merge? - Nintendo certainly need a plan and a big partner; now is the time to invest. Who would not buy a PS3 in 2-3 years time when HD media is prevalent - it's cheaper than a stand-alone BD player...

[Costa Mihalidis]

@So what next ?

i dont think Nintendo needs anyone

sofar they've done a terrific job ignoring all the other players (and socalled trend setters) and created various kick-ass products.

the profit they made off of them is amazing, and i'm sure they have enough cash to design the next gen product. And if they don't then their current success will have investors lined up to create the next killer app.

have you seem them strike out?? -cause i havent

And i love how humble they have remained, how they keep listening to the small guys, as oppose to some other brands who think they own the world and can do whatever they want (Apple being one of them)

They really don't need anyone - keep it up Nintendo

[Anonymous Coward]

We are going to be a Nintendo household

I just ordered my fiancees birthday present last night which is a DS, and yes, she asked for it. We have a Wii already and I use my home PC for "proper" gaming. There's no reason at all that you need a home media centre, the idea has been floating around since the 90s and hasn't come to fruition. People aren't really buying into HD yet, and there's still the question of what if Blu-ray becomes the HD loser? There will be one clear favourite in 5 years, and with films such as Transformers targetting HD-DVD I'd say it's got more longevity at the moment even though I originally put my money on Blu-ray.

I think Nintendo are just going to spend the next few years R&D on a next gen console, and adding hardware to the Wii (balance board, light sabre, etc.) which I'm quite happy with.

I do like Sony and the original Playstation led to many nights of fun, but they're in a too little too late situation, and unless those killer games come out in the next 4 months I don't see any way back for them.

[Andy Worth]

Wii sex simulator?

How about making a sex simulator game for all those who stand no chance of actually getting laid? They could even market a "strap-on" holder for the controllers. Oh dear lol.......

[Anonymous Coward]

PS3 Right Product - Wrong Time

I think that the PS3 is the right product at the wrong time. Give the PS3 another 2/3 years when HD TVs are more prevalent and more movies are being released on Blueray and the PS3 may well be a market leader.

You have to hand it to Nintendo they are selling a console at a profit, which is a long term sustainable business model. Who cares if the Wii stops selling in two years time, by then Nintendo will have made enough profit to market the new console which I am sure they are already thinking about designing.

[Dave Bareham]

Well done Nintendo

I'm pleased to see the Wii is doing well. We have had one for a few months now and it has been a suprising hit with all age groups. In fact for my wifes 40th we had a "Wii bowling tournament" which resulted in at least 3 families attempting to buy one!

We also have an Xbox Elite and PS3. The xbox elite, which was a replacement for the flood damaged Xbox 360, was bought for the games which I like to play on Xbox live and also for connection to the vista PC's. Our original Xbox 360 had an HD DVD drive and I had planned to go down that route. We have now defected to BluRay because (1) The choice of available material is better suited for our tastes and (2) The Xbox elite is so noisy! We also use the PS3 to view still photos and other stuff.

In terms of games, the Wii is the most played console in our house is the Wii. I'm just waiting for Nintendo to release an "ironing mama" game as I'm sure the wife would excel at that!

[Anonymous Coward]

Killer app

Xbox had Halo 3

PS has, err some sequel

Wii has....Lego Starwars. I want it NOW !

[Alan Jenney]

No surprise really

It finally became clear that there is a bigger market for straightforward games than there is for hardcore gaming.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Wii sex simulator

Surely that would be better suited for PS3 owners?

On second thoughts, there is actually no point to that either - since they've already been butt-fucked by $ony...

[Paul Silver]

@So what next?

I believe Nintendo tried the home media device angle in Japan, I can't remember if it was in the NES/SNES days or a touch earlier. They got thoroughly burnt and I think that's a big reason why they haven't tried doing that in the current generation.

Amazingly, they seem to think that people want to buy a games console to play games, and if they make it fun, lots of people might buy them. I realise that seems like heresy in the current market, but it seems to be working well for Nintendo at the moment.