Nintendo’s Switch shines after ‘Animal Crossing’ smashes records

A gamer playing Nintendo's Animal Crossing at home in Melbourne during the country's enforced Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown. — AFP

Nintendo Co Switch sold better than expected after global home confinement helped Animal Crossing become the console’s fastest-selling title.

The Kyoto-based game maker’s operating profit tripled to 89.5bil yen (RM3.63bil) in the March quarter after it moved 13.4 million copies of the game in the six weeks since its launch. Animal Crossing became the breakout hit of the quarter after millions worldwide sought refuge in its virtual cartoon world. That helped Nintendo sell 21 million Switches in the year ended March, beating its own estimate and Morningstar Research’s expectation of roughly 20 million units.