JNintendo triples net profit after sale of Seattle Mariners stake

Between April and September, Japanese video game company Nintendo earned a net profit that is almost triple of what it earned in 2015, owing to the multimillion-dollar sale of its stake in the United States baseball club Seattle Mariners, reported economic daily Nikkei newspaper Monday.

Nintendo is expected to announce its results for the first half of the Japanese fiscal year Wednesday, which will include a net profit of approximately $288 million, reported Nikkei.

Source: EFE

Nintendo announces date for NX console

Codenamed NX, the console had been expected to launch in time for Christmas.

Analysts agree the new device is much needed after disappointing sales for the Wii U.

At an earnings briefing, Nintendo also announced it would release four more smartphone games this business year, as it diversified its business.

The Japanese video-game maker reported a 24 billion yen ($216m, £147m) loss for January to March, bigger than the loss it reported the previous year.

Research company IHS's director of games, Pier Harding-Rolls, said the date of the new console launch was a setback for Nintendo.

"Ideally, they would have preferred to launch in 2016 to catch the holiday shopping season," he told the BBC.

The delay could either be as a result of in-house games not being ready or problems with the hardware, he added.

Nintendo has had ups and downs with its consoles - with the Wii proving a hit but the Wii U failing to engage the public.

"When the Wii U launched no-one really understood what it was," said Mr Harding-Rolls.

"The two-screen experience wasn't communicated well, so whatever they are bringing to market this time has to be unique and communicated clearly."

The company said it could cease production of the Wii U by March 2018.

Source: BBC