Nintendo promises stronger results with Switch 2 console going on sale in June

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese video-game maker Nintendo on Thursday reported a 43% decline in profit for the fiscal year through March, but promised a turnaround as its Switch console upgrade goes on sale in June.

Nintendo Co.’s profit for the fiscal year through March totaled 278.8 billion yen ($1.9 billion), down from 490 billion yen the previous fiscal year.

Annual sales slipped 30% to 1.16 trillion yen ($8 billion) from 1.67 trillion yen, according to the Kyoto-based maker of the Super Mario and Donkey Kong games.

The fortunes of game companies tend to decline somewhat as time passes after a new game machine goes on sale since many people have already bought the machine, although new hit software helps boost the results.

Much anticipation has been building over the rollout of the so-called Switch 2, which goes on sale June 5.

Nintendo said it expects to sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles for the fiscal year through March 2026.

Demand has dwindled for the current Switch, now in its eighth year after its debut. The number of Switch players around the world remains above 128 million people, according to Nintendo.

Nintendo said attractive software was coming for the Switch 2 later this year, including “The Legend of Zelda” games, a Pokemon title and a Kirby game, as well as offerings from outside software companies.

Also adding to the momentum is the opening of a Nintendo store in San Francisco and the Super Nintendo World amusement facility opening in Orlando, both set for this month, according to Nintendo.

Nintendo is projecting a 300 billion yen ($2.1 billion) profit for the fiscal year ending in March next year, a nearly 8% improvement from the fiscal year just ended, on sales of 1.9 trillion yen ($13 billion), up 63% on-year.

Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama

FILE - The Nintendo Switch 2 is demonstrated during a media event, in New York, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

TOKYO (AP) — A massive crash involving 67 vehicles in snowy weather killed two people and injured 26 on an expressway in Japan late on Friday as the country kicked off its end-of-year holiday season.

The Gunma prefectural highway police said Saturday that the pileup on the Kan-etsu Expressway started with a collision between two trucks in the town of Minakami, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) northwest of Tokyo.

The initial crash blocked parts of the expressway, and cars coming from behind them were unable to brake on the snowy surface.

A fire erupted at the far end of the pileup, spreading to 20 vehicles, some of which were completely burned. The fire was extinguished about seven hours later, police said.

A 77-year-old woman from Tokyo died in a passenger car, and a charred body was later recovered from the driver's seat of a burned-out truck, police said. Out of the 26 injured, five were in serious condition, police said.

A warning about heavy snow was in effect late Friday, when many Japanese started their year-end and New Year holidays.

Parts of the expressway remained closed for police investigation, removal and cleaning of the wreckage.

Burnt vehicles are seen after a massive crash on an expressway, in Minakami, northwest of Tokyo, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)

Burnt vehicles are seen after a massive crash in snowy weather on an expressway, in Minakami, northwest of Tokyo, early Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)

Burnt vehicles are seen after a massive crash in snowy weather on an expressway, in Minakami, northwest of Tokyo, early Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)