Gaming
Nintendo shares slide 10 per cent despite profit jump, hit by chip shortages
KYOTO: Nintendo shares slid more than 10 per cent on Wednesday, a day after the gaming giant missed market forecasts for quarterly revenue and warned of mounting pressure from a global memory chip shortage, as per media reports.
The company beat profit expectations, posting a 24 per cent year-on-year rise, driven by strong sales of the Nintendo Switch franchise. Revenue surged 86 per cent, with the original Switch now the firm’s best-selling console since its launch in 2017.
Yet rising component costs are weighing on investor sentiment. Nintendo relies heavily on dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a segment grappling with acute shortages as artificial intelligence and data centre demand soak up supply.
Ortus Advisors head of Japanese equity strategy Andrew Jackson, said markets remain uneasy about the impact of higher memory prices on Nintendo’s margins.
President Shuntaro Furukawa acknowledged that while soaring memory costs have not yet dented results for the current financial year, prolonged price pressures could squeeze profitability.
TrendForce estimates that contract prices for conventional Dram chips in the first quarter could jump between 90 and 95 per cent from the previous quarter. A senior semiconductor industry executive recently told CNBC the shortage may last until 2027.
Kantan Games chief executive of consultancy Serkan Toto, said sustained cost inflation could force Nintendo to raise console prices: a risky move for its largely casual user base.
The company’s newest device, Switch 2, launched in June last year and already dominates its console sales mix. But analysts warn that momentum in the first year is critical for any new platform.
Concerns persist over whether Switch 2 can match the runaway success of its predecessor, despite Nintendo holding firm on its full-year sales forecast.
The outlook hinges on upcoming blockbuster releases, including Mario Tennis Fever in February and Pokémon Pokopia in March. Nintendo is also banking on The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, due in April, to replicate the sales boost sparked by its 2023 hit film.
Omdia senior analyst James McWhirter, said 2026 would be a “make-or-break” year as Nintendo seeks broader mass-market appeal for Switch 2.
Nintendo shares are down more than 15 per cent so far this year.
Gaming
S8ul wins India qualifier for Pokémon Unite Worlds 2026
Fourth qualification; to compete for $500,000 in San Francisco 28–30 Aug.
MUMBAI: If consistency were a power-up, S8ul would be permanently maxed out. S8ul has once again stamped its authority on India’s Pokémon Unite scene, clinching the India Qualifier for the World Championship Series 2026 and booking a spot at the global finals in San Francisco. The win marks a record fourth appearance for S8ul at the world championship, more than any other Indian team. Even more telling: across five Indian qualifiers held so far, the team has now won four, underlining a grip on the title that looks less like dominance and more like routine.
The road to qualification was clinical. Playing a double-elimination format, S8ul swept past Anti Secure, GodLike and Team QML with identical 2-0 victories in the upper bracket. The final hurdle, however, demanded nerve. In a best-of-five grand final, they edged out Revenant XSpark 3-2 in a tightly fought series.
Led by captain Manmohan Singh (All Might), alongside Anklesh Satelkar (Novaa), Darshan Nate (Kai), Naitik Jain (Wolf) and Md Sarim Hasan (Qing), the team combined composure with adaptability two traits that have become their trademark in high-pressure matches.
For their victory, S8ul secured $15,000 (approximately Rs 14.1 lakh) from the qualifier’s $25,000 prize pool (around Rs 23.5 lakh). The bigger prize, however, awaits, a shot at the $500,000 (roughly Rs 4.7 crore) global pool at the World Championships, scheduled from August 28 to 30.
The result adds to what has already been a packed trophy cabinet in 2026. S8ul’s BGMI roster lifted the BGIS 2026 title, its Valorant squad won VCSA Split 1, and its Apex Legends team delivered a top-five finish at the ALGS 2026 Championship, the best-ever by an Indian organisation. Even beyond esports, Grandmaster Nihal Sarin’s Menorca Open win adds to the collective momentum.
With selection as one of 40 global Club Partners by the Esports Foundation for the Esports World Cup 2026, S8ul is now eyeing qualification across 13 titles, ranging from Apex Legends and BGMI to Street Fighter 6 and Trackmania.
For now, though, all roads lead to San Francisco. And if past form is any indicator, S8UL won’t just be showing up, they’ll be showing up to win.
