For Shigeru Miyamoto : "You need to sell 30 million copies to be considered a big hit"

[Evilms]

Miyamoto: If we can have one bighit every three to five years, we'll be fine. In that sense, if all our employees think about "creating a big hit" every day, we'll be fine.

Itoi: Well, for Nintendo, 1 million units is not considered a huge hit.

Miyamoto: I agree.

Itoi: Oh, it only sold 1 million copies," (laughs). In that case, roughly how many titles do you consider to be big hits, Mr. Miyamoto ?

Miyamoto: About 30 million.

Everyone: (Murmuring)

Miyamoto: Well, we're working to make it happen, so if it breaks even, we should consider it a failure, but it seems like everyone talks as if it's breaking even .

Itoi: Well, I wonder about that in today's society. I think there are a lot of places where people would say it was a break-even and a good experience .

Miyamoto: Is that so? But if there's no profit and we're just breaking even, then it's just tiring, right? I'm sure the people who worked with me would think that that's not what we worked for . So, the reason why I don't praise my co-workers half-heartedly along the way is because, anyway, the reason I think it was good to work with them is because "we sell a lot."

Miyamoto: I worked really hard, but I just got my money's worth. I don't make things or do things just to get my money's worth , I think everyone works hard every day to make something that sells, becomes a big hit, and makes people say, "I can't stop laughing."

Miyamoto: As we make various preparations, there are times when something catches our attention and we think, "Huh?" or "This might be something that will turn out well." We can sense such things from the very beginning. However, if we are only thinking about greed or wanting to stabilize our profits, we will overlook this.

Itoi: Yes, if you are only motivated by greed, you will think first about how to avoid losing money. You will inevitably think in terms of the break-even point.

Miyamoto: That's right. I think the most dangerous thing is to miss something that has the potential to grow . I think the good thing about our company is that we've been good at nurturing those seeds .

The games published by Nintendo which have managed to cross the barrier of 30 million copies sold :

第11回 3000万本 | なにもできないからプロデューサーになった | ほぼ日刊イトイ新聞

宮本さんは「任天堂は大ヒット作に支えられてる会社」だと言う。じゃあその大ヒット作は何本くらいの売上を指すかというと‥‥えっ、3000万本？！

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Do you agree with Miyamoto ?

 

[Johnic]

Yeah, no. That's also very rich, coming from Nintendo, who spends a fraction of modern AAA budgets for their, non voice acted, no graphical fidelity, low performance games.

 

[gokuss4]

And this is why the videogames industry will be dead in a few years imo

 

[RE4-Station]

I will be interested in what games hit 30 million this up coming gen from Nintendo

 

[Petekilla]

I will be interested in what games hit 30 million this up coming gen from Nintendo

Mario Kart 9, 3D Mario, Smash, Zelda, and possibly Animal Crossing.

 

[Draven]

30M? I think is too high even for Nintendo. Each company/studio has their own metrics, if that's their goal I think they're doing well this generation.

 

[Petekilla]

30M is too high, especially for just one platform. I would say 10M is fair.

 

[JAHGamer]

Do you agree with Miyamoto ?

No, it's ridiculous. 10m+ is a big hit, the vast majority of AAA games can't even do 10m.

Him saying 30m is a big hit just contributes to the awful hyper capitalist culture that's ruining gaming where suits are never content with anything and always want more more more more no matter what.

 

[Yurinka]

Nah, I don't agree with him.

Many companies focus on profitability because they aren't rich, so in most cases somebody else, like a publisher funds the game and demands a profitability. Or they are self funded and aren't rich so depend on profitability to continue alive.

And well, there's other companies that being huge have investors or are public, so they are also forced to mainly target profitability with their products to keep them confident. Specially when they are funding games way more expensive than the Nintendo ones, so are a bigger risk.

So for most companies, when a passes the break even point and becomes profitable for them it's a success. And then they may have a sales target for the game and may achieve it or not but that's another thing.

On top of that, companies like Nintendo are platform holders, which means they can prioritize their own games when featuring them in their digital stores and including them in bundles. Plus are in a safer position because the company also gets other big revenue sources (hardware, 3rd party games...), so games are a smaller portion or their business and have extra benefits to improve their sales.

I mean, as an example at least in Europe & NA basically all Game Boy DMG were bundled with Tetris. So pretty likely almost all the 30M of that list come from there. It's like to say Astro's Playroom sold 60M copies so it's a superseller success. I think isn't fair and honest.

And well, once they made their game profitable and ensured survival, then success may depend en each case or company. Some may consider it to achieve some sales target, other ones to lead certain niche in sales or reviews, other ones just to cover certain niche achieving some market share there, etc. Same goes with the sales needed to consider a game a big hit: it will vary depending on the company and the case.

As an example, I'd say for a small, unknown indie studio to sell a million is a big hit. For a AAA studio to sell maybe >10M/15M copies is a big hit.

 

[Killer_Sakoman]

Their games can sell 15+million at full $60 price tag. Their games cost peanuts to make, but achieve mega sales.

 

[toucandela]

Solo devs:

 

[Umar]

Guess he doesnt consider most of Nintendo's games big hits then

 

[Ico]

surreal numbers but at least his expectations are backed up, they indeed have something selling 30M+ every 3 to 5 years

 

[BroodCorp]

I’m so convinced he’s a hardass behind closed doors.

 

[Zzero]

In 2024? Yes, 30 million or so is a megahit. It falls apart when applying that number back more than ten years ago, though. And, as always, I must point out that Nintendo considering pack-in titles as sales of that title, as opposed to just the system, is bullshit, and would take SMB and Tetris off of that list. Wii Sports can stay, it certainly would have sold 30 million even if not a pack-in.

edit: And as to those who say that these numbers are impossible to reach unless you are Nintendo. Well, they aren't. If you look at Wikipedia's list of best selling games of all time, there are plenty of non-Nintendo ones, and the list is woefully incomplete due to sales secrecy and non-editing of the article. Its definitely an achievable milestone for both big players and indie devs alike. But its not easy, its hard, and that window from 25 or so million to 30 is what really separates the wheat from the chaff. So in that sense it is fair to set the bar that high when really talking about the top sellers these days. And, once again, as I already states, that doesn't really work for, I would draw the line at the PS360 era when consoles first reached the 250 million sales mark, online sales became a thing, etc.

 

[Jim Ryan]

Nonsense.

Also, games selling that much or aiming to sell so much results in dilution of the product...it has to be easier and has to be more accessible and can't have adult themes etc etc.

 

[Kokoloko]

This guy comes out with such crap some times. Games like Elden Ring are megahits too. BOTW only hit 30 million last year…

So does he consider all the previous Zelda games failures as none of them sold over 30million until the Switch? Most of them selling way less than 7million. I mean how many Nintendo games ave gone over 30million? 10 at most. Does he consider the rest failures lol.

Also games like Wii Sports and Mario Kart 8 are pack in games. I bought 3 switches last gen and all 3 of them came with Mario Kart 8, either in the box or seperate all at the same price as a Switch with no games.

They probably develop some of the most under powered games, 1 million sales is making plenty of money. And they charge as much as modern powered games $50-70

 

[Orangee]

No, it's ridiculous. 10m+ is a big hit, the vast majority of AAA games can't even do 10m.

Him saying 30m is a big hit just contributes to the awful hyper capitalist culture that's ruining gaming where suits are never content with anything and always want more more more more no matter what.

What?

Miyamoto is right.
Just becouse something isnt a "big seller" doesnt mean that they cannot continue to produce It. Metroid caters to a different audience than mario kart.
If we used your metrics then basically almost every Nintendo game is a "super hit", and Nintendo seeks to go higher than that. And ironically they dont have to beg PC players to buy their games, becouse unlike PlayStation gamer, Nintendo gamers actually buy Switch games and support their favourite IPs beyond forum yapping.

And Ironically Nintendo is actually the only one who still cares about their smaller IPs like Metroid and Pikmin.

 

[quest4441]

Well Zelda will continue to sell gangbusters if it remains open world and they keep innovating, Mario kart and 3d Mario too but Animal Crossing selling 40 million is an anomaly which wont repeat itself. Lets see if they can keep up their success with their new hardware, with law of averages Nintendo is due for a flop on one of their big IPs, same with sony and naughty dog

 

[Zzero]

Well Zelda will continue to sell gangbusters if it remains open world and they keep innovating, Mario kart and 3d Mario too but Animal Crossing selling 40 million is an anomaly which wont repeat itself. Lets see if they can keep up their success with their new hardware, with law of averages Nintendo is due for a flop on one of their big IPs, same with sony and naughty dog

Covid might have boosted AC but the series has seen generational growth every time it comes out. It would have hit 15 million, at least, even without Covid and, depending on when the next one comes out, might have eventually got to 30 million anyway.