Nintendo’s shares gain $17.9 billion with surprise hit Pokemon Pokopia

The new game accrued 2.2 million sales in its first four days and earned rave reviews from fans online. Read more at straitstimes.com.

TOKYO – Nintendo is headed for its biggest weekly gain in a decade with a US$14 billion (S$17.9 billion) jump in value propelled by the surprise global smash hit Pokemon Pokopia.

Released on March 5, the new game accrued 2.2 million sales in its first four days and earned rave reviews from fans online. It blends Pokemon characters and lore with gameplay akin to Animal Crossing, emphasising what is known as a cosy life simulation.

Nintendo’s stock has risen in four straight trading sessions and was up 2.7 per cent on March 13.

The strong debut helped reverse some of the losses Nintendo’s shares have incurred due to memory chip shortages since late 2025.

The company is vulnerable to surging memory prices, as they threaten both its margins on the new Switch 2 console and software purchases by players who have to buy increasingly expensive storage cards.

Pokopia, a Switch 2 exclusive, is helping soothe investor worries by drawing in more fans and building the library of must-have games on the platform.