Nintendo will share download data

The download numbers of New Super Mario Bros 2 will be made public so that the industry ‘can better understand’ that market, Nintendo has said.

The platform holder will launch New Super Mario Bros 2 and Onitore (a new Brain Training) via retail and digital at the same time.

It comes in contrast to other digital heavyweights – such as Steam– which has been resistant in sharing digital download figures with the wider market. And it will allow the industry to directly compare physical sales with retail.

The news was announced by Satoru Iwata, who was answering a shareholder question on the prospect of making physical goods – such as books and CDs – available as an incentive to buy download goods from traditional retailers.

"We would like to show the public the number of New Super Mario Bros. 2 or Onitore that have been sold by download so that those
in this industry can make the next move after finding out the consumer behaviour toward download version," said Nintendo president Satoru Iwata.

"When they know the size of the digital distribution market, they might be inclined to accept a certain inventory risk to try the download sales with special features."

It is yet another progressive statement from Nintendo about the digital download market, and backs up recent calls from UKIE and Chart-Track, who want more publishers and retailers to share their download data.