Nintendo has gone through an interesting few months. There have been rumors of what their new console, the Nintendo NX, is going to look like, when it's going to be here, and what it's going to be capable of doing. Of course, Legend of Zelda fans are equally as upset to learn that the next title in the series has now been pushed back to 2017 and will be available on the new console, a rumor that we've been hearing ever since the NX was rumored.
While this is more than likely just general information that is business as usual for the Japanese gaming giant, what isn't is their plummeting stock price. Over the course of the last nine months, Nintendo's stock price on the Japanese stock market has dropped almost 10,000 yen and currently sits at 16,500 yen as of press time.
Today, a major piece of news was announced by Major League Baseball's Seattle Mariners in regards to their ownership:
Nintendo of America plans to sell a majority of its interest in the #Mariners to other members of the current ownership group.
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 27, 2016
Nintendo of America will retain a 10% stake in the team. Remainder of its holdings sold to other members of First Avenue Entertainment LLLP.
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 27, 2016
As of 2013, Nintendo reportedly owned 55% of the Mariners. At one time, Nintendo were a godsend to a struggling franchise and saved them from possible issues that could have included retraction. However, Nintendo has been criticized for not spending money on big name players when it matters and the franchise has been treading water for awhile with no real hope of competing, but that's a story for a different website.
From the gaming side, this could be nothing or it could be a major red flag. Nintendo has been taking a major hit in revenue, judging by their stock price and console sales both in Japan and worldwide. Selling off 45% of ownership in a baseball franchise could be a sign that the company is in need of an injection of cash. This raises some eyebrows given that the company is in development of a new console even with the low sales numbers of the Wii U.
We'll see where this leads us but, for now, it might be wise to keep a closer eye on a company that once printed money and now seems to be having issues keeping up.
