Pokemon Pokopia‘s success was enough to drive Nintendo stock up 15% in just two days. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind for the gaming industry lately, with some new releases smashing expectations while economic headwinds from RAM shortages and global uncertainty deal blows to major companies. Amid all the chaos, Nintendo just got a nice break, courtesy of an unexpected take on one of its most iconic franchises.
The Japanese gaming giant’s shareholders have been in for a bumpy ride over the past two years. In August 2025, Nintendo stock hit an all-time high following the launch of the Switch 2. That spike came after a decline felt by many gaming companies in Japan when revamped U.S. tariffs threatened to raise costs for global console sales. The good vibes did not last long, though, as more cost concerns, this time from the ongoing memory shortage, drove share prices back down. Now, the whiplash continues, with Pokopia snapping things back in the other direction.
It’s Officially a New Era for the Nintendo Switch 2
With the recent release of Pokemon Pokopia, the official Pokemon on Nintendo Switch 2 era has begun in earnest for fans and players.
Pokemon Pokopia Breaks a Consistent Downward Trend in Nintendo Share Prices
A new report from Bloomberg reveals that Nintendo stock rose by as much as 10.5% between Tuesday, March 10, and Wednesday morning, thanks largely to Pokemon Pokopia’s strong sales figures. As VGC points out, when taking Monday’s share prices into account, that means the company’s stock has risen by roughly 15% since the start of the week. That bump should come as a sigh of relief, considering how Nintendo stock prices fell nearly 40% in six months in February, with growing hardware costs chipping away at the company’s gains in late 2025. Those concerns may still be present, and Bloomberg reports that share prices are still down roughly 30% since November of last year, but Pokopia has offered some temporary relief.
Hideki Yasuda, a senior analyst at Toyo Securities, called Pokopia “a dark horse,” saying how its success caught many investors off guard. While the Pokemon series has always been popular, this latest take on it is a spin-off, and an unconventional one at that, with gameplay more akin to Animal Crossing or Minecraft than the conventional Pokemon formula. It seems that was a winning combination, though, with copies flying off shelves so rapidly that Amazon raised the price of physical Pokopia copies as inventory sold out elsewhere. Between the unexpected stock jump and physical editions selling out, it seems Nintendo did not think Pokemon Pokopia would be nearly as big a hit as it was, though this surprise is a welcome one.
It’s unclear how long this Pokopia-driven lift will continue, but the game had been out for less than a week before becoming popular enough to give Nintendo stock a boost. As more people buy and play the game, things could continue to climb, but that’s tricky to predict, especially given how many other outside factors can affect the company’s share prices. It’s still a big win for Nintendo and The Pokemon Company, though. In addition to Pokopia being the highest-rated Pokemon game of all time, it’s already a commercial success, not just a critical one.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
There is still a good deal of doubt hovering around Nintendo’s future. The company’s president, Shuntaro Furukawa, has confirmed a Switch 2 price hike is not off the table should the RAM crisis persist, and if it comes to that, there’s a chance it could hurt Nintendo’s stock. Of course, upcoming releases could provide a boost similar to what happened with Pokopia, and it’s entirely possible that the company will be able to ride out the memory shortage without taking too big a hit. For now, though, Nintendo and its shareholders can exhale as Pokemon Pokopia continues to sell well.
- Released
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March 5, 2026
- ESRB
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Everyone / Users Interact, In-Game Purchases
Source: Bloomberg
