Pokemon Had Its Second Biggest Year of Profits in 2017

The Pokemon Company posted its second highest year of profits ever, thanks to continued revitalized interest in the brand due to Pokemon Go.

The Japanese government revealed that The Pokemon Company had net profits of $80 million for their 2017 fiscal year, which ended on February 28th, 2018. The profits are a steep drop from The Pokemon Company's 2016 fiscal year profits, when it made over $145 million due to Pokemon Go. However, The Pokemon Company had historically made between $4 million and $20 million in the five years before Pokemon Go, so 2017 was still a very good year for the company.

The strong profits seem to be driven by several factors. Pokemon Go was obviously a big part of the company's success, as the game's fanbase is still large and active...even if it has shrunk significantly from 2016. The Pokemon Company also benefited from the release of Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, along with new merchandise and licensing deals in both the United States and China. The Pokemon TCG is also a steady seller, as the game maintained its spot as the second biggest trading card game in the world after Magic The Gathering.

2018 could also be a huge year for the company. Although the Pokemon Go hype is dying down, it's extremely likely we'll get a new Pokemon game for the Nintendo Switch, which will be a huge seller. If the rumors are true, the new Pokemon games will focus on the original 151 Pokemon and game setting, so we could also see a wave of nostalgia-driven merchandise, which will appeal to both old and new fans of the franchise. Connectivity between Pokemon Go and the new Pokemon games could also help shore up interest in Pokemon Go, and attract some fans of the mobile games to the more expensive console games.

The Pokemon Company is jointly owned by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures Inc., and serves as the steward of the Pokemon franchise. All Pokemon business runs through The Pokemon Company and it operates independently of its three co-owners. It's a bit of a confusing set-up, but it's one of the many reasons why the Pokemon franchise is so special and has been so carefully managed all these years.

(h/t Nintendo Life)