NINTENDO LOSS WIDER THAN EXPECTED

Nintendo Co. delayed the release of a key accessory for the hit Pokemon Go game as the company posted a wider- than- projected loss amid weak demand for its Wii U consoles and a stronger yen. The net loss was 24.5- billion yen (US$232 million) for the three months through June, the Kyotobased company said Wednesday. That compares with the prediction for a 3.4- billion yen loss, the average of analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Nintendo kept its 35-billion yen profit outlook for the fiscal year. Nintendo’s struggle to find new buyers for its traditional consoles has been overshadowed by the runaway success of Pokemon Go, released this month by developers it partly owns. Revenue from the hardware fell 44 per cent to 25.1 billion yen, while sales of software for the platforms declined 22 per cent to 34.9 billion yen.