[Edag Plata]

It's worse because the PSP isn't as strong competition in the west. PSP is a monster in Japan and an afterthought in America.

Also, its hard to compare this to the original DS sales because

a) It isn't a holiday and

b) back then, there wasn't the serious competition that the PSP presents today

[Laguna]

For me its nice to see lazy launches rewarded justly. I'm sure it will change as software improves.

To be fair. Games have been delayed due to the recent situation in Japan. For example Steel Diver, DoAD, Pilotwings, One Piece and Tales of Abyss.

[Suzzopher]

I don't even know why anyone would want a monster hunter on the 3ds now that we have a dual analog hand held coming. The crab method was only bearable for so long.

Yeah I feel the same. Not sure I want to play Monster Hunter without a second stick anymore. Tri killed my interest in the PSP series. I've held off on Monster Hunter Portable 3 until the NGP for that very reason. I want a second stick.

[The Praiseworthy]

Fantastic numbers for the PSP.... and I wowed when I saw a PS2 game in the list O_o"

[Seraphis Cain]

Paging farnham.

Pretty uneventful week, it seems. Guess DQM:J2 did decent, though.

Crazy to see a PS2 game charting so high in 2011.

[apana]

Well I hope they have 2D Mario ready just incase they need to use that get out of jail free card all of a sudden.

[Kirbyguy]

3DS seems to be uninteresting for the most part in terms of releases. The disaster only really hurt game releases even more, leaving launch games the US and EU got into may such as Ghost Recon (which will sadly bomb). DoAD and ToTA being delayed...

Yeeash.

[JoshuaJSlone]

Yes. So I'm guessing it hit below 6k or so unfortunately. :/

Even on PSP last year, it didn't hit 14K first week.

Wasn't it like this at the start of the NDS?

SM64 and WarioWare were pretty consistent sellers even through the slower times before Easter.

I mean 8K opening sales for a Naruto game seem low, I thought they were quite popular in Japan?

Sometimes, and less so than before. 2003-2005, quite a few made the 150-400K range. 2008-present, most do under 100K.

Here's a look at just the DS subset:

[1-D_FTW]

What is the situation of the 3DS in Japan as compared to Europe and America?

It's been out longer. And if you don't have a lot of demand because of a high price point and lack of compelling software, it still takes a little bit to account for the early adopter sales. Japan has reached that point. US and Europe are a month behind. But anyone who's paying attention there knows the May numbers in the US are going to very subpar.

[Dedication Through Light]

Wow nice to See Naruto Shippuden 3D grasping an audience (my number 1 anticipated title for the 3DS!) and Fairy Tail as usual (good for Hiro Mashima!). Slightly shocked at the 3DS console sales (and hey, overall hardware sales are up compare to last year, which is good in these times of yearly hardware declines).

I guess for Wii Successor they will decide to resort to using a Mario game or so for launch...

[gkryhewy]

It's been out longer. And if you don't have a lot of demand because of a high price point and lack of compelling software, it still takes a little bit to account for the early adopter sales. Japan has reached that point. US and Europe are a month behind. But anyone who's paying attention there knows the May numbers in the US are going to very subpar.

I think the April numbers are going to be pretty (or very) meh in NA as well. May into June actually has a chance to bump things a bit depending on how compelling the online store/content is, plus Zelda in June.

[tzare]

no need to rush NGP in japan, please launch in europe first XD

PSP above 3DS and PS3 above NDS and Wii. Strange XD

[Effect]

To be fair. Games have been delayed due to the recent situation in Japan. For example Steel Diver, DoAD, Pilotwings, One Piece and Tales of Abyss.

There does seem to be a number of factors that need to be accounted for when it comes to the 3DS. Non-holiday as well is important. The big named games either aren't that big in Japan (Street Fighter) or simply are delayed. Others really are cash ins on the launch craze that naturally aren't going to sell a lot anyway. The summer releases should be more telling. I don't think the Tsunami is a factor, at least not a significant factor anymore.

[velvet_nitemare]

no need to rush NGP in japan, please launch in europe first XD PSP above 3DS and PS3 above NDS and Wii. Strange XD

I still think Japan will get it first. Only a matter of time before the 3DS starts outselling the PSP weekly.

[FINALFANTASYDOG]

Now we are moving back the goal posts for expectations. There is also a lot less competition on the 3DS in terms of available software. 24K shouldn't be that hard to beat with a new system. It is not like Blazblue sold 100k.

Except BlazBlue, the 3ds is considered the inferior version. I doubt there is that many Blazblue customers that only own a 3ds at this point in time.


Other things of note:

Nintendo has restarted commercials, i believe their effect should show up on next weeks charts.

- defending azalyn: The supply chain to stores in the north is still not properly set up, different areas of the country are under vastly different conditions(Power conversation, etc) so trying to estimate sales from your area of the country is less accurate.

Let's review Nintendo's schedule of delayed games:

steel diver March 17th (Big enough to have tv commercials)
Dead Or alive 3ds　March 24th (your super x-box system seller keep the hard-core gamers coming)
One Piece April 7th
Tales of the abyss May 19th

[apana]

I think Ocarina of Time could be a system seller for the West, but as I understand it, Zelda isn't too popular in Japan.

[test_account]

The 3DS launch kinda reminds me of the PS3 launch. Not when it comes to sales numbers, but that it is preforming lower than expected (seeing that both being the successor to the most popular systems in the previous generation). And also the same arguements are used, price being too high, not enough popular games and "wait for (insert game title here)". Nothing wrong with that since i think there are some truth to these arguments, i'm just saying that it reminds me of how the PS3 launch was =) But if we have seen something in the past 5-6 years, it is that systems who doesnt have a super launch can end up selling pretty good as time goes by.

[Brazil]

I think Ocarina of Time could be a system seller for the West, but as I understand it, Zelda isn't too popular in Japan.

It's definitely not unpopular, but yeah, OoT 3D will not be the killer app some people are saying it'll be.

I mean:

Phantom Hourglass - 288,282 (902,386)
Spirit Tracks - 320,940 (725,904)

On the DS.

And a launch title...

Twilight Princess - 145,068 (552,476)

[BlazingDarkness]

wow, PSP dominating

Really surprised at the 3DS numbers

[DXB-KNIGHT]

Monstrous performance for PSP as usual in comparison with the new weak performance of Nintendo's 3D puppy when will it evolve into a Monster?

[Jackano]

Maybe it will be interesting to have a 3DS-GBA aligned weeks numbers. The DS was released during holiday, but GBA was in late March.

[Kyoufu]

I still think Japan will get it first. Only a matter of time before the 3DS starts outselling the PSP weekly.

It'll do that eventually, but I don't know...PSP still has MHP3G to gobble up. I can see PSP having good legs for a while.

[velvet_nitemare]

It'll do that eventually, but I don't know...PSP still has MHP3G to gobble up. I can see PSP having good legs for a while.

Well sure, I'd expect a large spike when good software comes around. Same way I expect the Wii to outsell the PS3 the week DQX get's released. But soon enough, the PSP will start to show it's age, much like the Wii and DS are doing now. All the while the 3DS will start to come into it's own.

[wrowa]

I wonder if the 3DS has (another) software problem up ahead. The PSP sells very well and seems to be completely unaffected by the launch of the 3DS; software sales of most games are better than what they can expect from 3DS games too. So why should 3rd parties change platforms now? And why should they develop 3DS exclusive games in the future when technically 3DS and PSP are playing in a similar ballpark, which makes ports easy?

[tzare]

Well sure, I'd expect a large spike when good software comes around. Same way I expect the Wii to outsell the PS3 the week DQX get's released. But soon enough, the PSP will start to show it's age, much like the Wii and DS are doing now. All the while the 3DS will start to come into it's own.

that is a given. But NGP is just around the corner, and PSP's performance gives sony a little room to choose how do they launch the system.

[JoshuaJSlone]

I think Ocarina of Time could be a system seller for the West, but as I understand it, Zelda isn't too popular in Japan.

It's its weakest region, for sure. I'd be hard pressed to guess what this version will do, but it has a good shot of being the biggest 3DS game yet. Ocarina was bigger than any Zelda since, and handheld ports of early Zelda games did pretty well on GBA. GBA Link to the Past even did more than the later Minish Cap.

[Kurosaki Ichigo]

Note: 3DS BlazBlue is out of top20 and thus taken out of predictions (its still in the chart so you can see predictions but results don't count it).

Congratulations to FINALFANTASYDOG on the ranking by units and Kurosaki Ichigo in the ranking by points/percentages.

Results		By Units			By Points				
1	 45770	FINALFANTASYDOG		108,47%	Kurosaki Ichigo				
2	 75967	Kurosaki Ichigo		160,12%	Road				
3	 99759	Chris1964		169,98%	Spiegel				
4	110011	Orgen			205,57%	FINALFANTASYDOG				
5	112940	Road			260,80%	Orgen				
6	122685	lunchwithyuzo		342,41%	Chris1964				
7	152011	Spiegel			473,98%	lunchwithyuzo				
8	211011	Kenka			580,45%	Kenka				

03/28-04/03	Sales	lunch	Chris	Spieg	Kenka	Road	Orgen	Kuro	FINAL
3DS Famista'11	12851	27654	12345	15000	31000	9999	23000	12000	16454
3DS Naruto 3D	8127	9876	23456	9000	22000	9999	12000	8000	11243
3DS BB:CSII	0	13456	10987	10000	41000	9999	19000	10000	8654
NDS DQMJ2P	163008	189898	234567	270000	292000	222222	198000	202000	171432
PSP Amagami+	69221	17123	67890	30000	41000	22222	16000	37000	49976
PSP BB:CSII	23808	21012	23456	25000	35000	22222	31000	25000	23242
PS3 Crysis 2	10416	34765	21098	12000	21000	9999	11000	13000	21232
							
Difference	0	122685	99759	152011	211011	112940	110011	75967	45770
									
Difference (%)	0,00%	473,98%	342,41%	169,98%	580,45%	160,12%	260,80%	108,47%	205,57%
									
3DS Famista'11	0	14803	-506	2149	18149	-2852	10149	-851	3603
3DS Naruto 3D	0	1749	15329	873	13873	1872	3873	-127	3116
3DS BB:CSII	0	13456	10987	10000	41000	9999	19000	10000	8654
NDS DQMJ2P	0	26890	71559	106992	128992	59214	34992	38992	8424
PSP Amagami+	0	-52098	-1331	-39221	-28221	-46999	-53221	-32221	-19245
PSP BB:CSII	0	-2796	-352	1192	11192	-1586	7192	1192	-566
PS3 Crysis 2	0	24349	10682	1584	10584	-417	584	2584	10816

Past Predictions Results:
03/07-03/13 Predictions Results
02/28-03/06 Predictions Results
02/21-02/27 Predictions Results
Prediction League Results 2009-2010

[ZoddGutts]

Got a feeling 3DS will go below 40k next week. If so...

[cvxfreak]

I think the 3DS is in for a miserable spring due to the lack of compelling games. I do trust that Nintendo understands this and is planning accordingly, but after seeing the Wii, there is never any guarantee.

[vicissitudes]

Nintendogs+cats is starting to show some legs, it sold better than Layton this week. That might keep the 3DS afloat for a while.

[mclem]

Why are they still making games for the PS2 again?

Because a PS2 game can get to #6?

[Brazil]

I wonder if the 3DS has (another) software problem up ahead. The PSP sells very well and seems to be completely unaffected by the launch of the 3DS; software sales of most games are better than what they can expect from 3DS games too. So why should 3rd parties change platforms now? And why should they develop 3DS exclusive games in the future when technically 3DS and PSP are playing in a similar ballpark, which makes ports easy?

In the end we'll have another generation of third parties QQing that "we can't compete with Nintendo". On handhelds, this time.

[Kenka]

My predictions have never sucked that much.

Good lord these charts are infuriating for Nintendo.

[Kurosaki Ichigo]

Probably no one cares about this but Amagami EBKore+ is off to a super start.

02. / 00. [PSP] Amagami (EBKore+) (Kadokawa Shoten) {2011.03.31} - 69.221 / NEW
06. / 00. [PS2] Amagami (EBKore+) (Kadokawa Shoten) {2011.03.31} - 17.261 / NEW

This game is a port with extras (or budget re-release with extras in the PS2 version case) of the PS2 Amagami released in 2009, numbers:
Famitsu:
[PS2] Amagami (Enterbrain) {2009.03.19} - 47.762 / 92.912
Media-Create:
[PS2] Amagami (Enterbrain) {2009.03.19} - 42.490 / 71.164

Its better as well than the previous ADV/dating-sim from them:
[PS2] Kimi Kiss (Enterbrain) {2006.05.25} - 40.538 / 67.196

So yeah, super result to do 70k on PSP with a port with extras (with a cheaper PS2 version to boot) in this genre.

[PhoenixPause]

I remember when the PSP was dead in the water in Japan. Impressive turn around. And a somewhat shocking plummet for the DS. But then again so many people have one already, and as developers move to the PSP the DS starts lacking games people want to play.

[poppabk]

The PSP gets soundly beaten by the DS only to beat the DS's successor. Kinda funny. If the PSP wasn't so abysmal in the rest of the world releasing the NGP might have been a mistake.

[Durante]

Let's review Nintendo's schedule of delayed games: Stella Deus March 17th (Big enough to have tv commercials)

Is that a port of the (horrible) PS2 game? Google doesn't find anything about it.

[darkwing]

My predictions have never sucked that much. Good lord these charts are infuriating for Nintendo.

good thing Japan isn't the only market

[farnham]

kinda expect the NGP to steamroll the 3DS when its released this december

3ds strategy so far is disastrous nintendo

[Kyoufu]

farnham never disappoints.

[Lord_Byron28]

In the end we'll have another generation of third parties QQing that "we can't compete with Nintendo". On handhelds, this time.

I think most 3rd party developers were fine and fairly reasonable about the DS, in Japan anyway. Western developers just say "LOL inferior handheld."

[archnemesis]

I'm very interested in a Stella Deus port. Which platform is it announced for? Do you think it'll reach the west?

[Brazil]

kinda expect the NGP to steamroll the 3DS when its released this december 3ds strategy so far is disastrous nintendo

There you have it.

[velvet_nitemare]

Wonder if farnham's account got hacked. Always thought he was a Nintendo fanboy.

[sillik]

I'm not entirely buying the "No compelling software at launch" arguement. I think Nintendo really expected Nintendogs & cats to be the go-to title for launch. Didn't the first one open at 16K0+? Wikipedia has it listed as DS's sencond best selling DS title, weighing in 22 million (!) copies to date.

[Alextended]

Yeah I feel the same. Not sure I want to play Monster Hunter without a second stick anymore. Tri killed my interest in the PSP series. I've held off on Monster Hunter Portable 3 until the NGP for that very reason. I want a second stick.

Well, it's one thing to speak on a personal level and another to speak for "anyone" as he asked. Clearly, loads more people still play it on PSP than on Wii so the second analog appears to be a non issue for its target audience. Thus, it would work fine on 3DS (with touch camera?). The difference between PSP and 3DS sales? One has Monster Hunter, the other doesn't. Guessing about the future of the series based on these numbers alone is hardly appropriate. Was the PSP initially chosen for how well it sold? I think not...

[apana]

Wonder if farnham's account got hacked. Always thought he was a Nintendo fanboy.

Have you ever loved something so much that you started to hate it?

[darkwing]

Have you ever loved something so much that you started to hate it?

tough love

[Pureauthor]

I'm not entirely buying the "No compelling software at launch" arguement. I think Nintendo really expected Nintendogs & cats to be the go-to title for launch. Didn't the first one open at 16K0+? Wikipedia has it listed as DS's sencond best selling DS title, weighing in 22 million (!) copies to date.

If I have Nintendogs already, is there really a compelling reason for me to get this new one?

[Alextended]

If I have Nintendogs already, is there really a compelling reason for me to get this new one?

Cats :3

Anyway, for whatever reason they claimed software was held back (to help third parties supposedly, who obviously didn't make use of this opportunity). I imagine it's going to be some more compelling content since, really, I don't see how they could have nothing, the 3DS launch didn't have any reason to be done faster than they planned or anything like that, surely they had software ideas for it? It can't just be Mario which may take a while to show up as it seemed to be very early during the GDC showing.