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MCV UK: 2 million 3DS systems sold in UK

J

jvm

Gamasutra.
Edit: Posted online now: http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/3ds-sales-hit-2m-in-the-uk/0126097

According to the digital version of MCV UK, which you can subscribe to and read here, the Nintendo 3DS has now reached 2 million systems in the UK.

That includes all three models: the original Nintendo 3DS, the larger Nintendo 3DS XL, and the newer budget-priced Nintendo 2DS.

However, the system is still behind where the Nintendo DS was in the UK at this point in its lifetime.

Edit: Another news item in the digital version says that PSV sales rose 68 percent after the launch of the PS4, and 65 percent the week after the PS4 launched. No absolute figures are given, but knowing how well PSV software sales -- it's probably still pretty miserable.
 
P

Phazon

Member
So that makes at least 8 mil in the rest of EU if I'm right.

UK only counts for 20% or less when it comes to Nintendo 3DS EU market.
 
S

SmokyDave

Member
jvm said:
Another news item in the digital version says that PSV sales rose 68 percent after the launch of the PS4, and 65 percent the week after the PS4 launched.
Click to expand...
I'm choosing to believe that this is entirely attributable to Tearaway.
 
U

urfe

Member
I'm not going to lie, I have this irrational bias to the UK market due to the Wii U doing so bad there. I'm seeking help.

Is 2 million good for the UK?
 
M

Mpl90

Two copies sold? That's not a bomb guys, stop trolling!!!
jvm said:
According to the digital version of MCV UK, which you can subscribe to and read here, the Nintendo 3DS has now reached 2 million systems in the UK.

That includes all three models: the original Nintendo 3DS, the larger Nintendo 3DS XL, and the newer budget-priced Nintendo 2DS.

However, the system is still behind where the Nintendo DS was in the UK at this point in its lifetime.

Edit: Another news item in the digital version says that PSV sales rose 68 percent after the launch of the PS4, and 65 percent the week after the PS4 launched. No absolute figures are given, but knowing how well PSV software sales -- it's probably still pretty miserable.
Click to expand...

No other infos? Is this all the article says?

Still, I thought it would have reached the 2 millions mark early next year, given the software sales, so...better than expected XD
 
K

Katana_Strikes

Member
urfe said:
I'm not going to lie, I have this irrational bias to the UK market due to the Wii U doing so bad there. I'm seeking help.

Is 2 million good for the UK?
Click to expand...

It's great compared to the WiiU ;)

PS3 did it in just under 2 years. So 9 months ahead of the 3DS.

PSP hit 3 million in just over 3 years.
 
M

Magicpaint

Member
urfe said:
I'm not going to lie, I have this irrational bias to the UK market due to the Wii U doing so bad there. I'm seeking help.

Is 2 million good for the UK?
Click to expand...

It's just okay at best. I think it's better than I would have expected given software presence on the charts, though.
 
L

LiquidSolid

Member
Phazon said:
So that makes at least 8 mil in the rest of EU if I'm right.

UK only counts for 20% or less when it comes to Nintendo 3DS EU market.
Click to expand...

I don't think you're right. First, Nintendo have shipped 10 million, not sold. Second, while Europe is obviously by far the most significant of Nintendo's "other" region, you still have to account for all the other countries counted under it (mainly other Asian countries, Middle East, South Africa, Aus and NZ).
 
J

jvm

Gamasutra.
Mpl90 said:
No other infos? Is this all the article says?

Still, I thought it would have reached the 2 millions mark early next year, given the software sales, so...better than expected XD
Click to expand...
I believe I've summarized the article properly. It is not a huge write-up. The rest is mostly commentary on Nintendo's fortunes in the UK this year.
 
S

SmokyDave

Member
urfe said:
I'm not going to lie, I have this irrational bias to the UK market due to the Wii U doing so bad there. I'm seeking help.

Is 2 million good for the UK?
Click to expand...
The UK market isn't an anomaly where the Wii U is concerned, the console is performing poorly everywhere. There are other European markets where it is doing even worse than the UK.
 
V

Visualante2

Member
Does it elaborate on how far it lags behind the DS at 32 months, jvm?

I think £100 is a big barrier to entry for many people. Breaking it with the 2DS and even the Vita will do wonders for both manufacturers. I sure didn't buy my original DS until the £99 bundle was out.

e. European sales were at 20 million January 2008 according to the Guardian
While Microsoft and Sony squabble over second place Nintendo has announced European sales figures for the Wii and DS. As of Jan 2008 Nintendo has sold over 20 million DS units
Click to expand...
NEO0MJ said:
Ha! Most people who bought probably only did so to use it as a portable PS4 with remote play.
Click to expand...
There were a lot of very good £99-140 bundles going around that week.
 
L

Litri

Member
SmokyDave said:
The UK market isn't an anomaly where the Wii U is concerned, the console is performing poorly everywhere. There are other European markets where it is doing even worse than the UK.
Click to expand...

2 milion is a nice amount but not great by any means. Wii U is surely doing worst than UK in other EU countries like Spain and Italy but I think it's doing better in France and Germany. Don't have hard data on that but I think it's the case.
 
M

Mpl90

Two copies sold? That's not a bomb guys, stop trolling!!!
Magicpaint said:
It's just okay at best. I think it's better than I would have expected given software presence on the charts, though.
Click to expand...

That's why I expected much worse (i.e. reaching the 2 millions mark in two years). Being just okay in its worst territory could be considered a win, in the current landscape. Of course, they need to change things, but it'll take years so, for now, I guess they can't do much else.

@jvm: Thanks. IIRC, these kind of articles are published on MCV site on Monday, aren't they?
 
L

liger05

Member
Litri said:
2 milion is a nice amount but not great by any means. Wii U is surely doing worst than UK in other EU countries like Spain and Italy but I think it's doing better in France and Germany. Don't have hard data on that but I think it's the case.
Click to expand...

Not sure it is. Even if strongholds like France the Wii U has bombed hard.

I thought the 3DS would be less than 2 mil but what it shows is that Nintendo need to stop ignoring the software sales and reduce the price of games!!!
 
M

Magicpaint

Member
Mpl90 said:
That's why I expected much worse (i.e. reaching the 2 millions mark in two years). Being just okay in its worst territory could be considered a win, in the current landscape. Of course, they need to change things, but it'll take years so, for now, I guess they can't do much else.
Click to expand...
I think the 2DS is the last major card they can play unless they have some out-of-left-field kind of software range to broaden the scope of prospective buyers like the DS did, but we know how difficult that would be to achieve today. Best realistic thing they can do is lower software prices. 3DS software is ridiculously expensive at retail and on the eShop.
 
S

Striek

Member
I'm surprised people thought it would be less than 2 million. 3DS is probably around 13M shipped to PAL/other regions now, even the biggest market (France) is "only" around 2.5M. I think the install base reflects the charts pretty well. Modest sales for modest chart performance.

Software performance might even be said to be marginally better for the 3DS in the UK than it is in France, given the figures we have.
 
Bruno MB

Bruno MB

Member
Nintendo DS milestones in the UK.

2 million units (21 months)
3 million (25 months)
4 million units (32 months)
5 million units (35 months)
10 million units (58 months)
 
P

Phoenician_Viking

Banned
Another news item in the digital version says that PSV sales rose 68 percent after the launch of the PS4, and 65 percent the week after the PS4 launched.
Click to expand...

The Vita had an increase of 65% PS4 launch week and 68% after launch week? Or is that hardware software percentage?
 
Bruno MB

Bruno MB

Member
3DS LTD sales in the 3 major European countries:

France - 2.150.000 as of November 2013
UK - 2.000.000 as of December 2013
Germany - 1.600.000 as of September 2013
 
O

Orgen

Member
As a recent 3DSXL owner, Nintendo needs to lower the prices on the software side (and not only in the UK).

It's unbelievable that "Wonderful 101" is cheaper than "Bravely Default" here in Spain. WTF
 
V

Vashetti

Banned
The console is selling but people aren't buying games for it.

Seems they get a bundled game with it and then never buy anything else.
 
L

LiquidSolid

Member
Striek said:
I'm surprised people thought it would be less than 2 million. 3DS is probably around 13M shipped to PAL/other regions now, even the biggest market (France) is "only" around 2.5M. I think the install base reflects the charts pretty well. Modest sales for modest chart performance.

Software performance might even be said to be marginally better for the 3DS in the UK than it is in France, given the figures we have.
Click to expand...

Instead of making random guesses, you could just check Nintendo's financial reports, which state that as of the end of September, they'd shipped 10.2 million to their "other" region.

Domstercool said:
Which surely you need a Vita to play on?
Click to expand...

What exactly is your point?

Though I don't believe Zavvi is tracked by GFK anyway, so that screw up won't show up.
 
Robin64

Robin64

Member
Now we just need the remaining 1.99 million people to turn on their bloody StreetPass and carry them around.
 
Domstercool

Domstercool

Member
LiquidSolid said:
Instead of making random guesses, you could just check Nintendo's financial reports, which state that as of the end of September, they'd shipped 10.2 million to their "other" region.



What exactly is your point?

Though I don't believe Zavvi is tracked by GFK anyway, so that screw up won't show up.
Click to expand...

There is no point, it was a simple, light-hearted joke from my previous statement (people would already own the Vitas if they are buying just Tearaway, which would mean no increase in hardware sales). Are people really that defensive with sales...........Lighten up and enjoy video games. :)
 
V

Visualante2

Member
Bruno MB said:
Nintendo DS milestones in the UK.

4 million units (32 months)
Click to expand...
Thanks
LiquidSolid said:
Instead of making random guesses, you could just check Nintendo's financial reports, which state that as of the end of September, they'd shipped 10.2 million to their "other" region.
Click to expand...
Sad that Nintendo doesn't see Europe as its own region. I know Europe is the lion's share of the "other" region but the 20 million figure I posted is probably even bigger once you include the other "other" countries.
 
L

LiquidSolid

Member
Striek said:
My guess wasn't random, I did check that exact document and extrapolated for the holiday period. Nice try.
Click to expand...

What did you use to extrapolate the holiday sales? Last years shipment of 2 million in that period? A 50% increase seems like a pretty huge leap to me.

Domstercool said:
There is no point, it was a simple, light-hearted joke from my previous statement (people would already own the Vitas if they are buying just Tearaway, which would mean no increase in hardware sales). Are people really that defensive with sales...........Lighten up and enjoy video games. :)
Click to expand...

Who exactly is being defensive here? I was trying to figure out what on earth you were trying to say because it made no sense. You realise that they don't subtract sales if people already own a console, right? If you buy five consoles, they don't just count that as one.
 
S

Starwolf_UK

Member
Did we get a date for 1 million sold? To try and give a bad metric of if sales are accelerating or flat...

Visualante2 said:
I think £100 is a big barrier to entry for many people. Breaking it with the 2DS and even the Vita will do wonders for both manufacturers. I sure didn't buy my original DS until the £99 bundle was out.
Click to expand...
Personally the games are proving to be the next big barrier (software is always hard to quantify, shipped SW/shipped HW is not a reliable attach rate as I believe software to have a greater surplus than hardware). Hand held games should have never reached $40/45Euro/£40.

In the many Wii U discussions we've seen how the game prices there have deterred hardware purchases and I've seen similar posts for the 3DS (as in "this Amazon £125 hardware is great, even buying Braverly Default for £32 and getting free Mario 3D Land I'm not sure about getting it as having to spend over £30 for each new game in the future...")
 
S

Striek

Member
LiquidSolid said:
What did you use to extrapolate the holiday sales? Last years shipment of 2 million in that period? A 50% increase seems like a pretty huge leap to me.
Click to expand...
Sell through in the U.S is up slightly over 50% for Oct+Nov (combined) and the 2DS launch should mean increased inventory. Its not unlikely at all. Its certainly going to be in the ballpark of 13M so I don't know why you're pushing against the figure so hard.
 
V

Vashetti

Banned
Starwolf_UK said:
Personally the games are proving to be the next big barrier (software is always hard to quantify, shipped SW/shipped HW is not a reliable attach rate as I believe software to have a greater surplus than hardware). Hand held games should have never reached $40/45Euro/£40.

In the many Wii U discussions we've seen how the game prices there have deterred hardware purchases and I've seen similar posts for the 3DS (as in "this Amazon £125 hardware is great, even buying Braverly Default for £32 and getting free Mario 3D Land I'm not sure about getting it as having to spend over £30 for each new game in the future...")
Click to expand...

Nintendo software also holds it's price. That's a huge barrier.

I own a PS3 already, but I could go out and buy a 360 now and have access to a huge library of cheap games.

If I go out and buy a Wii now, all that Nintendo software is mostly still selling at full price.
 
Domstercool

Domstercool

Member
LiquidSolid said:
What did you use to extrapolate the holiday sales? Last years shipment of 2 million in that period? A 50% increase seems like a pretty huge leap to me.



Who exactly is being defensive here? I was trying to figure out what on earth you were trying to say because it made no sense. You realise that they don't subtract sales if people already own a console, right? If you buy five consoles, they don't just count that as one.
Click to expand...

The person I quoted was saying people were buying Vitas so they could play Tearaway. I said, jokingly, that the Vita increase was due to all the free ones that went out. He replied that they were ordering Tearaway to get that Vita, and I followed with that statement about already having a Vita then, since most people who buy a game normally own the system that game is for.

That's all there is to it. :) Nothing vicious behind it, just light-hearted banter.
 
M

Mindwipe

Member
2 million units is probably slightly below Nintendo's expectations, but not bad at all when you consider the unit is more expensive than the DS.

I was actually surprised at how cheap the 2DS came out at in the UK with Pokemon X/Y. I imagine that will do pretty well at Christmas.
 
Domstercool

Domstercool

Member
Mindwipe said:
2 million units is probably slightly below Nintendo's expectations, but not bad at all when you consider the unit is more expensive than the DS.

I was actually surprised at how cheap the 2DS came out at in the UK with Pokemon X/Y. I imagine that will do pretty well at Christmas.
Click to expand...

I would think that as well. As the device's price falls down and the catalogue grows, more people will be willing to part money for it, then more people see it in their friend's hand and will decide to buy one as well.
 
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