I think a lot of it is to do with the download cards they were offering in retail stores, as well as a feeling that Animal Crossing is an ideal game to always have on the go.
It's certainly a substantial shift in Japanese habits, though.
Even idols are playing Animal Crossing!Anecdotal evidence, but it's still sold out almost everywhere どやヽ(*`□´*)/ガヽ(*`○´*)/オー!!
They better spend that money!
Someone posting online numbers? First time it happens?
A card sold at retail stores which has a code that lets you download the game.What is a download card?
What is a download card?
We've had vague percentages from Iwata about NSMB2 and Brain Training, but this is the first solid number, I believe.
Well AC is the sort of game that benefits a lot from being always in the system ready to be played.What was that percentage for Mario initially? 5%? If that's held it would mean NSMB has sold about 80k digitally. So AC destroyed that.
Everyone I have been street-passing with this week has had either this, Bravely Default or the Ex-Troopers demo....
why would you go to a retail store to buy a card to download something when you get home? Isn't that combining the worst of both worlds?
Is that more a reflection on the Japanese preference for cash purchases vs credit card?
Is that more a reflection on the Japanese preference for cash purchases vs credit card?
Haha, I think Animal Crossing is actually going to outsell NSMB2. EAD4 newbies on blast. I can't wait for this to come over as looks like a really good effort from them.
In the short to medium term that's a pretty safe assumption, longer term nsmb2 may possibly take the title back
Absolutely. Just trying to give some perspective for anyone who hasn't been following MC threads.Well AC is the sort of game that benefits a lot from being always in the system ready to be played.
I really don't think so unless New Leaf has terrible legs (in comparison to Wild World)
I expect both to have very good legs though I expect Mario's will be slightly better than AC's a few years from now
Probably but NSMB2 isn't going to reach 4.5-5 million which I think is a possibility for New Leaf over time. NSMB2 is far too below either of the other two games to have a chance even with longer legs.
We've yet to see how nsmb2 will do over the holidays to pass judgement just yet on its long term sales
why would you go to a retail store to buy a card to download something when you get home? Isn't that combining the worst of both worlds?
Is that more a reflection on the Japanese preference for cash purchases vs credit card?
Uh it's holiday sales would have destroy anything we've ever seen to make up that kind of deficit. It's pretty much a lock that it's not reaching 4 million in Japan. Holidays don't magically fix things like that. It will certainly get a boost but not to the extent you're thinking.
Props to Sony for doing custom art for their download codes. A really pleasurable retail experience, in comparison to Nintendo's phoned in "let's just put a game box on a card" when you don't even get a box out of it.
but its still conceivable it'll get there
Competition leading to lower prices. As an example, E-shop titles tend to cost 45 euros, yet the majority of games in the UK market tends to go as low as 18 pounds (22 euros) in a few weeks, sometimes not even that long (I recall picking games for that price at release).
I would love if shops here actually sold those, I find it's the best of both worlds, competition and digital content.
It's about making you want to pick it up. Which actually matters quite a lot when you have such little real estate.Is this actually a thing? And by thing I mean do people seriously give a crap about a card they are going to throw away after using it's art?
If shops here did download cards prices wouldn't be as incredibly low as shops get a smaller margin on download cards than physical copies
It's about making you want to pick it up. Which actually matters quite a lot when you have such little real estate.
Stacked up against each other these cards are really colourful and pop off the shelf and make you want to pick it up and read more, I don't know if they have screenshots/blurbs on the back. I'd guess so.
Everyone I have been street-passing with this week has had either this, Bravely Default or the Ex-Troopers demo....
It's about making you want to pick it up. Which actually matters quite a lot when you have such little real estate.
Stacked up against each other these cards are really colourful and pop off the shelf and make you want to pick it up and read more, I don't know if they have screenshots/blurbs on the back. I'd guess so.
Are 3DS card downloads sold overseas or Japan only? Because I want AC as a download only...
Are 3DS card downloads sold overseas or Japan only? Because I want AC as a download only...
Was it just one year ago that people in MC threads generally considered DD sales "irrelevant" in Japan?