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[Cheech]

I really don't think the kind of price cut 3DS got would've been necessary for sales to pick up. With the three Big Ones, 3DS would've sold like gangbusters even with a more moderate price cut or even without a price cut at all..

No way. The reason it started selling was price, THEN games. You have to come in under 200 before you crack the traditional gaming handheld market, i.e. kids. What parent is going to give their 5 year old a $250 device? $170 ain't cheap, but it's a lot more palatable.

This is another one of those "real world vs. GAF" scenarios, and I don't mean that in a derogatory way.

 

[Jeff-DSA]

They threw everything but pokemon at the market. Of course it was going to explode. The question is, will it maintain software sales and for how long.
And the fact that they had to throw mario kart, another mario platformer AND a hundred dollar price drop all at once to get the boost that they wanted is not a means for celebration for Nintendo. 4 years ago, they didn't have to do that for the Wii, now they do. They never had to sell a system at a loss before, now they do. It's good to have that option, but it's never good to have to use it, and it's not a well that you can dip into repeatedly...neither is mario kart or more mario. (Or at least, those are not games Nintendo prefers to dip into too often)

This is quite an ignorant post. You're acting like Nintendo saw the 3DS come out of the gates slowly so they quickly whipped up a Mario, Zelda, Mario Kart, Monster Hunter, and Resident Evil release. These were titles in development for a long time that were planned to hit a bit after launch. They were part of a normal development cycle, and their follow ups from those development teams are coming.

The 3DS launch was sort of a soft launch. There were some good games in the mix, but the heavy hitters were just a bit behind. I can't see why anybody would think that Nintendo panic released a bunch of what happens to be stellar games in reaction to sales.

 

[Chris1964]

3DS sold 77k last week.

And there is big difference at GBA launch.

Media Create is at 525k and Famitsu at 612k.

 

[Mush]

Hey Iwata - give me a buzz when you cats have stopped swimming in your money and decide to get going on a 3DS lite. I'll be waiting.

 

[Mpl90]

3DS sold 77k last week.

And there is big difference at GBA launch.

Media Create is at 525k and Famitsu at 612k.

Oh, so you did the pixel counting based on the graph, I suppose. Thanks!

 

[-WindYoshi-]

I think this shows just how awesome Iwata is. There should totally be a "Satoru Iwata |OT| of something or other" a huge OP delving deeply into this mans brilliance. Of course it's a group effort, but Iwata's leadership is no doubt the reason Nintendo is doing as well as they are today. The most peculiar thing about the man is his amazing foresight that so very rarely creates bad situations for Nintendo, and when he does make a mistake, his incredible discipline and sense of responsibility sets in as we saw with his pay cut and the 3DS price drop.

As has been said countless times before, I too feel that no wrong can happen to Nintendo as long as Satoru Iwata holds the reins.

 

[WillyFive]

As has been said countless times before, I too feel that no wrong can happen to Nintendo as long as Satoru Iwata holds the reins.

To be fair, although he fixed it, he did do a wrong in 2011 with the 3DS launch.

 

[Barack Lesnar]

Still don't think it'll be a huge long-term success. I think it'll have a couple more good years and then start to trend downward.

 

[WillyFive]

Still don't think it'll be a huge long-term success. I think it'll have a couple more good years and then start to trend downward.

Sounds like everything else that wasn't the 360.

 

[Count Dookkake]

.

 

[Branduil]

Still don't think it'll be a huge long-term success. I think it'll have a couple more good years and then start to trend downward.

Is there a reason why you think this is going to happen? Are developers just going to suddenly stop making games for it?

 

[Gravijah]

Still don't think it'll be a huge long-term success. I think it'll have a couple more good years and then start to trend downward.

that is generally how video game systems work, yes.

 

[Lord_Byron28]

To be fair, although he fixed it, he did do a wrong in 2011 with the 3DS launch.

I agree to an extent however, he was sitting on MH Tri G since 2010 and who knows how long with MH4. So he had already done his job. He just sweetened the deal with a price drop. I'm still rather shocked about the price drop so soon after launch on top of how big it was. I would've expected a price drop to $200 had the holiday season not gone as well as they hoped. Nintendo went in for the kill though.

 

[Barack Lesnar]

Is there a reason why you think this is going to happen? Are developers just going to suddenly stop making games for it?

Combination of the technology getting too old, of it being too much like the DS, too many similar games as the DS, continued rise of other competitors (tablets, phones), and my gut. I've always felt that this would be the last handheld gen.

that is generally how video game systems work, yes.

A couple more years would only be 3 years.

 

[-WindYoshi-]

To be fair, although he fixed it, he did do a wrong in 2011 with the 3DS launch.

Indeed.

and when he does make a mistake, his incredible discipline and sense of responsibility sets in as we saw with his pay cut and the 3DS price drop.

 

[Jeff-DSA]

Still don't think it'll be a huge long-term success. I think it'll have a couple more good years and then start to trend downward.

Maybe in hardware numbers, which is common for all gaming systems, but it should be just fine in software sales going forward. The 3DS is here and it's established as a viable platform. Devs are going to stick around and gamers will buy good games.

 

[Gravijah]

Combination of the technology getting too old, of it being too much like the DS, too many similar games as the DS, continued rise of other competitors (tablets, phones), and my gut. I've always felt that this would be the last handheld gen.


A couple more years would only be 3 years.

giving it a life of 4 years or so before declining, yes. that's pretty normal.

 

[Kai Dracon]

I think a lot of people may never recognize that the massive success of the DS line was due in part to the DS tapping into a market that until the rise of the modern smart phone, had little competition.

I always got the impression that the DS enjoyed unmitigated domination because nothing else was really servicing the audience for casual and "friendly" gaming in a handheld format. Its sales got some degree of boost there.

Because of the mere fact that there's more choices in the market today, it may be inevitable that a DS phenomenon can never happen again to the same degree. But by the same token, it doesn't mean DS-like products will now fail or be extremely niche.

I'd predict the 3DS has the best shot at literal DS equivalency in Japan, where it can best take advantage of unique interests in a small, concentrated market. I wouldn't be surprised at all if it sells every bit as much as the DS did, in Japan.

Elsewhere, it may never reach DS numbers, but if it doesn't, that should be seen as natural. The DS was ahead of the curve, exploiting a market that wasn't fully understood yet. Trailblazers don't always dominate successive waves of colonization.

But there's no reason why the 3DS can't do very well, in other markets. That brings us back to the likely fallacy about "everyone just wants smartphones lol" perpetuated the cult of iOS pundits.

 

[Chris1964]

http://www.famitsu.com/news/201202/20010214.html

Famitsu reported Media Create numbers in the end.

 

[radioheadrule83]

A couple more years would only be 3 years.

I think he was suggesting that even if a downward trend were to start in 3 years, it would still be growing its userbase to an extent that it could have a normal ~5 year cycle.

 

[kunonabi]

No way. The reason it started selling was price, THEN games. You have to come in under 200 before you crack the traditional gaming handheld market, i.e. kids. What parent is going to give their 5 year old a $250 device? $170 ain't cheap, but it's a lot more palatable.

This is another one of those "real world vs. GAF" scenarios, and I don't mean that in a derogatory way.

I saw a kid yesterday with an iphone and and an ipad in her hands. Never underestimate how much money parents are willing to spend on their kids.

 

[radioheadrule83]

I saw a kid yesterday with an iphone and and an ipad in her hands. Never underestimate how much money parents are willing to spend on their kids.

With phones I think parents are prepared to get expensive phones on contract and pay the costs if it means they can stay in touch with their kids and placate the nagging desire for one and claims that they "need" one to have a normal social life...

iPads are something else. I think you'll find only insanely affluent parents will buy tablets for their kids. Its like buying them their own personal laptops or something. Maybe at Christmas... if they're spoiled. Or maybe if its "for the family" rather than any individual.

 

[Lord_Byron28]

http://www.famitsu.com/news/201202/20010214.html

Famitsu reported Media Create numbers in the end.

So a 10K increase from last week likely due to Love plus and Theatrhythm. Or however you spell it

 

[timetokill]

Still don't think it'll be a huge long-term success. I think it'll have a couple more good years and then start to trend downward.

What do you think, maybe like 5 years or so? And then a successor will come out?

 

[MoogleWizard]

I think a lot of people may never recognize that the massive success of the DS line was due in part to the DS tapping into a market that until the rise of the modern smart phone, had little competition.

I always got the impression that the DS enjoyed unmitigated domination because nothing else was really servicing the audience for casual and "friendly" gaming in a handheld format. Its sales got some degree of boost there.

Because of the mere fact that there's more choices in the market today, it may be inevitable that a DS phenomenon can never happen again to the same degree. But by the same token, it doesn't mean DS-like products will now fail or be extremely niche.

I'd predict the 3DS has the best shot at literal DS equivalency in Japan, where it can best take advantage of unique interests in a small, concentrated market. I wouldn't be surprised at all if it sells every bit as much as the DS did, in Japan.

Elsewhere, it may never reach DS numbers, but if it doesn't, that should be seen as natural. The DS was ahead of the curve, exploiting a market that wasn't fully understood yet. Trailblazers don't always dominate successive waves of colonization.

But there's no reason why the 3DS can't do very well, in other markets. That brings us back to the likely fallacy about "everyone just wants smartphones lol" perpetuated the cult of iOS pundits.

I think smart phones are given way too much credit when talking about handheld sales. Most people I know own one (no surprise since everyone needs a phone), but not many play games on it, and if they do they're not willing to pay more than 99 cents for a game. Do you think someone like that could have been a potential customer for a dedicated gaming device for which the games cost 40 €s / $s, 40x as much as they pay now? I have my doubts about that.

 

[Busaiku]

It's really amazing how big GBA took off.
I wonder just how far it could've gotten if PSP/DS didn't enter the market as early as they did.

 

[nintendors]

IWATA "3REDEEMED !!!

*press the abort ejection button*

 

[Kolgar]

Ah, sweet victory!

Good to see there's still a market for dedicated portable game players. And excellent to see this nice little system do well.

Those doom-and-gloom 3DS threads sure were dire last year, so it's a remarkable thing to witness Nintendo turn this machine's fortunes around.

I'm looking forward to years of great games for the thing, and with sales like this, it'll happen!

 

[AceBandage]

It's really amazing how big GBA took off.
I wonder just how far it could've gotten if PSP/DS didn't enter the market as early as they did.

It would have hit DS numbers, easily.

 

[Celine]

It would have hit DS numbers, easily.

Disagree, but it would have hit 20+ million.

 

[Stumpokapow]

The 3DS is almost at half the LTD of the Wii after only 1 year. Did the Wii underperform? The 3DS is at a quarter of the PS2's sales after 1 year. Did the PS2 underperform? Forget the obvious pricing differences. Handhelds are more functional and can have upwards of 3 or 4+ units to one household. These comparisons are pointless. Compare them to other handhelds not consoles.

Nirolak's entire point was that handhelds draw software support at least in part because of the fact that they can gain install bases so quickly. I'm not really sure what caused you to react so aggressively to the comparison. He presumably picked the PS3 because it's the next milestone to hit--the 3DS is ahead of the 360 (and the Vita obv.), PS3 is up next, then PSP/Wii, finally DS.

Pushmo as "charming" as the average iOS game.

Pushmo has quite a bit of visual charm. It also has repetitive stage intro text and puzzle count bloat including kinda annoying tutorial type puzzles near the beginning, which lower its overall charm (concession: I think I'm around puzzle 175 or 180, so naturally if the game's pacing changes radically after that point, I can't comment on that).

I think the game is pretty excellent, and I'd say well above the average iOS game, but there are quite a few iOS games that I would say are as visually charming or more partially because they feel lighter and more frenetic. I'd offer something like Run Roo Run as an example, especially in the way in which it introduces new mechanics with tutorial type levels without ever getting weighed down the way Pushmo does. Picross 3D (the last major Nintendo puzzle game I played) also suffered from that.

 

[mik83kuu]

I bought a 3DS last week and even though it's old tech and cheap parts (LCD, single touch etc.) I am really enjoying Super Mario 3D Land. I hope more good games come asap though..

 

[udivision]

I bought a 3DS last week and even though it's old tech and cheap parts (LCD, single touch etc.) I am really enjoying Super Mario 3D Land. I hope more good games come asap though..

I don't... get it?

 

[Yoona]

I don't... get it?

3DS has game

 

[Nemo]

Whoop whoop! Nintendo knows business... At this point a new Pokemon seems like overkill

 

[AceBandage]

Whoop whoop! Nintendo knows business... At this point a new Pokemon seems like overkill

Pokemon and 2D Mario this year.
All will tremble.

 

[DCharlie]

i think the 3DS is a great machine with lots of early awesome but i don't think it's going to hit the heady heights of the DS.

I think a chunk of the wider market has been lost and is likely not going to return. I still think it'll have monsterous sales in the 85m-95m range. Whilst the first year has been staggering that's not a guarantee it's going to track at the same rate - three massive games and a huge price cut have propelled the machine to where it is, but reaching the wider market has still to be tackled. That's where the big challenge will be to boost the machine to the insane DS levels.

 

[Metallix87]

Pokemon and 2D Mario this year.
All will tremble.

Don't forget Animal Crossing, Kingdom Hearts, Dragon Quest Monsters, and possibly Monster Hunter 4.

 

[Polari]

Who knew the system wouldn't explode out of the gate with Steel Diver as a launch title?

Worth noting Square Enix haven't really bought much to the table yet - it will be interesting to see how they divide resources between the 3DS and Vita. With Nintendo helping third parties revive old franchises, I'd love to see them work together on a new Chrono.

 

[Metallix87]

Worth noting Square Enix haven't really bought much to the table yet

Theatrhythm, Heroes of Ruin, Rocket Slime 3, Dragon Quest Monsters 3D, Kingdom Hearts, Bravely Default...

I think they're bringing quite a lot, actually.

 

[AceBandage]

Who knew the system wouldn't explode out of the gate with Steel Diver as a launch title?

Worth noting Square Enix haven't really bought much to the table yet - it will be interesting to see how they divide resources between the 3DS and Vita. With Nintendo helping third parties revive old franchises, I'd love to see them work together on a new Chrono.

SE has a new high budget Kingdom Hearts, a full Dragon Quest Monsters remake with added content, the gorgeous Braverly Default and the rumored DQ7 remake.
I'd say they're bringing plenty.

 

[boiled goose]

i think the 3DS is a great machine with lots of early awesome but i don't think it's going to hit the heady heights of the DS.

I think a chunk of the wider market has been lost and is likely not going to return. I still think it'll have monsterous sales in the 85m-95m range. Whilst the first year has been staggering that's not a guarantee it's going to track at the same rate - three massive games and a huge price cut have propelled the machine to where it is, but reaching the wider market has still to be tackled. That's where the big challenge will be to boost the machine to the insane DS levels.

I agree, but the 3DS was also developed to eat part of the PSPs market.
If it cuts in the the PSP market more than it loses to mobile devices it can definitely outdo the DS. (I dont think it will though)

 

[botty]

Who knew the system wouldn't explode out of the gate with Steel Diver as a launch title?

Worth noting Square Enix haven't really bought much to the table yet - it will be interesting to see how they divide resources between the 3DS and Vita. With Nintendo helping third parties revive old franchises, I'd love to see them work together on a new Chrono.

It begins next month with Kingdom Hearts (or this month if you count Theatrhythem).

 

[SteeloDMZ]

Nirolak's entire point was that handhelds draw software support at least in part because of the fact that they can gain install bases so quickly. I'm not really sure what caused you to react so aggressively to the comparison. He presumably picked the PS3 because it's the next milestone to hit--the 3DS is ahead of the 360 (and the Vita obv.), PS3 is up next, then PSP/Wii, finally DS.



Pushmo has quite a bit of visual charm. It also has repetitive stage intro text and puzzle count bloat including kinda annoying tutorial type puzzles near the beginning, which lower its overall charm (concession: I think I'm around puzzle 175 or 180, so naturally if the game's pacing changes radically after that point, I can't comment on that).

I think the game is pretty excellent, and I'd say well above the average iOS game, but there are quite a few iOS games that I would say are as visually charming or more partially because they feel lighter and more frenetic. I'd offer something like Run Roo Run as an example, especially in the way in which it introduces new mechanics with tutorial type levels without ever getting weighed down the way Pushmo does. Picross 3D (the last major Nintendo puzzle game I played) also suffered from that.

I agree that there are quite a few iOS games with lots of charm. However, I feel that the guy was actually trying to diminish the quality of Pushmo as a game, and the only way to do that was by comparing it to the average iOS app, which I find funny since, quality wise (polish, gameplay, etc.), the Intelligent Systems game is considerably better.

--

Anyway, it's great to see those numbers for the 3DS. I think developers in Japan should start putting their top franchises on it since it has been proven that the machine is here to stay.

 

[SmokyDave]

I agree that there are quite a few iOS games with lots of charm. However, I feel that the guy was actually trying to diminish the quality of Pushmo as a game, and the only way to do that was by comparing it to the average iOS app, which I find funny since, quality wise (polish, gameplay, etc.), the Intelligent Systems game is considerably better.

--

Anyway, it's great to see those numbers for the 3DS. I think developers in Japan should start putting their top franchises on it since it has been proven that the machine is here to stay.

I'm 'that guy' and the comparison wasn't supposed to be derogatory, I'm not in the 'iOS apps are all shit' camp.

Pushmo is a good game, I'm just saying it wouldn't be the oft-lauded 'darling' that it is if it was on iOS. It would be just one of the better puzzlers.

As for the guy that suggested it was my taste at fault and not the library, that doesn't wash as I'm constantly buying games for PC, iOS, PS3 & 360. I guess it's feasible that the 3DS just doesn't have the games I enjoy. That's certainly true for the racing genre and 2D shooters.

 

[-MB-]

I'm 'that guy' and the comparison wasn't supposed to be derogatory, I'm not in the 'iOS apps are all shit' camp.

Pushmo is a good game, I'm just saying it wouldn't be the oft-lauded 'darling' that it is if it was on iOS. It would be just one of the better puzzlers.

As for the guy that suggested it was my taste at fault and not the library, that doesn't wash as I'm constantly buying games for PC, iOS, PS3 & 360.

Only reason Pushmo wouldn't be the oft-lauded "darling" on iOS, is because it would then be only touch controls, which would have severly hurt the titles playablity.

As it is now on 3ds, with proper dpad controls, it fully deserves the praise it's getting and yes, it is much better a game then puzzle titles on iOS imho.

 

[SmokyDave]

Only reason Pushmo wouldn't be the oft-lauded "darling" on iOS, is because it would then be only touch controls, which would have severly hurt the titles playablity.

As it is now on 3ds, with proper dpad controls, it fully deserves the praise it's getting and yes, it is much better a game then puzzle titles on iOS imho.

As someone lucky enough to be freakishly skilled, I have no issue with touchscreen controls. You could easily implement a 'swipe & hold' style control. Ignoring that, imagine the game on XBL / PSN if you must. My point is that it's not a meaty title to see you through the winter nights, it's just a charming little puzzler. The fact it's always mentioned as a must-have is indicative of the sparse library, IMO.

 

[nobitakun]

That's not the point.

I think that 3DS will not sell more than DS. The graphic isn't significative, because GBA has the 2nd trophy (over DS) but the sales didn't answer the same.

And moreover, because of the 3D effect, the console is not selling as much as they would want, and we can see it, at least in Europe (here in Spain is crazy, people buying DSi XL instead of 3DS, and it is priced 10€ more LOL). But I somehow can understand, bigger screen and parents in here do not want 3D effects that can kill their children's sight (dunno whether it is true or not, but I always play it I have headaches so I ended turning it off forever).

 

[Iceberg]

Don't forget Animal Crossing, Kingdom Hearts, Dragon Quest Monsters, and possibly Monster Hunter 4.

And the 5th Professor Layton for the US and Europe.

 

[Aostia]

And the 5th Professor Layton for the US and Europe.

my body is ready

(seriously)