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Iwata: Animal Crossing: New Leaf ships 600k first week in Japan, over 200k downloads

Nintendo has been pushing the download version pretty hard. Do you think they intentionally under shipped the boxed copy of the game to further nudge the market toward the idea of downloading the title?

Perhaps. Nintendo has really been pushing DD here in America too. Many 3DS advertisements and perks like double Club Nintendo points and a free Donkey Kong Download with DD purchase. They are trying really hard. Honestly, AC: New Leaf will probably be my first and only DD title on the 3DS. It's one of those games that actually make sense to have on the system at all times.
 

vdlow

Member
Wow, impressive numbers. I was expecting it to sell well, but not this much, especially the download version.
 

Garou

Member
The download-numbers are huge! I would even go as far as counting those double, since they won't be back on the used-market which is extremely big in Japan.
 

gimz

Member
im sure this question have been asked, but if i buy the retail version of the game, can i still install it to my 3DS? i assume no, cuz then people can just pass the game around
but if so, im really considering just buying the digital download, so i dont need to carry the game card around with me all the time!
 

@MUWANdo

Banned
The download-numbers are huge! I would even go as far as counting those double, since they won't be back on the used-market which is extremely big in Japan.

Apparently people are still flipping the physical copies for huge markups even though people can buy it right from the eShop.
 

Man God

Non-Canon Member
Was it just one year ago that people in MC threads generally considered DD sales "irrelevant" in Japan?

As far as we know this is the first "relevant" game in japan on consoles.

PSP and Vita digital sales success have been described in the low five digits and you never hear anything about PSN or Wiiware/VC stuff from the region.
 

Aostia

El Capitan Todd
Can we consider these like "official" numbers?
I mean: the only source we will ever have for digital sales is Nintendo itself, so I think that we can take as official the 200K digital copies sold; about the 600K shipped to retailers, could be different on MC/Famitsu reports incoming within 2 days?

I ask because my mind can hardly accept a 800k debut for AC (looking back at its predecessors)
 

watershed

Banned
Crazy numbers. If AC can produce similarly impressive numbers in NA and EUR it might be just what the 3ds needs to revitalize hardware sales.
 
Exactly, lol.
Pretty impressive numbers, the first true sequel to Animal Crossing is worth that much :)

Someone said that this is the 6th installment, but I can only think of 5.

AC64
AC:GCN
AC:WW
AC:CF
AC: New Leaf


what was the 6th? Or was the source wrong in saying this was #6?
 

Zenaku

Member
Just checked the eShop download rankings.

On the ranking that shows all downloads since the eShops launch, AC is now 2nd. A few days ago it was around 16th I think, if you set it only to 3DS download software and ignore the VC games.

1: Pokemon AR Searcher
2: Animal Crossing Jump Out
3: Denpa Ningen RPG
4: Super Mario Bros. NES
5: 3D Classics Kirby
6: Creatoy
7: The Legend of Zelda DX
8: Pokemon Pokedex Pro
9: Hikuosu (Pushmo)
10: Simple DL Series Vol 1
11: Touch Battle Tank 3D
12: Denpa Ningen RPG 2
13: Super Mario Land GB
14: Anytime Bomberman
15: Super Mario Land 2
16: 10 Second Run
17: 3D Classic Zebius
18: New Super Mario Brothers 2
19: Hyuustone
20: Kirby GB
 

cw_sasuke

If all DLC came tied to $13 figurines, I'd consider all DLC to be free
Can we consider these like "official" numbers?
I mean: the only source we will ever have for digital sales is Nintendo itself, so I think that we can take as official the 200K digital copies sold; about the 600K shipped to retailers, could be different on MC/Famitsu reports incoming within 2 days?

I ask because my mind can hardly accept a 800k debut for AC (looking back at its predecessors)

It doesnt get more official than directly from Iwata. There is no reason to doubt them numbers.
 

@MUWANdo

Banned
Someone said that this is the 6th installment, but I can only think of 5.

AC64
AC:GCN
AC:WW
AC:CF
AC: New Leaf


what was the 6th? Or was the source wrong in saying this was #6?

The Gamecube version got a re-release as an "international version" with all the extra NA content.
 

cacildo

Member
Maybe NoA will see this and hurry up the release here! (haha, good joke right? fucking NoA)

KMf0m.gif


You know, the internet needs more animal crossing gifs.
Im surprised there´s not too many out there
 

watershed

Banned
B-but handheld gaming is DEADD!

I'm pretty sure next to no one has suggested this about the Japanese gaming market. Anyone who even glances at the Media Create threads would know that in Japan handhelds are king which means at the moment the 3ds is king.
 

Nisa65

Member
Had a look around every game store close to where I live and couldn't find a single physical copy in any of them. Download cards were easy enough to get a hold of right enough.

Had no idea Animal Crossing was this big here.
 

Riposte

Member
Hmm, I always thought that Animal Crossing as a whole should replace Nintendo's Mii-based UI theme. However I wouldn't be able to justify losing it as a hit.

I wonder what they'll do with DLC.
 

@MUWANdo

Banned
Hmm, I always thought that Animal Crossing as a whole should replace Nintendo's Mii-based UI theme. However I wouldn't be able to justify losing it as a hit.

I wonder what they'll do with DLC.

I think they've already said that they won't be doing any paid DLC for Animal Crossing whatsoever, as it's not in the spirit of the game.
 

cvxfreak

Member
Shit tons of people are playing the new 3DS game right now, and I couldn't find it in stock at any shop either.

Tempted to buy it, but I'm not THAT into AC...
 

Kenka

Member
Slow clap.

AC is a monster. But a needed one.

Just checked the eShop download rankings.

On the ranking that shows all downloads since the eShops launch, AC is now 2nd. A few days ago it was around 16th I think, if you set it only to 3DS download software and ignore the VC games.

1: Pokemon AR Searcher
2: Animal Crossing Jump Out
3: Denpa Ningen RPG
4: Super Mario Bros. NES
5: 3D Classics Kirby
6: Creatoy
7: The Legend of Zelda DX
8: Pokemon Pokedex Pro
9: Hikuosu (Pushmo)
10: Simple DL Series Vol 1
11: Touch Battle Tank 3D
12: Denpa Ningen RPG 2
13: Super Mario Land GB
14: Anytime Bomberman
15: Super Mario Land 2
16: 10 Second Run
17: 3D Classic Zebius
18: New Super Mario Brothers 2
19: Hyuustone
20: Kirby GB

Christ!
 

M3d10n

Member
Perhaps. Nintendo has really been pushing DD here in America too. Many 3DS advertisements and perks like double Club Nintendo points and a free Donkey Kong Download with DD purchase. They are trying really hard. Honestly, AC: New Leaf will probably be my first and only DD title on the 3DS. It's one of those games that actually make sense to have on the system at all times.
Not hard enough: only a few retail chains carry download codes.
 
The Gamecube version got a re-release as an "international version" with all the extra NA content.

Ahh okay so for Japan it looks like

AC (N64)
AC (GCN)
AC+(GCN)
AC:WW (DS)
AC:CF (Wii)
AC:Jump out (3DS)

This was Japan's 6th installment while it will be America's 4th.

I sure wish I could have played the N64 version.

Not hard enough: only a few retail chains carry download codes.

Aren't those download codes just arbitrary? Can't you just go on the e-shop and buy the game with a credit card like you can in the US e-shop?
 
200k downloads is MIGHTILY impressive. Was the game just sold out, i.e. people sort of had to DL it if they wanted to get it, or is the eShop actually pretty popular in Japan?
 
200k downloads is MIGHTILY impressive. Was the game just sold out, i.e. people sort of had to DL it if they wanted to get it, or is the eShop actually pretty popular in Japan?

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.
 
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.



That actually makes a lot of sense. Thinking about it Animal Crossing is actually one of those games (Mario Kart would be another one) where I'd be inclined to use the eShop even though I think the prices are too high.
Come on Ninti, we need eShop sales like on Steam :p
 
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