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[Wynnebeck]

It is once you consider that the 3DS is a supposedly dead system in a dead market.

Isn't that the Wii U?

 

[darkside31337]

Not a single EA game in sight.

Yeah thats insane. When was the last time that happened?

 

[LiquidMetal14]

They did state they were showing Mario Bros, Smash Bros, and Kart Bros at E3. So one of those will be their holiday title.

Those should be good for the Nintendo base. Everything else leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[Card Boy]

Glad Luigi is at #6.

Does Naruto charting mean bad things?

And The Walking Dead game...

[IMGhttp://i.imgur.com/Z3WvLi5.jpg[/IMG]

Whats so bad about Naruto? It's the best game yet in the series, if anything it should be higher. Outside Generations the quality gets higher and higher every year and shits on EA's Sports rehashes.

 

[Mpl90]

3DS February 2013 - 190k/4 weeks = 47.5k
3DS March 2013 - 245k/5 weeks = 49k

 

[A Human Becoming]

Wasn't 262k February and around 225k March? You're being wrong everytime today XD

I keep looking at the wrong month. >_<

 

[ThreeSixty]

I'm searching for the Wii U numbers but nothing seems to have leaked out just yet. Nintendo's PR focusing almost only on the 3DS however is not a good sign. For reference the Wedbush and EEDAR estimates for the Wii U are 55K and 65K respectively.

On a positive note so happy to see Bioshock Infinite at number one. Sounds like a near herculean effort went into it so it deserves to see commercial success. Do the NPD sales charts list PC games because I'm also curious to see how Heart Of The Swarm sold. Anyone?

 

[Cheebo]

But can Nintendo do the same with Wii U?

3DS's main competitor Vita is basically dead. WiiU's competition won't disappear like that.

 

[DaBoss]

[GBA] Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team (2005.09.18) - 285,311
[NDS] Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team (2005.09.18) - 219,923

[NDS] Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness (2008.04.20) - 404,000
[NDS] Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky (2009.10.12) - 103,000

[3DS] Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity (2013.03.24) - 145,000 (digital sales included)

Not surprising, I hear it has the least content compared to previous PMD games.

If you think about how many copies the Lego games sold on Wii last gen and how that market is basically gone, they are probably shitting themselves.

Well Skylanders should have sent off alarm bells. I imagine the target audience wouldn't have a Wii U at that price.

 

[Linkhero1]

It's the logical assumption.

I thought the same, but they gave a release date for Pikmin 3. Why not do the same for W101 if it were near completion? It was slated for launch window just like Pikmin 3, so I'm not too sure anymore.

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

There's also the point that Batman is a hot franchise versus a game based only on the Lego property itself. The original argument that it came out at the end of the month doesn't hold weight but the comparison between Lego Batman 2 and Undercover is silly.

Still the game was advertised and is probably one of the biggest titles in months for Wii U. Not even charting is quite bad.

 

[Pie and Beans]

Well at least Nintendo can breathe a sigh of relief that the portable games market will still be there for them to go all in on after the WiiU definitively craters (which may be this month).

Will be good to get all Nintendo games of worth with just one hardware purchase rather than two! Just please dont region lock the next one, assholes.

 

[Soriku]

Growth, even if it's pretty low, is one of the first notable positive signs for the 3DS in the West in quite some time, so I think Nintendo's software release strategy is starting to show some progress.

Yep, I'm expecting some good things later this year.

 

[Yawnier]

It is once you consider that the 3DS is a supposedly dead system in a dead market.

North America a supposedly dead market? Huh.

The 3DS figures are still good (power of weegee and MH) though don't get me wrong.

 

[Amir0x]

Still the game was advertised and is probably one of the biggest titles in months for Wii U. Not even charting is quite bad.

I am now concerned that Pikmin 3 is going to implode upon release

 

[BlazingDarkness]

But can Nintendo do the same with Wii U?

Usually I'd say 'yes', but with third party ambivalence and the ps4/720 round the corner (and an apparent lack of casual interest in the Wii U) I'm having doubts. Nintendo should just focus their efforts on the 3DS for now.

 

[Little Green Yoda]

3DS's main competitor Vita is basically dead. WiiU's competition won't disappear like that.

I thought iOS was competing against the 3DS?

 

[dragonflys545]

I am now concerned that Pikmin 3 is going to implode upon release

You're probably right.

 

[DaBoss]

Isn't that the Wii U?

Handhelds dead outside of Japan, etc etc

Whats so bad about Naruto? It's the best game yet in the series, if anything it should be higher. Outside Generations the quality gets higher and higher every year and shits on EA's Sports rehashes.

Nothing bad about it charting, but the fact that it charted. I thought that would indicate really low numbers at the bottom, but that doesn't necessarily seem to be the case.

 

[Dave Meltzer]

I thought the same, but they gave a release date for Pikmin 3. Why not do the same for W101 if it were near completion? It was slated for launch window just like Pikmin 3, so I'm not too sure anymore.

Probably coming out for the holiday. Trying to delay it to when there's more systems out there. Makes no sense to date it now.

 

[BlazingDarkness]

Sony and Nintendo are in opposite positions. One is going all in with their handheld and the other is going all in with their console.

That's a good way to look at it actually, it makes sense to me.

 

[Katana_Strikes]

Really interested (if we get em) the numbers for Lego City. Just be intrigued what it could do being one of the first batch of new games since launch, being exclusive and on such low HW adoption. I doubt it'll be pleasant reading.

 

[Nirolak]

I am now concerned that Pikmin 3 is going to implode upon release

Honestly I'd be more surprised if it didn't implode.

 

[Amir0x]

Well at least Nintendo can breathe a sigh of relief that the portable games market will still be there for them to go all in on after the WiiU definitively craters (which may be this month).

Will be good to get all Nintendo games of worth with just one hardware purchase rather than two! Just please dont region lock the next one, assholes.

Probably a bad idea to rely on that, as the gaming dedicated handheld market slowly erodes one drip at a time and is replaced by all-in-one devices like tablets and phones. People are moving on from the idea that they love gaming so much they need a device dedicated to it on the go... most people are simply content having a device that can also play games as an added bonus.

Troubled times ahead for Nintendo if they don't fix their strategy and trajectory.

Honestly I'd be more surprised if it didn't implode.

Y...you take that back! The others sold a few hundred thousand, right? Come on, maybe this one can do something like that since Wii U has no games... maybe

 

[ASIS]

What the hell

If the 3DS is dead then what do you call the Wii, the Wii U and the Vita? You guys are exaggerating.

uhh no. The 3DS was pretty much all but dead according to many Gaffers, analysts, etc. due to consumer brand confusion, smartphone sales, lack of interest towards Nintendo franchises, and no casual audience.

I'm talking about a time before the Vita even launched.

North America a supposedly dead market? Huh.

The 3DS figures are still good (power of weegee and MH) though don't get me wrong.

Not NA, the dedicated gaming handheld market.

 

[Zoramon089]

Usually I'd say 'yes', but with third party ambivalence and the ps4/720 round the corner (and an apparent lack of casual interest in the Wii U) I'm having doubts. Nintendo should just focus their efforts on the 3DS for now.

3DS is set for the forseeable future. I think it's time for them to focus on the Wii U. I'm still wondering about Wonderful 101...I mean, I can understand Nintendo teams taking forever to make the HD transition (or whatever reason) but Platinum should be used to it and the game should be done. I don't think Platinum has a history of game delays do they?

 

[FoneBone]

I am now concerned that Pikmin 3 is going to implode upon release

It's not the sort of franchise that's likely to drive hardware sales in a big way, and we all know the overall state of the Wii U, so.... uh, think happy thoughts?

 

[Hero]

Still the game was advertised and is probably one of the biggest titles in months for Wii U. Not even charting is quite bad.

I'm not saying it's not bad because it is. But comparing the Lego City brand to Lego Star Wars or Lego Batman is straight up dumb.

 

[UberTag]

Not a single EA game in sight.

The absence of SimCity is a little startling even on a multi-SKU chart.

Do the NPD sales charts list PC games because I'm also curious to see how Heart Of The Swarm sold. Anyone?

Clearly they do. Diablo III topped the multi-SKU charts in its release month. And PC sales are being counted here.

 

[PhantomR]

Nice ass 3DS hardware and Luigi numbers!

Go Ninty Go!

 

[TheDrowningMan]

But can Nintendo do the same with Wii U?

Get it to a point of respectability and outsell previous home consoles that weren't the Wii and possibly NES? I think so. I think there's more wiggle room than people think.

 

[digoutyoursoul]

Just realised my 3DS prediction was bang on lol

 

[TheNatural]

I am now concerned that Pikmin 3 is going to implode upon release

Don't worry, there's all sorts of this momentum™ going into August™!

Wii U™ owners have a ton of great games to look forward to from Nintendo and its third-party partners, including Game & Wario™ on June 23, Pikmin™ 3 on Aug. 4, Disney's Planes from Disney Interactive on Aug. 6 and Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell® Blacklist™ from Ubisoft® on Aug. 20. At the upcoming E3 trade show in June in Los Angeles, Nintendo expects to show attendees upcoming Wii U games from the Mario Kart™, Super Mario Bros.™ and Super Smash Bros.™ franchises.

 

[antonz]

It is good to see 3DS break the decline streak. Luigi has fantastic sales retail wise. I opted to buy it digitally on the day it came out.

3DS lineup coming I can only see better days ahead for it while the Wii U will continue to struggle until real meaningful software is released.

 

[schuelma]

3DS is set for the forseeable future. I think it's time for them to focus on the Wii U. I'm still wondering about Wonderful 101...I mean, I can understand Nintendo teams taking forever to make the HD transition (or whatever reason) but Platinum should be used to it and the game should be done. I don't think Platinum has a history of game delays do they?

Not to mention Wii Fit U, which has to be done.

Nintendo is banking on the second half of the year,but that is damn risky given how bad the numbers are world wide.

 

[Linkhero1]

Probably coming out for the holiday. Trying to delay it to when there's more systems out there. Makes no sense to date it now.

Well, when there's hardly any games for the system, it makes perfect sense. I could see them delaying it in order to make Q3 and Q4 more dense in terms of releases. I'm just worried releasing it alongside the Zelda remake and their big holiday title will overshadow it.

 

[DragonSworne]

It's not the sort of franchise that's likely to drive hardware sales in a big way, and we all know the overall state of the Wii U, so.... uh, think happy thoughts?

Honestly, we can hope that it will eventually lead to Iwata and Miyamoto being fired.

 

[Mihael Mello Keehl]

uhh no. The 3DS was pretty much all but dead according to many Gaffers, analysts, etc. due to consumer brand confusion, smartphone sales, lack of interest towards Nintendo franchises, and no casual audience.

I'm talking about a time before the Vita even launched.

Yep. People want to play dumb now. The 3DS was getting dogged and we all know that.

 

[Road]

So, how bad were Wii U hardware sales in March?

3DS sales weren't bad at all (they were good actually), but the fact they wanted to avoid any hardware mention whatsoever in their PR is strange.

Maybe they want to surprise us and Wii U sales were actually good this month too...

 

[Nirolak]

3DS is set for the forseeable future. I think it's time for them to focus on the Wii U. I'm still wondering about Wonderful 101...I mean, I can understand Nintendo teams taking forever to make the HD transition (or whatever reason) but Platinum should be used to it and the game should be done. I don't think Platinum has a history of game delays do they?

It's possible the game is basically done already and being delayed to try to get it to sell better.

 

[allan-bh]

Good for 3DS. I expected less.

 

[FoneBone]

3DS is set for the forseeable future. I think it's time for them to focus on the Wii U. I'm still wondering about Wonderful 101...I mean, I can understand Nintendo teams taking forever to make the HD transition (or whatever reason) but Platinum should be used to it and the game should be done. I don't think Platinum has a history of game delays do they?

Hence the speculation - though maybe just wishful thinking - that Nintendo is deliberately holding it back to get a stronger lineup in Q3/Q4.

 

[TheDrowningMan]

So, how bad were Wii U hardware sales in March?

3DS sales weren't bad at all (they were good actually), but the fact they wanted to avoid any hardware mention whatsoever in their PR is strange.

Maybe they want to surprise us and Wii U sales were actually good this month too...

They're not even advertising the thing at the moment, let alone issuing PR.

 

[BlazingDarkness]

I thought iOS was competing against the 3DS?

Those same people said iOS would replace the traditional games market like 2 years ago, lol.

 

[ASIS]

Isn't that the Wii U?

Close, but there's nothing to suppose about Wii U

 

[marc^o^]

3DS is in a pretty comfortable position going forward, it has a steady slew of software for the foreseeable future.
Wii U is a barren wasteland, I actually think the Wii U problem (no software to sustain hardware sales) is pretty similar to the problems the Vita is having.

Quite different, Vita had most of its big Playstation hits released already.
Wii U is patiently waiting for them. And so is the market.

 

[Busaiku]

I wonder how Lego City Undercover will hold up on 3DS.

 

[Bruno MB]

I didn't expect 3DS to be up (+9%) year-on-year, that's a little step.

 

[Aquamarine]

3DS February 2013 - 190k/4 weeks = 47.5k
3DS March 2013 - 245k/5 weeks = 49k

3DS February 2012 - 262,000 / 4 week reporting period = 65.5k per week
3DS February 2013 - 190,000 / 4 week reporting period = 47.5k per week

3DS March 2012 - 225,000 / 5 week reporting period = 45k per week
3DS March 2013 - 245,000 / 5 week reporting period = 49k per week


Only 4,000 unit growth per-week from the previous March. A rise YOY is nice, but it's not anywhere near ideal for the system.

 

[Keyouta]

I can see the 3DS dropping or holding current in April and possibly May, but then once AC releases in June it will explode (hopefully doing as well as Japan).