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[frankie_baby]

So is that 200k digital purchases on top of the card sales? I'm assuming so.

They wouldn't count card sales in the digital sales.

I'm assuming the 200k includes both card and direct eshop sales

 

[Boss Doggie]

So go on the ESOP and download it? Why do you need a card that gives you a code?

Ah so when AC becomes available in US, it will be added in eshop too?

Just japan so far I think, we don't seem to have them in the UK at least yet

Ahh I see.

 

[mrklaw]

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.

Discounts are usually to shift physical stock that has already been paid for.

In a market like the UK, I'd expect download cards for specific games to turn into generated codes, just like PSN cards now. They used to be preprinted cards but are now generated at point of sale, ensuring a store never has excess stock.

 

[urfe]

I don't think this is surprising, and I don't think it's overall sales will be as good as the DS version. I hope I'm wrong and it does better of course.

AC is a spectator sport for me though. I only had the GCN one (bought into the hype), and really didn't play it for longer than a few hours.

 

[MikeE21286]

Wow. 25% digital sell through. That is a lot.

 

[vareon]

So AC is one of those "handheld franchises" now. What's most impressive is that it's utterly destroying NSMB2, which pretty much cements that game as a total flop.

You might want to redefine "total flop" a bit.

 

[faridmon]

I think We should have more pictures of Idols and Seyuus playing this game.

 

[Sammy Samusu]

I think We should have more pictures of Idols and Seyuus playing this game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9hqoN1svfo

 

[Currygan]

not surprising in the least

now let's make it 800.001, Iwata, and release my copy of the game in eu NOW

 

[Smellycat]

I seriously can't wait for this game to come here. I absolutely loved Wild World.

 

[Effect]

Animal Crossing's setup makes it ideal to be a game on the system without need for the cartridge. Will be the first retail game I download on my 3DS once it's released. Do we know the game's file size?

 

[Montresor]

Screw Nintendo. This should be out in NA already! Aaarrgggh

Nothing to say here other than those are impressive sales numbers.

 

[Bururian]

I looked through the thread, maybe missed it if someone said something already.

Why won't New Leaf be out until next year here? We got wild world two weeks after Japan and City Folk a week before Japan did. Is it a fiscal reason? I'm just used to the release being staggered by a month and not several.

 

[Barkley's Justice]

download...cards

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

Animal Crossing sounds like the perfect game to download. You will always have it in your system and that's the pointt. =)

 

[fabricated backlash]

Animal Crossing's setup makes it ideal to be a game on the system without need for the cartridge. Will be the first retail game I download on my 3DS once it's released. Do we know the game's file size?

If I had anything to say, I would make AC a system App on the next Nintendo Handheld. It's the quintessential handheld social game. Hell at the very least they should launch the next handheld with an AC game.

 

[AndrewDean84xX]

So probably Animal Crossing digital > all Vita games sold on PSN combined, isn't it?

I was just wondering this.

 

[Bending_Unit_22]

Yeap, the one retail game I have no qualms at all about downloading. Animal Crossing needs to be attached to my 3DS.

If I had anything to say, I would make AC a system App on the next Nintendo Handheld. It's the quintessential handheld social game. Hell at the very least they should launch the next handheld with an AC game.

Ever since before the Wii was released I've thought Animal Crossing should be an app on every Nintendo system. Other than the direct loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in sales it would be a perfect way I've thought to integrate the player into the Nintendo gaming world and keep them interested and coming back. As a social game it would benefit from the widest possible usage and that could be turned into essentially an advertising method as well. It'd have to be designed differently of course.

Also, I've bought every Animal Crossing so getting it free would be nice.

 

[Meier]

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

This would make a really great gif. I can hear the weird AC laughing my head just looking at it.

Great numbers.. can't wait to get two copies of this whenever it finally comes out here. Will definitely go the download route as well -- the convenience factor of always having it at my fingertips will be too great. Can't imagine I'd ever sell it either so it makes even more sense to go that route.

 

[eudaemonic]

This would make a really great gif. I can hear the weird AC laughing my head just looking at it.

I need the stomping angry emote as a gif. I ended up adopting it myself when I get upset about something around the house.

 

[Diddy Kong]

Very impressive.

 

[donny2112]

I sure wish I could have played the N64 version.

Go check out IGN's N64 site. Think it was Peer who did an extensive multi-part play blog of the N64 Animal Crossing.

 

[onilink88]

I'm speechless.

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.

Their efforts lie elsewhere.

Having never played Animal Crossing, can anyone tell me why it's the perfect game for always having on your system?

 

[braves01]

^^^
It's designed around visiting your town (ie playing) frequently, so having it with you all the time makes it easy to put in some time each day w/o worrying about a cart.

 

[onilink88]

^^^
It's designed around visiting your town (ie playing) frequently, so having it with you all the time makes it easy to put in some time each day w/o worrying about a cart.

The game moves in real-time, so when it's 5 pm in the real world, it's 5 pm in the game. Stuff happens at different times of the day, so you may open it a few times per day. Each time would probably be only 10-15 minutes long, so it really works well to be able to start it for a few minutes, do what you need to, and then put it back up to go back to the game in the cartridge slot.

Yeah. Things change every day, so if you're wanting to get something specific out of the store or wanting a certain even to happen, you may need to wait. Best option is to just play it every single day for a little bit at a time, so you get the most variety.

I see.

 

[donny2112]

The game moves in real-time, so when it's 5 pm in the real world, it's 5 pm in the game. Stuff happens at different times of the day, so you may open it a few times per day. Each time would probably be only 10-15 minutes long, so it really works well to be able to start it for a few minutes, do what you need to, and then put it back up to go back to the game in the cartridge slot.

 

[emb]

Yeah. Things change every day, so if you're wanting to get something specific out of the store or wanting a certain even to happen, you may need to wait. Best option is to just play it every single day for a little bit at a time, so you get the most variety.

 

[DXB-KNIGHT]

Wow that's massive () it really exceeded my expectation.

 

[zroid]

Did Animal Crossing just single-handedly make the Japanese downloadable games market an actual thing?

 

[Shabutaro]

Their efforts lie elsewhere.

Wow! excellent art! what games are these?

I was on the fence about downloading Animal crossing, because I dont really pour enough time into the series to warrant a full price purchase, but i think i just might buy it this time around

 

[Doorman]

Wow! excellent art! what games are these?

I was on the fence about downloading Animal crossing, because I dont really pour enough time into the series to warrant a full price purchase, but i think i just might buy it this time around

They're all from the most recent Fire Emblem.

Pretty impressive numbers for AC, and it looks like it's doing a very good job to introduce the thought of digital downloads of retail games to the Nintendo audience. I have to admit, I haven't played any Animal Crossing games since the Gamecube game because I figured they'd never really changed enough to catch my interest, but having this as a downloadable always on the system, I might be tempted to bite.

 

[Sacul64]

Just japan so far I think, we don't seem to have them in the UK at least yet

You can buy the game code from gamestop and it prints out at the bottom of the receipt.

 

[donny2112]

I have to admit, I haven't played any Animal Crossing games since the Gamecube game because I figured they'd never really changed enough to catch my interest, but having this as a downloadable always on the system, I might be tempted to bite.

They only changed to make them worse, so you didn't miss much. This one looks like an actual change of substance in the game, so good time to get back on the train (or bus or whatever you arrive in town on now).

 

[Izick]

If I buy a 3DS, this will definitely be purchased when it comes out. I haven't played a AC game since the one on Gamecube, and I'm itching to go back and play that almost soothing game.

 

[StreetsAhead]

They only changed to make them worse, so you didn't miss much. This one looks like an actual change of substance in the game, so good time to get back on the train (or bus or whatever you arrive in town on now).

It's still a train.

There's a ton of new stuff in this game.

Spoiler

QR codes for sharing your designs
Refurbishing furniture
Changeable shoes/socks (ability to go barefoot)
Shoe shop
Gardening Shop
Dream Emporium (ability to go to other villages and buy stuff without being friends - Including the Nintendo Village)
Club 444
Public works (building things like benches, cafes, museum second floor)
Museum Shop
Own exhibitions in the museum
New fish/bugs/fossils
1.5X the furniture of City Folk (including wall items/interactble items)
Free DLC items
New villagers
New personalities
Return of old villagers (Cobb!)
Return of the island (new mini games)
Swimming/diving
New fruits
New minerals
Megaphone for calling out to villagers
Customizing the outside of your house
Choosing where to build your house
Making Town Laws (e.g., shops open early/late)
Camping Grounds
Items like coffees, ice-creams, pin wheels, balloons
Part-time jobs (e.g. at the coffee shop)
D.J K.K.
New Recycle Shop
Return of real holidays
'Best Friend' function so you can text-chat with people without being in their village
Model Homes via Street Pass
Fortune Cookies that can be traded for rare Nintendo-themed items

And that's just off the top of my head.

 

[PorygonVandal]

OK, now for the important question!

Is Gaston in the game!?

 

[donny2112]

Spoiler

Return of real holidays

Really!?! Along with the dropping of NES games and no more island (also fixed), this was the biggest gripe about the post-GCN AC downgrades. Great to hear they're finally bringing them back!

 

[StreetsAhead]

Really!?! Along with the dropping of NES games and no more island (also fixed), this was the biggest gripe about the post-GCN AC downgrades. Great to hear they're finally bringing them back!

Yeah. It's true.

Spoiler

Halloween, Christmas Eve, 'Harvest Festival' (aka Thanksgiving)、Easter, April Fool's, the equinox's are all in the Japanese version, at least. Some seem to be region specific (Japanese festivals like Doll Festival or Children's Day), including some of the items related to them - like a plate of grapes for Spanish New Year's. Which you can get by visiting a foreign village.

 

[EVH]

Don't you think it is incredible that with such a big sales in the eShop, Nintendo was so late to create an ID system for the online. And that without talking about 3DS, where we still don't know if we'll get that ID system.