Support NeoGAF

[Junie12]

Dropping the price really helped Nintendo out, as well as a surge of Mario games. So it's no surprise that Nintendo would come back from a slow start. The only question now is can they keep the momentum?

 

[ampere]

For comparison, the PS3 is only at approximately 7,830,550 units sold.

Remind me to link back to this thread the next time someone makes a "Where have all the Japanese console games gone?" thread.

News to me, I guess the 3DS is doing quite well post price drop and once games came out.

I'll probably get one when I graduate in a few months and have half a dozen solid games to play.

 

[Zoramon089]

But in a year the iPhone had 1 billion sales. Gaming handhelds are clearly dying!

 

[clemenx]

As long as it has software comparable to what the DS was, I'll be happy.

 

[The Technomancer]

For comparison, the PS3 is only at approximately 7,830,550 units sold.

Remind me to link back to this thread the next time someone makes a "Where have all the Japanese console games gone?" thread.

Er....wow

 

[olimpia84]

Congrats and well deserved. I absolutely love my 3DS, please keep the good games coming!

 

[antonz]

In Japan? Maybe if Vita turns out to have a minimal impact.
Worldwide? Not a chance.

WHile I have my doubts I wouldnt say not a chance. Europe will need to start getting more active and the US will need to continue picking up but they could get close. 100 million+ at least as long as some major thing doesnt happen to kill handhelds

 

[Road]

What happened with the GBA at Week 40? A holiday?

Yes, mostly the month of December. Happens to Wii and DS too:

 

[Tashi]

It's been a year?! Wow

And yea, congrats on the success. I love my 3DS too. Just wish the games were cheaper :/

Also, I just bought Pushmo. Game. Is. A. Maze. Ing.

 

[Respawn]

I wonder what the 'but the Ipad' folks have to say.

 

[The Technomancer]

It's been a year?! Wow

And yea, congrats on the success. I love my 3DS too. Just wish the games were cheaper :/

Also, I just bought Pushmo. Game. Is. A. Maze. Ing.

I've been really surprised at the eShop lineup. I already own four titles and have at least two more I intend to purchase as soon as I can afford it

 

[ThatObviousUser]

Totally loling at this old IGN piece on the price drop:

History Says the 3DS is Doomed: Nintendo's past sheds light on the fate of the 3DS

 

[Alexios]

Neat.

 

[CrankyKong]

Gaming press will continue treating it like an abject failure.

That would be projection

 

[01DragonFly]

Just imagine what's gonna happen when NSMB 3D and MH4 come out...

you are forgetting animal crossing the ds one was huge in japan almost 5 million copies sold by 2008

 

[pramath]

every awesome decission outside of the price cut was made -BEFORE- any of the "Doom" shit started.

Therefore - i'd propose we kill this saying and simply go with

Nintendo is God Mode Nintendo.

The price cut was a massive help but a turd is still a turd regardless of the price. The key was the triple slam of MH, MK7 and ML. THAT was Nintendo planning out for the first year with intent and purpose. No DOOM required.

I'd actually be curious to see how the machine would have sold with either a much more modest price cut or -no- price cut. However, i think the price cut is a calculated strategy because i'd put the mortgage on a more expensive much more superior model this year then the original 3DS will be silently terminated.

If that happens - Iwata's market-savvy genius just gets another gold star

Of course, I understand. However, I would argue that several of those decisions (including the price cut which might have been initially projected as a Year 1.5/Year 2 mid life price cut) were put on the fast track when the 3DS's sales performance began to fall below projections. It cannot be argued that Nintendo saw the 3DS doing badly and responded to that with uncharacteristically astonishing speed.

On the whole, however, I would agree with you, though I would argue that Nintendo is too dumb most of the times to say Nintendo is God Mode Nintendo

As for the no/modest price cut counterfactual, that is actually something I have wondered several times myself, but there is no telling either way. For instance, would the Vita have done better if the 3DS had not received a price cut (due to appearing much better value)?

Finally, do you mean that you expect a revision this year? Because I would argue that a revision isn't due anytime before 2013, but I would like to hear your reasoning for one either way.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

That would be projection

Hah.

 

[Alrus]

I don't understand the "panic mode nintendo is best nintendo" posts...

-3D Land and Mario Kart were planned way before the 3DS showed signed of weakness and were probably always going to be holidays titles.
-The MH3G deal apparently happened back in December 2010 (pretty much just after MHP3rd broke third party sales record), the 3DS wasn't even out back then.

Price cut obviously helped but those title were always coming (we didn't know about MH3G though, I know) and they were always going to help sales massively.

Edit: DCharlie said it much better than me >.>

 

[shadyspace]

That would be projection

I don't know what you mean by that.

 

[Anth0ny]

That was fast. Look at that exponential growth between 4m and 5m. Damn.

For comparison, the PS3 is only at approximately 7,830,550 units sold.

 

[Byakuya769]

I wonder what the 'but the Ipad' folks have to say.

Japan?

 

[StreetsAhead]

you are forgetting animal crossing the ds one was huge in japan almost 5 million copies sold by 2008

Don't forget, the 3rd version of Pokemon 5th Gen is probably coming this year.

IF it's a 3DS-exclusive, it's likely to boost sales too (Platinum managed 7.06M worldwide).

 

[GK86]

It's been a year?! Wow

And yea, congrats on the success. I love my 3DS too. Just wish the games were cheaper :/

Also, I just bought Pushmo. Game. Is. A. Maze. Ing.

Ok gaf, I get it! I will buy Pushmo. Happy now?!

 

[bigtroyjon]

B-b-b-b-b-ut smartphones and ipads and the market has changed and social games and the price of handheld games and handhelds wont work in 2012 and nintendo is doomed and and and....

Japan is handheld central in terms of the handheld/console for Nintedo. Remains to be seen what's going to happen in the rest of the world.

Nintendo handheld(GBA, DS, 3DS) hardware, software by year: (shipments, in millions)

2004- 19.16, 90.98
2005- 20.11, 104.33
2006- 25.78, 151.03
2007- 28.77, 189.99
2008- 31.25, 203.19
2009- 28.94, 154.94
2010- 19.46, 129.20
2011- 21.50, 110.66

2012 will give a pretty clear picture on how the handheld industry is being affected by cell phones around the world but it's a bad sign that software dropped from 2010-2011.

 

[pramath]

Ok gaf, I get it! I will buy Pushmo. Happy now?!

Better late than never I suppose

 

[fernoca]

every awesome decission outside of the price cut was made -BEFORE- any of the "Doom" shit started.

Therefore - i'd propose we kill this saying and simply go with

Nintendo is God Mode Nintendo.

The price cut was a massive help but a turd is still a turd regardless of the price. The key was the triple slam of MH, MK7 and ML. THAT was Nintendo planning out for the first year with intent and purpose. No DOOM required.

I'd actually be curious to see how the machine would have sold with either a much more modest price cut or -no- price cut. However, i think the price cut is a calculated strategy because i'd put the mortgage on a more expensive much more superior model this year then the original 3DS will be silently terminated.

If that happens - Iwata's market-savvy genius just gets another gold star

Exactly.
Many act as if Mario Kart 7, Super Mario 3D Land, Monster Hunter Tri G started development like in July when the pricecut was announced or even during the slow weeks between Launch (February) and the new price-announcement (July). All those games started development before the unit was released in Japan on February 2011.

 

[Alrus]

Dropping the price really helped Nintendo out, as well as a surge of Mario games. So it's no surprise that Nintendo would come back from a slow start. The only question now is can they keep the momentum?

There's a 2D mario game coming this year (most likely for the holidays) and both Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 are going to keep selling well. Add more than likely Pokemon game and Animal Crossing, plus the solid but less popular franchises coming and I'd say they have a very solid 2012 lineup.

Something like that.

Which is no slight on the 3DS, what the DS did in 2006 is so insane that we probably won't see its like again for a long, long time.

Didn't the 3DS just have the best December ever in Japan (according to Famitsu)? Or is my memory wrong.

Although the DS kept the crazy momentum going after its huge weeks, even with massive shortages, which is damn amazing.

 

[GK86]

Better late than never I suppose

Only had my 3ds for a week

 

[ampere]

I don't know what you mean by that.

Spoiler

calling the gaming press the abject failure

 

[pramath]

Only had my 3ds for a week

Oh, then I suppose I can forgive you
Also check out: Sakura Samurai, and Swapnote (the latter being the 3DS's KILLER APP)

 

[Antioch]

But didn't the DS start selling like crazy during its second year?

Yes, but that doesn't mean that the 3DS can't possibly match or exceed it, especially as it seems it started selling like crazy within the first year.

In Japan? Maybe if Vita turns out to have a minimal impact.
Worldwide? Not a chance.

Again, I didn't mean I expect it to happen, but I haven't really seen much that would suggest it's not possible, at least.

you are forgetting animal crossing the ds one was huge in japan almost 5 million copies sold by 2008

Yes I did.

Don't forget, the 3rd version of Pokemon 5th Gen is probably coming this year.

IF it's a 3DS-exclusive, it's likely to boost sales too (Platinum managed 7.06M worldwide).

And this too, there are definitely still a lot of games up Nintendo's sleeve that can maintain momentum.

 

[Amory]

This gives me more hope for the vita, actually. Proves that people still want to buy gaming-dedicated handhelds provided it has several quality titles out for it.

 

[shadyspace]

Spoiler

calling the gaming press the abject failure

Ah. Thanks.

 

[Lord Ghirahim]

Ok gaf, I get it! I will buy Pushmo. Happy now?!

No, you have to get at least one other person to buy it too.
I got over 10 people to buy it.
I was nagging them for days ;//

 

[airmangataosenai]

Stuff like this is why I'm always surprised when people say the 3DS can't possibly exceed the DS in sales.

These numbers don't take into account the explosion of sales the original DS received in December 2005. Over the next few weeks the lines will cross over again and it's unlikely to happen again anytime soon, especially when you take into account the absolutely insane sales the DS Lite produced in February 2006.

As it stood at the time DS numbers were "Solid if not spectacular" until December 2005 where it really took off and never looked back until Monster Hunter Portable 3 helped push the PSP over the DS for the first time in late 2010.

 

[jay]

I don't understand the "panic mode nintendo is best nintendo" posts...

It helps craft a narrative some fans find enjoyable.

 

[StreetsAhead]

And this too, there are definitely still a lot of games up Nintendo's sleeve that can maintain momentum.

If 2012 ends up seeing:

Kingdom Hearts: DDD
Mario Tennis
Paper Mario
Animal Crossing
Friend Collection
Pokemon 'Grey'
Fire Emblem
Luigi's Mansion
Kid Icarus
Professor Layton VS Ace Attorney
2D Mario
Monster Hunter 4

released on the console as planned, this thing could easily break 10 million by week 104.

And those are just the games that have been announced.

 

[Kazerei]

If 2012 ends up seeing:

.

released on the console as planned, this thing could easily break 10 million by week 104.

And those are just the games that have been announced.

Aim higher! The DS was at 12.5 million after two years

 

[Erethian]

Japan?

In the US, 3DS is selling faster than the DS did during the same point in its life. Don't know about Europe, though.

Either way the whole smartphone/tablet vs dedicated handheld argument tends to take an incredibly simplistic view. There's are way more factors that go into the performance of a gaming system.

 

[Bgamer90]

For comparison, the PS3 is only at approximately 7,830,550 units sold.

 

[HylianTom]

Ha!

The colorful letters in the background of that gif remind me of the font used in Super Mario World!

 

[Byakuya769]

In the US, 3DS is selling faster than the DS did during the same point in its life. Don't know about Europe, though.

Either way the whole smartphone/tablet vs dedicated handheld argument tends to take an incredibly simplistic view. There's are way more factors that go into the performance of a gaming system.

DS launched months prior to the psp, but not an entire year like the 3ds. That's an important factor.

 

[StreetsAhead]

Aim higher! The DS was at 12.5 million after two years

Let's aim for 15 million in Japan then!

 

[DCharlie]

Finally, do you mean that you expect a revision this year? Because I would argue that a revision isn't due anytime before 2013, but I would like to hear your reasoning for one either way.

yes - i expect a revision before the Wii U launch for the simple reason that i think Nintendo can see there's a whole avenue of 3DS and Wii U interoperability.

Whilst it'll support the stock 3DS , one with two sliders a la the Wii U controller will be the model thats targetted for the link up.

 

[MasterShotgun]

Aim higher! The DS was at 12.5 million after two years

If Nintendo can push out a mainline Pokemon title this year along with another heavy hitter or two, I could see the 3DS reaching that number.

EDIT: Did Nintendo ever give a projected release date for the 2D Mario game? A holiday release for that would be easy money.

 

[opticalmace]

Pretty impressive how they turned things around. Still waiting on 3DS Lite personally.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

If Nintendo can push out a mainline Pokemon title this year along with another heavy hitter or two, I could see the 3DS reaching that number.

MH4 man.

 

[Foffy]

As long as it has software comparable to what the DS was, I'll be happy.

And as long as they're released worldwide, I'll be happy too. <3

 

[Erethian]

If Nintendo can push out a mainline Pokemon title this year along with another heavy hitter or two, I could see the 3DS reaching that number.

EDIT: Did Nintendo ever give a projected release date for the 2D Mario game? A holiday release for that would be easy money.

Only that it will be this financial year, though I'd be surprised if it wasn't their big holiday game.

Edit: By this financial year I mean financial year 2012-13.

 

[ChocolatePuddin]

I'm not surprised by this.The 3DS really deserves it, the thing is more addictive than crack.I play it more than anything else and I own a shit ton of consoles.I say well done to Nintendo, the guys obviously know exactly what they are doing, I think the vita is in trouble.