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[LCfiner]

Now that's some good marketing.

But, really, what's the goal in marketing it like that? :/

damn, that picture is pretty bad.

To try to answer your question, the only thing I could think of is that they’re banking on the good brand of the DS to try to push the 3DS. “you liked that so you’ll love this”. but that is assuming people already know the 3DS is more powerful, has the fancy screen, and has brand new software (even if it’s not stellar now).

but the obvious backfire is that people may just think it’s a DSi+ when lined up with the others on the same banner.

that’s a very poor way to promote a new product. it needs to be completely separated from the DS and pushed as something brand new. there shouldn’t be any uncertainty whatsoever. Nintendo is really bad at this, it seems (Wii U reveal was unnecessarily confusing)

 

[Boney]

Amir0x posted this in another thread:

The 3DS is listed on the banner as if it were a DS variant.

Hey man, it's not as if Nintendo can afford 2 separate ads! Ads ain't cheap you know!

Love the blackboard as well.

 

[KirbYuuYuu]

People not knowing that the 3DS is the next gen system is rather valid, considering a couple days ago, I was at a Walmart in Eagle River, so I checked out the 3DS.

It had a DS game
It was a touch screen based game that you can't even access the stylus.
Bent backwards knowing it would break.

Just awful.

As for the chart, Why are the first 5 even on there?

 

[Plinko]

Ok, here we go.

What will happen? Stay tuned to the GAF NPD threads for the answer!

Decent list. The problem, though, is that the PS3 list had games that people were actually arguing would save the PS3. I haven't seen anyone argue that for half of those games.

LOL at Reggie, though. Hilarious.

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

Is normal that DS had some bad months in the start. It was the succesor of GBA, a console that was not widespread.

Are you kidding? GBA was the fastest selling console until the Wii. It was regularly out selling PS2 even from 2001-2004, saying GBA wasn't "widespread" is like saying PS2 wasn't "widespread".

 

[Massa]

People not knowing that the 3DS is the next gen system is rather valid, considering a couple days ago, I was at a Walmart in Eagle River, so I checked out the 3DS.

It had a DS game
It was a touch screen based game that you can't even access the stylus.
Bent backwards knowing it would break.

Just awful.

As for the chart, Why are the first 5 even on there?

Don't even have to go to Walmart, even on GAF I've seen people post they don't need a 3DS because they don't care about 3D and already have a DS. It's marketing disaster.

I was shocked when they announced Wii U as the name for their next home console. Same problem all over again.

 

[Strike]

Ok, here we go.

What will happen? Stay tuned to the GAF NPD threads for the answer!

Oh wow, we're actually doing that now?

Edit: Shit. I knew I should've kept to my original prediction for 3ds. I just didn't believe it would be that low.

 

[perfectchaos007]

Decent list. The problem, though, is that the PS3 list had games that people were actually arguing would save the PS3. I haven't seen anyone argue that for half of those games.

LOL at Reggie, though. Hilarious.

I'll say Gen. 6 pokemon will save the 3DS, but that gen is 3 or 4 years away and if the 3DS hasn't picked up sales by then well...I'de assume Nintendo would be rolling out a new successor to the system by then

 

[chubigans]

As for the chart, Why are the first 5 even on there?

So I can cross stuff out every month.

 

[AniHawk]

3ds sales are going to drop much lower. ocarina won't do shit, and by august it'll be below 60k.

september/holiday months should see it start to pick up, just because that's the season for everything to pick up, but without its brain age/gta iii thing, the machine might be the beginning of the end (or just the end) of their handheld dominance.

 

[teiresias]

Don't even have to go to Walmart, even on GAF I've seen people post they don't need a 3DS because they don't care about 3D and already have a DS. It's marketing disaster.

I was shocked when they announced Wii U as the name for their next home console. Same problem all over again.

One has to wonder though, why do they need a 3DS if they don't care about 3D and already have a DS? Particularly, if numbers like this keep the trickling of software limited to Nintendo releases while some parties decide to stick to releasing DS software that can tap into that established market. After all, the 3D does nothing for the gameplay, so outside of the analog pad there isn't much in the way of control innovation going on in the thing (if one wants to call a PSP-style analog nub innovation). Unless, of course, Nintendo is going to enforce 3rd-party migration to 3DS by refusing to license anything that's only for the DS.

 

[I NEED SCISSORS]

Nintendo really should have launched both 3DS and Wii U earlier.

3DS should have been released before the end of 2010, in time for Christmas. I mean it's not like they needed to stockpile lots of units in 2011, since they ended up not having a shortage (and hell, that can be a good thing because it inflates demand and generates "oh my fuck the 3DS is sold out" mindshare). The price also should have been $220 since Nintendo were making a fair bit on each if manufacturing costs are anything to go by, and I agree with the assessment that it needed different branding. Perhaps '3D Boy' or some shit. The launch lineup was also fucking dire, they needed some sort of big ass A-team developing for it, doling out a 3D Mario or the OoT remake earlier, not this shitty experimental Pilotwings and Steel Driver crap, and definitely not a Nintendogs+cats high-res port in which you can't even control the cats.

Wii U should have been releasing late this year while the gen is still relevant (because I feel it is questionable that they will be able to graphically stay relevant next-gen with only 50% more power). First party development should have been full steam ahead on Wii U and 3DS a while ago - this whole plan of supporting 4 platforms at once is going to cannibalise their sales and manpower horribly (no I do not mean they will physically eat Miyamoto, although you could get a lot of sustenance out of him I bet). The Wii U is already operating on a "build it they will come" mentality, assuming publishers will just make a Wii U version like they already make a PS3/360/PC version, so at the end of the day it makes no difference to them when they release it.

I wouldn't call this whole 3DS and Wii U venture a misstep - it's their tried and tested 'disruptive' strategy at work; it's just that it was woefully miscalculated and too damn late this gen.

 

[KirbYuuYuu]

Nintendo really should have launched both 3DS and Wii U earlier.

3DS should have been released before the end of 2010, in time for Christmas. I mean it's not like they needed to stockpile lots of units in 2011, since they ended up not having a shortage (and hell, that can be a good thing because it inflates demand and generates "oh my fuck the 3DS is sold out" mindshare). The price also should have been $220 since Nintendo were making a fair bit on each if manufacturing costs are anything to go by, and I agree with the assessment that it needed different branding. Perhaps '3D Boy' or some shit. The launch lineup was also fucking dire, they needed some sort of big ass A-team developing for it, doling out a 3D Mario or the OoT remake earlier, not this shitty experimental Pilotwings and Steel Driver crap, and definitely not a Nintendogs+cats high-res port in which you can't even control the cats.

I like how you said that the launch lineup is better and yet you said it should've been released earlier like it would help the situation.

 

[elrechazado]

I like how you said that the launch lineup is better and yet you said it should've been released earlier like it would help the situation.

planning for an earlier launch could have also involved planning earlier releases you know...

 

[KirbYuuYuu]

Along with shittier games most likely.

 

[lwilliams3]

planning for an earlier launch could have also involved planning earlier releases you know...

Nintendo did initially plan to release it eariler, but the situation with games would have probably been even worse. If anything, the 3DS was released prematurely. In either case, the system will probably get a nice boost this month. Even if that doesn't work out, the system seems to have alot of nice games coming out for the holidays.

Ok, here we go.

What will happen? Stay tuned to the GAF NPD threads for the answer!

Lol, great chart.

 

[I NEED SCISSORS]

planning for an earlier launch could have also involved planning earlier releases you know...

Exactly. They could have dumped the DS completely at an earlier date and put the bigger Nintendo teams to work. Why is the new Kirby hitting the DS in 2011, for example? Besides, most of the launch games that we got were terrible anyway, so you can't exactly make it much worse than it was.

And lest I forget to mention the abomination that was the eShop launch - 3 month wait for what amounted to 4 ROM dumps, a single 3D game, a Pokedex that could come at any point, and a few badly compressed trailers.

 

[soldat7]

I saw it coming

Just like Sony screwed up with the PS3 because of their arrogance, Nintendo is screwing up the 3DS with their arrogance.

A lot of us saw this as a distinct possibility. No company is invincible and in fact, many get foolhardy when success abounds.

 

[Busaiku]

That blackboard list is stupid.
Kid Icarus is coming before Mario Kart.

 

[Jonnyram]

Wow, 3DS is fucked.
I wonder what the DS sales were like too.

 

[evilromero]

3ds sales are going to drop much lower. ocarina won't do shit, and by august it'll be below 60k.

september/holiday months should see it start to pick up, just because that's the season for everything to pick up, but without its brain age/gta iii thing, the machine might be the beginning of the end (or just the end) of their handheld dominance.

I don't understand why people are ignoring this important point. Have we already forgotten it was Brain Age/Nintendogs that pushed the DS to an early success. It wasn't Meteos or Kirby Canvas Curse. The same goes for the Wii. It wasn't Zelda or Mario Galaxy but rather Wii Sports. I think it's easy to see even Nintendo's own breadwinners are not what they used to be compared to the casual titles.

 

[RobertM]

That blackboard list is stupid.
Kid Icarus is coming before Mario Kart.

You're clearly missing the point.

 

[neoanarch]

Ok, here we go.

What will happen? Stay tuned to the GAF NPD threads for the answer!

3DS lite XL

 

[Ninja Scooter]

People not knowing that the 3DS is the next gen system is rather valid, considering a couple days ago, I was at a Walmart in Eagle River, so I checked out the 3DS.

It had a DS game
It was a touch screen based game that you can't even access the stylus.
Bent backwards knowing it would break.

Just awful.

As for the chart, Why are the first 5 even on there?

also WTF is the deal with the super powered magnets on the 3DS displays? I thought I was gonna be crowned King of England for pulling that goddamn thing off.

 

[allan-bh]

3ds sales are going to drop much lower. ocarina won't do shit, and by august it'll be below 60k.

Below 60k?

I don't believe that and I think Zelda will push some hardware.

 

[Skiesofwonder]

Looking back, I can't believe Nintendo didn't have any casual offerings at this E3. I'm thinking (hoping) it will start releasing Brain Age, New AR games, Mii 3D games, new Face Raider, etc. through the Eshop for a cheaper price.

Surely they aren't going to abandon what made the Wii/DS so popular and mainstream?!?!?

 

[Cromat]

Nintendo 3DS - $250 with $35-$40 dollar games
Apple iPod Touch 32GB - $300 with $1 dollar games

It simply is a terrible value proposition for most customers. The rules have changed.

 

[CoffeeJanitor]

One has to wonder though, why do they need a 3DS if they don't care about 3D and already have a DS? Particularly, if numbers like this keep the trickling of software limited to Nintendo releases while some parties decide to stick to releasing DS software that can tap into that established market. After all, the 3D does nothing for the gameplay, so outside of the analog pad there isn't much in the way of control innovation going on in the thing (if one wants to call a PSP-style analog nub innovation). Unless, of course, Nintendo is going to enforce 3rd-party migration to 3DS by refusing to license anything that's only for the DS.

Nintendo software pretty much.

I was thinking about the fact that this thing only has one analog today and how bad of an idea that is. I know it fits Nintendo's pattern for handheld control additions but this system is pushing cube-like visuals and thus is going to have a ton of 3D games.

The potential for MH3D was there but the lack of a second analog killed it I think.

 

[Black Republican]

hmm, maybe i should wait for the 3ds price drop

 

[kaiwing]

Truthfully, working at Gamestop has shown me how much Nintendo has bungled the 3DS. Software availability aside, it's painfully obvious that the 3DS should have been called something else and have had a MASSIVE marketing campaign. Yes, the hardcore got it, but the DS didn't become the behemoth that it was by appealing only to the hardcore. Everyday I get a couple of customers that don't understand why they should get a 3DS and if there's a difference between the DS models. Thank goodness that I have mine loaded with all the E3 videos from Nintendo's store otherwise they still wouldn't see the difference.

Come this fall, those ads better show off how much more powerful the system is compared to the old ones. As in PS1 to PS2 different AND all the great titles coming out.

 

[Kai Dracon]

Nintendo 3DS - $250 with $35-$40 dollar games
Apple iPod Touch 32GB - $300 with $1 dollar games

It simply is a terrible value proposition for most customers. The rules have changed.

Whether or not the rules have changed depends on most children, teenagers, and adults who bought a DS and millions of DS games suddenly want to mostly play tower defense, cut ropes, and fling birds as their primary form of entertainment.

The $1 dollar games may weed out the *actual* casuals. The people who are LITERALLY casual about wanting nothing more from gaming than a 2 minute distraction between power shakes.

Instead of most people who have played portable video game systems suddenly wanting nothing but what $1 games offer, I find it more plausible that these are overlapping but ultimately parallel markets. And the primary reason for the 3DS's slow start boils down to:

Price.

Horrible launch if you don't love fighting games.

Horrible advertising and marketing leaving people not even aware the 3DS exists as a discreet platform.

Nintendo got attention last E3 with the 3DS because the big reveal presentation pushed the 3DS as something new and it leveraged all sorts of content like 3D movies, 3DS netflix or similar services, etc etc. The 3DS had media hype and public attention for a short while because it was being pushed.

Nintendo then turned around and launched it with no mass market software, almost none of the promised features, none of the other uses to take advantage of the 3D screen, then took nearly 2 months to even BEGIN to update its components, and draw near the release of the first significant game. (Zelda.)

Oh and they didn't do anything to make it clear it was anything other than a DS with a 3D screen.

The iPod Touch could not even exist, and the 3DS launch would be abysmal.

 

[dallow_bg]

I love how you can still see the old PS3 games ’erased' on the board.
Great touch!

 

[UntoldDreams]

Nintendo lost its mojo on the 3DS. Really it was pretty self inflicted.

Its like Disney making a movie which doesn't appeal to kids but is ok with adults.
The synergy they had was "everyone play" for Nintendo was broken with 3DS.

With the 3DS its a 3D feature which "most of you won't care for, and it might be bad for children's developing eyesight - no promises here!".

Also we raised the price to $250 because we know you love your children.

I don't see the casual family/children demographic buying this in droves which really cuts down on the demographic.

 

[Trent Strong]

I'm more surprised by the lackluster PS3 sales.

 

[Gaborn]

as long as PSVita sales = 0 3DS has time to turn it around. Still a disappointing number though.

 

[fernoca]

Yeah, awesome board chubi. <3! XD

 

[gimmmick]

The 3DS is the new ps3.

 

[okenny]

So this is what it's come down to: No other platform holder is willing to say anything? I remember when Sony and Nintendo was kicking Microsoft's ass in console sales and crazies where releasing negative-growth charts declaring the death of the 360 (etc...). Did Microsoft not sack up and come out and spin their shit like a pulsar? Did Microsoft not generate enough centripetal hype to reverse the gravitational pull of a black hole? Now these guys [Nintendo and Sony] get their ass kicked for some

Spoiler

many

months and they clamp shut like weak dick-less pussies. This shit's pathetic.

 

[Gaborn]

So this is what it's come down to: No other platform holder is willing to say anything? I remember when Sony and Nintendo was kicking Microsoft's ass in console sales and crazies where releasing negative-growth charts declaring the death of the 360 (etc...). Did Microsoft not sack up and come out and spin their shit like a pulsar? Did Microsoft not generate enough centripetal hype to reverse the gravitational pull of a black hole? Now these guys get their ass kicked for some

Spoiler

many

months and they clamp shut like weak dick-less pussies. This shit's pathetic.

In fairness to MS we didn't get PSP numbers either and haven't pretty much since the gimped NPD began.

 

[Delio]

Ok, here we go.

What will happen? Stay tuned to the GAF NPD threads for the answer!

Oh so we have this now? 3DS is doomed then i doubt any of those will save it.

 

[Zabka]

Nintendo software pretty much.

I was thinking about the fact that this thing only has one analog today and how bad of an idea that is. I know it fits Nintendo's pattern for handheld control additions but this system is pushing cube-like visuals and thus is going to have a ton of 3D games.

The potential for MH3D was there but the lack of a second analog killed it I think.

Nintendo likes limiting these things for some reason. I can sort of understand the DS not having an analog stick/pad even though it had N64 level graphics.

The GBA being similar to the SNES in power but missing two buttons? Unforgivable.

 

[_Alkaline_]

Are those Wii sales correct?

Find it kinda odd that PS3 would be last.

 

[okenny]

In fairness to MS we didn't get PSP numbers either and haven't pretty much since the gimped NPD began.

Just to be clear, I'm saying Nintendo and Sony are part of the offending female anatomy :|

 

[Delio]

Nintendo 3DS - $250 with $35-$40 dollar games
Apple iPod Touch 32GB - $300 with $1 dollar games

It simply is a terrible value proposition for most customers. The rules have changed.

Going by that the Vita will be just AS fucked. Guess dedicated handhelds are dead.

 

[pseudocaesar]

I'm more surprised by the lackluster PS3 sales.

Im not. PSN was down and it still grew YOY, im sure some people were expecting a big decline.

 

[clav]

Whoa people are still buying Wiis?

09. Just Dance 2 (Wii) Ubisoft

Ah.

 

[Atomski]

Are those Wii sales correct?

Find it kinda odd that PS3 would be last.

These sales were around the PSN debacle right? I find it surprising it sold as well as it did..

 

[StickSoldier]

Damn Nintendo is fucking up on the 3DS. First off, holding off games for 3rd parties seemed like a good idea at the beginning, but they aren't releasing shit themselves, so consumers suffer from a lack of games. The price doesn't help much either. I mean I dropped the $250 for it, but I'm a sucker for a Nintendo handheld. I can easily see why the handheld isn't selling that well though. Hopefully Zelda will push a few more sells, but I can easily see it not really doing much.

 

[Delio]

Damn Nintendo is fucking up on the 3DS. First off, holding off games for 3rd parties seemed like a good idea at first, but they aren't releasing shit themselves, so consumers suffer from a lack of games. The price doesn't help much either. I mean I dropped the $250 for it, but I'm a sucker for a Nintendo handheld. I can easily see why the handheld isn't selling that well though. Hopefully Zelda will push a few more sells, but I can easily see it not really doing much.

Zelda wont do anything. And xmas might not get a huge push either..

 

[duk]

I am surprised Wii beat the PS3, still selling okay then. But goes to show how well MS and Sony are keeping their systems a live longer.