Mario can’t save 3DS: Nintendo to miss 3DS sales target despite price drop, feature boost

By on Sep 14, 2011 at 12:00 AM
Business September 14, 2011

During the Nintendo 3DS Conference in Japan on Tuesday, Nintendo’s president Satoru Iwata discussed the company’s plans to boost interest in its 3D portable gaming console. Nintendo will add the ability to record 3D video on the device, which is currently only capable of snapping 3D photos, and will sell a new joystick add-on. Nintendo will also launch a pink 3DS in October in an effort to attract female gamers. But those new options as well as 43 new games, including Super Mario 3D Land, will not be enough to help the company meet its sales expectations according to analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. The analysts collectively estimated that Nintendo may miss its goal 16 million 3DS units sold goal by about 16%. Read on for more.

Reportedly, Nintendo may sell 2.5 million units by March 31st, which marks the halfway point for the company’s fiscal year. Those sales may have been spurred by Nintendo’s decision to drop the price of the console to $179, which consequently resulted in a 260% increase in sales. “[Nintendo] can’t compete with free or $0.99 downloads,” Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter said, comparing the system to the iPhone, iPad and iPod. Pachter estimates Nintendo will sell 10 million units for the fiscal year. “Nintendo should consider embracing social networks, even though it’s going to be a latecomer,” Daiwa SB Investments portfolio manager Koichi Ogawa told Bloomberg. “Even with the price cut, it’s hard to lure consumers as various platforms including the iPhone and iPad are available now. Those people wont use 3DS to play cards or mah-jongg.”

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15 Comments

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  • ElGeorge

    Well it seems that after so many years the Nintendo people can’t make a 3D gaming platform that can capture the hearts and pockets of gamers, because the same thing happened with the Nintendo Virtual Boy 15 years ago. Or perhaps is the whole concept of a 3D gaming device that won’t gain traction in the consumer ever no matter how is implemented?

    • Beedi

      Just like everything else 3D it’s going to fail. 3D in movies was fun for a little bit but then the corporations went 3D crazy and ruined it. 3D movies, 3D TV’s, 3D Blu-rays, 3D games… People are just sick of all this 3D shit.

  • Anonymous

    Aren’t most of the good games for it just remakes of old games anyway?

    • http://twitter.com/ocdtrekkie Jake Weisz

      I bought the console even at $250 just for Ocarina of Time 3D. Still not disappointed, it is GLORIOUS!

    • Drybones5

      But still, a remake of Ocarina of time is worth $250 + $30 to me, not even kidding.

      • http://twitter.com/drypulse bryan parker

        you have too much money

      • http://twitter.com/Darkcloud25 Cloud San

        its not having too much money is the question is how stupid are pple that the think phone gaming is cheap yes you buy a game that ranges from 0.99 – 9.99 but how expensive is your phone bill or the need to upgrade ur phone because one drops every 6 months and all the new games are not playable on your old phone because it lacks the hardware/memory or the fact that the phone manufacturer doesn’t allow the games to come to your old device just so you upgrade. think before responding now the factor killer how about buying phones or a $350 iPod touch “again this also changes often”  for your kids how expensive is that in the long run compared to a device that has a 10year run and only changes every 3-4 yrs. phone gaming is way more expensive than gaming on a PSV or a 3DS and the fact that they have your $0.99 games & free games. ALSO a shellshocker phones dont have parental lock on the so your kid takes your care and gets on wifi HAHA is all im going to say which is true because apple is in court right now for the same issue

  • http://twitter.com/drypulse bryan parker

    so do people not like the 3d or do they not like that the games looks like n64 games?

  • http://twitter.com/ocdtrekkie Jake Weisz

    Stop. Feeding. The. Analysts.

  • Jay0o1

    Terrible headline. Just because analysts say it, it doesn’t mean it’s going to be true. Which bgr portrays it as.

  • Securitywiz

    I had just bought my oldest son a dsi xl right before they announced the 3d model and I wasn’t going to turn around and buy the 3d version for $80 more

  • Janeqpublic151

    3DS will continue to miss expectations. The 3D technology they’re using is proving to be detrimental to children’s eyesight because their eyes are still developing. All of my children’s friends have non 3D DS and assorted game consoles, but no one has a 3DS because we’ve all heard that it’s bad for children’s eyesight. Kids are the largest part of Nimtendo’s target audience.

    • http://twitter.com/Darkcloud25 Cloud San

      really? this is the reason why parents are freaking lazy i have 3 kids that all have 3DS and they love it there 6,9 and 13 for my 6 and 9 all you HAVE TO DO like parents are suppose to is parental lock which gives you the ability to turn of 3d feature permanently even if the slider is used. it is completely disabled. My God this is why we parents read and see stuff in news article’s that talk about kids dying and getting rapped or worst kidnapped because of the lack of parental companion and protection or my favorite common sense!!!!

  • Anonymous

    I’d get one if it had a larger main screen.  I’ve always thought the DS looks a bit ridiculous with the big huge bezel and small screen.  Why not fill out the whole top half?

  • ooccoo

    Wow… Way to help the 3DS capture positive buzz BGR. Ugh. The system is far from dead, but will indeed face a less than ideal path to success. However, the system should pick up considerable buzz and sales once the steady stream of first party titles hit this fall, and will hopefully woo back the wait-and-see third parties that backed off when the system didn’t take off like Nintendo handhelds usually do. The 3DS is a good system, but 3D’s value in the grand scheme of things is beyond debatable. The system should have been a lot of things more than it is, but for what it is (and at its current price), it’s more than a solid system. Brand new Tanooki wearing Mario in an all new platformer? Mario Kart 7 with loads of new features? Luigi’s Mansion 2? A new Animal Crossing that just might be different enough to be fun again? Bravery Default? Yes, please, to all and more. I’m excited for the system and its games, but worried all the same. We shall all see how this plays out. The real test will come 12/17 or so when Vita releases in Japan. Will it steal the 3DS’s hope for renewed success and interest? Who knows. The Japanese market is just weird these days. Here’s to, however, gamers all around the world benefiting from this explosion in handheld gaming goodness.

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