Nintendo 3DS

Gaming
June 18, 2013
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Video Game Sales May 2013

Nintendo 3DS outsold Xbox 360 in May as Wii U continued to flounder

By on June 18, 2013 at 3:45 PM.

Nintendo 3DS outsold Xbox 360 in May as Wii U continued to flounder

The video game industry continued its downward spiral in May. According to research firm NPD Group, retail sales of hardware, software and gaming accessories in the U.S. fell 25% to $386.3 million last month, their lowest level thus far in 2013. Hardware and software sales fell 31% year-over-year to $96 million and $175.1 million, respectively, while sales of gaming accessories declined 6% year-over-year to $115.3 million. Including sales of used games, rental and digitally delivered content, micro-transactions, subscriptions, mobile apps and social network games, consumers spent a total of $787 million on video games in May. More →

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Business
July 16, 2012
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Nintendo continues to dominate portable console gaming as U.S. 3DS sales top 5 million

By on July 16, 2012 at 9:30 PM.

Nintendo continues to dominate portable console gaming as U.S. 3DS sales top 5 million

Nintendo 3DS U.S. Sales

Nintendo announced last week that sales of its 3DS portable gaming console surpassed 5 million units in the United States, a 500,000 device increase from March. The gaming company, which is attempting to recover from an annual loss, in June sold more than 155,000 3DS consoles, more than 150,000 original DS handhelds and almost 95,000 Wii consoles, Bloomberg reported. For the second consecutive month, Nintendo controlled 75% of portable-hardware sales. The company is predicting a 37% sales jump with the introduction of the 3DS XL, a new handheld that features a 90% larger viewing area, for $199 on August 19th. Nintendo will also launch its next-generation Wii U console ahead of the holidays, and both devices are expected to help the company return to profit this fiscal year. More →

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Gaming
June 8, 2012
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Tablets and smartphones are turning handheld gaming devices into a niche

By on June 8, 2012 at 10:15 PM.

Tablets and smartphones are turning handheld gaming devices into a niche

Mobile Gaming Handheld Devices Study

A new study from ABI Research found that Sony and Nintendo are struggling against the rise of smartphones and tablets in gaming. The two companies are expected to ship more than 38 million handheld gaming devices in 2013, a number significantly lower than the previous peak of 47 million units in 2008. Shipments after 2013 are expected to continue to decline, and the firm says handheld gaming devices will only survive as a niche, while smartphone and tablet sales continue to increase. “Mobile devices will compete with dedicated handheld gaming devices, but select consumer segments like core gamers and those individuals who do not want or have a smartphone or tablet will still provide some demand,” senior ABI analyst Michael Inouye said. “The addition of mobile gaming is not necessarily a zero sum situation; in fact, many feel there is plenty of room in the gaming market for both portable and mobile gaming.” Read on for ABI Research’s press release. More →

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Business
March 6, 2012
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Nintendo 3DS sales in U.S. reach 4.5 million in first year

By on March 6, 2012 at 9:55 PM.

Nintendo 3DS sales in U.S. reach 4.5 million in first year

Nintendo on Tuesday announced that it has sold 4.5 million 3DS units in the handset’s first year of U.S. availability. Sales thus far have outpaced Nintendo’s original DS, which sold 2.3 million units in the U.S. during its first 12 months. Since launching last March, the 3DS has reached over 100 titles with over 9 million games sold, accounting for over $1.2 billion in total sales. “Nintendo 3DS closes its first year with a lengthy list of accomplishments but we’re still just scratching the surface,” said Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime. “With a massive lineup of first- and third-party games and more on the way, a budding library of entertainment options and an engaged and growing installed base, Nintendo 3DS has an incredibly bright future. We’re just getting started but this platform is built for the long haul.” Read on for Nintendo’s press release. More →

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Business
February 10, 2012
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Video game sales plummet in January, Xbox leads consoles for sixth straight month

By on February 10, 2012 at 4:40 PM.

Video game sales plummet in January, Xbox leads consoles for sixth straight month

Sales of video game hardware and software in the United States plummeted last month according to new data from market research firm The NPD Group. The firm’s January figures suggest that sales of video game hardware fell 38% to $199.5 million, down from $324 million in January 2011. Video game software sales slid 38% as well in January, falling to $355.9 million, and sales of accessories in the U.S. dropped 18% year-on-year to $195.2 million. Total industry sales were down 34% to $750.6 million. “January retail performance experienced steep declines with a lack of software launches, and poor Hardware and Accessory performance partly related to bad comps from Kinect-related success in Jan’11,” NPD analyst Liam Callahan said in a statement. “Outside of new physical retail sales, we estimate that the consumer spend on other ways to acquire content including used games, full game and add-on content downloads, social network games, mobile games, rentals and subscriptions accounted for an additional $350 – $400 million in sales.” Callahan noted that Microsoft’s Xbox 360 was the best-selling console for the sixth consecutive month in January, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was the top-selling software title. A complete list of NPD’s top-10 games for the month follows below. More →

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Business
January 3, 2012
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Nintendo 3DS sales surpass 4 million units, U.S. Wii sales top 4.5 million consoles in 2011

By on January 3, 2012 at 9:00 PM.

Nintendo 3DS sales surpass 4 million units, U.S. Wii sales top 4.5 million consoles in 2011

Nintendo announced on Tuesday that it has shipped more than 4 million 3DS units worldwide in nine months. That’s more than the number of Wii units Nintendo sold during that console’s first nine months on the market, though Nintendo did announce that it sold more than 4.5 million Wiis in the U.S. alone last year. “One of the strongest software lineups in our history helped Nintendo have a great holiday season and to close 2011 with a full head of steam,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “Not only have the new Mario and Zelda titles already broken records, but with strong reviews and satisfied customers sharing their positive experiences, all three are also shaping up to be the latest long-tail titles from Nintendo. Couple that with a massive first- and third party lineup in the first part of the year and the prospects for 2012 are extremely promising.” The 3DS initially had a slow start, but Nintendo’s decision to slash the price of the console helped boost sales almost immediately. The addition of new hit titles, such as Mario Kart 7, Super Mario 3D Land and the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D also helped attract new buyers. Nintendo’s full press release follows after the break. More →

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Business
December 1, 2011
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Nintendo Wii has biggest-ever Black Friday, new Zelda game sets sales record

By on December 1, 2011 at 1:30 AM.

Nintendo Wii has biggest-ever Black Friday, new Zelda game sets sales record

Nintendo announced earlier this week that the company kicked off the holiday shopping season with a bang, having seen record-setting sales of its Wii and multiple game titles. Nintendo sold more than 500,000 Wii consoles on Black Friday 2011 alone, making it the console’s biggest Black Friday ever. The company’s newest addition to the Zelda franchise, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, sold 535,000 copies since launching on November 20th to become the fastest-selling Zelda game of all time. Super Mario 3D Land, the first 3D Mario game for the Nintendo 3DS, sold more than 500,000 in two weeks, making it the fastest-selling Mario game of all time. Read on for more.

More →

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Business
September 9, 2011
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Nintendo 3DS sales jump 260% after price cut

By on September 9, 2011 at 9:00 PM.

Nintendo 3DS sales jump 260% after price cut

Nintendo’s president Satoru Iwata said sales of the company’s Nintendo 3DS device in Europe and the United States were weaker than expected after the portable gaming console made its debut in April for $250. However, Nintendo dropped the price of the 3Ds to $179 after the company reported its first quarterly operating loss. The move quickly boosted sales in Japan and has reportedly resulted in a huge boost of sales in the United States, too. Nintendo sold 50,000 units between August 1st and August 12th before slashing the price of the console. The company then sold 185,000 more units during the rest of August after it reduced the price, a figure that’s up 260% from the same 19-day time period in July according to figures Nintendo quoted from the NPD Group. “Consumers are responding very positively to the new suggested retail price of $169.99 for the Nintendo 3DS,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “With Star Fox 64 3D and the new Flame Red color launching [on September 9th], and Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 arriving later this year, Nintendo 3DS will offer consumers cutting-edge entertainment and tremendous value this holiday season.” Read on for the full press release from Nintendo. More →

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Gaming
August 17, 2011
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Price drop leads to Nintendo 3DS sales boom in Japan

By on August 17, 2011 at 3:30 AM.

Price drop leads to Nintendo 3DS sales boom in Japan

Nintendo’s recent decision to drop the price of its Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming device looks to have paid off. In the device’s first full week of sales following Nintendo’s price drop, the company sold 215,000 units in Japan alone, where the 3DS now retails for 15,000 yen following its launch at 25,000 yen. Weekly sales of the portable 3D console dipped from 31,826 units to 16,415 in the week following Nintendo’s announcement that the price would soon drop, for obvious reasons. With sales in Japan having exploded by more than 13 times in the week following the 3DS price drop, it looks like the initial high price point may have been a big factor in the 3DS’ slow adoption up to this point. Nintendo lowered the price of its 3DS from $249.99 to $169.99 on August 11th in the U.S., so this week will mark the first full week of sales at the new lower price point here in America. More →

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3D
July 25, 2011
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Amazon stops selling Nintendo 3DS

By on July 25, 2011 at 5:30 PM.

Amazon stops selling Nintendo 3DS

Amazon has stopped directly selling the Nintendo 3DS citing customer complaints as the cause of its decision. The portable gaming console currently has 359 reviews and an average of 4/5 stars on Amazon’s website, which suggests customers are happy with the unit itself, but the online retailer has posted a note that states:

While this item is available from other marketplace sellers on this page, it is not currently offered by Amazon.com because customers have told us there may be something wrong with our inventory of the item, the way we are shipping it, or the way it’s described here. (Thanks for the tip!)

We’re working to fix the problem as quickly as possible.

It remains unclear but Amazon could have stopped selling the 3DS because of a mistake in its original listing or due to customer complaints on how the product arrived. Techland is speculating that cause could be the “rubber feet” on the top lid. These feet are supposedly not adequate enough to prevent the screen from rubbing against the keypad while the console is closed. Gamers can still purchase the Nintendo 3DS from third-party retailers on Amazon.com however, and from a number of additional retailers across the country. More →

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3D
July 15, 2011
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Nintendo DS outsold 3DS two-to-one in June

By on July 15, 2011 at 11:23 PM.

Nintendo DS outsold 3DS two-to-one in June

According to new figures released by Nintendo on Friday, the company sold twice as many Nintendo DS gaming consoles as it did newer Nintendo 3DS devices. The Japanese firm revealed that it sold 386,000 Nintendo DS systems as opposed to just 143,000 3DS units in June, according to MSNBC. It’s likely that the popularity of the DS can be attributed to its lower price point, but the small pool of 3D games could also be hurting 3DS sales; game publishers have yet to release some of the most anticipated 3D titles, such as The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time 3D. The gaming industry hasn’t jumped for the device as much as Nintendo had hoped, either. Although Nintendo said that it moved 400,000 units during its first week of U.S. availability, the firm also said overall sales were weaker than expected. More →

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Gaming
June 4, 2011
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Nintendo 3DS eShop and browser update landing on June 6th

By on June 4, 2011 at 4:00 AM.

Nintendo 3DS eShop and browser update landing on June 6th

On Friday Nintendo announced that the much anticipated software update for the 3DS — which will deliver the eShop application store, a web browser, and more — will officially be available on June 6th. Anyone who installs the update before July 7th will also get a free 3D version of the NES game Excitebike. Nintendo also announced that it will deploy new content to the eShop every Thursday including Gameboy, Gameboy Color, and more than 350 Nintendo DSiWare titles. The initial Gameboy titles include Super Mario Land, Alleyway, and Radar Mission. Unfortunately, there was no mention of Netflix support in the update, but we won’t have long to find out if that’s a last-minute addition. Hit the jump for the full press release. More →

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Gaming
May 12, 2011
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Nintendo 3DS eShop and browser landing on June 6th

By on May 12, 2011 at 11:27 PM.

Nintendo 3DS eShop and browser landing on June 6th

Nintendo will launch the 3DS web browser and eShop on June 6th during the E3 game tradeshow in Los Angeles. A post on Nintendo’s website confirms: “The Nintendo eShop will be enabled through a system update which has been announced for the evening of June 6, 2011. We’ll have more information for you after this update becomes available.” The eShop should allow 3DS users to download extra game content directly to their devices, although it’s unclear what else will be available at launch. Nintendo has said that a Netflix client is in the works, so our fingers are crossed that it’s part of the package, too. We reviewed the Nintendo 3DS in early April and the lack of an eShop, Netflix, and web browser, were some of our biggest gripes with the device. More →

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