Nintendo Admits 3DS Sales Are "Below Expectations"

[vansau]

Nintendo Admits 3DS Sales Are "Below Expectations"

Despite a lot of hype and strong initial sales, the 3DS hasn't sold as well as Nintendo would've liked.

In spite of some incredibly optimistic early predictions and a massive number of pre-orders, Nintendo's 3DS system hasn't sold as well as a lot of folks expected. Even Nintendo has admitted that the handheld isn't doing as well as it hoped.

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, when speaking to investors at E3, explained that, "It's fair to say that while Nintendo 3DS had a strong launch day, the results since then have not met our expectations. By which I mean to say that although pre-orders for this system were very strong and initial impressions of this system were very positive, those early indicators stand in conflict with where the system is at today. So, I can't say there are no issues at present."

This isn't too surprising. <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103863-Nintendo-Predicts-4-Million-3DS-Sales-in-First-Month>Back in September, Nintendo predicted that 4 million units would be sold within the first month of system's launch. <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/108836-Nintendo-Calls-US-3DS-Launch-a-Smashing-Success>Initial sales were great, but the 3DS's first month didn't quite measure up to the early predictions. As a result, <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/110228-GameStop-Predicts-Slower-than-Expected-Sales-for-the-3DS-in-the-Future>GameStop announced that it expected slower 3DS sales in the future.

According to Iwata, though, this isn't too surprising: "The current situation resulted from the fact that the delay of developing Nintendo 3DS software and launching online services, like Nintendo eShop, 3D video services and so forth, occurred simultaneously, so we could not meet people's high expectations that they had before its launch, and we did not see momentum after the launch."

However, in spite of the slower sales, Iwata doesn't seem too worried. He thinks sales will pick up once more heavily-anticipated games - like <a href=http://www.amazon.com/Legend-Zelda-Ocarina-Time-Nintendo-3DS/dp/B003O6E800/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308157926&sr=8-1>The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D - are released, as well as when the Nintendo eShop and 3D video services come online.

Source: <a href=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-06-15-nintendo-3ds-sales-below-expectations>Eurogamer

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[Lacsapix]

Now If microsoft admits kinect was only good for hacking purposes.
and if sony admits that the move controller was doomed from start.
then this world would have a better tomorrow.

 

[GrizzlerBorno]

You know what they say about expectations Nintendo:

Don't have them.

Also, have a competent launch line-up. They say THAT too.

 

[Mr. Omega]

The launch line-up was pretty bad. Combine that with the fact that a lot of features that could be selling points, such as the massive amount of first-party games, the E-Shop and Virtual Shop for retro handheld games and certain third party launches weren't there at first. Add to the fact that there was almost no advertising for the 3DS, and it's not that big a surprise it didn't meet that very lofty goal. The 3DS is a great system. It just wasn't ready for a earth-shattering launch. Sales will pick up once the games come out.

 

[therandombear]

Ofc it hasn't sold too well..yet, it is as mentioned in the end of the article. No games for it yet...well that people really want that is

OoT 3D, Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros, Luigis Mansion 2...more Zelda and more goodness, also Lylat Wars remake...

 

[Palademon]

It's not seeling well because it has no games. Most launch titles were just re-releases of old games, and if they weren't they were multiplatform games, or short 3D technical exercises.

I'm looking forward to Ocarina 3D, but the system really needs some of its own games. I haven't bought a DS game in a while, and the next game I'll probably buy for a Nintendo handheld is a game being released for the original DS.

 

[TimeLord]

Maybe if they released some decent lauch titles for it! My 3DS still exists only to play Pokemon White because all the 3DS launch titles are mediocre!

I was hoping that Pkm White and Black would coincide with the 3DS release and be 3DS titles. Sadly not.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

There are a ton of games coming out for the 3D64 3DS that I'm looking forward too but only two of the currently available ones really appeal to me.

The main thing keeping me from grabbing a 3DS is the battery life. I would like to waltz into (insert name of retailer) on the day Ocarina of Time 643D comes out and pick that up with my shiny new console but after E3, with news of a SSB3D and Star Fox 643D on the way, I might as well wait a bit longer to see when we'll be getting a price drop...or a new model with a better battery...or at least more color options.

If I had to get one now I'd go for the blue but I really want a purple one and my GF would import for Pink.

 

[mjc0961]

Yeah, I have a sneaking suspicion that sales are going to increase next week. Can't figure out why though...

3D64

If I had to get one now I'd go for the blue but I really want a purple one and my GF would import for Pink.

ZING!

Anyway, your girlfriend shouldn't import a 3DS, unless she wants to import all her games too. 3DS is region locked.

 

[-Dragmire-]

aside from the game lineup problem, I think the ToS needs to be redone.

"Some of the clauses that are most disturbing include Nintendo claiming ownership rights to videos and pictures captured with the device..." (Imagine if your digital camera said that)

source: http://www.gamepolitics.com/2011/05/27/nintendo-thick-brick-3ds-tos

edit: sane countries in the uk apparently don't have this particular problem

 

[Zoomy]

I think a lot of people are like myself; waiting for the 3DS Lite.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

Yeah, I have a sneaking suspicion that sales are going to increase next week. Can't figure out why though...

3D64

If I had to get one now I'd go for the blue but I really want a purple one and my GF would import for Pink.

ZING!

Anyway, your girlfriend shouldn't import a 3DS, unless she wants to import all her games too. 3DS is region locked.

The only games I really play on my DS are Pokemon and JUMP Ultimate Star which I had to import anyway. Stupid region locks...that was my favorite thing about the DS family, no strict region locking (except that you couldn't play Black or White on a foreign DSi or XL. lite or DS original and you're fine though which was kinda weird)

 

[NickCaligo42]

High expectations? We expected there to be some games. Since launch the most compelling thing I can think of on the shelf is Pilot Wings, and that's unbelievably pathetic as I recall Pilot Wings as one of the worst games I had the displeasure of wasting money on when I had an N64. Seriously, you can't launch a $250 handheld and expect it to sell without something really, really good. They should've waited to launch this thing. Even then I probably wouldn't have bought it, because the best games they're showing are re-makes of games I have played and beaten to death.

I wonder what Vita's going to launch with. This is just speaking from my personal taste, but Sony had better have something more interesting than "ooh, look, Uncharted! Now you can play that unimpressive, over-budgeted game you don't like on a handheld!" This goes for all the major PS3 franchises that they're trying to push handheld versions of, too--I have those games already, I don't need to play them again on a handheld, I want the handheld to give me something new and different. Especially THIS handheld, because ideally its huge variety of new inputs--multitouch, etc.--offer interesting UI opportunities for developers to take advantage of.

 

[ASnogarD]

Not suprised , I bought the DS near launch and was seriously underwhelmed at the lack of DS titles for AGGGEEESSS... damn thing played more GBA titles than DS stuff ( IIRC I only had Metroid Hunters demo and a Ridge Racer for the DS ).

... then theres the DSlite , DSi , DS bigger screen , DS more stuff , DS becauseweneedtosellanotherDS , DS bullshit.

Like me, most have just basically decided to wait up a few months , price drops and / or improved version comes out and theres more titles, and to sweeten the pot a few bargain bin titles waiting at that time.

 

[yanipheonu]

I really don't think it's the games, by that mentality the DS should have sold less at this point.

It's not seeling well because it has no games. Most launch titles were just re-releases of old games, and if they weren't they were multiplatform games, or short 3D technical exercises.

Well yeah. That's half the point really, portable versions of existing games and franchises. It is a PORTABLE console after all. The original games will come but it's going to take a while. Don't get a portable at launch if you want worthwhile original games.

Any case, basing off history, it probably isn't really the game lineup that's causing it, though it was missing a game liek Mario 64 so prehaps OoT will pick things up. Just that 3D is a harder sell than the first toucscreen gaming device and there's still trouble in Japan from the earthquake so that doesn't help.

Though the lineup coming up looks great so things should pick up pretty quickly. People are just being drama queens.

 

[The.Bard]

And to think, I thought it was because the children who bought it were falling down in the street and spontaneously going blind.

Thanks for clarifying, Nintendo... you just didn't have enough product to fulfill the insatiable demand for a handheld platform with 3D, the technology we all wish time forgot.

Now I know, and knowing is a small portion of winning at a combat... encounter... thingy.

 

[JoJo]

I've said it before, I'll say it again: Nintendo the reason I haven't bought your console yet is that there aren't enough games on it worth buying! Expand your library a bit more and my moneies shall be yours.

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

It's lack of sales has an obvious reason behind it: no gaems.

The 3DS has a strong upcoming line-up, but right now it's lacking. With the PSVita on the horizon at a similar kind of price (kind of, I assume everyone who is interested would want the 3G version) if Sony ever had a chance of taking the crown, it's now or never.

I expect the 3DS to have the larger library, so that's the handheld I'm more interested in.

 

[nik3daz]

I'm a huge N64 fan. I've replayed Ocarina of Time and Star Fox 64 countless times. I was totally psyched that these two games were going to be rereleased because I assumed they'd hack in a few extra dungeons/levels while they were doing the port.

Unfortunately, they didn't and the minor additions just don't seem to justify buying a new handheld (screw 3D, I want gameplay).

I'll be waiting for exclusive titles at the very least.