The 3D system that could is breaking sales records in Japan.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/28883
The 3DS broke Enterbrain's single-month sales record in December, according to Japanese website Sankei News.
Nintendo sold 1,492,931 3DS units in December, which broke Enterbrain's sales record, which began tracking in 1997. Enterbrain's sales coverage began on November 28 and ended on December 25. Nintendo's 3D system has claimed the top of the sales charts for seven months in a row.
Nintendo has been experiencing great success with the 3DS, despite a slow sales start which caused Nintendo to drop the price of the system and analysts suggesting that Nintendo adopt mobile gaming. Since then, the 3DS has sold over four million units in Japan, and several titles have crossed the million unit mark.
What held the previous record?
... despite a slow sales start which caused Nintendo to drop the price of the system and analysts suggesting that Nintendo adopt mobile gaming. Since then, the 3DS has sold over four million units in Japan, and several titles have crossed the million unit mark.
Quote... despite a slow sales start which caused Nintendo to drop the price of the system and analysts suggesting that Nintendo adopt mobile gaming. Since then, the 3DS has sold over four million units in Japan, and several titles have crossed the million unit mark.
I really wish that paragraph went on to say: "Those responsible for such foolish and short-sighted claims have since been removed from their jobs in the fields of game media and analysis."
*sigh*... maybe next week.
Quote... despite a slow sales start which caused Nintendo to drop the price of the system and analysts suggesting that Nintendo adopt mobile gaming. Since then, the 3DS has sold over four million units in Japan, and several titles have crossed the million unit mark.
I really wish that paragraph went on to say: "Those responsible for such foolish and short-sighted claims have since been removed from their jobs in the fields of game media and analysis."
*sigh*... maybe next week.
In the years 1997 or so until early 2006 someone could argue Nintendo was "doomed" and there would be a good reason to take those arguments seriously, because Nintendo wasn't doing very well during this time. But from mid-2006 onwards anyone who says Nintendo is doomed deserves to have rotten tomatoes hurled at them, because the success of the Wii and DS clearly shows that argument is a bunch of bullshit.
That's not to say Nintendo couldn't slide back into dark times yet again, but something like that could only happen with a major hardware blunder like a stupid decision to use cartridges with the N64, for example. The Wii U may not be a perfect system, but there's nothing about it that suggests Nintendo is going to drop from 1st place down to a distant 3rd because of it. So if Nintendo is ever going to be truly "doomed" again, it probably isn't going to be anytime soon. Certainly not in the 8th generation anyway.
In the years 1997 or so until early 2006 someone could argue Nintendo was "doomed" and there would be a good reason to take those arguments seriously, because Nintendo wasn't doing very well during this time.I'm not so sure it was even so valid back then. Nintendo may not have been anywhere near selling as many home consoles as its strongest competitor, but they were still profitable, sometimes moreso than Sony with their PS1/2. Meanwhile, nobody spelled doom for Microsoft and their XBox, which sold equally low compared to the PS2 but lost billions of dollars for the company.
To play devil's advocate a bit, it's not easy to hold onto the mainstream, nongamer market that Nintendo carved out with the Wii and DS. They have yet to demonstrate something that would be likely to get those kind of people to pay $300+ for a new system. Without those people, they're right back where they were with the GameCube.To be fair on this point, Nintendo haven't shown anything for the Wii U that would convince anyone to buy it, casual or otherwise. And they won't, until they show some actual software and not just concept and tech demos. Also, I don't believe that hardcore gamers are very loyal; everyone ditched Nintendo and Sega in favour of Sony's PlayStation, so if Wii U offers the games that everyone wants, they'll have no trouble buying one.
Nintendo haven't shown anything for the Wii U that would convince anyone to buy it, casual or otherwise. And they won't, until they show some actual software and not just concept and tech demos.
To play devil's advocate a bit, it's not easy to hold onto the mainstream, nongamer market that Nintendo carved out with the Wii and DS. They have yet to demonstrate something that would be likely to get those kind of people to pay $300+ for a new system. Without those people, they're right back where they were with the GameCube.
Not saying Nintendo won't find a way to do it, and I do think there are a lot of people who are too quick to discount them, but success like they got last time around is far from assured.
