The 3D system may surpass the first-year sales of the Nintendo DS.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/28408
First-year sales of the 3DS may surpass the first-year sales of the original DS console, according to sales data by the NPD Group.
The 3DS sold 1.65 million units since its launch early in the year and is fast approaching its first holiday season, which will include the releases of Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7. Nintendo expects the system to have surpassed sales of the DS once the holiday season is over.
The original DS sold 2.37 million units starting in November of 2004 and ending on October of 2005.
In October, the 3DS sold 250,000 units. In other Nintendo news, the Wii nearly sold 250,000 units, while the DS sold 180,000 units, despite the presence of the 3DS in the market. Combined, Nintendo moved 675,000 pieces of hardware in October.
The 3DS has seen great growth ever since the price drop happened earlier in the year. Recently in Japan the release of Super Mario 3D Land helped boost sales of the system.
Didn't the original DS do pretty poorly in its first year though?
So if the DS did poor in its first year then is the 3DS beating it in its first year really all that impressive? One could also point out how the 3DS has slaughtered the Virtual Boy, but is that really saying much?
there is a significant group of people who will be happy just with their original DS and never feel the need to upgrade
there is a significant group of people who will be happy just with their original DS and never feel the need to upgrade
Nintendo's job would be to make as many of them want the 3DS as possible by making the upgrade worth it to them. That mostly means killer apps. Any system launches with the majority of potential customers happy with their old system, it's up to the new one to prove itself.
My son been taking mine because of Skylanders. He likes putting hats on the characters and driving them around. He's 3...there is a significant group of people who will be happy just with their original DS and never feel the need to upgrade
Nintendo's job would be to make as many of them want the 3DS as possible by making the upgrade worth it to them. That mostly means killer apps. Any system launches with the majority of potential customers happy with their old system, it's up to the new one to prove itself.
I agree, but I also think that critical mass might happen sooner than we think. We've got 3D land and Mario Kart already, and I think those 2 might be enough to get younger, too young to be hardcore, gamers on board with the 3DS. I've heard kids in my daughter's kindergarten class talking about how much they want a 3DS for Christmas. Now, they're 5, and there's probably no way in hell their parents will buy them one, but I think this is one of the signs that awareness is starting to build.
As a parent, I see other kids alot, and I mean ALOT. I've seem to see mostly DSI's, sometimes DS Lites, and once in while a DsiXL. But the game I always see these kids playing is New Super Mario, Mario Kart, or Pokemon. Without exception.
"Any kid above the age of 5 is perfectly capable of playing on a portable system, some even younger."I'm not in a place to check but, I think you can turn off the 3D in the Parental controls.
But that's the rub though, kids under 7 shouldn't use an 3DS because 3D can cause problems with their eyes. Sure you can turn it off but how many kids would just flicker it back to 3D anyhow. My nephew, for example, wants one but I'm 99% sure he's going flip the toggle to 3D as soon as I turn my back. Nintendo should've enabled the software to turn it on or off that way you can enable parental controls on it.
"Any kid above the age of 5 is perfectly capable of playing on a portable system, some even younger."
But that's the rub though, kids under 7 shouldn't use an 3DS because 3D can cause problems with their eyes. Sure you can turn it off but how many kids would just flicker it back to 3D anyhow. My nephew, for example, wants one but I'm 99% sure he's going flip the toggle to 3D as soon as I turn my back. Nintendo should've enabled the software to turn it on or off that way you can enable parental controls on it.
I showed the 3DS to my 5-year-old niece and I asked her what she thought. She said, and I very nearly quote, "It's like the screen was coming out at me!"And you Replied: "Its Coming to EAT YOU!"
and people come back to reality.
This is exactly what I said would happened when people started bitching it was doing terrible just 6 weeks after release. Pure Hyperbole.
Prediction: 2 years from now Nintendo has some press conference talking about how its doing the best of any of its systems. This time though I'll know better and wait till the Second Iteration. You know the one with the built in 2nd joystick they'll announce soon.
bookmarking this page, so I can bump the **** out of it 2 years from now when this happens.