[Illustration by David Cardenas]
There was a lot of hoopla in 2011 about the 3DS being a huge success, a total failure, doomed by Nubageddon, rescued by Mario, and so forth. It was all pretty dramatic. When you sit back an look at the numbers though, it all seems pretty calm and straight forward.
According to these graphs by Nintendo-Master.com, it looks like the 3DS generally had a weaker start than the DS, a similar lull in the middle, and a much better end to its first 45 weeks of sales, capping things off by breaking records for the most sales of a videogame console in one month in Japan. Clearly, Nintendo was right for saying that they were concerned about the console's sales shortly out of the gate, and more importantly, and in their attempts to right the course of the consoles growth (price drop, game giveaways, release of popular franchises, implementation of multiple new features).
It's nice to see Nintendo's hard work and sacrifice pay off. I'm especially happy to see newly added free applications like Swapnote (the best in-console messaging system and mini-comic creation software EVER) be so warmly received by both existing 3DS fans and newcomers alike. Here's to Nintendo carrying that momentum into 2012 -- a great year for videogame journalism.
Another look at DS Vs. 3DS first year sales [GoNintendo]
Jonathan Holmes is the most lovable Associate Editor on Destructoid. Catch him on videos, original editorials, and on back episodes of the Destructoid Show and MTV's Road Rules. Jonathan is a retro gamer's gamer.
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Contest:
2:00 PM on 01.07.2012 | 
With finally some exciting third party games to look forward to this year, 2012 will be a better year for the 3DS.
I can't wait for Resident Evil Revelations, Tekken 3D, and Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance.
Although the 3DS still has a flaw that I think brings it down. A lot of the games that really push the graphics capabilities cause the framerate to stutter badly when playing in 3D mode. People have told me, "just turn off the 3D", but then you're basically defeating the main purpose of the 3DS. Might as well just get a Vita after that. But, like I said, I trust Nintendo with handhelds, so I expect a ton of great first and third party titles on the 3DS in the near future to make the purchase feel worthwhile.
@PixelKnot93 I too am looking forward alot to KH:3D but would it kill you not to buy the new Resi? Capcom really do not deserve the sale at the moment.
mario and the price drop really did wonders for the 3ds.
With that said cant wait for RE revelations, MGS3D, and Fire Emblem.
If Nintendo would make another 2D style Metroid for 3DS I'd be one happy camper.
Couple that price with several independent reports that the system costs Nintendo $100-$150 to make (tops), and that the Vita was right around the corner at the same price but for a ridiculously more powerful machine and you've got a recipe for bad sales.
The whole thing just seemed like Nintendo making these choices simply because they thought they could get away with it. 3D that everyone turns off after 10 minutes is totally worth it, guys!
Now, the system is reasonably priced (not a big step up from a DSi), has more games and a brighter future. Makes perfect sense that it's selling like hotcakes now.
I just hope the Vita takes a similar route (though it definitely won't get such a big price drop so soon) and has increased sales. That thing has too much damn potential and I would be so sad to see it fail.
Hopefully it can at least pull in some PSP-like numbers, because in the grand scheme of things, the PSP is the most successful, non-Nintendo, portable gaming machine ever.
Out of curiosity, what titles have given you framerate issues with the 3D on? I haven't had any problems. But then again, we're probably playing different games.
The rpgs are coming(in Japan at least.)
Bravely default, fire emblem, beyond the labyrinth (which all release early this year, if I'm not mistaken) and paper mario...
And this list could just continue to grow if history repeats itself.
@joe
I don't think the 3ds is sold at a loss. My understanding is the loss they spoke of was that overall sales were less than expected, resulting in a price drop to meet those sales numbers meaning less money overall.
I am honestly shocked that he hasn't commented yet. Maybe he's like Beetlejuice or the Candyman and you have to say his name a certain number of times before he pops up?
That is what happened in that other thread.
Although, why would he complain? This article is true and positive.
Dead or Alive, Sonic Generations, Street Fighter 4, I'm sure there are others.
You won't find many framerate issues in first party games because Nintendo optimizes their games to be run in 3D. That is also why first party games' graphics aren't as nice as third party games. (Look at Ocarina of Time compared to Dead or Alive, one looks like PS2, while the other looks like PS3.)
Plus I finally get a new Monster Hunter. That's justification enough!
Doa to my experience has occasionally hicups, but they don't crop up continuously. Otherwise, in 3d the framerate is consistent although slower than without tge 3d.
If you want framerate/lag issues, try harvest moon.(although sometimes it runs funny without 3d on...) cave story has occasional hiccups too, though not deal breaking.
Just trying to help the little guy!
SM 3D Land is the best 3D looking game I've ever seen, where the 3D improves gameplay. No idea what morons keep bitching about things that don't exist. Gamers have became giant babies in this modern age. It's so annoying.
I said all along that the 3DS would be fine. Destructoid lemmings love to bash things when they're down and they have ZERO patience. Just like their troll leader, Jim.
The reason the DS had a slow launch was because it was being taunted as being a portable N64 with games similar to it (such as a Mario 64 port that nobody bought). Since the N64 was a decline in sales from the SNES, the result was that the DS got outsold by the PSP.
When the DS got rebranded as a portable SNES with NES/SNES-like games (FF3, NSMB, Mario Kart, etc), the system's sales exploded.
People better realize that the 3DS is coming off the success of the DS, one of the most successful portable handhelds ever, but the fact is that the system's hardware and software philosophy is going back to the N64 and Game Cube, Nintendo's least successful consoles. The 3DS is selling so "fast" but it isn't becoming a phenomenon as the DS did. Nobody is talking about how the 3DS is making gaming more exciting because the 3DS isn't making gaming more exciting, as that's not the reason it was built.
These sales are mostly to the N64/Game Cube audience. It's also to kids with the massive price drops. But you don't see Nintendo market to everyone; not adults, to the elderly, or to couples. The 3DS's strongest game maybe Mario Kart 7. And that's only because it's developer seems to be the only person in Nintendo of Japan that doesn't have his head up his own ass.
Nintendo is trying to emulate Sony and Microsoft because its developers had to make games they didn't want to make on the Wii and DS (games that actually sold but took work and effort and were not fun to make for developers). The 3DS is an excuse for Nintendo's developers to make games they have fun making but are not fun to play and do not excite the mass market to embrace gaming in the mainstream as the Wii and DS did.
I'm sorry, Nintendo can spin all it wants, but it is very hard to ignore the fact that the 3DS COST NINTENDO OVER ONE BILLION DOLLARS IN FUCKING LOSSES!
I mean, the fact that the 3DS can do this well, breaking sales records in Japan, is very reassuring for the handheld lover, whether it's 3DS or Vita. Remember when iDevices had apparently taken over and dedicated handhelds were useless? Well apparently not. That makes me very happy, as an iFuture is not one I'm into.
Funny how you took the bait.
@Jonathan Holmes, really cool to think of the little guy like that! you're awesome!
Hey it hasn't even happened yet, give it a few weeks ;)
But yeah, I'm kinda glad to see the way things have turned out, even if I was one of the people totally pissed by the launch and everything after. Up until August everything seemed dismal then -poof- turned right around pretty quickly.
This year the third parties will keep things going, at least in febuary.. MGS and RE on the same system in one month.. So much money will be spent.