Nintendo 3DS reaches 4 million sales mark
Monday, January 09, 2012 11:47 AM
The Nintendo 3DS has sold over four million units in the US since launch, according to the latest figures from Nintendo.
Following media speculation that the 3DS' recent price cut would make it a particularly hot item for Christmas 2011, a press release from Nintendo revealed that the handheld had reached the four million milestone within nine months faster than the Wii.
Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 have become the first 3DS games to sell over a million copies, the company disclosed.
Nintendo sold more than 12 million units of hardware in the US in 2011, including more than 4.5 million Wiis and more than 3.4 million units of the DS family.
Speaking to Eurogamer, games industry analyst for Wedbush Morgan Michael Pachter said the 3DS had "turned a corner".
"It's very successful, but ran into a headwind given its relatively high price - which I incorrectly thought was the right price - and lack of third party software support," he explained.
"Now that we are seeing more first party titles at a lower price point, sales have increased. It's definitely turned the corner," the expert stated.
Pachter and other analysts speaking to Eurogamer concurred that the 3DS will face an uphill struggle in trying to match the Nintendo DS's lifetime sales record, with the ongoing popularity of smartphones and mobile gaming taking a chunk out of the handheld market.
In related news, the PlayStation Vita has had its price slashed by many Japanese retailers after a lapse in sales following its launch week, GamesRadar reported.
In its second week the handheld sold 72,479, considerably less than the healthy 324,859 it shifted in its first seven days.
However, in the PS Vita's second week the 3DS managed 482,200 by comparison, suggesting Sony's contender could face an uphill struggle to match Nintendo's significant headstart.
Commentators have suggested similar cuts to the PS Vita could follow when the handheld launches in the US and Europe next month.