Nintendo 3DS software sales figures in the United Kingdom are rather disappointing to say the least. Now, Japanese gaming publication Famitsu is reporting that Nintendo’s most recent portable is being outsold considerably by its predecessor, the Nintendo DS. Software sales for the console aren’t looking very impressive as there’s only one Nintendo 3DS title in the entire UK all format top 40. Nintendo are going to have to work considerably hard to turn the machines fortunes around.
Software Sales ratio:
1.) Xbox 360 - 30.6% | 923,000
2.) PlayStation 3 – 22.6% | 682,000
3.) Wii - 16.5% | 498,000
4.) Nintendo DS – 15.2% | 458,000
5.) PC - 10.5% | 317,000
6.) PlayStation Portable - 2.3% | 69,000
7.) Nintendo 3DS - 2.3% | 69,000
8.) PlayStation 2 – 0.1% | 3,000
*Which* DS? Newly-reduced-price Lite? DSi, XL?
I assume it’s just the entire Nintendo DS line in general. They didn’t mentioned whether it was DS, DS Lite or DS XL.
Playstation 2? Really? 1 in 1000 console purchases are PS2s? Wow.
Blame the crappy game lineup they had, and still have.
well it is cheaper so that attracts more people + lots of people still think the 3DS is just a DS in 3D, which of course isn’t true….
This doesn’t really surprise me, the 3DS would sell bucketloads if the right software was out! Zelda:OoT will boost sales in Japan and America big time I think, but I’m not sure how popular Zelda is in the UK beyond those who played it as a kid – a couple of my friends held out from getting a 3DS as they knew it wouldn’t get used from the lack of appealing software initially available. The big shifters in this country seem to be anything with Mario in, so when Super Mario and Mario Kart come out I expect sales to go through the roof. Around Christmas time them sales figures will shift dramatically!
^this
Preordered OoT, might finally get my hand on a 3ds along with it.
People are just waiting for the right game to buy the 3ds with at the moment.
I think they need to market it better, since the 3DS can play DS games, the lineup isn’t a reason not to buy a 3DS, they need to promote things that will convince people to spend extra money and get a 3DS over a DS.
Hopefully when they release their new titles they’ll see more sales.
This article is misleading. Those numbers are for SOFTWARE sales, not hardware sales. Of course the DS is going to sell more software than the 3DS, considering how many DS games are out now vs. how many 3DS games are out.
Sorry, forgot to mention that the sales figures are software ratios. Fixed.
I also think, with this new information, it sort of renders the argument that the 3DS is struggling weaker. When applying that this is software sales the headline “Nintendo 3DS being outsold considerably by its predecessor” it makes sense that this would happen considering the 3DS has almost 7 years on the 3DS, and would sell more titles with said much higher install base.
Also considering the 3DS has full backwards compatibility, can we reasonably say that some of those DS game purchases might be from 3DS owners, and thus might weaken the argument further of the 3DS “struggling?” I’ll wait until after Mario Kart 3DS comes out. If the device is still struggling then, then I’ll bite that the 3DS is in trouble. Not in its 2nd unopposed month.
oh it’s for software? well of course the 3DS has what, 20 games out? it’s normal…
It’s what I’ve been saying since launch: People either don’t actually know it’s a next-gen handheld or just want the cheaper solution. Thanks to Apple, the very notion of next gen has been wiped from the general public’s mind in place of “this year’s model of the device you know.”
With a low amount of desirable titles available at the moment (though they do exist) that keeps the core audience away, a lack of understanding that the DS is incapable of doing what the 3DS does by fault of its 7 years outdated design and the still fairly recent launch of the DSi XL (along with a nice price cut), more people would be inclined to go for the older device.
As soon as the 3DS sheds its skin of cult appeal and possesses a must-have title 3rd-party title (not application) that people can’t get anywhere else (not even iDevices) like the greatest DS games, the numbers will start to go up. When its practical for Nintendo to lower the price, that should also help considerably.
They should simply not have rushed it. Thats my Opinion, now they have a good portable console that it out for quite some times, and just gets rusty, until anything decent pop ups.
At least 3DS is outselling the PS2.
It’s actually toe-to-toe with PSP, both of which are well short of the DS’ sales.
I find it interesting that despite the handheld’s shortcomings commercially at this point, Nintendo has both an evenly-competitive handheld and the best selling handheld. It would be better if both of those titles were held by the 3DS, but time (a more consistent frequency of good games + growing public awareness) should repair that.
RELEASE SOME DAMN GAMES
well, since I got one, I guess I am a video game hipster now.
Oh boy…
We already know the reason for this. Waiting til the holidays for all the 3DS games to release seems like bad planning. But nonetheless I ultimately believe 3DS will hold it’s own.
I actually just bought a DS lite for $50 off Amazon. The weak batter on the 3DS is just unacceptable. I’m waiting for the updated version of the 3DS.
A weak battery is not an excuse to release an entirely new model. They could offer a better one for those already owning the system and put it into all future models. If an unsatisfied owner is willing to put in less than $30, there are plenty of battery extenders to choose from that bring it up to a decent battery life (around x2, 4-6 hours with everything turned all the way up). Nyko is now a fool’s option.
The marks left by the bottom screen that can turn into scratches is a problem, but that can be remedied by a screen protecter.
I do expect a new model to be made, but not until at least 2 years after launch. DSi XL had a quick release, 1 year after DSi, but that was already part of the game plan. DS Lite wasn’t at launch, and it took 2 years to get it to market. It took 3 years from then to put out DSi in the first place.
Not surprised. It’s still a great system. Give it a year and see what happens.
I would play my 3DS more if it had achievements and if there was a Metroid game coming out, that might boost sales. Granted I’ve played Metroid games to death even without achievements, but that was before I bought an Xbox 360. Haven’t touched my Wii much since then (sounds nasty) or my 3DS. I’m waiting for OoT 3D and Skyward Sword.
Great games achievements = win for me.
*Great games plus achievements = Win for me.
Maybe if we got some games out for it…
I think the problem is how it’s been sorted. Kid Icarus and Starfox both looked (and should) have been launch or close to launch. Then Nintendo said 3 month window. WHICH EXPIRES AT THE END OF THE MONTH. STILL NO K-I OR STARFOX.
Not to mention the lack of advertising. I have yet to see any adverts for Zelda on TV and it’s out on Friday. (I even work at Toys R Us and we are UNSURE if they’re even gonna be stocking it.)
The products just appear too similar to the new consumer. So they get the cheaper one with Mario games on it already.
Get your stuff together Nintendo if you’re going to make a successor.
the 3DS launch-line up was relatively poor.i still think it is early days, and so i don’t understand why many people are judging the 3DS when it hasn’t been out that long.
i think as soon as starfox, ocarinia of time, super mario 3DS and other big name titles come out, i think 3DS sales will go up after that.