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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Why is Nintendo winning the handheld war?

 

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Marketing 16 4.89%
 
Ultra marvelous fantastic games 175 53.52%
 
Sony need to do a better job 47 14.37%
 
Cultists fans 26 7.95%
 
More mainstream 21 6.42%
 
Cheaper development, more profit 25 7.65%
 
Unique hardware features 17 5.20%
 
Total:327
Angelv577 on 09 June 2015

There is no competition right now, though I believe there is an indirect competition that is affecting 3DS sales.



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last92 on 09 June 2015

I have an opinion that may well be wrong: the 3DS did so well mostly thanks to Japanese consumers and developers. I believe jap devs found in the weak 3DS the ideal device to develop their games for, so they can keep development costs low like in previous generations (PS2 era basically). So the 3DS had a lot of quality software from japanese developers (with poor graphics but who cares) and the usual succesful marios, pokèmon and other Nintendo IPs that have always sold quite well. Success was guaranteed. And still, after 4 years, it has only sold 53M and it's tracking way below the DS.
Of course it's winning the handheld war, but it's loosing the mobile war...by a lot.



celador on 09 June 2015
Samus Aran said:
celador said:
Because it has no competition

You're right, Playstation is no competition. :D

You need to check up on your handheld history, there has been plenty of competition, but they all failed for numerous reasons.

Well the OP just has a pic of a 3DS, so I thought the question was aimed only at this gen. 



Pavolink on 09 June 2015

Because Nintendo supported the hardware with software people asked, unlike the Wii U.
Although, winning over Vita is nothing that warrants to be mentioned.



Proud to be the first cool Nintendo fan ever

Number ONE Zelda fan in the Universe

DKCTF didn't move consoles

Prediction: No Zelda HD for Wii U, quietly moved to the succesor

Predictions for Nintendo NX and Mobile


vkaraujo on 09 June 2015
Mandalore76 said:
Aeolus451 said:


This. I consider mobile and handheld different markets though. I see no point in downplaying nintendo's success with handhelds. 

I agree 1,000x over.  Every single sale of a 3DS represents the sale of a dedicated gaming device.  Every sale of an iphone (or insert brand phone here) does not.  I know people who play Candy Crush and Clash of Clans on their phones.  They never owned a DS or PSP, and therefore aren't denying potential sales from 3DS or Vita by playing games on their mobile devices.  I think that's the case for a pretty large # of people in the mobile market.

I am with you guys.

Mobile is different creature. Yea, it will make the HH market shrink, but not  break.



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Lawlight on 09 June 2015

It's cheaper.



Pavolink on 09 June 2015
Lawlight said:
It's cheaper.

Wii U is cheaper than PS4.



Proud to be the first cool Nintendo fan ever

Number ONE Zelda fan in the Universe

DKCTF didn't move consoles

Prediction: No Zelda HD for Wii U, quietly moved to the succesor

Predictions for Nintendo NX and Mobile


mountaindewslave on 09 June 2015
twintail said:
3DS launched before the smartphone buzz really hit its stride (something that really hurt the Vita). Couple that with Nintendo's staple handheld titles being released and Nintendo's being synonymous with handheld gaming, it is no wonder they are still able to sell.

Either war, winning this war has nonetheless still brought the side effect of Nintendo losing a large chunk of their previous market.

it is not exactly all smiles and sunshine for them as they look to the future.


3DS possibly going to sell similarly to the GBA which kind of discounts what you've said there about 'losing a chunk of their market'. of course they were going to lose a chunk of the DS market, that was an anamoly not the norm

Nintendo makes great handheld games. its as simple as that. most of the people I know who have purchased 3DS's actually did not do so for Pokemon, they did it for Mario, Zelda, Animal Crossing, Fire Emblem, Smash Bros, etc. lots of high quality games for the system



Pavolink on 09 June 2015
mountaindewslave said:
twintail said:
3DS launched before the smartphone buzz really hit its stride (something that really hurt the Vita). Couple that with Nintendo's staple handheld titles being released and Nintendo's being synonymous with handheld gaming, it is no wonder they are still able to sell.

Either war, winning this war has nonetheless still brought the side effect of Nintendo losing a large chunk of their previous market.

it is not exactly all smiles and sunshine for them as they look to the future.


3DS possibly going to sell similarly to the GBA which kind of discounts what you've said there about 'losing a chunk of their market'. of course they were going to lose a chunk of the DS market, that was an anamoly not the norm

Nintendo makes great handheld games. its as simple as that. most of the people I know who have purchased 3DS's actually did not do so for Pokemon, they did it for Mario, Zelda, Animal Crossing, Fire Emblem, Smash Bros, etc. lots of high quality games for the system


Last FY 3DS didn't ship even 10M. It's not going to sell 30M more now that the next hardware is almost here. On top of that, GBA did better than 3DS in the same time frame.



Proud to be the first cool Nintendo fan ever

Number ONE Zelda fan in the Universe

DKCTF didn't move consoles

Prediction: No Zelda HD for Wii U, quietly moved to the succesor

Predictions for Nintendo NX and Mobile


Lawlight on 09 June 2015
Pavolink said:
Lawlight said:
It's cheaper.

Wii U is cheaper than PS4.


Yeah but that's a PS console.