Why is Japan not buying the 3DS? Goo investigates!

[Killiana1a]

Systems (be it a console or hand-held) are more attune to the global economy than we think they are. Think about it:

1. The 2 largest economies where Nintendo does better than the rest (Japan and the USA) are in a recession with an everyday threat of a depression.

2. The rest of the industrialized world that is doing just swell (most of Europe and others) is already satisfied by the DS/PSP of this generation.

3. The emerging markets (Brazil, China, India, and others) who are coming up are not at the societal level to afford and make a mark for themselves as a market on the level of Japan.

From this, the 3DS was too much, too little, and too soon. Too much in terms of price. Too little in terms of proving it is a definite step up in terms of graphics from the 3DS along with pushing the "3D" gimmick too much. Finally, too soon in that Nintendo unleashed this monstrosity at the exactly wrong time. The 3DS may have been able to sell half as much as the DS in a good global economy, but is struggling to donate them in a global economy where their normal customers are on the verge of another Great Depression.

I will admit here, I was wrong on the 3DS. I, for one, thought it would be a game changer for Nintendo. I was wrong. It is an utter failure at this point more spectacular than the failure of the Virtual Boy. Why?

1. The Virtual Boy was never hyped by Nintendo to be the next "It" entertainment device.

2. The Virtual Boy was more obvious in it's gimmick, while the 3DS tried to play off of the continuing success of the DS where the hardware is almost a carbon copy (minus the 3D) with the gimmick being allowed to be turned off by the consumer.

3. Expectations. The Virtual Boy was an experiment when Nintendo was in the midst of a great run. The 3DS was supposed to be the financial savior that the Game Boy and DS was to Nintendo at a time where the competition was stuffing Nintendo's console right back up the funky behinds of Miyamoto and his arrogant , "creative class" ilk.

Seriously, why is Japan not buying the 3DS?

How is the 3DS so different than the DS? Take away the 3D gimmick and what do we have?

An overpriced, remodeled DS.