3DS sales reaching crazy levels: UK (3DS sold out); Japan (3DS sells 216k in 1 week, MarioKart 7 sells 450k same week).

[bigjon]

SaviorX said:

Kangi said:
Where was that one thread with the comic... ah! Here it is: http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=109863

It's funny how people manage to get history to repeat itself.

The thing that always bothered me about the "Tablet/iTouch will kill handhelds" sentiment is the lack of focus on software.

This is a generalization, but a Nintendo  exec once said it best, "Nintendo is the box that plays Mario games". It isn't pretty but it is true; as long as those Mario games properly serve the customers has they have been, handhelds won't just die off.

I have an itouch with the standard app fare but for the children and core users, there is always a spot for handhelds. Kids want it as the holiday toy, Mario/Pokemon box, and core users want the rest of the 1st party efforts & nostalgia. Plus, Japan has been producing the high-selling handheld content and has a presence globally in software that will support a handheld VG market.

good points.

Phones, Ipads, Ipod touches, etc will not kill handhelds. They will eat into certian markets here are a few-

1. The people who bought the PSP for a media device that can play movies and games. Tablets now exsist and are better for this. But still if the person wants to play traditional games at will get a PSP/3DS + IPad or whatever.

2. People who bought the DS soley for Brain Age type games. These are not gamers by any means, most see themselves as sophisticated, and right now things like the Iphone are what people who think they are sophisticated are gravitating to, not to mention phones do brain age type stuff almost as good as a DS.

3. People who only use handhelds to kill time in smaller increments. For example, when I am at my unit I will whip out my Droid phone and play Spades or Blasterball, I am not going to whip a 3DS where I work (I am a military officer....)

 

People who will still buy handhelds

1. Core gamers- there are some great gaming experiances to be had on a handheld, not gonna miss all of them.

2. Travellers- While the iOS type games are good will filling 20-30 min spaces of time for people who travel a handheld is nice, it is more more convientent than pulling out a laptop every 30 min, but provides a much more intiutive than iOS games.

3. Kids- Not many parents are going to get their 6 year old an iPod touch or Iphone or even an Ipad....

4. Casual Gamers- This is where Mario 2D/ Pokemon/ Mario Kart/ Madden/ Etc  comes in. They may buy it for those types of games, the key thing that sepates them from the brain age crowd is they enjoy a tradtional experiance. These are the guys who push sales in years 3-5 of a system.

 

Either way, there is still a massive market for handhelds. I dont think we will see the 3DS ever hit the hieghts that the DS did, but I think it will out do the GBA by a wide margin, in fact I see the 3DS demographics looking more like the GBA was back in the day, and possibly the type of content in its library.