Will the 3ds total sales reach those of the gba before a successor is released?

[garretslarrity]

Pineapple said:

garretslarrity said:
I just took a look at the gap charts to find that after 35 months, the DS had sold 52M and the 3DS 41M. At this point, the 3DS is at roughly 78% sales of the DS. If the 3DS follows the trend of the DS, the 3DS will have about 119M sales lifetime. I think that this is a stretch, but it certainly helps to support the argument of those who think the 3DS will top the GBA.

The problem with this is that the DS took a while to take off. In the 12 months up to 35 months (so month 23 to 35), the DS sold 25 million, whereas the 3DS sold 14.

If that ratio sticks, the DS will sell 100 million from 35 months and out, whereas the 3DS will sell 56 million, which would put the 3DS at just shy of 100 million lifetime.

 

This does, however, assume that the 3DS will be Nintendo's primary handheld for as long as the DS was. The DS was for 6 years and 3 months, which would put the 3DS successor's release in June 2017. If the 3DS stays around that long, then certainly, around 100 million seems probable.

You made good points.  

The length of its lifespan all depends on if Nintendo decides to make another psuedosuccessor like what the DSi was to the DS.