Japan Sales Week 38 Media Create/Famitsu/Dengeki - September 17-23, 2018

[Kerotan]

theDX said:

Miyamotoo said:

Smartphones are not consoles. Dont forget, $250 price point for 3DS was huge problem for 3DS sales, that why 3DS had huge price point to $170 only 6 months after launch.

He has a point though. The 3DS launched before smartphones took off in Japan. The iPhone 4S was one of the first successful smartphones there and it came out in September 2011.

America in 2011: 42% of phones were smartphones (source)

Japan in 2011: 18% of phones were smartphones (source)

In 2011 the majority of consumers (even in America) didn't want to spend >$250 on a new phone. However, by 2014 smartphones hit ~70% market penetration in both markets. This is when most consumers would have gotten used to the higher prices.

I think this change in perception of value in recent years arguably helped the Switch.

It might have even helped the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X. Because remember people shitting on the Xbox One because it launched at $499? That was in 2013. Same year as the Switch launched we got the Xbox One X which also cost $499 at launch and no one cared. But that is difficult to compare because the base consoles are cheaper now.

Couldn't have said it better myself. That is fact.