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Forums - Nintendo Discussion - 3DS Is Really Fading Out Fast In The US

Podings on 26 November 2014
Soundwave said:

3DS sales were fading even before Nintendo announced the New 3DS, in fact they've kinda gotten a tad better since the New 3DS announcement so that whole arguement goes out the window really quick. 

New 3DS is more for double dippers IMO, the average parent/kid buying a 3DS this late in its lifecycle doesn't know or doesn't care about an analog nub. 

The "nerd audience" already have a 3DS by and large, I mean Nintendo has thrown virtually everything they can at it (Pokemon, Mario Land, Mario Kart, Mario Tennis, New Super Mario Bros. 2, Mario Golf, Paper Mario, Mario & Luigi, Luigi's Mansion 2, Animal Crossing, Smash Brothers, Monster Hunter, Tomodachi, Resident Evil, Kingdom Hearts, Bravely Default, Shin Megami Tensei, Zelda: Link Between Worlds, Zelda: Oot 3D).

If none of that could convince you to buy one yet, I doubt a second analog nipple or some face plates will do the trick.

 

I disagree with you on just about everything here, but let's not mince words.

If the system has been selling a bit better as of late it is undoubtedly because of Smash Bros. and Pokémon.

I certainly do not think Nintendo intends for the New 3DS to "mostly be for double dippers". They intend to keep expanding their audience. Even if people are to upgrade, they will be passing their older system on to people previously without one, so there will be more potetial costomers for games in the future.

While the nerd audience has largely bought into the 3DS, a large amount of nerds really do like to complain. Me myself being one of them.

I'm not being persuaded by the nipple or the faceplates, I suspect to use none of them. I'm pursuaded by much improved cameras, better view angle for 3D, faster interface, sleeker design and better button layout, along with the improvements to battery life, even if these are not that substantial.

Aside from that, only now had the 3DS built up a library of games for which I give much of a toss. For the longest time is was only rich on the types of slow, humongous games that its predecessor the DS was absolutely NOT about. I don't play Animal Crossing, I don't play Pokémon, I don't play Monster Hunter, I don't play Fire Emblem, and I'm not getting a New 3DS early next year with the intention of playing any of them.



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oniyide on 27 November 2014
Soundwave said:
Pavolink said:
Soundwave said:


http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2014/07/18/npd-hardware-sales-numbers-leak-for-june-2014/

Was down 25% by June, since getting 3DS numbers is tough I've found a decent source even though they're missing numbers for one month, but what I get is:

July 13 - 150k

August 13 - approx 130k

September 13 - unknown

October 13 - 452k

 

July 14 - 108k

August 14 - 91k

September 14 - 140k

Oct 14 - 130k

So yeah. That 25% number is not getting better it's worse. Though you're right, this isn't just a one year thing, the 3DS was beginning to fade last year too, last year was *not* a good year for the 3DS, I knew something was very, very wrong with the system when it was getting all those good games, but it was starting to slump or not showing any growth from the previous year. 

By "fading" I mean in general a decline to a low level of sales ... like this year it looks like the 3DS is well on its way to only shipping 10 million for the fiscal year ... the PSP even was far stronger than that and didn't decline to those levels of sales until later in its lifecycle (DS of course blows the 3DS away). 

10 million will represent Nintendo's lowest handheld shipments for a year since 1995 or 1996. This is before the GBC even, this is not good. It's actually has to be Nintendo's no.1 problem I think, this erosion of their handheld market is absolutely devastating. 

Holy shit!

452k to 130k


To be fair they released Pokemon X/Y last year, but I am surprised Smash 3DS did virtually nothing to boost 3DS at all. I suspect Nintendo was hoping it would. The thing is I don't think they will get a big boost from Ruby/Sapphire this year because the remaining Pokemon hold-outs bought their 3DS' already last year for X/Y.

same reason why Smash didnt boost it that much. THe people who were really interested in that game had 3ds already. IMHO i think the system is well past peak and all this new stuff is them trying to slow down the fall.