Today, Nintendo’s President Satoru Iwata announced that the Nintendo 3DS has sold 5 million units domestically (Japan) and over 500 million units world wide since it’s original launch date of Feburary 26th 2011.
For those keeping score, the milestone was reached in less than a year, making the Nintendo 3DS the company’s most successful gaming system ever released. To put it in perspective, the GameBoy Advance reached the 500 Million Club in week 58 and the Nintendo DS didn’t reach the milestone until week 56.
Nintendo’s press release paints an optimistic future for the handheld gaming system hinting at future releases. We’ll be waiting Nintendo, but keep in mind, Vita and Street Fighter x Tekken, Uncharted, and others are currently trying to get our attention. Check out Nintendo’s presser in our source link below, fair bit of warning, you’ll need to polish up on your Japanese (or hit up Google Translate).
Sources: Nintendo Japan, Famitsu
I wonder if they’ve taken notes about what part of the 3ds made it successful. It sure wasn’t the gimmicky 3d bit. I reckon it was the re-releasing of popular N64 games, and the fact that the generation that grew up with them is getting to the age where they can afford to pay for their nostalgia, as well as choosing to support a company that seems to be headed in the right direction.