Nintendo's Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing Scott Moffitt says that the Nintendo 3DS' sales aren't slowing down despite the threat from the mobile gaming market but are actually speeding up.
In an interview with Washington Post, Moffitt discussed its momentum in the market. He also provided a sales comparison between the 3DS and the leading home consoles of this generation.
So far in 2015, sales of the family of Nintendo 3DS hardware in America are actually ahead of last year's pace.
Nintendo 3DS is here to stay. Let me throw out a number that might surprise you. So far, on a global basis, Nintendo 3DS has sold more hardware than PS4 and Xbox One- combined. Most people find this shocking.
Obviously we don't deny the impact of smart devices on the gaming market. But it's a mistake to consider this a zero-sum game. Clearly gaming on smart devices and gaming on Nintendo 3DS can happily coexist, to the benefit of all gamers. The fact is, playing games on two very different hardware platforms means options for two very different kinds of game play. The inclusion of multiple control buttons on Nintendo 3DS allows a much deeper and more sophisticated type of play.
Moffitt then reclarified that while Nintendo plans to release a couple of applications for the mobile gaming market, it will never replace the 3DS as its dedicated handheld gaming device.
From our first mention of the intent to provide game apps for smart devices, we’ve been clear that we expect this expansion of our intellectual property to bring people to our dedicated platforms. So we intend to provide enjoyable experiences on both smart devices and our dedicated Nintendo 3DS line.
He also provided some comment around social and multiplayer aspects in 3DS games in terms of dealing with cultural differences between Japan and Western markets.
It's true that markets do vary, and population density on average is higher in Japan than in the west. But the social aspects of Nintendo 3DS are enjoyable anywhere. As you know, Nintendo has always placed a premium on developing titles that can be enjoyed by multiple players in the same room. And this kind of fun is amply evident in games like "Super Smash Bros.," "Mario Kart 7" and "The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes." But at the same time, we’ve seen strong results in online play with franchises like Mario Kart and Monster Hunter.
And social is a major component of our plans moving forward. As you know, our first mobile app for smart devices, called "Miitomo," is based on social interaction. We won’t have more to say about that until next year, but with more than 200 million Miis already created, there’s a unique opportunity for social interplay in a distinctly Nintendo fashion.
Unfortunately for some, Washington Post didn't ask anything about Project NX. The potential for the NX generation to include a portable element could be grounds whether the 3DS era is about to end. Then again, all rumors are to be considered as one until an official announcement from a verified source says so otherwise. We may have to wait until Nintendo releases official details surrounding Project NX next year.
Speaking of 2016, games like Fire Emblem Fates, Project X Zone 2, Bravely: Second End Layer, Hyrule Warriors Legends, and many more will surely make 3DS owners rather busy next year. For more information on future 3DS titles, you can also check the Upcoming 3DS Games page.
via Washington Post
