So I managed to find this while doing my daily "try to find a cheap 3DS" thing. The prices are absolutely ridiculous but I think this is literally the only 3DS deal available, correct me if I'm wrong. $235 isn't exactly cheap but for anyone desperate to get it ASAP, I think this might be your only option, sadly.
Both Nintendo and Sony are not doing as well as they'd hoped 'cause of the casual gamer hooked on their smartphones. It's interesting to see Nintendo's portable priced higher than the (discounted) Vita.
Not really correct at all. The 3DS has sold better than the DS for most of its life - comparing months in sale.
Not really correct at all. The 3DS has sold better than the DS for most of its life - comparing months in sale.
Both Sony & Nintendo had to price-slash their units. That is not done unless the thing is not selling well. Nintendo did it a mere 6 months after release of the 3DS. Sony did a massive price-slash on the Vita. Only then did sales pick up.
In the past there wasn't much portable competition for both Sony & Nintendo. Phones were smaller and not as powerful. Today, there is heaps of choice for the portable gaming market.
2013 news, according to Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_3DS_sales
On September 30, 2013, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced that the Nintendo 3DS had sold more than 5 million units in Japan during the year of 2013. This mark was only surpassed by its predecessor, the Nintendo DS.
When DS & Vita launched at their original prices, sales were abysmal, and they weren't meeting sales forecasts at all, which was my point. There simply is more portable competition now.
Both Sony & Nintendo had to price-slash their units. That is not done unless the thing is not selling well. Nintendo did it a mere 6 months after release of the 3DS.
Certainly true. That said, since those initial six months the 3DS has been going very strong. I wouldn't hang too much on sales issues from two years ago that Nintendo looks to have resolved.
TBH I'm not sure the Vita's issues are smartphones but a rather thin software lineup. The original PSP had similar issues competing with the DS, and that was at a time where smartphones were a niche market. Smartphones has certainly had its impact on console manufacturers, but it only really explains some of the issues faced by some devices, certainly not all of them. Current 3DS sales would suggest there is still a market for dedicated devices.
The original PSP had similar issues competing with the DS, and that was at a time where smartphones were a niche market.
True.
But seen in broader context:
The original PSP had no backward compatibility with anything that came before it and was more expensive to manufacturer & sell. Arguably better specs in most areas and certainly it was a better video machine. Considering all this, it did very well (in my opinion). I don't care about taking sides; I own both products and like them both. Sometimes I feel like discussions like this always turn into fanboy arguments, which I think are fruitless.
Nintendo has always built-in backward compatibility of some sort with its early hardware releases, building on its huge software libraries of the past. This really helps it win sales races. And usually they go the lower-cost route with hardware compared to Sony, giving them a price advantage.
Anyway, I'm guessing we'll see more 3DS discounting in future, given that the PS Vita is pretty cheap these days.
TBH I'm not sure the Vita's issues are smartphones but a rather thin software lineup.
If true, I'd argue that more attention and resrouces being devoted to smartphones (whether we like them or hate them) is a big competitive threat. Certainly more now than it ever was in the past, since we have passed the initial baby stages of the smartphone market and prices are dropping a lot.
Hell no. The 3DS sales accelerated in 2013.
I'm with cheepwun- analysts were having a field day with the lack of 3ds (and game) sales. It was an indisputably ordinary launch, and still has not picked up to where it was hoped it would be. The DS was ubiquitous in the 3 years before the 3DS, and the 3DS is nowhere near approaching its dominance.
It's quite simple actually. Handheld is nowhere near as popular as it used to be. The original DS sold 154 million copies making it the second best selling game console of all time, 1 million behind the PS2. The PSP at the same time boasted console graphics on a handheld which got it a decent 80 million sales, about half the DS. The 3DS, despite the smartphone/tablet invasion sold 35 million copies, about half the PSP. But here's where things get interesting. The Vita? 4 million copies. Pokemon X/Y sold more than that. It's simple really - graphics just don't matter as much as they used to and so the gimmick of console graphics on a handheld no longer matters. Gamers want good quality games simply because technology isn't making graphics any better these days. So yes, smartphones/tablets had a huge impact on gaming, dragging all the casual players into their freemium cyclone, but the 3DS has a gamer community 9 times that of the Vita. And honestly, I don't think that will change. Why? Simple. No games = no console sales = no games = no console sales. See the problem?
3DS is doing very well in Australia and overseas at the moment. Portable doesn't necessarily mean casual games and that is shown in 3DS's top selling games as well.
i don't play mobile games at all
Don't forget this promo to snag a free copy of Mario 3D Land when you get a console plus a selected game: http://gamesites.nintendo.com.au/super-mario-3d-land-welcome…
Kinda ridiculous, it's $149 in the US right now and Big W had it for $188 this time last year.
I agree with this completely. I was so intent on getting a 3DS. I looked at deals for months, then eventually found the cheapest place to get the console and 2 new games for it. Then I realised exactly how much I was about to pay. 235 for the console + 100 for 2 new games (mind you Nintendo never reduces game prices. They'd rather die before they took $10 off a 5 year old game). $335 for a handheld game console and 2 games (3 if you include the free Super Mario 3D Land). And let's say that's fine for now, but when a new game comes out, that's at least another $50-$60 that will NEVER go below that price. The prices are ridiculous and considering Japan is so much closer to Australia than EU/US, I can't see the reason for these prices. I honestly can't justify getting one unless something is done about this price scheme.
How about we go one better and wished Nintendo stops the region locking? I would love to buy discounted games off Amazon.
Just letting you know I bought my 3ds and a copy of animal crossing for $279. Tried to get it lower but jb wouldn't budge. Price matched both for me
Would you mind posting a receipt of your purchase or where you price matched the items from?
I'm interested in getting the same deal as you.
Thanks.
I'll see if I still have the receipt, I pricematched EB Games $235 3ds XL boxing day offer, but the sales person pricematched AC for me, nice guy. Pretty sure EB is still selling the console for the same price till new years eve
Ahh… Okay.
I'll be going to my local Jb Hi Fi tomorrow to buy the game and the console. Hopefully I meet a nice salesperson as well!
Thanks for the help! :)
sorry wrong post
I'd wait a week or two. Sales will slow a bit and encourage deals.