Nintendo 3DS sales still poor, claims analyst

When a console nears the end of its life you should expect sales to falter slightly, as savvy customers anticipate an imminent replacement. The same, however, should not be said of new releases. Research analyst NPD Group has just accused the Nintendo 3DS of that very crime, as sales figures continue to disappoint.

According to the numbers, the pioneering 3DS has failed to build up a head of steam after its lacklustre US opening week sales of just 400,000. NPD Group claims that the handheld has only racked up a further 194,000 throughout April. The reason for this is up for debate, but the report points to something of a Nintendo downfall across the board, with the company’s other big hitter also suffering…

Nintendo is understood to be unveiling its sequel to the Wii at E3 next month, but even so, the motion-control console has seen sales slump. Its year-on-year sales figures for April have dropped by a huge 38 per cent. That looks all the worse when compared to Sony PS3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 sales, which have both risen.

Can you account for the Wii or 3DS’ sales slump? Let us know your thoughts on the Gadget Helpline Twitter feed.