Nintendo’s down-on-its-luck 3DS handheld has had a reversal of fortune, gaining a sales boost of 260% following recent price slashes by the desperate Japanese gaming co.
In mid-August, retailers of Nintendo’s troubled portable announced price cuts on their stock of around half or less of the original asking fee (prices reaching £115 here in Blighty) and reports Stateside show the results of the overseas price drop have done some good in giving a ‘1-Up’ to the once so promising gaming gadget, with over 235,000 units moved in just 19 days. This equals a whopping 260% increase in sales for the US. In Japan the Nintendo 3DS was even more successful following the discounting, with 207,000 said to have been shifted in only 4 days.
Nintendo’s US VP Scott Moffitt says “Consumers are responding very positively to the new suggested retail price of $169.99 for the Nintendo 3DS” – which is quite the understatement looking at the figures.
We’re all keen to see old faves such as Super Mario and Kid Icarus appear on the 3D portable, following the great reception for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – and the VP addresses this: “With Star Fox 64 3D and the new Flame Red colour launching tomorrow, and Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 arriving later this year, Nintendo 3DS will offer consumers cutting-edge entertainment and tremendous value this holiday season.”
A few days ago a Nintendo 3DS ‘Expansion Slide‘ was revealed in a Japanese magazine, which showed off for the first time a grip accessory which would bring the much-desired second joystick to the handheld.
It seems that slowly but surely, Nintendo is getting back in the game – Just as they always do.
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