3DS sells twice as many as DS did in its first year in the US
"We're just getting started but this platform is built for the long haul."
The 3DS has sold twice as many units as the DS did in its first year on sale, Nintendo has announced.
The 3DS sold 4.5 million units in its first year in the US. It went on sale there on 27th March 2011.
A year after the DS launched in the US, on 21st November 2004, it had sold 2.3 million units.
The 3DS surpassed first-year sales of the DS, the best-selling video game console ever (over 51 million units sold in the US), after eight months.
Nintendo released a US sales side-by-side comparison to hammer home its point.
| Nintendo DS | Nintendo 3DS | |
|---|---|---|
| Launch Date | 21st November, 2004 | 27th March, 2011 |
| Total hardware units sold in first 12 months | 2.3 million | 4.5 million |
| Total software released in first 12 months | 58 | 100+ |
| Total units of software sold in first 12 months | 5 million | 9 million+ |
| Total US$ sales (HW, SW, accessory) in first 12 months | $540 million | $1.2 billion+ |
In December 2011 the 3DS crossed the four million units sold mark, passing the record pace set by the Wii.
Nintendo pointed to the success of Super Mario 3D Land (1.75 million copies sold to date) and Mario Kart 7 (1.45 million copies sold to date) as evidence of the handheld's growing popularity.
No doubt the high-profile price cut helped, too.
"Nintendo 3DS closes its first year with a lengthy list of accomplishments but we're still just scratching the surface," Nintendo US president Reggie Fils-Aime said.
"With a massive line-up of first- and third-party games and more on the way, a budding library of entertainment options and an engaged and growing installed base, Nintendo 3DS has an incredibly bright future. We're just getting started but this platform is built for the long haul."
