Game

[Borys]

`

[CatsCatsCats]

The kids, man. Anecdotally, my lil guy hasn't touched his 3DS in months, other than once to see what time it was when the wife and I were sleeping. On the other hand, we have to pry his hand me down iphone out of his hands.

[Great Rumbler]

I just want a mobile gaming device that I can plug into my TV and use a controller to play.

[Himu]

Yeah handhelds are done. Or they're going to be Nintendo only in the future.

[ToxicAdam]

I remember in 2008-09 when everyone was clamoring for MS to enter the market with their own device.

[Tasty]

Many Android phones have docks with HDMI out and can be used with Bluetooth controllers, and that's been the case for several years.

[Raban]

yeah but then you're stuck playing android games

[radioheadrule83]

Is this HW?

Phones are undoubtedly eating into handhelds, but 3DS doesn't fare too negatively against the original DS (the second best selling system of all time) -- I don't know how it is after the holiday, but in August it was only <10m behind DS at a similar point in its life. Considering the competition, and its weaknesses, I think that's pretty good. It's ~35m units ahead of Vita

[Himu]

Yeah there's a market for traditional handhelds still so long as it has nintendo name on it but how long will that last? I expect nintendo to reveal a new system by 2016 and it feels like 3ds has just gotten started. Where's DQXI announcement?

[Tasty]

Yeah there's a market for traditional handhelds still so long as it has nintendo name on it but how long will that last? I expect nintendo to reveal a new system by 2016 and it feels like 3ds has just gotten started. Where's DQXI announcement?

GBA lasted three years, 3DS will have been on the market for over five if they release its successor in 2016.

[Himu]

You know, it is really hard for me to accept gba lasted three years. Maybe it was because I was in high school at the time. But when you look at the dates, yup, three years. Pretty amazing catalogue for three years and comparing to now, I think we should expect the next nintendo handheld sooner than later. And I don't expect it to be a Ds or 3ds successor.

[Tasty]

To be fair, the GBA got a lot of games even after the DS launched.

[Himu]

Yeah, even though Ds launched in 2004, I was still buying gba titles well into 2006 (FFVIA, ever the FF slut).

[radioheadrule83]

Yeah there's a market for traditional handhelds still so long as it has nintendo name on it but how long will that last? I expect nintendo to reveal a new system by 2016 and it feels like 3ds has just gotten started. Where's DQXI announcement?

GBA lasted three years, 3DS will have been on the market for over five if they release its successor in 2016.

People rightly say things like where is DQXI, when is MH4 coming etc. will Majoras Mask come out etc... I'm starting to think if we don't see a slate of medium-large titles for 3DS at E3, we might be looking at a holiday 2015 successor.

[radioheadrule83]

Phones are undoubtedly eating into handhelds, but 3DS doesn't fare too negatively against the original DS (the second best selling system of all time) -- I don't know how it is after the holiday, but in August it was only <10m behind DS at a similar point in its life. Considering the competition, and its weaknesses, I think that's pretty good. It's ~35m units ahead of Vita

Stolen:

The 3DS is also in complete freefall from the NDS:

NDS: 588
PSP: 243
3DS + Vita combined: 175
NDS + PSP combined: 831

Even if we assume the Vita sold zero units, the 3DS is down 70.2% from the DS.

I've not taken the time to understand his figures, but are those monthly figures (thousands)? Because it doesn't paint an accurate picture really if that's what they are.. certainly does for month YOY comparison, but if you look at performance for full calendar years, launch aligned, the 3DS is nowhere near 70% down on DS.  There's certainly an argument to be made that it appears to have navigated its potential bell-curve / sales parabola a bit quicker, but I'd say thats to be expected with smart-device competition

[ToxicAdam]

The 3DS performance is even more stark when you factor in that it's a competent system with great games. It's not like it has a valid excuse of shoddy quality or no games.
 

[Tasty]

The 3DS performance is even more stark when you factor in that it's a competent system with great games. It's not like it is a valid excuse of shoddy quality or no games.

Up until the 2DS however it was more expensive at an entry-level, and games are more expensive even still. That said, inflation or whatever, but I do think $40 is a bit much to ask even for a quality handheld title and expecting it to sell well. Even ignoring mobile training people to not buy anything unless it's an IAP, $40 is a pretty big difference from $30.

Although I am unsure how many 3DS games launch at $40 these days.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

I expect that drop to continue also.  Mobile gaming has made handhelds completely redundant.  As smartphones continue to get cheaper over time, it's going to make the decision easier and easier to do away with handhelds.  I don't think there is anything to really stop the hemorrhaging because smartphones and tablets are ubiquitous and are considered cooler to own than a 3DS or Vita.  Even if some six year old Gen Z brat doesn't have a smartphone, they still have an iPod Touch which isn't much more than a 3DS anyway.  It's a cheaper proposition for parents anyway since most people just fuck around with the free or 99 cent games.  Much better than paying $40 + tax for Pokeymans.

I still am disappointed those official Apple controller shells turned out to be a flop.  I'm sure in the near future they will get that worked out.

[Tasty]

I still am disappointed those official Apple controller shells turned out to be a flop.  I'm sure in the near future they will get that worked out.

"Any year now" worked wonders for AppleTV.

[Eel O'Brian]

Controllers flopped so far because they're overpriced. Evidently Apple has a lot of restrictions and requirements on where companies get their parts to make them.

[Bebpo]

I thought this thread was going to be about the new Crazy Taxi  :'(

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

would a rock bottom price cut help?  If the 3DS models were at $79-$119 would that at least get them back to being less then crappy numbers?

Price the systems as if they're competing with shitty tablets, not other handheld consoles.

[Tasty]

would a rock bottom price cut help?  If the 3DS models were at $79-$119 would that at least get them back to being less then crappy numbers?

Price the systems as if they're competing with shitty tablets, not other handheld consoles.

Software prices are the bigger issue, I think.

[ToxicAdam]

Although I am unsure how many 3DS games launch at $40 these days.

The premium games are all at that price point and I think it's okay. That's the price point most parents/relatives will spend on a gift anyways.

I think the bigger issue is that the value you get with those second-tier games like Ben-10, Cooking Mama or the Lego games just don't hold up when you can buy a Mobile gift card for the same amount and buy the same types of games 10 times over with that money.

[Rahxephon91]

No matter who wins. We lose.

would a rock bottom price cut help?  If the 3DS models were at $79-$119 would that at least get them back to being less then crappy numbers?

Price the systems as if they're competing with shitty tablets, not other handheld consoles.

Probably couldn't hurt. The reason I bought the 2DS is because it was "cheap". I regret it because it's crap and the XL is far better , but $200 is such a step price for it. One I'm not willing to pay. I doubt many are as they already spent more on thier phones which does everything they'd want out of a DS and more. Everday on the crowded morning bus everyone is playing on thier phones. I mean almost 80%. I get maybe 2 street passes and maybe a few more downtown.

[Huff]

It's only going to get worse for dedicated handhelds.

I really enjoyed going to android but I do miss all the games. Played on the ipad just isn't as convenient

[archie4208]

It's only going to get worse for dedicated handhelds.

I really enjoyed going to android but I do miss all the games. Played on the ipad just isn't as convenient

I want a tablet but iPads are way out of my price league.  But they have many more games that aren't on Android.

Beeing a poorfeg. 

[a slime appears]

This should have been the new name of the sales thread.

[AdmiralViscen]

Is this HW?

Phones are undoubtedly eating into handhelds, but 3DS doesn't fare too negatively against the original DS (the second best selling system of all time) -- I don't know how it is after the holiday, but in August it was only <10m behind DS at a similar point in its life. Considering the competition, and its weaknesses, I think that's pretty good. It's ~35m units ahead of Vita

The 3DS is tracking behind the GBA which sold half as much as the DS. It's also been down YoY against itself for its third year running so it's not like that's going to improve.

[recursivelyenumerable]

I love my PSP THAT I JUST BOUGHT

[The Sceneman]

I honestly wish with all my heart that Apple never invented the iPhone and F2P IAP games never became a thing