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[dmr87]

This can be seen in the Media Create Sales thread but should have its own topic. Quite impressive.

In less than two years the 3DS has sold more in Japan than the PS3 has in over six years.


According to Media Create (via Nintendo Life), Nintendo's latest portable sold 211,499 units between 3rd December and 9th December, bringing its cumulative total to a whopping 8,799,378. Conversely, the PS3 has only sold 8,716,260 units in Japan.

This is especially impressive when one notes that the 3DS only came out in March of last year, whereas the PS3 debuted in November 2006.

The 3DS's prime portable competitor, the Vita, has failed to catch on in Sony's homeland where it only shifted 11,039 units last week. Comparatively, its eight year old single analogue stick predecessor surpassed it with 19,637 units sold.

The only platform to topple the 3DS last week was the Wii U, which moved 308,142 units between its Japanese launch on 8th December and the cut-off period for this week's report on the 9th.

Below is the full chart on Japan's hardware sales last week. Lifetime sales are in parenthesis.


Nintendo Wii U - 308,142 (308,142)
Nintendo 3DS - 211,499 (8,799,378)
PlayStation 3 - 36,994 (8,716,260)
PSP - 19,637 (19,488,236)
PlayStation Vita - 11,039 (1,074,621)
Nintendo Wii - 6,714 (12,608,700)
Xbox 360 - 1,216 (1,608,399)
PlayStation 2 - 904 (21,829,112)
Nintendo DS - 424 (32,875,469)

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-12-13-3ds-has-surpassed-ps3-lifetime-sales-in-japan
http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/12/japanese_3ds_lifetime_sales_overtake_playstation_3

 

[entremet]

Wow. Really?! So PS3 is far, far from PS2 levels of popularity in Japan. Guess Japan is portable country these days.

 

[Unicorn]

Wow. Really?

 

[KojiKnight]

Yes but has it beat Vita lifetime sales?

 

[Spazznid]

Sweet Mother of Mercy....

Now we just need more games or SSB.... either will do.

 

[MagicWithEarvin]

All thanks to the 3-headed monster that is Monster Hunter, Mario and

Spoiler

what was the other one? Sorry, the game escapes me.

 

[hunnies28]

That's really impressive!

 

[flippedb]

3DS is a beast in Japan

Yes but has it beat Vita lifetime sales?

lol

All thanks to the 3-headed monster that is Monster Hunter, Mario and

Spoiler

what was the other one? Sorry, the game escapes me.

You serious? MK7 mate.

 

[entremet]

Wow. Really?

Wow. Really?

You guys read my mind.

 

[MrHicks]

i don't get japan's handheld obsession

feels so ghetto compared to a nice homeconsole experience
maybe because a shitton of people have long daily commutes over there and need something to do on the bus or some crap

 

[BGBW]

More interested to see whether the Vita manages to beat the 360's lifetime sales.

 

[Massa]

It's a Monster.

 

[DragonSworne]

We need more Tales games on 3DS

 

[btkadams]

Yes but has it beat Vita lifetime sales?

 

[meltingparappa]

But handhelds are doomed! Nintendo should go mobile, etc....


So when will there be western support for the platform?

Probably never, as usual.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

Now what about dem Vita vs PS3 sales

 

[Busaiku]

I don't get US's console obsession.
Why confine yourself to a single room.

 

[Anth0ny]

i don't get japan's handheld obsession

feels so ghetto compared to a nice homeconsole experience
maybe because a shitton of people have long daily commutes over there and need something to do on the bus or some crap

ding ding ding

 

[electroplankton]

Expected to happen, but not so fast. I think that 3DS is having a really good trend during these last weeks of the year, no one was expecting to be above 150k units per week for 4 weeks in a row.

 

[MagicWithEarvin]

I don't get US's console obsession.
Why confine yourself to a single room.

Call of Duty and Halo.

 

[Gentleman Jack]

I don't get US's console obsession.
Why confine yourself to a single room.

The controllers are really comfortable.

 

[Zebra]

More interested to see whether the Vita manages to beat the 360's lifetime sales.

Wow. I hadn't even noticed how impressively low that number is. They really don't care for the 360 over there, do they.

 

[Sadist]

Impressive

 

[OmegaZero]

Yes but has it beat Vita lifetime sales?

I see what you did there.

 

[TheBioLover]

Probably the only region it will do it, lol.

 

[DragonSworne]

The controllers are really comfortable.

Which ones? Because I can only think of one that I'd consider comfortable.

 

[Proxy]

But handhelds are doomed! Nintendo should go mobile, etc....


So when will there be western support for the platform?

Probably never, as usual.

Do Japanese handheld gamers buy western titles?

 

[Santiako]

Well that was fast.

 

[tinfoilhatman]

Well when you live in a house the size of a phone both or bathroom and sleep in a tube.......

 

[neshoba78]

3DS is a beast in Japan



lol



You serious? MK7 mate.

No no no no no. Doubutsu no Mori

 

[AgentChris]

Release the Pokemon, please!

 

[DragonSworne]

Well when you live in a house the size of a phone both or bathroom and sleep in a tube.......

But you could use consoles as a space heater!

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Comparing Handheld with consoles? Oh boy. I hope they're not reading worldwide sales of iPhone.

 

[Speevy]

I don't get US's console obsession.
Why confine yourself to a single room.

Huge experience, just for you.

 

[Toki767]

Not incredibly surprised. I don't think most of Japan has even embraced HD gaming yet. Plus those daily train rides are really a lot nicer with a portable in hand.

 

[tha_devil]

Even the psp sold more than wii? Man japan really hates consoles.

 

[electroplankton]

wow, so many prejudices against Japanese people.

 

[Lothars]

I think that's dissapointing considering the 3ds has some good games but I am not a big fan of the system.

 

[Iacobellis]

I had no idea how much more handhelds sell in Japan than consoles. 20M PS2s?! That's it?

 

[GDGF]

I need a Japanese 3DS.

 

[Chet Rippo]

Probably won't be too long until the 3DS beats the Wii too.

 

[Sylver]

I don't get US's console obsession.
Why confine yourself to a single room.

Because for portable game people use smartphone.

 

[Gentleman Jack]

Which ones? Because I can only think of one that I'd consider comfortable.

I find the default controllers for all of my consoles to be pretty comfortable. The good news is that even those who don't think the ones that come in the box with the console are comfortable, there are competing products that might fit their hands better.

I've not found this to be the case for any handheld I own, but the design priorities are obviously different.

 

[walking fiend]

Probably the only region it will do it, lol.

I am not really sure; it can sell like half of 3DS and the chances are that at least in the US it will sell more than PS3 too.

 

[dallow_bg]

Not a surprise at all.
Handhelds easily outsell consoles.

Look at those sweet PSP numbers.

 

[AlexBasch]

The controllers are really comfortable.

Can't play the games I like in a portable device.

They're still awesome for quick plays while I'm waiting or not near my console, though!

 

[KalBalboa]

Call of Duty and Halo.

There are a lot of reasons to get into console gaming.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

This other chart caught my eye in the MC thread.

Which 3DS title will hit 2 million first?

 

[Eusis]

Comparing Handheld with consoles? Oh boy. I hope they're not reading worldwide sales of iPhone.

I'm pretty sure PCs have curbstomped the shit out of consoles for forever too.

 

[Trevelyon]

Never got this obsession over passing this prohibitively priced console which had one of the most disastrous soft starts in recent hardware memory. Pass the original PSP or even, *gulp the DS LTD that might make a halfway interesting talking point.