The Fall and Rise of Nintendo's 3DS

It should have been easy.

Transitioning from the Nintendo DS to the Nintendo 3DS should have been a mere formality. For the past several years, the dedicated portable market has belonged to Nintendo. Even as support for mobile games grew, gamers of all types flocked towards the dual-screen machine, specifically seeking out experiences that were only possible on that platform.

Over a seven year span, the DS found life in four different iterations with numerous color and bundle options. Software ranged from the more predictable (yet excellent) Mario and Zelda offerings to the demographic-breaking concepts of Brain Age and Nintendogs. The system offered something for everyone.

More than 149 million units later, the DS stands as one of the greatest success stories in the history of the young video game industry. To date, the system has bested all of its modern counterparts, ranking as Nintendo's most successful product ever and the second best-selling system of all time.

So why did 3DS struggle to find its footing in 2011? And has Nintendo's corrective measures reversed the fading fortunes of this new machine?

When Nintendo unveiled its 3DS system at E3 2010, most assumed that success would simply transfer, evolving marketplace or not. The 3DS continued the powerful design and branding of its predecessor, and the software support outlined during that press conference seemed formidable. Yet many key details - including launch pricing, timing and software - were still unknown. The industry would have to wait until January 2011 for that information.

Despite its previous dominance, Nintendo's plans for the 3DS launch seemed troubling. The $250 debut price, an introductory price that was a full $80 more than any previous DS, seemed high - particularly given a relatively lackluster opening software schedule and absence of several critical features, including the much-anticipated eShop. It was as if Nintendo wasn't ready to launch its system, but it was going to do it anyway, assuming sales would simply follow. The strategy was bold and incredibly risky. In hindsight, the actions bordered on hubris.


Much as they do for any platform, the 3DS's launch titles would make or break the system's early fortunes. For North America, Nintendo had three titles prepared - Steel Diver, Pilotwings Resort and Nintendogs + Cats. None were the type of material early adopters would gravitate towards. None really seemed to fully embrace the system's significant advancements over the last handheld. (Oddly enough, some of the included software, like Face Raiders, did a better job of that.) Some third party content, like Capcom's Super Street Fighter IV 3D and Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D, was strong, but not in the way that would sell systems. Despite being the successor to an all-powerful industry entity, those looking close could tell this launch lacked the power necessary to aggressively compete in an ever-challenging economy and marketplace.

At first it seemed as though Nintendo had made the right choices. Early adopters quickly flocked to the system, resulting in hundreds of thousands of units being sold in each major territory in the first week of release. All told, Nintendo managed to sell over 3.5 million systems by the end of March 2011, despite holding the bulk of its hardware launches in the final week of that month.

However a critical detail seemed to signal what was to come - the reception to the 3DS wasn't quite what Nintendo hoped, and the company fell about 400,000 short of its self-imposed goal of 4 million units. That wasn't the end of the world, but it certainly signaled some things weren't quite lining up. That trend would continue.


As Spring 2011 rolled along, cracks in Nintendo's plans started to rapidly form. April and May had no major software releases, and gamers were left with few options to power their new purchases. The eShop was still non-existent and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, a remake of the Nintendo 64 classic, was still weeks away.

Prior to (or rather during) Nintendo's severe misfortunes, the 3DS eShop finally saw release. Though not perfect in the user interface or comprehensive in its approach, the ability to access the Game Boy Virtual Console and more was certainly welcome. Though no digital titles have necessarily been game-changers, the weekly updates do give 3DS owners a bit of a boost when things are quiet.