Nintendo 3DS Sales Cooling After Hot Start
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Industry analysts weigh in on slowing sales.
Nintendo's 3DS handheld was off to a fast start. According to independent retail tracker NPD Group, the company sold "just shy" of 400,000 units in the first week in the United States alone. According to a number of industry analysts, however, sales of the handheld are slowing down.
"Based on our recent checks, we believe that sales of the 3DS have slowed considerably since the initial launch window, although the Easter holiday could provide a near-term boost," said Colin Sebastian of Lazard Capital Markets in an investor report earlier this month.
In a follow up, Sebastian told IGN today he thinks there is "cause for some concern" for the lower hardware sales but suggested a deeper software lineup will help and that he expects retailers will step up their promotions with the summer months approaching.
Analyst Jesse Divnich of EEDAR, a research company, tells IGN "This by no means is bad news for the 3DS." Divnich estimates that 3DS sales are currently trending at 80 to 100k a week in North America.
"That trend will continue downwards until some type of catalyst changes its path, which is true for all hardware," he said. "Those catalysts being, new software, a price cut, or the holiday season."
Divnich expects key titles like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D will provide a sales boost when it launches this June.
"Again, the sales curve is common and not out of the ordinary," he added. "Most of us are used to hardware being launched before the holiday season, where sales tend to grow every week through December."
Nintendo's 3DS handheld was off to a fast start. According to independent retail tracker NPD Group, the company sold "just shy" of 400,000 units in the first week in the United States alone. According to a number of industry analysts, however, sales of the handheld are slowing down.
"Based on our recent checks, we believe that sales of the 3DS have slowed considerably since the initial launch window, although the Easter holiday could provide a near-term boost," said Colin Sebastian of Lazard Capital Markets in an investor report earlier this month.
In a follow up, Sebastian told IGN today he thinks there is "cause for some concern" for the lower hardware sales but suggested a deeper software lineup will help and that he expects retailers will step up their promotions with the summer months approaching.
Analyst Jesse Divnich of EEDAR, a research company, tells IGN "This by no means is bad news for the 3DS." Divnich estimates that 3DS sales are currently trending at 80 to 100k a week in North America.
"That trend will continue downwards until some type of catalyst changes its path, which is true for all hardware," he said. "Those catalysts being, new software, a price cut, or the holiday season."
Divnich expects key titles like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D will provide a sales boost when it launches this June.
"Again, the sales curve is common and not out of the ordinary," he added. "Most of us are used to hardware being launched before the holiday season, where sales tend to grow every week through December."