3DS doubles DS’ year one sales

The Nintendo 3DS has sold nearly twice as many units in the US in its first year than the DS managed in the same time period.

The news comes as Nintendo celebrates the machine’s first birthday. And in case any hangers on still think the console has been a flop, the platform holder has released a number of stats to dispel the myth.

The DS sold 2.3m units in the US in its first 12 months. The 3DS? 4.5m units.

It doesn’t end there either. DS year one software sales hit 5m units. The 3DS has already sold over 9m games. And its library already numbers 100+ titles. By the same stage in its lifecycle, DS had 58 games.

Money talks, too. The DS enjoyed total revenue across hardware, software and accessories of $540m. The 3DS has achieved a total of over $1.2bn.

Nintendo 3DS closes its first year with a lengthy list of accomplishments but we’re still just scratching the surface,” Nintendo’s American president Reggie Fils-Aime stated.

With a massive lineup 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.”