3DS accounts for half of Japanese hardware sales

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has claimed that more than 50 per cent of Japanese hardware sales are taken by 3DS.

The platform holder’s CEO defended the handheld’s sales performance during a recent meeting with shareholders, according to VG247.

"While the Nintendo 3DS has a certain degree of sales momentum in Japan, the momentum in the US and Europe is currently weak," said Iwata.

"Sales are constant in Japan and in face we could say the sales volume is exceeding our forecast at the start of this fiscal year. After the beginning of this calendar year, the average unit sales have been 83,000 units on a weekly basis.

"This means that about 55 per cent of all gaming hardware sales in Japan consist of the Nintendo 3DS. Now, with the level of sales momentum for the Nintendo 3DS created since the year end, we would say the center of the Japanese video game market has been the 3DS."

The Nintendo president estimated that the 3DS accounts for roughly 20 per cent in other major territories like the US.

However, while this is not as impressive as its Japanese market share, Iwata attributed this to cultural differences between the territories.

"One of the difficulties Nintendo is facing in terms of spreading the Nintendo 3DS is the difference of the mainstream products between Japan, where the handheld video games are the main products, and the US, where the home console video games are the main ones.

"In the US, video games means home console video games. However, in Japan, those who say that video games mean home console games are only about half of all respondents, and handheld-type games have more significant appeal."