Nintendo 3DS’ poor sales may be explained by new research findings
Nintendo has been reeling from the poor sales of its latest handheld gaming console, the Nintendo 3DS and a recent survey has given an alarming reason as to why that might be. Well, actually it has given two equally alarming reasons.
The first bombshell comes in the form of 28 percent of 1,600 people completely unaware and oblivious to the fact that the 3DS does not require 3D glasses. While avid gamers may be familiar with that fact it turns out that 448 people did not know that unlike
other 3D devices, the 3DS did not need glasses.
We apologise for pretty much repeating the same statement twice, it is kind of a shocker to be honest, as one of the main selling points of the portable gaming device was that it could give out 3D images on its own screen, without any extra accessories.
The marketing department in Nintendo ought to be doing themselves in like the Samurai right about now. It seems that they did not focus on making that element apparent enough and seeing how 3D glasses are on the rather expensive side, it does add up and
explain why so many people were hesitant to pick up a 3DS for themselves.
The survey was carried out by Interpret LLC at the 3D Gaming Summit of all places. The senior vice president of strategy and analysis at Interpret, Dan Casey explained, “A theme you’ll see over and over again is the need to educate people.”
Another theme which emerged was the fact that 28 percent of people who took part in the survey felt that 3D actually took away the overall gaming experience, which is something a majority of people were already speculating.
One more statistic that both Nintendo and Sony may find slightly concerning is the fact that 13 percent of those who took part in the survey actually preferred keeping the 3D option off. With the demographic of 3D device owners still relatively small, 13
percent out of 1,600 people is a concern as the number can only increase with the scale.
Also the increase in 3D use has resulted in a 7 percent increase in dizziness and nausea, which directly resulting from using the technology, as compared to the previous year. While this may not be the only reason the 3DS has been selling poorly, it does
make sense. Consumers are still hesitant about embracing the relatively new 3D technology.
A lack of awareness about the 3DS’s specifications as well as the fact that people are still adjusting to the revolutionary new technology may be the core problems. Whether Nintendo will act on this news and launch their own survey later, is unknown.
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