Nintendo 3DS Leads U.S. Console Sales

JULY 19, 2013 • For the second month in a row the Nintendo 3DS was the top selling console in the U.S. According to the NPD Group, the handheld moved 225,000 units in the month of June. The Xbox 360 was second at 145,000 units. Much of the steam behind the 3DS’ showing came as a result of having three titles in the Top 10. Animal Crossing New Leaf moved 505,000 units, with 20% of the total sold through Nintendo’s online eShop. Also propelling the han.....

Satoru Iwata Heads Nintendo of America

APRIL 24, 2013 • In addition to his ongoing duties as the global president of Nintendo Co, Ltd., Satoru Iwata is taking the chief executive reigns at Nintendo of America from Tatsumi Kimishima. The latter is being promoted to managing director at the home office in Kyoto where he will oversee the Corporate Analysis and Administration, and General Affairs divisions. Kimishima has been CEO of the U.S. branch since 2006. Current Nintendo of America president Reggie.....

Nintendo eShop Gains Traction

APRIL 17, 2013 • During a press conference held in San Francisco, Nintendo of America executive vice president Scott Moffitt said the 3DS title Fire Emblem: Awakening had sold 240,000 units in the U.S. since its Feb. 4 release. Moffitt went on to say that 80,000 of those sales had been digital through Nintendo’s eShop. More than 40,000 of those eShop customers came back to purchase a map pack. Furthermore, Moffitt says 11% of all Nintendo first-party 3DS t.....

Can Sony And Nintendo Recover?

FEB. 21, 2013 • The year 2012 clearly showed that even in the age of easy digital distribution consumers love their physical products.  Among other things, this has included expensive hardware designed mainly to play digital content.  Having the coolest hardware device to access the Internet has suddenly become an important status symbol in society.  Unfortunately for the game industry, traditional game hardware manufacturers were not able to ride that trend.....

3DS XL Bundles Mario Kart

NOV. 28, 2012 • Less than a month before Dec. 25th Nintendo of America announced its holiday plans for 3DS XL. The system, which sports 90% more screen area than the 3DS, was originally released on Aug. 19.  With no change to the standalone $199 price the special edition 3DS XL bundle includes a copy of Mario Kart 7 pre-installed. The game was released at retail on Dec. 4 of last year yet became available through Nintendo’s eShop more recently on Oct. 18......

Nintendo Wii Drops to $129.95

OCT. 15, 2012 • In anticipation of the Nov. 18 launch of the Wii U, Nintendo of America is reducing the price of the original Wii to $129.95 from $149.95. The new package should be shipped-in to retailers by Oct. 28, includes a black console, Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort, a Wiimote Plus, and a Nunchuck controller. The package replaces the existing $149.95 bundle that included New Super Mario Bros.  Nintendo has made no similar price reduction announcement f.....

84-Inch 4K Television Sets Arrive

OCT. 10, 2012 • The arrival of 3D did very little to drive high-definition television sales, but what turns out to be bringing consumers out to purchase a new set these days is screen size. The industry statistics that LG Electronics is sharing are that while the worldwide TV market saw a decrease of 6% last year, purchases of 55-inch and higher screens grew 56%. The reason LG is talking up that stat is that it is shipping its first 84-inch 4K ultra high definit.....

[a]list Summit: Did theSocial Bubble Just Burst?

SEPT. 05, 2012 • At the [a]list summit in February, keynote speaker Michael Pachter took exception with an observation by DFC Intelligence president and principal analyst David Cole. Cole’s statement that there is a “bubble” in social games, which was used in the summit’s opening address, presented by your co-author of this piece Steve Fowler. “I think David Cole said something that’s wrong,” Pachter, researc.....