Nintendo 3DS Will Face Slower than Expected Sales in 2011

Specialist video game retailer GameStop has said that it has managed to capture a lot of the handheld market share after the launch of the new Nintendo 3DS, but that the device has been selling less than expected because of a lot of compelling software launches and that it might face a tough battle with the PlayStation Portable for the rest of the year.

Tony Bartel, who is the president of GameStop, has stated when the earnings were announced, “We were very excited about 3DS when it launched”, because it “was one of the highest market shares we've ever had for a Nintendo launch at 45 percent. We were excited about market share.”

He added that, “I think there have been reports that the numbers are lagging from what the expectations were in the U.S., and I think our results will be in line with that.”

GameStop has reported that it has registered sales for the fiscal first quarter of 2.28 billion dollars, which is 9.5 percent more than it did during the same period of last year, with some of that increase directly linked to the Nintendo 3DS launch.

The device has been out in the United States and in Europe since late March and Japan has had access to it since the middle of February.

The unique selling point for the Nintendo 3DS is that it can deliver three-dimensional gaming experiences without the use of the cumbersome glasses that are needed on home gaming consoles.

In Japan, the 3DS now routinely finishes after the Sony made and older PlayStation Portable in terms of weekly sales and Nintendo has recently admitted that sales have been lower than those projected, with a marketing campaign prepared to revive its fortunes.

Sony is expected to launch a PSP successor before the end of this year.