Nintendo Hardware Sales Climb in Japan Despite Limited New Releases

Here's a question - what the heck happens to these numbers if Nintendo makes NX download only? Which I don't think they'll do, didn't turn out too well for PSPgo, but I know the idea has been in circulation.

Volleyball, eh? I wouldn't mind that...

@rjejr great point! Doesn't help that Nintendo are ultra shy about revealing download sales overall so it would be really hard to compile a complete list of sales.
I really do hope that they wouldn't make nx dl only at this point.... some might not care but my internet is awful and I only get 15gb a month so I'd have major problems

Gundam rules! now Bandai could be ashamed of itself and actually release everything about it in the west, including thay real size statue in new york.

@rjejr I don't think that's gonna happen. If anything I think Nintendo will make the NX cartridge based (physically bigger than 3ds carts). And get rid of optical drives, which means no BC with WiiU disc based games, which I'd be fine with. I'm just not fussed with BC physical media anymore. But then again I collect for all systems and have the space to store the physical games of each system, luckily.

So yeah I don't think Nintendo will be out if the weekly sales top 10 anytime soon.

Now what I'd love to see is the actual weekly numbers of digital download sales in Japan, EU, and the US. They are either amazing, or just kinda ok. Since that's what all companies want to do in the future.

Viz Media picked up Haikyuu so I am looking forward to that. The anime is also on Hulu and Blue Ray in the U.S.

Glad the Vita is doing well somewhere.

@readyletsgo Famitsu publishes digital numbers for Japan every month and they're a tiny percentage of overall sales. The U.K. Chart is going to start including digital sales soon, but probably won't show figures, just chart positions.

@ULTRA-64 "15gb a month"

Ouch, I think the patch for the demo of FFXV was bigger than that.

(OK, the update was only 3.5GB, but I still say ouch to 15GB.)

http://www.pushsquare.com/news/2015/06/final_fantasy_xvs_episode_duscae_demo_patch_is_out_now_on_ps4

Some urban dwelling Americans don't realize that the rest of the world has broadband limitations. Hopefully Nintendo figures it out before it is too late.

Personally I think blu ray discs are the way to go for home consoles, 50GB downloads of a few PS4/Xbox One games mean even the best broadband users are going to have to wait.

I wouldn't be surprised if the handheld component was download only. W/ the limited resolution - I'm guessing NX handheld screen would top out at 800x480, double the 3DS (Vita isn't much better than that 960x544) - and stereo sound those files can be kept small enough.

@readyletsgo Cartridges almost seems like a step backwards w/ storage limitations, but I suppose if they can sell 3DS games for $40 and blu ray Wii U games are $60 then cartridges must be cheap enough. Going to be weird though plugging them in and out. though I suppose if NX is a Wii U w/ the system in the Gamepad it won't be difficult. Hopefully they work without needing to blow on them.

@rjejr lol never blow a cartridge! Yeah I have a feeling it would be very cheap to product for Ninty, not like in the 90s. But sure that's just my own personal rumour

@rjejr my pitiful allowance is my own fault for being a bit tight mostly! I work for a mobile phone company so I get my phone/mobile internet for free, which is nice. But, It leaves me really unwilling to pay for a service from a propper provider. I'm good for updates, e shop games and general browsing but streaming, online gaming and massive downloads are a luxury. As it stands, my Wii u is 90% fine for this but I got a PS3 for Xmas and I'm amazed by how internet demanding it is!! I'm new to non Nintendo consoles and it's suddenly exposing my shoddy allowance!
So yeah, back to the article. I'd be surprised if it took one generation for Nintendo to go from bairly online to internet dependant to play. I'm actually a big fan of the cartridge ideas like others have said, keeps in line with the retro image but would it affect ports in any way?

Life Is Strange at number 8! God bless the Japanese!

Ugh those SFV numbers are horrible.

I find it strange that Media Create is not reporting on 2DS hardware sales, as I am almost certain the 2DS is currently the best selling version of the 3DS in Japan. Adding in 2DS sales would also certainly mean that the 3DS is outselling the PS4/PSV by a notable margin, and these current charts don't reflect that. I mean, Media Create tracks New 3DS/ New 3DS XL numbers, so why no 2DS numbers??

@rjejr It would be cool if you could just install games from a blu-ray and or download.

If Nintendo game downloads start to encroach on physical sales with a significant percentage for any reason and the sales are impressive, Nintendo will trumpet them. Right now, the problem is the latter one, of course.

Either way, I'd like the option to just download and play from the device. I like to sit down first, then decide what I feel like playing. It's not so much the getting up and moving, but the searching for the disc, and finding out it's not where it should be, and asking the kids, and getting nowhere.

i need that Haikyuu game

@aaronsullivan Yeah, that whole getting up and down thing, I know exactly what you mean. Once you start playing downloaded games the whole disc thing seems like TV before remotes. You may not be that old, but I am.

But I still like discs in slots more than cartridges. I just started letting my 13 yr old touch my game discs when he turned 13, my 11 yr old is still banned. I can't imagine worrying about them messing around w/ a home console w/ cartridges. I'm sure it wouldn't be like the N64 days, and they've been playing on DS / 3DS for maybe 5 years, but a home console under the tv isn't the same as a handheld. So if they go the cartridge route, hopefully it's easy in and out like a thumbdrive, w/ something to hold on to.

I'm honestly not ready for download only yet, too expensive.

Both the PS4 and the Vita sold more than all 4 3DS SKUs combined,
Which is a ridiculous statement.
I get why it's happening, I just forgot for a few minutes how heavily Nintendo leans on games like MH, YW and Pokemon when they first release.
It'll be interesting to see how Generations does in the West and if Pokemon will catch fire again with Moon and Sun. Personally, I'd like to see a new console Pokemon (Pokken doesn't really count) and Level-5 return to puzzles and RPGs .
Did you guess that Ni No Kuni 2 is one of most anticipated games of this generation?