JAPAN: Nintendo looks to rescue ailing 3DS sales with new software lineup and focus on female gamers

Record ID: 451823

  • Title: JAPAN: Nintendo looks to rescue ailing 3DS sales with new software lineup and focus on female gamers
  • Date: 14th September 2011
  • Summary: SCREEN SHOWING CHARACTER FROM ZELDA GAME SWINGING SWORD
  • Embargoed: 29th September 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan, Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA4XMKF3F7JIMGSS5B2EMMPZYDX
  • Story Text: Nintendo announced a raft of new software on Tuesday (September 13) in an attempt to prop up disappointing sales of its latest handheld games gadget, the 3DS.
    Nintendo's president, Satoru Iwata, unveiled what he called an unprecedented range of games, including some featuring the company's much-loved Mario character and others specifically aimed at attracting women, at an event held two days ahead of the Tokyo Game Show.
    Iwata promised an extensive new software lineup.
    "From the end of this year to the beginning of the next, we are planning the kind of extensive line-up that has probably never been seen before in the history of video games," he said.
    The Kyoto-based company has already been forced to slash prices to try to boost slumping demand to revive sales.
    Iwata announced a new pink coloured 3DS as well, in hopes of targeting more women gamers, whom he said made up nearly half of the users for the previous DS handheld.
    "We hope to make it so that, through the release of this new colour and the direction we take our software, that the 3DS will be liked by both men and women as the DS was," Iwata said.
    The event was not only about the 3DS however, as Nintendo's game designer and Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto came out with a sword in hand to explain the latest in the line of Legend of Zelda games.
    The event celebrated 25 years since the first Zelda game was designed by Miyamoto and was released to the world.
    Miyamoto drummed up anticipation for the new game, which could be released in November.
    "As for what to say about this new skyward sword game, all I can say is it's amazing. Saying so from myself is strange, but that's all I can say about it," he said While the new Zelda title will be on the Wii, the company has seen sales of its DS and Wii fading.
    Nintendo was relying on the new 3D model to revive profits and fend off renewed competition from motion-gaming peripherals of Sony Corp and Microsoft.
    Many casual gamers are also flocking to devices such as Apple's blockbuster iPhone and iPad, although some game journalists at the event said that the lineup would provide titles that catered to the traditional gamers.
    "In addition to community based games, there were also quite a few that focused on core gamers, such as Resident Evil and Metal Gear. So even for adults, there are titles that I could see people playing on their way to work. There were quite a few that would make people want to put a 3DS in their business bag as well," games magazine editor Yusaku Yamamoto said after trying out the new Mario Kart 7 on the 3DS.
    In August, Nintendo slashed the price of the 3DS, which features glasses-free 3D images, after sales shrivelled to just 710,000 units in April-June from 3.6 million in the first month after its launch, and a tiny fraction of the 16 million unit target for the year.
    The month before, in July, Nintendo slashed its outlook for the business year to end-March to its lowest in 27 years as it braced for losses from the 3D gadget, increased competition from mobile games and a stronger yen.
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