Posted January 31, 2013 The Nintendo 3DS is selling like hot cakes in Japan, having crossed 10 million in sales in under two years, but it isn’t doing as well in the west. In the U.S. and Europe, 3DS sales are below expectations, and Nintendo need to do something about it. What they’ll do, according to Nintendo president, Satoru Iwata, is release more games that widen the system’s appeal. This involves releasing around ten key games in the near future that will help sell the 3DS to more people. “We plan to intensively and actively sell approximately 10 key titles on our own in order to change the Nintendo 3DS system from a handheld device just to play the Mario series to the one to enjoy a variety of games,” Iwata stated at the company’s third quarter financial results briefing. He added: “Naturally, we will keep the momentum of already-released titles with much sales potential by, for example, having them digitally distributed.” Iwata doesn’t name all ten 3DS games that Nintendo have pegged their hopes on, but he does name six of them—Fire Emblem: Awakening, Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon, Brain Age: Concentration Training, Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins, Animal Crossing: New Leaf and of course Pokémon X/Y. Additionally, Iwata says that third-party developers in Japan are assigning their top teams to develop big games for the 3DS, and that Nintendo will help distribute their key games overseas. Iwata stated: “Among those third-party titles both developed and published in Japan, there have been some games which Nintendo published in Europe, including the Professor Layton series. We will increase the number of such games for the U.S. market as well as in Europe. We are also willing to flexibly assist third-party developers in distributing their valuable games overseas.” Source Now, this can be interpreted in many ways, but considering how Nintendo in the past have published games from bigger developers such as Square Enix in the past, I think this means what we all think this means. They've clearly clocked on to the fact that the games available here and in the US are clearly missing some lucrative core gaming markets. The 3DS is slowing down nearly every where but Japan right now. This will change as we know there's some guaranteed hot cake items coming out from Nintendo themselves, but they know that they need to win those third parties over as hard as they can to import the good streak of sales from Japan to the West. So, what are we all hoping for? I'm very curious as to whether they see potential in Fantasy Life or not, because it basically looks like Animal Crossing but with a shit lot more to do thanks to the RPG system. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 31, 2013 (edited) Gah! you beat me to it! Here's the actual original source though http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/library/events/130131/04.html To export the momentum to the overseas markets, we plan to actively release our key titles for Nintendo 3DS which could potentially lead the markets this year. "Pokémon X/Pokémon Y," to be launched in October worldwide, could be the most-anticipated one and "Animal Crossing: New Leaf," released in Japan last year, will be available in the first half of this year. We have already announced that "Fire Emblem Awakening," "Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity," "Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon," "Brain Age: Concentration Training" and "LEGO City Undercover: The Chase Begins" will be released in the first half of this year. For the overseas Nintendo 3DS markets, this year will be a good harvest time of what we have developed for these two years. We plan to intensively and actively sell approximately 10 key titles on our own in order to change the Nintendo 3DS system from a handheld device just to play the Mario series to the one to enjoy a variety of games. Naturally, we will keep the momentum of already-released titles with much sales potential by, for example, having them digitally distributed. Recently, third-party software developers overseas have been inclined to focus on mega-hit titles for home consoles and have had less of their development studios develop software for handheld devices. Some developers, which make game content suitable for children, work on titles for Nintendo 3DS, but they are not as active as the time of Nintendo DS. On the other hand, as the handheld devices occupy a large share of the video game market and software for handheld devices is important in the video game business in Japan, Japanese software developers are eagerly assigning their top teams to develop key titles for Nintendo 3DS. We therefore plan to more actively support the Japanese software developers in distributing their key titles overseas this year. Among those third-party titles both developed and published in Japan, there have been some games which Nintendo published in Europe, including the Professor Layton series. We will increase the number of such games for the U.S. market as well as in Europe. We are also willing to flexibly assist third-party developers in distributing their valuable games overseas. About bloody time!!! I imagine that the "10 key titles" this year include the ones that we already know about (though I'd love to be wrong!) so that leaves 3 mystery titles after discounting the 7 that we already know about (LM2, FEA, PKMN X&Y, Devilish BT, Monster Hunter 3 U, Lego City Undercover, PKMN MD Gate to Infinity) I think it's safe to say that Layton 6 is one of them. Otherwise I reckon that Fantasy Life and Dragon Quest 7 have the best chance of being published by Nintendo overseas... Also interesting that he mentions the games published in Europe specifically and how they plan to extend that policy to the US. I wonder if this means that NOA will take over publishing duties for Castlevania MOF, like what NOE are doing? Edited January 31, 2013 by Dcubed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 31, 2013 I heard there was a Shim Megami Tensei in the works for the 3DS. Sounds like it's definitely coming, now. Also, if the result is anything like Tales of Symphonia, I'm all for it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 31, 2013 This is great news!! Rune Factory 4 Nintendo 3DS, Summer 2013 – The first game in the Rune Factory simulation/role-playing series to be released on the Nintendo 3DS, Rune Factory 4 adds new romance options, the ability to select a male or female character at the game’s start, and has endless crafting, farming and cooking opportunities. The player becomes Selphia’s prince or princess and can manage the village, explore the countryside with townsfolk, or tame monsters in the wild to aid them in battle or help out in the fields. Europe? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 31, 2013 This is great news!! Europe? It'll happen I'm sure. If not by Xseed themselves (they have done a few DD releases in Europe themselves), then Rising Star Games will pick it up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 31, 2013 This is part of what gaming needs again, unique games to unique systems. New franchises to a new market, I'm bored of all the regular mario etc. and there's some cracking games in the east that never make it to us. Xenoblade's the perfect example, cracker of a game that went down a storm over here! About bloody time!!! I imagine that the "10 key titles" this year include the ones that we already know about (though I'd love to be wrong!) so that leaves 3 mystery titles after discounting the 7 that we already know about (LM2, FEA, PKMN X&Y, Devilish BT, Monster Hunter 3 U, Lego City Undercover, PKMN MD Gate to Infinity) I think it's safe to say that Layton 6 is one of them. Otherwise I reckon that Fantasy Life and Dragon Quest 7 have the best chance of being published by Nintendo overseas... What's devilish BT? Also would Lego City Undercover really count in that description? 'We plan to intensively and actively sell approximately 10 key titles on our own in order to change the Nintendo 3DS system from a handheld device just to play the Mario series to the one to enjoy a variety of games. Naturally, we will keep the momentum of already-released titles with much sales potential by, for example, having them digitally distributed. Personally I'm hoping this means the DWN/DQM 3DS original remake makes it over here, loved the shit out of that game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 31, 2013 What's devilish BT? Brain Training. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 31, 2013 hm maybe we'll finally get bravely default flying fairy. Been looking really forward to get my hands on that game! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 31, 2013 The really big ones I want are: Dragon Quest VII Etrian Odyssey IV Bravely Default: Flying Fairy ...Fantasy Life too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 31, 2013 You forgot DQM:Terry's Wonderland, silly! Brain Training. Hahaha oh my gosh, there was me thinking it was some awesome killer kinda rpg or something. Oh my. hm maybe we'll finally get bravely default flying fairy. Been looking really forward to get my hands on that game! Yeah probably one of them methinks! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
