[Gamasutra]
When Nintendo launched the 3DS a year ago today, there was little evidence the system would enjoy the same success as its predecessor, which ruled the handheld space with its cheap hardware and titles catering to every type of gamer and even non-gamer. …
“The first few months after launch weren’t very encouraging,” adds LucasArts veteran Jens Andersson, who will release painting app Colors! 3Das a downloadable 3DS title soon. “The 3DS hadn’t done as well as we had hoped for, and it felt like it took forever to get the crucial feature that we needed: the eShop.”
3DS’s fortunes beginning to turn around
While consumers waited for big games and important features to make their way to 3DS, hardware sales floundered in mid-2011. …
Determined to turn its woes around, Nintendo sought to win over consumers who balked at 3DS’s expensive pricing, and to address developers’ worries with an aggressive plan last summer that includeddiscounting the portable by a third to $169 — an unprecedented markdown for the company.
The platform holder built up more goodwill by rolling out new features with firmware updates, its eShop digital distribution platform, new bundles/color variations, and a steady stream of free games and apps. Then it turned the underdog handheld into a popular holiday purchase with huge releases like Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7. …
“12 months later, it feels like things have fallen into place,” says Andersson. …
3DS’s eShop is a “little gold mine”
While there still aren’t many third-party hits for the 3DS at retail, quite a few developers see a lot of potential for the eShop, the handheld’s equivalent of Apple’s App Store, featuring smaller downloadable games with much cheaper prices than retail releases ($1.99 to $9.99). …
3DS’s challenges and bright future
Healthy hardware sales, more companies buying into the 3DS, and the rise of the eShop all bode well for the future of the system — as does Nintendo’s strong slate of upcoming exclusive titles Mario Tennis Open, Animal Crossing, and a new Mario 2D side-scroller.
Third-party publishers also have some promising 3DS releases in the works, like Disney’s Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion and Square Enix’s Kingdom Hearts 3D, along with a number of games announced for only Japan so far but will likely come to the States eventually.
n-Space’s creative director Ted Newman, who predicts a hardware redesign for the 3DS featuring two analog pads at some point, is upbeat about the years ahead for the portable: …
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