The Nintendo 3DS has finally hit and passed the 10 million sold mark as of January 6. The handheld’s sales saw a significant increase over the month of December and remained high into the first week of January.
3DS Turns Over a New Leaf
It’s pretty easy to see why the Nintendo 3DS is suddenly doing so well. Four words to burn into your brain: Animal Crossing: New Leaf. This increase in 3DS sales began as soon as New Leaf was released and it has remained on top of the sales charts since. Level 5’s Fantasy Life RPG was also released on the handheld, having sold out on release day.
This is likely just the first jump in momentum for the 3DS in Japan, as Capcom’s Monster Hunter 4 is slated for release sometime this summer. The Monster Hunter series was the primary pusher of PSP systems in Japan and continues to be one of the most popular IPs in the country.
Still Lagging
Despite how good this news sounds, the 3DS is still behind the DS Lite in terms of sales rate. The DS Lite hit the 10 million sold mark 61 weeks into its release, while the 3DS took 98 weeks to reach the same number. 2013 will be an exciting year for owners of the newer handheld, but it’s going to take some time for that excitement to reach our shores.
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Source: Famitsu (Japanese)
Via: Joystiq
