The Nintendo 3DS has had such an interesting sales trajectory over its life. It launched strong out of the gates, buoyed by a price drop, and then peaked in its second year on the market; sales after that continued to decline year on year, in spite of major new revisions and games released for the system, until by 2016, it felt like it was all but dead. Then Pokemon GO revived interest in Pokemon, and sales took off again, with the 3DS seeing its first YoY growth in three years in 2016.
Now, it seems like it will continue that streak this year, because, in an interview with Forbes, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime confirmed that, at least in the US, the 3DS is on track to sell more in 2017 than it did in 2016.
In the United States we’re on track to actually sell more Nintendo 3DS systems this year than we did last year,” Fils-Aime said. “That’s incredible for a system that has been out in the marketplace and is enjoying its seventh holiday right now.”
It is truly remarkable- age of the system aside, the attention of Nintendo developers and fans is squarely on the Switch, and while the 3DS got some good releases this year with Fire Emblem Echoes, Metroid: Samus Returns, and Pokemon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon, it got nothing that was quite as big as Pokemon Sun/Moon last year. It goes to show you- there is some life in Nintendo’s old handheld left yet.