Wii U continues to underperform.
The Nintendo 3DS exceeded expectations and became the best-selling platform in America this past year, according to Nintendo’s Third Quarter Earnings Report released today. This report reflected sales from April 1 to December 31, 2013.
Sales for the console was tied to successes of 3DS exclusive titles which saw high sales during the year. Outside of the United States, the 3DS saw limited growth, with global sales hitting 11.65 million.
With 57.25 million game units sold for the 3DS, first-party games took center stage. Top selling titles were Pokémon XY (11.61 million), Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3.52 million), The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (2.18 million), and Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (2 million). In Japan, Tomodachi Collection also showed steady sales with 1.82 million units sold.
The Wii U failed to recover fully from negative profits, owing to markdowns of the console in the US and EU. The console sold 2.41 million units globally. Software sales hit 15.96 million units worldwide with The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, Wii Party U, and Super Mario 3D World each selling over one million.
Nintendo stated their strategy was to continue pursuing a “Gaming Population Expansion” plan by “offering compelling products that anyone can enjoy, regardless of age, gender or gaming experience.”