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Nintendo 3DS sales pass 5 million in US

Narrowly outpacing original DS

Nintendo 3DS sales pass 5 million in US
Nintendo has sold more than 5 million 3DS consoles in the US according to figures published by market research specialist the NPD Group, hitting the total in just over one year and three months.

That's a rate that puts it narrowly ahead of the original DS at the same stage in its life, with the handheld having taken one year and four months to pass the 5 million mark in the Americas.

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"Nintendo 3DS is entering the next phase of its life cycle with new hardware, new games and proven franchises," said Nintendo of America executive VP of sales and marketing Scott Moffitt.

"This milestone shows we've got a great foundation to build from. The game line up for Nintendo 3DS last holiday season was one of the strongest in our history. We're poised to top it this year."

Nintendo naturally hopes the forthcoming roll out of its revised SKU – the 3DS XL – will give the handheld the kind of sales boost the original DS enjoyed with the DS Lite was released 19 months post launch.

In a statement, Nintendo said the combination of 'high profile games' and 3DS XL's debut would ensure "the system's momentum should continue through 2012 and beyond."

An odd choice of words critics might suggest, given it comes just days after Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata labelled 3DS sales momentum in the US and Europe as "currently weak." 

 

[source: Nintendo]
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