215,000 3DS sold in Japan just days after price cut

After last week’s price drop, the Nintendo 3DS had its highest sales in Japan since February 26 and 27, the weekend it launched. The device sold 214,821 units between August 8 and 14 according to data released Tuesday by game magazine publisher Enterbrain Inc. The price drop went into effect on the August 11, knocking the Japanese retail cost from 25,000 to 15,000 yen (in the US the price went from $249.99 to $169.99 on August 12).

This is the first time Nintendo has lowered the price of a gaming system within the first six months of the device’s release, and the move has given the system’s sales a tremendous boost. Total sales have reached 1,521,326 units, as of August 14. The week before the cut went into effect, the 3DS only sold 32,381 units in Japan, despite a set of 20 free games being offered to consumers who picked up the system and logged into the e-shop before the new price went into effect. Will US sales show a similar increase?

Aug 16, 2011