Nintendo 3DS: Nearly Sold Out in Japan?
It may come with a health warning but Nintendo Co.’s 3DS game system nearly sold out its first batch of shipments to retail outlets in the first two days since the new 3-D portable game machine debuted in Japan on Saturday, according to a local research firm.
The research arm of Japanese videogame magazine publisher Enterbrain said the 3DS sold 371,326 units on Saturday and Sunday. Separately, Nintendo said it had shipped out 400,000 3DS units to Japanese retailers ahead of the launch, although the company said the shops could stagger sales if they so choose.
Japanese consumers certainly flocked to stores in droves over the weekend to be among the first to shell out 25,000 yen ($305) to buy a 3DS, which plays 3-D games without requiring special glasses to create the illusion of depth. The strong first-weekend sales come in the face of concerns that a warning by Nintendo about possible health risks from 3-D for children six years old and younger could crimp sales.
