Nintendo 3DS Goes On Sale To Japan, Big Crowds Line Up
3D's big mobile launch happened this weekend. Nintendo's 3DS, which is
the 3D version of their now-famous DS handheld gaming console, shipped
in Japan over the weekend, and crowds were huge over there as people
were anxious to snag one. In fact, some lined up the night before,
camping out as if this were a new home console or iPhone launch. It's a
good, if not unexpected, sign for 3D. Sales of 3D TVs have been somewhat
slow. Some would say they're acceptable, but no one would honestly say
they're flying off shelves like hot cakes. And there were definitely no
long lines to wait in to buy one.
This new handheld is somewhat special, even in the 3D world. It's a "glasses-free" unit, which means that the 3D effect can be viewed without any glasses. That's the part that really hurts the television side, but being able to view 3D without 'em is a real plus for on-the-go gamers who definitely don't have room to include a pair of glasses with their gear. The launch in Japan was met by the launch of eight software titles, and if everything works out, the 3DS will ship next to the U.S. and other parts of the world.
Nintendo's stock is up on the news, and it's good that the company has found yet another piece of hardware to sell. Sales of Wii consoles are finally trending downward after years of being nearly impossible to find, signifying that it just might be time for the company to consider a new home console. Hopefully with HD support, this time!
This new handheld is somewhat special, even in the 3D world. It's a "glasses-free" unit, which means that the 3D effect can be viewed without any glasses. That's the part that really hurts the television side, but being able to view 3D without 'em is a real plus for on-the-go gamers who definitely don't have room to include a pair of glasses with their gear. The launch in Japan was met by the launch of eight software titles, and if everything works out, the 3DS will ship next to the U.S. and other parts of the world.
Nintendo's stock is up on the news, and it's good that the company has found yet another piece of hardware to sell. Sales of Wii consoles are finally trending downward after years of being nearly impossible to find, signifying that it just might be time for the company to consider a new home console. Hopefully with HD support, this time!
