The Shifting Tides of the Console Wars

Introduction - The Console Wars

Longtime gamers will be familiar with the phrase "Console Wars" (AKA "System Wars") as the term used to describe periods of intense competition for market share between video game console manufacturers. While it is not so much a war as it is a series of pitched battles, with the declaration of a winner being at best a temporary victory, there are a number of issues that can set off a Console War.

In recent months the three major manufacturers have each re-evaluated their position in the market, and as a result there have been significant changes in their pricing, bundling, and promotional offers, which has had the effect of triggering a small battle that might just be classified as a Console War, so we thought it was a good idea to take a look at the shifting tides to see what is revealed.

Nintendo Console Gaming Lines

The figures for August 2011 are in, and it seems that Nintendo has sold more than 235,000 3DS units in the United States, with the system finishing as the No. 2 best-selling dedicated game system for the month according to the NPD Group, which tracks video game sales in the United States.

About 185,000 units were sold following the price reduction on August 12th, which is an increase of more than 260 percent during the comparable 19-day time period in July of 2011.

"Consumers are responding very positively to the new suggested retail price of $169.99 for the Nintendo 3DS," according to Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "With Star Fox 64 3D and the new Flame Red color launching tomorrow, and Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 arriving later this year, Nintendo 3DS will offer consumers cutting-edge entertainment and tremendous value this holiday season."