Amazon.co.uk has announced that the Nintendo 3DS handheld console has become the most pre-ordered console of all-time on Amazon.co.uk overtaking PlayStation 3 which previously held the record when launched in March 2007.
With a week still to go until launch, the new handheld console has 20% more pre-orders than PlayStation 3 achieved by launch date and 56% more than the previously most pre-ordered Nintendo console, Nintendo Wii, in 2006.
“It’s unusual for a handheld console to attract this amount of excitement in the run up to launch, such high levels of interest are normally reserved for the play-at-home hardware like the ground-breaking Nintendo Wii and last year’s Microsoft Kinect ,” said Chris Poad, Director of Video Games at Amazon.co.uk Ltd. “Nintendo 3DS is launching at a time when interest in all things 3D is incredibly high and with the promise of real 3D graphics without glasses, it’s a real breakthrough in handheld video game entertainment.”
Nintendo 3DS has also beaten Amazon.co.uk pre-orders achieved by any other DS console with 255% more than those for Nintendo DSi in 2009.
Interest in Nintendo 3DS is reflected in the charts on Amazon.co.uk with the console already featuring twice in the top ten bestsellers chart and games made for the new handheld console – Ridge Racer 3D, Pilot Wings Resort, Super Monkey Ball 3D, Rayman 3D and Super Street Fighter IV – all occupying spots in the top twenty Hot Future Releases.
The top five most pre-ordered consoles/gaming hardware of all-time on Amazon.co.uk are:
1. Nintendo 3DS – launching 25 March 2011
2. PlayStation 3 – launched March 2007
3. Nintendo Wii – launched December 2006
4. Microsoft Kinect – launched November 2010
5. PlayStation Move – launched September 2010
Nintendo 3DS will be released on Friday 25th March 2011 and is currently priced at £187.00 at Amazon.co.uk
