Nintendo lowers earnings forecast due to 3DS sales

Nintendo has lowered its forecast for the 2013 fiscal year, citing lower-than-expected sales of the 3DS. The company expected to sell 17.5 million 3DS units during the current fiscal year, but only sold 5.06 million in the first half, making its prior full-year figure unrealistic. Its forecast, originally slated at 20 billion yen (approximately $250 million) has been bumped down to 6 billion yen ($75 million).

Gamasutra reports that software sales are a bit more positive, as lifetime software has reached 64.45 million after 19.03 million in the first half of this year. Pokemon Black and White 2 alone accounted for 4.26 million of those sales, reaffirming the power of catching 'em all.

Nintendo's other hardware is continuing a steady decline. The original DS sold just 980,000, and the Wii sold 1.32 million. In both cases, being replaced by the 3DS or the impending Wii U is a major factor.