Nintendo Q1: loss narrowed, 3DS sales double to 1.86m

Nintendo said today that 3DS sales more than double in the April-June quarter compared to last year, up to 1.86 million compared with 710,000 a year earlier.

3DS sold 1.86 million units in Nintendo's April-June quarter, the company said today, well up on the 710,000 moved in the same period last year. Software sales stood at 7.39 million units for the quarter. Nintendo said it's no longer selling 3DS at a loss.

The manufacturer said again it expects to sell 18.5 million 3DS consoles in the year ending March 2013.

3DS XL releases in Europe on Saturday.

Nintendo narrowed its loss for the quarter from ¥25.5 billion ($326 million) in 2011 to ¥17.2 billion ($220.4 million) this year.

Sales were down to ¥84.8 billion ($1.08 billion) from from ¥93.9 billion ($1.2 billion) in the previous corresponding period.

Wii sales dropped to 710,000 in the firm's Q1, ended June 30, compared with 1.56 million last year. Wii software sales stood at 8.47 million units.

DS sales also cratered, down to 540,000 in the first quarter this year compared with 1.44 million in the same period a year earlier. DS software sales were strong, however, thanks to Pokemon Black & White 2: 8.48 million units were sold worldwide in the quarter.

Nintendo reiterated a Wii sales outlook of 10.5 million machines for the year to next March. DS will sell 2.5 million, it said.