Nintendo is currently prepping its first mobile game for launch, but that doesn't mean it is abandoning the 3DS.
Speaking to The Washington Post, Nintendo's executive vice president of sales and marketing Scott Moffitt assured that mobile games are meant to complement the Wii U and 3DS ecosystem and not to replace them.
"Clearly gaming on smart devices and gaming on Nintendo 3DS can happily coexist, to the benefit of all gamers," argued Moffitt. "The fact is, playing games on two very different hardware platforms means options for two very different kinds of game play. The inclusion of multiple control buttons on Nintendo 3DS allows a much deeper and more sophisticated type of play."
To prove his point, Moffitt noted that 3DS is more successful than most people would expect despite the prevalence of mobile gaming in the last couple of years. "So far, on a global basis, Nintendo 3DS has sold more hardware than PS4 and Xbox One—combined," he said. "Most people find this shocking."
According to the latest published numbers, Nintendo 3DS sold 50.41 million units to date, PlayStation 4 sold 30 million units and Xbox One is estimated to have sold around 17 million units.
