The Nintendo 3DS disappointed many early customers when it launched in North America on Sunday. By Monday afternoon, there were multiple user reports of an error that is being collectively referred to as the "Black Screen of Death." Users received the following message: "An error has occurred. Hold down the POWER button to turn off the power, then turn it on and try again."
Most customers said the issue was sporadic and temporarily resolved by performing a hard reboot, while a handful claimed the issue rendered their device completely inoperable. Nintendo quickly responded yesterday by telling affected users to upgrade their firmware. That reportedly did the trick for most 3DS owners, so it seems Nintendo has everything under control.
The company issued a second statement today to further address concerns over the matter, revealing that the 3DS' launch day sales in the US were higher than any of the company's previous handheld consoles. Despite that, Nintendo's customer support center received fewer phone calls and emails than previous hardware launches, suggesting there are no widespread issues.
"Nintendo worked hard to get as much product as possible to retailers on day one to meet demand, and we will continue with these efforts moving forward," the company said. Although it was quick to boast about the success of its device, Nintendo didn't share any specific sales figures. More information will be available on April 14 when NPD releases the first-week sales of the 3DS.