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E3 2014: Mario Kart 8 Had a "Significant Impact" On Wii U Sales

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime says the game is driving hardware, "which is great to see."

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The release of Mario Kart 8 late last month has had a "significant impact" on Wii U sales, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime said in a new interview. Wii U sales quadrupled the week after the game's release compared to the week prior, the executive told Polygon in an interview this week from E3.

"That's off to a fantastic start. For us, on a global basis, and certainly here in the United States, it's driving hardware, which is great to see," he said. Fils-Aime went on to say that 18 percent of all Wii U console owners bought a copy of Mario Kart 8 during its opening weekend.

Overall, Mario Kart 8 sold more than 1.2 million copies worldwide during its first weekend.

In the United Kingdom, Mario Kart 8's release helped Wii U sales rise by a massive 666 percent. Nintendo's latest Wii U sales data--released in early May before the release of Mario Kart 8--shows that the system has sold more than 6.17 million units to date, though that's accurate only for up to March 31.

For more on Mario Kart 8, check out GameSpot's review.

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