DS sells well, sells out?

Sales exceed 13 million worldwide; Nintendo may be struggling to keep enough units in Japanese channel.

The DS sales numbers keep coming in, and they're still good for Nintendo's new portable. However, there is one problem--they may be too good for Japanese gamers trying to buy one.

Only a few days after Nintendo announced sales figures for the DS in America (nearly 4 million units), Nintendo of Europe today chimed in with its own regional tally. The DS has sold roughly 3.5 million units in Europe since its debut in March, bringing the global total to almost 13 million.

Like gamers in other regions, European gamers were gaga for Nintendogs, taking 1.6 million copies of the game for a walk. The recently released Mario Kart DS is also off to a fast start, selling 800,000 copies since its late November launch.

Nintendo's DS continues to sell well in its home country with more than 5 million sold--but that may slow down as available units are becoming scarce. On its Japanese-language Web page, Nintendo has issued an apology to gamers trying to get in on the DS action. A rough translation explains that stock of the item is low and that more DSs are expected to be in stores in late January.

165 Comments

  • Kbs64

    Posted Jan 11, 2006 1:44 am PT

    This is unreal!! I'd love to say something but everything that I'd like to say has been said. This is amazing. How does Nintendo do it? How do they do it so well when in comparison to their consoles? 13 million!!! Thats unheard of but very cool. I LOVE NINTENDO and NINTENDO LOVES ME... haha.

  • buzzoinks

    Posted Jan 10, 2006 8:29 pm PT

    the DS rocks... got it at launch, good games since. Also got PSP at launch, but it's less interesting as time goes on. I use it to watch video while traveling, and switch to DS for games

  • buzzoinks

    Posted Jan 10, 2006 7:57 pm PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

  • biobug

    Posted Jan 9, 2006 2:25 pm PT

    DS PWNS PSP... just like REV (will) PWN PS3 ... i hope

  • Scoomix

    Posted Jan 9, 2006 10:53 am PT

    Way to go Nintendo! I'm the proud owner of two DS systems. What will really be interesting to me is how well the DS and PSP interact with the Revolution and PS3. The idea of taking some factor of a console game with me on my portable is appealing. This, in a way, reminds me of what Sega was attempting to do with their Dreamcast memory card.

  • Mista_Sal

    Posted Jan 9, 2006 10:53 am PT

    That's good to hear. The DS is a great handheld system with great games and it's only the beggining. With the WiFi feature off to a good start, it'll be interesting to see what other online games will surface. I am the proud owner of a DS and I have to say it was one of the best moves I have made. I was thinking of buying a PSP at first, but then decided to get me a DS due to the games that were out and especially an online Mario Kart. Also games like Phoenix Wright and Trauma Center managed to grab my attention because they were games that sounded interesting and they were. I really have to give props to Nintendo for the DS and here's hoping they're sales continue to grow.

  • smoothn00dle

    Posted Jan 9, 2006 10:53 am PT

    People take the DS vs PSP on just face value. Yeah, sales number does mean a lot in short term. PSP come up with a few good games on the roll this year, the situation will be different. They both are winners. Just look at the size of this market expanded. PSP is going for a different market, online media like movie and TV show download. Just look at screen, that is what PSP is born for. Sony will make more money from each PSP buyer more than DS. The biggest loser in this war, are the companies have nothing to do with portable console, Microsoft and Apple. DS and PSP will give the two Japanese companies an edge in both online media and the coming console war.

  • Yazu13

    Posted Jan 9, 2006 6:52 am PT

    I'm surprised. I would think the PSP would make those kind of sales!

  • daqua_99 Site moderator

    Posted Jan 8, 2006 6:26 pm PT

    Where is the PSP, like 9 million or something?

  • gamepro345

    Posted Jan 8, 2006 8:09 pm PT

    to whoever said the ds is "fun for the kiddies" i think most of you would agree that whoever said that is just another sony fanboy responding in jealousy to the great success the ds has had.

  • living_wmd_888

    Posted Jan 8, 2006 8:09 pm PT

    Sony's approach to the handheld market was all wrong. The original Game Boy wasn't a success because of all of the junior-sized versions of NES movie/TV licenses. It was a huge success because it came packed in with a simple, addictive title (Tetris) and a RPG with popular and easily recognizable characters (Pokemon). Sony thought that since their games were so big on PS2 that porting them to a handheld would be instant success, right?

    Even as a longtime Nintendo fan, I admit I was a bit skeptical of the DS, but my doubts have been dispelled by the great and unique DS games.

    I'm sorry, but GTA has lost all of its novelty now, and stripped of that, it's just an aimless collection of boring minigames. They didn't make anything really new for GTA: LCS, not even a new setting. Maybe if the PS3 version has a jump in gameplay and a new setting (I suggest a Texas/Oklahoma-style setting with some country music and meth labs for a change) I might buy it. I got bored with San Andreas and sold it before I ever got out of Los Santos.

    Sony simply doesn't have the edge in the handheld market that they do in the console market. Nintendo has every major Japanese supporter lined up behind the DS, and it has far and away the best first and second-party support system in the industry - including A-list Japanese developers such as Square Enix and Namco. Nintendo understands that there is a difference in what consumers expect from portable versus console games, which Sony is totally clueless on. And Nintendo has never been equalled or beaten in the handheld market.

    Sony may be the master of the home console market, and I fully expect the PS3 to be the clear winner in the next-gen sweepstakes, but in the handheld world, they are out of their league with Nintendo. Hopefully, Nintendo will be able to work the same magic with the Revolution.

  • GrayRoy

    Posted Jan 8, 2006 8:09 pm PT

    MARIO:NINTENDO!

  • Freestyle16

    Posted Jan 7, 2006 10:21 pm PT

    heh ds is pretty sweet. it has some great pick up games and just games that feel different from something that u would find on the psp, which has many ps2 like ports. i can't stop touching. haha. i just got home a few days ago!

  • swsharp1

    Posted Jan 7, 2006 9:04 pm PT

    Makes sense. I can't get enough of Mario Kart. Even got my girlfriend to buy a DS.

  • linkdragon642

    Posted Jan 7, 2006 6:09 pm PT

    WOO.

  • AxL_2k7

    Posted Jan 7, 2006 6:01 pm PT

    If this continue, the DS will sell 20 million units before its second year on stores.

  • D4rThx_xR3Lik

    Posted Jan 7, 2006 5:14 pm PT

    Sony isn't defined as portable, Nintendo is. That is why Nintendo has been the portable selling genius.

  • cfamgcn

    Posted Jan 7, 2006 8:37 am PT

    With innovative things like the DS, it's quite obvious!!!

  • letusgame

    Posted Jan 7, 2006 5:24 am PT

    *applaud*

  • metalmulisha808

    Posted Jan 7, 2006 3:11 am PT

    NINTENDO ROCKS!!!

  • hittin

    Posted Jan 7, 2006 1:27 am PT

    Damn you stupid japanese, buy a pSP.

  • gamershq

    Posted Jan 7, 2006 12:37 am PT

    As expected!!

  • GeminiguyXXX

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 11:29 pm PT

    GO Nintendo...I can see the Evolution of gaming..

  • clarke0

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 11:25 pm PT

    Bwa ha ha ha!! I'll remember this next time I hear someone bragging about the PSP's graphical capabilities. New, fresh ideas dominate the market. Not just a portable of something you already have. If Nintendo brings these kind of unique, fun games to the Revolution... THEY WILL RULE THE WORLD!!!!

  • sam_woo

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 10:51 pm PT

    My wildest dreams have come true, Nintendo has achieved it's goal of creating a gaming unit that appeals to men and women, the young and the old (old meaning about 35 at the highest), the casual gamers and T3H L33T. AND IT FRIGGIN' SELLS!?!? Awesome design, awesome variety. Nintendo took many hardcore ideas (like online compatability) and made it nice 'n' cozy.

  • glitchgeeman

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 9:58 pm PT

    Man, I was so scared that the psp might actually kill the ds but now, I'm 100% sure that that'll never happen. Good work nintendo!

  • mariokart64fan

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 9:51 pm PT

    yes nintendo always does right things , look at the n64 first 3d gaming system well we've seen stunt race fx on the snes pump out some very excellent 3d graphics for its time so we knew it all along that sonys psp will not take off as well mariokart helps again!

  • woohooforme

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 3:01 pm PT

    Wow, fantastic. The DS is doing extraordinarily well, as it should be. Good job, Nintendo!

  • somejobro

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 12:37 pm PT

    I think that, for once, Nintendo is faced with competition from a handheld system that isn't going to be buried, and they are rising to the challenge.I love my DS and I'm glad to see that it is being supported and successful, in spite of a strong challenger.

  • 0diablo0

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 12:26 pm PT

    ok
    the ds was a great idea for nintendo , i know the ds has sold more than the psp but in my opinion the psp is better. now dont jump down my throat i am not saying the ds is bad, its awesome!
    The psp is for gamers that like raw power, visuals, a bunch of extras and for people that are not afraid to spend top dollar for their psp.

    The ds is for gamers that generally gear towards the nintendo exclusive type games like mario, yoshi etc. The gamers dont necessarly want to spend top dollor for their ds's all the time, but the ds does have freakin good games. the ds owner does not mind a little "squeaky" graphics.
    But the nintendo sold a large portion of it's ds's to the casual gamer who might buy 4,5 games for their ds and only play it occasionally, doing that they would get thier money's worth.sony sold a large portion of it's psp's to people who play it frequently.
    good job nintendo on that 13 mil marker.

  • omarguy01

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 12:20 pm PT

    ahahaha that's awesome!!! good job nintendo!!! show those other losers who's boss!!!

  • violentmonkey

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 12:19 pm PT

    WOW! last time they said 8 million and now 13 million! PSP is getting its a$$ whooped by DS. NINTENDO KICKS A$$!

  • jlex77

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 12:18 pm PT

    Castlevania, Advance Wars, Mario Kart and Innovative games like Trauma Center and Phoenix Wright convinced me to trade in my PSP for a DS. It was a great decision considering I only had 1 psp game since launch and using it as an oversized mp3 player wasn't cool.

  • sacul555

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 11:50 am PT

    Nintendo has dominated the portable market since the orgional game boy. They will continue to dominate the portable market as long as they dont screw up their next system. Lets face it gameplay will always beat out graphics and power because to put it simply those things dont mean crap if you are bored while playing the game. Go Nintendo.

  • ryokinshin

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 11:49 am PT

    thing is, psp has a really bad software lineup

  • linkman52

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 11:41 am PT

    i like those numbers ^^ i my self am suprised at how many were sold, and im glad to have a DS i love going online and raceing all my good friends and some randome people here and there, nintendo is doing a great job with the sales and they should keep it up!

  • silversonic1

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 11:36 am PT

    David vs Goliath anybody? Brains can beat power any day. The DS is proof that the "Revolution" will work. Innovation can beat renovation any day.

  • s0l0123

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 11:29 am PT

    w00t!!!!!!!! go Nintendo! Hoepfully REV follows in the same footsteps.

  • willenium666

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 11:15 am PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

  • zeldachu

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 11:13 am PT

    It'll be interesting to see how much of this is Nintendo's brand power in the portable marketplace, and how much of this is the new gameplay that the system offers. If the Revolution is to succeed, a large chunk better be the latter.

  • skakidinabox

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 10:52 am PT

    So Japan has a surplus of X360s, and we have a surplus of DS's.

    We should trade, at least, if it weren't for regional coding.

    Oh well, Animal Crossing is holding me through my Xbox 360 blues!

  • broojo02

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 10:44 am PT

    Woohoo, you know what would be great? A PSP with a touch screen w00t!!

  • Sil3n7Knight

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 10:41 am PT

    Wow I never doubted Nintendo for a sec as they always succeed and sure enough they did it again pulling off the fastest selling console ever in japan WAY to GO NINTENDO!

  • Reptile711

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 10:37 am PT

    Paul, you're not great, not smart, not intelligent in the least bit.

    What standards to do you have that makes DS so bad? If you think graphics, movie playing, mp3 is better than DS, just take one look at these numbers and you'll find yourself dumbfounded.

  • Paul_TheGreat

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 10:30 am PT

    The sad thing is, the DS still sucks.

  • krypt3414

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 10:22 am PT

    Strange, you don't see PSP saying this. I wonder how long it will take before PSP finally realizes its over priced and not competitve at all with Nintendo's Handhelds.

  • DrinkDuff

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 9:59 am PT

    That's amazing. I mean, I have never heard of a portable system completely selling out of their units. Now that's demand.

  • njsykora

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 9:40 am PT

    Got my DS today. It truly is a great system and deserves all this success.

  • Suffere

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 9:39 am PT

    yeah nintendo really has a huge fan base for portables. congrats!

  • Jico

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 9:37 am PT

    I'm surprised, and very happy about this. I was afraid the ds would be the dreamcast of handhelds.

    Here's hoping the revolution will garner the same kind of support.

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