DS Lite production jumps in Japan

Nintendo pushes to meet demand for redesigned portable with 700,000 units moving out for the month of April.

Nintendo's DS Lite has been in high demand ever since its debut in Japan earlier this month. The handheld is a redesign of the original DS, which itself was in short supply as a result of selling out over the holiday season. However, those who waited in long lines just to try to purchase the machine won't have to wait much longer.

On the company's official Web site, Nintendo has announced that it will be stepping up production of the new portable, with its figures for March jumping from its original target of 450,000 units to 550,000 units. The future looks even better for would-be DS owners, with Nintendo revealing that 700,000 DSs will enter the pipeline in April.

Nintendo has not yet announced a release date for the DS Lite in North America or other regions outside of Japan. For more information on the DS Lite, check out GameSpot's DS Lite preview.

58 Comments

  • demonic_smiley

    Posted May 17, 2006 3:26 pm PT

    i'm in japan now and its still hard as hell to find one. the only reason my friend got one was because he was luckly enough to be in a store as they were getting a shippment injavascript:preview();
    Preview

  • mickeyvov

    Posted Apr 3, 2006 7:30 am PT

    yeah, ive been getting a boner from it!!! ahhahhahahah, f ing nerds!!!

  • takster

    Posted Apr 1, 2006 10:48 pm PT

    i want it now

  • Ryu

    Posted Mar 30, 2006 11:03 pm PT

    Freaking wow. Talk about scoring big off of a redesign...

  • -diVe-

    Posted Mar 29, 2006 3:16 am PT

    I also am anticipating a black DS Lite. However, if that color isn't available, I'll still get it. I can't wait for this thing to come out in the US.

  • lageasy311

    Posted Mar 28, 2006 2:31 pm PT

    when is the darn thing coming to USA c'mon!!! I have already buckled and decided to purchase one!!! So I'm waiting for lite

  • metdevthegamer

    Posted Mar 28, 2006 12:24 pm PT

    Good, now they just have to step up production for the U.S. and we're all set.

  • Willdyer10

    Posted Mar 28, 2006 11:15 am PT

    finally... now i can get a ds lite without paying loads of money....

  • dfee

    Posted Mar 28, 2006 9:56 am PT

    I am in the same boat as I'm sure are many others, I've wanteda DS for a while now, but I can't see buying one when I know the DS lite is coming out soon. Please come out in time for the new Mario, I can't wait!

  • rugosa-rock

    Posted Mar 28, 2006 8:52 am PT

    Im japanese and like lite much. You to will like much. Buy one because it is great games and fun friends.

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Mar 28, 2006 5:12 am PT

    mmmmm.....me want DS lite!!!

  • pyth0n13

    Posted Mar 28, 2006 5:11 am PT

    if u already have one i don't see many pple in the US going for this. Japan's a totally different story tho

  • Wulfei

    Posted Mar 28, 2006 1:20 am PT

    I personally don't like the shape of it, it's too blocky for me, but from what I hear the performance is way better. It almost makes me wish I had waited for the DS Lite.

  • KiLLer_ba

    Posted Mar 28, 2006 12:52 am PT

    That's good for japanese gamers but when is it coming to the states

  • pangitako

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 10:07 pm PT

    if you cant wait just import. nothing really significantly different between u.s. and japanese versions.

  • Tranceplant

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 9:11 pm PT

    DS just pwns. Lite will just put the final nail into the PSP coffin.

  • Kwiksilva

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 8:38 pm PT

    now the peoeple in th US of A are waitin for theirs

  • barnold81

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 8:22 pm PT

    I want a Nintendo DS so badly, but I'm waiting for the DS Lite. It's driving me MAD!!!!!

  • joyer

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 7:59 pm PT

    im sure the psp will come out in a slimmer design... in diff colours haha seems to work for nintendo... i want one

  • Dakotz

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 7:21 pm PT

    i have mine on preorder so i hope this means that i will be able to finally get it! i don't have one so this is great news to me!

  • tankintheair315

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 6:41 pm PT

    with hunters and such good games coming out ds is going to pwn psp

  • ra7krz

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 6:39 pm PT

    man the lite is kicking major butt in japan, nintendo is making a killing over there so they are bidding their time until the hype hits here, then all hell will break loose

  • bmg5230

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 5:59 pm PT

    Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!!! When th F*@# are they going to send some our way?

  • myxomatosis420

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 5:37 pm PT

    already got mine, so i dont care

  • buckshot

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 5:15 pm PT

    The ds light is hot ,and i can't wait to get one!!!!!!

  • cyprus646

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 5:03 pm PT

    This make me very happy hope the lite has this kinda sucsess in the states.

  • buckshot

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 4:55 pm PT

    The ds light is hot ,and i can't wait to get one!!!!!!

  • darkdaej

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 4:50 pm PT

    Meh, its a good redisign, wish itd come over the shore...

  • iceyyyy

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 4:29 pm PT

    kamtong1
    "meh, just a redesign. who cares really".... 262,680 Japanese DS Lite owner do care...
    I want one now!!!!!!!

  • cfamgcn

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 4:25 pm PT

    I want a DS Lite!

  • kevo14

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 3:05 pm PT

    i dont really care for japan only if it comes to the usa......WHEN WILL IT COME
    *sob*

  • crazy590

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 2:53 pm PT

    i want a nintendo ds lite REALLY BAD
    why can't it come here to th u.s this is making me want to cery for my mommy

  • Triton

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 2:52 pm PT

    I dont understand... is this many people that do not have a DS yet? Its the same thing! Are these the same people that bought the new shape sega genesis and PS1 and PS2 when they changed them too. I could see getting it if you didnt already have one but this is nuts. Whats next a smaller redesigned game cube...in 5 new colors...

  • DiaboloVD

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 2:29 pm PT

    I work at a video game store in Switzerland and we imported one DS Lite of each color. I must say that I've been really impressed by the quality of the dual screens, which are much brighter than the old one. We compared both DS consoles (old one and new one) and, even at the lowest backlighting, the DS Lite is much more colorful than the "old" DS. If you add that the stylus is bigger and that the whole design is quite more stylish, I can say that it will appeal to a all bunch of you...

  • ebonyflame

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 2:07 pm PT

    This is how you kill your own sales. You introduce hardware upgrades for one region all the while all the rest of the regions hunger for your upgraded hardware and in anticipation of its release start saying 'why buy the old model when I can just wait for the new model' thus having a negative effect on the profit you could have had. Its even more odd with equipment that is not region locked by the software in the sense that they could just release the damn thing everywhere with the proper power adapter for each region. I could be wrong as I do not know the specific differences between asian and US DS's.

  • frankeyser

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 1:59 pm PT

    i think i am goign tohave to import a ds lite... i really dont feel like waiting for an american release.

  • harry2k5

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 1:53 pm PT

    You think u guys in the U.S and U.K got it bad, dude here in the bahamas we have to wait an entire 6 months after the U.S release to get it. Luckily i am going to import mines from the U.S

  • 777rak

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 1:52 pm PT

    Wow that is amazing!! Hopefully it will do that well in North America

  • nekrotaunter

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 1:52 pm PT

    accessories on gamestop's site say the beginning of may, can't see the system coming out too much longer after that

  • SezMarque

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 1:43 pm PT

    I want one too. I am just waiting to what colors are going to be here first. I hoping for a black one.

  • GaughanZero

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 1:42 pm PT

    Hope they announce some date in E3.

    I just want a Europe release, and a Black Ds Lite myself...

    Come on Nintendo, the West needs some of that Lite lovin'

  • sergioalb64

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 1:35 pm PT

    Ordered mine in February; still waiting for it

  • thefjk

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 1:32 pm PT

    I want a PSP, wait no... a DS aint bad as well... I'm getting both, wait no money... Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! >_

  • emm333

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 1:30 pm PT

    I bought a Japanese Navy DS Lite on ebay...for way too much...but it's been worth every penny. DS Lite rocks. Aside from Lumines and Syphon Filter and the occasional movie, it's replaced my PSP as my portable of choice....DS Lite is totally worth any price when it releases in the US.

  • shawnmeboy86

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 1:27 pm PT

    I agree, meh just a redesign...

  • Bahgahyahduh

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 1:22 pm PT

    what do you mean just a redesign. The DS looks frickin sweet, and it has much longer battery life and a much more beautiful and brighter screen. The DS stands for Deviously Sexy.

  • PumaPride3k

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 1:21 pm PT

    " meh, just a redesign. who cares really" All those people who bought it in the Japan, and me for one.

  • boman12l

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 1:20 pm PT

    I feel we will not See Lite in the US until demand in Japan dies down

  • corrax8

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 1:16 pm PT

    How much longer till US release. Maybe the more units will quench the thirst for it in japan. Now for a another question how will the PSP respond?

  • kamtong1

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 1:08 pm PT

    meh, just a redesign. who cares really

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