Sign on Options
Theme:
To Dark

DS sells 7 million in Europe

Six of the portable's games have sold 1 million; Nintendogs has sold more than 4 million.

With the Wii launching smoothly in the US and with preorders on Amazon UK selling out in minutes, Nintendo already has quite a lot to be happy about this week.

Now, Nintendo has announced that sales for the Nintendo DS have reached the 7 million unit mark in Europe. Several key titles for the dual-screen portable also have enjoyed strong sales, including Nintendogs (4 million copies) and Mario Kart DS (1.5 million copies). Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training, Animal Crossing: Wild World, New Super Mario Brothers, and Super Mario 64 have all topped 1 million in Europe, as well.

"We are delighted by the success of the Nintendo DS and DS Lite and especially pleased to see that we have exceeded the one million mark with games that appeal to both non-gamers and traditional gamers," said Laurent Fischer, Nintendo's European marketing director, in a statement. "Nintendo is proud of its role in expanding the gaming market and we hope to continue this success with the launch of Wii in Europe in December."

83 Comments

  • daniel665

    Posted Apr 24, 2007 6:58 pm GMT

    Just bought one and its fantastic. nintnedo in your pocket. does not get much better.

  • fullmetal_baham

    Posted Apr 10, 2007 1:30 pm GMT

    DS is the best and its still selling. I mean shops like HMV and Games last time I checked, are still awaiting stocks =)

  • mikesea

    Posted Dec 29, 2006 6:45 pm GMT

    zype2 said it all!
    PSP could be a useful tool for the PS3, but if ya got a PS2......no contest, DS is the way forward. Animal Xing made my girl and her 3 sisters buy DS's!!!!!
    Plus, no Final Fantasy on any other handheld.
    GameBoy still Rules.

  • shadowsniper513

    Posted Dec 18, 2006 11:16 am GMT

    not suprised, the ds is a great system

  • zype2

    Posted Dec 10, 2006 1:44 pm GMT

    I do agree! the DS Lite is amazing! I recall going to the local Game Stop with $500. Luckly it wasn't busy and the person working was a big time gamer. He showed me both of the units. Must admit that I almost bought the PSP, but checking out the games, they all look like ports! I will NOT buy a good game twice!! With having a PS2 at home. Now with the DS, every single game is unique. Having a vast library of titles to choose from. Heck, I can even focus on some of the GPA titles. Nintendo has their focus on their unit as a fun handheld. Great games on the go! Gameplay will always over power graphics. This is my first Nintendo console since the Super Nintendo. My other consoles was the playstation and playstation 2. Sony in my oppionion lost focus on their first portable device. Who watches movies on this thing?? I will never let go of my iPod for music. And the games are just ports that may look pretty, but run slow with loading times. If you want my oppionion, the PSP looks as if it was made out of glass. Swear I almost broke the thing just looking at it! Can't imagine the PSP in my coat pocket. Games are way too expensive too. Why would I spend the money when I can get the a PS2 version?

    To be fair, one of my co-workers bought the PSP and it was a wise choice for him. He doesn't own a PS2. He has a Game Cube. (his children loves the mario party) So for him, this works out great. Me, I own a PS2....and my investment went to the DS Lite!

    Yet, no matter what home console a person may own, the DS still has great origanal games. Above all, they are FUN! A great game isn't 'great' unless if it is fun. That is why I went to Sony with the orginal Playstation. The games were better even though the graphics wasn't as good as the N64. I am loving my DS Lite and looking forward to their next generation portable console. So far, Nintendo for portable consols wins the war by a land slide when it comes to fun games!

  • mariokart64fan

    Posted Dec 5, 2006 12:40 pm GMT

    nintendo always knew what is important while sony has milked its way to lead the console wARS

  • _Sam_

    Posted Nov 26, 2006 2:01 pm GMT

    I want a DS, but I don't know if I'll ever get it

  • xNYROCx

    Posted Nov 25, 2006 1:11 pm GMT

    i wonder if the wii will do...

    a)better
    b)worse, or
    c) about the same?

  • wesi_man

    Posted Nov 25, 2006 7:26 am GMT

    What's so good about Nintendogs, i almost want to get one just too see.

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Nov 24, 2006 1:12 pm GMT

    From the games sold, it seems its a new market. Definitely not real gamers.

  • Sig12047

    Posted Nov 23, 2006 9:56 pm GMT

    It's about time we got some new figures. Now we just need updated worldwide figures.

  • juggleballz

    Posted Nov 23, 2006 5:14 am GMT

    lol at Grmbee (about his nintendo lol)

    I have always been more interested in gameplay moreso than graphics, but when the DS and PSP were released, I was a little dubious of the DS's success, thinking the PSP will out sell it as the typical lay person is more interested in graphics, cuz at the end of the day, a person will look at the back of a box. if they see an image they like, they will buy it. if the image looks rubbish or the graphics look crap they tend to put it down. I was also worried whther I would like it, but damn i was dumb to worry. I bought my Lite with the new mario and although the graphics dont fair well against a PSP's graphics, I was in awe at the gameplay and utter fun. All in all its awesome to see the godfather of the games industry holding onto its title of the ultimate gaming company. Nintendo just know what is needed.

  • AlphonseElric23

    Posted Nov 22, 2006 7:54 pm GMT

    This just prooves that Nintendo has regained it's rightful place as the dominant gaming company

  • AlphonseElric23

    Posted Nov 22, 2006 7:53 pm GMT

    This just prooves that Nintendo has regained it's rightful place as the dominant gaming company

  • aashkii

    Posted Nov 22, 2006 8:30 am GMT

    anamnawshad: "DS owns!"

    Indeed they do. I have 2 DS systems (original and Lite).

  • konel01

    Posted Nov 22, 2006 3:25 am GMT

    Pastehunter, where are you getting your numbers on the PSP sales. From my understanding the DS is Out Selling the PSP 3 to 1 in all markets but Japan, where the Margin is larger. - - Now lets say you're right about the PSP Numbers. 1 million units is a Big difference. Not to mention the Software Sale is where the REAL MONEY is at. PSP Software sales are at a stand still. Don't get me wrong. I do own Sony and Nintendo Products. I played my PS2 more than my GameCube, but my DS goes everywhere with while my PSP is waiting for a good game.

  • Pastehunter

    Posted Nov 22, 2006 1:37 am GMT

    So what , there are allready 6 million PSPs in the EU , so there is not even far as big differences .

  • anamnawshad

    Posted Nov 22, 2006 1:14 am GMT

    DS owns!

  • diangelogrey

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 10:55 pm GMT

    This is awesome news for Nintendo, and I have to say they deserve the hype. The DS is a wicked system. All the anti Nintendogs love is amazing to me, considering lots are saying DS is just for kids. Nintendogs isnt just for kids, its a very easy game to relax with and play, so is Animal Crossing.. Fine it has animals and it looks cutesy but then again so does that Pinyata game for 360 and everyone can enjoy that. Animal Crossing is exactly the same. Super Mario Bros is amazing and there are countless other amazing games for the DS. And next year the big daddy of all will hit DS, ZELDA.. then we will see some magic. DS rocks, and not just for kids, its a system Adults can enjoy also..

  • Orasion_Seiz

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 10:08 pm GMT

    man the DS is really on top even in Europe. Nintendo very happy right now.

  • JohnnytheFuture

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 9:39 pm GMT

    I'm not surprised the DS is selling well worldwide. When in Japan, nearly everyone i saw had one. From the housewives, to the businessmen, and of course the school kids. This product appeals to all, on a level that goes beyond juiced-up graphics. Usability, ergonomics, beautiful aesthetics, all these things are attributed to the DS. As for its applications; fun, useful, addicting! Just in case you can't tell, I love my DS.

  • BlackDragon110

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 9:22 pm GMT

    Fallout_red
    "I dont understand it, no game on DS keeps me interested for more than 10 minutes while PSP is everything I want: Superior game machine, MP3/Movie player and a portable computer (Homebrew...). But then DS buyers are not expecting those things from their portable console so it their choice and I respect that. "

    **********************************************************************************

    The thing that you are missing Fallout_red is the same thing I've have been telling people over and over again. Killer graphics do not make for a killer game. The problem with the PSP is that it's games come in to camps, games that are more or less direct ports of games that are already on the PS2 and those original games that for the most part aren't that good. The PSP does have a few really good games and a few more that are coming up. Games on the DS are much more fun to play developers are making good use of the touch screen and even the microphone. Take a game like Snowboard Kids on the DS. Much of the game is played with the normal controls. But in order to pull off special moves you have to quickly tap the touch screen a number of time or in a certain order. When you are in the middle of a heated race and you have try to pull of a special move, it can be pretty intense. If not for the use of the touch screen and microphone, it would be a less-than average snowboard game. So you are right DS owners are expecting something when they buy a DS, fun.

  • Phaje

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 8:47 pm GMT

    i love my DS Lite

  • Nawras

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 7:50 pm GMT

    The DS is amazing and I really should get one

  • 00zerro00

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 7:45 pm GMT

    DS rocks!!

  • TryMe01

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 5:52 pm GMT

    the ds once again rectifies that it is the fastest selling console in history. there is NOTHING stopping is dominance on the world scale. The Lite version is doing no harm to this

  • Igwababa

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 5:18 pm GMT

    just shows why the PS3 isint going to sell because it can render amazing graphics and get my paper in the morning. If PS3 is going to go the way of the PSP putting hardware and media before games it will turn into a paperweght like the PSP. Nintendo has it down and know that people want to have fun not just good graphicss, but hey after the PS3 becomes the first playstation console to not surpass 100 million units sony will realize they screwed up and be forced to tak all the crap out of the playstation 4 like they were planning.

  • Nintendus

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 5:00 pm GMT

    Wait till next month, i'm guessing 10 million?

    Time to get my share of the DS also.

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 4:05 pm GMT

    i dont even think the gameboys sold as well as the ds

  • rey06

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 3:58 pm GMT

    DS OWNS!

  • Sim_genius

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 3:45 pm GMT

    Yay go DS!!

  • Uchiha_madara

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 3:19 pm GMT

    not surprised.... i mean nintendo dominates portable gamings as usual.. its like saying I go to bed every day....lol

  • StarFoxCOM

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 3:12 pm GMT

    as stupid as this sounds brain age was a killer app/ system seller for DS, Around the world.

  • wildsoul0509

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 3:05 pm GMT

    DS rules!!!

  • GrimBee

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 2:32 pm GMT

    Nintendogs irritates me, when I turn it off I want the dog to be the same as it was when I left it, not starving, cowering in a corner and covered in fleas! all i do when I turn on Nintendogs is wash the dog, feed it.. and then try teach it frisbee but its dropping it all the time.. then I turn it off. and do the same thing over again...

    But then i realise I actually spend a LOAD of my time with the ds more than any other system, its a wonderful design.. its funny now, when I see the psp or a phone or a pda etc, the thought goes through my head; "it only has ONE screen??!".

    I never thought that touch screen and dual screens would be so cool. The ds does have its fair share of awful games, but these are mostly console port attempts. I am SO glad that the good ds games are original titles, because they really define the system.

    I like the psp, but the battery is terrible, and just the load times and the non-pocketable design of it (not to mention the expensive memorysticks..). And a load of games are just ps2 games which are toned down.
    And you have to pay £30 for that. And when the psp gets unique title, its usually quite basic, making it not really worth the £30..

    Once in a while a game like Daxter comes around, and its just great. But then the battery life is terrible. I play daxter for 2 and a half hours and the psp just died on me... no battery left to do anything else.

    For what the ds does is great, you insert a game, have fun with it, its nice to fit in your pocket (the lite is anyways) and you can rest it on a surface and play touch games... and the battery lasts AGES.
    Even though the graphics arent the best, they do the job well, and to be honest I don't think handhelds should really get as complex as the psp because its difficult to appreciate the graphics then.

    I like Wipeout fusion on the psp, those kinds of games will never be good on the ds, the second screen would just be a waste of space (and battery power) and the graphics will be very awful.
    However, if the DS had its own fzero type of game which took advantage of that hardware, not just make a port or a console equivalent... then its going to be great.

    I would imagine the ds to be a waste of space if the games had the psp load times, and the battery only lasted 3 hours. But the strengths of the DS outweigh the crappy games (king kong anyone?).
    Once MORE users come aboard the Ds this christmas, I hope to see another Sonic game, resident evil 2 (please), and more importantly - SNATCHER!!!

    oh it would be fantastic for snatcher to be a ds game (a perfect remake). And then make a full 3d wii version! ooohhh fantastic!

  • war9

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 2:07 pm GMT

    I'm proud to be one of 7000000 and one of 1000000 (talking about New Super Mario Bros.)

    Helpomer, I didn't buy DS because of its price. It's not way cheaper than PSP. I bought DS because it allows me to keep all of my favorite classic games (that are also REAL games, by the way) with me wherever I am. When I'm in "gaming mood which actually means playing stylish PS games" I play my PS2. When I feel like playing classics, I play DS.

    And I don't have Nintendogs.

  • abdulgamemaster

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 2:06 pm GMT

    www.gamingtalk.bravehost.com

  • BillyLeeBlack51

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:56 pm GMT

    DS is a great system. It will continue selling strongly with new releases like Elite Beat, FF3 and Yoshis Island.

    PSP's have good games....but not great games.
    They're too expensive, too big to be a good MP3 player, too small to be a good video player, and the loading times are brutal.

  • Ryuhayabuza

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:55 pm GMT

    Who wants to bet that in the next few days Sony will say that 7.2 mIllion PSP have been shipped to Europe

  • the-very-best

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:52 pm GMT

    Congrats Nintendo! Now hurry and up and release Pokemon.

  • XGustaX

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:49 pm GMT

    PSP pwned once again.

  • Helpomer

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:46 pm GMT

    People buy DS more because it's so cheap, it has fun games, but OVERALL PSP is better, it has better games, they are not funny, but they are real games (Nintendogs? :S lol) like Tekken ,GTA, Killzone, etc..
    I have PSP and DS, i play with DS when im bored and with PSP when im in gaming mood.

  • jaredawgm

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:40 pm GMT

    4 out of 7 DS player have Nintendogs. Amazing.

  • Rhubarb9

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:35 pm GMT

    tamagotchi 2 >>>>> nintendogs
    >:' (

  • monty_4256

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:23 pm GMT

    I'm sure PSP has it's use... it's just not gaming tho... it's not built from the ground up to be fun, more much like a mobile phone, it's buiilt for multimedia (phones aren't even made from telecommunication anymore, more just the multimedia)
    anyway DS was, and it deserves very strong gaming following

  • brantothehizzam

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:18 pm GMT

    even though im currently pwningin gta:vcs for psp i love my ds more and glad a true gaming is doing good.

  • oddworld7

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:15 pm GMT

    PSPWNED

  • kavadias1981

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:14 pm GMT

    You see that people, that's called clever marketting. You take the games industry, pick it up, dust it down, set it off in a new direction and voila! Lot's of lovely profit.

  • blueflamedino

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:08 pm GMT

    ds has something for everyone, but not a lot

  • pp222

    Posted Nov 21, 2006 1:06 pm GMT

    Haha, awesome Nintendo! As i myself live in Europe im happy to see the DS selling good here, espesially considering Europe is very PlayStation obsesed. So much for PSP!

Subscribe to GameSpot's YouTube Channel

Hot Stories

Newsmakers

Featured Stories

Submit News

Got tips? Send them in!