DSi sells over 170K in two days

Camera-equipped third iteration of Nintendo's handheld sells briskly during its first 48 hours on the Japanese market.

Though Americans and Europeans won't see it until well into next year, the DSi went on sale in Japan over the weekend. Today, Enterbrain reported that the latest version of the handheld--which is now the top gaming portable in Nintendo's history--sold 170,779 units in its 48 hours in stores. According to the publisher of the popular Japanese magazine Famitsu, initial shipments of the ¥18,900 ($179) handheld almost completely sold out within minutes.

The DSi is big in Japan.

Reports of brisk DSi sales must be music to the ears of Nintendo, which unveiled the souped-up handheld last month. Unlike ithe DS Lite, the new model sports a Web browser, music playback, an SD card multimedia storage, a 3-megapixel camera, a smaller inward-facing camera, photo editing software, and larger and brighter dual screens. The new functionality comes at the expense of the Game Boy Advance cartridge slot, which is absent altogether.

Nintendo's introduction of the DSi comes as the DS platform is losing ground to its rival, the PSP. Sony's handheld, which boasted Web-browsing and multimedia functions from the outset, has seen its sales explode in Japan thanks to the craze surrounding the multiplatinum title Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G. A localized version of the Capcom game will be released in the US under the moniker Monster Hunter Freedom Unite next spring.

For more on the DSi, check out GameSpot's coverage of Nintendo of America's fall media briefing. Also, recent reports peg a new WarioWare game as being in development for the handheld.

103 Comments

  • JbmAsianGaima

    Posted Nov 19, 2008 4:46 pm PT

    I really want the DSi because of all it's great new features like the Nintendo DSiWare and camera. Hope we soon hear from other media like TV commercials and so forth.

  • zerogfm

    Posted Nov 18, 2008 2:03 pm PT

    I'm getting the DSi when it comes to the US. I'm going to keep my DS though. Does anyone know when the PSP 3000 is coming to the US?

  • necronaux

    Posted Nov 10, 2008 10:21 am PT

    Was the PSP-2 (PSP-3000) released in Japan? Be interesting to see if head-to-head, which unit sold more.

  • PixyMisao

    Posted Nov 8, 2008 2:49 pm PT

    Actually Iwata said that it should be out before or by summer '09 outside of Japan. In fact he said that if they waited longer that it would be too late. I'd be surprised if it came out later than April or May, because the US hasn't waited more than a few days for a new Nintendo system since the Gamecube. And technically this is a new system. I don't agree that the DS will double in sales outside of Japan before the DSi launches elsewhere, but Nintendo usually knows what they are doing... even if they don't lol.

  • tudyniuz

    Posted Nov 8, 2008 12:03 am PT

    I'm still not getting a DS,waiting for PSP2

  • WiiLover243

    Posted Nov 6, 2008 2:22 pm PT

    I WANT IT!!!NOW!!!

  • kingjazziephiz

    Posted Nov 6, 2008 1:39 pm PT

    i guess people dont kno wat sd cards can do...

  • Chico_Azteca

    Posted Nov 6, 2008 12:48 pm PT

    d i were to compare all the gaming devices (except pc), Ds would be the best one. seriously you get games for all kind of players here, Rpg, Shooters, old-school games remakes etc

  • samir192

    Posted Nov 6, 2008 12:24 pm PT

    Nintendo are very impressive this generation. From lagging behind both Sony and Microsoft last generation in terms of sales to absolutely whizzing past the PS3, Xbox 360 and PSP.

  • toadnater

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 4:34 pm PT

    So every parent that doesn't keep up to date on this stuff will be choked at Nintendo for releasing another version of the DS after they buy their kids on for christmas. The two bundles coming out at Thanksgiving aren't really informing customers either...well except that you could go 'hey why are they sending us all of Japan's DSes???' and then realize that its because they can't sell now that the DSi is out.
    And if retailers don't try to push this on people then they'll be stuck with the stock throughout the next year. I can't wait to have customers ask me why there are two different kind of DS games on the shelf now and which will and won't work with what...Arg.
    On the upside, some Nintendo employees are getting extended vacations at those parents' expense...That IS an upside, right? There is one...right?

  • InsultToInjury_

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 1:42 pm PT

    I really dont know what to make of the DSi. Generally if my DS conks out around this time next year with the DSi is out I am still in favour of buying a new lite. But then again if I was the SD memory and hopefully DS/Shop etc I'll need the DSi. Its a cunning ploy by nintendo to make you own 2 of the one console so you can play GBA games on one and take a pic of yourself playing your lite on the DSi.

  • 1357900

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 1:24 pm PT

    I'm w/ im-a-roustabout on this one.

  • maverick_76

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 12:56 pm PT

    I have to agree with Mr. Fubar, my PSP is really just my IPOD, mainly because I usually only play the games when I'm on a road trip or flying or something like that.

  • xgalacticax

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 12:36 pm PT

    Nice, I like the new cameras. If only I could get a new game I can really enjoy like Ninja Gaiden DS or a new 2D Metroid game...as I am more into violent action games....come on gears 2

  • sweet1234

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 12:05 pm PT

    Amazing...(no sarcasm)

  • buckybuckster

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 11:45 am PT

    Was hoping for a little bit more (like shrinking the space in between the 2 screens), but it's still a pretty cool device just the same. Next year, no doubt thousands upon thousands parents will be kicking themselves in the rear as they trudge into the store to purchase the DSi for the kids after just buying them a perfectly good DS over the holiday season.

    Nintendo....Such power is crazy loco.

  • mikemetroid5565

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 11:41 am PT

    Holy crap.. its gonna be impossible to get in America when it comes out

  • -Gray_Fox-

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 11:38 am PT

    lol 170K DSi in two days...
    why do they keep showing ALL Japanese ppl as hard working ppl? lol
    but 170k in 2 days, that's awesome!

  • darkwolfs48

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 11:31 am PT

    SNES emulator? What do you pack up your entire desktop PC with you to work and/or school? Its a portable console. If Im at home I play the PS3/360. If im stuck between classes or on the bus or whatever... Ill play a DS or PSP. I dont strive to play portable games on my pc when I could be playing Warcraft or something of the sort.

  • dark_spawn627

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 11:05 am PT

    @-Beatz-
    Normally it (Hillsy's comment) would have been a stupid comment but it depends how you read it. I think Hillsy was saying that currently with MHP2G the DS was losing and thus needed something to bring back the sales. Says so in this article too.

  • poetsoul

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 10:41 am PT

    Thank goodness this thing is only selling in Japan right now. I'm poor enough as it is.

  • -Beatz-

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 10:28 am PT

    @Hillsy: Dumbest comment ever. The DS has sold 80 million units, PSP has sold 40 million units. How are the DS sales low? Sony is the one who should do something.

  • CharlieFubar

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 10:20 am PT

    oh and people crying about a lack of gba slot... are you crazy? Just get an SNES emulator - all the gba games were snes games after all.

  • CharlieFubar

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 10:18 am PT

    does anyone play ds anymore? I got tired of mine far before the lite came out. And my PSP is a glorified IPOD that can play lumines... so yeah both arent that great. Except psp has lumines =)

  • Anema1986

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 10:08 am PT

    what it suck is the lack of GBA slot
    but since the japaneses probably has all the versions of the DS and GBA, i suppose is not a problem from them
    but why Nintendo worries is the PSP has gained ground, i mean the only reason of that is because every home in Japan already as a DS and they want more

  • thk123

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 10:06 am PT

    @Hillsy_
    My understanding was that the DSi was announced before the PSP 3000

  • Gatcho

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 9:52 am PT

    i'm probably gonna skip this one. and although i would also love to see a tv-out functionality like what the other guy mentioned here, i just don't think it will look pretty specially on a big screen

  • Hillsy_

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 9:43 am PT

    DSi was mainly produced because of the poor DS sales & because of the Sony PSP 3000. With the new PSP 3000 in Japan, Nintendo needed to do something to satisfy the Japanese market. The Japanese do like there gadgets, preferably small; so I'm not surprised it is selling well.

  • shadowblade99

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 8:46 am PT

    So what does it all mean Basil?

  • fighterguard

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 8:41 am PT

    I'll be getting one of those as soon as they are available here in America, since I don't have a DS yet, I guess it's the time to get one myself!!

  • jorge69696

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 8:08 am PT

    with 179$ i would buy another 8800gt and a gaming mouse and a mousepad =)

  • im-a-roustabout

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 7:03 am PT

    Still I just can't wrap my head around why people still buy this stuff every time a new tweak comes out. Even if it's a differ color people will abandon their old hardware just for a stupid coat of paint on their handheld. Nintendo needs to start up some kind of donation center where people who are less fortunate can have their old ones cuz you know everybody has at least two of them by now.

  • im-a-roustabout

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 6:57 am PT

    I'm kind of mad by this only by the fact that people hated PSP for having all these features and everybody's mantra was: I wanna play GAMES sony, GAMES! Not surf the net or listen to music etc.... And now they're doing just that.

    THough hit was smart of Ninty to wait to add these features till they knew they could implement them at a cheaper cost. We can't deny that not only are Nintys systems good, but what makes them so appealing is their tasty price tags. Guranteed to not put a hole in anyone's wallet.

  • moose3469

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 6:42 am PT

    Wow as if everyone in Japan doesn't already have 2 DS's...

  • CamiKitten

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 5:57 am PT

    Eh I'm not suprised at all at these numbers. Our eastern friends in Japan are right now in a handheld/portable gaming age. The DS and PSP is bigger over there then here in the states, so of course Sony and Nintendo both wanna milk it for what it's worth ~ to what seems a small price to the rest of us. It almost feels like they rushed production (albeit it's probably been years in the making already), b/c of the already fail visuals in the new PSP3000 and now what seems like imo a fail DS with having 2 cameras. I mean, >.> really what's the pointin 2?! One I could understand ~ and tolerate. But the whole point of having a portable game is to take it with you wherever you go. And one of the newest games for the DS is to have it sit still on a flat surface to make full use of the camera. And where's the mic? And personally, I like still having my GBA slot. I've already got a phone that takes pretty good pictures and surfs the web.....soon Nintendo will make the DSphone Q_Q; Ok now this rant went no where... sigh.

  • Mac8457

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 5:28 am PT

    Honestly, I'm pretty suprised by these numbers. I didn't think it would sell this well.

  • zombey1333

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 5:00 am PT

    I'll hold off for a special edition. Everytime that I buy one of those dang-blasted things a special one comes out, and i find myself dr00ling at the mouth and trading in my initial purchase. Nope, not gonna risk not being able to trade it in full price again. It'll probably take a year, heck, maybe not, Nintendo seems to be in the habit of releasing specials on black friday, so yeah :p

  • division_9

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 4:14 am PT

    A DS with a camera on it. Doesnt nintendo have something better to do?.

  • tidyspidey

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 3:01 am PT

    "Not much of an improvement in my opinion but guess what, i'll buy it anyways ... my 4th DS when it comes out. i hope the browser will be good because of the touch screen. it's the difficulty of typing text on the psp that turned me off."

    Me too MSG - as much as I disagree with paying double for the DSi, I'll certainly be buying one when I can get one for the normal retail price here in Europe. I've tried the PSP browser and had the same problem - too clunky

  • MSG-Deathscythe

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 2:37 am PT

    not much of an improvement in my opinion but guess what, i'll buy it anyways ... my 4th DS when it comes out. i hope the browser will be good because of the touch screen. it's the difficulty of typing text on the psp that turned me off.

  • tidyspidey

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 2:26 am PT

    they're going for £180+ GBP on ebay.... stupid. why would anyone pay that for a console that's already out? it's not like it's a brand new console that you can experience new games on, it's just a fancy DS with a bloody camera on it... I just can't get my head round why anyone would pay double for what you'd pay for a normal DS lite?

  • tyzwain

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 2:23 am PT

    RIP GBA, glad I got the original DS to play my fav GBA games.

  • U1

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 2:22 am PT

    It has two 0.3 megapixel cameras, totally different to one 3 megapixel one.

  • xdeiri

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 2:01 am PT

    once again analysts got screwed over and over …..

  • r_gam3

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 1:34 am PT

    holy shmoly

  • flyingteddy

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 1:25 am PT

    these features should have been on the DS lite in the first place, i dont think its enough of an improvement to warrant upgrading from ds lite. Hopefully the Ds lite will fall in price now!

  • osxgp

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 1:00 am PT

    Nintendo is the best at re-inventing the wheel. I'll give them credit. How many Gameboys were there? How many GBA? Now this is the 3rd DS incarnation. Yet they still sell well. Go figure.

  • ahyumifan

    Posted Nov 5, 2008 12:24 am PT

    Why don't they develop whole new one instead of adding DL features on DS to make us buy another damn one?

  • frazzle00

    Posted Nov 4, 2008 11:51 pm PT

    I don't understand what's the craze with Monster Hunter :S. The series is dreadful. The DS has a much better library than the PSP, and hopefully the DSi swings handheld sales back in Nintendo's favor.

  • Chico_Azteca

    Posted Nov 4, 2008 11:45 pm PT

    yeah yeah sure bla blah nice

    POKEMON PLATINUM WHEN!!!!

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