DSi sells 2.2 million in US, no more Wii price cuts in '09

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime tells CNBC handheld's double-platinum milestone, says software will sell hardware at current $199 cost.

Reggie Fils-Aime is on the publicity warpath. The same day he bragged to the Financial Times that the Wii price cut was eliciting a "strong" response, Nintendo of America's president and COO chatted with CNBC anchorwoman Maria Bartiromo.

Reggie Fils-Aime.

Fils-Aime himself was forceful when asked if his company was planning any further price cuts following last month's $200 Wii repricing, misidentified by Bartiromo as "$299." "Absolutely not," he declared, saying the "great drumbeat of new software" such as New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Wii Fit Plus would buttress sales of the console.

The executive also said he doesn't expect there to be Wii shortages this holiday season, even at the new price point. He then boasted that the console went 34 months without a price drop, topping 20 million units sold in the US alone.

Another major nugget of news came almost offhandedly, when Fils-Aime was asked if he had any worries about consumers being overly frugal this holiday season. He responded thusly: "If you give the consumer great value in terms of what they pay, they're willing to spend, and we say based on the experience of launching the DSi this past April, we've already sold 2.2 million units." (Emphasis added.)

When asked for clarification, Nintendo reps told GameSpot the figure was for DSi sales in the US through August. During that month, the camera-enabled handheld accounted for 190,000 of the 552,900 DS handhelds sold domestically, and Nintendo reps said they expected similar figures when NPD reports September sales next week.

The last time Nintendo offered sales figures for the DSi was at its E3 Press Briefing in June, when it announced the portable had sold 1 million units both in the US and Europe. Recently, though, the DSi has been hit by controversy after reports surfaced that games downloaded to the handheld are not transferable to other DSis.

61 Comments

  • joey_bulky

    Posted Oct 9, 2009 6:51 am PT

    No DSiware games for me that for sure. I still fine with the DSi Cartridges. Without the physical cartridges i done with Nintendo. I can still accept valve steam for PC, as i have buy quite a few games there.

  • hjm0916

    Posted Oct 9, 2009 6:40 am PT

    dsi is the best handheld the nintendo has concocted yet. before you know it, nintendo will have its own cellphone

  • wiidsduelpack

    Posted Oct 8, 2009 5:29 pm PT

    DS/DS lite are amazing systems and no wonder they are doing so well. Developers actually make really good games for the system as well as Nintendo. The system allows you to play old games like the gba and new games with a bigger screen. The system is incredible.

  • wwonka666

    Posted Oct 8, 2009 3:22 pm PT

    @superluigi96

    Because you can still get a small credit for them at certain retailers. But my main point is having to be without your new system while sending it back to Nintendo to ALLOW you to play the games that YOU PAID FOR. They could do something similar to what MS came up with to transfer the license over to the new system without having to send it back to them.

  • -WHATTHEDUECE-

    Posted Oct 8, 2009 12:50 pm PT

    I just purchased a Nintendo Wii after the price cut and i'm quite enjoying it myself, i picked up the Wii and 5 games that caught my attention and have been playing them quite a bit, Madworld, COD:WAW, Dead space EX, and the Metroid Prime trilogy to name a few, i also saw a lot more at the Best buy i was at during this and wished i could have bought more because there were some really cool looking games.. but i'm not made of money.
    There's a common misconception that the Wii is completely devoid of any good games, but this is completely false imo. The system certainly isn't for everyone but for the people who are interested in the Wii there ARE quite a lot of stand out games worth playing.

  • svalink

    Posted Oct 8, 2009 5:54 am PT

    199$ great price for WII. Just finish "Little king story","Metroid Prime","one piece vol1","BWii","Bonsai Barber","Sonic the Secret ring","Zelda","Smash Bros Braul","Mario Galaxy",playing Wii Fit,"Conduit", "No more Heroes". Waiting for Monster Hunter Tri and Mario Bros, Resident Evil and Final Fantasy ....
    only one things i don't like - i want more CLASSIC JRPG like Final Fantasy X or Chrono cross.

  • KittyHeart

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 11:05 pm PT

    the ds and wii are both incredicble, its no wonder they will do well holiday 09

  • hatieshorrer

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 7:25 pm PT

    It took Nintendo three years to have its first price drop was anyone really expecting another price drop.

  • superluigi96

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 7:00 pm PT

    @wwonka666

    Why would you want to keep a broken DSi anyway?

  • wwonka666

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 5:28 pm PT

    superluigi96

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 12:56 pm PT

    Well yeah, I wouldn't expect another price drop so soon either. 360s and PS3s have more frequent price drops than the Wii, but even they don't have two within half a year of each other.

    And enough about the so-called "controversy" about not being able to transfer downloaded games to other DSis. That's true with EVERY CONSOLE on the market. If it weren't, no one would buy the games because they could just copy it from someone else. Piracy would be rampant.

    As of the time I copied this you had 8 thumbs up. Well, if my DSi breaks and I decide to buy a new one, I should be entitled to transfer the software over at no cost without having to jump through hoops and send my broken DSi and my new DSi to Nintendo. I'm sure they wouldn't even send the broken DSi back to me, they would keep it, refurbish it and re-sell it which is total BS. I can put my software on up to 5 PS3's without jumping through hoops and can at least play any of my downloaded games (even off a memory card at a friends house) as long as I am logged into X-Box Live on any X-Box 360. So yeah, people have a right to be upset about the DSi BS DRM, it's worse than Apple's DRM for Itunes used to be. So the 8 people who are thumbs upping this, I hope you have DSi's that break tomorrow with at least one hundred dollars worth of software downloaded on it (impossible since DSi ware has about 2 good games).

  • Serraph105

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 5:24 pm PT

    lol somebody thought there would be more than one price drop on the wii this year? $200 is a very reasonable price for any of the systems and the wii has plenty of great games that could warrent such a purchase.

  • wwonka666

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 5:19 pm PT

    PwningMaster

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 1:11 pm PT

    Wii= Best party/kid/fitness system(for now)
    Xbox 360= Well, I don't know. Its just there. The Ps3 can do more(like have more stuff on a disk, but that can be countered with downloadble content. and I have and Xbox 360 and a Wii so I'm no Sony fanboy.)
    Ps3= Best System for Content.(can browser Internet and has blue-ray so disk can have more stuff and save the hassle of downloading.)
    My fave is the Xbox 360 because its has the kind of games I like. Then Ps3 then Ps2 then Wii.
    So its like this Xbox 360>Ps3>Ps2>Wii.(for me) So yeah. But Xbox 360 wins barely agains the Ps3.

    Everything you just wrote in this makes absolutely no sense, no sense at all.

  • wwonka666

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 5:17 pm PT

    I hope Gamespot didn't come up with the word buttress, I hope that's something the great Nintendo Puppet Fils-Aime came up with because if Gamespot is the one who decided to use that word in their article, I am really, really disappointed with them almost to the point that I hope they give me a permanent banning for making fun of their use of the word. If Fils-Aime came up with it, I completely understand because he is probably still drunk/and or hungover from his time at the alcohol company he worked for previously (Seagrams, I believe it was) and must always show his superior intelligence to others that are still there.

  • wwonka666

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 5:12 pm PT

    Wii sux everyone knows Super Mario Galaxy, HOTD: Overkill, Wii Sports and Wii Sports resort are the only games on the system worth playing but yet the sheep flock to the Wii like it is their ticket into cool land. Well, I hope cool land people flock to Natal and PS3 motion controls when they are released and Nintendo gets stuck being a third party publisher at some point down the road, but they probably won't. They will release Wii HD and cool land will stay open for a couple more generations.

  • sergioalb64

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 4:22 pm PT

    I love my DSi, and DSiWare is getting better and better with new game announcements; now it's just a matter of playing the waiting game

  • Ronin893

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 4:20 pm PT

    Im looking for a sale at Christmas time for the Wii. Its a great deal now but there is bound to be a sale then or a packaged deal.

  • insanitycheck2

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 4:19 pm PT

    My DS is sort of broken. I have to tilt it forward and pinch the game cartridge down for the game to load, then slowly lower it to a more comfortable position or the game would freeze. Maybe it's time for me to get a DSi.

  • k0r3aN_pR1d3

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 3:58 pm PT

    There is a market for the DS? I was under the assumption that the people buying DSi's are people whose DS Lites broke, not new customers suddenly coming into the mainfold. I doubt that the gaming market has enough polarity to provide enough revenue for people who rest beyond the target audience.

  • nephili232

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 3:55 pm PT

    @Hades-Sama - lmao

  • ropumar posted Oct 7, 2009 3:36 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    ropumar

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 3:36 pm PT (hide)

    Why the USA media helps promoting the wii so much? What a waste...

  • izdan

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 3:27 pm PT

    but its still not that bad

  • izdan

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 3:27 pm PT

    the dsi wouldnt be to bad if it had more GOOD dsi ware games

  • -Squirrel-

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 3:11 pm PT

    I have said previously that the DSi is not enough of a upgrade for me to spend another 170 bucks and ditch my Lite. But recently my roommate purchased one which has given me the opportunity to play around with it, and now I might buy one before the year is up.

    I'll miss my gba slot, but I will graciously welcome the new DSiware which has shown marked improvement in quality. Especially with further installments in the Art Style series.

  • ColonelX24

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 3:08 pm PT

    Yes we had a price drop from $250 to $299. That was the XBOX not the Wii's price drop jeez!

  • Marcster1994

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 2:56 pm PT

    I'm getting a DSi for my B-Day

  • i_PWN_fanboys

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 2:43 pm PT

    @giddyupgroudon
    Yea and the President of Nintendo agreed with her lol

  • auron11022

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 2:32 pm PT

    @K0r3an_pR1d3

    Actually its in the mid twenties...

    but that aside- just because the average gamer wants an Xbox or Iphone doesn't really matter. All that matters is that there is a market for these systems. Just because it is not the average market does not mean a thing. Actually, in reality there are more gamers outside of the average range than inside of it, so a smart company would go outside that range for their customers because there is less competition and more potential customers.

    THAT is what a college education in ECON would tell you.

  • taylormadederek

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 2:30 pm PT

    This is how I like to think of Nintendo right now. They said...."we need to make some money to make things better". So that is what they are doing. They say "we are going to ignore, EVERYONE that made us what we are, but only for a while". Nintendo will come back to their glory after they have recaptured the market that is rightfully theirs. \
    \
    That being said...I am so disgusted with them that I don't know if I even care what they do anymore.

  • lightning_kf

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 2:21 pm PT

    I guess now or early next year is a good time for a DSi.

    I've been holding back on getting a handheld for a long time now.

  • HyruleanLink

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 2:14 pm PT

    Great to see that the DSi sales are strong. Yet, I hope that Nintendo doesn't solely depend on two games to sell hardware. Might need more than two games to sell.

  • k0r3aN_pR1d3

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 1:59 pm PT

    @HerbalVideo game

    Seeing how the average age of the gamer is in the 30's and that you clearly haven't been to college, you really don't know what you are talking about.

  • Flint247

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 1:58 pm PT

    @jasongm

    I guess you are. Most of us play games for FUN and not just wanting "serious" or "hardcore" games. That's not what gaming is ALL about.

    And remember, no one is forcing anyone to buy games that they don't care for.

  • giddyupgroudon

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 1:57 pm PT

    that dumbass reporter said $299 RETARD

  • jasongm posted Oct 7, 2009 1:53 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    jasongm

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 1:53 pm PT (hide)

    Wow, am i the only one that just doesnt care about the whole wii fit & new super mario bros wii crap?

    Fils-Aime should try pushing & targetting the hardcore gamers with the new Metroid other M & Castlevania titles we seen at e3 & the tokyo game shows.

    I think Nintendo should stop playing it safe & get a new image & target its hard core gamers. So far i am not impressed with its New Mario wii or Fitness titles.

    I have a wii & only own 2 games that i really like. 2 years later theres still nothing im impressed with.

  • WAIW

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 1:53 pm PT

    "Recently, though, the DSi has been hit by controversy after reports surfaced that games downloaded to the handheld are not transferable to other DSis."
    ...What?

  • Flint247

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 1:44 pm PT

    Wii is definitely a good system. It has it's disadvantages, but what console doesn't? It's definitely worth the buy in my opinion, I don't care what these haters have to say.

    As for DSi, good for that. Although, I won't upgrade for a while, I am happy with my DS lite, I am still wanting to try that FlipBook Studio.

    Now to save up for Xbox 360 to play along with my Wii and I will be good to go.

  • taylormadederek

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 1:40 pm PT

    Well Reggie that is the greatest thing that I probably have every heard. He should really be a politician with nonsense like that. \
    \
    Current software will sell hardware...........Ha....To yuppies and idiots I suppose.

  • REVOLUTIONfreak

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 1:38 pm PT

    Nintendo is so full of it sometimes. Wii Vitality Sensor is hardly even a sliver of innovation. That thing looks like another piece of junk that Nintendo will tout for a few months while its software sells well, and then ditch when they find the next best gimmick.

  • superluigi96

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 1:26 pm PT

    @tremor33

    Sorry mate, didn't realize you could do that. I haven't downloaded any PSN games so I wouldn't know.

    The point I was trying to make was that Nintendo is simply trying to protect their IP rights. Wii and DSi don't implement gamertags or usernames, so without that infrastructure in place the only way to protect themselves is with console-locked downloads. The fact that DSi's downloads are console-locked after the Wii's have been for three years now should be a surprise to no one. The "controversy" surrounding it is just old 2006 controversy that's getting stirred up again after it's been settled.

  • XxParasite

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 1:20 pm PT

    @fleshimp91
    No crappy games on 360 and PS3? What about Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust? Or perhaps ShellShock 2: Blood Trails? Bomberman: Act Zero? Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire? Hour of Victory? How about Damnation?
    Please try not to sound like an idiot. If you had said something smart, then I wouldn't have had to point you out as a fool.

  • Stonetowerghost

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 1:17 pm PT

    It's official. Nintendo will never fall.

  • tremor33

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 1:12 pm PT

    @superluigi96

    actually PSN downloaded games are attached to your user name. If you get a new ps3 and still use the same user name and gamer tag you can retrieve your downloaded games and trophies.

    The DSi could implement some sort of program similar to that, and though it might slightly increase piracy, Most DSi users that download pirated games do so without this function already

  • PwningMaster

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 1:11 pm PT

    Wii= Best party/kid/fitness system(for now)
    Xbox 360= Well, I don't know. Its just there. The Ps3 can do more(like have more stuff on a disk, but that can be countered with downloadble content. and I have and Xbox 360 and a Wii so I'm no Sony fanboy.)
    Ps3= Best System for Content.(can browser Internet and has blue-ray so disk can have more stuff and save the hassle of downloading.)
    My fave is the Xbox 360 because its has the kind of games I like. Then Ps3 then Ps2 then Wii.
    So its like this Xbox 360>Ps3>Ps2>Wii.(for me) So yeah. But Xbox 360 wins barely agains the Ps3.

  • omarsh94 posted Oct 7, 2009 1:05 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    omarsh94

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 1:05 pm PT (hide)

    They need to lower the price because we all know the PS3 will demolish everything from now on...

  • GCwasthebestsys

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 1:04 pm PT

    i have a ps3 and Little Big Planet was fun for a while. New Super Mario Bros. will be awesome for ACTUAL multi-player. which is completely different than online multiplayer of the modern day

    i have a DSi for the obvious great library of games. i've only bought two games on dsiware and they give you ten free points. i wouldn't doubt if nintendo changes it's dsiware owner rights policy down the line, though i plan on having my dsi for many years so it doesn't matter much at all. march of the minis is the only dsiware worth the points so far. would like to see a virtual console on dsi soon.

  • superluigi96

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 12:56 pm PT

    Well yeah, I wouldn't expect another price drop so soon either. 360s and PS3s have more frequent price drops than the Wii, but even they don't have two within half a year of each other.

    And enough about the so-called "controversy" about not being able to transfer downloaded games to other DSis. That's true with EVERY CONSOLE on the market. If it weren't, no one would buy the games because they could just copy it from someone else. Piracy would be rampant.

  • HerbalVideogame

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 12:54 pm PT

    @k0r3aN_pR1d3 Oh yes and colleges are the epicenter of the gaming world. But given the current status of the heartland (not very smart-land) I can see all the aspiring politicians, philosophers, surgeons, biochems just chillin...playin Halo, twittering about Kanye West. Yeah, definately.

  • Erebyssial

    Posted Oct 7, 2009 12:48 pm PT

    Sadly the DSi sales still aren't high enough for more devs make DSi exclusive games or even bother with adding exclusive features normal ones. I still have no reason to buy one.

    @fleshimp91: RE4 and No More Heroes the only full length Wii games? You are terribly misinformed and sounds like you only pay attention to games with those special M rated stickers..

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