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Wii sales top 67 million, DS over 125 million

Despite slowing sales, Nintendo's console and handheld continue to set records; over 688 million DS games, 509 million Wii games sold to date.

As part of its nine-month earnings release this morning, Nintendo also revealed its life-to-date sales for its uber-popular Wii console and DS handheld. Though slowing sales of both platforms contributed to the company's 23.1 percent sales decline from April to December 2009, the two platforms continue to widen their lead over competitors in the current hardware generation.

After years in third place with the GameCube, Nintendo is now the current-generation king.

After years in third place with the GameCube, Nintendo is now the current-generation king.

As of December 31, 2009, some 67.45 million Wiis had been sold worldwide, solidifying Nintendo's console dominance in a way that was unimaginable during the third-place GameCube era. By region, the console has sold 9.72 million units in Japan, 32.02 million units in North and South America, and 25.71 million units in Europe and elsewhere.

Wii software hasn't fared too badly either, with 509.66 million games for the console sold worldwide through December. Of those, 46.57 million games were sold in Japan, 275.84 million in the Americas, and 187.24 million in Europe and other territories. According to Nintendo's earnings report today, the top new Wii games last year were Wii Sports Resort (13.58 million units through December), New Super Mario Bros. Wii (10.55 million), and Wii Fit Plus (10.16 million).

Meanwhile, the DS further cemented itself as the all-time best-selling game platform by topping the 125-million-unit mark--125.13 million units, to be exact. Of those, 29.2 million were sold in Japan, 44.99 million in the Americas, and 50.23 million in Europe and other territories.

The DSi has sold more than 16.43 million units by itself.

The DSi has sold more than 16.43 million units by itself.

From the DS total, Nintendo broke out sales of the DSi, introduced last year. The camera-equipped portable has sold 16.43 million units through December, including 4.66 million in Japan, 6.16 million in the Americas, and 5.61 million elsewhere. The supersized DSi XL is available only in Japan, where it sold 700,000 units (and is called the DSi LL).

On the software side, the DS also reigns supreme, with a whopping 688.29 million games sold worldwide as of the end of 2009. 171.99 million of those games were bought in Japan and 261.90 million were bought in North and South America. The remaining 254.41 million were picked up in the UK, the rest of Europe, Australia, and other regions. Top new DS games last year included Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver (3.74 million units), Tomodachi Collection (2.74 million), and The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (2.45 million).

LIFETIME WII SALES - HARDWARE (Through Dec. 2009, in units)
Worldwide: 67.45 million
Japan: 9.72 million
North & South America: 32.02 million
Europe & Elsewhere: 25.71 million

LIFETIME WII SALES - SOFTWARE (Through Dec. 2009, in units)
Worldwide: 509.66 million
Japan: 46.57 million
North & South America: 275.84 million
Europe & Elsewhere: 187.24 million

LIFETIME DS SALES - HARDWARE (Through Dec. 2009, in units)
Worldwide: 125.13 million
Japan: 29.2 million
North & South America: 44.99 million
Europe & Elsewhere: 50.23 million

LIFETIME DS SALES - SOFTWARE (Through Dec. 2009, in units)
Worldwide: 688.29 million
Japan: 171.99 million
North & South America: 261.90 million
Europe & Elsewhere: 254.41 million

143 Comments

  • Dirk13

    Posted Mar 24, 2010 12:19 pm GMT

    Got hotlinked to this from the March article about the DS sales, I just like reading them imagining all the hardware out there (and in a non-biased viewpoint, the worlds future outdated junk ).

    I will have to point out though that the end of this generation will definitely not have the Wii as "king". I think due to the seperation of design in this generation, while the Wii definitely sold a lot (and made Nintendo a bunch of money due its cheap hardware design), it simply will not last. Heck, analysts are now speculating that by the end of this generation that the PS3 will be king, and somewhere in the midst of all this the Xbox360 was also considered top dog. Is it possible that in the end due to dominance in separate phases that everyone wins in the console war this time?

  • smfes

    Posted Mar 23, 2010 11:43 am GMT

    i love my Dsi, greay innovation, wifi internet

  • Legend002

    Posted Feb 15, 2010 7:54 am GMT

    The Nintendo Dual-Screen defined the word ridiculous. It is one amazing gaming device.

  • Lykanthropie

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 1:39 pm GMT

    When i see the results of nintendos 2 systems i start asking me what the next steps will be. I hope they will release an Wii HD (or whatever it is called then) as soon as possible (maybe this year?). It would be very nice if they could include a way to play DS games on a big TV (like they did for snes/gamecube) even more nice when you are abe to take the DS as a controller, otherwise i don't know how the to use the Dual screen options.
    When i see the results of nintendos 2 systems i start asking me what the next steps will be. I hope they will release an Wii HD (or whatever it is called then) as soon as possible (maybe this year?). It would be very nice if they could include a way to play DS games on a big TV (like they did for snes/gamecube) even more nice when you are abe to take the DS as a controller, otherwise i don't know how the to use the Dual screen options.
    But while thinking about that i would like to know how it feels to play on one console with 2 TVs guess a great home multiplayeroption, but also great other innovations ;-)
    lol but i hope nintendo is going to do something really big, while they showed us how they were able to be as big as in their best days.
    Innovation is more important then better graphics, but if they do it the right way, they will be able to present both and also for a price everyone could accpect (not like the PS3 which gave sony the 3rd place in the console war uptodate) a lineup of 3 or 4 superb games (like RE5 ,new Zelda, Mario Galaxy 2, CoD 7) and maybe even more (superb RPG, also great would be a Zelda - Legends of Hyrule Trilogy, with all Hyrule Zeldas as HD Version including aLttP, OoT and TP all with Wii Controls) they just could't fail.
    But i guess they should also go on with their cusual sports series in HD
    They should also overwork the Wii Cotroller to make it smooth for the hand, and change the batteries and make a better motion system which scan how fast you are moving or so, would be great to see link swinging his sword just like you swing the controller (it seems like sonys motioncontroller is going that way). i really hope nintendo didn't just earn money and will bring us a high end console with the best lineup of superb games like they only did in their early years on the SNES.

  • Fusion_Master

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 9:54 pm GMT

    DSi LL. lol. nuff said.

  • FUNKOGuy

    Posted Jan 31, 2010 9:17 pm GMT

    im not a fanboy of any system but my sister owns both of these and loves them i play some of the games all the mario games love them i like the free internet service of them (wii and ps3) i like playing mario kart online so good for nintendo

  • evo4x4hardcore8

    Posted Jan 31, 2010 7:11 pm GMT

    I'm wondering when's Heart Gold is gonna come out in the US. It would have a giant fanbase.

  • ikari22

    Posted Jan 31, 2010 5:26 am GMT

    @all, You know you can whine all you want about good games/bad games and how the Wii sucks worse than a kick in the sack..but whether you like it or not they're reaping in the dough and at that level it's all that matters baby..they lose no money from all you talking smack (they don't make any either for that matter)..

    I really hope they pay you all for all of this, because if not you've just found the dumbest way of wasting time, defending/destroying something that is not even yours and brings you no profit whatsoever. (I own all three systems)

  • formerroadie

    Posted Jan 31, 2010 5:02 am GMT

    The 3rd party games on the wii need to get better because they put out too many stinkers.

  • all_fired_out

    Posted Jan 30, 2010 10:06 pm GMT

    though i would say for nintendo to stay on their guards, it is only the the 1st quarter of the year, and we dont know what surprises sony and microsoft will show in the coming quarters

  • all_fired_out

    Posted Jan 30, 2010 9:56 pm GMT

    nintendo fans! unite!

  • wiidsduelpack

    Posted Jan 30, 2010 5:12 pm GMT

    Nintendo is being stragetic. Like all strategies, it involved risks and that's what happened for almost all the year except in December. /
    Nintendo is trying to release its best software in in 2010 as its trying to counter attack the games M.A.G, ME 2, and God of War III. /
    Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M will release for summer, but unless Legend of Zelda sells spectacularly well in Japan, then it might get released in 2011. Probably in 2011.

  • wiidsduelpack

    Posted Jan 30, 2010 3:04 pm GMT

    Sonicplys,
    Don't know if the Wii is the new PS2. It needs a lot more. Probably twice the sales but can reach it as this GEN will be longer than the others, as 360 and ps3 made their consoles for the longterm profit.
    /
    Nintendo has the cheapest best games as Paper Mario, Super Mario RPG, Super Metroid, Super Mario Bros. Star Fox, Donkey Kong 1-3, and many others.

  • Sonicplys

    Posted Jan 30, 2010 9:56 am GMT

    I told you people, but you guys didnt want to believe me. Wii is the new PS2.

  • Doolum

    Posted Jan 30, 2010 9:21 am GMT

    @herbalvideogame.I agree totally on ur closing comment.

  • Reiken37

    Posted Jan 30, 2010 9:13 am GMT

    @kiramasaki
    Sorry, I take that back, the DS is the RPG king. Games like Fable are great, but the best are at the DS. Star Ocean and Final Fantasy are great and they are on the DS aswell. Anyways, the Wii has Zelda, Mario, Metriod, I could name other non-franchise games too. Little Kings' Story, Tatsouko (sp.) vs Capcom 2, the list is just too long. Yes the Wii has a ton of terrible games targetetd at kids and house wives, but a goot 10% are great games. And one look at the Wii's library tells you that 10% is a lot of good games. Also, I ment NIntendos' systems are RPG kings. How stupid do you think I am? Of course Square-Enix is the best developer of RPGs.

  • robertwarnes91

    Posted Jan 30, 2010 4:17 am GMT

    Nintendo you define the odds. Wait to go! Madworld 2 please.

  • kiramasaki

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 10:49 pm GMT

    @reiken, wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. the wii has some of the greatest games in history. Really have you played like two games in your entire life and live in some void. I honestly doubt too many people even wii owners would side with you on that comment.

    And Square enix is the rpg king, true they have lowered there level somewhat - but they are responsible developing or publishing Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Front Mission, SAGA series, Star Ocean, xenogears, kingdom hearts, MANA series, Valkyrie Profile etc. The only really long running series they didnt have there hands in are Suikoden and Tales.

    But i dont know which of your comments is more laughable, Nintendo Wii and some of the greatest games in history or Nintendo the RPG king

  • Glade_Gnarr

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 10:13 pm GMT

    So almost 1 third of the population in japan has a ds, and 1 fourth in USA. That's amazing, but i bet a lot of those are just people who bought different skus. Still I love the ds, best handheld ever. the Wii is also pretty fun but only when Nintendo is delivering and not telling us what we need,

  • ChiefFreeman

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 5:44 pm GMT

    I "third" Herbal's statemfnt. Use your profits to make quality games.

  • Flint247

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 5:19 pm GMT

    @HerbalVideogame

    Agreed.

  • HerbalVideogame

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 5:12 pm GMT

    @fps_d0minat0r "i wonder where all the profits go, their definatly not going towards developing AAA titles." I'm not surprised by your screen name at all. I'm willing to bet that most "fps dominators" such as yourself, have equally great grammatical skills. __________________________________________
    @zzamaro You keep telling people that they are stating opinions as fact, then you go on to say that 80% of wii's games are bad, well, that's like, your opinion man. And I hate to tell you this, but there are LOTS OF BAD GAMES OUT FOR THE PS3 AND 360. LOTS. GO BUY A GAME SHELF AT GAMESTOP. _____________________________________________
    @frankmcsunam Yeah and since you can vote, you would only vote for the person your parents voted for. __________________________________________
    There are good games, and there are bad games. PSone had so many terrible games on it's wall, but it also had the most innovative and best of the best at the time and it's graphics were far behind N64. Why do you guys all bash Nintendo? They make smart business moves. Do you know how dirt cheap it is to make the Wii? And when Nintendo goes HD, it will be all oo's and ah's. The very fact that they do so well without it is a testament to their greatness. If you don't own a Wii, you are missing some VERY good games, games like you have never experienced before. If you don't own a DS, you are just missing out. Good games are good, bad games are bad. It's not the consoles fault.

  • Flint247

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 3:18 pm GMT

    It's funny how haters whine and complain about Nintendo, a company who rescued gaming back in the 80s. XD

  • enzyme36

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 1:43 pm GMT

    kiramasaki just cant help put post in every Wii news story there is... and also cant help him/herself from constantly ignoring good games on the wii.....

    soon to be followed by a wall of text reply of Wii hate... ohh well

  • Hockenberry

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 12:53 pm GMT

    @Reiken37

    Yeah you do have a point but also I remember I wanted the Wii for that reason too, for Metroid, Mario and so on but now I have those games and the system is sitting there, nothing incredible came out, I like the New Super Mario Bros but the last incredible game was Mario Galaxy. Nintendo will always have the best first party games, but even those games are starting to show it is more for people alot younger now. Like the last best Donkey Kong game was Donkey Kong 64, and they played around with it by giving people bongos and all, which I agree to alot of critics, it could be fun, but Nintendo needs to step up and bring back their old tricks and making the best adventure games!

  • Hockenberry

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 12:40 pm GMT

    and dont forget to thank the Ellen Degeneres Show for buying 300 Wiis and Wii Fits for the audience, even if some of the fans already have them or not interested in buying one. I am surprised they didnt mention that in here.

  • TripSe7en

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 12:30 pm GMT

    Absolutley EPIC numbers! I wouldn't have thought that the NES would have been beaten based on the direction that consoles were going, but N did it again. Kudos Nintendo, Kudos.

  • ricardo-sene

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 12:28 pm GMT

    Now, please, Nintendo.. use all of this money and bring back the most famous third-party series to your new console... Don't get me wrong, I like you, but I NEED to play games like Resident Evil, Prince of Persia, Medal of Honor, Darksiders, Dragon Age, etc..

  • Reiken37

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 12:10 pm GMT

    @kiramasaki

    Actually in the past 2 months tons of Wii titles came out, New Super Mario Bros, SPirit tracks, just to name a few. Also, Mass Effect is great, but the RPG kings are all Nintendo franchises. I have tons of friends with just XboXs or PS3s that wish they had a Wii so they could play games like Metriod, Zelda, Mario. And obviously if the Wii and DS are the top sellers (DS top platform in history) then they MUST be coming out with a lot of great games. Super Smash Bros Brawl is still a 50 dollar game 2 years after release. ODST is a 30 dollar game less then a year after release. In case you don't know, that means that Nintendos' games are timeless. I love my PS3, but the Wii has some of the greatest games in history, not to mention you can play NeS and SNES and 64 games on there...

  • kiramasaki

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 12:02 pm GMT

    I love how the news you get from Sony and Microsoft game is usually new game x (GoW 3, Bioshock 2, Mass Effect 2) is coming out, but pretty much the only articles I see relating to the Wii are boasting about its system sales and almost never about some highly anticpated game coming out. This is really an article about Nintendo to boast about by roping in so many chumps and not wii fans to boast about. Who cares how many wii have sold when the only way youll be playing Mass Effect 2 is on a friends console.

  • chrisPperson

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 10:19 am GMT

    Wow, this is great! Can't say I didn't expect it though

  • ArabrockermanX

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 10:19 am GMT

    @zzamaro I put "imo" (in my opinion) in my post

    btw you listed that list like it was fact despite .

    And Fat Princess is garbage no one can contest that the game was laggy, had dropped frame rates, and was just a tragedy to the gaming world in general.

  • enzyme36

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 10:14 am GMT

    @ UberGameSystem

    you forgot to mention Tatsunoko vs Capcom, Galaxy2, Monster Hunder Tri.... and im sure a few more.... keep on rocking the lil system that could!!!

  • Dualmask

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 10:08 am GMT

    @isaacmj I was thinking the same thing about NMH2 and TvC... they scored 8.5 not because of any real flaws in the game but because giving them 9s might make them eligible for their Game of the Year. Same thing happened to New Super Mario Bros. Wii last year.

    Of course, it's all further proof that review scores are meaningless.

  • XenoLair

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 10:01 am GMT

    Wii outsold NES :} Just a matter of time before it breaks the 100kk limit. Im glad!

  • First_Descent

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 9:54 am GMT

    Also, I am glad they did it, and they are not graphic whores! Which is why I love nintendo!

  • First_Descent

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 9:54 am GMT

    Awesome stuff, I remember hearing rumors about how Nintendo was going down, maybe even bankrupt, clearly that it not the case. I am glad that they are doing well so many more Mario and Zelda games can come out in the future. Good stuff Nintendo!

  • navarrogc_395

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 9:23 am GMT

    I hope Nintendo makes an excellent new Zelda game, they are getting a bit lazy nowadays.

  • zzamaro

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 8:48 am GMT

    @ClintKeys

    your are a noob dude

    NES did the MOST important thing in gaming industry, quality and quantity is part of it

  • zzamaro posted Jan 29, 2010 8:44 am GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    zzamaro

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 8:44 am GMT (hide)

    @AlucardsFate

    dude, I don't like the way frankmcsunam said it but what he said, it's real, it's a fact, wii is over saturated with bad third party games, over 80% of the wii's library are bad games, sure, there are plenty good third party games, no more heroes 1 & 2, madworld, dead space, and some of the games you listed there are remakes/ports, silent hill, resident evil, Even some developers commented wii has too many bad games: http://www.mcvuk.com/news/32941/There-are-too-many-crappy-games-on-Wii

    Yyou have your own taste about gaming, don't give your opinions as facts

  • UberGameSystem

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 8:39 am GMT

    2010 will be the wii's golden year imo.

    no more heros 2 (already out)
    red steel 2 (soon to be out)
    zelda wii (suppose to be a 2010 release, but i think thye might push it back further)
    Monado: Beginning of the World (looks like a promising game, if only more info could be found on it)

    and many more. I is looking forward to playing overtime on my wii this year (i try to play equally across all the systems i have, though its difficult when one hits a string of awesome games in a row)

  • nate1222

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 8:38 am GMT

    @jedikevin2 Agreed. This week, I'm getting a Wii and Tatsunoko Vs Capcom. There's also the Resident Evil remakes (RE0, RE1 & RE4), Silent Hill SM, Fragile Memories and the kick-ass VC line-up. Let's not leave out some of the killer niche games around the corner. The Wii has its flaws, but it's obviously heir to PS2's throne.

    @enoslives7 Ditto. I still think Portrait of Ruin (DS) is the closest thing Nintendo heads are going to get to Symphony of the Night.

  • slyfox_28

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 8:38 am GMT

    @ isaacmj

    Unfortunately, it appears the most sites reviewers (including some of GS) seem to have some deep-seeded bias against the Wii, or against consoles that don't have 360 in its name. I'm not going to name names here but if you pay attention to reviews they write, its clearly evident. Most of the time if its a wii game it an automatic docked a half point to a point. I know there no rule about reviewers being fanboys, but there should be some kind of fair balance when it come to this.

  • zzamaro

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 8:31 am GMT

    @ArabrockermanX

    dude, that's just opinion...your taste about gaming, don't give me your opinion as fact

  • InfinityMugen

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 8:20 am GMT

    The Wii isnt going away anytime soon.

  • enoslives7

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 7:58 am GMT

    The DS Castlevania games are excellent.

  • zaiwen

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 7:56 am GMT

    as wii speak, ninty's sayin "wiiiiii wi are sellin wiillions & wiilions

  • isaacmj

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 7:32 am GMT

    If only reviewers did support the wii... I mean look at the No More Heroes 2 review, in short words it says: "Everybody should play this game, but it has minor camera problems and it's a wii game so it won't get a 9"

  • jedikevin2

    Posted Jan 29, 2010 7:07 am GMT

    @xgalacticax
    So true. Its sad that compared to the other systems, the good 3rd party nintendo games get shrouded in a mask of ignorance. Then again, most of the good titles outside of those by Nintendo don't have the financial backing to have hours of commercial time, gamespot editors "preview" or editors setup "launch centers". To me it seems that all this shovel-ware seems to be the Wii's worst enemy as people seem to not want to divulge time and explore out great exclusives but instead want to be told by the multitudes to get a certain game. Whats the saddest thing about it all is when people try to inform the masses to stay objective and find great games then they are stereotyped as " fanboys" even if they have all the systems. I find myself having to struggle with that everyday. As a man who has all 3 systems and a PC gaming rig, I enjoy just about everything on all systems. For some reason though, the Wii gets this conceived inferiority and if you try to educate people then you are trashed from all parties just because they despise seeing the Wii on top of charts or do not want to open their minds that their thinking on the Wii is incorrect. We need to get past that kinda ideology and close mindedness and embrace all sorts of gaming. Yes the Wii has many casual games and tons of shovel-ware but it also has many great exclusives that are just waiting to played.

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