DS becomes Japan's fastest selling game machine, ever

by James Ransom-Wiley { Aug 2nd 2006 at 12:25PM }

According to Japanese newspaper Kyoto Simbun, sales of Nintendo DS have topped 10 million units in Japan. Nintendo clams that, since its release in December 2004, DS has reached the 10 million mark faster than any other game machine (console or handheld) that has ever been on the Japanese market, and the handheld has done so despite a currently shrinking games market. If the figures are accurate, DS is owned by nearly 8% of the Japanese population.

Let it be known that Iwata predicted this sales feat months ago, leading at least one fanboy site to praise the Nintendo president for his apparent psychic powers.

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jason W @ Aug 2nd 2006 12:28PM

Wonder if the fact that it is region free and can be imported by US gamers (the lite before it came out here) has anything to do with it? I love my DS Lite and think the DS deserves the respect it is getting, but still wonder about what effect the export of the product had to do with those numbers.

DsDude @ Aug 2nd 2006 12:32PM

Wow... good job Nintendo!

Clint @ Aug 2nd 2006 12:35PM

I guess the Japanese like gimmicks more than other countries.

Firestone @ Aug 2nd 2006 12:36PM

Nintendo made good job of course. But their PR was really awesome. That's why it's the best selling game machine. Even ever

Jay @ Aug 2nd 2006 12:39PM

Very good. from what I've seen myself here in England, is the DS Lite is the most publicly played system. not bad for us.

Matt Q @ Aug 2nd 2006 12:43PM

I'd have thought people would have realized that it's not a gimmick at this point. Oh well...

Dave @ Aug 2nd 2006 12:47PM

Oh Clint, you're a retard.

JimmyHACK @ Aug 2nd 2006 12:48PM

good job,

it seems the new consoles will reach 10 million in 2 years or under as well

Anthriel @ Aug 2nd 2006 12:50PM

Eh, the romanization of 京都新聞 is killing me ... but I will bear it.

Anyway, remember how everyone thought Nintendo had lost their marbles when they announced the DS? Yeah right.

And for those who think this doesn't matter, because it happens in Japan: Where do you think all those cool Japanese games will go to now?

Raynre @ Aug 2nd 2006 12:51PM

Now if only their American and European PR departments could pull a hat trick, we'd be set. American advertising has been getting a lot better lately, but Ive definatly noticed a lack of Nintendo commercials in the last few months. Cant speak for Europe of course, since I dont live there, but its got to be worse off than Americas...

Oh, and yay for my +$300 from NTDOY stock. ^_^ God bless the DS...

darryl @ Aug 2nd 2006 12:56PM

So sad... but after witnessing Japanese porn, I guess this makes some sense, in a twisted sorta way.

Touching is good, sticky. You don't know where that stylus has been!

Scott @ Aug 2nd 2006 1:01PM

Clint,

How old are you, because you are either a 30-year old single male living with his mother or a seven-year old.

How do I know this? Because you care way too much about Nintendo.

Yardarm51 @ Aug 2nd 2006 1:08PM

re. 7 Anthriel

I couldn't agree more. The correct romanization of 新聞 (newspaper) is Shinbun. I'm a teacher in Japan and my damn students constantly write "si" when the pronunciation is "shi". Drives me bananas.

Nintendo really has achieved their goal of getting non-gamers and completely new audiences involved in their machine. Most of us were laughing at them when they said they were going to go that route. I can't go anywhere in the city (Tokyo) without seeing trendy girls, old folks and business men in suits playing with DS Lites. One of the biggest set of customers at the moment is couples who are dating. They are everywhere. It is the ultimate gift for your gf/bf. I am really sticking out here because I still read paperback books or magazines on the trains! Heheh. So much for me being a gamer eh?

Zeldathebest @ Aug 2nd 2006 1:32PM

This is one of the greatest accomplishments in gaming yet ppl still find a way to bring it down.Fucking fanboys if the ds is a gimmick it should be emberassing for the psp to be outsold by a gimmick.Anyways this is just a sign of thigs to come with the wii.

Jonah @ Aug 2nd 2006 1:32PM

Yardarm makes a good point.

Even in the states I have seen many people who aren’t what is considered the traditional gamer playing a DS (especially since the release of the lite). I know personally first the GBA-SP and now the DS are what got my wife into gaming.
Shortly after we were married she was always stealing my SP, and once I got a DS, I had to almost immediately get her her own so that I could play mine.

I’m wondering if this means Nintendo’s former statement that the DS wasn’t meant to replace the Gameboy has been retracted?
I can’t imagine them making a new, “normal” gameboy after the success of the DS.

Optimus @ Aug 2nd 2006 1:49PM

>>I guess the Japanese like gimmicks more than other countries.

The DS is a gimmick because it has more features than the last generation? Then every console is a gimmick. The DS sells because the games are great (made even greater thanks to the DS' unique features). Get a job, pick one up with one or two of the top games and see for yourself. If you don't like it, sell it on eBay.

Until then, STFU.

Aran @ Aug 2nd 2006 1:55PM

Great news for Nintendo, well done!

My gf is playing NSMB with my DS Lite while I'm writing this. Maybe I should get one for her too as a present, as Yardarm51 said they do in Japan? :)

LeFishy @ Aug 2nd 2006 1:58PM

Anyone who CLAMS the DS is a gimmick is living in the past. Ok 2 years ago or whenever it was announced even I, nintendofanboyextrodinaire, was dubious, but seriously, play any of the games and its an instant love affair, i have a PSP sat here, i used it a few weeks ago, i just put my DS down to write this. I do love my PSP, but it could never stand up to the gimmick that is my DS.

Marty @ Aug 2nd 2006 1:59PM

Clint. Your precious GTA Sandbox style gameplay is a gimmick. Precious XBOX LIVE is definately a gimmick!!! OH YEAH, and sex is a gimmick did you know that!!! The main and most popular way to reproduce is to either bud, or if a species that sexually reproduces, to just drop seed and hope wind or water leads it to an egg. Guess you won't be getting any sex either Clint because it is just a gimmick!!!

Dave @ Aug 2nd 2006 1:59PM

Zeldathebest, you are also a retard.

Jed Merrill @ Aug 2nd 2006 2:03PM

Why is one screen less of a gimmick than two?

The DS is inventive, not gimmicky. It takes interaction well beyond what the PSP can offer, and that is why it is 4 to 6 times as successful.

White Rose Duelist @ Aug 2nd 2006 2:04PM

Wow, the flamewars are getting lame here.

6. Oh Clint, you're a retard.
18. Zeldathebest, you are also a retard.

There are tens of thousands of words in the English language, folks. Find more than one to get your point across!

duscrom @ Aug 2nd 2006 2:07PM

Okay.. OR the DS is doing so well because it's a Nintendo Handheld. Anyone consider that? We're sitting here talking about the brand loyalty of the PS3, and yet seem to not make it a factor in the sales of the DS (BTW, where is anyone bitching about the word "Shipped" and not "sold")

Nintendo has dominated the handheld market for 20 years. Before the DS, the GBA was the fastest selling console ever. the PSP is a brand new handheld. And while it may have the sony name, it dosen't have the brand loyalty of the company who has dominated the industry for 20 years, it dosen't have mario, and it dosen't have pokemon.. and costs doubble.

If the PSP outsold the DS, Nintendo would have bigger problems. To be knocked off thier pedistal in a first round KO.. that'd just be sad. Now, are the games solid? So i've been told. My own frustrations with the platform aside (I'll just say I'm glad I have both, DS games get old FAST), As long as Nintendo ships their good games, the platform was going to sell.

Is this a victory for the DS fanbase? Not really. I mean, it's nice to have numbers to boast about, but the good DS games are by Nintendo. They'd make those DS games weather it was selling well or not. The PSP is already the JRPG depository.

Phipscube @ Aug 2nd 2006 2:15PM

Yeah thats fab for DS. But why keep concentrating on Japan?

The PSP has been the fastest selling console in the UK. Why not put this alongside the DS news?

anakenobi @ Aug 2nd 2006 2:19PM

And as a result of those japanese sales numbers, Final Fantasy III went to the Nintendo DS instead to the PS2, as was recently mentioned on EGM magazine.

That shows how important is to be a success in Japan. Now if only Microsoft understood that and applied that knowledge to help the xbox360 gain more ground in the land of the raising sun.

Josh @ Aug 2nd 2006 2:26PM

Jonah, I think that original statement by Nintendo about the DS being a "third tier" statement was just a backup in case the DS failed. Anyway, some GBA games are still being released, so it's all good. ^^

Josh @ Aug 2nd 2006 2:28PM

duscrom, because Nintendo only reports number of units sold, unlike Sony (and MS?), which report the number of units shipped.

anakenobi @ Aug 2nd 2006 2:30PM

---"The PSP is already the JRPG depository"---

^^^ Actually, the PSP is the PS2 rehash depository ;)

Try reading EGM magazine. They regularly make fun of the fact the PSP is filled with PS2 rehashes.

In the recent issues of EGM they reviewed several RPG games for PSP. And they scored BADLY. The reason? the games add absolutly nothing to the genre.

Another mayor flaw of the PS2 is LOADING TIMES. EGM even placed in this months edition a URL to a video file where you can see proof of a wrestling game that takes 6 MINUTES to load a match!!!!

Je-eeee-sus!

No wonder the DS is a better buy for any gamer than a PSP! The PSP costs even more than a PS2 these days! :D

Zeldathebest @ Aug 2nd 2006 2:50PM

Wait im a retard why??Dave just because i made a valid point dosent mean im a retard it just means that thats my opinion u fuck.What was retarded i think my statements were actually more factual than opinions.

Cabbage @ Aug 2nd 2006 2:59PM

@JimmyHack-

The DS selling 10 million is special because it has sold 10 million units in _Japan alone_ in that much time. It has sold over 21 million units worldwide. I imagine most consoles sell 10 million units in 2 years, but there is at least one next-gen console that won't hit 1 million in Japan in 2 years (if ever).

Leo @ Aug 2nd 2006 3:03PM

CONGRATS NINTENDO! I'm definitely one of the fanboys who enjoys seeing news like this (and yes I also own a PSP that I barely use).

I also love how Clint refers to Nintendo's stride on innovation and creativity as a "gimmick." Sour grapes anyone?

Dave @ Aug 2nd 2006 3:14PM

Well White Rose, the problem is that most of those tens of thousands of words don't apply nearly as well as "retard." Something can certainly said for such delightful simplicity.

striderhayasa @ Aug 2nd 2006 3:25PM

@ duscrom

Phoenix Wright
Trauma Center
Castlevania
Meteos
Age of Empires
Tony Hawk
Bleach
Jump Superstars
Sonic
are all great games for DS that are not made by Nintendo

Final Fantasy III
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
Bleach 2
Jump Superstars 2
Diddy Kong Racing
Tony Hawk's DownHill Jam
CastleVania POR
Dragon Quest
Children of Mana
Elite Beat Agents
Hotel Dusk 215
Phoenix Wright 2
Mario 3 0n 3 (by SquareEnix)

are anticipated games coming for DS that are not made by Nintendo.
Combine this list with games from Nintendo and you have a pretty damn good library for a console that was written off as a gimmick.

Todd H. @ Aug 2nd 2006 4:34PM

Overated, Overated, Overated...

Todd
http://www.proxbox360.com

chris3116 @ Aug 2nd 2006 4:36PM

Clint, the PSP and the PS3 also have gimmicks. The UMD, Blu-Ray, the motion sensors on a PS2 controller for PS3, the E-distributive,...If you call XBL as a gimmick then the all the online plan for the PS3 is a gimmick.

Dude, if don't know what you're talking about, just STFU.

borgie @ Aug 2nd 2006 5:42PM

Gosh the ignorance of Western gamers...

The DS is also being bought in Japan by NON-GAMERS as TOOLS. Many older people believe the Brain-Age game will help them stay young and fight off alzheimers, and many, many salaryman and OLs are buying them as cheap English Dictionary and practice tool. OKAY BOYS AND GIRLS? DS is marketed in Japan to different people with various purpose, and only some of the people are getting it to play FFIII. Wanna make more ignorant and racist statements against Japan now? Thank goodness the Japanese gamers doesn't know about the hating the American gamers has for them. Sheesh, maybe I should tell 2ch about all this BS.

striderhayasa @ Aug 2nd 2006 6:16PM

@ Todd

It's cool, but they're better than Galga and Paperboy by far haha!

Will @ Aug 2nd 2006 7:05PM

@duscrom

But you see the DS is selling at a faster rate (in Japan at least) than the GBA with the competition from the PSP than the GBA sold with NO competition.

And true Nintendo has dominated the handheld market for the past 17 years. But Nintendo also dominated the console market up until 1995 when a little thing called Playstation came along. A lot of people thought the PSP would take the handheld crown from Nintendo the way Playstation took the console crown especially after the DS was unveiled with its "gimmicky" inferior technology and N64-era graphics.

Compared to its predecessors the DS was facing an uphill battle and proceeded to surpass all expectations.

True. A lot of the DS's best titles are first party titles. There's no disputing that. But there are also a ton of great third party titles (see strider's list above).

Brad Lee @ Aug 2nd 2006 7:53PM

"Okay.. OR the DS is doing so well because it's a Nintendo Handheld. Anyone consider that?

[...]

Nintendo has dominated the handheld market for 20 years. Before the DS, the GBA was the fastest selling console ever." by duscrom

The reason why DS becoming the best selling game system ever in Japan is a big deal (besides the obvious) is actually stated in your own post. Before the DS, the GBA was the fastest selling system. It is rather amazing that DS beat the GBA, despite the fact that Nintendo finally faced 'real' compitetion with the PSP. So, even though Sony came in with the PSP (which many thought would be the dominate handheld), the DS still beat the GBA's record. Thats a huge deal, considering the GBA was being sold without ANY competition.

I'm proud of the DS. And that is being said not by a Nintendo fanboy, but by a gamer. I, like many, originally thought the DS was going to be a big mistake on Nintendo's part. But now, even after I got a 360, I still play my DS more than any other system. I'd say thats pretty damned impressive.