Japanese hardware sales, 28 August - 3 September: major megaton edition
Kicking down the doors of hushed secrecy is a great deal more difficult than you may have been led to believe. Not only does it require physical exertion and the knowledge that these doors are often made of a sturdy Philippine mahogany, said kicking must inevitably be followed by running. It's the only way the information can escape a non-descript building and plunge itself into the public's open arms. Today, we've managed to obtain just a secret (a scoop, if you will), a declaration so unbelievably gargantuan that it will likely change your life from this point onwards. You'll forever look back to this day, wondering how you could have possibly survived so oblivious to this revelation. As you can see, there's a mystery device at the top of this week's Japanese sales charts. What could it be? What could it be? Your questions will be answered with aplomb after the break. Trust us, it'll be worth the 12.01 seconds you've spent reading this post.
The ranking, according to number of units sold:
- ???????????: 228,939
65,665 (40.22%)- PSP: 27,499
2,446 (8.17%)- PS2: 22,703
874 (4.00%)- GBA SP: 2,751
32 (1.18%)- Game Boy Micro: 1,791
28 (1.54%)- Xbox 360: 1,250
53 (4.43%)- Gamecube: 855
18 (2.15%)- DS Phat: 320
90 (21.96%)- GBA: 22
8 (57.14%)- Xbox: 0
12 (100.00%)[Source: Media Create]
It's the DS LITE! It has been CONFIRMED that the DS Lite is SOMEWHAT POPULAR in Japan.











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
nootau @ Sep 8th 2006 6:45PM
Would have been more interesting if you put question marks on the xbox 1 sales too.
LaughingTarget @ Sep 8th 2006 6:48PM
Is it the Phantom?
Bugmenot @ Sep 8th 2006 6:48PM
God, I love your posts Ludwig!
Great way to make humour out of something so drastic!
I love Joystiq thanks to writers such as yourself, and I love these weekly sales charts thanks to the humor you put in them.
Keep up the great work!
-Nushio
aZn_1080p @ Sep 8th 2006 6:52PM
wow xbox is still tanking hard in japan, no cool japanese games for xbox fans I guess, no matter how much $$$ M$ dangles in front of japanese developers, they know better than to take the bait.
Derbeste @ Sep 8th 2006 6:49PM
LO FUCKING L!!!!!!
Dude...THAT is what FINALLY made last night's debacle worth it all!!!!
Ludwig...you are my new hero. Can you give yourself 10 stars?
I laughed my ASS off!
BUUUUUURN!!!
Sam @ Sep 8th 2006 6:53PM
At last, the Atari 2600 revival has begun!
navstar @ Sep 8th 2006 8:09PM
Still surprising to see the original GBA (non-SP) still selling!
Kirusato @ Sep 8th 2006 6:55PM
OH NOES!
One sold XBox next week and yet again the stat percentages will implode!
Nushio @ Sep 8th 2006 6:57PM
Damn, that Bugmenot post was mine. I forgot the settings where saved. :P
Wonder how many other times I posted as bugmenot...
And for the record, I posted as "bugmenot" because of this
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/06/stupidly-obvious-online-safety-and-parenting-tips-from-ncsoft/#c2041240
Anyways, the word was dramatic, not drastic up there.
Spuky @ Sep 8th 2006 6:57PM
Great Post
csc @ Sep 8th 2006 6:57PM
I was pissed off about the overhype before, buts thats a nice way to defuse the situation, getting hopes up again.............
DONT YOU EVER LEARN JOYSTIQ!
lol J/K, nice one 'somewhat popular'
megid @ Sep 8th 2006 6:57PM
It's the Nintendo DS Lite! What do I win?
exy @ Sep 8th 2006 6:57PM
Good lord, if I walked in to purchase an XBox 360 and 183 Japanese kids purchased a DS while I was waiting in line... I'd feel pretty damn disappointed in my purchase as well.
No wonder Microsoft can't make a wave in the land of the rising sun... peer pressure.
killer7 @ Sep 8th 2006 7:03PM
The Dreamcast is back...with a vengeance!
Raynre @ Sep 8th 2006 7:04PM
I lol'd.
And then I cried.
Zoë K. @ Sep 8th 2006 7:17PM
Wow. At least someone at Joystiq is enjoying themselves over this mess. Good job, Ludwig. ^_^
But 0 Xboxes? Damn, man. I hope all that's left overthere is stock and not new shipments, because Microsoft needs to get rid of all of what they've got left and stop.
OGHowie @ Sep 8th 2006 7:13PM
It's not that funny kids. Get over it.
Madd Gamer @ Sep 8th 2006 7:31PM
Most of you so-called Nintendo fanboys are just Sony exiles anyway- traitors who jumped on the Wii's bandwagon out of anger generated by the PS3 launch delay. How shameful that you've forgotten how you helped make Sony become the video game powerhouse that it is!
gamer9190 @ Sep 8th 2006 7:22PM
"You're questions will be answered with aplomb after the break. Trust us, it'll be worth the 12.01 seconds you've spent reading this post."
That's your, Ludwig.
JPRacer @ Sep 8th 2006 7:21PM
Whoever's making this new ??????????? console are really lucky to sell them so well. Talk about a stupid name for a console. What's next, !!!!!!!!!!!!!?
cringer8 @ Sep 8th 2006 7:22PM
According to the Tokyo Times:
"DS Lites are being used as floatation devices in Japan to support their famed "City on the Sea" project.
Construction of said structure is moving along at record pace thanks to Nintendo's steady supply of DS Lites.
This revolutionary new method involves attaching thousands of the devices together into 80 ft. cubes. These cubes are then reinforced with mortar composed of copies of 'Brain Age 2' and tethered to the harbor floor.
It is estimated that, upon completion, the city will be held afloat by nearly 20,000,000 gaming units.
Future development of a sister city has been rumored, but until Nintendo releases a firm projection of Wii console production rates, a start date cannot be reported."
This is the only way I can explain it.
Matt @ Sep 8th 2006 7:22PM
I agree with post one.
potato @ Sep 8th 2006 7:23PM
I guess Gameboy micro isn't doing as well as nintendo planned. GBAsp is still outselling it.
Ludwig Kietzmann @ Sep 8th 2006 7:24PM
Yes! It is, Gamer9190! Thank you for pointing out such a foul typo. My draft sentence was originally "You're bound to learn the answers after the mysterious break." My English teacher always said you should stick to your first ideas.
Of course, she also told me I should try passing her class.
bounchfx @ Sep 8th 2006 7:27PM
@15
ok gramps
delldude420 @ Sep 8th 2006 7:30PM
anyone notice the 12.01 secs was a reference to last nights 12:01 am announcement. anyways ds lite kicking ass i mean farking ass
vaylen @ Sep 8th 2006 7:32PM
What I love is that when Sony debuts the 1080p PS3 with Blu-Ray, xbox fanboy screams "Almost nobody has HDTV's, this is only a niche device".
Then when the holiday software lineup for the PS2 is announced (which looks mighty sweet), those same xbox fanboys chime in with "After playing my 360 on my HDTV, I can't go back to the PS2 with its blurry textures".
Face it, if you have an HDTV, you should get a PS3 to really take advantage of it. If you have a SDTV, you are a fool to waste your money on an xbox 360 when there are so many better games on the PS2 (not to mention it's loads cheaper).
Dr.Swiss @ Sep 8th 2006 7:32PM
I think everyone and thier diabetic mom noticed that.
WiiDS @ Sep 8th 2006 7:35PM
man! roughly a quarter million units in a week! as far as im concerned, Ninty has already won the videogame system wars with the DS Lite! no way can any other game system, handheld or home, match up to the sales of the DSL...
arch @ Sep 8th 2006 7:43PM
HAHA!
for a second there i thought it was the 360, maybe some japanese RPG released but then i thought omg maybe they released teh Wii!!!!
HAHA
Obvious @ Sep 8th 2006 7:47PM
Spider Jerusalem would be proud, blogger.
Ludwig Kietzmann @ Sep 8th 2006 7:48PM
Also, thanks Derbeste, Zoe and Nushio for your usual kind words. :)
GSI @ Sep 8th 2006 7:51PM
Hey how come you guys haven't posted the August US NPD sales? (from Shacknews)
Top 10 Software Sales:
1. PS2 MADDEN NFL 07 - 885,000
2. 360 MADDEN NFL 07 - 477,000
3. 360 DEAD RISING - 337,000
4. XBX MADDEN NFL 07 - 253,000
5. PS2 FFVII: DIRGE OF CERBERUS - 200,000
6. NDS NEW SUPER MARIO BROS - 179,000
7. PS2 NCAA FOOTBALL 07 - 160,000
8. PS2 MADDEN NFL 07: HALL OF FAME - 127,000
9. PS2 GRAND THEFT AUTO: LIBERTY CITY STORIES - 102,000
10. 360 MADDEN NFL 07: HALL OF FAME - 92,000
Hardware Sales:
--------------> Nintendo DS - 278k
- PlayStation 2 - 262k
- Xbox 360 - 204k
- Game Boy Advance 156k
--------------> PlayStation Portable 146k
- GameCube 41k
- Xbox 9k
__________________________
I can't wait to see what idiot statements Darryl and his copy cats make. LOL
Doug @ Sep 8th 2006 7:51PM
Ludwig, man? You're a genius. Way to go.
OTAM @ Sep 8th 2006 7:55PM
I still don't understand why Microsoft doesnt go full force in North America and Europe? They are basically wasting their efforts trying to capture an uninterested Japan,so why not put that effort/money/time to good use and give the 360 supporters and fans the love elsewhere.
It's like trying to bring the snobby,uninterested girl flowers while you have 2 other chicks basically humping your leg to take them to bed.
GSI @ Sep 8th 2006 8:00PM
HAHA!
-->"It's like trying to bring the snobby,uninterested girl flowers while you have 2 other chicks basically humping your leg to take them to bed."
I don't care who you are or what fan you are a system of...that HAS to make you crack up.
BRAVO otam!
RevJonathan @ Sep 8th 2006 8:12PM
Ludwig you are my hero.
Eric @ Sep 8th 2006 8:13PM
"I don't care who you are or WHAT FAN YOU ARE A SYSTEM OF...that HAS to make you crack up."
LOLZ, I think you just one-uped him.
BRAVO GSI!
djdac @ Sep 8th 2006 8:22PM
"It's like trying to bring the snobby,uninterested girl flowers while you have 2 other chicks basically humping your leg to take them to bed."
Some men like a challenge.
Dr.Swiss @ Sep 8th 2006 8:16PM
"LOLZ"
Oh snap, it's in all CAPS!!!
Bravo, Eric!
GSI @ Sep 8th 2006 8:19PM
HAHA! My bad.
I guess I was cracking up too much to figure out I swapped the words. lol
Paul P. @ Sep 8th 2006 8:20PM
When are you gonna post the NPD figures? They are out. As expected Madden and Dead Rising were strong performance.
DS is at number one and sold even more than before. PSP is at number four and sold less than before. GBA still at 3 sold less than before, PS2 at 2 sold more than before. Software sales were biggest on DS, which had like, a 128% growth or something, and PSP software sales also had a %57 growth.
They're good numbers. Post em.
Yoshi Likes Boys @ Sep 8th 2006 8:22PM
Personally, I thought the what sold 220,000 copies was...
RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDGE RACER!
Powerbomb @ Sep 8th 2006 8:48PM
"Like I said lets all meet back here for next week's sales figures. My guess is DS takes a hefty hit. How about the next NPD's? Will they even maintain a lead on PSP?"
- Comment from Bill a week ago
210,000+ lead over the PSP in just one week in Japan.
132,000 lead in the month of August for NPD. PSP couldn't even beat the GBA.
GSI @ Sep 8th 2006 8:50PM
Bill = PWNED
Jonn @ Sep 8th 2006 9:26PM
This is modelled on Tycho's posts, isn't it?
H-QB @ Sep 8th 2006 9:34PM
Im just ACHING to see what kind of negative spin Sony fanboys put on this... while in turn see what kind of positive spin they can put on their PSP lol
kidcodea @ Sep 10th 2006 9:42AM
ludwig? THE westracing forums LUDWIG? the sanatorium LUDWIG?
BIG FAN.
kidcodea ;)
schtum @ Sep 8th 2006 9:41PM
System of a Fan? I love that band!
Merlin27 @ Sep 8th 2006 10:11PM
This is only my 2nd comment since I started reading Joystiq every day about a year ago.
Best. Post. Ever.
Nice job, Ludwig. That totaly made my day. Cheers.