DSi sold 435,000 during first week in US
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Apr 17th 2009 at 10:10AM } 
Nintendo had previously announced that the DSi sold 300,000 units in both the US and Europe in its opening weekend, with GFK-Chart Track giving specific date for the UK, which bought up 92,000 during launch weekend. It pretty much goes without saying that Nintendo has another hardware hit on its hands, huh?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Vegeta (DAT ASS!!!) @ Apr 17th 2009 10:15AM
Well Damn. Of course I really shouldn't be surprised, this is Nintendo we're talking about.
BIGGEN (LIVE-PSN: BIGGEN1103) @ Apr 17th 2009 10:22AM
but is it worth it? that's the question?
BIGGEN (LIVE-PSN: BIGGEN1103) @ Apr 17th 2009 10:23AM
the $170 i mean.
Rob @ Apr 17th 2009 10:52AM
I think it is, but that's just me.
guttertalk @ Apr 17th 2009 10:53AM
We have 2 DS Lites: mine and the kids, so I traded in mine for the DS, mainly because of the improved specs, the DSi shop, and the larger screens for my aging eyes.
The kids love the camera, photo editing and sound editing.
But for what's offered now, no, it's probably not worth it. However, I think in 6 months, it will be.
Rob @ Apr 17th 2009 10:59AM
Yeah, the DSi store is sort of lacking, wait a little on that one.
popstarcriminal @ Apr 17th 2009 11:08AM
I do miss the GBA slot a little, but on the other hand, the DSi feels a lot more solid and the controls seem less mushy/more precise. Also, I expect good things from the DSi shop.
CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Apr 17th 2009 12:48PM
I don't think we'll know until good dedicated games either come out or don't come out for it.
Zach S @ Apr 17th 2009 10:22AM
I upgraded from my DS Phat to the DSi (I kept the Phat as a backup, of course). It's great, and the screens are still blowing my mind!
Blue_Falcon @ Apr 17th 2009 10:23AM
I bought one a couple of days ago. I've been using my DS that I've had since about 4 days after it launched this whole time, and I've managed to last this long without getting a Lite. And I was expecting the system to be completely sold out, but I was at Target and saw about 6(+/-) systems and thought why not? I was planning on getting one eventually, but I was surprised I got it so soon.
Bowser Rogozhin @ Apr 17th 2009 10:24AM
I wouldn’t be so quick to proclaim this as a hardware hit, Silwinski. Easy statements do seem to be a running theme with you though, so I'm not surprised.
Technophiles are always the first to pick up any piece of hardware, whether it’s a DSi or the Gizmondo. That’s what they do, and it appears that there’s around 435,000 of them lurking in the United States. However, for the regular DS gamer, the DSi is a pointless revision and the 50% price hike is a slap in the face of anybody who supported this platform.
These incredible sales will peter out in the weeks ahead, and as negative word of mouth spreads about the loss of the GBA slot, resentment will turn to apathy and we’ll be looking at a platform afflicted with decay. This is a dagger to the heart of the DS that not even Sony or Apple could have ever imagined. Short sightedness, that's what this is, base short sightedness.
BIGGEN (LIVE-PSN: BIGGEN1103) @ Apr 17th 2009 10:28AM
GEEZ
Koopaknight29 - (Nintendo Loyalist) @ Apr 17th 2009 10:32AM
Well arn't you a bucket o' sushine.
I'm actually planning on picking up one since my Mario Kart Ed. DS is finally on its last legs. Gotta keep up with the times and all that.
coffins outside the door @ Apr 17th 2009 10:36AM
I've known a few people who had no idea that the DS could play GBA games or what the slot was for.
Rob @ Apr 17th 2009 10:44AM
Wow, I can actually feel the waves of hate radiating off your post.
Courtney @ Apr 17th 2009 10:45AM
Man, somebody is bitter this morning. Don't quite get where you think this isn't a success for them. A couple of months ago, they had sold over 2 million in Japan, now early numbers are approaching half a million for the states. Without even considering European or UK numbers, that's almost a half billion dollars worth of revenue generated from a hardware revision. That's insane.
RageOverdose @ Apr 17th 2009 10:46AM
Technophiles the first to pick up hardware?
Maybe this is valid for more obscure hardware, but a Nintendo handheld? No.
I know 3 people who aren't even remotely technophiles who pre-ordered this thing. No, I did not pull that number out of my ass.
I know that, by your logic, then EVERY sale within the first week is to a technophile, which is bullshit. This was not true of the Wii, 360, PS3, DS, or DSlite.
And, also, you fail to factor in that gamers also pick up gaming hardware first, especially hardware from Nintendo, Microsoft, or Sony.
While there is a probability in there that this could achieve moderate success or perhaps flop, the chances are low to be sure, considering the sales of the previous iterations of the DS and the multimedia aspect of this machine that many seem to enjoy in their portable devices. Assuming that Nintendo will advertise the system well enough, I don't see how this could fail unless the entire gaming market flopped or something severe hit Nintendo that halted production.
Rob @ Apr 17th 2009 10:49AM
To be honest, I never used the GBA slot on the DS to play games, that's what my Gameboy Advance is for. I only used it to transfer pokemon from my GBA games to Diamond.
Bowser Rogozhin @ Apr 17th 2009 10:53AM
If you've never used the GBA slot, then you're missing out on 50% of the DS' functionality. It's like going to a football match and only watching the first half.
Rob @ Apr 17th 2009 11:00AM
I don't feel I missed out on anything, I'm perfectly happy with the DS games I own without having to play GBA games on the DS.
samfish @ Apr 17th 2009 11:21AM
I'd say someone definitely had his Carnation Instant Bitch for breakfast this morning!
sam @ Apr 17th 2009 12:00PM
I've never used the GBA slot either (not even once to test it, or anything). Trust me, Bowser, nobody gives a toss about that slot. Really. Only a tiny fraction even of the type of people who visit game websites uses that slot, and of the rest of the DS market (which is about 99.8% of it, to judge by GTA DS sales) there will be far fewer people with any interest in it.
I played GBA games. They were great! That was back when they were coming out and I had a GBA. Now there aren't any new GBA games and I've sold my GBA. Given that I also have no interest in Guitar Hero DS, and I don't play Pokemon - that's all she wrote for the GBA slot.
Do I feel like I'm missing out on 50% of the functionality? No. Do I feel like I'm missing out in *5*% of the functionality? No. 0.5%? Getting closer - that's about how I feel Guitar Hero rates. And yes I'm rating every GBA game ever as worth zero to me, because if I wanted to play the things then I already played them, with my GBA, back when.
Certainly even the ability to have a completely useless music player that won't play any of my files (but which I'll probably play with for ten minutes just for a laugh) is worth more to me than the GBA slot - by far.
I'm planning on getting a DSi, no hurry though as there's not too much in the shop yet, and that's the real reason for getting one. (Then again I might go into town tomorrow so I could be tempted...)
Markez @ Apr 17th 2009 12:40PM
Again with this 50% of DS functionality = GBA games bullshit. Hilarious. As Roto so aptly put it, you're doing it wrong.
Mduck @ Apr 17th 2009 2:13PM
whatahell is bowser still doing in joystiq?
dude, you should go and comment on kotaku, I'm pretty sure everyone will be excited for having you there :D
N3M3515 @ Apr 18th 2009 12:16AM
I don't know about everyone else here, but i got 100% of my GBA slot use when I had my GBA SP. It was nice to have backwards compatibility on the DS and DS Lite, but lets all just move on to DS carts from now on.
Also, i cannot explain why exactly, I am struggling NOT to buy a DSi.
hyperbolicego @ Apr 19th 2009 10:22AM
I think the ridiculous amount of negative votes to your post pretty much sum up why you're wrong, sadly. I agree with you 100%, but Nintendo, like Apple, has successfully made the transition from having fans to having zealots, and like any good cult, they'll drink whatever kool-aid they are handed.
That said, I've got a Wii, Gamecube, two DS Lites, and a DS Phat, but I am *not* buying a DSi (at least not for a year or so).
Go1denchi1d @ Apr 17th 2009 10:31AM
Yeah, I'm a part of those numbers. I originally had a DS Phat and resisted the dslite but that DSi was too tempting. Personally, I could care less for the gba slot. I mean, what would I even play in this day in age? I don't need rumble features nor do I care to play Guitar Hero. It's just a useless feature to me. As people always say; out with the old, in with the new. Though I wish there was more newer hardware in it...
Felipe @ Apr 17th 2009 11:24AM
I am part also part of that big number. I had a DS Lite, but i sold it to some people that were visiting from out of the country. I had bought the DSi some days beforehand. I will miss my DS Lite, but this new one brings some things to the table that the other did not have.
Meh @ Apr 18th 2009 8:25AM
You can actually build rumble into the DS carts, it's just more expensive to produce.
Bowser Rogozhin @ Apr 17th 2009 10:32AM
"Personally, I could care less for the gba slot."
Careless.
B3astofthe3ast @ Apr 17th 2009 12:21PM
The ONLY thing the GBA slot is for is transfering my pokemanz over from emerald to platinum...
For all GBA stuff, I use my GBASP, because it can ALSO play my GB games, not like the stupid DS....
shawn11150 @ Apr 17th 2009 10:43AM
FAD
Duke @ Apr 17th 2009 10:44AM
That's all!? Epic fail.
Oh wait, that was in a week, the DSi..oh, yeah, that's pretty awesome.
Feba @ Apr 17th 2009 11:49AM
Most gamers have long abandoned their GBAs, of course the mass market doesn't care. The DSi has some interesting features, but I'm guessing a bigger reason for getting it now is that most people figure the price isn't going down, so they might as well snag the free Nintendo points.
There was also probably a decent amount of people who needed new lites for whatever reason, that decided to hold off for the DSi so they wouldn't miss out on whatever DSiWare might be released later.
furious @ Apr 17th 2009 12:21PM
canada gets ripped off. $199!!!
BlaqueBeird @ Apr 17th 2009 1:11PM
Actually, $199 Canadian equals $163 US, so we're paying less.
aj @ Apr 17th 2009 11:12PM
We're only paying less if we're buying the thing in US dollars. Since I get my paycheque in Canadian currency, I'm still paying 200$.
TheE3Guy @ Apr 17th 2009 2:41PM
Woo hoo, the same repackaged system with shitty cameras and slightly bigger screens. Software updates? Forget about it! We'll make you pay $170 so you can...record stuff and mess with it...and on top of it all, we'll take out that gba card reader, so you have even less functionality! Because we're Nintendo, and our motto is, "Just bend over and take it some more."
kiro @ Apr 17th 2009 3:09PM
Don't forget the SD card slot, with it, they might release the VH and sell them GB/GBC/GBA games as well as imports.
kiro @ Apr 17th 2009 3:10PM
Although that is still possible, we need Nintendo's confirmation.
kid_ic @ Apr 17th 2009 3:21PM
These great numbers are not surprising to me. The DSi has gotten great press and highly positive reviews from everyone but vocal posters on a few messageboards. Plus, it is being marketed with some effort on Nintendo's part, getting news coverage, etc., and I think the camera and AAC-playback features are unique enough for it to stand out from the previous DS models and immediately connect to consumers of varying ages.
As much as people on Joystiq volunteer that they should be industry analysts b/c analysts get paid to pull numbers out of there asses all day, we get misinformed internet dwellers like Bowser spitting their own faulty projections based solely on their emotional response to a product and wild guesstimates based on hastily written blog articles.
@TheE3Guy - No one is making anyone pay $170. If you don't have a DS and you want one, it's another option on the table. If you do have one, you could've gotten a huge discount by trading it in to a retailer like Gamestop, or by selling your Lite on eBay. Plus it comes with $10 in free software downloads.
I had a Japanese DSi that I imported to have access to unique DSiware titles, and b/c I wanted it in white, and I gladly bought a black US model as well.
If you think the (perfectly suitable for the resolution and for gaming) cameras and the photo & sound filters are the only new features, you're uneducated or trolling. From the matte makeover, significantly new buttons, dpad, and sound control, significantly larger and brighter screens, new firmware and menu system, SD card slot, online store, and exlusive upcoming games, there's clearly more there then on a Lite, and its a bigger upgrade than other portable or console "refresh" has probably ever been.
The thing is simply a nice piece of kit with a damn lot of potential -- and as someone w/ access to the Japanese DSi shop, I know! :) I predict it continue to see steady, at leaste modestly successful sales... And if Japan is anything to go by, it's the next big thing.
esposch @ Apr 17th 2009 11:29PM
Jesus Christ you bought 2 DSi's!?
How fragging disposable is your income!?
I've now got $3 left after picking up a replacement touch screen and a tri wing for my Phat. That cost less than $5!
Why not buy 8 games rather than get a DSi (or 16 games rather than 2 DSi's)!? Wow, you make me feel poor. :(
I'm off to darn my socks now...
ColorblindMonk @ Apr 17th 2009 3:44PM
With the good DSi sales, I hope for DSi exclusive games soon.
j.howlett @ Apr 17th 2009 4:19PM
the booklet that comes with it seems huge to me. we got my niece one last week. i'll miss the gba slot because i don't have a charger for my gba sp.
DeepFriedSushi @ Apr 17th 2009 5:32PM
why do people succumb to such low standards when it comes to nintendo. DSi technically is pathetic
Meh @ Apr 18th 2009 8:25AM
Nope.
Jinx @ Apr 19th 2009 12:32AM
I waited all this time to get a DS and I got a Azul DSi
I am loving this thing it boot ups and into the web in about 15 sec.
My DSi flashcart is shipping from Hong Kong.. damn I got to wait 2 weeks to get my Pokemanz on!
http://i44.tinypic.com/w1y97l.jpg