pixelator

8000 is a 'ridiculously small' number..? There's a Starbucks on almost every frigging street corner in the USA (unless you live in nowheresville). Not that you'd know that, living in Canada.

The real shortcoming here is that it's just a 6 month PROMOTIONAL access account. That means that when the trial period is over, pay up or no access. Like so many Sony and other recent 'cool new features' (like cell phone videos and similar subscription ripoffs) it's just another limited 'feature' that cons you into paying.

A Nintendo Fanboy said:
"By the time the PS3 actually comes close breaking even, we'll have Wii 2. Heck, maybe even Wii 3."

That'll be what, about another 6 months? Given the rate Nintendo has released 'the old is new again' revamped GBA systems and followed the Phat with the Lite, anyway.

The DS Lite is basically a smash hit as a consumer item - and nothing more. It's not a killer game system. It doesn't have more or better games than the GBA *or* the PSP. It's cheap and has Apple/iPOD appeal, because it basically took its look from the iPOD. It draws heavily from the well-worn Nintendo IP library of highly commercialized and recognized characters and old franchise gameplay.

Similarly, the DS has taken stylus control from systems like the Zodiac and the quirky dual screen from their old Game & Watch systems. The overall package certainly makes for gameplay mechanic possibilities, but Nintendo has made very little use of that potential. The big sellers and high profile titles on the DS are Mario this, Wario that, Tamagotchi-retread puppy sims aimed squarely at the preteen set and other gimmicky crap. Even the much anticipated series entries have disappointed me, such as Advance Wars DS (uglier and less interesting than previous AW titles) or Final Fantasy III. The first Castlevania, Dawn or Sorrow, was ruined with the shoehorned stylus control mandate during boss battles.

Age of Empires looks like crap and is rendered hard to play as you can't tell the difference between your units with that tiny, low resolution display. The greatly vaunted 'DS IS PERFECT FOR RTS!!1!' Shogun Empires SUCKED.

In fact, other than Portrait of Ruin and a handful of others, I've found most of my DS games to be derivative, quick-to-boredom and nothing really all that special. I sure as hell am not interested in the BRAIN AGE crap.

So yeah, it's a great consumer hit. Nintendo has shown that they know their handheld market with their cuddly characters and kiddie oriented fare... And a huge selection of TV cartoon licensed junk that sells units. Then they use unique titles that haven't sold that well like Phoenix Wright, Trauma Center or Electroplankton to tout their originality and innovation.

Sony may be losing their grip on their market and alienating people with sloppy business moves, but Nintendo is selling the crap out of the same old games and characters with some gimmicky controls. Which is worse?

"the psp lol the psp fails like the dreamcast."

Or like the Gamecube, you Nintendo loving troll? Since it took Nintendo nearly 6 years to sell as many of those systems as the PSP did in less than 2?

Asswipe.

"I am uber pissed..."

Dude, are you watching Super Gals..??

Wow, hot nuns. Where were THOSE nuns when I was in Catholic grammar and high school..?!

I was initially inclined to dismiss this, but now I wonder what the real sales figure would be if you removed all old Phat trade-ins/upgrades?

From a strictly business perspective it doesn't matter since Ninty has sold the systems one way or the other, but it does affect software sellthrough and the final tally of 'new' DS owners (the total 'sold' figure doesn't reflect how many individual people actually own one DS).

If you sell the Phat off, then it goes to someone else. But if you trade it in, I suspect many of these are sitting on EB and Gamestop shelves collecting dust. I know my local shop has a gob of these as they're a moneygrubbing company and aren't exactly GIVING them away.

Why laugh at a 187% increase? Are you that unfamiliar with math?

Cue the snotty Nintendo fanboys...

More Nintenstiq hatery by Snow. Surprise!

PS3's are still hard to find in the SF Bay Area. My local Target has them occasionally, but they don't last more than a couple of days. Until the stocks are plentiful everywhere and not just in Sedalia, MO or a game shack in the Ozarks, then yes, they still have shortages.

I don't know when the hot trend to despise Sony products will abate among the online gaming community fanboy blogger populace, but given the tenacity of fads such as the pants-falling-down look among teens, I don't hold out much hope.

'Oh noes, people will say Joystiq is biased' - well, yes. They are.

(heavy on PSP content) '...though mostly due to the failed promises made by Ken Kutaragi for the device'

No. The content focuses on PSP ups and downs, but the only 'failed promise' was the that it would become a Walkman for the 21st Century. Other than not capture Walkman-like mainstream success, the PSP has done fairly well and continues to move steadily - especially considering it is doing so in the face of the massive success of the DS.

Other than a few generalities and not-quite-updated facts about the GPS/Camera, a fairly fresh take on the whole scenario.