Topic: Official DS Sales Thread

[Mario]

Welp, the good news is that the DS sold over a million systems in December in the USA. The bad news is that the PSP sold more. Weird news is that the GBA outsold both. Exact numbers aren't known yet, just that GBA > PSP > DS > 1 million.

Nintendo America must have seriously been off the ball in 2005, can someone confirm this? I'd like to know why they are letting PSP tramp all over them.

[31 Flavas]

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Originally posted by: Mario

Nintendo America must have seriously been off the ball in 2005, can someone confirm this? I'd like to know why they are letting PSP tramp all over them.

Tramp all over them? Why is Sony letting the GBA tramp all over them? The lack of US DS sales, if you want to call it that, is just because the GBA is quite apparently still popular here in the states, it is $50 less expensive, and plently of good games for it.

[Chozo Ghost]

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Originally posted by: 31 Flavas

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Originally posted by: Chozo GhostThese are the features the DS SP must have, imho.

AFAIK, it is _lack_ of these features that sells the DS Japan. They've already got far better solutions for portable video/mp3s. Like Play-Yan, iPod/Video iPod, mp3 players, etc. No need to clutter the DS with them.

I don't think it would be cluttering it up to just add a memory card slot on the side of the DS SP, or something. And I doubt it would add much to the price either. While you are probably right about Japan, the US market is different and mobile music and such isn't as universal. I just hate the idea of Nintendo losing out to Sony just because they won't add these features. Remember DVD and online gaming for the consoles? Nintendo didn't think that was important and look where the gamecube is today... I just hope Nintendo learns from this mistake with the SP before it is too late.

Besides, it isn't as though the SP would be a replacement for the original DS. I can see both existing side by side. Those who care about music and movies would opt for the SP, and everyone else would go for the original model.

Another issue is advertising. I know Nintendo wants to be profitable at all costs, but they really need to shell out some dough to advertise their products more. I've seen several PSP commercials but not one DS commercial.  

[Artimus]

Remember, the DS launched over a year ago. Considering the GBA is the best selling handheld ever it shouldn't be too shocking that the DS was third in 2005. But if you add in its launch sales it is in front, no?

[IceCold]

Yes, it would be ahead overall, but not by much, which it definitely should be, with all the games that have come out..

[Artimus]

Nintendo needs to end the GBA now, and lower the DS price a bit, then the DS will soar.

[ShyGuy]

Predictions: DS $99 in 2006, GBA will continue to abide.

[Requiem]

The need some new colors. Everyone I talk to says the DS is pretty neat, but pretty ugly. They'd buy it if A) they release new colors or B) if the DS: SP comes out and it's smaller and sleeker.

[Strell]

I got news for people waiting for the redesign: don't expect it for another 6 months.  Even if it were to be announced on Monday, that doesn't mean it will come out anytime soon.

If you are shallow enough prick to not buy a system based on looks, you need help.  Serious, serious help.  

Ergonomics is another thing, but to me, it only sounds like whining and always has.  THE SP'S L AND R BUTTONS SUCK, THE MICRO IS TOO SMALL, THE DS IS TOO HEAVY.  Grow some balls, people.  It's a game system, it's more than playable enuogh, and if you can't honestly get over that, also get help.

However, if a DS:SP comes out, I'll be picking one up most definitely.  Mostly for collecting purposes, as I am very happy with my DS.

People are so whiny these days.   Maybe if Nintendo made chairs.  THEN we could sit around and talk about how comfortable they are or not.  

[darknight06]

The ONLY reason I'd even consider buying a DSSP would be if they brightened the screens and increased the color saturation some.  Otherwise, the system is completely fine the way it is, the top screen hinge works like it's supposed to, the buttons function well, the size is really good considering whats under the hood, and it's got games I enjoy as well as a bright future lineup.  Right now, this thing would have to look like some bio-monster for me to not have bought it for it's looks and I've yet to see hardware that even comes close to looking that bad.

[kirby_killer_dedede]

Yep, PSP's #1 over here...whenever I bring Japanese numbers up in a conversation I always get "What do they know, theye're still into Pokemon and stuff."

[odifiend]

Why would you even bring numbers into a real conversation ever?
Sony just marketing blitzed during Christmas and pleasured MTV and EBGames to push the PSP.  I don't know if advertising costs go up during xmas time but I did notice a drop off of DS commercials - actually in favor of GB Micro commercials no less.  Maybe for some reason Nintendo wants it this way... clear stock or something?  Anyway many people who own gameboys don't buy games for it - it is just not as big a focus.  I truly believe that nobody in hell actually buys games for the PSP with them being the cost of console games.

[IceCold]

Not only the cost of the games, but also the features on the PSP that take away from gaming - the multimedia stuff. That's why the PSP's software tie-in ratio is so low and it doesn't have any million sellers. And developers pay a lot of attention to the tie-in ratio, as much as they do to marketshare..

EDIT: And kirby, why do you keep saying that? Counting the DS launch numbers from 2004, the DS is still ahead in North America, even if it's a slim lead..

[KDR_11k]

Try telling them that the PSP does NOT play PS2 games or DVDs, that's all it took to get a coworker not to buy one.

Either way, if they want a PSP let them, freedom is all about choice and feeling the consequences of that choice. And even better, if the DS is outsold by the PSP in the US maybe that'll pull EA and Ubi away from the DS and raise the average quality of the games on that system. I mean, you can argue that Ubi and EA are good and just not my taste on the home consoles but there's no arguing that they are no contribution to the DS's game library.

[IceCold]

If EA ever pulls support for the DS, I'll eat my hat.

[kirby_killer_dedede]

Well I don't know how accurate these are but the robotic Mario DS posted these North American sales numbers for the year:


HANDHELDS:
Nintendo GameBoy Advance 41% 4.26 million
Sony PlayStation Portable 35% 3.63 million
Nintendo DS 23.5% 2.43 million

HOME:
Sony PlayStation 2 5.51 million 55%
Microsoft Xbox 2.40 million 24%
Nintendo GameCube 1.56 million 15%
Microsoft Xbox360 607,343 6%

Japanese sales numbers mean nothing to anyone here...the PSP was out for 3 months of the year less than the DS and still managed to sell over a million more.

And what Mario said about December sales numbers shows that more people want a PSP, it's just not affordable so people waited till the holidays.

I'm a proud DS owner (though I do own a PSP...hehe...) but this just pisses me off.  White people are a bunch of buffoons.

EDIT: USA sales for 2005.

1. Madden NFL 06 (PS2), Electronic Arts 2,177,582
2. Pokemon Emerald (GBA), Nintendo of Amercia 1,558,620
3. Gran Turismo 4 (PS2), SCEA 1,437,015
4. Madden NFL 06 (Xbox), Electronic Arts 976,944
5. NCAA Footbal 06 (PS2), Electronic Arts 917,417
6. Star Wars: Battlefront II (PS2), LucasArts 446,696
7. MVP Baseball 2005 (PS2), Electronic Arts 917,809
8. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (PS2), LucasArts 845,030
9. NBA Live 06 (PS2), Electronic Arts 492,259
10. LEGO Star Wars (PS2), Eidos 682,508

Yeah.  I'm pissed.

[NobleXenon54]

Nintendo DS: 1,225,594 + 2.43 million = 3,655,594

Playstation Portable: 3,630,000

Wow.

I think it is funny that GTA LCS is going to be ported to the PS2. I wonder how many Americans bought the PSP just for that game, when in a few months or so, the game will be released for the PS2, probably with tightened graphics and some extra content, boy they're going to be pissed... lol.

[odifiend]

Really?  Ported to PS2?  Is that Rockstar putting pressure on Sony for not delivering a viable platform to release GTA?

[KDR_11k]

If EA ever pulls support for the DS, I'll eat my hat.

They won't pull completely just as they didn't pull Cube support completely but I'd be happy if they at least reduced the number of godawful ports.

I wonder how many Americans bought the PSP just for that game, when in a few months or so, the game will be released for the PS2, probably with tightened graphics and some extra content, boy they're going to be pissed... lol.

Unless they are only using the PSP at home that won't be a big problem. Portables have this huge advantage over home consoles they call portability.

[Artimus]

Unless EA pulls support in a very public and humiliating manner, no one will care.

[Shecky]

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Originally posted by: KDR_11k
Try telling them that the PSP does NOT play PS2 games or DVDs, that's all it took to get a coworker not to buy one.

Ditto here.  Seems that the misconception that it does is actually more common than I thought.

[ruby_onix]

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Japanese sales numbers mean nothing to anyone here...the PSP was out for 3 months of the year less than the DS and still managed to sell over a million more.

Nintendo had a million-unit launch in America that technically happened in 2004, and then it fizzled.

Sony had a (forced) million-unit launch in America that came during the DS's down time, and then it fizzled.

Then they both picked up again (the DS picked up when good games came out, leading into Christmas, while the PSP got a bigger boost just from Christmas by itself) and they each sold another 2.5 million units.

[Ian Sane]

"Nintendo America must have seriously been off the ball in 2005, can someone confirm this? I'd like to know why they are letting PSP tramp all over them."

Well NOA did launch the DS with a really weak lineup and then had a bunch of nothing for months and months with a few "beat it in a few hours" games in between.  That's not all their fault but in Europe and Japan the DS started out with a much better lineup.

PSP beating the DS in North America isn't a surprise.  That's what I expected when the PSP launched.  After all it launched with more games then the DS had period at that point and the PSP games were largely better.  Though Nintendo has really busted out some great games since then and Sony hasn't done much at all since launch so I'm a little surprised that now the PSP is winning.  I figured when they didn't sell out the launch units they were done.

I think the difference in market share for the two markets is based largely on the non-gamer strategy.  Nintendo came up with that strategy in response to what was happening in the Japanese market.  So it's not that surprising for the strategy to work so well in that market.  But the "problem" Nintendo was addressing doesn't exist here so the strategy isn't going to work as well, if at all.  The DS is still doing remarkably well for a console that had virtually no worthwhile games for the first 8 months or so of its life.  I think it will be fine.  But Nintendo better be careful about the non-gamer strategy regarding the Rev.  This isn't a plan that is going to work in every market.

[kirby_killer_dedede]

Ian's right.  As much as the Revolution intrigues me and as much as I can't wait to play with it, I just don't think that the market (at least the American one) needs to be "revolutionized."  That's why the DS isn't working as well here; though Nintendogs sold well, it's not some giant phonomenon like in Japan simply because people here are more interested in the yearly rehashes of Madden.

[ShyGuy]

Hey does the DS have any million sellers in the US? I'm sure the information is somewhere on these 59 pages, but I was wondering if anyone knew the numbers