Topic: Nintendo Flaunts WFC Success

[Jonnyboy117]

Five million DS users have logged on to play their games online in over 200 million game sessions.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=13539

 NINTENDO NEWS: NINTENDO DS GAMING SERVICE TOPS 5 MILLION USERS, 200 MILLION GAME SESSIONS    

May 30, 2007    

Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection has crossed two huge milestones within just days of one another. Worldwide, since its launch in November 2005, Nintendo's wireless gaming service has now connected more than 5 million unique Nintendo DS™ owners, and those gamers have racked up more than 200 million game-play sessions. Worldwide, nearly 65 games can be played via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. The five most popular globally are Animal Crossing®: Wild World, Mario Kart® DS, Metroid® Prime Hunters, PokĂ©mon® Diamond and PokĂ©mon Pearl.    

"Nintendo DS gamers globally use Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection as an easy, fun place to find fellow players, all without paying anything extra for the service," explains Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "The milestones represent millions of hours of fun and camaraderie despite miles between players."    

Nintendo DS continues to enjoy record-breaking success. According to new figures from the independent NPD Group, DS was again the top-selling video game system in April, with more than 470,000 units sold in the United States alone. That's nearly 16,000 per day.    

Nintendo DS also finds success beyond the stereotypical young male gamer. According to internal Nintendo demographic tracking studies, in less than 18 months, DS purchases have increased by 42 percent among women, 127 percent among people 30 and older and 212 percent among people 35 and older.    

For more information about Nintendo DS, please visit www.NintendoDS.com.

[Deguello]

Just to add some perspectiive, Xbox Live reached 6 million users just this past March.  Xbox Live had been around for 4 and a half years, while Nintendo WiFi has only been around for one and a half.

It's safe to say Nintendo has caught up and then some.  

[GoldenPhoenix]

Quote
Originally posted by: Deguello
Just to add some perspectiive, Xbox Live reached 6 million users just this past March.  Xbox Live had been around for 4 and a half years, while Nintendo WiFi has only been around for one and a half.

It's safe to say Nintendo has caught up and then some.

Nintendo is doomed though, you should know that. They have shot themselves in the foot and now can't recover with those stupid friend codes, oh wait, nevermind!

[Darkheart]

Quote
Originally posted by: Deguello
Just to add some perspectiive, Xbox Live reached 6 million users just this past March.  Xbox Live had been around for 4 and a half years, while Nintendo WiFi has only been around for one and a half.

It's safe to say Nintendo has caught up and then some.

Thats pretty false though, 5 million connections and 6 million users are totally different numbers.  Just think about it this way, if each of those 6 million users just logged onto Xbox Live at least 10 times you are already at 60 million hits grilling Nintendos numbers in the ground.  Remember that the Xbox Live member logs in all the time to check the marketplace and to get updates as well.  Their login numbers must be in way up there.  Good job Nintendo none the less, those prove that people do enjoy online support with Nintendo.

[Mario]

Um no, the article specifically implies its 5 million unique users, and 200 million connections.

[that Baby guy]

It doesn't just imply.  It flat out states that there are 5 million unique users.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

On top of that, how many of those 6 million Live users, you know, still use Live.  How many stop using it after 6 months, a year, whatever.  Does the 6 million just tally new sign-ups since market entry, etc.

[Darkheart]

I knew you were going to say Unique:

Number one, they can spin the definition of unique until they get what they want.
Two, each Ds and Wii game has a specific friend code meaning each new game I have connected to the net has counted for a specific amount of UNIQUE connections.

Combined from my back catalog of Ds and Wii games I am around at 12 unique connections. If this theory is correct that would mean I represent 12 users.  

I am not here to flame Nintendo's celebration I am just saying comparing their server's unique hits compared to Xbox Live sounds pretty unreasonable.  Do you guys honestly think that a handful of successful online Ds games that have been around for roughly a year and a couple of Wii games that have been out for a few months have earned enough unique hits that it rivals Xbox Live's almost 5 year run?  Doesn't that at least sound a bit off!?

To Pro: Casual gamers perhaps no they dont use it that often, but the friends I know that buy at least 1 360 game a month is on live twice a week or so and connect to live more than that in a week.  

[Urkel]

Quote
Originally posted by: darkheart
I knew you were going to say Unique:

Number one, they can spin the definition of unique until they get what they want.
Two, each Ds and Wii game has a specific friend code meaning each new game I have connected to the net has counted for a specific amount of UNIQUE connections.

Combined from my back catalog of Ds and Wii games I am around at 12 unique connections. If this theory is correct that would mean I represent 12 users.

No, the systems themselves have their own unique ID. Even the DS. You can't play a Wi-Fi DS game on another DS without losing your profile, because the profile is tied to that particular system. Well, you CAN play it on another DS, but it involves some sort of process.

Though there is some spinning going on here if they're including Wii users, since there's bound to be some crossover between online DS players and online Wii players.

EDIT: Just noticed the press release only says DS owners.

[GoldenPhoenix]

Quote
Originally posted by: darkheart
I knew you were going to say Unique:

Number one, they can spin the definition of unique until they get what they want.
Two, each Ds and Wii game has a specific friend code meaning each new game I have connected to the net has counted for a specific amount of UNIQUE connections.

Combined from my back catalog of Ds and Wii games I am around at 12 unique connections. If this theory is correct that would mean I represent 12 users.  

I am not here to flame Nintendo's celebration I am just saying comparing their server's unique hits compared to Xbox Live sounds pretty unreasonable.  Do you guys honestly think that a handful of successful online Ds games that have been around for roughly a year and a couple of Wii games that have been out for a few months have earned enough unique hits that it rivals Xbox Live's almost 5 year run?  Doesn't that at least sound a bit off!?

To Pro: Casual gamers perhaps no they dont use it that often, but the friends I know that buy at least 1 360 game a month is on live twice a week or so and connect to live more than that in a week.

You need to pay for Xbox 360's live surface, NDSs are vastly more numerous than Xbox 360 (heck I wouldn't be surprised if NDS is coming close to passing both Xbox 360 and Xbox sales combined). When you have a free service and millions upon millions of hand held systems in customer hands with quick n easy connecting via wifi networks worldwide, it is not that hard to believe.