Topic: Nintendo Promises More DS Units

[Robert]

Shipments increased by 40% to make sure nobody misses out at xmas.

NINTENDO BOOSTS NINTENDO DS SHIPMENTS BY 40% TO ADDRESS EXPLODING CONSUMER DEMAND

Total 2004 Shipments to North America Will Reach 1.4 Million

REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 9, 2004 – Shoppers eager to find the new Nintendo DS™ can rejoice – at least for the time being. Nintendo today announced it will increase total shipments of Nintendo DS to North America by 40 percent, to 1.4 million systems before the end of the year. Due to the system's popularity, many retail stores across the country are reporting shortages, and the initial batch of 500,000 units all but sold out a week after Nintendo DS launched on Nov. 21.

To date, North American retail sales have reached 700,000. In addition, sales of Nintendo DS in Japan exceeded half a million systems in just four days after launch on Dec. 2, meaning more than 1.2 million Nintendo DS systems have sold through worldwide.

"Nintendo is doing everything it can to make Nintendo DS attainable for the holidays," says George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "The enthusiastic response from shoppers has made Nintendo DS 'must-have' – and we're determined to make it 'will have.' "

With its touch screen, wireless communication and voice recognition abilities, the dual-screened Nintendo DS offers video game fans innovative new ways to play. Each unit, available now at an MSRP of $149.99, comes with an embedded communication program called PictoChat™, as well as a demo version of Metroid® Prime Hunters that features both single- and multiplayer action.

The worldwide leader and innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its popular home and portable video game systems. Each year, hundreds of all-new titles for the best-selling Game Boy® Advance SP, Nintendo DS™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems extend Nintendo's vast game library and continue the tradition of delivering a rich, diverse mix of quality video games for players of all ages. Since the release of its first home video game system in 1983, Nintendo has sold more than 1.9 billion video games and more than 336 million hardware units globally, creating enduring industry icons such as Mario™ and Donkey Kong® and launching popular culture franchise phenomena such as Metroid®, Zelda™ and Pokémon®. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere.

For more information about Nintendo, visit the company's Web site at www.nintendo.com.

[Mario]

Nice, I wonder if they secretly planned this all along?

So that's 1.4 mil for both Japan and the US for 2004. It's going into next year with 2.8 million sold, take into consideration the PAL launch and more games coming out, and more DS's shipped obviously, and it should easily sell 5 million worldwide by the end of the fiscal year (March) and surpass Nintendo's expectations. EXCELLENT WORK!

[couchmonkey]

*shudder*  I hate xmas!  I wish people would say "the holidays" if they want to be non-secular and they're not just being lazy.  But that's not the topic!
I'm a bit disappointed in the sales figures...they're very good, but if this was PS2, or even Gameboy Advance, I think ALL of the systems would be sold by now - only 70% of the DS' in North America are sold.  But I'm glad Nintendo is trying to keep the machine in stores, I don't think it's a good thing to have a system shortage, and I'm sure there is a shortage in a lot of places.

[1day]

But you need the killer games before they can sell that quickly (usually).

[KDR_11k]

Saying "the holidays" is too unspecific, there are lots of holidays that aren't anywhere near new year. Saying "Christmas" is pretty clear because, well, that's pretty much the reason why people are exchanging presents during those days. Secularity is one thing, reality another. I'm an ignorist ("I don't care whether God exists"), yet I still don't bother with coming up with "politically correct" names for Christmas. Call a spade a spade and acknowledge that secularization isn't as total as it's supposed to be.

[Ian Sane]

Funny how no one complains about Easter which is also a Christian holiday but with Christmas it's all "don't force your religion on ME".  I mean I'm not patriotic but you don't see me freaking out over Canada Day.  It says Christmas on the damn calendar so call it that.  No one's forcing you to go to church on Christmas.  Just focus on Santa and presents and all the other secular parts of the holiday and let everyone else celebrate the holiday in their own way.  Funny how tolerance always goes in only one direction.

And have you ever met anyone who seriously gets offended by you calling it "Christmas" who doesn't come across as a total psycho?  How many less sales is Nintendo seriously going to lose by not saying "the Holidays?"  

[Hostile Creation]

Awesome.  Makes me want the money to get one even more now.

[KDR_11k]

But Saint Nikolaus is a christian saint! Can't be secular and "focus on Santa".

[zilla31]

so if only 70% are sold where the hell do i get one?  i can't find anyone who will even admit they will have it in DECEMBER either in my area (northern VA) or online...  anyone know where you can get one at the $149 price (not going to pay 250 on ebay or w/ an amazon merchant).

[UncleBob]

It could be worse...

http://www.chrismukkah.com

Or that cell phone commerical... "Chrismahanukwanzakah"... I'm not even religous, but I'm slightly offended by that one.

[zilla31]

does this 110v version have english menus and only japanese manuals?

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-9h-70-3yg.html

[KDR_11k]

All DS units are identical. They come with different manuals and power adapters but you can select the same languages on all systems.

Oh, and "Merry Consumas!"

[NintendoPiccolo]

All I can say is YEEEEEAAHHHHHHHHH......GO DS