It was announced earlier today by Nintendo's President and CEO Satoru Iwata and Senior Managing Director Shigeru Miyamoto , the DSi had a successful opening weekend overseas and moved over 600,000 units between North America and Europe combined. 300,000 units per territory is a pretty impressive number, especially for only two days of business. In the UK alone, the DSi sold 92,000 units in its opening weekend, making it the UK's fourth biggest selling console. Back in 2004, the original Nintendo DS sold 500,000 in its opening week in the US - could the DSi exceed that number in its first week? It is definitely a possibility.
It was also said that more DSi services were on the way which include museum maps, tour guides, a shopping mall coupon recorder, and school classrooms activities. These are some pretty interesting applications, though these seem like the types of things that would unlikely see a release outside of Japan.
If you have been hoping for a price cut on the DS Lite now that the DSi is out, get out your tissue box. Nintendo mentioned once again that there are no plans on cutting the price for the DS nor the Nintendo Wii despite the declining Wii sales in Japan. Iwata stated "If our products are not much different from competitors', price cuts would generate significant fresh demand. But video games are just not that kind of product."
[source kotaku.com, via ds.ign.com]
Comments 27
I can't believe how well they have sold already! I am terribly uninterested in it. My old old old ds works just fine (and has a gba slot.), and I am completely apathetic about dsiware.
Also, first.
Ya for strong DSi sales. Boo to no price cuts.
DSi!!
@Chipmunk777 - The DSi primarily appeals to people who don't already have a DS. Myself, I've wanted a DS for some time, but not enough to actually make the effort. Now I'm actively saving up for a DSi.
Believe it or not, the tipping point is downloadable games. Cartridge games are fun, but a they're very canned experiences at a relatively high price. Additionally, cartridges are constrained by the supply & demand model, meaning that you may have trouble finding one at a price you're willing to pay.
Downloadable games solves those issues. They're available at any time, they're inexpensive, you can tote around all of them in the SD Card slotted into your system, and the platform encourages inventiveness and experimentation. That last point in particular has been missing from retail games. Retail is all about playing it safe.
I was going to buy the matte blue DSi at launch but decided to wait for the lime green or metallic blue colors! I hope we get those colors soon! I actually got to play it at my local Gamestop store and I was really impressed! For now I'm content with my DS until they have more to offer for DSiWare.
Those numbers are better than I expected.
I got mine last night
I have to wonder why.
It's not that I'm hating on it, but there's absolutely no reason for me to get one. They announce it a month after I buy my first DS (lite) and expect me to be excited. :/
It's kind of like adding minimal features/upgrades to the Wii, most of which won't even be utilized in more than 5-10% games, and charging $325 USD for it. (the same +30% increase that the DSi has over the Lite)
Got mine on release April 3rd. I guess i'm just another statistics now heh.
GO! DSi! GO!!
DSi RULES!
Congrats Nintendo!
that's okay, you guys looking for price cuts on DS lites -- they'll have plenty of systems marked down for resale now from those of us who traded ours in to get DSis.
You know, considering I heard so many people say "I dont want a DSi. Im fine with my Lite" Im surprised it did so well
Good news, I have been enjoying mine non stop (well non stop in the free time).
The lack of GBA slot doesn't matter, you are going to be able to download GBA games. I have a DS lite, and a DSi, and the DSi is so much better it isn't even funny.
psp sucks balls dsi rocks. becuse the nintendo DSi murderd the psp and sent it to hell with a dagger. may psp and sony burn in flames muhahahahahah >:}
@geek-master-Tone it down a little. Side note: I still love my PS2 and in fact play it the most because I got it late in the game (pun intended) and the games are so cheap now.
Oh rats the DSi is selling too well .
I was hoping that its gets low enouth sales so that Nintendo can spped up devoloment for the DS successor so they can make up losseds with its sales but unfortunately this stopgap work as Nintendo intended .
Now Nintendo Needs to Give us What We Want New Mario New Zelda New Metriod & Etc And Don't Forget Gameboy Downloading Service Nintendo
@Tails: why no capital letter on 'us'
I was not convinced by the ds when the news of its production first came out all those months ago. However, now I am one of the converted. I love it. The price was still too high. I managed to get it for £135 though...still a tad too high...
Geek-Master (post 16) seems to have:
A: Too much time on his hands
and
B:Way too high of a sugar intake
I am still hanging on until they release some different colours. My old 'phat' ds plays games just fine until then.
Traded in my DS Lite for one of these bad boys to take advantage of the download service. (I have a GBA/GB Micro to play GBA games on.) Gotta tell you guys, the upgrade is worth it.
If you're in the US, you can get 70 bucks for your Lite @ a GameStop. That's 20 extra dollars, and by the time the trade deal is off, I'm sure the surplus of used DS Lites will push the price even lower than 50 - so hurry up and upgrade!
@The Fox - you should have seen it before I edited it! Still, that's the Internet for you
AlphaNerd01 brings up a great point too, and if you're in the UK I'm fairly certain both Game and Gamestation are doing similar deals, and I'm sure Blockbuster will be too. If you're after one, get it now!
I got the DSi, too. It's really awesome!
read my comparison on the psp/dsi
why you should not get a psp!
i have to inform you that getting free games and hacking is eligal in the united states and other contries and you will get sewed or fined if done so. the psp may have better graphics and plays movies but its alot worse than you think.
the psp has the shortest yet hardest games on this planit! you have to save all your game data to a memory stick. your hand will be over the power indicater button so you do not know if you have to recharge your psp. the psp freqently freezez! XD and the internet browser is a peice of crap. theres not much of a sellection when it comes to movies. psps games are exspensive and overpriced like 60$ for god of war III. the mp3 player can offten crash due to the slopy data incription and programing.
why you should get nintendo DSi!
the dsi serves as a multi puppose toll not just for gamers but for photographers music listeners and bissnus people yea i meen it bisnuss people! like the ipod touch serves as a usefull toll the dsi is also a very handy well made gadget with 3.1 mega pixal cameras on both sides and 3g wireless internet on the go! gamers will still be pleased with the same ds game card slot. but with added sound quality and a camera faceing you like the ps3 eye you can play camera conpatibal games gamers will find this a nice serprize. tword the end of 2009 nintendo will anounce a cell phone service for your dsi! it will be cheaper than atat with a faster network and more bars. useing the microphone will be how the service works with the dsi up to your ears. also in the near future will be dowloadable app that turn the DSi into a iphone compitition!
there will be a navagation systime for when your driveing and later on a messanger whitch is a free app so you can message other phones and your friends email adress! latter on live picto chat will be added. for movies in the near future you will be renting movies from the internet and be keeping them on a sd card untill the date the rent is delleted atomaticly on your sd card. we are also exspecting downloadable music from the dsi shop and movie rentals. there are a veriety of games for the ds and dsi games for casual and hardcore gamers like the upcomeing grand theft auto china town wars will be a hardcore gamers paridise. the internet browser on the dsi is supper fast! there will be a update in the near future so you can dowload content onto your dsi from the internet browser like java and flash player and the ability to upload movies from your sd card onto youtube. the dsi music player rocks! with thing to play with your music from your sd card or just listen normaly. the Dsi camera is every photogrphers dream! with a editor and 12 difrent lenses you can make photos the way you want the without editing them on the computer. later in the year a update may come out for the dsi so you can make movies and record footage on your dsi! the dsi shop has already a dosen games in japan!
you get 1000 points for free when you get your dsi befor october this year. beshure to get your dsi when it comes out! or else your missing out on a hole lot of fun!
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