A whopping 21 million DS units have been sold since the portable's launch less than two years ago. That's mind boggling. I guess the non-gamer marketing and Touch Generations lineup really do work. The big question, is this a foreshadowing of Wii? We'll know in a few months.
Nintendo delivers on its promise
to bring video gaming to the masses. In less than two years since its Nov.
21, 2004 launch, Nintendo has sold more than 21 million Nintendo DS(TM)
systems worldwide. By comparison, Apple(R) shipped one million of its ever-
popular iPod(R) music players in its first 19 months. The rate of Nintendo DS
units being sold equates to 23 systems per minute -- that's nearly one every
two seconds -- non-stop since launch.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060724/NYM105 )
"We're thrilled to be announcing this milestone today," says George
Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and
corporate communications, "especially since Nintendo DS was North America's
top-selling video game system of any type in June. We attribute this success
to Nintendo's overall strategy of offering something for everyone -- from
five-year-olds caring for their Nintendogs to 65-year-olds tuning their mental
agility with Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day."
Nintendo recently launched the new version of its popular portable system,
DS Lite, featuring a smaller profile and more brilliant display. Beyond
appealing attributes such as dual screens, a touch screen, a microphone and
seamless Wi-Fi play, DS popularity also is being propelled by a unique mix of
software that appeals equally to mainstream players and those new to the
category.
The Touch Generations line of fun and accessible games for all ages and
skill sets features the red-hot Brain Age(TM): Train Your Brain in Minutes a
Day and Big Brain Academy(TM), as well as the enormously popular and
innovative Nintendogs(TM). Nintendo DS sales success is also supported by
video gaming sensations, New Super Mario Bros.(R) and Animal Crossing(R): Wild
World.
To satiate the video gaming palates of the 21 million Nintendo DS owners
worldwide, Nintendo continues to increase its software offerings with Star
Fox(R) Command, Mario vs. Donkey Kong(TM) 2: March of the Minis, Clubhouse
Games(TM) and more games launching in the months ahead. Nintendo DS and DS
Lite owners currently enjoy more than 130 Nintendo DS software titles -- and
880 Game Boy(R) Advance software titles in single play mode -- all playable on
their portable DS systems.
