4, 17. 2006
Much-loved Nintendo DS. The superior model "Lite" came to market in March 2006.
"They are always sold out and can't tell you when we might have them again. We can't take advance orders either," says apologetically the sales clerk at the Bic Camera – Shibuya Hachiko store, and this a representative statement of what other persons in charge of sales at any large-scale electric appliance stores might say.
The "NintendoDS" was introduced to the market by Nintendo Co., Ltd. in December 2004. A total of 5 million units of the machine had been sold since over a period of one year, and it was claimed by the company to be the fastest sales for any hardware for games in Japan. By February 2006, the sales had exceeded 6 million units.
Nobody was Sure it Would Get Any Popularity at Beginning
Nintendo hurriedly put out 750,000 units of the machine, including 550,000 units of NintendoDS Lite, in March, and another 700,000 units of Lite alone are scheduled to be delivered to retail shops in April. But the company cannot catch up with the rising demand at all. The popularity of the DS is reflected on the sales of the software for DS.
Of the top ten of the sales ranking of software for all types of game machines, compiled by Enterbrain, Inc., seven were for use on the DS. (The sales were survey for the period between March 13 and 19.)
Japan's game industry turned to a down trend after it reached its peak in 1997. But it revived in 2005 when it registered a growth of 6.2% as compared to the previous year. The software market slipped, but the hardware market expanded 46.9%. This expansion was led by the DS. The PSP, the portable version of Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), was also sold well but its sales were still less than a half of that for the DS.
The DS is not a successor to the "Gameboy," which was a big hit. The DS has double screens and control buttons, and operated with the specially-made touch pen. Since this was completely a new way of operating a game machine, there was no guarantee when it was first introduced on the market if it would succeed at all. On this issue, a Nintendo official said:
"The reason why the game-enjoying population was shrinking was that the games that were difficult to play were increasing. It was also because that the makers were placing more emphasis on the beauty of the pictures on the screen rather than the enjoyment of the games themselves. We reviewed that trend from the bottom."
Lured Elderly, Female Fans
The Nintendo official's comment showed something contrasting to the stance of Sony's PSP, which stressed the sales point of "as dynamic pictures as those of PS2" (SCE). The line of the software for the DS include many of those that have the 2D pictures of quiz and puzzle games and keeping of pets in 3D. These give the users an easy feeling. "This was how we could attract the elderly and woman fans who in the past did not care to play games," said the Nintendo official.
The decisive popularity was won when the software of "DS training for the brains for adults" came out in May last year. This software is designed to give the users what their "brain age" might be judged by the results of their answers to the quiz. This software has already sold 1.6 million units and its sequence is getting close to 1.8 million units thanks in part to the TVCM performed by Nanako Matsushima.
A total of 14.43 million units had been sold in the world as of February this year. In the future, it is planned to put out new versions with the receiving mode for the One Seg broadcasting and other features.
"Interesting, easy to follow, and easy to handle... The success of the DS gives a hint for making a breakthrough for the game industry which is now sluggish." This sums up comments made by many officials in the game industry. It could be a good hint for other industries, too.
