"The DS has been in the number one spot on the Media Create Japanese sales charts throughout the better part of 2005, beating all other hardware, including the PSP and the PS2. There was no doubt that Nintendo's third pillar was a success across the Pacific, but today Nintendo made it clear: the DS isn't just a success in Japan, its a phenomenon. <
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At a press conference held today in Tokyo (Japan's real year end
eak begins later this week), Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed that the DS has topped sales of 5,000,000 units in Japan. This figure is for actual sales, and not shipped units. Iwata states that the DS now holds the record for the fastest system ever to reach five million units sold in Japan. Although we don't have the data to check up on this statement, given that the DS managed to sell nearly half a million units last week alone, we'll take his word for it. By comparison, Nintendo states that Game Boy Advance took 14 months to reach the figure while the PlayStation 2 took 17 months. <
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The DS has also seen strong sales of software, with Iwata announcing that four games have already crossed the million shipped mark. The surprise adult-oriented hit Nou wo Kitaeru Otona no DS Training (Train Your Brain in the US) has shipped 1.38 million units to retail, trailed slightly by the Japanese version of Animal Crossing, Oideyo Doubutsu no Mori, which has shipped 1.27 million units in about a month's time. Both Nintendogs and another adult-oriented game, Yawaraka Atama Juku (Brain Flex in the US), have shipped 1.08 million units. <
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Nintendo didn't just hold this press conference to boast about sales, though. The company has some big plans for the DS in the near future, including a follow up to Otona no DS Training. Already announced for release on 12/29, Motto Nou wo Kitaeru Otona no DS Training will be backed with a big television advertising campaign featuring one of Japan's most well-known (and hottest!) cele
ities, Nanako Matsushima. Matsushima appeared at the press conference and revealed that she used to played games quite a bit, citing hours of Game & Watch play back in the days (didn't know you were so old, Nana-chan!). <
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The Touch! Generations series, which includes the successful Otona no DS Training games, Nintendogs and other titles that attempt to reach an audience outside of the typical gamer circle, will be getting a new entry, Nintendo also announced. Perhaps as an answer to the PSP's Talkman, Nintendo will be releasing Tabi no Yubisashi Kaiwacho DS, an adaptation of a series of travel books. Developed by Tosse conjunction with the series' print publisher, the DS versions will allow users to search for words and phrases and have them translated to different languages, all making good use of the system's touch pen and dual screens. Nintendo plans on releasing five entries, one each for Korea, Thailand, China, Germany and America, with a Japanese release is planned for March."<
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I wonder how well the Rev will do in Japan. The DS might give us a good idea about the Rev next year. Maybe Nintendo will take back the Japanese market after all. Even tho it's been all about the DS there for sometime now.<
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DS rules Japan <i>Edited by: Evilundead Afterlife  at: 12/26/05 4:09 pm<
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