We store cookies, you can get more info from our privacy policy.
DS

Nintendo Increases DS Production

by Steven Rodriguez - December 27, 2006, 10:25 am EST
Total comments: 25 Source: Kyoto Newspaper (Japan)

The month of December saw DS Lite hardware production go up a little.

The popularity of the DS Lite knows no bounds, so the only thing that's holding Nintendo back from selling a bajillion systems is that they can only manufacture X-amount of units every month. For the past few months, X equaled 2.2 million units for consumption worldwide.

Well, word on the street is Nintendo managed to turn up the speed dial on their DS assembly line a tad. For the month of December, 2.5 million Lites were born and sent off to retailers. The extra 300,000 handhelds is a pretty big number if you look at it from a $130-a-pop angle: That's an extra $39 million in gross sales for Nintendo for this month alone.

However, much like The Blob, that many extra DS Lites will just be consumed like it were nothing, especially in Japan. Nintendo's fiscal year sales goal is 20 million DS systems worldwide, and with production levels and demand as high as they are, they very well might cruise to their target with room to spare.

Talkback

Smash_BrotherDecember 27, 2006

When are they going to increase Wii production already?

WindyManSteven Rodriguez, Staff AlumnusDecember 27, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
When are they going to increase Wii production already?


Only after you get one.

Smash_BrotherDecember 27, 2006

I've personally purchased 3...

...but I need at least 2 more to sate demand from friends. face-icon-small-frown.gif

Apparently, being the Nintendo fanb*tch means I can do the best job of finding Wiis and people assigned me the task accordingly.

NWR_pap64Pedro Hernandez, Contributing WriterDecember 27, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
When are they going to increase Wii production already?


Ditto...Even with the insane popularity the DS is still easy to find. They need to speed up production of the Wii since its hard to find EVERYWHERE.

RequiemDecember 27, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
When are they going to increase Wii production already?


When the Wii outsells the DS....

Smash_BrotherDecember 27, 2006

...which won't ever happen at this rate.

MaximilianDecember 27, 2006

Man, the DSL was definitely one of the hottest holiday gifts. I heard more than a couple kids clammoring for one in public. My sister got two, one for my niece and one for my nephew. She told me she looked and called everywhere trying to find them and every place was sold out and apparently the salespeople were exasporated from all the demand. Then one day she went into Best Buy for something else and they had just gotten in a surprise shipment. And it's even crazier in Japan... I'm sure Nintendo's holidays were very happy.

NinGurl69 *hugglesDecember 27, 2006

Normal days print money.

Holi-days SH!T GOLD.

RequiemDecember 27, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
...which won't ever happen at this rate.


That was my point...

Smash_BrotherDecember 27, 2006

Oh, I know. I was just reemphasizing my disdain for Nintendo's slower than sh*t factories.

cubistDecember 27, 2006

I couldn't find any DSLs last week. They were sold out no matter where I went. I wanted 3 (1 in each color).

Athrun ZalaDecember 27, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: Professional 666
Normal days print money.

Holi-days SH!T GOLD.
LOL tpg.gif

it's even funnier when you realize it's true face-icon-small-tongue.gif

couchmonkeyDecember 27, 2006

Nintendo probably anticipates that Wii demand would drop after New Year - which it may still. If it doesn't drop, then Nintendo will hopefully get on that situation, but it's a balancing act: they could bring a couple of new production facilities online (takes a long time, I imagine) only to find that they've met all the demand and are paying for those new factories to sit idle.

I was at EBGames today and the DS section had been totally raped. The whole store was really low on stock, but the DS shelves in particular had maybe 10 games left on them.

trip1eXDecember 27, 2006

Yeah DSLs were sold out everywhere. No major online site had 'em and no major retailer near me.

Jome20December 27, 2006

I work at a popular game store and we've been sold out of both for awhile. Nintendo had a very successful holiday season. It's just sad that Nintendo could actually be selling WAY more if they could just manufacture the systems quicker. I've had to send well over a hundred people away looking for Wiis just in the past couple of days at my store alone. It's most likely the same anywhere across the country.

I am very interested to see how the demand is come late January / early February. Because right now there's still a ton of people still looking for their Christmas present. Come February it'll just be all the people that TRULY want one. If it's still selling out like crazy past February then Nintendo has really hit the jackpot with their new systems.

Yeah, you can't forget about the XBox 360, which finally got its supply problems fixed once nobody cared anymore.

~Carmine "Cai" M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

IceColdDecember 27, 2006

Quote

I'm sure Nintendo's holidays were very happy.
They were last seen hysterically laughing all the way to the bank..

CericDecember 28, 2006

Where do you guys live? I must live in the one place in America that hates the DSL or something. I walk into Wal*mart and there sitting there staring at me or anywhere else. *shrug* I'm waiting for the next revision. The DSL didn't do enough for me to get rid of my DS Phat.

FaithinchaosDecember 29, 2006

I work in a gamestore in total hickvilles, USA (less than 100k people). We got three main shipments of DSlites the last two weeks before christmas, one of 22, the others around 18. Neither lasted more than 48 hours. On any given day we fielded 50 - 80 calls for DSlites, and probably even more about the Wii. We even had a supplementary shipment of 12 pink DSlites 3 days before christmas and sold thru those in a day.

Its amazing, by comparison there was virtually no interest in anything else except Guitar Hero. I'm sure Microsoft did pretty alright, but Nintendo amazed me with the buzz they've generated. Unless the Wii is a total flash in the pan (and I mean TOTAL) Nintendo is swinging two solid haymakers against the competition. What's particularly great to see is when I'm describing the Wii to parents, you can tell the idea clicks with them and suddenly *they* want it even more than their shallow "too cool for kiddy games" tween-bastard children. "Santa's" motives suddenly change when its games they themselves want to sit in front of.

holiday '06 = Nintendo FTW

NinGurl69 *hugglesDecember 29, 2006

LAFFO

RequiemDecember 29, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: Faithinchaos
I work in a gamestore in total hickvilles, USA (less than 100k people). We got three main shipments of DSlites the last two weeks before christmas, one of 22, the others around 18. Neither lasted more than 48 hours. On any given day we fielded 50 - 80 calls for DSlites, and probably even more about the Wii. We even had a supplementary shipment of 12 pink DSlites 3 days before christmas and sold thru those in a day.

Its amazing, by comparison there was virtually no interest in anything else except Guitar Hero. I'm sure Microsoft did pretty alright, but Nintendo amazed me with the buzz they've generated. Unless the Wii is a total flash in the pan (and I mean TOTAL) Nintendo is swinging two solid haymakers against the competition. What's particularly great to see is when I'm describing the Wii to parents, you can tell the idea clicks with them and suddenly *they* want it even more than their shallow "too cool for kiddy games" tween-bastard children. "Santa's" motives suddenly change when its games they themselves want to sit in front of.

holiday '06 = Nintendo FTW


That's.....just.....amazing!

I should buy some stock while I can!

segagamer12December 29, 2006

You know it is true, I hadn't seen any Dslites for a long time and I know people who want them, but I was too hung up on Wii I didnt even consider it I just firgured Ds was still selling strong but didnt know it was selling THAT strong. Go Nintendo!

IceColdDecember 29, 2006

On Boxing Day, normal DSes in Canada were on sale for $90 CDN in Superstore, and DS Lites were for $130 CDN in Future Shop. Needless to say, they were snapped up incredibly quickly.

RequiemDecember 30, 2006

WTF is boxing day?

Infernal MonkeyDecember 30, 2006

It's the day that follows Christmas Day! It's officially when massive sales start! It's about punching people in the shops!

Got a news tip? Send it in!
Advertisement
Advertisement