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Portables (Games) PlayStation (Games)

DS Preorders Outsell PS2 389

Posted by CmdrTaco from the well-they're-just-so-much-cuter dept.
Kamalot writes "JoyStiq is reporting that the new Nintendo DS pre-orders are outselling the new slimmed-down version of the PS2 in Japan as well as the Xbox. Outselling the Xbox is easy though. They sold less than 200 in Japan last month."
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DS Preorders Outsell PS2 More

DS Preorders Outsell PS2

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  • Just to clarify (Score:5, Informative)

    by AKAImBatman ( 238306 ) * <akaimbatman@gmaiBLUEl.com minus berry> on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:02PM (#10624905) Homepage Journal
    I know it's often difficult to RTFA, so I'll clarify a point here: The DS did not outsell the Playstation 2. It outsold a new Playstation 2 redesign. Original Playstation 2 sales still remain above that of the Nintendo DS.

    As to the X-Box, it only sold 173 units during that period. Seems to me that the Japanese hate Microsoft even more than Slashdot. :-)

    • Re:Just to clarify (Score:5, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:07PM (#10624984)
      The Japanese hate slashdot?

    • Re:Just to clarify (Score:2, Interesting)

      by minus_273 ( 174041 )
      well there is also that factor called NATIONALISM.It is somehting that is a rather alien concept in the west these days. I dont mean it as an insult. I am sure that we have all noticed this in recent years.

      • Re:Just to clarify (Score:5, Insightful)

        by be-fan ( 61476 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:14PM (#10625091)
        Or, it could just be that the XBox's gaming library is heavily biased towards American tastes? I'm an American, and I don't find the XBox's gaming library to be very attractive --- I hate PC games.
      • This is offtopic of course, but.. nationalism.. absent in the west? what's up with us of america being the promised land, the holy shrine of freedom and human rights, and the saviour of the world? (and no, not only the usa, i just took the most obvious and known example)
        • Quite simply, none of that has to do with nationalism.

          "Human Rights" is an egalitarian concept, and is usuall anti-nationalist. You can't have a nation unless you deny that only certain people have a right to live there, which necessarily excludes others.

          The only promised land I know of is Israel, and then only if you are one of God's Chosen People. I suppose believing in a god is a requirement there as well. Israel would be correctly labeled nationalist.

          A country that can be correctly labeled "nationali

          • Re:Just to clarify (Score:4, Insightful)

            by Knos ( 30446 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @06:24PM (#10626390) Homepage Journal
            One simple definition of nationalism is the glorification of a nation above all else. Trying to impose a standard of human rights is totally orthogonal to whether it is done in a nationalistic spirit or not. Or even whether the intentions are good or not, as exemplified by the colonial politics of the european countries throughout the 19th and early 20th century. (This was all done under the guise of bringing civilisation to conquered "savages")

            The sort of identification between the usa and the "forces of good" is rather nationalistic in principle, establishing the nation as equal to a moral absolute.

            I guess it's hard to see when you are bathed in it, but the profusion of symbols (colors, flags) also play a big role in the infusion of the "nation" everywhere. At least it is obvious in the media.

            Denial of the promised land mythology is rather interesting when juxtaposed with your last sentence. I think it's not difficult to imagine the concept of promised land without even invoking god.

            Is the united states or americans more important in the eyes of the politicians? And those who answer (as it's a valid answer) that the united states and americans are one and the same, are uttering a very nationalistic idea. Denying that the nation can ever diverge or be separated from the people that constitute it.

      • Re:Just to clarify (Score:2, Insightful)

        by Anonymous Coward
        You're nuts.

        That's like saying that Utada Hikaru is more more famous than Janet Jackson in Japan because of nationalism.

        Perhaps plum riceballs are more popular than cheese curls because of nationalism.

        Maybe small, fuel-efficient cars are also more popular in Japan than SUVs because of nationalism.

        Or maybe, all of the things mentioned above CATER TO JAPANESE TASTES better than their Western counterparts. Nah, this is American Slashdot (tm), we are all supposed to like the same things, and everybody else

      • Re:Just to clarify (Score:3, Insightful)

        by mcc ( 14761 )
        It is somehting that is a rather alien concept in the west these days.

        Umm... so I don't know if you've been paying attention to America lately... but here at least, nationalism has been getting more and more ubiquitous for the last 20 years or so and in the last four has reached a fever pitch.

        What I would call rare in America at this point is patriotism, but that's something altogether different and I don't think that's what you're talking about.

        Then again I don't think nationalism has too much to do wi

    • Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)

      by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:14PM (#10625090)
      Comment removed based on user account deletion

    • Re:Just to clarify (Score:5, Informative)

      by adisakp ( 705706 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:16PM (#10625107) Journal
      The sales numbers that have been published for that week are as follows:

      1. GBASP 35,280
      2. PS2 22,470
      3. Nintendo DS
      4. PS2 Redesign
      5. GC 4,368
      6. GBA 633
      7. Xbox 173

      Note: The actual unit numbers for PStwo and NDS aren't listed so NDS is between 4K and 22K which is a fairly large rainge.
    • In the UK anyway there is no old-style PS2 (judging from last weekend). Sony must have stopped making them. The shops just have signs up saying they will have the new slimline PS2 when Sony bothers to manufacture them. Otherwise you can buy a gamecube or Xbox if you can't wait :-)

      • Re:What PS2? (Score:2, Interesting)

        by Fred Or Alive ( 738779 )
        Have you seen any black Xboxes either? Everywhere I look it's the new Crystal Xbox with one controller (rather than the two controller version from earlier this year).

        Rather annoying, I bought an Xbox last year, now a fancy better looking one appears to be becomming standard. ;-)
    • As to the X-Box, it only sold 173 units during that period. Seems to me that the Japanese hate Microsoft even more than Slashdot. :-)

      What's really sad is that 168 of those units are now running Linux.

  • Wow, that's... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:03PM (#10624923)
    Really not that impressive. Lots of people already own PS2s and don't feel a need to upgrade.

  • News? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by onion2k ( 203094 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:03PM (#10624926) Homepage
    Hardly news. The gaming population already have PS2s and don't need a cosmeticly different version.
    • It is more than just a cosmetic upgrade. It includes the braodband connections that the original PS2 required an add-on for. But it ain't worth buying a new one. Especially since it looks more and more likely that PS3 is coming out in Summer 05

  • Really?? (Score:5, Funny)

    by ticklemeozmo ( 595926 ) <justin,j,novack&acm,org> on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:04PM (#10624932) Homepage Journal
    Really? A pre-order is selling out more than a item that's been out for 4 years already? I'm just curious, how is the sale of Super Mario Brothers/Duck Hunt doing against Halo 2 preorders?

  • Not too surprising... (Score:4, Insightful)

    by chrispyman ( 710460 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:04PM (#10624934)
    It's really not too surprising that they presales of the Nintendo DS is beating the PS2 and Xbox in Japan. I mean even though the new slim PS2 is nice, who'd want one when they already have a working full sized PS2? You shouldn't compare new products to enhanced old ones.
    • And you should compare it to what?

      It is a hardware sale, so it compares to other hardware sales. The direct competition (PSP), hasn't even got a price, less than 2 months before the planned launch.

    • Um... how about people like me, who don't own a PS2 but are considering buying one, now that they're smaller, cheaper and have a large proven back catalogue of great games?

    • You shouldn't compare new products to enhanced old ones.

      What if I argued that the DS is just an enhanced version of the GB Advance? It does play GBA software...

      • Re:Not too surprising... (Score:5, Insightful)

        by Jace of Fuse! ( 72042 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:45PM (#10625419) Homepage
        It does play GBA software...

        But it is not a Gameboy. Nintendo has repeatedly stated that the NDS is NOT the successor to the Gameboy Advance.

        Yet, even if it were it remains consistant with Nintendo's old practice of maintaining backwards compatibility. I don't even know how many Gameboy games I've had over the years, but even my original Metroid 2 works perfectly fine on my Gameboy Advance SP. Not that I care to replay it, but if I wanted to I could.

        I wonder if Nintendo intends to migrate away from the Gameboy Platform or if future Gameboys will remain compatible with the entire prior line and include compatibility with the DS?

        It's times like this that I wonder if Nintendo really makes long term goals for themselves or if they just kind of try shit and get lucky most of the time.

        • There are rumours a new GameBoy is in the works. I can't recall the link (nintendojo.com I think) but apprently DS is a new line of portable gaming and the Gameboy will continue to Advance (no pun intended) in parallel.

        • They had a dark few years in the middle 90s though.

          They were really late getting N64 out, and it turned out to be only a moderate success. And let's not forget Virtual Boy...

          Had it not been for Pokemon the company might have been in serious trouble.

  • I can see (Score:5, Insightful)

    by bossesjoe ( 675859 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:05PM (#10624952)
    I'm not the only one who found this title slightly misleading

  • Comment removed (Score:4, Insightful)

    by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:06PM (#10624959)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • "Or that people who already have a PS2 (which includes many, many people) for some strange reason see no need to own two PS2s?"

      People that already had a GBA had no problem shelling out money for the GBA SP. Just how much of the GBA SP sales are you attributing to the frontlight?

      "I mean, both sales figures are interesting, I guess, but the phrase "apples to oranges" comes to mind."

      In other news, the GBA continues to bitch-slap the PS2 in sales...
  • I really have to wonder what impact pre-orders have, other than hype. I mean, without even seeing the product first hand, people are putting down money on hardware that is unproven. I wish I were at Nintendo right now - This marathon of slightly-better-than-the-last game boys isn't gonna stop until the company breathes it's last.


    Gotta catch 'em all.


    That is, until Nintendo falls victim to the same thing that killed SEGA Systems - Rapid Release of Inferior Duplicate Consoles.

    • Re:How well will it hold on? (Score:5, Interesting)

      by Babbster ( 107076 ) <aaronbabb@NOspaM.gmail.com> on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:23PM (#10625184) Homepage
      "Slightly better"? I know they're just screenshots available now, but the graphics upgrade looks pretty serious (and before anyone hits me with "gameplay over graphics," the jump to 3D from 2D is potentially a huge difference in gameplay). In addition, they've added a second LCD with touchscreen capability. Wireless connectivity adds yet another dimension to the beast (a shock frankly with the healthy profit margin on Nintendo's cables).

      You could easily argue that the various incarnations of the monochrome Gameboy, and even the Gameboy Color, were weak upgrades. But the Gameboy Advance was a huge step and the GBA SP fixed a serious problem with the original. As above, the DS is another big change.

      Short version: Your fingers are typing but your brain might not be keeping up.

      • gamewise it's still just 'slightly better' for now.

        you haven't seen it, i haven't seen it, and most importantly we haven't played with it for couple of days to know if it really works for us or not.

        virtual boy had neat ideas.. but didn't really make it a hit.

    • Re:How well will it hold on? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by TheLittleJetson ( 669035 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:36PM (#10625328)
      I mean, without even seeing the product first hand, people are putting down money on hardware that is unproven. I wish I were at Nintendo right now...

      Well, the gameboy is the best selling video game console of all time. Nintendo does a pretty good job of delivering cool hardware with first-party titles that are fun for people of all ages. I don't really think pre-ordering one now would be much of a risk.

    • I mean, without even seeing the product first hand, people are putting down money on hardware that is unproven.

      Unproven you say?

      How many people out there use a mobile phone with some games that are networkable?

      How many people own or have used a PDA?

      How many people have played a console game and wished they could take it with them out on the road?

      I don't think there is anything unproven about what nintendo are trying to sell. It is built upon ideas that are already a reality in todays world and as wel

  • wow... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by jxyama ( 821091 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:09PM (#10625011)
    i am not sure which is more impressive, the fact XBOX is getting absolutely hammered in Japan or the fact there's a way to track the fact less than 200 units were sold...

    nintendo is still a very, very strong brand in japan, more so than in the states. a lot of people (like myself) grew up in japan with famicom being the first video game system they played...

  • One thing you are forgetting. (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:10PM (#10625022)
    I think the majority of you dont know the japanese gamer and why Ps2 has sold gazillions in Japan. Everytime a new color, or special edition PS2 has come out in Japan, it has sold millions. A lot of japanese gamers own more than 1 working Ps2 just for collectors sake. Its not very uncommon over there, and it IS surprising that the new PStwo isn't doing as well.

  • Not as big a deal as one may think (Score:5, Informative)

    by LordZardoz ( 155141 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:13PM (#10625069)
    While this cannot hurt the DS, it is not a huge accomplishment, to my mind. The modified and slimmed down PS2 is only going to really intrest a limited number of people.

    1) Lunatics who must buy every Sony Console.
    2) People replacing old / broken PS2 consoles.
    3) People purchasing their first PS2.

    The PS2 is on the downswing of its life cycle. Its still a popular console, but by now, pretty much everyone who wants one already has one. It would be more impressive if it was outselling all versions of the PS2 combined, since the new PS2 does not have the HD support.

    END COMMUNICATION

    • or... (Score:2)

      by oGMo ( 379 )

      4) People who want/need a second PS2

      I just picked up one of these (very cute) little boxes because I wanted a second PS2. Why? Because my first one has a HDD in it (for FFXI), and is hooked up to my computer. However, I also play DDR regularly, in front of the TV, and take it to parties to play. I don't want to take the one with the HDD, and constantly setting up/taking down the console is a pain. (Not to mention the PS2v1 was quite a luggable.) A second one, especially with the new form factor, s

      • So when does the Screen and car adapter come out? My kids are getting bored with the PSone and matching screen on long trips. It would be nice to have one device to play PS1,PS2, and DVDs

        • Re:or... (Score:2)

          by oGMo ( 379 )
          There's a PS2 LCD that worked with the old style PS2. Probably too big for the new one, but I'd imagine you'll see one within a month or two.
    • I would have bought one if I didn't have the network adaptor already (bought just weeks before) as the combination network, smaller form factor, and lack of noise would convince me to spend the extra above the cost of an adaptor alone. I was thinking people like that might maek up a larger percentage than one would think.

      Generally though I agree with your point, the console is pretty mature and sales would be dropping off naturally. It would be interesting to see the sypothetical case of the DS, PS3, and

  • The US / West Doesn't Get (Score:5, Insightful)

    by colonslashslash ( 762464 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:16PM (#10625104) Homepage
    The Japanese gaming market, at least thats how it appears, I'm not a huge gamer, but you take a look at the majority of Japanese-only titles and think how well they would potentially do in the West.

    Most of them would fall flat on their faces, and the same is true the other way around, at least in some part. My point is, companies like Nintendo and Sony are Japanese and they have a much better idea of what game content their market wants to see, therefore they are more succesful in producing tailored games for that market, and also find it alot easier to build up a fanbase for their hardware.

    Japan as an entity seems to prefer titles like Super Magic Fun Travel Wish Yo-Yo 6 over something with lots of explosions and guns, maybe this is what companies like Microsoft are not realising?

    Anyway, as I said, I may be way off, I havn't been a real gamer for years, and don't pay that much attention to it.

  • not too surprising... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by fireduck ( 197000 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:16PM (#10625105)
    so the DS presales are outselling the redesigned PS2 presales. perhaps that's because everyone already owns the PS2 and would prefer to pre-order something totally new over something that's just an update? (at least among first adopters.) here's the article that has the statistics [cube-europe.com]. (can't seem to find the original gamespot story that is referred to)

    I love the fact that the GBA, which already has an update to it, is selling at about 3 times the rate of the XBOX. I wonder where the IQue would fit on this list...

    I think a just as interesting, if not more interesting story is the fact that a Gamecube + Mario Kart bundle will be coming out this holiday season for only $99.99. [gamespot.com] That's the same price just the console is selling for now.

  • Even Relevant? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by DanteBlack ( 656808 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:34PM (#10625297)
    As many people have pointed out this is no surprise. But is it relevant? The DS is a new system, the slim PS2 is a new form factor. The real test will be against the Sony portable system. This here is just smoke and mirrors comparing system sales from different target markets. Pu-shaw.

  • When the XBox first came out... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by lpangelrob2 ( 721920 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:35PM (#10625314) Journal
    ...Microsoft stood by Japan as the "must break into" market in order for the product launch to have really been a success... with Europe being a more secondary market.

    Does anyone who's kept up with gaming news know if they've retreated from this statement? (Conceding that the Box is a decent threat to Sony stateside).

  • XBOX hahaha (Score:3, Funny)

    by BortQ ( 468164 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:37PM (#10625334) Homepage Journal
    Heeheehee. Just imagine how funny a list of all the things that outsold the xbox in Japan would be:

    - sony laptops
    - toshiba laptops
    - lots of other brands of computers
    - iPods
    - Aibos
    - vibrators
    - etc. feel free to add more...
    • If they only sold 200 Xbox last month, then I'd bet that even BSD outsold it. And, as we all know (and Netcraft confirms), BSD is dead, so.... :)

  • Conflicting Data (Score:4, Informative)

    by Bronz ( 429622 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @04:39PM (#10625357)
    According to http://forum.pcvsconsole.com/viewthread.php?tid=82 72&page=10 [pcvsconsole.com] Xbox sales were somewhat higher. But it's the WWW -- don't believe half of what you read, and none of what you read.
    • Just to clarify, check your own source. The information you provided was on the wrong week. Going forward a page provides the proper information.

      Here's the correct link:
      http://forum.pcvsconsole.com/viewthread.ph p ?tid=82 72&page=11

      And for those who don't like to follow the links:
      October 11 - 17, 2004
      Game Boy Advance SP - 35,280
      PlayStation 2 - 22,470
      GameCube - 4,368
      Game Boy Advance - 633
      Xbox - 173
      PSone - 60
      Wonder Swan Crystal - 38

      To quote the Joystiq article:
      "Notably, it beat the Playstation 2 redes

  • Other items the DS outsold (Score:5, Funny)

    by The-Bus ( 138060 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @05:08PM (#10625716)
    Some other things which the DS outsold... in Japan. From WhatDsOutsold.net [notareal.url]:

    • Sega 32x
    • Flight tickets from Rio de Janeiro to Chicago O'Hare (on Pan-Am Airlines)
    • Wonder Swan
    • "Adventures in Babysitting" Tiger hand-held game
    • Duke Nukem Forever III: Forever and a Day (Collector's Edition with 4-ton hourglass)
    • Microsoft Bob XP Plus!
    • Ishtar (on LaserDisc)
    • Virtua Boy


    Honestly...

  • Apples are outselling oranges.

    blakespot

  • Is Microsoft used to selling 200 units? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by amichalo ( 132545 ) on Monday October 25, 2004 @05:30PM (#10625972)
    This interesting stat is just the latest thorn in the side of Microsoft and the less than stellar [geek.com] results the Xbox business unit has had in unseeting the industry leading Sony and their PS family of systems.

    This is important because it is said whenever discussing on-line music or video for that matter that if Microsoft wants it, it can have it. (Referring of course to the question on many people's mind as to how long Apple can retain a 70% market share in legal music download.)

    But if Sony, clearly better capitalized than Netscape, can defend it's turf against the agressor that fell the industry leading Navigator browser from it's #1 market position by simply giving Internet Explorer away for free as the default for the Windows OS, can Apple, or anyone else, defend their industry from MS?

    Yeah it's off topic, but CmdrTaco brought it up!

  • I'm still looking for the killer app (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Fiz Ocelot ( 642698 ) <baelzharon&gmail,com> on Monday October 25, 2004 @06:09PM (#10626291)
    I want to get a DS, but I can't get myself to preorder one if I don't know what game will be worth it. I haven't heard of what "the" must have game is yet....so what is it? Mario 64ds looks kinda cool. Metroid doesn't ship til 05. I don't want pokemon.

    Way back in the day, FFVII sold me the PS1, Mario64 sold the N64, and gameboy advance sp was great because it still played my favorite game boy games. But I still don't know what to expect on the DS, hm. I'll probably get one anyway :P

  • Not too surprising. (Score:4, Funny)

    by tigress ( 48157 ) <rot13.fcnzgenc03@8in.net> on Monday October 25, 2004 @06:46PM (#10626606)
    The insightful posts are being outmodded by the rehashing-something-already-stated-before-and-gett ing-insightful-modded posts?

    Not too surprising when you consider that the insightful posts are a new design and... errr... yeah, something like that. :)

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