400,000 Additional DSs Available by Year's End 355
SetupWeasel writes "The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is reporting that 400,000 additional DSs will be shipped to the US by year's end. This will bring the US total to 1.4 million by the end of 2004." There's also a story running on Gamesindustry.biz regarding DS sales being in line with the sales of the Gameboy Advance.
hmmm (Score:4, Funny)
However with demand high and supply low... it makes the news! Strange that...
Re:hmmm (Score:5, Insightful)
In reality, it takes only a few moments thought to see that a strategy of keeping supply artificially low for such a product is foolish and doomed to failure.
In reality, the better strategy is to get people to *think* there is a shortage, and reinforce this notion by having a short-term shortage around now, but quietly slip market-clearing quantities into the market closer to christmas.
Re:hmmm...computer (Score:2)
They won't have wifi, but the models that do aren't too much up in cost.
Touch screen is schweeeeet (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Touch screen is schweeeeet (Score:2)
a) each player has his own screen, no splitscreen bullshit
b) large scale networking, including large flash-storage for network spawning
c) a real pointing device.
Who cares about two screens, or the microphone, or any other frill features of the damn thing. To me, the implication is obvious: here's a handheld console with a featureset makign it ideal for just about every awesome PC title for the past decade.
Blizzard will have a field day..... (Score:2)
Starcraft on a DS.... 'nuff said.
Re:Blizzard will have a field day..... (Score:3, Informative)
This may be the first console that Blizzard could release a successful game for
No, that would be the SNES. Blizzard made console games (including some very successful ones like Lost Vikings, Rock & Roll Racing and Blackthorne) before they ever made PC games.
Re:Touch screen is schweeeeet (Score:2)
Where I agree with you on the Nintendo products, the PSP is shown to only have one analog thumbstick, making it difficult for FPS games.
Frankly I don't understand the handheld game market anyway, so please take my options on the matter with a grain of salt (whatever that means).
Handheld Market (Score:2)
I bought a Gameboy Advance used for about $20 USD so I could connect it to my gamecube for things like the Metroid Prime and Metroid Fusion link bonuses. After I had picked up a few games for it I invested in the SP because it has a better form factor, a backlit screen, better battery life, etc..
Now I carry it everywhere. Bored on the bus and riding alone? I pull out my GBA and play some Metroid. TV in use? No problem, I've got my own screen.
Re:Touch screen is schweeeeet (Score:5, Insightful)
Even if the majority of Nintendo's first- and second-party titles are cute, I have yet to play one that I didn't enjoy. Windwaker, despite its cartoonish appearance was fun and challenging, and the characters were all very expressive even when under player control. I found the attention to detail amazing.
Re:Nintendo games and their cuteness... (Score:3, Insightful)
Then you haven't looked. Case closed. Did you know that an improved version of Metal Gear: Solid was released exclusively for the Gamecube?
Also, Final Fantasy 6 is widely regarded as the best in the series, and it was on the SNES. Metal Gear started on the NES. Of course, many people think that video games started with the PlayStation, so I can't really fault you there.
--Jeremy
NNNOOOO!!! (Score:4, Funny)
Re:NNNOOOO!!! (Score:2)
Re:Easy.. (Score:2, Funny)
I found out... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:I found out... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:I found out... (Score:5, Informative)
On the Warioware sire (Nintendo's developer portal), there was development for the Gamecube, the GBA, and the "Nitro" shortly after it was first shown.
Also, look at the part numbers on each component. On the Gamecube it is "GCN-XXX". On the GBA, it's "AGB-XXX". On the DS, the code is "NTR-XXX". The easiest way to see is on the game cards, on the back for the generic cart number (NTR-005) and the front sticker for the game-specfic part number (NTR-ASME-USA for Mario 64 DS.)
Re:I found out... (Score:2)
Re:I found out... (Score:4, Informative)
I'm thinking Domain Servers? (Do we need them?)
Dhrystone per Second? (But shouldn't we concentrate on benchmarking Floating Point too?)
Data Sources? (There is already too much to read out there, I really don't need 400,000 more places to get data.)
Digital Signals? (I didn't think broadcasts in the US had to go digital until 2006?)
Just the word "Nintendo" would have been good for those of us too busy to play games all the time.
Re:I found out... (Score:2)
Re:A WINNER IS YOU! (Score:2)
You really have to wonder... (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:You really have to wonder... (Score:2)
Re:You really have to wonder... (Score:2)
There isn't REALLY a shortage, Einstein... It's a FAKE shortage. It's a good psychological trick. You know, a marketing gimic? Just because you don't understand it doesn't mean it doesn't work.
It will work on the large number of people who are CONSIDERING buying one. Throw a little emergency in the mix, and many such people will get off their asses and buy one instead of puting it off till after xmas, or maybe forever.
Re:You really have to wonder... (Score:2)
Maybe the 1 million was what they sure that they could bring to market, and the 1.4 million included the increased productiion that they weren't sure would be ready.
Now please go back to being the "Lord of the Dance." You are much better at it.
Demand (Score:5, Insightful)
That being said, PSP vs. DS should be fantastic. Both systems have fantastic games lined up for them, and both look to be really, really cool.
I had a chance to play with a DS. First impression? Nifty, but nothing to make me buy it... yet.
Re:Demand (Score:2)
Call me ignorant, but... (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Call me ignorant, but... (Score:5, Informative)
Now I can understand not defining "PHP" or "RIAA"...but not everyone stays on the cutting edge of game technology. Anyway...
DS [nintendo.com]
PSP [playstation.com]
Re:Call me ignorant, but... (Score:2, Informative)
The lower of the "dual" screens is touch-sensitive and one uses a stylus to write or steer on it. The system is wireless-enabled and I think it's about time. I pretty much never carry around a gameboy link cable.
I am looking
You could always RTFA !! (Score:2)
As an added bonus, fewer people would call you ignorant, and you might just become a little less ignorant in the process.
Not to go on about your ignorance far too much, but are you the kind of person who walks around the office asking for someone to define a word for you, rather than picking up a dictionary or typing "def
Re:You could always RTFA !! (Score:2)
Nor do I.
The worst offender I've seen here is this story [slashdot.org]. The submitter in that case clearly assumed that everyone who'd read it knew what the hell "H2G2" was, and so made no effort to explain it.
For all those who cry out "RTFA!", use your goddamn heads. First, don't assume TFA is even reachable when the story is fresh. Ever heard of the slashdot effect? Second, why should thousands of people have to take the time and effort to search out the answer when it wo
Re:Call me ignorant, but... (Score:2)
Oh wait.
Wrong Topic, But I Missed The Earlier One (Score:2)
700K vs 500K!? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:700K vs 500K!? (Score:2)
In fact, seeing as how each launch was quite different (here it came with a Metroid Demo, in Japan there were more games at launch), it's pretty meaningless to compare sales between the two regions on an absolute basis.
Needs a killer app (Score:2)
Still, I couldn't justify purchasing it.. There's just nothing compelling software-wise that makes me want to jump and buy this thing. I'd love to see some classic PC remakes like command and conquer on there. That would be cool.
Re:Needs a killer app (Score:2)
Good news for hackers (Score:2)
Re:Good news for hackers (Score:2)
Europe-DS (Score:2)
Re:Europe-DS (Score:2)
How about more games? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:How about more games? (Score:2)
Did you look in your box? It came with the DS. Any there will be more games, Nintendo's always been a little slow at ramping up new titles for a launch.
Plenty on the shelf at... (Score:2)
By the way, the DS is AWESOME!
Re:A touch screen machine that plays games?? (Score:2)
Re:A touch screen machine that plays games?? (Score:3, Insightful)
My PocketPC handles NES, GB, GBC, PC Engine, Sega Master system, Game Gear, Atari 2600, Commodore 64, Spectrum and Apple 2 games as well as some SNES and Genesis (not as well). There is also GBA emulation but its not very good.
The great thing - aside from the nostalgia, is
Re:A touch screen machine that plays games?? (Score:2)
Im waiting for the RPGs (Final Fantasy III especially), then I will probably pick up one.
Re:The end of handhelds (Score:2, Insightful)
You also have to consider your target audience...kids simply don't care about managing a contact list of 100 business cards or balancing their checkbook...they want to play games. I think handhelds are here to stay, and I don't see them being replaced by pda's any time soon.
Re:The end of handhelds (Score:3, Informative)
If I remember correctly, the PSP does not play PS1 games, it uses a proprietary mini-disk type format for each of its games, videos, etc.
As for Nintendo having a large, inexpensive game base, the DS is backward compatible with the GBA, which is backwards compatible with the original Gameboys. That's years and years worth of o
Re:The end of handhelds (Score:2)
Just wanted to clear that up.
Re:The end of handhelds (Score:3, Informative)
Re:The end of handhelds (Score:2)
You definately can NOT play GB/GBC games on a DS.
Re:The end of handhelds (Score:2)
Just put it in you Gameboy Player... that thing still plays Gameboy / Gameboy Color / Gameboy Advance... alas but it does not do DS...
Re:The end of handhelds (Score:2)
Re:The end of handhelds (Score:4, Informative)
The Game Boy Color plays four-color Game Boy games.
The Game Boy Advance plays Game Boy Color and four-color Game Boy games.
The Game Boy Advance SP isn't even a new system per se.
The Nintendo DS plays Game Boy Advance games, but does not play Game Boy Color or four-color Game Boy games. But this is because Nintendo has repeatedly stated that the DS is not intended to replace the Game Boy Advance, referring to the DS as their "third pillar." The idea seems to be to try doing something new in handhelds without sacrificing Nintendo's bread-and-butter that is the Game Boy line. After all, this is the "Nintendo DS," not the "Nintendo Game Boy DS."
Personally, at this point I don't think even Nintendo themselves could unseat the Game Boy line as the top of the food chain, but it seems their intent is to not even try to.
The thing that confuses me about your comment, though, is that the Game Boy is really the only handheld console that has been around long enough for a new hardware iteration to come out. The Lynx, Game Gear, Tiger.com, NeoGeo Pocket Color (among others) all died in their first generation. The only other handheld I can think of that made it into a second iteration was the WonderSwan, and even then the WonderSwan Color played older b/w WonderSwan games. So where are you finding this "tendancy" you're talking about?
"but unlike a handheld the new one still plays your old games"
You sound like someone who doesn't know the joys of getting XP to play a DOS game well, let alone the tricker problem of some of the really old games (I never had to install an app to slow down my GBA's processor to play Metroid II).
"with one excaption, sony's handheld plays all those old ps1 games that you already have,"
As others have pointed out, no, it doesn't. Sony is trying their hand at making a new proprietary format for their PSP (as if they didn't learn anything from the MiniDisc), which means the PSP will only be able to read PSP software, and the PSP will be the only device able to read PSP software (unless they include that functionality in the PS3).
With Sony paying for a new, proprietary media and Nintendo using an older standard that may end up being less expensive to produce, it's almost as if we're about to see a reverse of what happened back when the Nintendo 64 and the PlayStation were competing with each other.
"now it might be worth it with such a large and *inexpensive* game base, unlike nintendo"
New GBA cartridges tend to be $30. DS cartridges seem to be starting between $30 and $40, but I don't think it will be long before they too are consistently around $30 (after all, Nintendo has been working on cartridge technology for a very long time now). PlayStation 2 games, using relatively inexpensive and widely-available media like CDs and DVDs, usually sell new between $40 and $50. Sony seems to expect to get similar performance out of a PSP as they get out of a PS2 (if not equal), but they will not be using such off-the-shelf media technologies like CDs or DVDs or even ROM chips. At this point, I don't think Sony will be able to publish and sell PSP games at the same price as DS games without taking a loss, at least not until this new media catches on, which would require the PSP catching on. So will they be taking losses on both hardware and software at the same time?
Hey, Anonymous Coward (Score:3, Informative)
The Nintendo DS [nintendo.com]
Re:Hey, Anonymous Coward (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Advantage: Nintendo (Score:2)
Re:Advantage: Nintendo (Score:2)
Re:Advantage: Nintendo (Score:5, Interesting)
Does this mean the PSP will be doomed because the previous generation of handheld gamers are used to nintendo? Certainly not. As technology increases and people become more tech-savvy, i think people start to lose more brand loyalty and start going to the items that have the features they want. If the PSP is what someone is looking for in a handheld device, they'll pick one up. Similarily for the DS.
The one big advantage I see is that the DS can play all previous gameboy games. For those millions upon millions of people with GBAs already, the DS gives them a new system with new and innovative games, and a way to play their old games too. Don't underestimate that. Hell, that may be one of the reasons the Playstation 2 has done so well throughout the years, even though it's graphics technology is inferior to the other consoles... Food for thought
Re:Advantage: Nintendo (Score:2, Informative)
The DS does not support playing original Game Boy or Game Boy Color games, or allow for multiplayer mode in Game Boy or GBA games (though you can still play the game in single-player mode).
The biggest reason why I got a DS was that I can play GBA games without a Gamecu
Re:Advantage: Nintendo (Score:2)
It doesnt have a Z80 processor and there are little pegs in the slot that prevent you from even inserting one of the old games.
No real loss, for me anyways, but just thought I'd let you know.
Re:Advantage: Nintendo (Score:2)
Re:Advantage: Nintendo (Score:2)
Re:Advantage: Nintendo (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Advantage: Nintendo (Score:2)
Re:Advantage: Nintendo (Score:2)
Re:Advantage: Nintendo (Score:2)
Time to show your work. I'll go first:
In 1992, the SNES was released in Europe as the rival to the Sega Megadrive. In Japan, the Super Famicom easily took control of the gaming market. Despite a slow start, the SNES in North America eventually overtook the Sega Genesis, thanks to franchise titles such as Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Street Fighter 2, and the Final Fantasy series. In th
Re:Advantage: Nintendo (Score:2)
Re:What is it? (Score:2)
HELLO, down there in the cave!
It's a Nintendo DS, the GBA replacement. You know, the thing that gets posted about here a couple of times a day?
Jebus, wait until the PSP comes out...and whatever handheld billy boy comes out with (x/2 Box?).
Re:What is it? (Score:2)
Re:What is it? (Score:2)
Re:What is it? (Score:2)
Heaven forbid a submitter assumes someone reading the gaming section would know what one of the world's largest game companies is up to.
I mean, really...I bet it took you more time to make your post than it would have to do a quick Google search or actually click the article link. This whole idea of whining if the summary doesn't give a 100% clear idea of what t
Re:I hear they don't play original GB games (Score:2)
Tetris IS in color on my GBA SP, it's just not in very many colors.
Re:I hear they don't play original GB games (Score:2)
Re:I hear they don't play original GB games (Score:2)
Re:DS ONLINE? PSP ONLINE? N-GAGE ONLINE? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:DS ONLINE? PSP ONLINE? N-GAGE ONLINE? (Score:2)
Re:touchscreen issues (Score:2)
Re:What is a DS? (Score:2)
Re:What is a DS? (Score:2)
If you wanted to know what it was, why not just click the link and RTFA or google for it? It wouldn't take that much longer than putting up a post bitching about it.
Re:What is a DS? (Score:2)
If you don't know what it is, why ASSUME it is an acronym? And I believe the point still stands, if you want to KNOW what it is, follow the link. If not, then let it pass.
Re:What is a DS? (Score:2)
Hell, "DS" isn't even really an acronym, it's the actual name of the system: Nintendo DS.
Re:Marketing plus Sales (Score:2)
Re:Marketing plus Sales (Score:3, Informative)
When you read a story about "PSP" it doesn't mean Painshop Pro, it's PlayStation Portable, Sony's portable console.
You're supposed to pick either PSP or DS and love it passionately. You're also supposed to hate the other console and anyone who likes, or even tolerates it.
Re:Kidz! What is a DS ? (Score:2)
Re:Another factory up? (Score:2)
Re:DS? What's a DS? (Score:4, Insightful)
</sarcasm>
Re:DS? What's a DS? (Score:2)
Re:DS? What's a DS? (Score:3, Insightful)
Also, this is the *games* section of Slashdot. Since the DS has been mentioned in other posts in this section, and even lin
Re:DS? What's a DS? (Score:2)
The DS has been out for a few weeks (I own one myself) and has appeared on slashdot at least 5 times. Not to mention if you go to a gamestore or best buy one of the very first things you'll see is a display for it. Hell Walmart carries them.
So unless you live in a goddamn cave, there is really no excuse to be so willfully ignorant.
It's the name of the fucking product (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:DS? What's a DS? (Score:2)
I'm with you. I don't have a friggin' clue what a DS is either. Regardless if it's made by Nintendo or freakin' NASA, I wouldn't know what 2 effing letters are supposed to stand for - especially when it doesn't mention ANYwhere in the story what the context of a DS even is. It doesn't even say handheld anywhere in the story.
For the rest of the goons that point out the links in the story - Well, do you follow every link on CNN.com to find out what the hell the story is about or does it
Re:Number Crunching (Score:5, Insightful)
I don't know what color the sky is on your planet, but here on blue-sky Earth, IBM's PC business is the third-largest in the industry.
Furthermore, you're comparing purchases for a product that just shipped to the revenues for an entire year. The comparison just doesn't make sense.
Re:Number Crunching (Score:2)
Not only that the real money isn't made off the consoles anyway... it's made off the games.
Try looking at the right numbers... console sales (positive or negative) plus games. It is a multi-billion-dollar industry; maybe the numbers aren't quite as high as others, but it's spreading, the industry is growing, and it's not going away anytime soon.
Re:Number Crunching (Score:2)
Re:BUTT UGLY (Score:2)
Have you even tried one yet? They've got the demo units out in stores to try.
Yeah the PSP LOOKS great, but battery life is going to be horrible. Looks aren't everything. Companies have tried in the past to de-trone nintendo with better looking portables and they have all failed so far.
Re:BUTT UGLY (Score:2)
Re:I work at GameCrazy (Score:2)