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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Nintendo DS and Japan's Dwindling Shelf Space

Deegan on 05 May 2007

This is an interesting article from http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/05/nintendo_ds_and.html#more

 

Nintendo DS and Japan's Dwindling Shelf Space

"Our marketing people are telling me that less and less shelf space is available today (due to the increased titles.) Before, all software packages were placed so that the front sides were facing visitors to the outlets. Now, almost all the software for Nintendo platforms are displayed so only the spine of the packages can be seen by customers, and it is becoming hard for our marketers to visually demonstrate the strong appeal of these titles at the outlets." -- Satoru Iwata, president of Nintendo

And it's totally true. This is what the Nintendo DS section looks like in typical Tokyo game stores right now. There are so many titles that even as they continue to expand the DS section, they have to put games on the shelves spine-out except for a select few.

This does raise questions about potential market gluts. Even with such an unprecedentedly huge userbase, there's so much Nintendo DS software out there that it's going to be harder and harder for individual titles to really make their mark. And then of course you run the risk of the market being flooded with sub-standard software. Then again, that's exactly the reason why Nintendo instituted the quality control checks and final authority over game releases that have become industry standard practice -- to prevent the sort of product flood that killed Atari.

What will eventually have to happen is that this particular store will likely cut back on their PlayStation 2 section, which currently takes up three or four shelves this size, and expand the Nintendo DS area. It is worth noting that I didn't even see the PlayStation 3 section anywhere, which some of my friends later agreed was true in various stores.

Posted by Chris Kohler 6:31:41 PM in Japan
If you click the address, there are some others subject on the right panel about how Nintendo going in Japan from the same writers, like:
  • How To Buy a Wii In Japan, In Two Easy Steps
  • Selling Nintendo DS To Japan's Women

    • Well, we all know DS is extremely popular in Japan, but some stores lack of PS3 section is new for me.

     

     



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    Blex on 05 May 2007

    never thought i'd ever read something like that. pretty interesting



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    ckmlb on 05 May 2007

    Nintendo has quality control? Have you seen the titles coming out on Wii and DS??? They are just allowing anyone to release a game... Hanna Montana DS FTW



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    FishyJoe on 05 May 2007

    Just a sign of a popular platform. The junkware section for the PS2 is even bigger.



    Erik Aston on 05 May 2007

    Considering Hannah Montana sold through 400K copies in NA alone, I'd say Nintendo made a wise choice there. The "quality control" is just to avoid the glut of games that hurt the reputation of Atari. There can't be so many trashy games taking up shelf space out there that the majority of customers are ending up unsatisfied with their purchase. I'd wager a good portion of Hannah Montana's customers were satisfied with their purchase, regardless of the quality of the game. They're saying its hurting PS3, but this is how DS can hurt Wii in Japan, too. If there's 30 million people with DSs in 2 years, there's not going to be room for anything but DS software in stores.



    "[Our former customers] are unable to find software which they WANT to play."
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    BenKenobi88 on 05 May 2007

    It's not really like that here in Chicagoland...most games are still displayed face-forward here. It's like game displays are looking more like book displays!

    btw, just because you don't like Hanna Montana, doesn't mean a ton of preteen girls don't want to play it...it would be stupid of Nintendo to stop games like that. 



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    Cipherr on 05 May 2007

    Yeah Hannah Montana was a really bad choice for him to use, bloody 400k sold. I know alot of devs that would be hitting the roof if their game sold like that. But back on topic, the ds continues to amaze me. I remember when I first saw it online, I went and told buddies of mine at work that Nintendo had lost their minds. 2 screens? Why? What good would touching do? Gameboy was owning, why go and screw up the handheld dominance you have and just hand it over to Sony on a platter? How could they be so stupid... Guess Ill never get a job as an industry analyst lol.



    omgwtfbbq on 06 May 2007
    Cipherr said:
    Yeah Hannah Montana was a really bad choice for him to use, bloody 400k sold. I know alot of devs that would be hitting the roof if their game sold like that. But back on topic, the ds continues to amaze me. I remember when I first saw it online, I went and told buddies of mine at work that Nintendo had lost their minds. 2 screens? Why? What good would touching do? Gameboy was owning, why go and screw up the handheld dominance you have and just hand it over to Sony on a platter? How could they be so stupid... Guess Ill never get a job as an industry analyst lol.
    I disagree, I think you'd be perfect as an industry analyst ;)

     



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    StarcraftManiac on 06 May 2007
    Cipherr said:
    Yeah Hannah Montana was a really bad choice for him to use, bloody 400k sold. I know alot of devs that would be hitting the roof if their game sold like that. But back on topic, the ds continues to amaze me. I remember when I first saw it online, I went and told buddies of mine at work that Nintendo had lost their minds. 2 screens? Why? What good would touching do? Gameboy was owning, why go and screw up the handheld dominance you have and just hand it over to Sony on a platter? How could they be so stupid... Guess Ill never get a job as an industry analyst lol.

    You'd be a perfect analyst, why?! Cause it's just what they were saying... PSP was gonna crush Nintendo's dominance, just like PS3 would put Nintendo out of the console market after they were weakend by the last 2 generations!... And again... They analysts weren't right... :P



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    reverie on 06 May 2007

    Space is always at a premium in Japan, so I can definitely feel Iwata's pain here, although that store on the picture is clearly behind market trends if their DS section is still not the same size as their PS2 section and risks being outsold by more nimble vendors. On the other hand, go into a book store, or Amazon if you will. How many million books are available today? 250, 500 or 1000 more DS titles can thrive as long as the audience keeps growing and titles become ever more diverse. Actually right now I wish somebody could release some DS travel guides that are more decent than the Lonely Planet crap on PSP.



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