The DS has been breaking records left and right in Japan, and to a lesser extent they're also doing that in Europe. So why hasn't it happened in America? Every other major system has it's biggest market in America: Wii, 360, PS3, and PSP. Going back that's true with pretty much ever major system that's ever been released. It was expecially true for Nintendo's last handheld the GBA where it's America's totals doubled that of either of the two other major markets. But for the DS it does better in Japan and Europe.

Now I know it does great in America as the best selling system every month since the Lite came out with the exception of last Jan where there were shortages. I'm not saying it's not doing exceptional here in the States and in Canada. But last week, if you want to bank on VGC's accuracy, the DS fell under 100k for the week in America, while it remained steady over 120k in both Europe and Japan. Has NOA not marketed the DS as well as they could have? Is there still a kiddy image in the States with Nintendo handhelds while there's not as much of a one elsewhere?

a very intresting question, america should have been ds strongest market logicly...there is still time of course to change that, I mean, they must do something, if they're going to break ps2 record of 120 million, the american market must be won.

Dude, they won that markt bigtime! DS sells WELL over 400k a month in US!... And u call that weak?! That's TOTAL domination!

Yes it's high, but population wise it's quite low... in Japan the system sells 400k-500k per month. Japan's population is 1/3rd of the states. It's not selling as well as expected in the U.S. as it should be selling 800k-1million a month there.

I don't know about Europe, but the Japan/US difference makes sense. Consoles make up a much larger portion of US purchases.

The problem with handhelds in the US is that there's no opportunity to use one. Public transportation isn't terribly popular, and there's a significant video game stigma (a lawyer is not going to ride the subway while playing a DS). Around the house, one might as well play a console. The big advantage of handhelds - portability - is lost on almost every American. Children on road trips are just about the only exception.

USA VS JAPAN total inhabitants:

Around 5:3.

SALES IN HARDWARE:

Around 3:2.

So it's kinda good for a system that's competing with a strong PSP (Yes... America is PSP' strongest market)

To be fair, I don't think another system in history has done 400K month after month like DS has started doing. It may be in shape to have a bigger year this year than any system in history.

Its honestly not much bigger in Europe. GBA, for whatever reason, never took off in Europe compared to original GB, which did similarly in Europe as America. DS is returning to the GB pattern. But its going to be nigh on impossible for a handheld gaming system to take off in America like DS has in Japan. The only people who take public transportation are kids to school. Its quite a feat that DS is selling as well as it is--likely in shape to beat GBA lifetime sales. Its possibly because it has the Pokemon equivalent for girls in Nintendogs.

And I think we're likely to see Wii become much larger than DS in America, and much larger than Wii in Japan. Every college dorm, every sports bar or bowling alley, every break room, everywhere where people might want to relax, congregate or party is going to get a Wii. And I don't think its as common to throw house parties in Japan as America.

The question is what happens in the coming weeks with DS sales cause the 90 something this week was lower than usual so it could shoot back up soon.

Working people in Japan spend a lot of time on trains commuting to work so they have more time to play brain training. Still the DS is selling well in the US, and the US market is expaning to more and more tradiotionally non gamers.

IOI's estimates are off for the week...