For the past couple of weeks, it seems that all I have been reading about the DS (besides its supreme library) is that it needs some type of redesign for its slowing sales in Japan. I don't know about you, but although they are lower than in the past, DS sales are still good in Japan and they don't need a "successor" or another redesign for a couple more years.

PS3 sales are around 9-12k a week over there and the DS is definitely selling better than that, but I don't hear ayone shouting PS3 Slim as much as I hear DS redesign.

So with the DS sales being the way they are, a redesign is a no-no. Also, don't you think releasing a successor in Japan before it reaches other territories would slow sales worldwide? I wouldn't buy a DS if I knew a new one was coming out.

I think the console does need a redesign or a small price cut. Part of Nintendo's handheld (and home console) strength is their perceived dominance, a perception that is slipping in Japan since Monster Hunter Portable G.

Is it true the DS has never got a price cut in any major region?

The DS is the fastest selling handheld ever. It is the second best selling gaming machine ever in Japan. Therefore, being outsold by the PsP leads to reactions among the fans.


Still, I agree with you.

DS is selling so much in the other regions, and they can't sacrifice those sales.

A new DS would mean less profit pr DS, at least most likely.

Aside from the PSP, everything has slowed in Japan. Kinda pointless to use the 3rd market in our global 3 market territory strategy as the guide point for overall business strategies.

In america it launched at 149, so it did get a 20 dollar price drop.

I think the win would be strong in the DS if it was 99 bucks, or the equivalent amount of yen.

And no, the DS isn't dead.

I agree, if i recall Mr Iwata said it himself that if they reduce the price on both systems then this will anger many of the fans who bought it at the higher price it was at and they will fell cheated and this also implys to the idea of a redesigne the DS still selling a cool 40k a week in japan and whopping 250 150k in europe and the US (including other small contries. The only obvious reason for nintendo to drop the price is when the demand lowers.

@ starcraft
MHPG is not the main reason why the the PSP is selling more than the DS, software can only sell a system for so long, it mostly because of the redsigne of the PSP (which just barely passed the DS before the saturaition)

If you ask me these claims are all valid but people don´t see the true reason why DS sales are slowing down in Japan: It´s the games. Brain Training, Mario Kart, New Super Mario Bros. and more have sold for more than one year straight in Japan but at some point those games have to stopp selling as well. If you compare hardware and software sales for the DS you´ll see that those games dropped together with the hardware after last years summer holidays in Japan.

In 2008 there haven´t been that many huge DS titles yet, which is the reason why the handheld sells less than last year. On the other hand the PSP is getting a bunch of new games, not only Monster Hunter and hardware sales show it.

If you ask me this is Nintendos fault to some extend. They released so many games while the plattform was still selling out in Japan that they don´t have any huge title left now. They should´ve saved at least some huge titles for this year but they are concentrating on the Wii currently.

We´ll have to see if Dragon Quest IX boosts sales for some weeks but currently it looks like PSP software sales are on the rise and the system is getting more big games in Japan while the DS is in a decline. That´s how the market works and if Nintendo doesn´t put some effort behind its DS developement in 2009 we could see the PSP outselling the DS for the rest of this generation in Japan. Because developers tend to look at current sales just as much as lifetime sales, which means they could shift some of their resources to the PSP.

Of course this doesn´t apply to the rest of the world where the DS will likely outsell the PSP by a huge margin for the rest of the generation. But Nintendo shouldn´t let third parties focus on the PSP, that´s not good, no matter how you look at it. (Of course it´s not that dramatic but hey, I thought Nintendo would be more agressive, that´s all. They seem to focus on the west currently.)

First of all there is much fail in comparing DS and PS3 in the Japanese market.  Plz don't do that again because they are such different scenarios.

Secondly DS needs a redesign becuase it no longer outselling its immediate competition.  And it's not outselling it for the simple reason of basically having sold too much.  The reason they want to end up in the end selling more because it carries over better brand wise into the next generation.  Thus a slight redesign or model will help pick up sales and lead better into when they release the next handheld.

Yes the DS is still selling well we all know that but I think this is something Nintendo needs to look into to take steam away from the PSP. 

As for PS3, I don't think a redesign would help.  You usually release a redesign to refuel interest into a product not bring it to life.  PS3 needs more than a slim version to do that.

I was just saying that nobody wants a PS3 successor or anythin like that, so the current sales shouldn't be that much of a concern.

As for Nintendo not having anything iin store, I think they might be doing that "3rd party free reign" thing. They do have several releases every week it seems and a couple games have enjoyed success.

If they are to focus on games right now, I think some fans want them on the Wii first.

Price cut and re-design beacuse it sell a bit less in Japan only??

PLease as long as the DS sell 5 times what the PsP does in Europe+US there is no need for any of that.