Nintendo DS will be most successful gaming device ever

Feast your eyes on the winner

(Credit: CNET Networks)

An analyst at Pacific Coast Securities made waves today when he claimed that the next iteration of the Nintendo DS is complete. According to the analyst, the new DS "is thinner (it has no GBA port), has onboard storage, and larger screens."

He went on to claim that Nintendo has no plan of releasing the new version "until sales begin to tail off in all three major geographies."

Wow. So does that mean we will never see another Nintendo DS? Because as far as I can tell, there is no sign of tapering sales and people are running to stores just to have different colors.

Regardless of whether you're a PlayStation zealot or even a Sega fanboy who can't find it in yourself to buy a Nintendo product, you must admit that Nintendo has been incredibly successful with its DS. And if you ask me, sales will continue to be strong and each update will compound growth until one thing finally happens--the Nintendo DS will become the most successful gaming device of all time.

So far, in just over three years, Nintendo has sold just under 54 million Nintendo DSs. Compare that to the Game Boy's total units sold of about 199 million and the PlayStation 2's 120 million units shipped, and you can see just how close this sales battle really is.

The Nintendo DS was a surprise to everyone besides Satoru Iwata and the gang. Who would have thought that a handheld gaming device that offered two screens, a stylus, and more interactivity would have done so well in such a short period of time?

And let's not forget also that just after the DS was made available, Sony announced and released the PSP, which some believed would be the first hardware solution to finally supplant Nintendo as the leader in the handheld gaming market. And after just a few short months, we realized how wrong that assertion really was.

Nintendo gets it. It's as simple as that. No other gaming company has understood what it takes to be successful in the handheld market. A number have tried: Sega, Sony, Tiger Telematics, and many more. But at the end of the day, the majority of people running to stores for a handheld gaming device only have one company on their minds--Nintendo.

So why will the DS become the most popular gaming device of all time? It's simple really. If you look at sales figures and the rapid rise of the Game Boy and PlayStation 2, one attribute of each product's availability is blatantly clear: both were available for quite a long time. It took 18 years for the Game Boy to finally reach that 199 million units sold mark, and after 7 years of availability, Sony has been able to send 120 million units out the door.

But after this holiday season rush is over and we get the sales numbers to round out the year, it wouldn't surprise me if Nintendo closes it out with over 56 million units sold. In fact, if you look at recent sales figures, the company has averaged about 400,000 units sold each month, which should easily increase once Black Friday rolls around.

If we were to take a rough average of just how many Game Boys of all versions were sold over its life span, that number would come out to roughly 11.1 million units each year. On the other hand, the DS, which was released in 2004, has averaged about 18 million units sold over its lifespan. And while it's difficult to compare 3 years to 18, consider how many different Game Boy versions were released over the years for it to achieve such amazing sales numbers. Don't you think Nintendo will employ the same strategy with the DS?

In many ways, the DS has supplanted the Game Boy as the future of Nintendo. And while most people today correlate Nintendo handhelds with the Game Boy, the same will not be said in the future. Simply put, the DS is Nintendo's future.

In all likelihood, Nintendo will follow the same release schedule with the DS as it did with the Game Boy: keep releasing new versions, and once it hits 15 years, replace it with something new and innovative.

Today, the Nintendo DS simply dominates the video game industry. And while other devices may come and go and set sales records, the DS will always be there. And because of that and the immense enjoyment you receive from playing it, I don't see the DS going anywhere until 2019.

And by that time, look for us to be discussing the DS' amazing 250 million units sold mark.

[Ciaran805]

that is complete BULL POO

thats bull poo this will NOT be the most successful console. PSP has been slow
but is by far a better device and people will start to see that its a more
professional device.

[aztec92154]

I agree, the PSP is a more professional device!

"PSP ... is by far a better ... more professional device." Ciaran805, I get you... head to head, the PSP is a powerful and versatile little bugger. Now, can you honestly tell me that you believe that the PSP will sell better than the PS2??? I dont think so.

I firmly believe that Sony and their 3rd party publishers are capable of creating unique, fun games, that feature gameplay that is targeted specifically towards a handheld device. I LOVE COMPETITION! There is room for a #2 in the handheld console wars; they just need to release games that offer something that you cant get in the living room - games that are fun to play when you're on a plane, subway, bus, vacation, car, school, library, coffee shop, ect.

[Awesomecleric]

Are you joking??

The DS and PSP have been out for about the same amount of time, and as the article states, people thought the PSP would destroy the DS... yet here we are... The DS has, and will continue to dominate the handheld market for several reasons. First, it is intended for gaming... that's it. You don't play your movies or listen to music on it or even surf the web... it is for gaming. People want something that does it's job well and the rule of economics applies... Quality or Quantity... Apparently we are willing to have Quality over the Quantity aspect. Second, the DS has a great family. Gameboy has ruled the handheld market, why do you think it did? Because they were lucky? No, they ruled for 15+ years because the creators know how to make a game, make it playable on the go and give it the replay factor. While games like Gears of War and Halo can be played online, handheld doesn't have that wide of a market. You can now play on the go, but only within a short distance of your friends. The replay factor of handheld games needs to be high... Sony has yet to get games that can do that for the PSP. Third, the DS is inexpensive. The DS has always been cheaper than the PSP and doesn't need memory. The games are not on a disc, so there is basically no load time. And Finally, the DS is different. Before the DS came out, nothing, I say NOTHING had 2 screens on the go. The DS allowed for a totally different experience in gaming. Then Nintendo made the smart move and made one touch. Many games that have come out for both the DS and PSP have thrived on the DS and failed on the PSP due to the innovative touch screen.

Now, tell me why the PSP will beat the DS... Gamers don't care about a "professional device." Kids don't care about a "professional device." I have an iPhone for my professional device...

[mbookmeyer]

Just played it..

I just played the Nintendo DS demo of Zelda. This was my first experience with
it and I give it two thumbs way, way up. I don't usually enjoy standing at a kiosk
playing a game but the first thought that popped into my mind was I gotta have
me one of these! I think your right and as the WII also demonstrates Nintendo
gets "it".. whatever it is...

[smoothdude11]

Yeah, I have two of these.

I agree with the article. I own 2 of these DSs and I really enjoy playing wireless against my friends. I am glad that it will have a long lifespan, hopefully it will be 15 years.