DS nearing the end... only 110,000 DS systems sold through first 3 quarters

[Atariboy]

I knew DS sales were getting pretty slim these days, but I didn't realize they were quite this bad.

 

DS

Hardware Sales (financial year) 0.11 million units

Hardware Sales (life to date) 153.98 million units

Software Sales (financial year) 8.63 million units

 

Have there been any releases of note over the past year or so? Seems like a long time since the last release popped up of any interest to me. Probably was something like Intellivision Lives or the pair of Atari compilations. Anything interesting on the horizon?

 

I hope I haven't waited too long to pick up a new DSiXL. Judging by numbers like these, I wonder how many stores even still stock new DS hardware.

Edited January 29, 2014 by Atariboy

[Rybags]

Angry Birds was supposed to be coming out but never materialised. The early EB games would probably push the DS to it's limits and I was eagerly anticipating it for a while.

 

Problem is, the DS hardware is just becoming old - a cheaper smartphone will usually eclipse it's abilities by multiple factors and the software for Android is much more abundant and cheaper - plus you have the bonus of it being a phone as well.

 

Dual-screen never did much for me, plus the vast majority of the library seemed aimed at young kids. The only games I ever played regularly were Tiger Woods Golf, Metroid Prime Pinball and some of the various arcade packs.

 

Add to all that the fact the PSP can be had pretty cheaply now and in itself is much more capable and the writing is certainly on the wall.

[+atari2600land]

The last DS games are Barbie Dreamhouse Party and Disney's Frozen, both released on November 12 of last year. Other than a few DSiWare games that came in December, nothing new.

[Rybags]

The other thing I didn't mention - piracy on the DS is a major issue. I saw Acekards at a computer fair for something like $25 in late 2012. Not much help for the system if you can get one of those + an SD card for less than the price of an average game.

[NE146]

I hope I haven't waited too long to pick up a new DSiXL. Judging by numbers like these, I wonder how many stores even still stock new DS hardware.

 

Yep.. with the 3DS / 3DS XL being completely compatible, there's no reason to stock the obsolete DSi's for the most part.

 

If you're waiting to jump the gun on a new unit, it's part of the game. I remember thinking "With the DS out, the new GBA SP with brighter screen is probably going away soon" and went ahead and bought one at Toys R Us. And wouldn't you know it, a month later you couldn't find one on the shelves.

 

On that note, I am of the complete opinion that the 3DS XL is much more sturdier/reliable than the DSi XL's. My DSi XL, which I bought new at launch, is easily flexible and bugs out/resets a lot of time during regular play with just my hands holding it .

[+wood_jl]

Disclaimer: I like the DS Lite, and then only the "XL" versions, as I felt the "non-XL" versions (of DSi XL and 3DS XL) weren't worth fooling with when XL versions are available. (opinion)

 

I haven't seen DS, DSi, or DSi XL hardware at retail for at least 1 year, but this is anecdotal "evidence" for my region.

 

I absolutely LOVE the DSi XL, not for the DSi part (who cares about that) but the XL part. I was so happy with the DS Lite, that having [practically] the same thing in a larger format (for my old eyes) is just what I wanted! I think the DS games are a little better on the DSi XL than they are on the 3DS XL. Why? (1) There's no scaling, (2) the screens are the same size, and(3) I like the sound (speakers) on the DSi XL better than the 3DS XL.

 

However, I'm being really picky with that observation above, which *is* accurate: I had heard how BADLY the DS games upscaled to the 3DS XL (once again, don't know about the smaller 3DS and heard it's improved (other than just being larger) over the small 3DS). With my 3DS XL, I thought the games still look pretty darned good. It's only when I put on my bill-reading glasses and *try* to identify imperfections that I find the DSi XL screen superior to the 3DS XL screen, when playing old DS games.

 

If you're a purist, willing to devote excess time and money to gaming (raising a hand, here), then it's quite worthwhile to have a DSi XL, and then a separate 3DS XL. That's what I have; I also really love the 3DS XL (again, don't know about the small 3DS), too.

 

As a silly consumer, I find an illogical irony in my desire for backwards-compatibility, and then my reluctance to use it, even if I get it. I mean this about this system, and others. So my PS2 will play PS1 games. But I have a PS1 right here, and 2 spares! Why should I kill my PS2 by playing PS1 *and* PS2 games on it, when I have the PS1 hardware right here? I have a PS1 and 2 more in the Rubbermaid tub! (there's a couple extra PS2's in the next tub)

 

For so long, I decried "bullshit!" on the fact that the PS3 dropped backwards-compatibility with the PS2, but if I had the uber-expensive 60GB PS2-backwards-compatible PS3, I'd be so worried about wearing that valuable thing out, I'd NOT want to play PS2 games on it, in the first place. Good thing I can get a non-backwards-compatible PS3 with 500GB for "peanuts" - Funky Fresh out of the brand-new box - for a fraction of what "they" (who still have new 60GB PS3 models) want for them, anyway.

 

I suppose it should be called "wear distribution," so I don't really exercise backwards-compatibility myself, even though I seem to want it. I play PS1 games on a PS1. I play Gamecube games on a Gamecube (have some extras of those, too). I play DS games on a DS (XL).

 

But if this is all too-much, get the 3DS XL and don't look back; it's a wonderful hand-held console, and the old DS games still look pretty good to me, even though I like to collect old junk (like DSi XL).

[godslabrat]

Never really had much use for the DSi. I liked the original DS because it had a GBA slot, and I like the 3DS because it still works with DS games... but given the choice between the three systems, the DSi seems the most limited.

 

But then, I know the screens on the DSi are better, and someone who didn't have a lot of GBA games might not have the same perspective.

[NE146]

Kind of a wash to me with the GBA. Especially if you have the GBA, the GBA-SP, and GBA-SP2 (the de-facto best unit to play GBA games), DS, and DS-Lite, that's FIVE ways to play them. Good to go from that point.

[godslabrat]

Yeah, I already felt like I'd lost a lot by not having GB/GBC compatibility on the DS. I'd like to have a GBA-SP2 in the collection for those. I just hope that, going forward, the DS line retains compatibility with itself.

[atarilovesyou]

I've seen here locally some DS XLs on sale for $89 CDN...and even though I have a 3DS, I thought that at this price it might be worth it. I don't use the 3D feature at all and still don't know most of the features outside of plug n play with the 3DS, and have had it over a year. It's a fun little unit though, but I only picked it up because it had a great sale price. And I just have clearance DS games for it for the most part because I find them fun.

 

I have an SP and two micros, however, and I barely play them at all (the micros especially: as cool as they are, they're just way to small to play consistently) and think that another DS, even though it's a great price, will just collect dust. And it's not like the SP, where the resale value for a sealed system makes it a bit of a collectible on ebay, as the 3DS is readily available, price dropping all the time, and does everything a DS does and more.

 

I guess I could use it to use the features on my recently acquired Wii, though...kinda like what the SP was to the Gamecube. I can't see the prices dropping much further for the DS XLs that $90, however.