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[sonycowboy]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/04/28/news_6123155.html

Nintendo mulls new DS strategy in Japan

NCL president says DS sales to the general public will be accelerated via new retail channels, though he declines to specify exact MO.

TOKYO--Since the Nintendo DS debut in December, Nintendo has, in various news articles, said it was searching for new ways to broaden the appeal of the handheld gaming platform to consumers outside the traditional gamer demographic.

In an interview published in the current issue of Japanese business magazine Zaikai, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said, "We would like to have as many people as possible to try out the DS. For that reason, we are searching for outlets to sell the DS aside from video game stores."

"Around the same time that I became president of Nintendo," Iwata continued, "the video game industry entered into a period where its traditional methods of market expansion were no longer working." Unfortunately, Iwata did not elaborate on what new retail methodologies the company is exploring.

Despite Nintendo's desire to expand the DS's appeal, the handheld is still selling well. Yesterday, the company announced that at the end of March, worldwide DS sales had passed the 5 million mark.

By Hirohiko Niizumi -- GameSpot
POSTED: 04/28/05 11:12 AM PST

 

[Unison]

Dear Gamespot, how does this compare to PSP sales? PSP is still winning, right? :lol

 

[The Faceless Master]

Despite Nintendo's desire to expand the DS's appeal, the handheld is still selling well.

???

 

[radioheadrule83]

???

Yup.

Maybe they mean that even though it's still selling well, Nintendo want to expand it's appeal further anyway.

This is a good idea. I can't think of where they'd start selling them though. These things tend to be in music/video entertainment stores in their own section, dedicated game shops and toy shops. Where else could you sell portable game systems?

I could see stuff like Carphone Warehouse Phones4U and other phone shops in the UK actually... maybe increasing presence at supermarkets. What else?

 

[Unison]

Yup.

Maybe they mean that even though it's still selling well, Nintendo want to expand it's appeal further anyway.

This is a good idea. I can't think of where they'd start selling them though. These things tend to be in music/video entertainment stores in their own section, dedicated game shops and toy shops. Where else could you sell portable game systems?

I could see stuff like Carphone Warehouse Phones4U and other phone shops in the UK actually... maybe increasing presence at supermarkets. What else?

There were some pictures of a clothing store or two in Japan where they were selling the DS. I imagine that's part of what they mean, since they are trying to bring in the chicks.

 

[Deleted member 1235]

give it online browsing and a PDA functionality and sell it in cell phone stores.

 

[Bartman3010]

When'll Nintendo start selling Dual Screen Telephone functionality to use in conjunction with the mic?