Is there anyone that doesn't actually have a DS in Japan yet though?

Kung

@Arsenicberyllium: Why, if you found Mr Dimsum's comment so incomprehensible, did you cite it as an example of a fanboy-ish comment? If you can't understand it then how can you make that judgment?

Also, don't you think it's a little bit off to rag on him so badly? Especially when it actually appears it's your self aggrandized powers of reading comprehension that led to you not understanding him (evidenced by literally everybody else getting what he was saying)?

Lastly, could you explain to me exactly what a "measurement [quantitative] of English [qualitative]" is?

Gossy

MS should start putting out press releases that mention percentage sales increases ;)

Snuffbox

@quadmonkey:
Pretty much, the DS is almost as common as a mobile phone over there.

Synthemesc

@quadmonkey:
exactly what i was thinking, its the only possible way.

skelator316

I'm pretty much under the assumption that everyone in Japan owns a DS and any new sales is due to the fact someone dropped their old one into the toilet or on the train tracks.

quadmonkey

The 360's been rising gradually constantly... interesting.

edhe (xbl)

Wow the PSP is still doing brisk business. Not really strange though considering they're still getting new software as opposed to the rest of us.

Well the DS surely would've reached a saturation point. Is this is?

The PS2 is still selling? Outselling a current gen system even. That system has got some legs...

excaliburps

@xswl: The irony is that the 360 was released before the PS3. Microsoft executives have sited that "launch-first win first" strategy for so long, but obviously things didn't quite exactly go according to plan.

I vaguely remember all the marketing done in Japan, but there was some pretty serious push pre-launch. Come next ieration though, one has to wonder if Microsoft would even bother with the Japanese market at all. I'm sure with all the capital assets they have flying around, they'll still explore it - but one has to wonder if it'll be sans Xbox branding.

I suppose I'm agnostic when it comes to system preference, but let's hope Microsoft realizes not everyone thinks likewise.

In direct response to your comment, it would be highly unlikely given sales data for the Xbox 360 to ever catch up to the PS3. I'm quite sure that Microsoft is well aware of this too - hence not pushing or pulling enough resources to Square Enix to validate a FF XIII release in Japan (not to say that's how Microsoft did it in the first place ^_^). I mean, it makes sense to launch the game over there, but what political factors are in play from Sony/Square Enix/Microsft that would make that impossible? Launching FF XIII in Japan will surely bring in new consumers to the 360, and would probably even make potential converts faithful again, but at what and does it really even matter at this stage in the life cycle of the current generation of consoles?

To me, I feel Microsoft has pretty much conceded the Japanese market. It's just an afterthought now. Having Japanese titles coming to other markets though - is something totally different. I'm vying for more Japanese content on the system, so hopefully games like Tales will do some good.

mr_dimsum

Oh Japan. You sure love your Gundams! Sure as refreshing seeing the PSP taking the sales over the DS. I'm pretty sure that at least a 1/3 of Japan still has not picked up a DS.

mikes_stalker

It's just normal since EVERYONE has a DS in Japan!!

yoshinatsu

@Nirolak
@justhesh
@Leobebes:
@Arsenicberyllium:

You're out of your mind mate. But thanks for being so delusional, the quick defense from others certainly made my night. I'm admirable of you really.. I have no idea how such a small baseless comment on my behalf can spark such rage from an individual such as yourself.

I thought I was pretty clear on the sarcasm - considering I blatantly alluded to it by saying it was a joke.

Next time, I'll make sure to provide definitions for every word I write - I promise.

mr_dimsum

@Amazon_Chris: Like it has been doing for HOW MANY MONTHS?

I wonder if the PS3 will come back like that in its 4th year...

bobtheduck

I think hell just froze over. The PSP (a Dragon Quest-less system) outsold the DS (AKA, Dragon Quest Portable) in Japan (AKA, Dragon Quest Land).

Amazon_Chris

oh my god, this is better than sex.

Plsk1n

@Arsenicberyllium: So somebody makes a joke that you don't understand, then you call them a "foreigner", but claim it was sarcasm...though, "after reading his comment history, it's entirely possible he doesn't naturally speak English".

And it's not like you just said you didn't understand it, you went out of your way to say that it's "stupid", "It's not coherent, it doesn't follow the rules of grammar, spelling or common sense. It's just a bloody mess and I just assumed he was an insane idiot".

The odd part is that his comment was in clear English. In fact, I DID read some of his past comments, which were also in clear English.

The joke just went over your head (and yes, it was a joke, hence the actual comment saying it WAS a joke). But instead of just saying that, you're making off base claims of incomprehensible language (and in a way that's rather offensive).

What's so incomprehensible about "I bet Shane Kim's devilish good looks landed him a few g's in sales post-E3"? Is it really that hard to understand that he's saying the 360 sold thousands more units because they think Shane Kim is handsome?

I mean, I don't even know what's making you claim the things you have. It just boggles my mind. You must think I'm speaking in tongues at this point.

justhesh

I like how everyone keeps downplaying 360 sales, but don't realize that the 360 will catch the PS3 before the PS3 will catch the Wii.

xswl

@Arsenicberyllium

Dude are you twelve? Are you drunk? How did you get from point A in your argument to point B? Let's deconstruct what was so bad about denki and mr_dimsum's comments shall we?

denki: "I think the 360 is finally gaining inertia here- many of my gamer friends have either bought one or are considering getting one in the future- they actually cite games for the reason as well (second they cite cost). So, maybe now with the new user base, it will start growing as "they tell their friends, and they tell their friends, and so on, and so on, and so on." What is surprising is that word of mouth is still the best marketting here in Japan- once something is vocally panned or praised the buyers respond quickly, being part of the group aesthetic."

What is so bad about someone saying that there has been a recent spike in sales for the 360? He was using anecdotal experiences to justify his argument about strong word of mouth being one of the best marketing tools in Japan. Considering the fact that Microsoft has revealed a blitzkrieg of Japanese centric big budget titles with reputation how is this conclusion remotely absurd as you conclude?!

Now...

mr_dimsum:

"Xbox 360 FTW. I bet Shane Kim's devilish good looks landed him a few g's in sales post-E3.

Jokes."

He was joking. Shane Kim is Asian, dimsum suggested that maybe Kim's appearance might have helped out Japan's familiarity with the 360 therefore bumping sales a bit. It was a joke, he even admits its a joke? How can you possibly interpret this guy's statement as "fanboyish" or delusions of grandeur?

Dude you need to reevaluate your life. You are seeing things that are not there.

Leobebes

@Aozora: Isn't the ps2 still outselling the 360 everywhere else as well?

I don't really think I'm being too optimistic about the 360- because the data shows that it is picking up speed. I don't think it ever will be a contender with the big 2 in Japan, but as the way things are now (ie MS not buying up any IPs that the Japanese actually care about), I expect by the end of its run- what, 2010?- it will have reached at least a million consoles in sales. That isn't saying much, but that isn't expecting it to double, either. It's not like MS is going to drop out of the console wars, so we have to assume thet they will continue to make a token force in Japan- and they'll continue to do so for next gen as well. When they reach xbox4 they might actually have a 10% share in Japan, but that's about 12 years down the road.

The number one thing MS could do to get a respectable marketshare in Japan, which I am sure they have tried to do, is secure Monster Hunter as an exclusive (at least, in the console market). If they had that- they still wouldn't even have a quarter of the market.

denki

Come on guys why so serious?

Kiyosuki

@justhesh: I wasn't supporting a particular console.

Hell, I have no loyalty to any of them. I'll go where the games are for me.
While I don't own an Xbox 360 at this time, I don't dislike it. If I had the money, I would even buy one. I'm not some Sony, PC or Nintendo Fanboy.

I just find stupidity stupid, no matter who's said it. I've mocked Sony Fanboys, Nintendo Fanboys, PC Fanboys, and Xbox Fanboys. I don't give a damn who they are, if they say something that's obviously a lie or stupid, I'm going to call them on it.

And as for the "foreigner" thing? I was being sarcastic. The guy made a shit comment. Though, actually, after reading his comment history, it's entirely possible he doesn't naturally speak English. But here's the thing- reading comprehension isn't really an issue for me. I really don't want to get into my own personal life, but the one segment I've ever excelled in since Kindergarten is English, and more specifically, Reading Comprehension. It's literally my biggest skill. If I can't understand what somebody's saying, it's obvious that they're not speaking any standard measurement of English. Maybe it's extreme slang, newspeak, or whatever, but if I don't know what somebody is saying, it's because they're not saying anything comprehensible. Re-read his comment. It's possible to discern the meaning after fifteen minutes of trying to disassemble what he's saying and re-construct it into something cognizant, but there shouldn't be such an effort. Basically, what I'm saying is this: I'm sick of people trying to write with a flow-of-consciousness styling when their mind is spewing broken fragments, something that's becoming more and more prevalent on the internet.

Arsenicberyllium

@denki:

IMO, you're being too optimistic about 360 in Japan. The 8 years old PS2 is still outselling the 360 here.

Aozora

@Arsenicberyllium: Word of advice: when someone starts making unprovoked claims of "fanboys do this thing, the stupid fanboys", they sound like the biggest fanboy of all.

Also, when someone starts claiming that their own reading comprehension is being undermined by supposed "foreigners learning English", they sound like a tool.

justhesh

Sony must be pleased that the PSP is gaining momentum. Now if only the PS3 could follow suit for a longer period of time than a week or so.

B33

The mecha-phile crowd in Japan can be jaw droppingly strong so this is no surprise.

Kiyosuki

Lol everyone already has a DS in Japan; there are no more people to sell them to.

zeldarooles

@Arsenicberyllium: What? Sorry there man, but giving first hand accounts of real-world experiences with friends here in Japan isn't the same as trying to "fluff up a 2% market share into something exciting." And it's really hard to be a 360 fanboy when I still don't own one, and instead spend most of my gaming playing PSX and SFC games. Don't get me wrong, I still desire one, just like how I desire a PS3 and some decent Wii games so I can pull that one out of the closet and give it some use.

Just looking at the numbers shows that the 360 is gaining (ever, ever so slowly) acceptance in Japan, which is definately a big deal to MS in Japan. And you think that justifying the 360 in Japan is a joke? Yeah, it makes perfect sense for MS to completely ignore the one of the (if not the) largest gaming markets in the world. Sure, it still has an infinitesmal market share, but a sale is still a sale, and if one person enjoys the experience then it's likely they'll buy the next gen too. The justification for 360 in Japan is that it would be a really, really dumb thing not to try to gain at least market share, no matter how small.

denki

@sevend: around 650k
360 is doing great(by 360 standard of 2k a week)

papero3

What Witzbold told me in a comment exchange months ago still rings in my head. It was basically that the Japanese gamer lost confidence in MS due to some cancellation of key titles. Mind you this was back when Blue Dragon and Eternal Sinnata were fresh and Lost Odyssey was making its way down the pipe but he went on to say that MS shouldn't have to pack up (like i was suggesting they do) but if they keep supporting the 360 as far as games go in Japan, things will begin to brighten up for them. Clearly the past three weeks have not been earth-shattering but just seeing a stride like this with no games out makes me think the penguin may be on to something.

okenny :)

how many 360s(lifetime total) have been sold in Japan?

sevend

How many more DSs can they move?! The country is saturated with them.

I did a quick comparison of the Japanese install bases for DS and PSP. Even at the current rate it would take Sony 13 years to catch up.

(I love VGChartz)

griffinrider

@Nirolak: Like I said, I couldn't understand what the hell that shit was supposed to mean.
It's not coherent, it doesn't follow the rules of grammar, spelling or common sense. It's just a bloody mess and I just assumed he was an insane idiot.

I apologize. He's just a very unfunny foreigner who is learning English. Is that better? Because it's the only way that makes any sense.

Arsenicberyllium

@Arsenicberyllium: Um, reread mr_dimsum's comment very carefully and you'll see what you just said was really silly.

Nirolak

The 360 has been doing this quite a lot lately. Kudos to them, the scamps.

justhesh

@alfredofroylan: Having Wii Music up on top of that list really isn't that much of a surprise if you look at the rest of the list.

Emiat

@Corrin: Just because you don't see your comment doesn't mean you got banned. The site will tell you when you're banned.

InsidiousTuna

@KaneRobot: @Moonshadow101:

denki

mr_dimsum

That's two guys. I don't care. I just find their arguments absurd.
Though to be honest, the second guy makes so little sense, he might be sarcastic or against it, and I just can't understand what the hell he's saying.

Arsenicberyllium

@Emiat
Believe it or not .... Wii Music is the best selling Wii game in Amazon japan:
[www.amazon.co.jp]
Wat?

alfredofroylan

@Moonshadow101: Planet: H8T3R ;)

Gunloc

I don't see my post. Welp, looks like I got banned for something completely inane once again.

Corrin

I was going to say the increase in Xbox 360 sales must have something to do with Final Fantasy XIII being announced for that console. Then I remembered that it's not being released in Japan.

Corrin

@Arsenicberyllium: You're a little defensive there, not sure where your insecurity comes from. No one is doing what you are claiming. You need to lay down and put on your sounds of the ocean CD.

KaneRobot

Seeing the vast difference in software numbers leads me to think that perhaps the demand for the DS has capped?

DQ-643,764
Gundam-137,550

according to the source provided

Hitokiri151

@Arsenicberyllium: Where are the people doing this? What planet are you from?

Moonshadow101

The 360 has been holding steady at 4k for a couple of weeks now.

I love how the Xbox fanboys will try and fluff up a 2% market share into something exciting.

This isn't even my loyalty to a single console. Trying to justify the 360 in Japan is a joke.

Arsenicberyllium

Xbox is less then 1/3 of the PS3 for the week :O .

Firemane

Xbox 360 FTW. I bet Shane Kim's devilish good looks landed him a few g's in sales post-E3.

Jokes.

mr_dimsum

@alfredofroylan: Wii Music: Gundam Edition

Soon to be the best selling Wii game in Japan.

Guess Nintendo might need something to sell Wii Music after how it went down at E3.

Emiat

interesting to see so little hardware from the ds with DQ but if there have been any other DQ remakes in japan i would guess most people who would want the game already have teh system.

the 360 is surprising, maybe the ff13 annoucement swayed a few people who don't know how to read? lol

demonknightinuyasha

@EmeraldDragon: Exactly. The people who have a DS for DQ bought it back when Dragon Quest IX DS was announced.

Lyrai

The fact that DQ moved at least some DS is amazing considering Japan has buildings made of DS, I mean you can go the bath and sit in a DS made toilet.

WDYC

@innociv:

haha... it matches the GT-R, but still not quite up there with the ZR1. ;p

flight240

I think the 360 is finally gaining inertia here- many of my gamer friends have either bought one or are considering getting one in the future- they actually cite games for the reason as well (second they cite cost). So, maybe now with the new user base, it will start growing as "they tell their friends, and they tell their friends, and so on, and so on, and so on." What is surprising is that word of mouth is still the best marketting here in Japan- once something is vocally panned or praised the buyers respond quickly, being part of the group aesthetic.

denki

You only need to build a car inspired by Gundam and it'll lap the Nurburgring in 7:29

innociv

Interesting. You think DQ would move more DSs. But then, most people who would want DQ probably already have a DS.

EmeraldDragon

You only need to put "Gundam" on a game and it'll sell thounsands of copies.

alfredofroylan

good to see the psp staying consistent with its numbers. hopefully it will get more developer support.

dappaute

I call armageddon the day that green is the size of the ps2 pie slice

Seita

GBU = Surprisingly good game. Considering the quality of other contemporary Gundam titles, it's one of the best there's been.

Antialias

A Gundam game boosting sales? Oh my gosh I am surprised.

C'mon it is a game where huge robots, that have enough firepower to destroy a planet, fight each other with lazor swordz. Who wouldn't want an copy of it?

Meeeh

People shouldn't take these things so personally.

SeedyXX

@innociv:
Paint it red, attach an antenna and it will do it in one third of the time.

Tadashi

@Kung:
@quadmonkey:
@excaliburps:
@zeldarooles:
@griffinrider:
@yoshinatsu:

Guys, it's getting old. Really freaking old. I mean it's not as funny anymore and it's gotten as tired out as "RROD HURRR" "It collects dust" "X has no games" "X doesn't care about core gamers." You do know we don't have post counts here, right? That no matter how many posts you make, you don't get a boosted rating, a shining star, etc?

There are 127 MILLION people in Japan. As of March 2008 both DS and DS light have sold 22,169,761 in Japan alone. Do the math people and stop post counting +1 just go trot out tired jokes. It's old and it's not funny. It's just stupid.

@mikes_stalker:It's more then that, really.

@Amazon_Chris:It's a remake. If this was the brand new DQ in development, then you would have a point. Right now..no.

@EmeraldDragon:It did. Weekly sales for the DS have typically been for the last few months between 30 and 40k. This game release knocked it all the way up to 54k.

@Hitokiri151:Not even close. Also note that this DQ, a remake did almost 650K in a single week. Other then Monster Hunter and a few SE titles, nothing else on the PSP does that. There's something like 50 DS titles that have done 600k+ sales, on the PSP, not so much. Monster Hunter is the only one that's broken the 2 million mark, on the DS, there's something like 20.

@dappaute:Not with that horrid attachment rate it won't. The reason PSP's library pales to the DS's is because the PSP has the worst attachment rate out of a handheld system to be released in Japan in years, even the Wonderswan did better.

All the sold systems in the world mean nothing if your attachment rate sucks ass if your not making profit off of the systems.

@bobtheduck:Five months. It's a sales spike.

Foxstar Sixtail

The 360 is gaining traction! It'll be at the top of the chart in no time!

Muk1000

DQ is selling a lot but the DS sales are keeping the same rhythm.. that shows that everyone in Japan really already has a DS.. it's time for Nintendo to release a new redesign

CockroachMan

@CockroachMan:Read my post above, you silly git.

Foxstar Sixtail

I thought the PSP had a new color out. So I would say its more to do with the new color out than it is Gundam.

Chikebo

I think it's kinda sad when the PS3 only managed to beat its predecessor by just under 2000 units. Considering the PS3 is a new console and the PS2 is like...what? 8 years old?

adventlife

With over 22 million sold in Japan, one must wonder when sales will level off and/or die out. But I guess the PS2 is still moving units, the answer is never.

dArk_stAr

@Foxstar Sixtail: Huh?

griffinrider

Considering that in Japan "everyone and their dogs" already have a Nintendo DS, it's still doing VERY IMPRESSIVE retail results on hardware sales. They're sturdy enough to last a few years sitting on your pocket so I presume that the sole reason for the NDS sales decline is that it's market is already saturated.
Time for profit on software sales, N !

(Btw I'm a Sony person but I can only applaud Nintendo success...)

l_oliveira

@l_oliveira:They make profit on hardware and software sales.

Foxstar Sixtail

@adventlife:
400 dollar ps3 is still expensive to the average Japanese gamer.

Aozora

I can believe this, Gundam Battle Universe is a fantastic game. In fact, it's my new favorite portable game ever. It's really that good if you're a big Gundam fan like I am.

ビッグ ボス

@Kenology:

This is the major cause of the spike. Sure Gundam would have moved a few more units this week, but most of it is caused by Sony's continuous of releasing new colors ever time hardware sales wane.

Innervate

The new color pushed the PSP as well.

Kenology

What I'm hoping for is a sequel to Mega Man Maverick Hunter X. I think the main reason it flopped when Capcom released it 2 and a half years ago was because the PSP was new and pretty unpopular by then.

But I mean, what better time than now to cash-in on the PSP's success? Come on, Capcom!

Akisazame

@Foxstar Sixtail: Kicking ass and taking names thats Foxstar!

Seriously that big black slice of the pie is nice to look at...I like black...

excel_excel

@Akisazame:

Software sales are still slow for the system for the most part worldwide. Besides a few key franchises, not too many games sell well on the PSP.

Also, the main problem was, and still is, piracy. While Capcom can do better, I doubt they care anymore, it has been far too long.

Innervate

Gundam = insta-win
I think I'm going to start a Gundam-parody porn site...
no not of the female characters in all gundam series (not the guys either)

i'm going to show some MECH PORN!

RyuriTatsujin

Can anything stop the psp train....It's just ploughing through everything. That's great.

karateka

@Foxstar Sixtail:
Whatever "joke" or insult did I just said?
I'm going to quote myself:

"Well the DS surely would've reached a saturation point. Is this is?"

Meaning that maybe the reason it's not doing the brisk business it once was because a lot of people already have 'em. (That's what I meant. I don't know if you read anything into it). I don't think there's anything wrong with what I said is there? Just an assumption that could be right (or horseshit).

excaliburps

Oi, I was reading through the comments when I ran into the Arsenicberyllium train wreck. I'd normally say something goofy about it, but it's too reminiscent of my own Naruto/DBZ fiasco a few months back. The only advice I can give is don't fight it, just admit you were wrong and move on.

As for the Hardware sales, it's nice to see the 360 still chugging along. It won't get far, but it certainly exceeded my own expectations.

Pezdispenser

From a Gundam fan perspective, I'm pretty happy with the Gundam Battle series, though the last game came out like, 6-7 months ago? Seems Artdink is doing pretty well, and they're expanding their anime games to Macross also now.

RayLancer

Nothing like sales numbers to stir up a shit-storm. Good for Sony(PSP) good for MS, and good for Nintendo.

RaepGoblin

@Innervate: I was referring to the brief spike in sales for both Rockman Rockman and Irregular Hunter X that happened when this PSP boom first began. News can be found here: [protodudesrockmancorner.blogspot.com]

You're probably right, though. I doubt Capcom really gives a crap anymore. I can understand not continuing Rockman Rockman, but I thought Irregular Hunter X was really well-done...

Akisazame

Man, PSP has been hauling some serious ass for quite a while. Its a pity there isnt much of a lineup coming for it.

Altima NEO

@Akisazame: Actually, I putted many more hours on Rockman Rockman than on Irregular Hunter. Its a more completed game wich led to many hours of fun, and it can actually be pretty dificult wich i love in a game.
Irregular Hunter was more of a cinematic experience, very good on its own, but not as enjoyable.
Im really glad to see these games gaining more ground, and hope for Capcom to reconsider continuing the sagas.

Marduk

@Corrin: probably from idolm@ster

flatbush

Well, by now, every citizen in Japan owns at least 2 DSes, so yeah, obviously they have to move on and buy PSPs...

Mokona

I am almost sure X360 got its bump from the Final Fantasy XIII announcement. We can speculate that at least 2000 people will buy Final Fantasy XII on Xbox 360.

gencid

"There are 127 MILLION people in Japan. As of March 2008 both DS and DS light have sold 22,169,761 in Japan alone. Do the math people and stop post counting +1 just go trot out tired jokes. It's old and it's not funny. It's just stupid."
@Foxstar Sixtail:

Yes, it's tired, but there may be a ring of truth to "Everyone in Japan has a DS" quip. Replace "everyone" with "every gamer" and we're closer to the truth. The population of the game-buying consumers certainly is not 127M.

kftgr