DSi outsells all in Japan – but why are handhelds so popular?
The latest Japanese charts are now out, showing that for the week ending Nov. 16, the Nintendo DSi has smashed all of the competition, selling more on its own than the PS3, Wii, and Xbox 360 could manage together. But why are handhelds so popular in Japan?
I’ve only started taking note of the Japanese hardware sales charts quite recently. The period when the Xbox 360 was beating the PS3 seemed to pique my interest considerably, and I now check what’s happening in the spiritual home of gaming every week.
The Xbox 360 is no longer ruling the roost. Well, it never was ruling over the Wii, but even the Playstation 3 has now got its mojo back, and is beating the Microsoft console by a considerable margin. But the much bigger story is how the handhelds are routinely beating the home consoles in Japan.
If you look back at the sales figures for the past few months, you’ll see that the DS or PSP regularly top the charts, and more often than not, both handhelds are selling in higher quantities than any of the home consoles. And this week is no exception, although if anything, it shows how popular handhelds are in Japan more than any other week.
Japanese hardware sales for the week ending November 16th (NeoGAF):
DSi – 85,327
PSP – 38,153
Wii – 26,787
PS3 – 17,448
360 – 7,983
PS2 – 5,421
DS Lite – 3,559
Clearly, the fact that the Nintendo DSi has only been available since Nov. 1st has made a significant difference, and that’s the reason for the stupendously high numbers. But the Sony PSP isn’t new, and even that console managed to outsell the Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360 by quite a margin.
I know handhelds are popular everywhere around the world, with the DS particularly doing well in all territories since it was released, but the Japanese seem to be hooked on them like no-one else, and will buy every new iteration of the hardware released. Why?
I’ve already discussed how current-gen consoles are failing in Japan, with the PS2 regularly selling as much as the PS3, and the Wii (with its last-gen graphics) being by far the biggest home console. But it seems this mindset even expands to the handhelds. The DS (or new DSi) and PSP are capable of some nice graphics but they’re hardly mind blowing are they.
At the risk of reinforcing stereotypes, I’ve always considered the Japanese to be a race of people always ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to consumer electronics. But in terms of games machines, it seems they are now choosing affordability and portability above all else.
Related Posts:
5 Responses to “DSi outsells all in Japan – but why are handhelds so popular?”
Leave a Reply:
You must be logged in to post a comment. Don't have an account? Register today!
November 21st, 2008
More Nintendomination I see!
November 21st, 2008
Maybe the Japanese aren’t real impressed with the graphics of the PS3 or XBOX 360 (being a PC gamer neither am I).
If you take that away they really don’t have anything new going for them. The Wii is the only one that’s dramatically different from the last generation.
November 21st, 2008
Seriously? Why does Japan have so many hand helds?
-More people in Japan use the train as a primary source of transportation than any other modern country in the world.
-Because most people use the train, it’s important to have something to do on the train ride. This is why portable devices are so very important in Japan.
-Arcades are alive and well in Japan. If you want to play a game with great graphics (and games that aren’t confined to the typical console controller- see a Guitar Hero style arcade game back in Lost in Translation) just head down to the local arcade with your friends.
-Japanese living spaces tend to be small and as a result, they do a lot more of their recreational activity out and about whereas their American counterparts like to engage in activities around the house (especially as budgets get tighter).
Really, I would think anyone who looked at the Japanese culture at all would be able to answer this question pretty quickly.
November 23rd, 2008
Go to Japan Dave. Spend a week or two in the jam packed cities. Look at how tiny the average home is. You’ll understand very quickly why small rules in Japan.
Oh yeah, remember the Japanese cars that crushed the domestic competition? Yeah, small.
November 25th, 2008
MeToo: “The Wii is the only one that’s dramatically different from the last generation.”….. Wow. Did you really say that?
Take away the waggle controllers and the Wii is no different than the Game Cube. The other two consoles offer online capabilities, along with community features. The PS3 offers an internet browser, along with Blu-ray. The 360 has netflix and at least DVD capabilities…. I can go on and on here, but I think you get my point.