Nintendo Celebrates European & UK Success [UPDATE] News
Chris Leyton
24/01/2008
Over 6 million Wiis and 20 million DS's sold across Europe so far...
With recent talk focussed on the North American market and NPD sales figures, Nintendo today confirmed its strong position within the European market.
Since its launch in December 2006 the continued Wii-steria surrounding Nintendo's motion sensitive format has led to sales topping 6 million across the region. In addition, four of Nintendo's first-party titles have notched up a million copies, namely Wii Play, Super Mario Galaxy, Mario Party 8, and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Despite Nintendo's focus on new types of experiences for new types of gamers on Wii, these figures suggest Nintendo's fundamental stratgey of making money on the software is very much dependant on the traditional titles, in Europe at least.
The runaway success of its little sibling continues, with sales of the Nintendo DS surpassing 20 million across Europe. Undoubtedly, the console of choice for people with a non-gaming persuasion, sales of the indomitable Nintendogs have passed 8 million in the region, Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training teaches over 5 million, whilst it's follow-up More Brain Training From Dr Kawashima has surpassed 2.8 million.
Despite some concerns voiced over the performance of Super Mario Galaxy, Nintendo of Europe maintains the moustachioed protagonist has never been so popular, with sales of NEW Super Mario Bros passing 3 million, Mario Kart DS achieving 2 million, and Super Mario Galaxy reaching the million mark.
[UPDATE]
Following today's figures, Nintendo has shed a little more light on their performance in the UK, surprise surprise, they're doing pretty well.
Claiming the best selling hardware (console or handheld) in 2007, sales of the Nintendo DS now stand at over 5 million. Julie Waters, Patrick Stewart, Phillip Schofield and Fern Britton seem to have got the touch message across, with 56% of Nintendo's first-party DS titles coming from the Touch! Generations range.
Best selling console of 2007 in the UK went to.... Wii, which now has an installed base of over 2 million in the country. According to Nintendo, this surpasses the Xbox 360 market in the UK, which needless to say launched over a year earlier!
For the entire year, Nintendo held 79% of the UK handheld market and a 45% share of the home consoles in the UK.