DS Lite Stocks Variable After U.S. Launch

Online retailers including GameStop, EB Games and Best Buy are reporting variable stock of the DS Lite following its launch in North America on Sunday, amidst conflicting reports of the console’s success in stores. While at one point this morning online retailers such as those mentioned had the console listed as being on backorder, some have since updated to reflect the handheld's renewed availability. Although some reports suggested retailers had broken the redesigned console’s street date by over a week, the DS Lite portable officially went on sale at midnight on Saturday, with a major launch event attended by hundreds of fans at the Nintendo Store in New York City. As with most new console launches, stock of the new handheld has been limited, with GameStop and EB Games both currently showing it available only as a back order. Various online websites and blogs, though, have been inconsistent with their description of in-store demand for the console, with some suggesting considerable demand and others being more conservative. The new console is smaller and lighter than the original model and features a brighter screen display. Only the Polar White color is currently available in North America, compared to the three colors in Japan and the two scheduled for Europe on June 23rd. A statement from Nintendo of America on the success of the newly redesigned console is likely in the next few days, with the company no doubt hoping for the format to pull away from the PSP - which it currently matches in sales in the region, despite its lower price point.