Nintendo Outlines DS Launch Allocation

Nintendo has now released more information on the shipment schedule for its Nintendo DS handheld, revealing that the Kyoto-based company will ship one million units of the system before the end of 2004, and that 300,000 will be available to meet the dual-screen device's December 2nd Japanese launch. In additional information obtained by consumer site GameSpot, Nintendo of America confirmed that they will be shipping a total of two million units of the Nintendo DS across North America and Japan during 2004, therefore extrapolating that one million units will be available in Japan, and one million in the U.S before the end of the year. All of this data is broadly in line with Nintendo's previously stated shipping figures of 4 million units across the U.S., Japan and Europe by the end of March 2005. The Nintendo DS will ship throughout North America on November 21st for $149.99 USD, and will carry a price tag of 15,000 yen ($140 USD) when released in Japan on December 2nd. It will feature roughly a dozen launch titles in North America and Japan, with some titles unconfirmed or differing per territory, but with the most notable including: Super Mario 64 DS (Nintendo), Spider-Man 2 (Activision), Madden NFL 2005 (Electronic Arts), Ridge Racer DS (Namco) and Zoo Keeper (Success).