Nintendo DS Lite sold out within hours in Japan
The Nintendo DS Lite has sold out in many stores across Japan within hours of its launch. The highly anticipated release of the new smaller, sleeker model of the Nintendo DS took place this morning with some stores selling out before they had even opened their doors.
The Japanese gaming faithful who queued overnight braved cold and rainy conditions in an effort to become the first owners of the new DS Lite, with several even prepared to spend two nights in the freezing Japanese temperatures just to get their hands on it.
While some left happy, particularly those who waited for over two days, many gamers arrived at stores disappointed to find out the new handheld system had already sold out.
Japanese media, Famitsu, followed the launch and visited a number of locations in Tokyo yesterday as people arrived ready to spend the night awaiting the DS Lite’s release.
At 1.30 am early this morning over 100 hundred anxious gamers had turned up at Yodobashi-Camera Multimedia Akiba and were ready to endure the rough sleeping conditions, many with the original model in hand to wait out the hours with.
By 8.00 am the number had swelled to over 400 and the store had already allocated their entire stock of DS Lite’s. They were not due to open until 8.30 am .
Those who tried AsoBitGameCity fared no better with over 200 people eagerly lining up to purchase Nintendo’s latest concept. They sold out at 7.59 am.
Similar scenarios took place at electronics stores across Tokyo.
Early reports indicate that games and accessories for the DS Lite also sold very well.
Following the resounding success of its predecessor, the Nintendo DS Lite was expected to rejuvenate the enthusiasm in the handheld system with its more attractive design, drop in weight and added brightness control feature, something it appears to have done.
Nintendo has made 450,000 DS Lite systems available for the month of March. Alternate colors from the crystal white version will be sold from March 11.
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March 3, 2006 @ 11:39 am
I Iz Bored Said,
I understand how important gaming is to the world and I am a big fan myself just like most people who comment on this site… but sleepingin the freez […] more