Nintendogs Sells Quarter of a Millions Units

Zangief writes "Nintendogs, the quirky DS title about dogs, has sold more than a quarter of a million units in its first week on the U.S. market. This puts to rest the argument that Nintendogs wouldn't appeal to the Western consumers, obsessed with 'mature' games." Expect our look at the title next week.

Comments

Sponsoring television too...

[Ford Prefect]

There's a prime-time television programme in the UK called 'It's Me or the Dog' - one of the never-ending succession of formats involving things like unruly children and the taming thereof, unhygienic students and the fumigation thereof, infectious kitchens and the incineration thereof, ad nauseam...

It's sponsored by 'Nintendogs'. I've no idea if the game's even available in the UK yet - but I still couldn't help but think of Penny Arcade's approach... ;-)

Not everyone can have a pet

[alvinrod]

Second, from TFA: Nintendogs Selling Outta Control Who knew so many were too lazy to raise real pets? My sentiments exactly.

I lived on a farm for a lot of my life or in a small town and was able to have pets if I wanted to. However, there are a lot of people who just aren't able to have pets. If you live in a big city in an apartment, chances are you won't be able to have a cat or a dog. If you're still living with your parents there's nothing you can do about it. A 14 year old can't just got out an get a place of their own and have a pet.

Additionally, pets can be very expensive and time consuming. You can generally get one for low costs from an animal shelter, but a specific breed is going to cost you some money. After thise you need to continually buy food which varies in price depending how much your dog or cat can eat.

Next there are vet expenses associated with keepign the animal healthy. A dog might need to be fixed so you don't end up with puppies. Shots and vaccinations are always a good idea as well.

Now add in some of your time. It's going to take time to feed, water, and care for the pet. Add in time to teach it to behave and house break it and that adds up.

You could easily spend thousands of dollars in food, care, and time taking care of a real pet, assuming you can even have one in the first place. Or you can go out and buy a DS for $130 and the game for another $35 or so and play it at your leisure. Is it the same as having a real pet? Of coruse not. But it might be a good thing for some people who've wanted pets but are unable to keep them or afford them.

Re:Not everyone can have a pet

[Anonymous Coward]

I'll second the parent. Let's take it a step farther tho.

If a game is fun, who the hell cares if it just so happens to be about raising a puppy? I didn't hear any people complaining that people too lazy to have children are playing The Sims.

The naysayers using this line are the ones that are just looking for a reason to a) loathe nintendo and/or b) load the title itself without any thought process.

More Impressive

[MBCook]

What I find more impressive is that in the first week, more than 1 in 7 DS owners bought a copy. 15% of everyone who owned a DS bought one in the first week in the US. My understanding is that no game has ever sold that well after a system has launched.

The game caused the DS to outsell all other hardware COMBINED in Japan for quite a while. I wonder if it will do that here too.

Re:More Impressive

[ThePolkapunk]

What I find more impressive is that in the first week, more than 1 in 7 DS owners bought a copy. 15% of everyone who owned a DS bought one in the first week in the US. My understanding is that no game has ever sold that well after a system has launched.

I think you're forgetting about HALO. Not sure what the stats are for HALO 2 though...

Nintendogs nintendshmogs

[robotissues]

this little guy is browser based little guy is loosely based upon my own brussels griffon - and written entirely in javascript! http://www.smileproject.com/chewy/

Maturity

[AsiNisiMasa]

This puts to rest the argument that Nintendogs wouldn't appeal to the Western consumers, obsessed with 'mature' games.

I hope a lot of game developers are paying attention to this. I don't meant to say there's anything wrong with what anyone else does for fun, but I've had enough GTA for a lifetime. Between this and Katamari, I hope the industry will be pushed to make games complex enough for older audiences without the normally associated "adult" themes.
 
I don't mean to say the adult themes should disappear or that the light-hearted games don't exist. I just hope that sales of games like this cause a shift in the curretn ratio of quality light/dark themed games.

Re:Maturity

[superpulpsicle]

People are tired of these serious, hardcore, frustrating games. I used to beat every game in the 80s, I beat less of them in the 90s. Now I find myself needing cheats to just get by. It's ridiculous.

Katamari and Nintendogs set the trend for going back to the days when games are just good for messing around. Every plot revolves around some group of teenagers saving the world anyways, these two games are truely unique.

The new Tamagotchi?

[stoborrobots]

So is Nintendogs the new Tamagotchi?

It sure seems like it: virtual pet which you have to care for in order to keep alive, and became a craze overnight....

It's also moving more systems

[pnice]

From IGN:

"Nearly 15 percent of all DS owners bought Nintendogs in just a week, a virtually unprecedented adoption rate for any title on an established system," said Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime. "And it's also helping sell new DS hardware. Coupled with a price drop to $129.99, retailers are reporting DS sales up between one and a half and three times previous levels, and last week DS comfortably outsold our portable competitors."

http://ds.ign.com/articles/647/647328p1.html

Re:Dear Lord...where to begin.

[NanoGator]

"Who knew so many were too lazy to raise real pets?"

"My sentiments exactly."


Uh huh. Betcha anything that most of the 250,000 people that purchased Nintendogs already have pets.

I have to be honest, I'm really sick of your assumptions about why people are buying that game. I don't know why you think the game is a good substitute for a real animal. I also don't know why you think this is somehow an alternative. FIf you don't mind my being brutally honest here, you sound just as idiotic as that group that's against Rockstar's Bully. Loud claims with nothing substantiative to back them up.

The worst part is, as I've tried to point out to you before, Nintendo is working to promote responsible treatment of dogs..

You'll pardon me for thinking you need to STFU.

four letters: AIBO

[tepples]

I bet the psp could have sell millions if they had released SonyDoggys.

It would compete with AIBO. Companies don't like to compete with themselves.

Re:Dear Lord...where to begin.

[Zangief]

You are just full of it. The argument can also be used with Madden. You just play NFL Madden, because you are too lazy to be a real NFL player.

However, I also know that a large percentage of Nintendog users do so because they simply can't be bothered with the hassle of an actual pet, and I find that very sad.

How do you know this? Did you made a study? can I see your data, please? Do you work at Nintendo Marketing?

My theory: Nintendo developed a great game (as they almost always do), and marketed rightly (which sometimes they botch). Therefore, it is selling. Period.

Re:Western gamers

[xgamer04]

(Reads post) ...

What the fuck?

The idea that since Nintendogs, a very well made pet simulator, has sold 250,000 copies in a week, somehow contradicts the notion that western gamers are tending towards more mature titles is inaccurate.

OK seriously, this sentence is a monstrosity. If you want people to grok your point, leaving out unnecessary data is usually a good idea. Onto the "actual" points you make...

various sales data

I like how this anecdotal evidence is an attempt to "disprove" Nintendogs is doing well. For one thing, you need to take into account the installed base of the systems of these stated games at the time of release. Also, three of the four games you mention are sequels. They are also sequels to the most popular videogame series right now. Remember how many units SMB3 moved? It's the same thing here.

Also, check out today's news post at Penny-Arcade (Sep. 2, 2005). I find it interesting that Tycho notes nearly all handhelds seen at PAX were of the DS persuasion. But no, that can't be possible! Nintendo is the kiddie company! I know this because Sony and Microsoft said so, so it has to be true!

Re:Dear Lord...where to begin.

[lorelorn]

There's no logic to the post, it's just meaningless judgmentalism.

If I wanted that, I'd be in church ;)