Nintendo UK Market Leaders

Lastest figures from Chart Track, the UK's leading independent music, video and software performance and sales tracking company shows that Nintendo is now the UK Market Leader in hardware, surpassing all other competition in both the handheld and home console markets, trampling all others with incredible sales of the Nintendo DS and DS Lite.

Chart Track Data shows that the Nintendo DS is now in the hands of over two million people in the UK alone as of November 12th, 2006. Similarly, Nintendo revealed that software sales for the console remain as strong as that of the hardware, with Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain?, Animal Crossing: Wild World and New Super Mario Bros., selling over 1 million copies across Europe.

The launch of the DS Lite and the immense success of Nintendo's "Touch! Generations" games have only served to further secure Nintendo's lead in the UK Handheld Market. Since the release of the DS Lite, sales of the console in the UK continue to outsell Sony's PSP (dubiously referred to as a "handheld rival" in the offical press release) by a rate of 2.5 DS units to every PSP sold.

When asked to comment on the success of the DS, Lisa Morgan, CEO of GAME, the UK's largest game-specialist retailer said: "Nintendo DS has played an increasingly important part of our business in 2006. Not only is the DS performing really well, but Nintendo are following through on their promise of expanding the gaming audience, which is key to GAME too. This is evident in the broad range of people coming into our stores to purchase both DS hardware and software. Going into 2007, with a great range of software for release, we will continue to work with Nintendo to the best of our ability to broaden the market further"

David Yarnton of Nintendo UK noted the importance of the DS' software lineup, saying: "The ability of Nintendo DS to appeal to both gamers and non-gamers alike through an exciting, fun and innovative portfolio of software has been instrumental in its success in the UK, with many more Touch! Generations games launching this year and into 2007, Nintendo DS will continue to be the main driving force behind the expansion of the video game market this year."

We'll bring you more news on video game sales from around the world as we get it.