Kotaku reports that Nintendo has released new sales data for the Gameboy Advance. What do all these numbers mean? Basically that the Gameboy Advance sold a whole lot of hardware. Well that, and Americans bought more software than Japan and the rest of the world combined. But it also shows that the DS is quickly going to overtake the GBA's lifetime sales as it's approaching the 100 million mark worldwide.

Nintendo's handhelds benefit from something that no other console manufacturer has perfected like Nintendo, and that is constant iteration. That makes many people end up buying your machine more than once because you added better lighting or made it smaller. Sony is trying to do this with the PSP, but for some reason they just can't get the same results that Nintendo does from revisions of their handheld systems.

Hardware

Japan: 16,950,000
The Americas: 41,640,000
Other: 81,440,000

Total Life-to-date hardware sales worldwide: 140,030,000

Software

Japan: 72,940,000
The Americas: 217,240,000
Other: 87,060,000

Total Life-to-date software sales worldwide: 377,240,000

Chea, Sony is not doing this reiteration of their PSP like Nintendo does. sure they make it lighter, and add a TV out port and a special skype headset. But they are bringing it down with a screen with scanline issues. I prefer the orginal PSP, and would take that over the newer versions.

Now Nintendo does this reiteration right, they make their reiterations marginally better and have the hype to convince kids and other people to buy it. The DSlite was way better then the DSphat, it had a brighter screen and better design. IMO the DSlite is everything the orginal DS shoulda been. as for the DSi, I'm not tempted to buy one, like I was with the DSlite... But im quite sure there are tons of people who really want or will want one, either to replace their DSlite/DSphat or have with their DSlite/DSphat.

DS was cheaper than the PSP which has a lot to do with it as well.

It'll take a lot of push from Nintendo to get another 40 million sales out of the DS.

You think so? Last December they sold 3 million in the US alone. Demand seems to be getting higher every year so I don't think that selling 40 million more is out of the question.

I'm not saying it's impossible, but their domestic market is eroding that's why they released the DSi to pump new life into it. But I don't think it'll garner a sustained bunch of sales. It's starting to taper off. They'll release DSi over here and get a few more million out of it. But they're at a peak saturation point with that handheld. Especially since now everyone has cell phones. It'll take some push for them to move another 40 million. Of course if they don't release a successor system, it'll reach that point eventually.

doesn't this mean that the Gameboy is now the highest selling game console ever?

I think the PS2 has sold a little over 150 million. It could be closer to 145 though...I don't know.