DSi Announced, Launched in Japan
October 2
Our Original Coverage

Though Nintendo had a strong, profitable year, it was not a year free of business-related difficulty for the company. In its home region of Japan, market saturation and PSP Monster Hunter frenzy had led to the stagnation of DS Lite sales. This was an untenable situation for the longtime handheld leader, and so in October the company revealed the DSi. The new DS-compatible machine added two low-resolution cameras, expandable flash storage and a digital storefront to what was otherwise an iterative enhancement over the technology of the DS Lite, but it was enough and the system released to strong sales in November. In Japan, anyway—in other regions where the DS Lite still holds sway, Nintendo held off on releasing the new system.



Wii Music Ends the Hot Streak
October 20
Our Original Coverage

Since each of their respective launches Wii Play and Wii Fit were instant and continuous successes, cementing the reputation of Nintendo’s flagship software line as untouchable. But when Wii Music came out, it didn’t chart in the NPD’s top ten sales for October. The NPD later revealed that, at sales of about 81k for its first few days at retail, it didn’t even come close. Nintendo immediately prepared explanations for the perceived shortfall, stating that Wii Music was “evergreen,” that the product had a long-term commitment behind it, and that Brain Age’s early sales were similarly lackluster—and look how well that did in the long term. And while those arguments are sound--sales did rebound a bit with the game selling around 300k units in November--that they were even needed represented a significant turnaround for what seemed like previously bulletproof branding.



Personal Trainer: Cooking Launches New DS Brand
November 24
Our Original Coverage

A fairly uneventful year for Nintendo DS software gave Nintendo the breathing room to start its latest lifestyle brand on the handheld. Personal Trainer: Cooking represents the first game in what is likely to become the prolific and vigorously marketed Personal Trainer series. The “game”—it’s more of a cookbook—took center stage at Nintendo’s E3 press conference, before disappearing largely from enthusiast channels. But the push for the title is large, even if it’s not directed at the typical gaming audience, and the title has appeared at events like the Women’s Conference and in TV ads starring Friends alum Lisa Kudrow. So Personal Trainer: Cooking is a huge deal for Nintendo, and represented the company’s further willingness to release content that traditional gaming markets have no interest in whatsoever.