Japan: not crazy about Nintendo DSi
by Chris Greenhough 
{ Oct 29th 2008 at 5:29PM }
The most surprising statistic? Only 3.6% stated they'd be purchasing the DSi "soon," a worryingly teensy minority, and perhaps another sign that the DSi won't match the Lite's epic launch. In the next bracket, 29.4% of readers said they'd wait a little bit before jumping in, but 40.7% said they'd already made their mind up against buying a DSi. The new, larger screens are the most attractive feature of the console, said 30.8% of respondents, but the two cameras got considerably less love: only 15.1% of people named them as the best bit of the DSi.
Exactly how representative Dengeki's survey is could be debated. There's no mention of how many readers voted, for example, and Dengeki readers undoubtedly represent a very small proportion of all potential DSi buyers. Still, 3.6% is, y'know, small. Hit the break for a more complete statistical breakdown.
Gallery: Nintendo DSi
Who was surveyed:
Though Dengeki keeps quiet about the number of participants, it does reveal 81.4% were male and 18.6% female. Average age was 26.28 years old.
On buying a DSi:
3.6% intended to purchase a DSi "soon"
29.4% will wait and see before buying
26.2% were undecided
40.7% have decided they won't buy a DSi
On color:
53.4% went with black, 45.9% with dirt-friendly white. The choice was just too much for 0.7% of people, who did not answer.
On the most DSi's most attractive feature:
30.8% Bigger screens
29.5% DSi hardware
15.1% DSi camera
11.6% DSi Sound
3.4% SD card slot
[Via Kotaku]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
JRM @ Oct 29th 2008 5:50PM
doesn't surprise me. If north americans weren't that impressed with the DSi, neither would the tech-oriented japanese.
I still think there will be a jump in sales, a big one, but nothing that exceeds most reasonable expectations given the DSi's novelty.
Mert @ Oct 29th 2008 5:54PM
"The new, larger screens are the most attractive feature of the console"
GAH, DSi needs SMALLER screens. You can already count pixels there.
xeleion @ Oct 29th 2008 5:53PM
Only 3.4% excited about the SD card slot? Clearly they're talking to the wrong people.
NetOperator Wibby @ Oct 29th 2008 11:03PM
Ditto. That's what I was thinking. I mean, you can do so much more with the DSi, with the exception of the GBA slot but it's not like people are going to throw away their Lites.
Shoyz @ Oct 29th 2008 6:21PM
I hope the DSi fails. Such a wasted upgrade.
DS2 or bust.
lazymangaka @ Oct 29th 2008 6:49PM
I'll pick one up once I start making a decent income, but I doubt it'll completely supercede my existing Lite unless it's really awesome.
The SD card is the most intriguing facet for me. The potential for easy and innovative homebrew makes me a bit weak in the knees.
Arceecola @ Oct 29th 2008 6:57PM
"most were pretty nonplussed by the shiny new upgrade."
"Nonplussed" means completely bewildered or perplexed. I suppose you could say that people were nonplussed by Nintendo's belief that the DSi's features were appealing, but I think you meant to imply that respondents were unimpressed.
hvnlysoldr @ Oct 29th 2008 7:03PM
Here's the telling part: Though Dengeki keeps quiet about the number of participants, it does reveal 81.4% were male and 18.6% female. Average age was 26.28 years old.
The DS Lite's audience is much more evenly split between male and female so maybe it's guys who don't really see the need for DSi.
gamer @ Oct 29th 2008 7:18PM
For me the problem with the DSI is that the new screen is only a tiny bit (almost imperceptibly) larger than the old DS.
What's the point of that?
Give gamers (especially the much older gamers they're trying to court) the choice of a real larger screen. I personally know at least 4 people (including myself) who would buy a large DS (25%-50% larger screen) in a heartbeat.
Mr Khan @ Oct 29th 2008 7:34PM
Not a good sign, but the numbers will tell the real tale
Ninbrendo @ Oct 29th 2008 7:57PM
I'm nonplussed ("completely bewildered or perplexed" - thanks Arceecola... LOL!) that the slimmer design wasn't included in the poll. That and the larger screens are a plus for me, although I agree with Mert that most games will probably look worse, pixelation-wise. But I'm really hoping that the Konami and Namco retro arcade collections might be improved upon when the "lateral/horizontal aspect ratio" option is used.
Josh (be logical; vote for Obama) @ Oct 29th 2008 9:08PM
The "DSi hardware" choice probably refers to the slimmer and lighter, you know, hardware.
Josh (be logical; vote for Obama) @ Oct 29th 2008 9:11PM
sigh, nevermind. I just checked out the Dengeki article itself.
"29.5% DSi hardware"
Should be:
29.5% DSiWare
DSiWare, not hardware.
Jacksons @ Oct 29th 2008 8:41PM
I certainly have no plans of upgrading (downgrading?), but come on, it's the DS. I'd be really surprised if it sold poorly.
m-p{3} @ Oct 29th 2008 9:44PM
I actually hope the DSi to be a failure, so we can get a real new portable console from Nintendo.
Maybe I'm to optimistic.
elsng @ Oct 29th 2008 10:21PM
Who saw this one coming?
Everyone and their mother's has a DS in Japan already.
Ninbrendo @ Oct 29th 2008 10:43PM
Ugh... Thanks Josh, now I'm totally lost...
I admit total and utter defeat regarding your first response to my comment. "DSi Hardware" should obviously refer not only the added cameras and slightly bigger screens, but also to the physical size of the device.
But your second response forced me to GoogleTranslate the original page (which I should have done in the first place), all of which has left me even more confused. In what way are you convinced that "DSi Hardware" actually means "DSiWare", other than the complete ambiguousness that seems to drive the typically poor "ALL YOUR BASE-esque" web page translations?
Irregardless (bring it on, GrammerNazis!!!), I'll be purchasing this sucker soon after launch. The black one, just like our next President (bring it on, PoliticalCorrectnessNazis!!!). ^-^
Josh (be logical; vote for Obama) @ Oct 30th 2008 12:41AM
It's an incorrect translation. What was translated as "DSi hardware" should have been translated as "DSiWare".
More information about DSiWare: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSiWare
Jun Senoe @ Oct 29th 2008 11:21PM
80% male and average age of 26? Fail. The DSi is a blue ocean product. It's not primarily for the kind of people who answer online surveys about unreleased technology.
I mean, the fact that the current DS market is already about 50-50 male to female should say something about the trustworthiness of that survey.
jason salisbury @ Oct 29th 2008 11:39PM
nintendo's problem is that its never felt GAMES matter. japan doesnt love psp cuz it has internet downloads or a camera, they love it cuz it has monster hunter.
nintendo's design of the ds handicapped it in this way. how many of you have read a review criticizing a game for NOT using the touch screen? forcing games to adapt to your new hardware style limits its appeal, bottom line.
tekdroid @ Oct 30th 2008 6:48AM
1) males and females not evenly split, average age is not much to go on. A better study would lump different age and sex groups and itemise the results.
2) we have no details as to how and at what length the advantages of the new system were explained / shown. Explain it a little, and you'd get a poor showing. Have they seen actual units in the flesh? Seeing your friend's unit often makes you buy your own. Or not. Depending on the product and person.
3) 'studies' like this can prove almost anything, depending on how the study itself was carried out; results can swing one way or another quite wildly just by how they went about things and the words chosen in questioning respondents.
4) who paid for the study? Were there any kickbacks behind the scenes to the website? What is their readership like, demographics-wise? What kind of viewers / readers do they attract?
...that's just the tip of the iceberg in making any sort of sense from these 'studies'...otherwise the are just mild amusement, at best.
I'll go on record as saying the DSi will be wildly popular by the tried-n-true 'Gut-Instinct-O-Meter'. Even this has far more meaning than this poll.
Ujn Hunter @ Oct 30th 2008 1:17PM
ut oh! if Japan isn't crazy about the DSi then its FAIL! because the only people who should even give a crap about the DSi are little Japanese school girls...
aj @ Oct 31st 2008 4:09PM
Not many statisticians conduct reader surveys for magazines. As such, less than scientific accuracy can be expected.
But I am curious what will happen with the DSi. It really doesn't seem like a big enough change to warrant anyone buying a new thing when the old thing is almost identical. Time will tell, I guess.
The DS2 or GameBoy Triple Screen or whatever is coming really, really soon. You know it is. I think too many people remember the Micro fiasco.