Nintendo DS Soon to be Best Selling Game Console of All Time

By Ian Bell Published May 16, 2010

Video game giant Nintendo is expecting a dent in profits for the first time in six years. Sales for the maker of the bestselling Wii and Nintendo DS took a plunge and dropped by 23 percent.

Profits fell nearly 10 percent, but it appears that despite the fall, the worst may soon be over for the formidable gaming company, based in Kyoto, Japan.

Recommended Videos

The Nintendo DS, which has been running a close second behind the PlayStation 2, is expected to pass by the popular console in sales by the end of the year. “The NDS is approaching the PS2 as the best-selling hardware system of all time”, says The NPD Group’s Anita Frazier.

While competitors Microsoft reported early this year that they sold over 40 million Xbox 360s and current figures had SonyPlayStation 3 with 33.5 million units sold, Wii sales are at about 71 million and the Nintendo DS are at nearly 129 million so far.

Nintendo has plans to launch a 3DS version that will offer 3D technology, sans 3D glasses, by year’s end.

Publisher

I'm the co-founder and CEO of Digital Trends Media Group, which I launched in 2006 out of my home office to share my passion…

Topics

Gaming

Intel’s Arc G3 Extreme could be the plot twist handheld gaming needed

My time with the MSI Claw and Acer Predator Atlas suggests AMD finally has genuine competition.

Intel Arc G3 Extreme Hands On with Acer Predator Atlas 8

If there’s one gadget category I’ve spent an unhealthy amount of time obsessing over in the past few years, it’s handheld gaming PCs. I’ve put hundreds of hours into the Steam Deck, bought an original ROG Ally for myself, and most recently reviewed the ROG Xbox Ally X in depth. I’ve seen this market evolve from a cool experiment into something that can genuinely replace a gaming laptop for quick sessions on the couch or while travelling. I’ve also experienced its biggest weakness firsthand. No matter how good these machines get, there’s always some compromise lurking around the corner, whether it’s battery life, thermals, performance, or software quirks.

So when I landed at Computex 2026 and got the chance to spend time with Acer’s brand-new Predator Atlas 8 and MSI’s latest Claw 8 EX AI+, I was naturally excited. Not just because they looked cool, but because they represented something the handheld market desperately needed: real competition. Truth be told, Intel’s new Arc G3 Extreme processor might just be the most important handheld announcement we’ve seen in years. And honestly? It’s about time.

Gaming

Xbox’s next era may start with a painful question about console prices

A new Xbox Wire post points to surging parts costs, tighter supply, and more pressure on future console pricing.

Xbox is putting unusual pressure on its own console business, and a new Xbox Wire post gives players a clear reason to watch for an Xbox price hike.

Microsoft says storage and memory prices are climbing fast, while Xbox can’t currently make as many consoles as players want to buy. It also says the business needs a new hardware model and new partnerships as it remains committed to Helix.

Gaming

Steam is ending gift cards because scammers were raising too much hell

Digital gift cards will remain, but physical cards are being retired from stores

Steam gift cards.

Valve is pulling physical Steam gift cards from retail stores, bringing an end to a program that has been around since 2012. The company confirmed, as spotted via SteamDB, that it will no longer send new stock of Steam gift cards to retailers once current supplies run out.

Digital Steam gift cards are not going away. Valve says users will still be able to buy them directly through Steam, and existing physical cards can still be redeemed whenever users choose. Retail stock, however, is expected to disappear by the end of 2026.