European DS sales top 10m

Nintendo of Europe has announced that 10 million DS units have now been sold across the continent, making it the fastest and best-selling handheld in history.

The DS launched here in March 2005, and was followed by the redesigned DS Lite in June last year. It was one of the most popular products for European consumers at Christmas, with 1.7 million units sold during December alone.

"This landmark figure of 10 million Nintendo DS gamers cements the consoleâs position as undisputed leader of the handheld market, bringing gaming to a whole new audience - something that was unimaginable a few years ago," said European marketing director Laurent Fischer.

"The DS is now helping to shape the whole market with sales of the Nintendo DS console and games being the main drivers behind recent market growth all across Europe."

The original DS is priced at EUR 130 / GBP 89, while the DS Lite retails for EUR 150 / GBP 99. Forthcoming titles for the handheld include Mario Slam Basketball, Star Fox Command and Final Fantasy III.