European sales of DS reach six million

Nintendo is making headlines today for officially dating and pricing its Wii home console (December 8th for £179, since you're asking). But it's also found a moment to shout about the ongoing success of DS, which has only gained momentum since the launch of DS Lite in summer.

Since the console's launch in Europe in March 2005, six million of us have shelled out for one of the little clamshell beauties. And the company is claiming its console has held a 70 per cent share of the handheld market for eleven consecutive weeks since the launch of DS Lite.

What's the success down to? Certainly, that 44 percent of all DS Lite sales are going to women can't be underestimated, bringing millions of extra gamers into the fold and helping Nintendo sell four million copies of Nintendogs in Europe since October 2005.

Nintendo says it's equally enjoying the fruits of targeting a wider market – the majority of the 700,000 Brain Training games sold so far have apparently gone to over 25-year olds, for instance.

Nintendo's next roll of the handheld dice will be its DS Lite Pink, which arrives on 27th October.