Are DS sales slowing? 100 millionth DS ships a week late

As big numbers go, 100 million is up there, so while the news that Nintendo shipped its 100 millionth DS on March 6th, 2009 is impressive, at Pocket Gamer our hardheaded beancounters were surprised it hadn't happened sooner.

You see, working off the fairly solid historical data of DS sales over the years, we predicted the 100 millionth DS would be shipped at the end of February. Indeed, our range of inaccuracy was anytime between February 17th to the 27th so March 6th strikes us as being rather late. Maybe the credit crunch is finally hitting DS sales?

We're also surprised Nintendo hasn't made more fuss about the event. After all, 100 million makes the DS only the fourth games console to break the barrier after the Game Boy (total 119 million) and PlayStations 1 (around 102 million) and 2 (over 150 million).

Surely, there's should be photos of a smiling retailer or distributor (note this total is DSes shipped to stores, not necessarily sold to punters) receiving a golden DS or somesuch?

But no. Instead the press release opens rather gnomically; "Somewhere - perhaps in Paris, maybe in Chicago, possibly in Tokyo - the 100 millionth system in the Nintendo DS franchise has been shipped to a retailer or distributor as of March 6th 2009."

Somewhere? Perhaps? Possibly? Hmmm.....