Nintendo apologises as DS stocks run low

Nintendo has issued an official apology to its retailers and customers after the seasonal rush to the stores after New Years in Japan left the Nintendo DS console out of stock across the country.

Reports from Japan suggest that every major electronics store in the Tokyo metropolitan area, as well as several non-specialist stores such as toy shops, placed sold out signs on their DS displays in the week after the New Year holiday.

Many Japanese children and teenagers receive gifts of money from relatives at New Years, which may have caused a rush on the hugely popular console - already undoubtedly running at low stock levels after three weeks leading up to January 1st which saw combined sales of 1.3 million units of the hardware.

"During the year-end period, there was a shortage of our company's portable gaming system, the Nintendo DS, due to a flood of demand which far exceeded our expectations," Nintendo explained in a press release, partially translated by YamaKiyo Press.

"We greatly apologise for inconveniencing all of our customers and retailers," the release concluded.

Nintendo has temporarily moved its shipments of the DS hardware into Japan to airmail in order to try and restock the console as quickly as possible.