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YTD UK Software Aug 2013 - July/Aug Wii U sales up 60% from June

jvm

Gamasutra.
Here's an update on UK software sales, including platform breakdowns.

Looking at the Wii U, do you think it got a bump from the releases in late summer? Things ticked up in July, and that continued into August. But, it's still extremely weak. How much will Wind Waker, Super Mario 3D World, and Donkey Kong help out this holiday?

Just to quantify the change:
June: 24K/5 weeks = 4.8K/week
July: 31K/4 weeks = 7.75K/week
August: 32K/4 weeks = 8.0K/week

That's a 60% increase in unit sales, over 70% increase in revenue to go along with it.

WrEJtIu.png


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Figures come from media reports on UK software sales in terms of units and revenue, and monthly reports on platform splits (given as percentages).
 

jvm

Gamasutra.
Honestly, I'm surprised it didn't increase more. There was nothing released prior.
I need pessimism lessons. I was intrigued to see such a large increase, but the natural thing at this point is to be disappointed it didn't increase more. :D
 

jvm

Gamasutra.
Isn't five weeks the NPD reporting period? This should from June 1 to June 30, right?
June: 26 May 2013 - 29 June 2013
July: 30 June 2013 - 27 July 2013
August: 28 July - 24 August 2013

Those are the correct periods, I believe.
 

DSN2K

Member
still poor, you really cant paint those numbers in any other way frankly, Console needs a full £100 off its price currently

£150 premium bundle with a game and it might pick up,
 

kitsuneyo

Member
I showed Wii U to a friend today. He didn't know what the hell it was, but we had a laugh playing the Metroid and Zelda bits of Nintendo Land.
 

ghst

thanks for the laugh
double digit percentage fluctuations are close to meaningless when it comes to wiiu's UK sales.
 

EloquentM

aka Mannny
Console is nonexistent in UK and with a 60 percent increase in software, it's still nonexistent.

still poor, you really cant paint those numbers in any other way frankly, Console needs a full £100 off its price currently

£150 premium bundle with a game and it might pick up,
So, you essentially want them to lose more money? Never run a company.
 

SmokyDave

Member
Well, it overtook the Vita (at retail), so that's something I guess. It'll be interesting to see how quickly the next gen consoles catch up.

I'm surprised at how low the software sales are for the 3DS. For all the positive rumblings about how the hardware is doing, the software is still looking pretty flaccid.
 
Well, it overtook the Vita (at retail), so that's something I guess. It'll be interesting to see how quickly the next gen consoles catch up.

I'm surprised at how low the software sales are for the 3DS. For all the positive rumblings about how the hardware is doing, the software is still looking pretty flaccid.

Yeah that's the one that stands out to me. It's very worrying for the platform when after a very weak month in July across the board, every format gets an uplift (bar Vita) but 3DS went down. Now I know it had some good releases over the past couple of months but sales dropping and in the school hols isn't a great sign.

PS360 should both be over a million units each in September with GTAV. Every other platform will be crushed.
 

SmokyDave

Member
What should they look like, specifically? How much greater? Double?
Maybe. A little higher perhaps. It just doesn't seem like a platform perceived to be doing very well at the moment should be selling a fifth of the software that the 360 does. I don't think anyone would suggest that PC software does particularly well at UK retail, yet it's also comfortably beating the 3DS.
 
Maybe. A little higher perhaps. It just doesn't seem like a platform perceived to be doing very well at the moment should be selling a fifth of the software that the 360 does. I don't think anyone would suggest that PC software does particularly well at UK retail, yet it's also comfortably beating the 3DS.

Well, it's a nintendo handheld... it's reasonable to assume sales would be below average. Also, 360 has a much, much larger software catalog with more robust pricing options. It also has more hardware units sold than 3DS. How many more? Probably not 5 times as many, sure. Do we have UK 360 and 3DS hardware figures?

I know your point is that "3DS is perceived to be doing well." That's probably more true if you look at the entire NA and EU regions and not just UK though. Personally, "doing well" should be considered relative to the beating handhelds took by mobile devices, and not in any absolute terms. Those days are long gone.
 

Mory Dunz

Member
3DS software seems disappoiting.

But is the 3DS strong in the UK to begin with? The weekly PAL charts don't give actual numbers do they?

I always thought the 3DS was weak in the UK and stronger in surrounding places like Spain, France, and Germany. I guess I'd have to see their YTD charts.
 
3DS software seems disappoiting.

But is the 3DS strong in the UK to begin with? The weekly PAL charts don't give actual numbers do they?

I always thought the 3DS was weak in the UK and stronger in surrounding places like Spain, France, and Germany. I guess I'd have to see their YTD charts.

You would be right.

There's very little nuance or analysis in saying 360 software sales are 5 times larger than 3DS sales. Well.. PS3 software sales less than 4 times larger. Then someone might say something about hardware numbers between PS3 and 360? Why not just have a full discussion then with all the relevant data?

It's a handheld... and a nintendo one in the UK. Shitty sales in the UK doesn't mean its not doing well in other areas. And "well" is amidst mobile devices, not "well" like PSP or DS or GBA.
 

DR2K

Banned
Console is nonexistent in UK and with a 60 percent increase in software, it's still nonexistent.


So, you essentially want them to lose more money? Never run a company.
You lose a lot more money when retailers stop selling your product.
 

KKRT00

Member
PC numbers are very high, revenue is quite low though.
Subscribing to this topic to have future reference for argument that "consoles sell so much more units".
 

SmokyDave

Member
Well, it's a nintendo handheld... it's reasonable to assume sales would be below average. Also, 360 has a much, much larger software catalog with more robust pricing options. It also has more hardware units sold than 3DS. How many more? Probably not 5 times as many, sure. Do we have UK 360 and 3DS hardware figures?
Indeed. I'd expect it to be lower, for the reasons you've given. I didn't expect it to be that low though. I thought it'd be more like half as much as the 360.

I know your point is that "3DS is perceived to be doing well." That's probably more true if you look at the entire NA and EU regions and not just UK though. Personally, "doing well" should be considered relative to the beating handhelds took by mobile devices, and not in any absolute terms. Those days are long gone.
I was talking specifically about the UK. There has been a lot of positive rumblings regarding 3DS sales here over the last three months or so. There have been a good number of titles charting lately too.
 

LayLa

Member
kinda crazy that DS unit sales are nearly triple that of Vita, wonder what titles people are buying, is it just back catalogue evergreens or have there been Moshi/Skylander type minor hits this year?
 

Mory Dunz

Member
Indeed. I'd expect it to be lower, for the reasons you've given. I didn't expect it to be that low though. I thought it'd be more like half as much as the 360.


I was talking specifically about the UK. There has been a lot of positive rumblings regarding 3DS sales here over the last three months or so. There have been a good number of titles charting lately too.

Well, from the past two weeks (unless I should elsewhere.)

Week 37, 2013 - Individual Formats (Units)

01 (NE) PS3 KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 REMIX (SQUARE ENIX EUROPE)
02 (02) 360 SAINTS ROW IV (KOCH MEDIA)
03 (03) 360 DIABLO III (ACTIVISION BLIZZARD)
04 (06) 360 MINECRAFT: XBOX 360 EDITION (MICROSOFT)
05 (05) PS3 SAINTS ROW IV (KOCH MEDIA)
06 (07) 360 TOM CLANCY'S SPLINTER CELL: BLACKLIST (UBISOFT)
07 (04) PS3 DIABLO III (ACTIVISION BLIZZARD)
08 (10) PS3 TOM CLANCY'S SPLINTER CELL: BLACKLIST (UBISOFT)
09 (09 360 PAYDAY 2 (505 GAMES)
10 (01) PC ROME: TOTAL WAR II (SEGA)
11 (11) 360 DISNEY INFINITY (DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS)
12 (08) PSV KILLZONE: MERCENARY (SONY COMPUTER ENT.)
13 (14) WII DISNEY INFINITY (DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS)
14 (13) 3DSANIMAL CROSSING: NEW LEAF (NINTENDO)
15 (NE) PS3 METAL GEAR SOLID: THE LEGACY COLLECTION (KONAMI)
16 (15) PS3 THE LAST OF US (SONY COMPUTER ENT.)
17 (NE) 360 NHL 14 (ELECTRONIC ARTS)
18 (17) PS3 DISNEY INFINITY (DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS)
19 (31) 360 MAX PAYNE 3 (TAKE 2)
20 (16) PS3 FINAL FANTASY XIV: A REALM REBORN (SQUARE ENIX EUROPE)
21 (27) 360 LEGO BATMAN 2: DC SUPER HEROES (WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE)
22 (19) 360 LEGO THE LORD OF THE RINGS (WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE)
23 (30) PS3 MAX PAYNE 3 (TAKE 2)
24 (28) 360 ASSASSIN'S CREED III (UBISOFT)
25 (21) 360 CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS II (ACTIVISION BLIZZARD)
26 (29) 360 GRAND THEFT AUTO IV (TAKE 2)
27 (NE) PS3 NHL 14 (ELECTRONIC ARTS)
28 (32) 360 FAR CRY 3 (UBISOFT)
29 (NE) PS3 PUPPETEER (SONY COMPUTER ENT.)
30 (38) 360 GRAND THEFT AUTO EPISODES - LIBERTY CITY (TAKE 2)
31 (12) 360 FARMING SIMULATOR 2013 (KOCH MEDIA)
32 (26) 360 MADDEN NFL 25 (ELECTRONIC ARTS)
33 (__) PS3 FAR CRY 3 (UBISOFT)
34 (34) PS3 TOMB RAIDER (SQUARE ENIX EUROPE)
35 (__) PS3 LEGO THE LORD OF THE RINGS (WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE)
36 (NE) PC THE SIMS 3: MOVIE STUFF (ELECTRONIC ARTS)
37 (36) PS3 PAYDAY 2 (505 GAMES)
38 (__) PS3 ASSASSIN'S CREED III (UBISOFT)
39 (35) 360 TOMB RAIDER (SQUARE ENIX EUROPE)
40 (18) 360 RAYMAN LEGENDS (UBISOFT)

Only Animal Crossing in 40 games

Week 36, 2013 - Individual Formats (Units)

01 (NE) PC ROME: TOTAL WAR II (SEGA) - 28.837
02 (01) 360 SAINTS ROW IV (KOCH MEDIA)
03 (NE) 360 DIABLO III (ACTIVISION BLIZZARD)
04 (NE) PS3 DIABLO III (ACTIVISION BLIZZARD)
05 (02) PS3 SAINTS ROW IV (KOCH MEDIA)
06 (05) 360 MINECRAFT: XBOX 360 EDITION (MICROSOFT)
07 (03) 360 TOM CLANCY'S SPLINTER CELL: BLACKLIST (UBISOFT)
08 (NE) PSV KILLZONE: MERCENARY (SONY COMPUTER ENT.)
09 (09) 360 PAYDAY 2 (505 GAMES)
10 (06) PS3 TOM CLANCY'S SPLINTER CELL: BLACKLIST (UBISOFT)
11 (08) 360 DISNEY INFINITY (DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS)
12 (NE) 360 FARMING SIMULATOR 2013 (KOCH MEDIA)
13 (10) 3DS ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW LEAF (NINTENDO)
14 (13) WII DISNEY INFINITY (DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS)
15 (11) PS3 THE LAST OF US (SONY COMPUTER ENT.)
16 (04) PS3 FINAL FANTASY XIV: A REALM REBORN (SQUARE ENIX EUROPE)
17 (15) PS3 DISNEY INFINITY (DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS)
18 (18) 360 RAYMAN LEGENDS (UBISOFT)
19 (30) 360 LEGO THE LORD OF THE RINGS (WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE)
20 (14) WIU RAYMAN LEGENDS (UBISOFT)
21 (12) 360 CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS II (ACTIVISION BLIZZARD)
22 (07) PC FINAL FANTASY XIV: A REALM REBORN (SQUARE ENIX EUROPE)
23 (NE) PS3 FARMING SIMULATOR 2013 (KOCH MEDIA)
24 (20) PS3 RAYMAN LEGENDS (UBISOFT)
25 (19) 360 FIFA 13 (ELECTRONIC ARTS)
26 (16) 360 MADDEN NFL 25 (ELECTRONIC ARTS)
27 (31) 360 LEGO BATMAN 2: DC SUPER HEROES (WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE)
28 (29) 360 ASSASSIN'S CREED III (UBISOFT)
29 (26) 360 GRAND THEFT AUTO IV (TAKE 2)
30 (23) PS3 MAX PAYNE 3 (TAKE 2)
31 (21) 360 MAX PAYNE 3 (TAKE 2)
32 (40) 360 FAR CRY 3 (UBISOFT)
33 (27) 3DS LUIGI'S MANSION 2 (NINTENDO)
34 (24) PS3 TOMB RAIDER (SQUARE ENIX EUROPE)
35 (28) 360 TOMB RAIDER (SQUARE ENIX EUROPE)
36 (__) PS3 PAYDAY 2 (505 GAMES)
37 (17) PS3 MADDEN NFL 25 (ELECTRONIC ARTS)
38 (34) 360 GRAND THEFT AUTO EPISODES - LIBERTY CITY (TAKE 2)
39 (__) PS3 NI NO KUNI: WRATH OF THE WHITE WITCH (NAMCO BANDAI GAMES)
40 (22) PS3 CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS II (ACTIVISION BLIZZARD)

LM2 and Crossing.

I don't know, 3DS doesn't seem very strong in the UK.


Acually, looking at all of Europe, 3DS only seems to be charting well in Spain and Germany. It looks like Europe isn't where the 3DS thrives. If Vita were going to try and steal a market, I guess it would be that one. (Unless these two weeks are anomalies)

EDIT:
Looking back at eariler weeks, the 3DS had a few more titles charting (Like Lego City and Mario&Luigi), so it was a little better, but still nowhere close to 360 and PS3.
 

SmokyDave

Member
Well, from the past two weeks (unless I should elsewhere.)

Only Animal Crossing in 40 games

LM2 and Crossing.
Yeah, you need to go back and look at the last year really. Things have improved over the last few months, but you'd need to look back further to put that into context. In isolation, the two weeks you've posted don't look very good, but there was a time when every week looked like that and then there seemed to be an upswing around the time that LM2 was released.

I don't know, 3DS doesn't seem very strong in the UK.


Acually, looking at all of Europe, 3DS only seems to be charting well in Spain and Germany. It looks like Europe isn't where the 3DS thrives. If Vita were going to try and steal a market, I guess it would be that one. (Unless these two weeks are anomalies)
It doesn't look strong to me either. Seems the whispers on the wind were exaggerating the degree of 'recovery' the platform had seen.
 
I need pessimism lessons. I was intrigued to see such a large increase, but the natural thing at this point is to be disappointed it didn't increase more. :D
Well jvm, the only thing that can happen to Wii U is an improvement. I would say it would be a monumental acomplishment to go lower than the first half of this year.

When Nintendo finaises the restructuring of the it's headquarters the software throughput will be a lot more stable. Plus they are doing some "smart" patchwork revisiting software and styles of them that helps dev times. I.E.: New 3DS Zelda using a LTTP as groundwork or the re release of touched up Wii Sports.
 
What releases does September have? The official price drop and WWHD bundle iirc?

I don't really see it doing that much - considering the price has already been lowered numerous times by considerable amounts. But I suppose this price drop should be advertised more with that horrible comedian.

At the least software should be flat.

Somewhat of an aside but do you no longer write up your post-NPD analyses on Gamasutra jvm?
 

jvm

Gamasutra.
What releases does September have? The official price drop and WWHD bundle iirc?
Rayman released in August, but will count in September's period.
Somewhat of an aside but do you no longer write up your post-NPD analyses on Gamasutra jvm?
Under my standing agreement, I am invited to write three or more columns per month, on average.

As you may have noticed, Gamasutra has stopped covering retail data released by the NPD Group. That was an editorial decision for the organization, but I am independent and may write about whatever I wish. There is a retail column in the queue, for example, and it cites NPD Group retail data.

However, for the time being, there is less energy directed toward U.S.-centric retail-only reporting. I have tried to use more public data (i.e. filings by public companies, press releases giving out data, and so forth) and, at the request of Gamasutra, I am trying to address the digital market data as much as I can.

It's not an easy thing, honestly, since the data is scattered and sometimes unreliable or unclear. (See, for example, Nintendo's basically useless combined retail-digital charts. I don't even know what they are supposed to be, much less what they are.)

When hardware is truly relevant again in November (reported in December) you can expect that I will write about what I can there.

Just think about how difficult it would be to talk about anything concrete if we were only talking about tablets and phones. That's a nightmare. To my knowledge, Amazon has never released any data on how many Kindle Fire tablets it has sold -- and it's one of the bigger players in the fractured Android market.
 

Coxy

Member
basicly statistical noise at this point. I'm sure xbox 360 sales in japan rise and fall by bigger percentages weekly
 
Rayman released in August, but will count in September's period.
Under my standing agreement, I am invited to write three or more columns per month, on average.

As you may have noticed, Gamasutra has stopped covering retail data released by the NPD Group. That was an editorial decision for the organization, but I am independent and may write about whatever I wish. There is a retail column in the queue, for example, and it cites NPD Group retail data.

However, for the time being, there is less energy directed toward U.S.-centric retail-only reporting. I have tried to use more public data (i.e. filings by public companies, press releases giving out data, and so forth) and, at the request of Gamasutra, I am trying to address the digital market data as much as I can.

It's not an easy thing, honestly, since the data is scattered and sometimes unreliable or unclear. (See, for example, Nintendo's basically useless combined retail-digital charts. I don't even know what they are supposed to be, much less what they are.)

When hardware is truly relevant again in November (reported in December) you can expect that I will write about what I can there.

Just think about how difficult it would be to talk about anything concrete if we were only talking about tablets and phones. That's a nightmare. To my knowledge, Amazon has never released any data on how many Kindle Fire tablets it has sold -- and it's one of the bigger players in the fractured Android market.
Yeah, I noticed Gamasutra's new policy regarding NPD data, but I am glad you'll still be providing whatever analysis you can - always find your columns an interesting insightful read. :)

And I totally get how difficult and frustrating it must be to try and piece together an analysis from what little and/or vague data is made public. I saw it written on here that NPD have tightened even further what can be released. And that with physical retail lessening with the growth of digital the value of analysing just physical retail has diminished a lot (although iirc, NPD plan to track digital sales more now too, so it will be interesting to see what they release publicly from that).

More on topic: I doubt that Rayman would have pushed many units.
Disney Infinity could help, I think it was released just in the August period, but it seems more of a sustained seller than a blockbuster and iirc it did reasonably on the Wii U.
 
The WiiU is a joke in the UK and Honestly post the hoilday season is looking at even worse numbers in the New year. There are few games to keep the Nintendo core satisfied but I just do not see any recovery forthcoming.
 
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