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Japanese Weekly Sales: Week 26, 2012 (Jun 25 - Jul 01)

Hopefully Time Travelers does well. I'm not even particularly interested in the game, but for some reason I want to see Level 5 catch some breath. Watching Level 5 create million sellers on the DS with truly original IP's was pretty exciting and it's unfortunate seeing how they have completely lost it over the past two years.
So hopefully TT does well for the type of game it is. If they release a game on three platforms and can't get a decent result out of it they may as well just stop trying and make more White Knight Chronicles.
They'd definitely be a big ally to lose for Nintendo. I think they have the GRIN syndrome, getting thinned out by having too much at once. Although all they really had was Layton and IE, which came at the right time and was helped by Nintendo in marketing. Everything else after that shows us they're not the greatest at reading the market.
 

Brazil

Living in the shadow of Amaz
Are those numbers for pokemon really good for a sequel? In what kind of way is Black/White 2 a sequel? Story wise?
Sorry, but I'm not really aware
Is this really similar to the first one? Why 1,400,000 people have not bought the sequel to one of their favourite game?

I don't feel like explaining the games to you since people have been over this millions of times before, but those numbers are good.
 

schuelma

Wastes hours checking old Famitsu software data, but that's why we love him.
Time Traveler's most likely isn't going to do well on any platform, and it certainly isn't going to do anything for Vita.
 

Takao

Banned
I guess this means no more handheld Metal Gear. Actually, after ZOEHD, I wonder if Kojima will actually follow through on his commitment that all Kojipro games will get Vita releases? They're already skipping Revengeance...

Rising isn't made on FOX Engine or at KojiPro so using that as a point isn't apt at all.
 
They'd definitely be a big ally to lose for Nintendo. I think they have the GRIN syndrome, getting thinned out by having too much at once. Although all they really had was Layton and IE, which came at the right time and was helped by Nintendo in marketing. Everything else after that shows us they're not the greatest at reading the market.

Layton is still pretty big in the West and even it seems cheap to produce so even though it declined a lot in Japan, I guess numbers around 350-400k will still be good for Level-5. Inazuma Eleven, well, let's Chrono Stone, but I guess more than 500k is unlikely to be done.

They DO need to find a new successful IP since LBX is not as big as Layton and Inazuma, while Yokui Watch is basically unknown. They still have the cross-over game which imo will sell well.
 

Cuddler

Member
The best comparison is probably something like FFX-2 or FFXIII-2. A direct sequel but not the next main game in the series.

Thanks, it's seems strange to me that a game that is really well received as pokemon Black/White have lost so many sales, even more than FFXIII-2. Obviously pokemon Black/White started with way more sales than FFXIII to begin with so this is still a pretty good success.

I don't feel like explaining the games to you since people have been over this millions of times before, but those numbers are good.

Sorry, I always read these thread but sometimes it happens that I lose some post.
 

idwl

Member
If it sold until the end of the year the same it sold last year, it would end 2012 at 9.4 million.

It's possible.

well with nsmb2, Animal crossing (coming out this year right?) brain training and XL coming out it should be selling at a higher rate than last year. So could possibly reach 10 million?
 

cw_sasuke

If all DLC came tied to $13 figurines, I'd consider all DLC to be free
The MGS and ZOE Collections also aren't made on FOX Engine or at KojiPro. So what's the difference?
Kojima himself stated that there upcoming games would be on Vita, he is a big Sony supporter and likes the Vita - i don't see why we shouldt doubt him. After all Trasfaring and the possibility to continue playing a home console title on the go is important to him.

Vita would be screwed if people like Kojima would drop their support and I can't see that happening.
 
Thanks, it's seems strange to me that a game that is really well received as pokemon Black/White have lost so many sales, even more than FFXIII-2. Obviously pokemon Black/White started with way more sales than FFXIII to begin with so this is still a pretty good success.
It's less "lost" sales, this wasn't expected to sell like BW. It's actually doing what people mostly expected (more than a 3rd version, comparable to the remakes, less than the mainline). It also didn't "lose" more fans than FFXIII-2 did, it's retaining more than 50% of the audience.


Kojima himself stated that there upcoming games would be on Vita, he is a big Sony supporter and likes the Vita - i don't see why we shouldt doubt him. After all Trasfaring and the possibility to continue playing a home console title on the go is important to him.

Vita would be screwed if people like Kojima would drop their support and I can't see that happening.
Kojima said that before the system had even launched. Things can change...
 
Kojima himself stated that there upcoming games would be on Vita, he is a big Sony supporter and likes the Vita - i don't see why we shouldt doubt him. After all Trasfaring and the possibility to continue playing a home console title on the go is important to him.

Vita would be screwed if people like Kojima would drop their support and I can't see that happening.
By the time the next Kojima Vita game comes out, the PS4 will be out. Will transfaring be moved to Vita/PS4?

Sure Kojima loves Sony, we'll see how deep that love runs if he makes another game for the Vita's low userbase.

Given Sony has paid for the marketing of his games in the past I suspect that unlike war, this won't change.
Where's Revengance for Vita then?
 

Takao

Banned
Kojima said that before the system had even launched. Things can change...

Given Sony has paid for the marketing of his games in the past I suspect that unlike war, this won't change.

They DO need to find a new successful IP since LBX is not as big as Layton and Inazuma, while Yokui Watch is basically unknown. They still have the cross-over game which imo will sell well.

You say this but there's little doubt in my mind that LBX brings in more money than Layton does in Japan, which is a fair comparison given the former has yet to launch out of Japan. LBX sells massive amounts of model kits, and LBX + Boost sold 500k last year on PSP.
 

LuuKyK

Member
"Already"? This is the 14th mainline game in the series (16th if you count both PSP versions).

The sales probably slowed down because the game has a new setting, while the other three PS3 games are directly connected. This also means Ayesha could have longer legs.

Yeah, sorry, I meant the Arland series.
 

Cuddler

Member
It's less "lost" sales, this wasn't expected to sell like BW. It's actually doing what people mostly expected (more than a 3rd version, comparable to the remakes, less than the mainline). It also didn't "lose" more fans than FFXIII-2 did, it's retaining more than 50% of the audience.

Yes, percental wise pokemon Black/White has lost way less sales than FFXIII-2, in my post I was just talking about the number of people.
 

Nekki

Member
Given Sony has paid for the marketing of his games in the past I suspect that unlike war, this won't change.

But war never changes!

Good second week for BW2, and Culdcept seems to have been helped by the new marketing campaign.

It's cool that Taiko got a 50% bump lol, when is the 3ds game dated for???
 
They'd definitely be a big ally to lose for Nintendo. I think they have the GRIN syndrome, getting thinned out by having too much at once. Although all they really had was Layton and IE, which came at the right time and was helped by Nintendo in marketing. Everything else after that shows us they're not the greatest at reading the market.

True, after Layton and IE and the announcement of Ninokuni it looked like they were on to something, but in the end it was too much to expect lighting strike the same place three times. The past two years were somewhat disgraceful.
But lets see how the next Layton and IE will do on a more matured 3DS.
 

matmanx1

Member
Don't forget that MGS also released in the US and Europe so it's not like those 20k copies are all that it sold. While we have no numbers to extrpolate sales from in those regions I do know that the visbility on the gaming sites and PS Blog was certainly there leading up to launch. While it won't set the world on fire I don't expect it to tank either.

And yeah, Robotic;Notes had a very nice launch then when we compare it to other recent 5pb releases. Good for them.
 
You say this but there's little doubt in my mind that LBX brings in more money than Layton does in Japan, which is a fair comparison given the former has yet to launch out of Japan. LBX sells massive amounts of model kits, and LBX + Boost sold 500k last year on PSP.

Well, comparing the last entry of Layton to the only entries of LBX does not seem fair. Layton as a franchise i way bigger in terms of units sold in Japan, in the sense that even though the last one suffered for many reasons, it's a possibility to see a small growth for the next entry, and even more success for the crossover.
 
http://andriasang.com/con1sg/mh4_interview/

I hate to bring Monster Hunter up again after last weeks conversation, but it seems Monster Hunter 4 has been in development for 2 years which means they made the decision before long before the 3DS even came out and before MHP3rd for that matter too.

Many people already agreed that MonHan is too big of a franchise to be a pure money-hat and that it just makes sense for Capcom to release it on the DS successor.
 

Mpl90

Two copies sold? That's not a bomb guys, stop trolling!!!

Oh yeah, the sexy bomb!!!

One interesting thing: what's Takara Tomy doing right now? I haven't heard many things from them since...since that Naruto game for 3DS. And now, it seems they lost the lisence for Nintendo platforms, since Naruto SD Powerful Shippuden will be published by Namco Bandai. The gane is also present in the main Naruto site, with all the other games for PS2/PSP/PS3/360.
 

Takao

Banned
Well, comparing the last entry of Layton to the only entries of LBX does not seem fair. Layton as a franchise i way bigger in terms of units sold in Japan, in the sense that even though the last one suffered for many reasons, it's a possibility to see a small growth for the next entry, and even more success for the crossover.

It's also not fair to compare what essentially is a brand new IP that debuted last year to the cumulative sales of a series that started in 2007.

One interesting thing: what's Takara Tomy doing right now? I haven't heard many things from them since...since that Naruto game for 3DS. And now, it seems they lost the lisence for Nintendo platforms, since Naruto SD Powerful Shippuden will be published by Namco Bandai. The gane is also present in the main Naruto site, with all the other games for PS2/PSP/PS3/360.

Making toys like they've been doing since their inception? They're the second largest in Japan behind Scamco.
 
Given Sony has paid for the marketing of his games in the past I suspect that unlike war, this won't change.
The less successful PlayStation is, the higher incentives for support will need to be. I don't really see this working in Vita's favor, Kojima was far more bullish on PSP.


You say this but there's little doubt in my mind that LBX brings in more money than Layton does in Japan, which is a fair comparison given the former has yet to launch out of Japan. LBX sells massive amounts of model kits, and LBX + Boost sold 500k last year on PSP.
LBX takes more investment, it might be less profitable even with Layton's decline. There's no question game side it is. And there's pretty much no way it'll ever begin to approach Layton internationally.

LBX Is a distant 3rd on the Level-5 foodchain (it'd be 4th if Ninokuni PS3 wasn't such an embarrassing failure), which probably helps explain why they're now outsourcing it in favor of a Bandai license. I doubt the mainline Layton or Inazuma Eleven games will ever be outsourced.
 

RurouniZel

Asks questions so Ezalc doesn't have to
For M-C Atelier is at 60k. Ouch!

I've always wondered this, why is there always such a discrepancy between M-C and Famitsu? Do they just track different stores? Is one more accurate than the other? Is one LYING to me?? :p

While it would be rather pleasant to imagine that people are finally tired of Gust's pandering, the reality most likely is because it's a new franchise. New setting, new art, new characters, meaning more people will have first-time hesitation.

The game will likely have strong legs if it actually turns out to tickle its fans enough, and subsequent entries into the new series should have successive increases in sales as well. If the next game in the Twilight series sells worse than Ayasha, then you should really start worrying.

Basically this is my thought. And you're right, if the next game sells worse I would worry. Hell I'd worry if it sells roughly equal.

"Already"? This is the 14th mainline game in the series (16th if you count both PSP versions).

The sales probably slowed down because the game has a new setting, while the other three PS3 games are directly connected. This also means Ayesha could have longer legs.

Ayesha's legs are just as long as other Atelier protags, she just has a longer skirt hiding them. :p lol jk
 
Many people already agreed that MonHan is too big of a franchise to be a pure money-hat and that it just makes sense for Capcom to release it on the DS successor.

Probably, Capcom made some pressure on Nintendo to improve 3DS performance during the first half of 2011. Imo, CPP was a clear way to make it up to them.
 
Didn't know in which thread I should post it:

Has anyone noticed that Capcom shipped 1.100.000 units of Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition? Click


[PS3][360] Street Fighter IV: 3.100.000
[PS3][360] Super Street Fighter IV: 1.800.000



Surprised me. ^^
 

Spiegel

Member
Didn't know in which thread I should post it:

Has anyone noticed that Capcom shipped 1.100.000 units of Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition? Click


[PS3][360] Street Fighter IV: 3.100.000
[PS3][360] Super Street Fighter IV: 1.800.000



Surprised me. ^^

Yes, we noticed that a year ago.

But I really was surprised too back then. I didn't think they could find a ditch big enough to dump 100k more copies after shipping 1M on day one.
 

Takao

Banned
LBX takes more investment, it might be less profitable even with Layton's decline. There's no question game side it is. And there's pretty much no way it'll ever begin to approach Layton internationally.

LBX Is a distant 3rd on the Level-5 foodchain (it'd be 4th if Ninokuni PS3 wasn't such an embarrassing failure), which probably helps explain why they're now outsourcing it in favor of a Bandai license. I doubt the mainline Layton or Inazuma Eleven games will ever be outsourced.

LBX W looks like an expansion to LBX even though it's the game's sequel. I don't really see anything that changes the way the game plays. There's just a new protagonist and robots. It's probably a cheap release. Level-5's certainly attempting to make some made cash off of that engine as that'll be powering a staggering 4 LBX releases in a year and a half, as well as the Gundam AGE game.

I would agree that LBX won't reach Layton's international totals, but the series was designed to go alongside a huge range of merch that has proven to be very lucrative in Japan, and may be emulated abroad.
 

Gradivus

Member
I've always wondered this, why is there always such a discrepancy between M-C and Famitsu? Do they just track different stores? Is one more accurate than the other? Is one LYING to me?? :p

It pretty much comes down to different stores most likely.

Oh well, FE has been bumped out of the top 20 :(.

July is going to be interesting for the 3DS.

Etrian Odyssey 4 and Rune Factory 4 should hopefully do around 150,000 in the long run. Then 3DSXL, Mario and Demon Brain Training to follow afterwards.
 
Yes, we noticed that a year ago.

But I really was surprised too back then. I didn't think they could find a ditch big enough to dump 100k more copies after shipping 1M on day one.
Well, I'm a bit late. xD

I'm currently compiling some 3DS data and noticed that.


Terry's Wonderland should be the 8th 3DS million seller.

- Super Mario 3D Land: 5.840.000
- Mario Kart 7: 5.240.000
- Nintendogs: 2.700.000
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D: 2.610.000
- Monster Hunter 3G: 1.600.000
- Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition: 1.100.000
- Pokemon Rumble Blast: 1.080.000
- Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry no Wonderland 3D 787.615

All shipped numbers, Dragon Quest is Famitsu.


I think Kid Icarus could reach the million mark too. (worldwide)
 
It's also not fair to compare what essentially is a brand new IP that debuted last year to the cumulative sales of a series that started in 2007.

I just wrote "LBX is not as big as Layton and Inazuma", which is true.
I could have added that in my opinion LBX will hardly reach Layton peak, and that I was talking about units sales so potential fanbase. Furthermore, Layton was bigger even when considering the first entry, which sold one million units; Inazuma Eleven, instead, exploded with the second entry, but still the first one sold more than the first release of LBX (400k vs. 325k).
 

Gradivus

Member
Well, I'm a bit late. xD

I'm currently compiling some 3DS data and noticed that.


Terry's Wonderland should be the 7th 3DS million seller.

- Super Mario 3D Land: 5.840.000
- Mario Kart 7: 5.240.000
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D: 2.610.000
- Monster Hunter 3G: 1.600.000
- Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition: 1.100.000
- Pokemon Rumble Blast: 1.080.000
- Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry no Wonderland 3D 787.615

All shipped numbers, Dragon Quest is Famitsu.


I think Kid Icarus could reach the million mark too.

What about Nintendogs? Not sure how well that's done besides the 500,000+ in Japan.

Kid Icarus might be able to do it later on, between the Japanese and US figures it was a little bit over 500,000.
 
What about Nintendogs? Not sure how well that's done besides the 500,000+ in Japan.

Kid Icarus might be able to do it later on, between the Japanese and US figures it was a little bit over 500,000.
Nintendogs: 2.700.000


It wasn't in my database because of the many split releases, updated the post. :)
 

Busaiku

Member
After 2 main entries already, a remake of a main entry, and a 3rd version, it's understandable why Pokemon Black 2/White 2 may not end up doing as well as the main series in general.
 
Is Sony paying for the LBX franchise or something because I don't really understand why W isn't going to the 3DS as well.

Because they are releasing a port of the first game first. It would make more sense to just skip the first game and release the second game on the 3DS alongside the PSP and Vita version, but well....Level 5.
 

Durante

Member
Ayesha first week numbers are slightly disappointing, I hope the second week drop is smaller than usual. It's supposed to be at least as good as Meruru was. Maybe Japanese gamers prefer the art of the Arland series?

While it would be rather pleasant to imagine that people are finally tired of Gust's pandering, the reality most likely is because it's a new franchise.
Honestly, what's the last Atelier game you played?
 

Takao

Banned
Is Sony paying for the LBX franchise or something because I don't really understand why W isn't going to the 3DS as well.

No, LBX is not a franchise Sony* should be paying for given the price range Vita is at. Not only that, there's a 3DS port of the first game coming this month. I just don't think Level-5 knows what the hell they're doing with the franchise. It'll be dead before 2015 at this rate.

*Note: Originally it appeared SCE was going to release LBX in the west, but Level-5 took ages to make the game so it's most assuredly going to be Scamco.

I just wrote "LBX is not as big as Layton and Inazuma", which is true.
I could have added that in my opinion LBX will hardly reach Layton peak, and that I was talking about units sales so potential fanbase. Furthermore, Layton was bigger even when considering the first entry, which sold one million units; Inazuma Eleven, instead, exploded with the second entry, but still the first one sold more than the first release of LBX (400k vs. 325k).

A 75k difference could literally have been the legs that were clipped from the Boost announcement. It's hard to say.
 
I don't know it just seems like the smarter thing to have done would be to release that updated (again) version of LB earlier this year instead of releasing it now. And then releasing W at the same time for all the versions.

Anyone know when L5's yearly event is scheduled for? It seems we're actually approaching a time when they don't have like 20 games announced with no release date in sight.
 

Takao

Banned
I don't know it just seems like the smarter thing to have done would be to release that updated (again) version of LB earlier this year instead of releasing it now. And then releasing W at the same time for all the versions.

The smarter thing to do would've been to not release the same damn game 3 times in 1 year, but this is Level-5. The 3DS port most likely only exists to be released in the west, so why are they even releasing it in Japan? I'm certain that is going to hurt more than help. Like what kind of message are they sending to the kids with this release? The sequel to that game isn't on 3DS, and kids knew that the day they announced the 3DS port since that was the same day they announced the sequel for PSP. This trend of their's with the franchise is also concerning. They keep re-releasing the first game with more features. Isn't that going to tell the kids to maybe not buy the first release of an LBX game? Part of me fully expects LBX W Boost for 3DS holiday 2012 and that should be the death sentence.
 
LBX W looks like an expansion to LBX even though it's the game's sequel. I don't really see anything that changes the way the game plays. There's just a new protagonist and robots. It's probably a cheap release. Level-5's certainly attempting to make some made cash off of that engine as that'll be powering a staggering 4 LBX releases in a year and a half, as well as the Gundam AGE game.

I would agree that LBX won't reach Layton's international totals, but the series was designed to go alongside a huge range of merch that has proven to be very lucrative in Japan, and may be emulated abroad.
LBXW looks like an "expansion" in much the same way Level 5's other same platform sequels have (Layton 2-4, IE2-3), I don't see much difference there. Well, except Layton and Inazuma not being farmed off.

I also don't see much room for merchandising outside Japan. Robot anime isn't really big anywhere else, and western merchandising for Inazuma Eleven (which has far broader western appeal imo) isn't even really big despite the games doing well in Europe.

I think it's also worth pointing out that Layton wasn't a true cross-media Level 5 endeavor. It did get films/merchandising/licensing but that was well after the fact, Layton was a game first effort and that's chiefly what carried it. Inazuma actually didn't launch with it's cross-media efforts in Japan either, that came months after the game was on shelves which probably helps explain it's longer legs and the 2nd entry's explosion in sales. LBX is really Level 5's first cross-media launch, or at least close to it.
 
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