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[kay]

Damn, Sony needs to get crackin' on a PS3 slim quick-smart. Those things work wonders

Yeah, I was saying this week's ago when people were suggesting it was going to stabilize at > 40k per week. Never going to happen even with game releases at its current state. Some steps need to be made. First, the most obvious one, include the DS3; won't happen until April at earliest because the bundle on March 6 does not include it. Next, PS2 emulation; who knows really but they have got to at least announce it and it has to be good. Lastly, redesign; not as important but it will boost sales substantially and will allow for a lower price. Of course they could always cut the price to 30000 yen but I don't think they will because even though it will increase sales, it would seem like desperation.

That's slightly better than I expected -- relatively speaking it's a smaller drop than DMC4.

It seems Nippon Ichi was not impressed with retail orders (the thing that matters) as it didn't meet their goal. I have no idea how much it was or what they were expecting but I don't see how they could have expected any better considering the circumstances and performance of the previous games.

 

[HK-47]

When you have competition that's selling far better hardware numbers + is cheaper to develop for, then you're working at a disadvantage, I guess.

Though I'm hopeful that the recent trends will make developers take notice that the PSP is here to stay. Handhelds ftw.

Yet PSP has the advantage of having easy port architecture, yet it seems more games go PSP to PS2 than the other way around. Thats not a good sign

 

[BishopLamont]

I agree with him - Nintendo hasn't released any noteworthy DS software for a while. They're only major Christmas hit was Mario Party DS, and Hudson developed that. It seems they have been concentrating on Wii a lot last year, but hopefully some nice DS stuff will come out soon. They need more of the Touch Generations stuff for starters - look at the hardware sales waning!

It's because they're trying to give third party room, why should they push out more games when their older ones are still selling, it's a win-win for 1st and 3rd party.

By the way did Crisis Core ever break a million?

Nope. Around 700k IIRC.

 

[Chris Michael]

By the way did Crisis Core ever break a million?

 

[cvxfreak]

I think Mario Party DS was more than enough for Nintendo in holiday 2007, since the third parties released plenty of high profile games (DQIV, FFIV, Layton 2, etc.). Unfortunately with only Mario & Sonic as the follow up for 2008, and the relative lack of legs for third party titles, Nintendo's really let the DS's high momentum go.

By the way did Crisis Core ever break a million?

Missed it by a good 250K or so. It seems unlikely that any post-FFIII handheld FF will ever sell a million units again.

 

[HK-47]

Super Mario Galaxy, Wii Fit and Brawl within the space of three months is hardly barren. It reminds me of the awesome Christmas DS had when they released Animal Crossing, Mario Kart and Brain Age 2 in the same couple of months.

You need constitent big releases to support a machine like the Wii at this stage. Since no one else gives a shit about the Wii it seems, Nintendo sure as hell better concentrate on it

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

By the way did Crisis Core ever break a million?

Not as far as we know. 95% unlikely given where it was and the rate it was selling at.

 

[Yoboman]

Yeah, I was saying this week's ago when people were suggesting it was going to stabilize at > 40k per week. Never going to happen even with game releases at its current state. Some steps need to be made. First, the most obvious one, include the DS3; won't happen until April at earliest because the bundle on March 6 does not include it. Next, PS2 emulation; who knows really but they have got to at least announce it and it has to be good. Lastly, redesign; not as important but it will boost sales substantially and will allow for a lower price. Of course they could always cut the price to 30000 yen but I don't think they will because even though it will increase sales, it would seem like desperation.


It seems Nippon Ichi was not impressed with retail orders (the thing that matters) as it didn't meet their goal. I have no idea how much it was or what they were expecting but I don't see how they could have expected any better considering the circumstances and performance of the previous games.

They really should. PS3's size is a big turn-off in Japan and as we've seen with DS and now PSP - it can act as a "wipe the slate clean" for a system. If Sony released a PS3 Slim this year alongside a big release like MGS or FF then it'd be perfect. With the way they've rapidly been shrinking PS3s components, you'd hope they were working on something cause PS3 should have this sooner rather than later

If they could shrink it down to roughly the size of the original PS2 they should

 

[Laguna]

Very good numbers for PSP. Was there a Gundam Giren no Yabou special edition out last week? MC numbers should be a little lower considering that they had 20k more than Famitsu. Also DMC4 is doing pretty well 36k second week isn´t that bad. Capcoms marketing efforts (Anime, shop advertisement etc.) payed off to some degree. Can someone post sales of its prequells? DMC3 isn´t to far off now. Smash Bros. isn´t doing bad either... But why is everyone ignoring PS3 numbers?

 

[Thunder Monkey]

You don't live in the U.S., either.

I live in the US and the only GCN only person I know is my niece... and I gave her that GCN for a Christmas a few years back.

Everyone else was either PS2 only, or had multiple consoles.

SSBB
1st week: 816K
2nd week: 266K

NSMB
1st week: 865K
2nd week: 315K

Exactly. the. same. drop. :lol Awesome.

That's freaking crazy. Both saw a 550k unit drop from week 1 to week 2.

SSBB can't have the legs of NSMB can it?

How curious. But doesn't it first have to "sell" before it can be considered "sold" out?

You speak to Segata, master of time.

He's been playing on the game for weeks now. From what he's told me he also has Sega's next console firmly in hand. He explained to me intricacies of the system... of the future and all I had to give him was $30 grand, one of my children, and both of my kidneys.

My health has seemingly fallen as of late, but with what I now know of the future...

*dies*

 

[schuelma]

Super Mario Galaxy, Wii Fit and Brawl within the space of three months is hardly barren. It reminds me of the awesome Christmas DS had when they released Animal Crossing, Mario Kart and Brain Age 2 in the same couple of months.

Oh I agree with you there- I'm talking about the rest of 08.

 

[swerve]

The DS is totally in a lull whilst the little fella waits for Nintendo to actually announce some new stuff (not just for DS... this whole 'not talking about games until a few months before launch' thing totally bites). Fire Emblem and Kirby will help but they had better have some good stuff up their sleeves in the next six months, or... I guess they'll deserve to enjoy a good few months of under performance. I say under performance, but I have no idea of course of their internal targets.

All the while, PSP is the new PS2 I reckon. The people who I used to see browsing PS2 games now fill the PSP aisles. They're migrating!

 

[cvxfreak]

SSBB can't have the legs of NSMB can it?

Even Melee had legs, so Brawl will assuredly sell for a long time. I think it'll outsell the N64 game at least, which sold about 2 Million.

It still remains to be seen whether it'll be the Wii's NSMB. NSMB attracted all sorts of gamers, from lapsed gamers to female gamers and complimented the gamers who purchased Animal Crossing, Nintendogs and Brain Age.

Brawl on the other hand is a multiplayer title that has a more limited range audience (it's a casual game, but not as casual as NSMB) on a smaller userbase. It can't depend on the Wii Sports and Wii Fit audience to boost its sales. However, Mario Kart Wii is up next and should appeal to many of the same people as Brawl, but to a different segment of gamers as well. I'm actually unsure which of the two will come out on top saleswise. I think it can go either way given what we've seen with Mario Kart DS.

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

I live in the US and the only GCN only person I know is my niece... and I gave her that GCN for a Christmas a few years back.

Everyone else was either PS2 only, or had multiple consoles.



That's freaking crazy. Both saw a 550k unit drop from week 1 to week 2.

SSBB can't have the legs of NSMB can it?



You speak to Segata, master of time.

He's been playing on the game for weeks now. From what he's told me he also has Sega's next console firmly in hand. He explained to me intricacies of the system... of the future and all I had to give him was $30 grand, one of my children, and both of my kidneys.

My health has seemingly fallen as of late, but with what I now know of the future...

*dies*

Oi. Should I mention I moved to Koga, Japan in my recent absence?

 

[Frillen]

The DS is totally in a lull whilst the little fella waits for Nintendo to actually announce some new stuff (not just for DS... this whole 'not talking about games until a few months before launch' thing totally bites). Fire Emblem and Kirby will help but they had better have some good stuff up their sleeves in the next six months, or... I guess they'll deserve to enjoy a good few months of under performance. I say under performance, but I have no idea of course of their internal targets.

All the while, PSP is the new PS2 I reckon. The people who I used to see browsing PS2 games now fill the PSP aisles. They're migrating!

DS is the new PS2
Wii is the new PS2
PSP is the new PS2

Make up your minds guys

 

[cvxfreak]

Oi. Should I mention I moved to Koga, Japan in my recent absence?

That's neat. Which Koga (Wikipedia says there are 3), and what are you up to in Japan?

 

[Magicpaint]

DS is the new PS2
Wii is the new PS2
PSP is the new PS2

Make up your minds guys

Nothing is the new PS2.

 

[Dead Prince]

Nothing is the new PS2.

Not until N-gage 2.0 comes out.

 

[Chris Michael]

The Wii is most certainly not the new PS2.

 

[jman2050]

The DS is on autopilot right now because it can be. I wouldn't worry about it in the least.

 

[Thunder Monkey]

Oi. Should I mention I moved to Koga, Japan in my recent absence?

Why are you asking me?

I died a few posts up the page remember? Because I gave you both of my kidneys.

Anyway, nothing is "the new PS2" the PS2 is the PS2. The Wii, DS, even PS3 are all something different.

 

[schuelma]

Pretty low PS3 hardware number. MC has been a bit higher recently, but still, it's not good for it to be dipping close to 20K again.

 

[ksamedi]

Oh I agree with you there- I'm talking about the rest of 08.

Considering they published like close to 20 titles last year I think its pretty safe to asume that they havn't shown there cards yet for this year.

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

That's neat. Which Koga (Wikipedia says there are 3), and what are you up to in Japan?

The one in Ibaraki prefecture. I'm here on sort of a break from my career (stress was killing me). So for one year, I teach ze English.

Then, sigh, back to ze Psych.

 

[*Guaraná]

PS3　21000

wow! pretty depressing PS3 numbers....

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

What's the next big PS3 release?

 

[Grecco]

What's the next big PS3 release?

Yakuza 3

 

[jarrod]

Oh I agree with you there- I'm talking about the rest of 08.

The first quater was pretty decent already (Smash Brawl, Retroid 3 and Common Sense Training TV) but the rest of the year has some big notables lined up already (Mario Kart, Kirby, Animal Crossing, Wii Music, Fatal Frame). It's already bigger than anyone else's 2008 1st party in Japan rather easily.

 

[marc^o^]

Wii is such a beast.

 

[ziran]

The DS is totally in a lull whilst the little fella waits for Nintendo to actually announce some new stuff (not just for DS... this whole 'not talking about games until a few months before launch' thing totally bites). Fire Emblem and Kirby will help but they had better have some good stuff up their sleeves in the next six months, or... I guess they'll deserve to enjoy a good few months of under performance. I say under performance, but I have no idea of course of their internal targets.

All the while, PSP is the new PS2 I reckon. The people who I used to see browsing PS2 games now fill the PSP aisles. They're migrating!

That's interesting, and what I thought might be happening. There is obviously a much smaller market for Sony in Japan than they had with PS1/2 in terms of sw sales, because the style of gaming has become uninteresting for many Japanese consumers, and with Sony being predominantly a technology company, not a sw one, they couldn't/didn't want to acknowledge this. In addition, coming out with a ridiculous price for PS3 and the successful solutions Nintendo was coming up with, Sony's massively diminished presence in the region was writing on the wall, looking back.

The relatively small number of Sony consumers left could be being split between PS2, PSP and PS3, which is a very bad situation. Sony really has lost all its advantages in the region. They've gone from having a singular platform, which has the majority of the market and all the success that naturally brings, to having multiple platforms, incl. 2 new ones with low sw sales, this cost to developers isn't going to be making any friends.

As for DS, yep, Nintendo really has been way too slack on the releases for sustained high sales in Japan, and many 3rd parties, while on board, really are treating it as a secondary system for the most part, so exciting new stuff, in the vein of Nintendogs, Brain Training etc, really is left for Nintendo to develop. (DQ9 is obviously going to be huge.)

However, I don't think Nintendo is at all worried, because this situation could be easily remedied with a new title from them and a redesign, and the demand for DS outside Japan is still amazingly high and Nintendo has yet to release many of the Touch Generations titles in other regions. But, if a redesign is a while away, this downward momentum will need a really significant title/s to bring the system back to the figures it was doing.

If Nintendo expected continued, astronomical sales, this downward trend is a good wake-up call.

 

[egocrata]

The PSP is doing better, but do not get too excited. It is a Gundambump, after all.

 

[Culex]

I really hope the PS3 doesn't go into the sub-20k dulldrums again, like last year. That surely would not be a good sign.

 

[Phife Dawg]

Famitsu numbers

PS3　21000

4. [PS3] Devil May Cry 4　36000（249000）
7. [NDS] L The Prologue to Death Note　17000

Low PS3 numbers, although that seems to indicate DMC4 pushed more hardware than I expected. Will be interesting to see where it levels off. Yakuza will probably only push it significantly for a week or so.

DMC4 also sees a rather steep decline (in-line with hardcore games I guess) but coming from DMC3's sales it's not bad at all.

The L game is pretty low, no? I remember that other DN game did allright. Are people finally tired of DN? I thought with the movie the game would get a bit of a push.

Super Mario Galaxy, Wii Fit and Brawl within the space of three months is hardly barren. It reminds me of the awesome Christmas DS had when they released Animal Crossing, Mario Kart and Brain Age 2 in the same couple of months.

Seriously, there's also Mario Kart just around the corner. People can't expect things to continue like that in all of 08.

 

[Kurosaki Ichigo]

I really hope the PS3 doesn't go into the sub-20k dulldrums again, like last year. That surely would not be a good sign.

I doubt WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008 is going to prevent it. So yes, expect to see it under 20k by this time next week.

I think we can assume that January PS3 sales were affected heavily by Sony's decision to kill 20/60GB SKUs. I don't know who is at Japan right now, but maybe it'd be interesting to know how scarce are those SKUs by now.

 

[donny2112]

THESE ARE NOT THE NUMBERS FOR SSBX/DMC4'S SECOND WEEK

1. (Wii, Nintendo) Super Smash Bros. Brawl - 816,198
2. (PS3, Capcom) Devil May Cry 4 - 212,373
3. (PS2, Banpresto) Haruhi Suzumiya's Wonderment - 112,972
4. (PS2, Namco) Tales of Destiny Director's Cut - 97,476
5. (Wii, Nintendo) Wii Fit - 89,833 / 1,299,133
6. (PS3, Nippon Ichi) Disgaea 3 - 56,441
7. (360, Capcom) Devil May Cry 4 - 40,169
8. (PS3, Ubisoft) Assassin's Creed - 36,898
9. (DS, Nintendo) Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games - 32,497 / 177,149
10. (PSP, Konami) World Soccer Winning Eleven 2008 Ubiquitous Evolution - 24,849 / 95,162

11. Family Ski - 23,895
12. Wii Sports - 22,141 / 2,714,017
13. (PS3) Need for Speed Pro Street - 19,308
14. Mario Party DS - 19,068 / 1,576,162
15. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd - 15,986 / 1,600,147
16. (PS2) Need for Speed Pro Street - 15,496
17. Wii Play - 14,472 / 2,167,614
18. Mario Kart DS - 12,478 / 2,821,565
19. Prof. Layton and Pandora's Box - 11,381 / 738,175
20. Doraemon Baseball: Dramatic Stadium - 10,604 / 151,833
21. (Wii) Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games - 10,369 / 498,181
22. After-School Boy - 9,039
23. Nep League DS - 8,411 / 101,244
24. Lucky Star: Misasagi Sakura Gakuen Sakura Fuji Festival - 7,540 / 68,988
25. (I.E. Institute) Kanji Brain Test 2.5M - 7,420 / 169,062
26. Super Mario Galaxy - 7,234 / 860,251
27. Mario Party 8 - 7,173 / 1,170,173
28. Animal Crossing: Wild World - 7,075 / 4,579,070
29. New Super Mario Bros. - 6,818 / 5,075,649
30. My Household Diary DS - 6,798 / 416,804

Thanks! Even though Jokeropia already posted the extra data, I'll include it here, formalized, so I can link back to it in subsequent weeks.

*. NDS Mushishi: Amefuru Sato 4200 / NEW
*. WII Need for Speed: ProStreet 4000 / NEW
*. PS3 Sega Rally Revo 3700 / NEW
*. PSP Sega Rally Revo 3500 / NEW
*. PS2 Taiheiyou no Arashi: Senkan Yamato, Akatsuki ni Shutsugekisu 3200 / NEW
*. PSP Taiheiyou no Arashi: Senkan Yamato, Akatsuki ni Shutsugekisu 2700 / NEW
*. PS2 Your: Memories Off Girls Style 2500 / NEW
*. 360 Sega Rally Revo 1900 / NEW
*. NDS Loopop Cube: Loop * Salad DS 1500 / NEW
*. NDS Simple DS Series Vol. 32: The Zombie Crisis 1500 / NEW
*. NDS Simple DS Series Vol. 31: The Chou-Dangan!! Custom Sensha 780 / NEW


Recent Famitsu Top 30s

Dec 24, 2007-Jan 6, 2008
Jan 7-13, 2008
Jan 14-20, 2008
Jan 21-27, 2008

 

[Neo C.]

If Nintendo expected continued, astronomical sales, this downward trend is a good wake-up call.

Nintendo could publish more games, but I can't see the own software development ramp up again, at least not significantly.
The next step should be the redesign.

 

[Vinnk]

I doubt WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2008 is going to prevent it. So yes, expect to see it under 20k by this time next week.

I think we can assume that January PS3 sales were affected heavily by Sony's decision to kill 20/60GB SKUs. I don't know who is at Japan right now, but maybe it'd be interesting to know how scarce are those SKUs by now.

In my town, you can still get a 60GB system easily. There are also a few Minna no Golf bundles to be found. The 40GB system is always displayed in front but at least in my area of Japan (don't know about the bigger cities), if you want an older SKU of PS3 you can find one.

 

[Phife Dawg]

Thanks! Even though Jokeropia already posted the extra data, I'll include it here, formalized, so I can link back to it in subsequent weeks.

Thanks. I like the "link-back"-service.

*. WII Need for Speed: ProStreet 4000 / NEW
*. PS3 Sega Rally Revo 3700 / NEW

There is no justice in the world...

 

[Mithos Yggdrasill]

Actually, I see Monster Hunter Portable still selling and I beg to differ. Crisis Core also sold amazingly well. The PSP's problem isn't that it can't sell software... it just hasn't had lots of releases lately that can pull big numbers.

Agreed. I disagree slighty with Crisis Core's performance, because I expected more. Outside that, Monster Hunter 2 sold incredibly well. But I noticed anyway that almost every week the PSP has at least one game into the top 10. The problem is that it doesn't remain in it for too long (outside MH2) and that the top 30 is too often composed only by that game and MH2. Not enough, most of all if we compare then domination of the DS, software-side.

Anyway, I think we can safely say that PSP isn't selling primarly because of its games (a thing that everyone knows), but I have the impression that PSP somehow had the potential to sell games far better then we saw. I still think that most of all is Sony to blame, because they haven't supported enough their handheld.

A shame.

 

[AnimeTheme]

Did you see the PSP's software sales for 07? Not a good sight.

I hope you realize that PSP Slim just had 3 months of showing in 07.

The first quater was pretty decent already (Smash Brawl, Retroid 3 and Common Sense Training TV) but the rest of the year has some big notables lined up already (Mario Kart, Kirby, Animal Crossing, Wii Music, Fatal Frame). It's already bigger than anyone else's 2008 1st party in Japan rather easily.

I have a feeling that Common Sense Training TV will be a huge bomba.

 

[Chris Michael]

I still think that most of all is Sony to blame, because they haven't supported enough their handheld.

What are you talking about? Sony's come out with better games for the PSP than Nintendo has with the DS, in my opinion at least. Unless you mean landing third party exclusives.

 

[Mithos Yggdrasill]

What are you talking about? Sony's come out with better games for the PSP than Nintendo has with the DS, in my opinion at least. Unless you mean landing third party exclusives.

Mmmmmm. Sorry, but Nintendo's first party titles in my opinion are far better then Sony's first party games on their portables. But it is my opinion of course.

 

[Vinci]

Mmmmmm. Sorry, but Nintendo's first party titles in my opinion are far better then Sony's first party games on their portables. But it is my opinion of course.

Hell, Mario Kart DS and NSMB alone .... and yes, opinion, but .... holy shit, those are good games.

 

[ivysaur12]

Mario Galaxy better at least do 900k soon in Japan.

 

[Lightning]

Damn, Sony needs to get crackin' on a PS3 slim quick-smart. Those things work wonders

Fuck yeah.

Hurry the fuck up with that PS3 slim SONY!!!!!

 

[Kurosaki Ichigo]

In my town, you can still get a 60GB system easily. There are also a few Minna no Golf bundles to be found. The 40GB system is always displayed in front but at least in my area of Japan (don't know about the bigger cities), if you want an older SKU of PS3 you can find one.

Thanks! Maybe those shops should try to sell them through amazon, quite rip-off prices, rarely going lower than 65k yen :lol I wonder if Sony will have to do another pricedrop (or having them at open price) to clear that remaining stock.

 

[RJT]

There is no justice in the world...

Punishment for not having a Wii version.

 

[Busaiku]

There is no justice in the world...

They don't have numbers for the PS3 NFS? I'm thinking it may have outsold the Wii one :lol .

 

[AnimeTheme]

They don't have numbers for the PS3 NFS? I'm thinking it may have outsold the Wii one :lol .

PS3 Need for Speed Pro Street: 19,308
Wii Need for Speed: Pro Street: 4,000

 

[Magicpaint]

Fuck yeah.

Hurry the fuck up with that PS3 slim SONY!!!!!

PSone and PSTwo came rather late in the respective lifespans of both consoles (and somehow, I think the redesign thing is more of a handheld luxury), I wouldn't bank on it.