• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Media Create Sales: Week 52, 2012 (Dec 24 - Dec 30)

urfe

Member
Then explain to me why Mario Galaxy 2 performed worse than Mario Galaxy 1 in Japan, despite being the better game and being released to a larger audience as consequence of being a later release? The same with Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess (whose sales were canabalized by the GC release but still managed to sell more)?

Probably many people like me feeling one 3D Mario game was enough.
 
Then explain to me why Mario Galaxy 2 performed worse than Mario Galaxy 1 in Japan, despite being the better game and being released to a larger audience as consequence of being a later release? The same with Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess (whose sales were canabalized by the GC release but still managed to sell more)?
Galaxy 2 sold much better launch aligned in fact. The only reason Galaxy 1 has a higher ltd is because it launched 2.5 years earlier.

Twilight Princess GC didn't get a retail release in Japan. Skyward Sword did bomb though, no defending that.
 

extralite

Member
Fantasy Life is doind really well, it just might become a series!


Square-Enix is done fucking playing around, the only thing they can think about is DQ DQ DQ DQ DQ. And I bet BD2 is in development, taking more resources away from FFV and FFTA3!

FFV isn't announced yet and we might not see it for the same reason as we won't see FFVII. When asked about a potential FFV remake, Kitase commented that he would like the original team to work on a remake if it were to be made. Tokita did the extra scenario and rewrites for FFIV but Kitase and co are probably too busy with other stuff.

FFV is when Kitase and Nomura started to take over, basically. Nomura suggested changes for the ending which were taken up by Kitase who was in charge of the story together with Itoh and Sakaguchi gave Nomura more control over the character designs for VI after his input on V.
 
Then explain to me why Mario Galaxy 2 performed worse than Mario Galaxy 1 in Japan, despite being the better game and being released to a larger audience as consequence of being a later release? The same with Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess (whose sales were cannabalized by the GC release but still managed to sell more on the Wii than SS)?

Galaxy 2 performed exactly the same as Galaxy 1, even though it was released 2 years and a half later (you know that Nintendo games tend to have legs, right?): http://garaph.info/softwaregroup.php?grid=41

You're right with Zelda, but that's one case. You said that it seems a trend to have traditional Nintendo IPs performing worse lately, and that's simply not true.
 
I dunno, the game's doing less than I expected.

I reckon it has fared qute well as a launch title overall, much better than MHP3HD if we compare respective install bases, so I gather releasing it as a launch game was a good call on Capcom and Nintendo's part.

Sure this is not going to sell as much as Tri on Wii, but that was a main entry and not a port of a game that is already approaching 2 millions on 3DS, so no one was realistically expecting it to on a home-console with zero install base.

Besides, what should be taken into account is that the most sales of MH3U on Wii U are to be expected in the West, since it's the only version that is on a home-console, it has free online, HD graphics and it's the only main MH game that's being localized outside of Japan since Tri irc.
 

donny2112

Member
One piece 2 ?

Speaking of, PS3 has a sales record group all to its own in Japan: Games launching over 600K and failing to reach 1 million. One Piece Musou would be one of them. There are other systems in the "Games launching over 500K and failing to reach 1 million" group, but PS3 is alone in the 600K version.

Games launching over 600K and not able (so far) to reach 1 million
PS3 RE6
PS3 One Piece Musou
PS3 FFXIII-2

Games launching over 500K and not able (so far) to reach 1 million (includes 600K group)
PS3 - 4
PS2 - 3
PS1 - 2
PSP - 2
SFC - 1
 

Celine

Member
Then explain to me why Mario Galaxy 2 performed worse than Mario Galaxy 1 in Japan, despite being the better game and being released to a larger audience as consequence of being a later release? The same with Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess (whose sales were cannabalized by the GC release but still managed to sell more)?
Were they released after 2009?
Wii peaked the earlieast in Japan (in 2008) compared to US and Europe.
While total userbase is a notable statistic, active userbase are even more useful.

Also SMG2 performed in line with SMG1 and are in the small group of console videogames to have sold more than 1 million in Japan past generation (PS3 contributes with the astounding total of 1).
Not sure what is your point there.
 

donny2112

Member
I think it's almost a certainty that Wii U will start tracking lower than PS3 weekly starting in Jan or Feb.

Not almost a certainty. Did you see how low PS3 was this past year in weekly numbers?

(Not exactly a strong bar to compare against, but PS3 > Wii U in weekly numbers by end of February wouldn't be a foregone conclusion to me, even with Wii U doing 20K weekly by then.)
 
FFV isn't announced yet and we might not see it for the same reason as we won't see FFVII. When asked about a potential FFV remake, Kitase commented that he would like the original team to work on a remake if it were to be made. Tokita did the extra scenario and rewrites for FFIV but Kitase and co are probably too busy with other stuff.

FFV is when Kitase and Nomura started to take over, basically. Nomura suggested changes for the ending which were taken up by Kitase who was in charge of the story together with Itoh and Sakaguchi gave Nomura more control over the character designs for VI after his input on V.
Well, what about this: http://www.siliconera.com/2010/06/2...o-about-final-fantasy-v-and-vi-on-ds-and-3ds/

I think it's time to green light some games. Watch DQXI get announced before FFV or TWEWY 2.
 
I love Nintendoland

I play it with my girlfriend and family on the regular. I just don't consider it a new IP
Sorry if that sounded a tad mean.

It is a new IP. It may share common themes and locales with Nintendo franchises but these are simply used as a means to resonate with an audience. What you're doing in the mini games is a pretty big departure from the series they are derived.

We could have got a Nintendoland using the sterile, Mii- aesthetic from Wii Party, Wii-Sports, etc. (Possibly called WiiU Super Fun Time Plaza.) That would have made the game slightly less enjoyable, I think. (For myself at least.)
 
Not almost a certainty. Did you see how low PS3 was this past year in weekly numbers?

(Not exactly a strong bar to compare against, but PS3 > Wii U in weekly numbers by end of February wouldn't be a foregone conclusion to me, even with Wii U doing 20K weekly by then.)
I'm expecting both under 15k weekly soon. I dunno, I feel like Japan soon will be the place where everything but 3DS is bombing. PS4 included.
 

zroid

Banned
I love Nintendoland

I play it with my girlfriend and family on the regular. I just don't consider it a new IP

Sorry if that sounded a tad mean.

It is a new IP. It may share common themes and locales with Nintendo franchises but these are simply used as a means to resonate with an audience. What you're doing in the mini games is a pretty big departure from the series they are derived.

Let me put it this way. Nintendo Land is as much a new IP as Smash Bros. was on the N64.
 
Does anybody have the numbers for all releases of Monster Hunter 3?

Main series

Code:
1 	3DS 	Monster Hunter 3G        	        1,568,788 	
2 	Wii 	Monster Hunter 3                 	1,070,743 	
3 	Wii 	Monster Hunter G                  	236,020 	
4 	WiiU 	Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate     	 	135,641 	
5 	3DS 	Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate       	85,151

http://garaph.info/softwaregroup.php?grid=248

Portable series

Code:
1 	PSP 	Monster Hunter Portable 3rd 	                      4,502,446 	
2 	PS3 	Monster Hunter Portable 3rd HD Ver.         	      404,501 	
3 	PSP 	Monster Hunter Portable 3rd (PSP the Best) 	      260,252

http://garaph.info/softwaregroup.php?grid=244
 
I reckon it has fared qute well as a launch title overall, much better than MHP3HD if we compare respective install bases, so I gather releasing it as a launch game was a good call on Capcom and Nintendo's part.

Sure this is not going to sell as much as Tri on Wii, but that was a main entry and not a port of a game that is already approaching 2 millions on 3DS, so no one was realistically expecting it to on a home-console with zero install base.

Besides, what should be taken into account is that the most sales of MH3U on Wii U are to be expected in the West, since it's the only version that is on a home-console, it has free online, HD graphics and it's the only main MH game that's being localized outside of Japan since Tri irc.
As a launch game it did great, it outsold all the 3rd party launch games on 360, PS3 or Wii combined. I just expected a bit more, but who knows, maybe it'll leg it to several hundred k.
 

Hero

Member
I like making predictions about the JPN market based on general sentiment and broad trends, basically slightly informed 'gut feelings'. If it isn't welcome in this thread, I'll step out. What is all this stuff I've been wrong about in the past?

I'm not telling you to step out, you're free to post what you want. There's nothing wrong with making predictions since most people in these threads tend to do it. Gut feelings are completely fine but again, if you get 9/10 wrong and then on the 10th are like "Told you so" then it doesn't hold so much weight. You've been wrong on several things for the MC sales threads, I don't feel like creeping through your post history to prove it when your avatar is sufficient proof of a bet you made.
 

Galactic Fork

A little fluff between the ears never did any harm...
Main series

Code:
1 	3DS 	Monster Hunter 3G        	        1,568,788 	
2 	Wii 	Monster Hunter 3                 	1,070,743 	
3 	Wii 	Monster Hunter G                  	236,020 	
4 	WiiU 	Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate     	 	135,641 	
5 	3DS 	Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate       	85,151

http://garaph.info/softwaregroup.php?grid=248

Portable series

Code:
1 	PSP 	Monster Hunter Portable 3rd 	                      4,502,446 	
2 	PS3 	Monster Hunter Portable 3rd HD Ver.         	      404,501 	
3 	PSP 	Monster Hunter Portable 3rd (PSP the Best) 	      260,252

http://garaph.info/softwaregroup.php?grid=244

Isn't the 3ds "ultimate" just the "Best price" re-release of 3G? Or is there a difference in content?
 

AzaK

Member
I think it's really stupid if Nintendo saves the big announcements for E3, nobody will care about those games if the system has already bombed, they need to make WiiU interesting to both customers and developers/publishers long before the E3 craziness starts

Agreed. If what we're seeing actually keeps happening (and worse) then in 6 months it will be way too late. Nintendo need games now and need to push the system.

At E3 they will also have to complete for airtime with MS and SONY who will, no doubt, have hype machines in full swing.
 

Scum

Junior Member

Stumpokapow

listen to the mad man
Sorry if that sounded a tad mean.

It is a new IP. It may share common themes and locales with Nintendo franchises but these are simply used as a means to resonate with an audience. What you're doing in the mini games is a pretty big departure from the series they are derived.

We could have got a Nintendoland using the sterile, Mii- aesthetic from Wii Party, Wii-Sports, etc. (Possibly called WiiU Super Fun Time Plaza.) That would have made the game slightly less enjoyable, I think. (For myself at least.)

I don't really think of it this way. It's true that each individual game has a fairly loose connection to its franchise of origin, but many of the mechanics and game-types have been explored by Nintendo before. The aesthetic is basically Kirby's Epic Yarn (or LittleBigPlanet or Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts). The Mii is still the dominant "character" of the game. I think the game is quite enjoyable, and surprisingly even for a mini-game collection, but I don't think anyone really views it as a "new IP".
 

randomkid

Member
Yeah sharing common themes and locales as a means to resonate with an audience, isn't that like the textbook definition of existing/established IP?

Anyways, this sounds comically fanboyish but I dunno why so many people in this thread are cheering the idea of more RPGs on the 3DS, at least if you're a European or American who doesn't read Japanese. The future for niche and even mid-tier portable stuff in the west looks pretty bleak, what you want is for things to get announced for Wii U or PS3 but I feel like the train has left the station at this point and we're in Super Nintendo mode in terms of localizations for the forseeable future.

Real pleased about Fantasy Life's performance though, let's hope the good reception improves its chances of making it out here! I still don't understand why companies let poor performance in one market sink chances for completely different markets but since it appears to be a thing I'm rooting for Level 5 here.
 

vareon

Member
Sorry if that sounded a tad mean.

It is a new IP. It may share common themes and locales with Nintendo franchises but these are simply used as a means to resonate with an audience. What you're doing in the mini games is a pretty big departure from the series they are derived.

We could have got a Nintendoland using the sterile, Mii- aesthetic from Wii Party, Wii-Sports, etc. (Possibly called WiiU Super Fun Time Plaza.) That would have made the game slightly less enjoyable, I think. (For myself at least.)

I don't think it is. It uses the brand power of Nintendo's existing franchises to a certain extent, which is usually the point of our discussion about new IPs (can a new IP without any recognition be successful?). We'll see how Nintendo treats it in the future. Will they made a successor that removes the Nintendo games reference?
 

donny2112

Member
about wiiu, once again:

Wii U in terms of: After 4 weeks, Wii U is where GCN was after 14.1 weeks (December 16, 2001), where Wii was after 3.3 weeks (December 19, 2006), where 3DS was after 2.6 weeks (March 10, 2011), where PS3 was after 13.1 weeks (February 5, 2007), and where PSV was after 16.8 weeks (April 7, 2012).

so, I agree that it's not a system able to sell crazy like the DS and the Wii back in the days, neither as good as the 3DS after the price cut (and in the short term, neither pre-cut as we can see), but calling the "desperate mode" and the "price cut" and so on now after these numbers for the Japanese market is too much, imho.

It's not doing Vita-bad, but it's a pretty poor showing for the system. Maybe some people need to wait until the system is selling < 20K per week to start sounding alarms, but the point of paying attention to sales and trends is about being able to read the writing on the wall.

TEKEL

Miiverse activity was at 9.210 on 06.01.2013.

So the game probably sold >10.000 units online, Miiverse numbers are always lower than the actual sales.

1) Maybe retail is higher sales than Miiverse, typically, but probably less so, if at all, for download.
2) Being F2P, a lot probably downloaded it like a demo of the game. Demo conversion rates vary, but have seen something like 10% conversion into purchases floated around before, in general.
 

boiled goose

good with gravy
Glad to see WiiU struggling.

-lacking online features (namely proper cross platform nintendo account)
-lacking games (flagship title is a last gen-like 'new' mario game)
-lacking hardware power

There is basically no real reason to purchase it right now. It seems Japan agrees.
 

hongcha

Member
Glad to see WiiU struggling.

-lacking online features (namely proper cross platform nintendo account)
-lacking games (flagship title is a last gen-like 'new' mario game)
-lacking hardware power

There is basically no real reason to purchase it right now. It seems Japan agrees.

While I do not revel in Nintendo, or any other game company, struggling, I am happy if such struggling leads to them fixing the serious problems with the platform, namely the first two things on your list of three (they cannot really fix the third one, and I don't really see that as much of a problem for them).
 

antonz

Member
Glad to see WiiU struggling.

-lacking online features (namely proper cross platform nintendo account)
-lacking games (flagship title is a last gen-like 'new' mario game)
-lacking hardware power

There is basically no real reason to purchase it right now. It seems Japan agrees.

While Wii U has tough times coming. Japan has embraced the Wii U about as much as they have most other consoles at this period in its life.
 

donny2112

Member
-lacking online features (namely proper cross platform nintendo account)
-lacking games (flagship title is a last gen-like 'new' mario game)
-lacking hardware power

#1 and #3 have little to nothing to do with its current sales results, though.

It seems Japan agrees.

1) Make up list to fit personal desires as to why system is not selling great.
2) Claim country seeing those sales agrees with personal list of desires.
...
n) Profit!
 

boiled goose

good with gravy
While I do not revel in Nintendo, or any other game company, struggling, I am happy if such struggling leads to them fixing the serious problems with the platform, namely the first two things on your list of three (they cannot really fix the third one, and I don't really see that as much of a problem for them).

yes. number 3 is actually the least important. Reason it is there is that it might at least be a novelty and sign of a more optimistic future regarding multiplatform games.

Actually add number 4:

-no upcoming games announced (third party devs clearly staying far away)

Reason #1 is by far the main reason why I haven't purchased one. It adds a huge amount of uncertainly regarding my investment in the Nintendo platform. If it had a unified, cross platform, proper account system I would already own one. Right now everything is so fragmented (wii mode, 3DS eshop, WiiU eshop, Wii shop, VC, etc.) meaning there is no reason to be loyal to Nintendo overall.

I know these features are not really the most important for the Japanese, so maybe once more games come things will get better. That said, iphone and tablets will only get more popular as time goes on. All of these have unified, cross platform account systems. Consumer expectations regarding digital content are solidifying and Nintendo is falling behind the curve.

#1 and #3 have little to nothing to do with its current sales results, though.

1) Make up list to fit personal desires as to why system is not selling great.
2) Claim country seeing those sales agrees with personal list of desires.
...
n) Profit!

Haha.
I agree. The massive success of the 3DS implies that #1 is not really an issue...
Yet I think it is worth thinking about the long term as well.
You posted a second too early. :p

While not having #1 has not been shown to be detrimental yet, I think having #1 is only beneficial. It is basically a way of promoting brand loyalty. Wii U will need all the help it can get.
 

donny2112

Member
While not having #1 has not been shown to be detrimental yet, I think having #1 is only beneficial. It is basically a way of promoting brand loyalty.

Having #1 would certainly be nicer than not having #1. However when I buy a DL game, I buy it to play now on the system I own now. I'm not worried about whether I'll be playing it on a system two generations hence. I don't sell my old systems, so assuming the original system is still working, I can just pick up the old system and play when I want. Having basically forever future compatibility would surely be nice, but it's not going to keep me from enjoying a good game today.

Now the side of it where it affects today is if your system breaks (or is lost), and there's no way to prove it to Nintendo that you really did buy the stuff you bought and can't pony up the system it was originally downloaded on. That's a real detriment and concern that is valid today about Nintendo DL purchases without a "play anywhere" account system. I do hope they get to adding that, even if they still don't offer cross console/handheld play for purchases. Having that kind of "I bought it, so Nintendo will let me play for this whole generation, as long as I own a compatible system" assurance would be a big, immediate bonus. Still probably wouldn't affect actual sales that much, but it'd be very welcome.
 

Takao

Banned
Doesn't look like a rebound to me? The new Wii game tanked, the 3DS collection of 1-3 sold about as much as one could expect (which is not a whole lot) and Go 2...I mean it's doing fine, but only because we're expecting much less from this franchise these days.

Fantasy Life on the other hand looks pretty promising.

Strikers at this point is just Level-5 doing their typical engine milking. The only IE release that matters is IEGo2. I expected this series to be in a nosedive it wasn't going to recover from. Franchises have peaks in popularity, and maybe Inazuma Eleven is starting to settle.
 
Anyways, this sounds comically fanboyish but I dunno why so many people in this thread are cheering the idea of more RPGs on the 3DS, at least if you're a European or American who doesn't read Japanese. The future for niche and even mid-tier portable stuff in the west looks pretty bleak, what you want is for things to get announced for Wii U or PS3 but I feel like the train has left the station at this point and we're in Super Nintendo mode in terms of localizations for the forseeable future.

Many games wouldn't have existed outside the handheld environment, though. From the moment a game exists, it has a chance to be localized. If it doesn't exist to begin with, then there's a problem. I don't see Atlus putting Devil Summon on PS3, for example.
 

Aostia

El Capitan Todd
It's not doing Vita-bad, but it's a pretty poor showing for the system. Maybe some people need to wait until the system is selling < 20K per week to start sounding alarms, but the point of paying attention to sales and trends is about being able to read the writing on the wall.

TEKEL

I simply think that the actual numbers are not bad. If the actual numbers are BAD, so almost everything in Japan has been bad, since as you see only very few consoles did better than the Wii U in the first weeks. I think that we can say safely that it's not strong as the first period of the Wii, but it isn't expected? Or are we saying that a console or is GREAT or is BAD? To me, the numbers are average +, that's all. It's not only "Vita bad", it's also not "GC bad", not even "PS3 bad" and so on...
Of course, I've already said that it clear that is not a Wii and that it will need GAMES to sell properly (not GREATLY!), unlike the Wii. But up to now we can say that (read below):

Glad to see WiiU struggling.

-lacking online features (namely proper cross platform nintendo account)
-lacking games (flagship title is a last gen-like 'new' mario game)
-lacking hardware power

There is basically no real reason to purchase it right now. It seems Japan agrees.

Wii U is struggling and that Japan has no reasons to buy it, because they are buying it as we saw in the comparative charts with other consoles
 

Chris1964

Sales-Age Genius
Wii U is struggling and that Japan has no reasons to buy it, because they are buying it as we saw in the comparative charts with other consoles

If sales stopped in December maybe. Unfortunately for Wii U holiday season is over and next week Iwata and everyone else will have to land to reality.
 

cw_sasuke

If all DLC came tied to $13 figurines, I'd consider all DLC to be free
If sales stopped in December maybe. Unfortunately for Wii U holiday season is over and next week Iwata and everyone else will have to land to reality.
I like how you act as if they dont expect sales to drop or that they arent working on things behind the scene to improve the situation. They dont gain anything from leaving their system to die out there.....remember reading the same post a couple of weeks after the 3DS had launched and the only announced titles were OoT, StarFox and Dead or Alive (or something like that).

Situation looks horrible right now, but i dont think Nintendo will be surprised as some of you imply.
 

Aostia

El Capitan Todd
If sales stopped in December maybe. Unfortunately for Wii U holiday season is over and next week Iwata and everyone else will have to land to reality.

I've never said it will sell good outside of Christmas holidays.
But saying that it will have problems now on due to the lack of constant software doesn't mean that it debuted badly, and that Japan has no interest in the console.
It's not so behind the Wii, and I think that everyone thought that's not as strong as the Wii was, and it's selling better than a lot of previous consoles.
If we say that these debut numbers are bad, I think we should say that almost everything was not embraced in Japan and probably almost nothing will be embraced in Japan.
That said, Wii U will fall a lot in Jan-Feb due to the lack of proper new games, and (unlike the Wii) if it will not be able to propose new interesting softwre constantly, will not sell average + as it's doing up to now.
 

Chris1964

Sales-Age Genius
I like how you act as if they dont expect sales to drop or that they arent working on things behind the scene to improve the situation. They dont gain anything from leaving their system to die out there.....

Like Wii?

remember reading the same post a couple of weeks after the 3DS had launched and the only announced titles were OoT, StarFox and Dead or Alive (or something like that).

Situation looks horrible right now, but i dont think Nintendo will be surprised as some of you imply.

If you think Nintendo is in position to do with Wii U what they did with 3DS and that it's a similar situation you are the one who will be surprised.
 

Aostia

El Capitan Todd
I like how you act as if they dont expect sales to drop or that they arent working on things behind the scene to improve the situation. They dont gain anything from leaving their system to die out there.....remember reading the same post a couple of weeks after the 3DS had launched and the only announced titles were OoT, StarFox and Dead or Alive (or something like that).

Situation looks horrible right now, but i dont think Nintendo will be surprised as some of you imply.

Jan-Feb will be hard for the Wii U: there no way they can reveal some ununnounced games to come out so soon. And it seems that both Wario and Fit (their next games) will hit the market in late Feb/early march, with DQ coming in April (Spring officially, let's see...).
So, I agree that for the Wii U are incoming tought weeks, probably tougher than expected (they probably hope that Land and Mario can sustain decent HW numbers alone: let's see if this will happen or not: probably not)
 
Top Bottom