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[OldJadedGamer]

I also cannot fathom how they expect to be number 1 WW without serious price cuts in the face of competitor price cuts cause hate to break it to Mattrick; that ain't happening.

They will never be number 1. This is now and has always been a battle for second place. All MS has to worry about is Europe. Japan is dead sales wise and North America has been in the bag for years. And who cares who is in second place in regards to unit sales? The only thing that matters and the real "winner" is the company who makes the most profits.

 

[apana]

Wii drop to $99 is not gonna be useful, the real problem is Wii isn't getting games people want to play. That will change starting with Zelda and to a much lesser extent Kirby.

 

[Mr_Brit]

Wii drop to $99 is not gonna be useful, the real problem is Wii isn't getting games people want to play. That will change starting with Zelda and to a much lesser extent Kirby.

Anyone who cares about Kirby or Zelda already owns a Wii. It's not as if the previous Kirby game lit up the charts and drove new consumers to the Wii.

They will never be number 1. This is now and has always been a battle for second place. All MS has to worry about is Europe. Japan is dead sales wise and North America has been in the bag for years. And who cares who is in second place in regards to unit sales? The only thing that matters and the real "winner" is the company who makes the most profits.

I'm assuming he meant number 1 in terms of current sales rather than sales total.

 

[OldJadedGamer]

I doubt MS care about being number 1 worldwide since it's essentially impossible due to their non presence in Japan. I think they'd rather be number 1 in the Western markets which are the markers that publishers actually care about e.g. NA and Western Europe since at the end of the day it's irrelevant to the big publishers how many consoles Sony sell in the other markets since their software sells 95% of its units in NA and Western Europe.

Let's say Sony sold 20 million units a year in Japan, would that really make any difference to the likes of EA, Activision or Ubisoft?

Right, I said the same thing a few pages back in the thread. Worldwide unit numbers only matter when you are talking about specific games and specific publishers. Worldwide numbers matter to companies like Capcom and Namco but don't matter to companies like Ubisoft and Activision. A game like COD isn't going to sell more units on a console who's half the userbase is located in Japan.

The worldwide unit number is only a measure of success for forum warriors but in reality it really doesn't matter.

 

[Nuclear Muffin]

Right, I said the same thing a few pages back in the thread. Worldwide unit numbers only matter when you are talking about specific games and specific publishers. Worldwide numbers matter to companies like Capcom and Namco but don't matter to companies like Ubisoft and Activision. A game like COD isn't going to sell more units on a console who's half the userbase is located in Japan.

The worldwide unit number is only a measure of success for fanboys but in reality it really doesn't matter.

Of course it matters! Activision make half of their sales in Europe and Ubisoft make half of their sales in the US! (I bet you forgot that Ubisoft is based in France!) The world isn't just America + Japan you know!

Not to mention that the big Japanese publishers typically make most of their sales overseas, so the worldwide sales matter hugely to them!

 

[FrankT]

Mattirick said at E3 and they have sung the chorus since that they were number one in NA and they plan to be number one WW by this holiday. Not happening. Rheotric perhaps, but even with price cuts that still probably wound't happen. Only place they are really is the US and UK. The rest of the EU markets pretty much even out and probably give an edge to PS3 in Europe so it's not like they are really winning their either. Simply it is the US and the UK while being so-so competitive in the rest of the EU markets plus Canada/AU.

They will never be number 1. This is now and has always been a battle for second place. All MS has to worry about is Europe. Japan is dead sales wise and North America has been in the bag for years. And who cares who is in second place in regards to unit sales? The only thing that matters and the real "winner" is the company who makes the most profits.

Pretty much true and I expect those profits to dry up starting sometime next gen.

 

[Sydle]

A spring price cut is pretty much pointless. If they hold out until next year all I can think of is them going for $129 next holiday. 4 years with no price cuts while the competition has brought multiple price cuts is pretty wild. I'm not even sure how they maintained there best year yet in the first half because Kinect really hasn't had any must have SW. At times I think it's more still do with the slim than anything. As for the holiday SW I think it can more than handle it's own with Gears, Forza, Halo CE and a couple of decent Kinect titles verusus say Resistance, Ico collection and Uncharted. With the $100 price drop the PS3 just managed to squeeze out a win in the holiday quarter that year so with the $50 I'm not sure it's going to put that much pressure on MS. Pretty sure 360 has outsold PS3 evey month since that holiday quarter ended. I kind of agree with Pachter it all depends on if they start being outsold on month over month basis for awhile. They will be down YoY every month for the rest of the year though without a cut or crazy level bundles even then not so sure. Really the fall hasn't been the problem SW wise it's the entire 11 months since the last core title (yet they have maintained #1 all year). That is pathetic and I wouldn't be surprised by the same next year. Next-gen for MS is going to be so questionable from a SW level without serious changes.

I also cannot fathom how they expect to be number 1 WW without serious price cuts in the face of competitor price cuts cause hate to break it to Mattrick; that ain't happening.

It's not like all the software released in the past 5 years becomes unavailable or unappealing to new buyers. It's also the combination of things like Live, tons of third party games, Arcade, Kinect, etc. It's just a great platform for a lot of experiences.

MS is going make many of the same plays next gen. Focus on trying to make mega-hits with the first party studios and relying on strong third-party relations, some exclusive, to fill out the rest. Worked well this gen. I imagine with the handful of studios they created recently (Soho, Vancouver, Family, etc) and the studios they help set up (Ruffian, Robot, etc. ) there will be more to look forward to.

 

[Mr_Brit]

Of course it matters! Activision make half of their sales in Europe! The world isn't just America + Japan you know!

Not to mention that the big Japanese publishers typically make most of their sales overseas, so the worldwide sales matter hugely to them!

Eurgh, read the post he was replying to. He meant that outside of Western Europe and NA sales don't really matter to most of the big publishers, of course Europe matters.

Japanese publishers putside of Capcom and SE and the occasional other title are pretty irrelevant in the West.

 

[Nuclear Muffin]

Mattirick said at E3 and they have sung the chorus since that they were number one in NA and they plan to be number one WW by this holiday. Not happening. Rheotric perhaps, but even with price cuts that still probably wound't happen. Only place they are really is the US and UK. The rest of the EU markets pretty much even out and probably give an edge to PS3 in Europe so it's not like they are really winning their either. Simply it is the US and the UK while being so-so competitive in the rest of the EU markets plus Canada/AU.

Not to mention that Nintendo get a bigger boost from the holidays than Sony or MS do, so Wii will probably be number 1 again (let alone the 3DS, which should steamroll them all)

Eurgh, read the post he was replying to. He meant that outside of Western Europe and NA sales don't really matter to most of the big publishers, of course Europe matters.

Japanese publishers putside of Capcom and SE and the occasional other title are pretty irrelevant in the West.

Oh ok I missed that. Fair enough. But you're shortselling the other big JPN publishers. What about Konami with Metal Gear, Pro Evo and Castlevania (which sells more in US and EU than it does in Japan), Namco with Soul Calibur, Tekken, Ace Combat, Ridge Racer etc or Atlus? (who have a sizable fanbase outside of Japan)

The worldwide sales matter hugely to these publishers as well.

 

[statham]

Not to mention that Nintendo get a bigger boost from the holidays than Sony or MS do, so Wii will probably be number 1 again (let alone the 3DS, which should steamroll them all)
.

didn't MS beat them this past Christmas?

 

[Mr_Brit]

didn't MS beat them this past Christmas?

He said boost not sales and it is true that Nintendo systems get a ridiculous boost around the holidays.

 

[Nuclear Muffin]

didn't MS beat them this past Christmas?

Nope, not by a long shot.

December NPD 2010

Nintendo DS – 2.5 million
Nintendo Wii – 2.36 million
Xbox 360 – 1.86 million
PlayStation 3 – 1.21 million

Not to mention that Nintendo always get a bigger percentage boost from October to November/December than anyone else. Their total console hardware sales are heavily skewed towards the end of the year.

 

[FrankT]

didn't MS beat them this past Christmas?

Only in Nov. December was the last time the Wii won the month. By 300k iirc.

HW really isn't the core issue for Nintendo at this point it is those terrible YoY SW declines. Pachter pretty much pegged much of the declines on the Wii earlier this year. Would be nice to have some figures, but pretty sure it's not pretty. I expect overall so-so Wii holiday without more price cuts which they just had one so not sure that is happening. Zelda is a real question mark though.

 

[surly]

didn't MS beat them this past Christmas?

Nope: -

Wii - 2.36 million
360 - 1.86 million
PS3 - 1.21 million

EDIT - Beaten.

 

[statham]

ah, okay somehow 2.1 stuck in my head

 

[OldJadedGamer]

Oh ok I missed that. Fair enough. But you're shortselling the other big JPN publishers. What about Konami with Metal Gear, Pro Evo and Castlevania (which sells more in US and EU than it does in Japan), Namco with Soul Calibur, Tekken, Ace Combat, Ridge Racer etc or Atlus? (who have a sizable fanbase outside of Japan)

The worldwide sales matter hugely to these publishers as well.

You are just proving my original point that worldwide sales only matter to some publishers and not others so it's not a blanket statement and WW unit numbers should only really be brought up when talking about these games/publishers. Just because a system sells a lot of units in one region doesn't automatically mean there are that many more potential sales for every single publisher on that system.

To companies like EA, THQ, Activision, and Ubisoft worldwide sales don't matter since they are not potential customers. They are looking at Western sales numbers (US+EUR) since that is where their games will sell.

 

[BishopLamont]

I also think the slim has been helping the 360 baseline more than kinect has, its been unstoppable ever since the slim came out. I'd also like to think the 360 will beat out the Wii this November/December, but I thought the same last year, so maybe I'll be wrong again and it will edge out the Wii, even if its just by a small margin. I think whoever is willing to price cut will "win". Makes sense for Nintendo to price cut the Wii since the Wii U is coming out next year, and it won't have the longevity like the DS or the 360 will, while the 360 doesn't need a price cut and Microsoft is focused more on profitability.

 

[FrankT]

Heh maybe they are saving that price cut for Wii U launch. They still aiming for summer with that?

 

[Nuclear Muffin]

You are just proving my original point that worldwide sales only matter to some publishers and not others so it's not a blanket statement and WW unit numbers should only really be brought up when talking about these games/publishers. Just because a system sells a lot of units in one region doesn't automatically mean there are that many more potential sales for every single publisher on that system.

To companies like EA, THQ, Activision, and Ubisoft worldwide sales don't matter since they are not potential customers. They are looking at Western sales numbers (US+EUR) since that is where their games will sell.

You obviously missed the part where I was agreeing with you in that post...

 

[OldJadedGamer]

You obviously missed the part where I was agreeing with you in that post...

Guess I did. So we can all agree that talking about WW numbers is silly unless you are talking about a specific game or publisher. It was easy to wrap WW numbers in when Japanese devs were running everything though.

Pretty much true and I expect those profits to dry up starting sometime next gen.

Well, looking at last gen and getting outsold by over 120 million units to this gen and still beating their closest competitor after 5 years is pretty impressive. I'm sure they will do what they can to keep the marketshare they earned this gen. But who knows, it is Microsoft after all. The same company that put out Windows ME so anything can happen.

 

[mujun]

Pretty terrible 360 line-up this year, indeed.

But at least with MS you can always predict what's coming next ! This year you had Forza and Gears, so next year you'll have Halo and Fable.

What is left for the PS3 between now and December 31st retail wise?

 

[Uno Venova]

What is left for the PS3 between now and December 31st retail wise?

Ico Collection, Ratchet and Uncharted.

 

[French]

What is left for the PS3 between now and December 31st retail wise?

Ico/SotC, Disgaea, Ratchet, Resistance and Uncharted.

+ It had games the first half of the year.

 

[bigtroyjon]

They will never be number 1. This is now and has always been a battle for second place. All MS has to worry about is Europe. Japan is dead sales wise and North America has been in the bag for years. And who cares who is in second place in regards to unit sales? The only thing that matters and the real "winner" is the company who makes the most profits.

He's talking about this year. Microsoft has dozens of quotes talking about having the best sales ww this year.

 

[Kusagari]

Ico/SotC, Disgaea, Ratchet, Resistance and Uncharted.

+ It had games the first half of the year.

I'd take Gears over all that.

 

[FJ0372]

I'd take Gears over all that.

Totally agree, Gears or Halo anniversary over those any day of the week. PS3 fall line lineup looks weak except Uncharted 3 for me anyway. But I don't really mind with all the other awesome 3rd party games coming out.

 

[Phonomezer]

Totally agree, Gears or Halo anniversary over those any day of the week. PS3 fall line lineup looks weak except Uncharted 3 for me anyway. But I don't really mind with all the other awesome 3rd party games coming out.

and Radiant Silvergun + Guardian Heroes.

 

[Brofist]

Ico/SotC, Disgaea, Ratchet, Resistance and Uncharted.

+ It had games the first half of the year.

So basically Gears 3 or U3.

 

[Uno Venova]

So basically Gears 3 or U3.

No there's more good games than just those two.

 

[jvm]

Article is done, will be posted tomorrow. Fair warning: I was unable to negotiate anything extra from the NPD Group this month. :| I hate it when that happens.