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[CoolTrick]

Yes, but the fact is that it's not very important and hardly relevant at all to the position of the DS. I mean no one ever says "PSP > GC for 6 months in a row"

I notice you didn't say anything when people were talking about how the PSP was outselling the GBA + DS + GCN + Xbox combined.

 

[Ruud_Luiten]

Yes, but the fact is that it's not very important and hardly relevant at all to the position of the DS. I mean no one ever says "PSP > GC for 6 months in a row" because it doesn't matter. Compare PSP and DS sure, but bringing in the PS2 does nothing but make the poster look fanboyish.

We always compare with the best, and the PS2 is the best gamingdevice qua sales in the world. So comparing the DS with the PS2 isn't that strange and has nothing to do with nintendo vs sony battle. If the dreamcast still sold about 50.000 a week in Japan, we could do a comparison with the dreamcast, but the console isn't relevant anymore. Thus compare with the best these days: the ps2.

Always compare with the best (in your productrange / sector) to see how a product is really doing. you can only spend your money once. If I bought a ps2 tomorrow I won't have enough money for a DS console. So in digital interactive entertaintment they are competitors.

 

[mutsu]

:lol to those who has ever thought that the DS is another Virtual Boy

 

[AniHawk]

I notice you didn't say anything when people were talking about how the PSP was outselling the GBA + DS + GCN + Xbox combined.

I get the feeling you two know each other from somewhere

 

[Dalthien]

Bebpo - why do you have throw out the 'fanboy' term?

Is it really fanboyish to present some factual data and compare sales of gaming sysytems in a sales thread about Japanese gaming systems? Maybe you just don't like the sales data coming out of Japan - and your natural defence is to just label anyone who presents the data as a fanboy. Maybe you were just having a rough night last night. I don't know.

Is Gamespy a Nintendo fanboy? Or Gamespot? You'll have a hard time convincing me of that - but lo and behold, they wrote articles where they actually compared the sales of the DS to the PS2. How could they possible do that?

http://www.gamespy.com/articles/629/629905p1.html

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/07/12/news_6128887.html


Of course it's relevant when something starts competing with the big boy on the block. Your point about irrelevancy would be more appropriate if it was a one-week blip or something. But it has now been three straight months, and it looks likely to be four straight months where the DS has now overtaken the PS2 in Japan. You can make comparisons about the PSP beating the GC if you want. The data certainly supports such a comparison - but the relevancy of that comparison is diminished because the Gamecube isn't a yardstick for anything in Japan. It's not a marketleader. The PS2 is. It has been the standard to which others aspire to in Japan. The GBA and PS2 have ruled Japan for several years now, and all of a sudden it is beginning to look like the DS is stepping into the shoes formally held by the GBA. And it is starting to look likely that the DS will be the top-selling gaming system (handheld or console) in Japan for 2005.

If the North American gaming sites like Gamespy and Gamespot are taking notice that the DS is starting to rival the PS2 in Japan, then you can bet that the Japanese devs and publishers are also taking notice. And that is relevant.

I just wish you could actually articulate your ideas instead of simply labelling anyone who says something you don't like as a fanboy. Who would have thought that someone might actually discuss sales figures and trends in a sales thread?

 

[Bebpo]

Who would have thought that someone might actually discuss sales figures and trends in a sales thread?

Wake me up when you start actually 'discussing' sales figures. All I see is you, kinda like Sonycowboy, putting up numbers and saying "look look, DS is selling big numbers!". That's not really discussion and everyone who sees the data already understands that.

I think that's pretty much the main problem with all these sales threads. There is very little discussion but rather "this system sold x amount more than this system! Yay" or "this system sold x amount less than this system! Boo". Also these threads used to be about the weekly software sales in Japan...not handheld hardware numbers. I see you're a jr. member so you might not have known that. These threads used to be interesting and fun discussions of what kind of software the Japanese community likes to buy. But every since December the threads have lost focus on software and everytime someone posts the soft. sales the next poster says "where are the hardware numbers?" and then everyone just waits for those. It's become quite stale.

I notice you didn't say anything when people were talking about how the PSP was outselling the GBA + DS + GCN + Xbox combined.

I guess I must have missed that. But yea I'd say that's pointless too. I think both the PSP fans and the DS fans tend to be a bit vocal and say a lot of stupid things especially in these threads. Personally I own both, but don't really like either so I try to stay somewhat objective in this matter.

 

[cvxfreak]

Anyone notice that the Xbox's LTD has yet to surpass the DS's first showing on the M-Create charts? :lol

 

[Deku]

These threads used to be interesting and fun discussions of what kind of software the Japanese community likes to buy. But every since December the threads have lost focus on software and everytime someone posts the soft. sales the next poster says "where are the hardware numbers?" and then everyone just waits for those. It's become quite stale.

Can't blame any one group. PSP vs. DS was started by pretty much everyone who supported one of the two. GAF in general is guilty. It doesn't help when people kept ragging on (and continue to attack) non-games, DS being stillborn and Drinky's now infamous hatred of Nintendogs. When those games do well, people will want to point it out.

 

[heidern]

These threads used to be interesting and fun discussions of what kind of software the Japanese community likes to buy.

The problem is, the Japanese community doesn't like to buy much anymore. I mean we have a Gundam game from Bandai that looks like it won't reach 200K. We have a record or near record low for a Square Enix game which is a sequel to a game that sold 387,000 copies in its first week. It seems as if the ps2 is finally on its way to joining the GC and xbox and the ps3 really can't come soon enough. The GBA is on its last legs at least until the GBM comes out with only the occasional blip. The psp is suffering from a disgracefully bad release list for the year so far. Only the DS is exceeding expectations or past performance and hence is the target for discussion. Even that is with a bunch of what are for better or for worse known as non-games, with quality games like Famicom Wars and Goemon doing mediocre.

Pointing out the DS is kicking ass and selling double that of the psp is a kind of obvious topic for discussion, especially in this formative stage of the life cycle. I see your frustration, but these threads really are a pretty good reflection of what's happening in the Japanese games market.

And with that depressing post and in keeping with tradition I give you a relevent pic:

 

[Azelover]

Can't blame any one group. PSP vs. DS was started by pretty much everyone who supported one of the two. GAF in general is guilty.

It started when Sony announced they would enter the handheld market and the hardcores overreacted. DS is part a response to the PSP, part a statement on the direction Nitnendo thinks gaming should go. PSP vs. DS is something I don't think either companies mind much, because for Nintendo it's an opportunity to show the world that creativity and fun will prevail over technology, thus getting a following their future strategy for Revolution and beyond. It remains to be seen if that will pan out for US and Europe but i think for Japan we already know the answer.