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NPD May 2011 Sales Results [Update 4: 3DS And Wii Hardware Sales]

jvm

Gamasutra.
I wasn't following things closely enough in late 2004 and early 2005 to know, but can anyone who was paying attention tell me what Nintendo DS marketing was like during that period? I realize that it's not exactly the same situation (the PSP came out shortly after the NDS launch, and the PSV is still months away), but I'd be curious to know what Nintendo did to promote the DS during that period. And, on the off chance someone here was working retail, how was is positioned in stores, especially relative to the GBA.
 

chubigans

y'all should be ashamed
All I remember from the DS era marketing wise were those celebrity commercials. Those were friggin' brilliant.
 
chubigans said:
All I remember from the DS era marketing wise were those celebrity commercials. Those were friggin' brilliant.
Those were later. Early DS advertising was the "touching is good" campaign.

And DS in late 2004/early 2005 was doing awful. PSP hit the ground running and totally embarrassed it early on.
 

chubigans

y'all should be ashamed
Ah, that's right.

So does anyone else feel like Mario Kart/Mario 3DS won't do much for the 3DS situation? I've always felt like games can heighten a platform's visibility, but doesn't do much for hardware pushes unless that system has overcome it's obstacles to get to a mass market (usually price).

I think a classic example is GTA IV- a game that sold millions at launch, yet did absolutely nothing for PS3/360 hardware sales that month (which in fact were a decline from the previous month). Consumers just waited out the consoles until one got to sub $250-300 levels. I get the feeling the 3DS will be the same way, with most waiting out the $250 price, and Mario/Kart giving a small but temporary boost. I'd love to go back and do some NPD digging on how well Super Mario Sunshine boosted the Gamecube and other games released in non-holiday months, but I can't get any concrete data.
 

donny2112

Member
chubigans said:
I think a classic example is GTA IV- a game that sold millions at launch, yet did absolutely nothing for PS3/360 hardware sales that month (which in fact were a decline from the previous month).

Microsoft said that hardware sales doubled the week of its release.
 

chubigans

y'all should be ashamed
donny2112 said:
Microsoft said that hardware sales doubled the week of its release.
Doubled from what? March NPD/April (GTA IV release) and May 2008 for the 360 was 262K/188k/186k.
 

Eteric Rice

Member
They need to get the price down to $199. $250 for a handheld is crazy.

Games I'm not concerned about yet, since we know a lot of stuff is coming. But they need to start showing people that the 3DS is not a DS.
 

donny2112

Member
chubigans said:
Doubled from what? March NPD/April (GTA IV release) and May 2008 for the 360 was 262K/188k/186k.

Doubled from the week before. Basically, it was just a description of Microsoft's internal reporting numbers for weekly sales. If the U.S. got weekly sale numbers, we might see more "bumps" for individual big games. Monthly reporting periods does obscure that a lot more.
 

chubigans

y'all should be ashamed
donny2112 said:
Doubled from the week before. Basically, it was just a description of Microsoft's internal reporting numbers for weekly sales. If the U.S. got weekly sale numbers, we might see more "bumps" for individual big games. Monthly reporting periods does obscure that a lot more.
Ah, ok. Weekly reports would be fun...if it came from someone other than NPD... :(
 
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