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NPD Sales Results for March 2009

AranhaHunter said:
Also kinda surprised that RE360 outsold the PS3 almost 2-1, I'd expect it to be closer even though the 360 has a 2:1 userbase advantage here.
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I've seen a few people say this, but is a ratio of 1.6 to 1 really considered "almost 2 to 1"?
 
Mutanthands said:
...is that the PSP has been an absolute disaster in North America this year. Sales are down this month nearly 50% year over year. Is it the software? Or is it the fact that the 3000 can't be cracked (as of yet)? Irregardless, this is not a good thing when the PSP is supposed to pick up the slack from the PS2 as a revenue stream.

The only conclusion you can draw from numbers like that are that the system is dying. It's doing wonderful in Japan, but in the two biggest markets (USA and Europe), it's getting destroyed.

I wonder if the publishers are starting to get nervous about all the new software they've committed to the platform. Unless they have something new to support...

Like or not, a new PSP is coming, likely at E3. PSP as it is now is on life support.
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I think the problem is what's the draw. The wow factor on PSP graphics has worn off, the software trickles out, and the screen is no big deal with the new MP3 devices that match or surpass that resolution and detail. It's also pretty expensive given its aging technology.

I think the system needs a complete reboot with an influx of new software that's not just knockoffs of console games and way more online integration (downloadable games, etc).
 
v1cious said:
yeah you can blame the art style till the cows come home, but i'm willing to bet this game would have sold at worse 500,000 on a next gen console.
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No freaking way
 
Kifimbo said:
To put GTA: CW sales in perspective, Carnival Games sales in January 2008, several months after it was launch, were around 80k. For that month alone. I know it was a Wii game, not a DS game, but if you are 2K, what type of game are you gonna create in the future for Nintendo's consoles ?
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:lol :lol :lol What kind of perspective is that? At least compare it to the last handheld GTA game.... Which did only 20k better with 4 weeks in a November ... and what did that end up at?

GTA:CW sales are a bit surprising, but GAF is going overboard .......again.
 
GitarooMan said:
I think the problem is what's the draw. The wow factor on PSP graphics has worn off, the software trickles out, and the screen is no big deal with the new MP3 devices that match or surpass that resolution and detail. It's also pretty expensive given its aging technology.

I think the system needs a complete reboot with an influx of new software that's not just knockoffs of console games and way more online integration (downloadable games, etc).
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I agree, and it seems quite possible that's exactly what they're doing.
 
soldat7 said:
Didn't seem to harm Pokemon.
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Pokemon has one of the most dedicated fan bases on earth. You can pirate Monster Hunter on the PSP as well but it does not stop the millions of sales, same reason.

As for people saying GTA CW will collapse at retail, i will just smh

it's now DS troll day I suppose
 
v1cious said:
yeah you can blame the art style till the cows come home, but i'm willing to bet this game(Madworld) would have sold at worse 500,000 on a next gen console.
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I'd agree with that. It is an xbox 360 game put on wii for no discernable reason. Third party companies still don't seem to understand that the Wii is simply not a system for core gamers. I know people love to argue the point, but third party title after title have come out and basically flopped on the system.
 
TheGreatDave said:
I'm hoping for a top 20 to confirm GH:M did better than the Aerosmith game. If there's any justice...
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Actually Microsoft already revealed it was #11 in their press release. It's in one of the first 10 or so pages of the thread I think.
 
markatisu said:
As for people saying GTA CW will collapse at retail, i will just smh

it's now DS troll day I suppose
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But GTA isn't a traditional family friendly Nintendo game. Its audience is hardcore gamers who rely on the hype / marketing cycle to inform purchase decisions.

Do you know of other hardcore DS games that sold poorly in the first month but ended up having long legs? I think you are too quickly dismissing who the GTA audience is, as opposed to who the Mario Kart audience is.
 
GitarooMan said:
I think the problem is what's the draw. The wow factor on PSP graphics has worn off, the software trickles out, and the screen is no big deal with the new MP3 devices that match or surpass that resolution and detail. It's also pretty expensive given its aging technology.

I think the system needs a complete reboot with an influx of new software that's not just knockoffs of console games and way more online integration (downloadable games, etc).
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I hope that is what is happening. I am hoping that Sony emulates the ipod touch, and offers a substantial amount of storage 32GB minimum, and a VERY robust version of the PSN store.

Sony/Nintendo/MS aren't all going to sit back and watch Apple steal the market....
 
Nirolak said:
Actually Microsoft already revealed it was #11 in their press release. It's in one of the first 10 or so pages of the thread I think.
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I thought that through for a couple seconds, and that's not correct.

It says that they discount handheld games, so GH:Metallica is 10 to them. We have one DS game in the top 10.

However, this does not necessarily mean GH:M is 11th. Consider the possibility that 11-20 are all DS/PSP games. Then to Microsoft, GH:M is still 10th, even though it's not in the NPD top 20.

With that all explained, I still think it's likely that GH:M is in fact 11th. Just making sure we all know it's not absolutely confirmed.
 
outunderthestars said:
I'd agree with that. It is an xbox 360 game put on wii for no discernable reason. Third party companies still don't seem to understand that the Wii is simply not a system for core gamers. I know people love to argue the point, but third party title after title have come out and basically flopped on the system.
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Yeah? Aside from Madworld, name two.

GH, Rockband, CoD et al did pretty well on the Wii, even if some of them didn't deserve to.
 
viciouskillersquirrel said:
I know I'm going to sob when I see Murasama numbers :'(
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It's not going to sell well, just expect it and you won't be disappointed. Are the devs in need of insane sales to make money? That's the most important part here anyway. I'm buying that one and I'm sure you are too. We're never going to see another Shenmue, Panzer Dragoon, Jet Set Radio or any of Sega's awesome games, and although I'm sad for it, I can at least always go back and enjoy them. I think we all have to stop worrying about games not selling over a million. I remember when that was well outside the norm, and now it's what everyone seems to be shooting for.

v1cious said:
yeah you can blame the art style till the cows come home, but i'm willing to bet this game would have sold at worse 500,000 on a next gen console.
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Now that's entirely possible, but look at a similar style game like No More Heroes where the main visual difference to most people is going to be the lack of color in one over the other. Both are ultra violent and over the top, yet one sold pretty well and the other didn't (unless I'm totally wrong about my NMH numbers).
 
Gwanatu T said:
yet one sold pretty well and the other didn't (unless I'm totally wrong about my NMH numbers).
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This is the danger with deeming something a bomb after 1 NPD. NMH did about 60K its first month, on its way to a bit over 200K.
 
GitarooMan said:
I think the problem is what's the draw. The wow factor on PSP graphics has worn off, the software trickles out, and the screen is no big deal with the new MP3 devices that match or surpass that resolution and detail. It's also pretty expensive given its aging technology.

I think the system needs a complete reboot with an influx of new software that's not just knockoffs of console games and way more online integration (downloadable games, etc).
Click to expand...


So the question becomes, do you reboot with a PSP 4000, or do you make a complete break from the past with a PSP2? Or a new brand altogether?

At this point, with the developer support commitments and continued success in Japan, I imagine it will be PSP 4000. They don't have much of a choice.

However, you could make an argument that the PSP brand is damaged goods in the US and Europe, and that they need to make a complete break from it.
 
TheGreatDave said:
So it sold best on 360? Interesting...
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Thinking about it I don't actually find that too surprisingly. I'd be likely to believe that the 360 has more Metallica fans than the other platforms and the sales seem to back that up.
 
outunderthestars said:
I hope that is what is happening. I am hoping that Sony emulates the ipod touch, and offers a substantial amount of storage 32GB minimum, and a VERY robust version of the PSN store.

Sony/Nintendo/MS aren't all going to sit back and watch Apple steal the market....
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I think the PSP re-designs have all been wasted opportunities because they have been so similar to the original.

With the DS, there was a clear aesthetic difference between the original and the Lite, and there are obvious and, IMO, substantial improvements from the Lite to the DSi. Nintendo has made a compelling reason for upgrading your DS, and generally keeping people interested in it. PSP on the other hand just feels like old, stale hardware.

I mean, look at me. I am a video gaming whore who will buy almost any shitty hardware. I have bought every DS iteration, but I saw no reason at all to upgrade my PSP. Naturally over the years I kept buying games for the DS because it always feels fresher and more current.
 
I must say I absolutely love that the more things change the more they stay the same. NPD's really don't change, do they?
 
markatisu said:
Why GHWT, RB and RB2 all sold best on 360 in their first month, the Wii version always does better after
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I think I remember Aerosmith doing better on Wii month 1. It was one spot higher I think. But it's been awhile.
 
schuelma said:
I must say I absolutely love that the more things change the more they stay the same. NPD's really don't change, do they?
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Wii isn't for core gamers, Schuelma. Just stop fighting it.
 
Grecco said:
Pretty sure X360/PS3 versions were released first no?
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Nope, day and date. But 360 owners tend to rush out and buy it on day one more. That, plus the fact that Metallica is a lot less casual than the usual GH fare, is why I was kind of expecting the 360 to take the initial sales crown. Wii version will probably sell more overall, though.
 
AnnSwag said:
It's funny that the NPD's for Killzone 2 says like 200k but then Sony just has to come out and they say something and that there game has moved more than 1 million worldwide.

Why is that...really?

http://www.gamercenteronline.net/2009/04/16/killzone-2-sells-1-million-worldwide/
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That "like 200k" is for it's second month in the US. It's first month was "like 300k" for a total of "like 600k" leaving a realistic "like 400k" to make up the worldwide numbers.
 
This trend of blaming sales purely on advertising or lack there of is kinda annoying. As soon as a big game sells below expectations e.g. uncharted, killzone 2, LBP etc immediately the advertising push is blamed. It had nothing to do with the console it's on or the general interest of the consumer, it was all because of the advertising. Maybe general PS3 owners just aren't as interested in these titles as the posters on gaf.

I have absolutely no doubts that had killzone 2 been released on the 360 with the same advertising it would of cleared 1 million for certain in the first month.

Also it is kind of interesting seeing these incredible numbers being done by a console RTS are being written off as solely due to the 'halo' brand name.

If this is the case halo must surely be one of the strongest brands in gaming today. In fact i would say it is probably the biggest franchise in gaming besides the gigantic nintendo franchises (mario, pokemon and the like) and the sims. People usually come back and suggest franchises like GT ,GTA, FF are bigger but halo has already outsold GTA on the 360. GT sales are not going to come anywhere near halo 3's (it will be interesting to see if it can come anywhere near halo 2's sales despite being on a larger user base). Even in FF glory days on PS1 and PS2 i don't think FF was able to macth halo 3 in this gen it will be blown away. I guess it could be argued that CoD is bigger because it gets released every year.

Will be interesting to see what ODST can sell if halo wars can post 600K+.
 
Sharp said:
Nope, day and date. But 360 owners tend to rush out and buy it on day one more. That, plus the fact that Metallica is a lot less casual than the usual GH fare, is why I was kind of expecting the 360 to take the initial sales crown. Wii version will probably sell more overall, though.
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So they actually released the Wii version on time? I had no idea. They had announced that the Wii and PS2 versions would be released later. :lol Interesting.
 
viciouskillersquirrel said:
Yeah? Aside from Madworld, name two.

GH, Rockband, CoD et al did pretty well on the Wii, even if some of them didn't deserve to.
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I wouldn't really call GH and rockband core games anymore. Anything sold with a hunk of cheap plastic in the box sells on the wii.
 
schuelma said:
I must say I absolutely love that the more things change the more they stay the same. NPD's really don't change, do they?
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Never. I come for the discussion of the numbers and what they mean and inevitably get bogged down shooting down insane arguments from people who insist on playing system warz.

Ugh.

I am glad that we got off the topic of the HW > KZ2 non-news though.
 
Omar Ismail said:
So that's the average SALARY.
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In US - aka highest game-industry salaries in the world with the industry centralized largely in the Most expensive/high paying state.

Where was KZ2 developed again?

Number of SEs on a team likely isn't the majority either, number of developers on a team isn't constant for 4+ years(most BIG teams usually ramp up towards end of the project, not at begining), and assuming random distribution of manpower/experience is a pretty big leap of faith, but I'm not gonna go there.
 
AdventureRacing said:
Also it is kind of interesting seeing these incredible numbers being done by a console RTS are being written off as solely due to the 'halo' brand name.

If this is the case halo must surely be one of the strongest brands in gaming today.
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oh shit, quick, somebody tell kotaku!
 
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