I will get more detail later, but this week's MCV UK reports that UK software sales were the lowest on record this past week, measured by units. A fairly high ASP kept it from being that way on revenue.
I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that we're about to enter the dry season. This is precisely what I was talking about, and this is hardly a propitious beginning.
The software market is basically about 10-15% behind where it was at the same point in 2012, measured in units and revenue. But we've burned through the best month of sales, and now there's a wasteland in front of us.
By the time we reach mid-summer, being behind by only 10-15% may seem like a beautiful fantasy.
The second half of the year looks really strong tho. GTA5, Battlefield 4, Cod: whatever and Fifa14 have all the potential to sell 20m+ ww. Then you have 2 new hardware launches and I also expect some big pricecuts for the current gen consoles. So not all is lost.
It's quite weird seeing Luigi and Fire Emblem at the top of many PAL charts.
I don't know why, but I'm starting feeling that Luigi's Mansion success is also due to last Nintendo Direct events, when they highlighted the importance of this title and that 2013 is The Year of Luigi. No one was expecting it to be this kind of a success, few people thought it could sell over 1 million WW in its first week / 11 days of availability. And instead, here we have a title being high everywhere, even in UK, the worst territory for 3DS software wise by far.
EDIT: I'm not saying NDs have had the main role in this success, but still a good role. Advertising on TV, web and social media when a game is about to be launched is the biggest component for the success of a title as always.
Can you imagine how bad the movie industry would look if everything good came out in Feb/March, and then Sep-Nov? The videogame industry has to figure out how to keep people interested in the summer time.
Top 40 Entertainment Software (All Prices), Week Ending 26 April 2013
DEAD ISLAND: RIPTIDE - KOCH MEDIA
INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US - WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE
DRAGON'S DOGMA: DARK ARISEN - CAPCOM
STAR TREK - NAMCO BANDAI GAMES
TOMB RAIDER - SQUARE ENIX EUROPE
BIOSHOCK INFINITE - TAKE 2
FIFA 13 - ELECTRONIC ARTS
LEGO CITY UNDERCOVER: THE CHASE BEGINS - NINTENDO
DEFIANCE - TRION WORLDS
LUIGI'S MANSION 2 - NINTENDO
CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS II - ACTIVISION BLIZZARD
FAR CRY 3 - UBISOFT
FIRE EMBLEM: AWAKENING - NINTENDO
THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM - BETHESDA SOFTWORKS
SONIC & ALL STARS RACING TRANSFORMED - SEGA
LEGO BATMAN 2: DC SUPER HEROES - WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE
HITMAN ABSOLUTION - SQUARE ENIX EUROPE
SKYLANDERS GIANTS - ACTIVISION BLIZZARD
ALIENS: COLONIAL MARINES - SEGA
ASSASSIN'S CREED III - UBISOFT
GRAND THEFT AUTO EPISODES - LIBERTY CITY - TAKE 2
GOD OF WAR: ASCENSION - SONY COMPUTER ENT.
NEED FOR SPEED MOST WANTED - ELECTRONIC ARTS
SNIPER: GHOST WARRIOR 2 - CITY INTERACTIVE
TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 1 - ELECTRONIC ARTS
GRAND THEFT AUTO IV - TAKE 2
LEGO THE LORD OF THE RINGS - WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE
SLEEPING DOGS - SQUARE ENIX EUROPE
WWE '13 - THQ
GEARS OF WAR: JUDGMENT - MICROSOFT
RED DEAD REDEMPTION: GOTY - TAKE 2
SIMCITY - ELECTRONIC ARTS
ARMY OF TWO: THE DEVIL'S CARTEL - ELECTRONIC ARTS
JUST DANCE 4 - UBISOFT
DEAD ISLAND GOTY EDITION - KOCH MEDIA
FOOTBALL MANAGER 2013 - SEGA
DISHONORED - BETHESDA SOFTWORKS
DEADLY PREMONITION: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT - RISING STAR GAMES
THE SIMS 3 - ELECTRONIC ARTS
CRYSIS 3 - ELECTRONIC ARTS
UKIE Games Charts ©, compiled by GfK Chart-Track
Didn't expect to see Dragon's Dogma at 3.
Tomb Raider has held really well for a single player game.
Can't believe I'm saying this, but the multiplayer is pretty good all things considered.
It does venture into the world of multiplayer, a place uncharted for the series.Tomb Raider has held really well for a single player game.
So cheap on Amazon (PS3 SKU was at 13.70 £ at one point in the weekend :lol )
So cheap on Amazon (PS3 SKU was at 13.70 £ at one point in the weekend :lol )
Can you imagine how bad the movie industry would look if everything good came out in Feb/March, and then Sep-Nov? The videogame industry has to figure out how to keep people interested in the summer time.
Dead Island's first week had the maximum possible number of 124,000 units. So Riptide's first week is less than 62,000.The sequel to the hugely successful Dead Island which launched in week 36 2011, matches its predecessor by taking the crown in its first week despite having less than half the sales of the original. In total 71% of sales are for Xbox 360 which includes the special Zombie Bait Edition
http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p/software/uk/latest/index_test.jsp&ct=110032
A random Wii U title appears!
No percentage changes?
Yeah it did.Didn't Injustice WiiU release this week?
Didn't Injustice WiiU release this week?
Yeah it did.
It does venture into the world of multiplayer, a place uncharted for the series.