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[AranhaHunter]

So who is this "trusted source" regarding vita sales and why should we trust them ?

The guy is privy to information and has given leaks as far as I can remember. His credibility is undeniable.

He is 100% spot on with his leaks, no bullshit or sugarcoating and only leaks what he wants to leak. The numbers are legit.

With that said, outside of the 360 and PS3 everything performed horribly. GAF hates the ipad, but how much did that sell in America on day 1?

 

[shinra-bansho]

What I've learned from this thread is...

...kids are spoiled these days.

 

[SykoTech]

The only good thing being the performance of Kid Icarus. Pretty good for a dead franchise appeared on NES.

I don't see why people keep saying this. It's not like the franchise has been completely dead since the NES days. A little game called Brawl came along and not only revived the franchise, but gave it some significant popularity. The franchise was by no means "dead".

 

[DXB-KNIGHT]

Kid Icarus exceeded my expectation! I hope this encourages Nintendo to revive their forgoten IPs in the same caliber as Kid Icarus.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

Kid Icarus exceeded my expectation! I hope this encourages Nintendo to revive their forgoten IPs in the same caliber as Kid Icarus.

135k? A First Party Title with major dev time and your encouraged by 135k? Am I missing something?

 

[SykoTech]

Uprising did come out pretty late in the month. Not saying that its sales are impressive, they definitely aren't. But they aren't terrible either.

It's certainly no RE: Revelations, that's for sure.

 

[BassForever]

135k? A First Party Title with major dev time and your encouraged by 135k? Am I missing something?

A 20 year old franchise that has no fan base being revived in a totally different genre on a comparatively young handheld is what you missed. Also last months heave hitters for the 3DS didn't even break 100k in the US

 

[Talon]

4:1 split on ME3? That seems a bit extreme in this late stage, even if ME was 360/PC.

 

[rouken]

the vita doom articles have finally arrived! lol

it looks kind of screwed - from kotaku

 

[Cheech]

What I've learned from this thread is...

...kids are spoiled these days.

What's funny is it's not like the parents are footing the whole bill for this shit. I think it's more of a reflection that more and more kids are families of divorce, so as a result you get stuff like each parent trying to one up each other. And then the parents remarry, multiplying the sets of grandparents, it gets nuts. And odds are, a couple of those people are going to have serious money, and even though the parents are trying their damndest to not spoil their kids, a check in the mail for $100 for a kids' birthday shows up, earmarked for "Toys R Us" from "Grandma Paula", who is like two marriages removed from being biologically related to the kid in question.

This is way OT, but if you don't have kids or have divorce in your family, I can see where you might get the impression that parents are just buying all this shit for their kids without a thought to their future development.

 

[BassForever]

the vita doom articles have finally arrived! lol

it looks kind of screwed - from kotaku

I think you meant to post this in the Media Create thread, cause this article only mentions Japanese sales

 

[Acquiescence]

Longevity isn't one of the Wii's strong suits. That thing is dying.

 

[Cheech]

4:1 split on ME3? That seems a bit extreme in this late stage, even if ME was 360/PC.

I don't see why. ME1 was a MS published title, and people want to maintain their saves. I'm primarily a PC gamer now, have been for well over a year, but I still had to buy the 360 version of ME3 to carry my save through. It was a hell of a game, too, and deserves every one of those sales.

Also, as per usual, the PS3 version is gimped with regard to the multiplayer. Not that people are buying it specifically for that reason, but being cut out of the multi events has really ticked off the PS3 base for that game.

 

[shinra-bansho]

The 360 is still leading and they have not had a price cut in 3 years. The PS3 just had one 6 or 7 months ago. I'm pretty sure things are just about whats to be expected at this point. If the PS3 does go ahead for a month or so i'm sure Microsoft will finally drop the price since they are making quite the profit on each console sold now. It's impressive that the the 360 brand after almost seven years made more money last month than the PS3 and wii combined. Amazing stuff right there.

I think this quarter's report should be telling of potential price drops in the works.

I think they inadvertantly overshipped in Q4 by quite a bit (Y/Y shipment up ~2M, known sell-through only up ~200K in NPD I think, flat in Europe, down in Japan).

This quarter's NPD totals look around 2010 levels - Europe will be known when Nintendo releases their earnings - I don't think it'll be up though - while Japan is down Y/Y.

I would hazard to guess that the shipment number will be around the (2010) 1.5M level if not lower due to last quarter. If a price cut is in the works though with retailers, they may order in more in anticipation of increased demand.

 

[Criminal Upper]

Longevity isn't one of the Wii's strong suits. That thing is dying.

I guess someone aside Nintendo should have bothered to support it.

 

[SykoTech]

A 20 year old franchise that has no fan base being revived in a totally different genre on a comparatively young handheld is what you missed. Also last months heave hitters for the 3DS didn't even break 100k in the US

Brawl revived Kid Icarus though, not Uprising.

 

[tuffy]

Seems like Nintendo doesn't have shit on lock down.

There was a Wii craze that now doesn't exist, it won't sell as many consoles as the Ps2, and Nintendo has very little momentum going into next gen.

This is about to get interesting.

Momentum is overrated. Wii sales were largely driven by Nintendo's 1st party output. Now that Nintendo is working on WiiU titles, the Wii has stagnated and its sales have collapsed. However, once Nintendo actually shows what's coming for the WiiU, customers will show up if the games are compelling enough.

The problem is that we've seen little of actual WiiU games to drive interest, so one can only guess what it will have to get excited about at launch.

 

[Kung Fu Grip]

Any LTD's for the 3?

 

[Vinci]

Longevity isn't one of the Wii's strong suits. That thing is dying.

Tends to happen when you have one company supporting it and they're moving on to next-gen development. Given that, it's doing surprisingly well actually.

 

[flyinpiranha]

Nein. A few weeks ago, my kid got a 3DS for his birthday, and a bunch of games from relatives. All the heavy hitters for the system.

It's been sitting without a charge for a week now, because all he ever plays on is his Touch.

I continue to be amazed the 3DS is selling as well as it is. My daughter's friend got a Touch for her birthday yesterday, and is thrilled (she turned 6). Retiring a DSi in the process.

Since my kids are younger, I have anecdotes out the ass like this, and I do *not* live in a rich neighborhood. We're typical middle class working stiffs, whose kids are over the whole DS thing and all want iOS devices.

.

Dang, my girl's kid is the exact opposite (almost 7). Of course if we give him the Android to play Angry Birds he'll play it but when I had a 3DS all he wanted to do was play it, same with the DSi, he has an old iPhone (or touch) at his dads but he says he doesn't play it all that much and wish I didn't sell the 3DS. Although he still loves Pokemon and such so Nintendo is the only place to get that.

What's funny is it's not like the parents are footing the whole bill for this shit. I think it's more of a reflection that more and more kids are families of divorce, so as a result you get stuff like each parent trying to one up each other. And then the parents remarry, multiplying the sets of grandparents, it gets nuts. And odds are, a couple of those people are going to have serious money, and even though the parents are trying their damndest to not spoil their kids, a check in the mail for $100 for a kids' birthday shows up, earmarked for "Toys R Us" from "Grandma Paula", who is like two marriages removed from being biologically related to the kid in question.

This is way OT, but if you don't have kids or have divorce in your family, I can see where you might get the impression that parents are just buying all this shit for their kids without a thought to their future development.

This! So spot on with my situation. My girlfriend and I don't make great money, average for Portland, OR I guess. But the father of the kid (we get him every other week) has parents that are loaded, so he gets stuff but we have to stifle it (I can see it getting tough as he gets older and questions 'why are you taking that away?').

But it's just the nature of the beast now. When you think about it, this one single child has 4 sets of grandparents and their side is a really close family so everybody gets gifts for each other.

 

[MightyHedgehog]

What I've learned from this thread is...

...kids are spoiled these days.

All kids are more spoiled than the last gen just due to the march of technology. I'm just glad that I was born late enough to start playing when things had advanced far enough to start seeing more acceptable sound and music synthesis and visuals that could convey character and a lot of information at once at good speeds. In the early 80s, basically. Better to grow up playing 10-Yard Fight or Tecmo Bowl than being stuck with those shitty handheld battery-sucking LED/LCD games and lame-o vibrating electric football game boards.

 

[Vinci]

Dang, my girl's kid is the exact opposite (almost 7). Of course if we give him the Android to play Angry Birds he'll play it but when I had a 3DS all he wanted to do was play it, same with the DSi, he has an old iPhone (or touch) at his dads but he says he doesn't play it all that much and wish I didn't sell the 3DS. Although he still loves Pokemon and such so Nintendo is the only place to get that.

And this is why Nintendo's handhelds and consoles will continue to sell in the future, at least to some notable extent: It's the #1 game developer on the planet and has been for decades. That's hard to overcome entirely.

 

[Petrichor]

Are you speaking strictly in the U.S.? That certainly isn't the case worldwide. Last I heard, the PS3 had closed the gap on the 360 from like 12 million at the highest deficit to 2-3 million in terms of global sales and it's actually gaining each month. The only territories I believe the 360 outsells the PS3 are the U.S. and U.K., which are definitely big areas but still aren't enough to keep the 360 ahead at the current rate.

As long as the PS3 sells competitively with the 360 in the U.S., it will continue to gain ground in other regions (like in Japan alone, it sold an additional 174K in March compared to the 360's 5.8K).

Japanese sales are almost irrelevant. We only care about console sales because they determine how publishers distribute their resources, and the major publishers, EA, ubisoft and activision have absolutely no footing in the japanese market at all.

 

[kingkaiser]

PS3 numbers are ridiculously high all things considered, there's no reason for it to be running so competitively against the 360 with no major exclusives for this month outside of bonus characters in SFxT. They've really improved their position compared to a few years ago and might actually manage to end up leading the 360 when all's said and done, although the Wii's lead is probably insurmountable at this point.

No major exclusives?

Seriously, this alone would even explain the good numbers for vita.

 

[Vinci]

Japanese sales are almost irrelevant. We only care about console sales because they determine how publishers distribute their resources, and the major publishers, EA, ubisoft and activision have absolutely no footing in the japanese market at all.

To be fair, though, arguing over console sales at this juncture is tantamount to participating in a pissing match. Nothing is going to change. If nothing is going to change, the metrics by which it would have changed become utterly meaningless. Not even Sony is really going to give a damn if it someday eventually outsells the 360.

Just like it doesn't matter if the 360 eventually outsells the Wii.

 

[Cheech]

Dang, my girl's kid is the exact opposite (almost 7). Of course if we give him the Android to play Angry Birds he'll play it but when I had a 3DS all he wanted to do was play it, same with the DSi, he has an old iPhone (or touch) at his dads but he says he doesn't play it all that much and wish I didn't sell the 3DS. Although he still loves Pokemon and such so Nintendo is the only place to get that.

I think part of it is how late they "discover" DS. The new Mario Kart/Mario hold less appeal for kids who already cut their teeth on the DS versions of those games.

The other appeal for the iOS devices has dick all to do with games. My kids actually "text" me at work using iMessage when they get home from school, and it's fantastic. They also use them for Netflix, YouTube, etc.. I see that Nintendo has some of this stuff in the 3DS (and thank God they finally let you game over a WPA2 secure connection!), but it's ingrained at this point. Their Touches are their little portable computers, and it really shows you where the expectations are going to be with this current generation growing up. The laptop I'm typing this on is going to look like a dinosaur to these kids, as brutally out of date as the "luggable" 40 pound "laptops" look to my generation (Gen X).

To be fair, though, arguing over console sales at this juncture is tantamount to participating in a pissing match. Nothing is going to change. If nothing is going to change, the metrics by which it would have changed become utterly meaningless. Not even Sony is really going to give a damn if it someday eventually outsells the 360.

Just like it doesn't matter if the 360 eventually outsells the Wii.

The relevance for non-handheld console sales at this point is an indicator of when Sony/MS have to bite on a new generation. The Wii U is in the books so Wii console sales are completely moot by this point, but it's fun to guess based on how the 360/PS3 continue to shit the bed when the new hardware is going to roll out.

 

[ElFly]

So the reported Vita sales are > 200K?

That's ok, but remember that in NA Vita launched two months afterwards Japan. So basically we are looking to a drop in April once the early adopters get theirs.

 

[Road]

What does the NPD trailing 12 months total one mean?

How much it was sold in the past 12 months (For instance: the past 12 months are Apr-2011 to Mar-2012).

 

[PuppetSlave]

What does the NPD trailing 12 months total one mean?

 

[Interfectum]

I don't see how ~200k for Vita in it's second month (first full month) can be seen as a good thing. Everyone must have massively low expectations to think that's anything but abysmal.

 

[Vinci]

I don't see how ~200k for Vita in it's second month (first full month) can be seen as a good thing. Everyone must have massively low expectations to think that's anything but abysmal.

Well, at this point, it's pretty easy to lower your standards for the system. Enough negative 'doomed' press and hearing about its Japanese sales... It gets easier to be impressed.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

The Wii not selling isn't surprising to any of us. What is surprising is I expected it to start plummeting years ago. How it was able to achieve the kind of sales it did month after month among sentient lifeforms is incredible.

 

[Celine]

What does the NPD trailing 12 months total one mean?

Probably cumulative in the last 12 months (month over month)

 

[Kung Fu Grip]

Somebody want to explain that launch aligned chart? 360 76 mill? l have to be reading that wrong.

 

[Celine]

Somebody want to explain that launch aligned chart? 360 76 mill? l have to be reading that wrong.

x - months
y - cumulative sales

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

Thats quite the understatement. Patcher is a douche who knows the square root of fuck all about anything.

He's also a poster here so you can disagree with him without calling him a douche.

135k? A First Party Title with major dev time and your encouraged by 135k? Am I missing something?

Compared to every other handheld title on the market, that's pretty respectable, especially so for an IP that is being resurrected nearly 25 years after the fact. Very much in line with its performance in Japan.

 

[Captain Tuttle]

Somebody want to explain that launch aligned chart? 360 76 mill? l have to be reading that wrong.

Those are months

Edit: Beaten

 

[kfpkiller]

I don't see how ~200k for Vita in it's second month (first full month) can be seen as a good thing. Everyone must have massively low expectations to think that's anything but abysmal.

If vita sales are abysmal, then 3DS are too.
It barely outsold it despite being much cheaper and having much more compelling software.

 

[Kung Fu Grip]

x - months
y - cumulative sales

Oh, crap i was reading it wrong. Thanks.

 

[tuffy]

There's good reason to believe a lot of Vita's March sales are spillover from its late February launch period. If that's the case, its April sales will be more indicative of how it's doing in NA.

 

[TruHero]

Good sales for ME3. I'm still working through the campaign, but the MP has been fantastic.

I didn't see anything surprising with hardware sales. But I don't understand who Sony is trying market the PSV to, unless it's solely urban 20yr olds who don't drive. The only commercial I've seen is some guy playing MLB at home, picking up his PSV before heading outside, and continue playing it while walking around.

Are you speaking strictly in the U.S.? .

Why are you asking that question in an NPD thread?

 

[Meier]

Pretty nice hold for the PS3 honestly. Nice to see 3D Land almost past 2 million... I still haven't bought it personally. Hoping for a $30 sale like Kart got (which I naturally received as a Christmas present so I couldn't even take advantage of the sale!).

 

[Gartooth]

Brawl revived Kid Icarus though, not Uprising.

No it didn't. Kid Icarus hasn't had a game in decades, I sincerely doubt your logic that a crossover fighter revived the IP when:

1. It is a completely different IP in a different genre.

2. A very large majority of the cast is more iconic and from more enduring series than Pit, thus most likely overshadowing him.



Hence, people bought Brawl primarily because it is a fun fighting/party game and also for the roster of staple Nintendo characters.

I do admit that it made Pit relevant again in the eyes of Nintendo fans, but overall it contributes little to a series relaunch like Uprising.

 

[PuppetSlave]

Probably cumulative in the last 12 months (month over month)

Yeah, that makes sense, thanks. So the numbers to the left are millions then.

 

[coldfoot]

Somebody want to explain that launch aligned chart? 360 76 mill? l have to be reading that wrong.

That's 76 months, but beaten...

 

[Vinci]

The Wii not selling isn't surprising to any of us. What is surprising is I expected it to start plummeting years ago. How it was able to achieve the kind of sales it did month after month among sentient lifeforms is incredible.

Nintendo makes games that sell for years rather than mere weeks or months. Again: It is the #1 game developer on the planet and has been for decades. It has huge competitive advantages against everyone else in the space, nevermind that the company is run far better than the majority of its competitors. Also, it doesn't make games to prove how manly its developers are.

 

[CrazyDude]

Nein. A few weeks ago, my kid got a 3DS for his birthday, and a bunch of games from relatives. All the heavy hitters for the system.

It's been sitting without a charge for a week now, because all he ever plays on is his Touch.

I continue to be amazed the 3DS is selling as well as it is. My daughter's friend got a Touch for her birthday yesterday, and is thrilled (she turned 6). Retiring a DSi in the process.

Since my kids are younger, I have anecdotes out the ass like this, and I do *not* live in a rich neighborhood. We're typical middle class working stiffs, whose kids are over the whole DS thing and all want iOS devices.

People point to the lack of games or the high price for the failure of the Vita, but the issue is that simply there is no market for the device. The 20 something dudes that Sony seems to be going after aren't going to care either. They're out on their own and have smartphones. If they really want traditional games, the 3DS is loaded for bear.

My brother is the opposite, he has both and plays with his 3ds and ds far more than his touch.

 

[madmackem]

the vita doom articles have finally arrived! lol

it looks kind of screwed - from kotaku

Its pretty simple it will sell well in japan when games come out for it. Same thing with 3ds same thing with psp, there needs to be that one title in japan that everyone wants and it will be fine.

 

[Kusagari]

No it didn't. Kid Icarus hasn't had a game in decades, I sincerely doubt your logic that a crossover fighter revived the IP when:

1. It is a completely different IP in a different genre.

2. A very large majority of the cast is more iconic and from more enduring series than Pit, thus most likely overshadowing him.



Hence, people bought Brawl primarily because it is a fun fighting/party game and also for the roster of staple Nintendo characters.

I do admit that it made Pit relevant again in the eyes of Nintendo fans, but overall it contributes little to a series relaunch like Uprising.

I don't see how it contributed little when it's likely Uprising would have never been made if not for Pit being loved in Brawl.

 

[plagiarize]

Its pretty simple it will sell well in japan when games come out for it. Same thing with 3ds same thing with psp, there needs to be that one title in japan that everyone wants and it will be fine.

you say that like it's a done deal though, when it isn't. yeah, all it needs in Japan is it's 'Monster Hunter'... but Sony haven't shown a first party ability to create such a thing, and the chances of them getting a big exclusive this time is arguably weaker.

it may happen, i hope it happens, but there is nothing 'simple' about it. it isn't so much a 'when' statement as an 'if' statement.

month two numbers aren't bad here in the US. hopefully that holds up, but it's unlikely to going through summer.