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[specialguy]

Maybe there's no price drop at Gamescom at all, I know people are expecting it and everything, but I don't think that's gonna happen.



I had this argument with somebody, but I don't think a U$199 PS3 will outsell a U$199 360. Unless sales in other regions are really low or sales in Japan are a concern for MS, I don't think they need to drop the price of the 360 at all this year regardless of what Sony may or may not do.

A 199 250 GB 360 will just mean a silly low 4GB 360, maybe 119 or so, which will trump 199 PS3.

But I'm sure that if either Sony or MS drop the other follows immediately. At least 90% sure.

 

[Dysun]

Surprised OoT 3D and Infamous 2 fell out of the Top 10 already.

Zelda will be back, Infamous 2 needs a price drop to get back in there.

 

[vicissitudes]

Wish Catherine sold more...oh well I just bought a copy yesterday and I only buy 2-3 games a year. Maybe it'll have legs?

Spoiler

no it won't

 

[walking fiend]

s...l...o...o...o...w... month

do we have a number on how much of the DSs are Lite? I think 3DS can't cut into their sales. And just few more hundred Ks and DS will top 50 million in US.

This month top selling software will probably be OoT because of the price cut and high attach rate, I can't see Deus Ex selling more than it (it is ranked so low in online stores) and BOPs will probably dwindle in wake of BF3 and MW3 getting closer and DLC.

 

[TheNatural]

s...l...o...o...o...w... month

do we have a number on how much of the DSs are Lite? I think 3DS can't cut into their sales. And just few more hundred Ks and DS will top 50 million in US.

This month top selling software will probably be OoT because of the price cut and high attach rate, I can't see Deus Ex selling more than it (it is ranked so low in online stores) and BOPs will probably dwindle in wake of BF3 and MW3 getting closer and DLC.

DS Lite's have been discontinued. You can't even find them on websites like Best Buy and Gamestop. They may be in stores still, but they're not a common product.

 

[Fantastical]

s...l...o...o...o...w... month

do we have a number on how much of the DSs are Lite? I think 3DS can't cut into their sales. And just few more hundred Ks and DS will top 50 million in US.

This month top selling software will probably be OoT because of the price cut and high attach rate, I can't see Deus Ex selling more than it (it is ranked so low in online stores) and BOPs will probably dwindle in wake of BF3 and MW3 getting closer and DLC.

You think EVERY person that buys a 3DS will buy Zelda? It would be great to see it in the top 10, but number 1? To me that seems extreme.

 

[baekshi]

This month is also going to look just like that.

 

[pseudocaesar]

A 199 250 GB 360 will just mean a silly low 4GB 360, maybe 119 or so, which will trump 199 PS3.

But I'm sure that if either Sony or MS drop the other follows immediately. At least 90% sure.

Wouldnt bet on it. The arcade is not the highest selling 360 SKU. Just because it CAN be bought at 199 doesnt mean everyone is paying that price.

 

[walking fiend]

You think EVERY person that buys a 3DS will buy Zelda? It would be great to see it in the top 10, but number 1? To me that seems extreme.

This month it sold 77K while 3DS sold like 114K max,
and its attach rate already is 360K/922K ~ 40%
So if 3DS sells like 400K, it'll sell 150K only to new installed based, probably more because those who previously bough 3DS before OoT release already had some 3DS games, but now OoT is the best game to buy.

And I don't see Deus Ex topping that. Deus Ex will sell much more than 150K, but I believe most of it will be on PC and by DD. It's just as I said, ranked too low on every online store I checked, including Amazon and Gamestop. Unless this rankings start to significantly climb up in the next ten days.

 

[Hero]

If the 3DS price drop is effective, I expect Zelda to chart for August.

 

[Pureauthor]

Lookit dat DS numbers.

 

[Krev]

portables are dieing, android/iphone/Ipad/tablets is the future. don't be left behind, embrace the future.

Why are we seeing this kind of post in a thread about the July NPD, even though hardware sales were topped by NDS?
What will it take to end the 'handhelds are doomed' flood?

 

[Hero]

Why are we seeing this kind of post in a thread about the July NPD, even though hardware sales were topped by NDS?
What will it take to end the 'handhelds are doomed' flood?

Some people like to make baseless commentary when reality is quite the opposite.

 

[Jackano]

Slow month but it's ok, I'm happy with it. We are in summer, and the next months will be good (3DS price drop, holiday season, Zelda...).

X360, Just Dance and the DS are doing the work. I'm also surprised that the Wii still do pretty good. I hope Nintendo will support their two "last/current gen" consoles (Wii and DS) much better than before. The DS will break an incredible record and deserve good 2012 and 2013 years. The Wii too, may one day be under the 100$ for an extra of sales when the WiiU will be there.

 

[B!TCH]

It's probably already been pointed out by now, but isn't the fact that the DS continues to sell well and the 3DS continues to struggle a testament to the overall shittyness of the 3DS (at least at it's old price point) and that "smartphone" gaming hasn't exactly supplanted the handheld market like a lot of analysts seem to think it has?

The jury is still out on the 3DS and it will be interesting to see if the price cut does indeed increase sales of the struggling console. If the 3DS can't recover then the PSVita might have already won even though it's not even out yet.

 

[bigtroyjon]

This month it sold 77K while 3DS sold like 114K max,
and its attach rate already is 360K/922K ~ 40%
So if 3DS sells like 400K, it'll sell 150K only to new installed based, probably more because those who previously bough 3DS before OoT release already had some 3DS games, but now OoT is the best game to buy.

And I don't see Deus Ex topping that. Deus Ex will sell much more than 150K, but I believe most of it will be on PC and by DD. It's just as I said, ranked too low on every online store I checked, including Amazon and Gamestop. Unless this rankings start to significantly climb up in the next ten days.

You are ignoring this month's overwhelming #1 game. The 360 version did 87K last August and that was with Madden selling 1.8 million copies. 200K should be the expected minimum and I think it will be closer to 300K if not higher.

 

[Nuclear Muffin]

Catherine sold 78k

That's a pretty decent start, well done to Atlus.

http://content.usatoday.com/communi...ut-of-july-video-game-sales-with-20-decline/1

"What shocked me was Wii was down (25%) year over year and they cut price. It just shocks me."​

If Pachter was talking hardware, that would mean

WII: 190k

And...

PS3: 148k (-31%).

I actually expected much worse from Wii, so it's not bad really considering that everything dropped quite badly this month. PS3 needs a price drop pronto though.

3DS sold about 90k and DS sold about 305k.
PSP sold somewhere between 60-65k.

Some other random software numbers.
Zelda OoT 3D - ~77k
God of War III - ~73k
Oh and Pokemon White > Black.

Again I expected worse from the 3DS considering how everything has been dragged downwards this month. Decent legs for Zelda and WTF @ seeing GOW back up, the hell happened here? Price drop? Bundle deal?

And of course White outsold Black, it has Zekrom! (Superior Silver all over again!)

Surprised OoT 3D and Infamous 2 fell out of the Top 10 already.

Zelda will be back, Infamous 2 needs a price drop to get back in there.

Zelda would've charted if we were still following the old top 10 method.

 

[walking fiend]

You are ignoring this month's overwhelming #1 game. The 360 version did 87K last August and that was with Madden selling 1.8 million copies. 200K should be the expected minimum and I think it will be closer to 300K if not higher.

oh sorry, no need to explain, I really ignored it...

 

[Road]

The DS Lite is discontinued. It's not available at most places and not considered an option by most - almost all of the DS current sales are made up of DSi versions.

There's a difference between differentiating between something you're going to pay $250 for and $170 for. Nintendo successfully transitioned from the GBA to the GBA SP, then from the DS to the DS Lite, then DSi and XL.

I think the whole differentiating stuff is overrated as fuck. I think consumers KNOW, or the few that don't, by looking at simple store kiosks or info can tell what is and isn't current system. People know, they just don't know what the big deal is about paying another $100 for another DS, that's all. $20, is completely different.

Do you have access to NPD data for the past six months?

Because this is the DS Lite share amongst the DS family units shipped to North America by quarter (unless my math is wrong):

2010-Apr-Jun: 21% - 270k
2010-Jul-Set: 26% - 330k
2010-Oct-Dec: 22% - 1,090k
2011-Jan-Mar: 18% - 150k
2011-Apr-Jun: 47% - 260k


It is possible that Canada developed a surprisingly high demand for the DSL. It is possible Nintendo was overshiping the other models until the last quarter. And it possible that the price drop to $99 in May, in the US, considerably increased the sales of that model.

When did Nintendo discontinue the DSL? I guess, if they did, then it was really just not to have it there making the 3DS seem expensive.

 

[walking fiend]

Do you have access to NPD data for the past six months?

Because this is the DS Lite share amongst the DS family units shipped to North America by quarter (unless my math is wrong):

2010-Apr-Jun: 21% - 270k
2010-Jul-Set: 26% - 330k
2010-Oct-Dec: 22% - 1,090k
2011-Jan-Mar: 18% - 150k
2011-Apr-Jun: 47% - 260k


It is possible that Canada developed a surprisingly high demand for the DSL. It is possible Nintendo was overshiping the other models until the last quarter. And it possible that the price drop to $99 in May, in the US, considerably increased the sales of that model.

When did Nintendo discontinue the DSL? I guess, if they did, then it was really just not to have it there making the 3DS seem expensive.

thx, I asked for this before, but I was ignored So DS will top 50 million pretty soon

I just believe Nintendo shouldn't kill DS brand just to give 3DS a boost; I believe their brand is currently more important than simply 3DS against overflow of smartphones.

 

[Magicpaint]

thx, I asked for this before, but I was ignored So DS will top 50 million pretty soon

I just believe Nintendo shouldn't kill DS brand just to give 3DS a boost; I believe their brand is currently more important than simply 3DS against overflow of smartphones.

Nintendo is making a big mistake if they're trying to kill off the DS.

 

[RPGamer92]

I'm sure this has already been brought up but would those sales be counting Wal-Mart since NPD said they'd be tracking them now?

 

[confuziz]

I'm sure this has already been brought up but would those sales be counting Wal-Mart since NPD said they'd be tracking them now?

I think it would require some work for NPD to include that so fast, so I think not.

 

[pieatorium]

I think it would require some work for NPD to include that so fast, so I think not.

they have always estimated walmart now they will just be getting more acurate numbers

 

[walking fiend]

Nintendo is making a big mistake if they're trying to kill off the DS.

they have confirmed they won't drop the price of DSi and XL, and DS Lite seems to be discontinued, it's already >$120 at amazon; so they are practically killing it off. But maybe after holiday when 3DS has gained momentum, they drop the prices.

 

[Road]

Mortal Kombat has the longest legs of any fighting game this gen.

Worldwide numbers, but the latest MCV says MK has shipped close to 3 million copies. I hadn't seen any info about its shipments worldwide yet.

 

[Barrett2]

I do really hope that the tide of ever more shallow cheaptard games driven by the iOS' contemptible userbase dies at some point - that'd be the most painful way to see the game industry destroyed. Slowing torturing the game industry to death. Shooting its legs, arms, missing all vital organs. Grotesque. At least give the game industry the honor of a quick death.

I love it.

It is kind of crazy to look through the iOS and Android stores at the games, there really is so much junk.

 

[1-D_FTW]

I love it.

It is kind of crazy to look through the iOS and Android stores at the games, there really is so much junk.

I don't really support his rants on this subject because the 3DS is full of cheaptard crappola selling at 39.99. This is going to kill the industry more than anything. Unless the industry begins limiting only the worthy titles to full retail prices (which 95 percent are most certainly not), this is what's going to kill off the premium product. People having lousy experiences after dropping 40, 50, 60 bones is what's driving them away.

 

[walking fiend]

I don't really support his rants on this subject because the 3DS is full of cheaptard crappola selling at 39.99. This is going to kill the industry more than anything. Unless the industry begins limiting only the worthy titles to full retail prices (which 95 percent are most certainly not), this is what's going to kill off the premium product. People having lousy experiences after dropping 40, 50, 60 bones is what's driving them away.

people usually think before spending $40 on a game, and it has always been like this for retail games.

 

[Barrett2]

I don't really support his rants on this subject because the 3DS is full of cheaptard crappola selling at 39.99. This is going to kill the industry more than anything. Unless the industry begins limiting only the worthy titles to full retail prices (which 95 percent are most certainly not), this is what's going to kill off the premium product. People having lousy experiences after dropping 40, 50, 60 bones is what's driving them away.

I agree with you. I honestly don't get the anger people have towards phone game development. When you have a wide open system where major devs and individual dudes can put their wares onto the store and charge anything, you are going to get a lot of disparity in quality, that's a given. But how is it anything but a good thing for consumers? It illuminates how insane it is to be asked to pay $30 for Peggle on my DS when I can buy it for $1 on my phone.

I also think people are insane to claim that iOS development will cause the industry to tank. Plenty of games sell well at $4 or more on the app stores. That seems like a reasonable price given the overall budget of the games. I don't understand how $10 games on Steam and PSN are 'good' for the industry, but $4 for less complex games on phones are 'bad' for the industry.

Nobody is stopping Nintendo from making really good, high budget 3DS games. But for them to force a system where Peggle or Puyo Puyo must be sold at a similar price just to maintain some artificially imposed parity is dumb.

 

[Road]

Nintendo doesn't combine SKUs, so they'd be looking at how the regular edition of Halo/Call of Duty sold only. NPD tries to hide the numbers more by combining SKUS, but Nintendo isn't using those obfuscated totals.

You're right. I didn't remember that detail about Nintendo. That is almost certainly it, then. Thank for the reminder.

 

[BoilersFan23]

Honestly, from my observation, I expected PS3 to heavily drop in sales because I've noticed very few (or none) at my local retailers compared to before. I wouldn't be surprised if Sony was trying to clear out all the current PS3s and ship the newest model to retailers after Gamescon. I remember seeing the same situation before slim PS3 consoles came out and before the 80GB w/ 2 USB ports came out.

 

[Frankfurt]

people usually think before spending $40 on a game, and it has always been like this for retail games.

Most people choose a game at the store. If you think the majority reads gaming sites or gaming magazines, you're insane. GAF is the minority.

 

[walking fiend]

Most people choose a game at the store. If you think the majority reads gaming sites or gaming magazines, you're insane. GAF is the minority.

I totally agree, but why doesn't shovelwares sell much, even on Wii? word of mouth?

 

[mujun]

I do really hope that the tide of ever more shallow cheaptard games driven by the iOS' contemptible userbase dies at some point - that'd be the most painful way to see the game industry destroyed. Slowing torturing the game industry to death. Shooting its legs, arms, missing all vital organs. Grotesque. At least give the game industry the honor of a quick death.

Why don't you point your disdain at the correct target. Seems to me that the game devs and publishers are more to blame than "cheaptard games" and "contemptible userbase".

Take for example the fact that it's taken them a couple of decades to cotton on to the fact that consumers will buy games all year round.

They need to take a serious look at what they have to offer value wise with each product and price accordingly, that step would improve the health of the industry a whole lot.

 

[Saint Gregory]

I agree with you. I honestly don't get the anger people have towards phone game development. When you have a wide open system where major devs and individual dudes can put their wares onto the store and charge anything, you are going to get a lot of disparity in quality, that's a given. But how is it anything but a good thing for consumers? It illuminates how insane it is to be asked to pay $30 for Peggle on my DS when I can buy it for $1 on my phone.

I also think people are insane to claim that iOS development will cause the industry to tank. Plenty of games sell well at $4 or more on the app stores. That seems like a reasonable price given the overall budget of the games. I don't understand how $10 games on Steam and PSN are 'good' for the industry, but $4 for less complex games on phones are 'bad' for the industry.

Nobody is stopping Nintendo from making really good, high budget 3DS games. But for them to force a system where Peggle or Puyo Puyo must be sold at a similar price just to maintain some artificially imposed parity is dumb.

If the recent articles about developer anger towards the mobile marketplace are anything to go by issues are already starting to surface. Most of the angst seems to be directed towards the Amazon app store but all three of the major marketplaces are seeing their fair share of issues (iOS - overcrowding and over control by Apple, Android - overcrowding and total lack of control by Google and Amazon - Draconian tactics and pricing polices erroding developer support.)

The Amazon articles are especially ironic because the major complaint from developers is that their free app per day policy is devaluing apps in the eyes of consumers (basically everyone expects to get apps for free now) which is the exact same complaint Nintendo has made about what apps are doing to traditional games.

 

[Sadist]

Wow, Shadows of the Damned bombed harder than No More Heroes 2.

 

[infinityBCRT]

I wonder how much of the sales slow down is due to

- better digital downloads
- fatigue with current gen hardware
- used game sales
- people saving money because theres way too many good AAA games coming out later this year (Assassin's Creed, Batman, Skyrim, Gears/Uncharted, Forza, an actually good version of Madden, BF3/MW3, Rage)

As the generation goes on, I guess one of the advantages for GameStop is that their used games library just gets bigger and bigger and more affordable to buy. Someone buying an Xbox 360 now could probably buy a dozen great used games instead of 4 or 5 new ones.

 

[FrankT]

Any up to date YTD and LTDs?

Edit: I also always find it interesting the disconnect between retail game sales anymore and overall retail sales. Latest numbers indicate July retail sales are up .5% even without food and gas. Retail gaming really doesn't seem like that old school retail sales indicator as once was thought.

Edit 2: Any year to date $ numbers to compare with last year? Not YoY for the month but for the year. (I wonder overall how this year will compare with the last 5).

 

[sixteen-bit]

Worldwide numbers, but the latest MCV says MK has shipped close to 3 million copies. I hadn't seen any info about its shipments worldwide yet.

Really well done. That's what, half of what Brawl has done? Not bad at all for a traditional fighting game.

 

[Corky]

Worst month in 5 years? Whatever you're doing keep it up gaming industry you da man!

 

[infinityBCRT]

Worldwide numbers, but the latest MCV says MK has shipped close to 3 million copies. I hadn't seen any info about its shipments worldwide yet.

I have a feeling thats actual sales and not shipping numbers. Sounds too low for just shipping numbers as they've probably sold at least 1.5M copies in the US alone.

MK vs DC sold around 2.5M copies so thats pretty good that this game has already surpassed MK vs DC numbers and I still think it has some more units to ship due to the Freddy Krueger DLC garnering more interest (Halloween marketing push anyone?) as well as the Holiday season in general.

 

[zero_suit]

Really well done. That's what, half of what Brawl has done? Not bad at all for a traditional fighting game.

Pretty sure Brawl is at ~8-9 million.

 

[donny2112]

I'm sure this has already been brought up but would those sales be counting Wal-Mart since NPD said they'd be tracking them now?

NPD has not said that they're tracking Wal-Mart numbers now. Nielsen said that they'd be getting Wal-Mart numbers and others could subscribe to them, too. NPD hasn't chimed in if they're following suit, yet, but they may just be getting ready behind the scenes. This month's numbers would still be estimating Wal-Mart, then. I'm sure NPD will put out a big press release if/when they start actually getting Wal-Mart numbers.

 

[faridmon]

I. for one, am happy to see the best video game system ever (DS) at the top this month.

Again, the DS will never die, and I am content with that. More DS games please.

 

[Cornbread78]

That's a pretty decent start, well done to Atlus.

WTF @ seeing GOW back up, the hell happened here? Price drop? Bundle deal?
.

It was $14.99 at Gamestop last month, I'm sure that drove a lot of sales! Same with FO:NV, last month they dropped the price to $19.99 at retailers and it's back in the top 10 now...

 

[Interfectum]

According to the July NPD, PlayStation peripheral sales increased by 18% year-over-year demonstrating a strong consumer interest in PlayStation Move and the Sharp Shooter. PlayStation will continue this momentum in the fall with the release of Resistance3, the groundbreaking shooter that combines 3D with Move and the Sharp Shooter. Our unmatched line-up of first-party software continues to deliver a gaming experience that can only be found on the PS3.
-- Patrick Seybold, Sr. Director of Corporate Communications at SCEA

Grasping at straws Sony? Wow.

 

[Deku]

I. for one, am happy to see the best video game system ever (DS) at the top this month.

Again, the DS will never die, and I am content with that. More DS games please.

but smartphones!

 

[clav]

Wii outsold the PS3?

Wow.

 

[test_account]

Grasping at straws Sony? Wow.

Slow month, and PR is naturally about saying good things about your product, so if Move + Sharpshooter is the only thing that increased in sales, what else is there to say?

Wii outsold the PS3?

Wow.

I think that a new $150 Mario Kart bundle came out in July. Or did it come out earlier?

But havnt it always been fairly close between PS3 and Wii? Not in the first years of course, but more recently.