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[Sydle]

GT5 sold 400k in the first 5 days it charted in November, and another 560k the following month. Forza 4 sold less than 350k in about 20 days.

I didn't ask about units sold.

Anywho, it charted number 8.

 

[truly101]

Why is this thread about Japanese vs Western games and why is it so full of wrong?

 

[pharmboy044]

Huh? Didn't GT5 chart in or around the same position its opening month?

GT did great when you consider the whole delay at the last minute and change of release date.

 

[allan-bh]

No numbers for Dark Souls and Forza 4?

 

[ThisWreckage]

GT5 didn't bomb. Not even close. If you factor in Prologue, it is one of the best selling franchises this generation.

 

[duk]

Next gen won't be about hardware... it will be about who has the best services.

This is very true but also not from consumer services perspective but also from a developer's.

How will MS or Sony make it easier for 3rd parties to make money is KEY.

Seems that MS close ties with 3rd parties this gen will give them a slight advantage and there's no doubt 720's consumer services will be amazing, with tie into Windows 8.

 

[Massa]

I didn't ask about units sold.

Anywho, it charted number 8.

Yeah, who needs numbers and facts when discussing sales data. My bad.

 

[LosDaddie]

To be honest I think the English-language media's backing of 360 over PS3 has played a huge part in securing 360's dominance.

I'm not calling bias here but truthfully, if you can't see a disparity in the way the two platforms, and particularly multi-platform games are treated, you need to open your eyes.

'Murica, Fuck Yeah! Say what you will about the Japanese being nationalistic, Americans are just as nationalistic if not more in some cases. The 360 being an American console that catered to American tastes helped the brand immensely while giving the western gamer a louder voice in, what was until recently, a previously Japanese dominated industry. The only way MS could have tapped deeper into this aspect of the American consumers psyche would have been to name the 360 the "Ol' Glory" and have the word "Freedom" painted all over the console in red white and blue.

:lol

Glad to see this NPD thread finally deliver. I guess anything to minimize MS' strategy this gen goes...

 

[alphaNoid]

GT5 didn't bomb. Not even close. If you factor in Prologue, it is one of the best selling franchises this generation.

So ... that means we can total up Forza 2, Forza 3 and Forza 4 sales then since they all released this gen?

 

[KingDizzi]

Forza 4 bomba as expected.

Don't we have any rough estimation of what it could have done besides less than 550?. Leaves a whole lot of speculation, could have done as low as 100k and as high as 549k. For the sake of racing sims I hope it's at least done over 300k.

After GT bomba, it was expected.

Yep, it did 960k and that took two months so relative to the GT franchise it sold like shit. Would love to know if it got a second shipment but all we've had is the 1.58 million shipment figure in NA a littles less than a year ago.

Forza is pretty boring to me, got the first 2 in bundles, tried to play, just not my thing.

Forza 4 will go the same route again of that I'm sure, the first two 360 Forza games were also packed into every console sold for a time and going by history it will happen again.

 

[pharmboy044]

Yeah, who needs numbers and facts when discussing sales data. My bad.

Don't you know the new NPD goes by hearsay and speculation.

 

[RPGamer92]

So are we actually going to get sales numbers for Dark Souls and Forza?

 

[Mrbob]

This is very true but also not from consumer services perspective but also from a developer's.

How will MS or Sony make it easier for 3rd parties to make money is KEY.

Seems that MS close ties with 3rd parties this gen will give them a slight advantage and there's no doubt 720's consumer services will be amazing, with tie into Windows 8.

Honestly I dont think any Win 8 tie in service matters. Unless we are talking about the continuing domination of Steam. PC gamers do not care about anything to do with Live. We already have our own Xbox Live equivalent on the platform.

 

[duk]

Honestly I dont think any Win 8 tie in service matters. Unless we are talking about the continuing domination of Steam. PC gamers do not care about anything to do with Live. We already have our own Xbox Live equivalent on the platform.

Maybe but it's one more aspect to the service of Live if they can integrate it well. I am looking at it live as a service holistically. It's still unmatched on the console space and prob will continue.

 

[antiquegamer]

So are we actually going to get sales numbers for Dark Souls and Forza?

Unless the respective publisher release them I doubt it. Hence, why the NPD thread are so boring now. There is nothing to discuss because there's no number to be discuss about.

 

[Nealand Liquor]

:lol

Glad to see this NPD thread finally deliver. I guess anything to minimize MS' strategy this gen goes...

Or maybe you are simply just reading what you want to read...

 

[ThisWreckage]

So ... that means we can total up Forza 2, Forza 3 and Forza 4 sales then since they all released this gen?

If you want to then go ahead.

 

[Nealand Liquor]

The Xbox caters to Western tastes and Western devs are more skilled than Japanese and make better games with better tech. Pretty simple. Has nothing to do with nationalism.

Yes, I never tried to imply otherwise. I also never stated that a sense of Nationalism is the only or leading factor at play. I did say that I do feel it played a role to some degree.r

I believe that a general argument stating in the case of two seemingly similar products, one domestic and the an import, to suggest the domestic product won't have a "home team advantage" would be inaccurate.

 

[John Harker]

Wasn't comparing the two at all. Just saying people thought that RAGE flopped, it didn't.

I know. I was just giving a hint.

 

[Puppet Shadow]

Yes, I never tried to imply otherwise. I also never stated that a sense of Nationalism is the only or leading factor at play. I did say that I do feel it played a role to some degree.r

I believe that a general argument stating that in the case of two seemingly similar products, one domestic and the an import, to say the domestic product won't have a "home team advantage" would be inaccurate.

Guess where the top selling car sold in America is made. Here's a hint, it's not in America.

Sorry, but you're wrong. When it comes to consumer goods (at least in North America), people shop by price/value/name brand.

 

[pestul]

Guess where the top selling car sold in America is made. Here's a hint, it's not in America.

Sorry, but you're wrong. When it comes to consumer goods (at least in North America), people shop by price/value/name brand.

Just to add fuel to the fire.. basically, you're saying that Americans make more informed choices about product purchases than the majority of the world? Sorry had to go there.

 

[Nealand Liquor]

Guess where the top selling car sold in America is made. Here's a hint, it's not in America.

It's fitting that you bring up the auto industry because had it not been for a large number of American consumers having a general dislike for imports, Ford & GM would have seen even greater financial hardships during the 70s, 80s and into the 90s than they experienced in 2009/10. Nationalism is what kept them on life support for as long as it did.

Look I'm sorry that believing that an American product is appealing to a segment of the American populous is hard for you, but that doesn't change the fact that it is.

Sorry, but you're wrong. When it comes to consumer goods (at least in North America), people shop by price/value/name brand.

No I am not, but I don't believe you know exactly what you are arguing.
I also like how you are addressing me as if I don't live and haven't lived in NA my entire life and am unaware of general purchasing habits.

 

[Mizzou Gaming]

The real problem with the PS3 was the absolutely terrible launch. The stigma of "The PS3 has no games," still haunts them.

The Japanese devs have also really fucked up.

FF13 took forever to make, some consider it mediocre, and it was ported to the 360.

GT5 to forever to make. I must say that Polyphony has supported the game post launch like no other dev has done this generation. They need to be applauded for that.

Last Guardian has taken forever to make.

Where is RE6? RE5 was a worse game than RE4.

Metal Gear Solid 4. Still no trophy support? Still no director's cut? It remained an exclusive, but at what price?

You've got Western devs cranking out three games (Uncharted series, etc.) in the time that it takes a Japanese dev to make ONE game. Not to mention that Japanese devs have a identity crisis. Emulating Western devs is not what gave them acclaim and fortune. People bought Japanese games in the past because of their personal identity.

I'll save my applause for developers that don't take 6 years to make a game only to release it in a completely broken, and rushed state. Supporting a game and patching in fixes, missing features, etc. are two completely different things.

 

[Mindlog]

Car analogies.
It looks like market forces are ready to accept the return of, Atari. Let's bring the Jaguar back.

 

[Puppet Shadow]

It's fitting that you bring up the auto industry because had it not been for a large number of American consumers having a general dislike for imports, Ford & GM would have seen even greater financial hardships during the 70s, 80s and into the 90s than they experienced in 2009/10. Nationalism is what kept them on life support for as long as it did.

Ok, you clearly don't know what the hell you're talking about.

Look I'm sorry that believing that an American product is appealing to a small segment of the American populous is hard for you, but that doesn't change the fact that it is.

Fixed.

I also like how you are addressing me as if I don't live and haven't lived in NA my entire life and am unaware of general purchasing habits.

Dude, go up to ANYONE you know and ask them what country their washing machine is made in. I'll wait...


Edit: just checked, both my PS3 and xbox are made in China, lol

 

[see5harp]

Save the car talk for NPR on Sunday. The majority of top selling software on both PS3 and 360 are Western developed games. You can buy BF3 and COD on both consoles. Madden and FIFA and every other sports title is on all platforms. People didn't stop buying the Wii because they finally realized that Nintendo was a Japanese company.

 

[clashfan]

Everytime an xbox is sold an angel gets it's wings.

 

[thirty]

Guess where the top selling car sold in America is made. Here's a hint, it's not in America.

Sorry, but you're wrong. When it comes to consumer goods (at least in North America), people shop by price/value/name brand.

Um I don't think Toyota has had the top spot for a couple years now

 

[Rush2thestart]

I wouldnt mind hearing how Kirby Returns to Dreamland did....

Please.

 

[JaxJag]

Shit like this is sickening. Because something is different and you don't like it should disappear and die, or crawl into a hole. You know some dictators had that line of though before too....

Yes, it should. Japanese culture having less influence on the games industry has done nothing but good.

Since games like Final Fantasy are no longer leading the industry, gaming has been able to get rid of the nerdy stigma that was once associated with video games. Now you have a hobby that isn't looked down upon like it once was. All because the decline of the Japanese games industry.

I, for one, am thankful.

 

[jax (old)]

I read some people saying that they think ID/rage did alright but for a game that long coming from ID; the 500k seems a bit meagre. Surely a million no? That's my thinking anyhow. They even pimped it a bit with IOS games

 

[Zen]

Yes, it should. Japanese culture having less influence on the games industry has done nothing but good.

Since games like Final Fantasy are no longer leading the industry, gaming has been able to get rid of the nerdy stigma that was once associated with video games. Now you have a hobby that isn't looked down upon like it once was. All because the decline of the Japanese games industry.

I, for one, am thankful.

This is all in your head. I guess it's great that you're prescribing to your own confirmation bias. I don't even generally prefer east over west, and what you're saying just makes me role my eyes and shake my head. People like you are the root problem with a lot of things, and it's sad that you exist. I'm not sure how much more insulting I can be, so I'll leave it at that.

There are tons of things that are 'embarrassing' in western games as well.

 

[Kusagari]

Yes, it should. Japanese culture having less influence on the games industry has done nothing but good.

Since games like Final Fantasy are no longer leading the industry, gaming has been able to get rid of the nerdy stigma that was once associated with video games. Now you have a hobby that isn't looked down upon like it once was. All because the decline of the Japanese games industry.

I, for one, am thankful.

Homefront is far more embarrassing for the video game industry than FF ever was.

 

[Zoramon089]

Yes, it should. Japanese culture having less influence on the games industry has done nothing but good.

Since games like Final Fantasy are no longer leading the industry, gaming has been able to get rid of the nerdy stigma that was once associated with video games. Now you have a hobby that isn't looked down upon like it once was. All because the decline of the Japanese games industry.

I, for one, am thankful.

Are we ignoring the heavy influence D&D had on early RPGs or...?

 

[Saty]

I read some people saying that they think ID/rage did alright but for a game that long coming from ID; the 500k seems a bit meagre. Surely a million no? That's my thinking anyhow. They even pimped it a bit with IOS games

It could have been worse but i don't think there's much to celebrate either. Not sure even if million sales LTD are enought to cover the development.

The 550k figure, let's say PC retail is 50k at best then 360\PS3 version is 250k each and it's going to be extremely difficult for Rage to chart in top 10 of November. This may be another case where Europe and DD sales will decide a game's fate.

 

[Thunder Monkey]

Yes, it should. Japanese culture having less influence on the games industry has done nothing but good.

Since games like Final Fantasy are no longer leading the industry, gaming has been able to get rid of the nerdy stigma that was once associated with video games. Now you have a hobby that isn't looked down upon like it once was. All because the decline of the Japanese games industry.

I, for one, am thankful.

Riiight...

Currently the industry is controlled by things far more embarrassing. Call of Duty and Just Dance. Blood and something that doesn't have much game in its game. Cheesy Japanese stuff at least gives the industry character.

 

[Vice]

Riiight...

Currently the industry is controlled by things far more embarrassing. Call of Duty and Just Dance. Blood and something that doesn't have much game in its game. Cheesy Japanese stuff at least gives the industry character.

I don't think there's anything particularly embarrassing about either of those titles. They're just much less foreign, to Americans at least, than Japanese games. Western stuff has character too, just this gen we've had games like Assassin's Creed, Deus Ex: HR and, the very American, Red Dead Redemption,even though it was a Capcom franchise.

 

[RukusProvider]

Bayonetta is the best thing to come out of Japan this generation.

You couldn't pay me to waste my time on a JRPG or anything anime related.

 

[Codeblue]

Yes, it should. Japanese culture having less influence on the games industry has done nothing but good.

Since games like Final Fantasy are no longer leading the industry, gaming has been able to get rid of the nerdy stigma that was once associated with video games. Now you have a hobby that isn't looked down upon like it once was. All because the decline of the Japanese games industry.

I, for one, am thankful.

I'm not sure about this. Walking into a strip club in Mass Effect is pretty damn embarrassing and makes the medium seem juvenile if that's what we consider adult and way better that the early Final Fantasies. I know which one I'd rather have people catch me play.

The reason the social stigma is diminishing, if it is, would be because gaming got more main stream on the back of things like flash games, phone games, Wii/DS/ Kinect stuff. In other words, a mix of approachable games from the East and West. The idea that Western development carried gaming out of nerddom with amazing content is laughable.

 

[Kermit The Frog]

With Skyrim (most probably) outselling BF3, what does this mean for EA and Dice after they proclaimed that they might even outsell COD this year? Seriously, this result is straight up embarrasing after all the trash talking DICE/EA did.

 

[RukusProvider]

With Skyrim (most probably) outselling BF3, what does this mean for EA and Dice after they proclaimed that they might even outsell COD this year? Seriously, this result is straight up embarrasing after all the trash talking DICE/EA did.

Companies upsell their product. How is this even a talking point?

 

[allan-bh]

Just under 2 million is embarrasing?

Battlefield 3 sales are very nice

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

The state of Japanese games in the West is fine. Catherine did well this summer, Dark Souls is in the top 10, Skyward Sword will be in the top 3 next month, Super Mario 3D land may be top 10; it has nothing to do with nationality, it has everything to with quality games trickling to the top. Ultimate Marvel will do fine, Mario Kart 7 will set records, Final Fantasy XIII-2 will do great in January.

I would argue that there are more good Western games nowadays so the impact of Japanese games is minimized, but it's not like Americans have become gaming snobs.

 

[Curufinwe]

With Skyrim (most probably) outselling BF3

What are you basing that on?

 

[Boney]

Yes, it should. Japanese culture having less influence on the games industry has done nothing but good.

Since games like Final Fantasy are no longer leading the industry, gaming has been able to get rid of the nerdy stigma that was once associated with video games. Now you have a hobby that isn't looked down upon like it once was. All because the decline of the Japanese games industry.

I, for one, am thankful.

npd always delivers

 

[Y2Kev]

I can't tell if he's being serious...

 

[Boney]

We're talking about sales, and GameCube was a commercial flop. If the DreamCast weren't killed off, even that would have beat the GameCube.

*scratches head*

 

[Kermit The Frog]

What are you basing that on?

That PC has sold at least 1 million based on Steam stats and the fact that the vast majority of Bethesda sales are on consoles.

Just under 2 million is embarrasing?

Battlefield 3 sales are very nice

When you've been trash talking the competition for two years straight and even saying that you'd be killing off COD and then going on to most probably selling less than a hardcore FP WRPG I would be ashamed.

 

[JaxJag]

I'm not sure about this. Walking into a strip club in Mass Effect is pretty damn embarrassing and makes the medium seem juvenile if that's what we consider adult and way better that the early Final Fantasies. I know which one I'd rather have people catch me play.

The reason the social stigma is diminishing, if it is, would be because gaming got more main stream on the back of things like flash games, phone games, Wii/DS/ Kinect stuff. In other words, a mix of approachable games from the East and West. The idea that Western development carried gaming out of nerddom with amazing content is laughable.

If Eastern development was still leading the industry, you'd have more embarrassing titles like Bayonetta, and the hobby would still be niche as it was in the 1990s.

 

[kswiston]

Huh? Didn't GT5 chart in or around the same position its opening month?

Chart positions are meaningless when you are comparing October to November. #10 in November (in any year) is going to be a lot higher than #10 in October. In most years, Nov's #10 would be in the top 5 in Oct.