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[Takao]

Given Peace Walker, I expect another beloved PSP release of June (Hot Shots Tennis: Get A Grip) to have numbers in the four digits. Man this is depressing.

My understanding of this is a little vague, but can't they just release it on PSN and pretend it was a downloadable PS3 title all along?

No? The game's already on PSN (for PSP), and was built around the PSP. There would have to be some big changes for that to happen. That said, at this point I can't say I don't think it could happen (a PS3 port that is). If that were to happen, I'd expect it to be a retail release and not a download-only game.

 

[Kusagari]

If Kingdom Hearts: BBS doesn't make the top 10 then Sony needs to just kill the PSP off for good. That would be embarrassing.

 

[Haunted]

New releases in June missing from top 10:
- Alpha Protocol
- Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker
- Other SKUs of Toy Story 3 and Lego Harry Potter
- Singularity
- Transformers WfC
- Tiger Woods

Are these really "missing", though?

- Alpha Protocol <- we know this was a bomb from Sega comments before
- Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker <- lol PSP
- Other SKUs of Toy Story 3 and Lego Harry Potter <- Wii is traditionally strong in Lego games, Toy Story 3 NDS being there is the surprise, not the other way round
- Singularity <- received no marketing whatsoever, which is extremely important in a market flooded with FPS
- Transformers WfC <- Iron Man: license fail all over again
- Tiger Woods <- only omission I'd consider legitimate. Tiger's escapades had a strong effect?

 

[Ridley327]

peacewalker is perfectly suited to handhelds. it's biggest problem was the lack of online

developers seem loathe to put online in PSP games for some reason and in those rare cases they do it's terribly implemented. if they weren't willing to put online in they should have waited for a handheld that would allow for it

No one is questioning the appropriateness of the game on a handheld. The problem is that it's on the handheld that has demonstratably been an absolute pit of despair for software sales.

 

[legend166]

I wonder how much of the TW drop can be attributed to his sex scandal.

It's not just people looking at the game and thinking "I'm not going to buy it because Tiger was a dick to his wife." It's also the fact that a lot of EAs advertising is based on Tiger getting out in the press and doing promotion, which he obviously hasn't been able to do. Remember Tiger going on Conan last year and playing the game with him on the show? Or that 'Tiger walks on water' ad? They couldn't do any of that this year.

So whether directly or indirectly, I'd say Tiger's sex scandal would have had a huge impact.

EA would have been better advised to rebrand the game separately in different markets, like they do with their cricket games which have different names in Australia and England.

 

[Jonsoncao]

Sorry, didn't mean to get everyone's panties in a bunch. It was a serious question. Of course, I don't keep up with memes and the gaf elites.

I thought it was confirmed that MS counted replacements in hardware numbers, kinda like the 'shipped' versus 'sold' numbers.

And I just though a console that's been out for a long time, which had no competition the first year, and people associate high profile games (MW2, Halo, etc.) with would have sold better.

Now relax gaf.

Nice try :lol

 

[Grampa Simpson]

Provided Konami have an MGS game ready for the 3DS launch (and follow it up properly - I'm looking at you Wii launch 3rd parties), they should do fine. Heck, they may even expand the audience beyond the die-hard MGS fanbase and do gangbusters.

This is what I'm hoping some companies will see as an opportunity in the 3DS launch. Any game that's there for launch will sell a *lot* of copies. This is a chance to reinvigorate stagnating brands that have fallen out of the public favor and bring other brands to new territories. My favorite example is Monster Hunter. *IF* a Monster Hunter game is available at the US launch then it *WILL* become a viable property for the US.

 

[speculawyer]

Edit: Stupid comment removed. (Yeah, *I* misread the line.)



Regarding Tiger Woods, I think a lot of people just skipped this year. Annual updates are all that important for golf, are they? Last year's game was a good one, perhaps EA had problems competing with itself.

 

[markatisu]

Toys Story 3 NDS being there is the surprise

Not really, it was pushed pretty hard in a bundle at Best Buy and Toys R Us, there was also either a free ticket or movie cash back when you bought the game on any platform (DS being of course the most likely, next to the Wii, to attract that demographic).

 

[Sipowicz]

No one is questioning the appropriateness of the game on a handheld. The problem is that it's on the handheld that has demonstratably been an absolute pit of despair for software sales.

yeah. they probably should have left it for the 3DS or PSP2

 

[CitizenCope]

I guess 170,000 (530,000 last year)

The game is getting stale. Give me more Links MS!

 

[Busaiku]

Swing and a miss.

Perhaps they misquoted him . . . surely he knew RDR was selling like crazy?

Red Dead Redemption was released in May.

 

[chuckddd]

It's not just people looking at the game and thinking "I'm not going to buy it because Tiger was a dick to his wife." It's also the fact that a lot of EAs advertising is based on Tiger getting out in the press and doing promotion, which he obviously hasn't been able to do. Remember Tiger going on Conan last year and playing the game with him on the show? Or that 'Tiger walks on water' ad? They couldn't do any of that this year.

So whether directly or indirectly, I'd say Tiger's sex scandal would have had a huge impact.

EA would have been better advised to rebrand the game separately in different markets, like they do with their cricket games which have different names in Australia and England.

It also doesn't help that he hasn't won a tournament all year. It's the latest in the year that he hasn't had at least one win since he turned pro.

 

[Nirolak]

Swing and a miss.

Perhaps they misquoted him . . . surely he knew RDR was selling like crazy?

I think he meant new game releases, at which point he is 1 for 2.

 

[Kusagari]

Swing and a miss.

Perhaps they misquoted him . . . surely he knew RDR was selling like crazy?

I'm pretty sure Pachter meant games coming out in June there. It's not real surprise that he picked Transformers over Toy Story. I'm sure most of us would have.

 

[Haunted]

Not really, it was pushed pretty hard in a bundle at Best Buy and Toys R Us, there was also either a free ticket or movie cash back when you bought the game on any platform (DS being of course the most likely, next to the Wii, to attract that demographic).

Ah, didn't knew that. Yeah, that would certainly be an explanation. These are effective marketing techniques for the wider market.

 

[Y2Kev]

Tiger woods tank :lol

 

[Indyana]

A lot of Wii titles in the Top 10.

We hear a lot about how the Wii sells tons of software, though we only see a few instances in the Top 10, usually because of the heavy hitter games dominating the charts.

Since the bar was so low to get into the Top 10 this month, are we seeing perhaps more "normal" sales for Wii titles, where some games (like the LEGO games) are selling in the 80k-100k region for many months?

It was posted before in the Nintendo PR. LEGO HP Wii = 136k

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=22406973&postcount=189

 

[Nirolak]

That's definitely a big factor as well.
Just look Madden.

The interesting thing so far is that IIRC FIFA World Cup is beating expectations, but bother UFC and Tiger Woods nose dived.

I wonder if the sports game industry is experience the same polarization as the core game industry, where the game sales are completely polarizing to the most popular sports.

 

[Kifimbo]

Remember UFC numbers last month, compared to last year ? I just think annual sport games are getting hit hard, and Tiger Woods is the newest example. Either people are getting wiser, or they don't have the money to buy pretty much the same game two years in a row.

Of course, Tiger's saga probably had an impact, but it's not the only factor IMO.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Thanks for the numbers, I meant relative to first month. For me that title came out of nowhere, and it's probably my GOTY.

Unfortunately I started it right before a vacation and got a little distracted, but I'm really loving it too and I hope to get back to it soon.

Remember UFC numbers last month, compared to last year ? I just think annual sport games are getting hit hard, and Tiger Woods is the newest example. Either people are getting wiser, or they don't have the money to buy pretty much the same game two years in a row.

I can't speak to UFC 2010 versus UFC 2009 but it strikes me that in general, MMA does not have the kind of turn-over in terms of fighters sufficient to necessitate a yearly installments. Madden is frequently accused of being a roster update, but UFC doesn't update their roster half as quickly, so presumably the game wouldn't even be that. Now, it might be the case that UFC 2010 added significant new features. Most people I know who loved 2009 hated 2010 but I haven't heard why. Either way, just my speculation about MMA in general.

 

[Frillen]

Given Peace Walker, I expect another beloved PSP release of June (Hot Shots Tennis: Get A Grip) to have numbers in the four digits. Man this is depressing.

You thought a Hot Shots Tennis game for the PSP would sell in the 5 digits? Get a grip!

 

[Nemesis121]

Wii fad is over....errr wait, i forgot it's 2010,,,,:lol

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

Eh, developers should just not make games for it if they expect sales outside of Japan. It's not like it's a surprise that psp titles bomb everywhere else, isn't that why they made Metal Monster Hunter in the first place? What Sony should really do is allow psp games to be in the psn store playable on ps3, if they care about psp games selling.

Is there a technical reason why this hasn't been done yet? The PS3 should be more than capable of emulation the PSP through software, and you can already download PSP demos and games on PS3 PSN can't you?

I can't understand why Sony would be averse to that, especially with the PSP hardware doing this poorly.

 

[Rainier]

Am I correct in assuming people may be more inclined to by yearly sports games when they have roster changes, unlike a game like Tiger Woods?*

*I'm assuming Tiger Woods is the only player in the game.

 

[Shig]

Urgh, all this "Sony needs to kill the PSP" talk is turning my stomach. Remember when gamers wanted Dreamcast to live forever even though it was in death throes at retail? Remember the GAF that cursed Nintendo for canceling a US release of Sin & Punishment in N64's twilight?

Why does everyone act like shareholders now? Are you guys really so keen on leaving a boatload of interesting games on the table, never to be localized, to buy new hardware that's probably going to get clobbered the exact same way again?

 

[Mrbob]

Is there a technical reason why this hasn't been done yet? The PS3 should be more than capable of emulation the PSP through software, and you can already download PSP demos and games on PS3 PSN can't you?

I can't understand why Sony would be averse to that, especially with the PSP hardware doing this poorly.

It is dumb they have not done this yet. I would pick up a couple PSP games. New PSP revisions can already output to a TV.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Is there a technical reason why this hasn't been done yet? The PS3 should be more than capable of emulation the PSP through software, and you can already download PSP demos and games on PS3 PSN can't you?

I can't understand why Sony would be averse to that, especially with the PSP hardware doing this poorly.

It is dumb they have not done this yet. I would pick up a couple PSP games. New PSP revisions can already output to a TV.

The PS3 has a PSP emulator in firmware and has since 3.15. It's just not turned on. Your guess is as good as mine.

Why does everyone act like shareholders now? Are you guys really so keen on leaving a boatload of interesting games on the table, never to be localized, to buy new hardware that's probably going to get clobbered the exact same way again?

Other than The Last Ranker and the Falcom games, if Sony killed the PSP this fall, no other potential localization candidate would be impacted at this point. Everything else has been announced

 

[Cosmonaut X]

I wonder whether sports game publishers should be looking at a better way of managing these franchises.

What's stopping them releasing, say, PGA Tour 12, then releasing DLC packs that hook into that for the next couple of years while the main team work on a more compelling PGA Tour 13? It would provide some breathing room for more casual players to avoid issues with stale annual releases, while offering dedicated players updated rosters, stats etc. in the meantime.

 

[Barrett2]

Given Peace Walker, I expect another beloved PSP release of June (Hot Shots Tennis: Get A Grip) to have numbers in the four digits. Man this is depressing.

also a steal at only $20

 

[Son of Godzilla]

Wasn't Woods 09 booned by Motion+?

 

[Rainier]

Is there a technical reason why this hasn't been done yet? The PS3 should be more than capable of emulation the PSP through software, and you can already download PSP demos and games on PS3 PSN can't you?

I can't understand why Sony would be averse to that, especially with the PSP hardware doing this poorly.

I always assumed the textures would look like shit on a screen that's at least 10 times bigger. Why use high-res textures on a 3" screen?

 

[The Technomancer]

Though on a positive note Nintendo gave out numbers for three of the bottom five this month.

Hm now?

 

[watership]

360 come out in top, but, considering that a lot of those sales are from people just replacing their existing xboxs, that number isnt impressive at all. PS3 had a similar YOY increase without any novelty factor in place.

Not impressive at all. Nope.

 

[LJ11]

At this rate, it's only a matter of time before they turn it on.

Anyone remember Portable Ops numbers? Didn't do so hot either if memory serves, interested in seeing the difference, if we get Peace Walker numbers that is.

 

[phisheep]

I'd be more concerned with how much the drop is due to franchise annualization fatigue during what is going to be a long generation.

Not to say Tiger's sluttin' around isn't a factor, but Tiger 10 was fantastic - how many consumers need an improvement?

I suspect it may be the other way round.

Tiger 10 on Wii Motion+ promised so much in terms of control, but didn't really deliver it - still had far too much in the way of complicated menus, can't chip with a 7-iron, can't handle draw/fade through your stance and setup - and all of these things you can do perfectly well in Wii Sports Resort.

For the Wii 'audience' - by the way there must be a better word for that when you are playing games but I can't think of one right now - it might be worse than you think. It could be not that they don't need an improvement but that they've given up on the franchise already.

If so (and it's only a guess from my own experience), then there couldn't be a better time to drop the tiger and come up with something fresh.

 

[Ridley327]

Urgh, all this "Sony needs to kill the PSP" talk is turning my stomach. Remember when gamers wanted Dreamcast to live forever even though it was in death throes at retail? Remember the GAF that cursed Nintendo for canceling a US release of Sin & Punishment in N64's twilight?

Why does everyone act like shareholders now? Are you guys really so keen on leaving a boatload of interesting games on the table, never to be localized, to buy new hardware that's probably going to get clobbered the exact same way again?

Which of these "interesting games" can fix the irreperable damage that has already been inflicted upon the system? The system is an absolute disaster outside of its country of origin; Sony has tried to ignore it with all of these new ad campaigns, but it's akin to putting a band-aid on a decapitated head.

 

[Shalashaska]

Hopefully this means MGSW will come as a download to the PS3.

 

[Mrbob]

The PS3 has a PSP emulator in firmware and has since 3.15. It's just not turned on. Your guess is as good as mine.

Wow I didn't even know that. Now Sony really is crazy for not flipping the switch!

 

[Snuggles]

It wouldn't be ideal but I would still be more than willing to buy a PS2 port of Peace Walker. If they did it with Jak and Daxter, they could do it with Peace Walker.

 

[yankeehater]

Great job MS. I went to a Walmart a couple weeks ago to look at a slim 360 and they were sold out of all 360's.

 

[x Power Pad Death Stomp x]

Wasn't there a bit of teeth gnashing over MGS: Peace Walker not going to Wii? I seem to remember people being flabbergasted that Konami would put it on PSP instead of bringing it to the # 1 system around. I wonder if it would have done any better...

 

[viciouskillersquirrel]

This is what I'm hoping some companies will see as an opportunity in the 3DS launch. Any game that's there for launch will sell a *lot* of copies. This is a chance to reinvigorate stagnating brands that have fallen out of the public favor and bring other brands to new territories. My favorite example is Monster Hunter. *IF* a Monster Hunter game is available at the US launch then it *WILL* become a viable property for the US.

It wasn't something that was immediately obvious to me at the start of the gen, but the launch window and first year of a system's lifespan really are the best times to launch new IPs (or revitalise old ones). Lack of competition and a software-hungry early adopter userbase really lets new ideas shine.

Established franchises can even find new audiences this way.

Wasn't there a bit of teeth gnashing over MGS: Peace Walker not going to Wii? I seem to remember people being flabbergasted that Konami would put it on PSP instead of bringing it to the # 1 system around. I wonder if it would have done any better...

I don't know about that (I don't follow MGS announcements), but putting it on Wii at this late stage of its lifecycle would be just as risky as putting it on a dead platform with a demonstrated established audience. As it is, there's likely no audience for the game on Wii right now. Next gen, perhaps.

 

[MattyGrovesOrMe]

Am I correct in assuming people may be more inclined to by yearly sports games when they have roster changes, unlike a game like Tiger Woods?*

*I'm assuming Tiger Woods is the only player in the game.

First assumption is probably correct for hardcore team sports fans who want their games to be up to date. This might not be as important in non-team based sports games.

Second assumption is incorrect though. You can select multiple PGA golfers, not just Tiger Woods.

 

[legend166]

Am I correct in assuming people may be more inclined to by yearly sports games when they have roster changes, unlike a game like Tiger Woods?*

*I'm assuming Tiger Woods is the only player in the game.

Tiger Woods is not the only player in the game.

 

[OldJadedGamer]

Urgh, all this "Sony needs to kill the PSP" talk is turning my stomach. Remember when gamers wanted Dreamcast to live forever even though it was in death throes at retail? Remember the GAF that cursed Nintendo for canceling a US release of Sin & Punishment in N64's twilight?

Why does everyone act like shareholders now? Are you guys really so keen on leaving a boatload of interesting games on the table, never to be localized, to buy new hardware that's probably going to get clobbered the exact same way again?

Another reason they should make them playable on the PSN.

 

[Tron 2.0]

-Piracy on the PSP. PSP games are a sinking ship if they think they're getting good sales.
-NPD doesn't track PSN sales, which is where some Peace Walker sells happened.

But yeah, disappointing all the same. Doesn't help that Square Triangle said someone on Facebook asked which version of PW people were getting (DD/UMD) and most went with "the pirated version."

Undoubtably a problem, but probably not the main reason the game didn't sell Top 10 well. Other PSP games have made the NPD Top 10 in tougher months.

I guess it's possible that MGS is a more pirate-friendly franchise, but there's no way to back that up.

PSN sales are probably a fraction of retail sales.

I think the game just sold poorly.

 

[ViperVisor]

Tiger woods tank :lol

I like that they gave Wii the same cover vs a scrubbing of happy. But last year it had a bundle with M+ for 60, what I got. I was interested in what new they showed for 11 but there is more than enough golf for 90% of people in having just last years game.

 

[Lagspike_exe]

The PS3 has a PSP emulator in firmware and has since 3.15. It's just not turned on. Your guess is as good as mine.

It's used for minis. That is its only point.

 

[Boney]

Undoubtably a problem, but probably not the main reason the game didn't sell Top 10 well. Other PSP games have made the NPD Top 10 in tougher months.

I guess it's possible that MGS is a more pirate-friendly franchise, but there's no way to back that up.

PSN sales are probably a fraction of retail sales.

I think the game just sold poorly.

How many months has it been since a PSP game charted? PSP is in a much worse condition that it was a year ago.