NPD Sales Results for December 2014 [Up2: Nintendo Sales Notes]
- Thread starter Nirolak
- Start date
Knack is also a million seller and it's a new IP.
But then again it was Knack aka the Mario Killer.
And Knack had really low scores too...Knack is also a million seller and it's a new IP.
But then again it was Knack aka the Mario Killer.
i actually didn't have a problem with the drm stuff and quite a few people i know didn't either but they did a horrible job trying to explain their 'vision'.
It seems like many ppl are feeling good for this month.
While you may be fine with 24 hour check in, no used games and no sharing games policies, I'm sure most people are not fine with it
No I'm not nor do I believe the DRM was as bad as it was made out to be.
The $500 price point probably had more of an effect on sales.
RedAssedApe
Banned
its not. dec isn't a microcosm. people need to look at the list for overall software sales. ps4 has sold more ltd for most third party games. for some reason people keep ignoring that.
Many other factors outside of DRM.
Would it be fair to say the average gamer(i.e. someone who doesn't frequent forums) probably had no idea of this stuff?
Like another poster in this thread, YOU may be fine with the DRM policies. But many people were definitely not happy with it. And it is true the price had a significant impact on sales but that's just one of the factors
Never underestimate bad word of mouth. Consumers aren't stupid and brand loyalty isn't as strong as many believe
I have a feeling that the game will be riddled with bugs. From the previews I read last year, the game has a very inconsistent framerate. I don't think it's unfair to say that it might still be an issue come release.
I also don't know if third person shooter is popular as much as open world games are popular (i.e. Watch_Dogs, GTA). It just so happened that we had a few open world games that were in the third person shooter genre that did well. Even The Last of Us was also a Zombie/survival horror game made from a very popular developer. The Order is a very different type of game from all those, taking place in a unique setting and very linear from what we've been told.
I think the game will underperform for sure. It will probably sell over a million (not by much), but that's a hardly a threshold of success for a game like this.
Omnistalgic
Member
Hmmmm...didn't even notice the great WiiU numbers. Good for Nintendo.
RedAssedApe
Banned
1 million? I'm assuming you're talking about US since this is NPD thread...1 million would be a failure for a 1st party title?
Edit: I guess you might be talking US+EU due to post you were responding to. But I actually expect it to sell better than Infamous simply due to install base and new software drought.
US + Europe like he said.
Edit: Well. Like I said I think it'll do better than 1 mil. I would agree that's a pretty low bar for the install base.
Nightengale
Member
No, it's unfair, because latest previews as of the PSX build confirms that the framerate issues are rectified. There's still some bugs noted in that preview, but that was acknowledged by the devs themselves as being part of that build, and not something they're hiding.
A pre-launch game's performance is most fairly judged by its latest playable build, not by what it was 7 months ago.
Open-world games are definitely more popular, but that doesn't somehow mean that the linear TPS shooter genre is in any form of notable decline.
Knack is also a million seller and it's a new IP.
But then again it was Knack aka the Mario Killer.
And Knack was bundled with 300k+ PS4s in Japan.
Aquamarine
Member
"great" is relative to how poorly the wii u has been doing
december npd rankings:
1) gamecube december 2003 (3rd holiday) - 1.16 million
2) gamecube december 2004 (4th holiday) - 0.80 million
3) gamecube december 2002 (2nd holiday) - 0.62 million
4) gamecube december 2005 (5th holiday) - 0.61 million
5) wii u december 2014 (3rd holiday)
6) gamecube december 2001 (1st holiday) - 0.57 million
7) wii u december 2013 (2nd holiday) - 0.48 million
8) wii u december 2012 (1st holiday) - 0.46 million
9) gamecube december 2006 (6th holiday) - 0.20 million
the gamecube, in its prime (3rd holiday), managed 1.16 million in december.
the wii u is in its prime this holiday (its 3rd holiday), but it couldn't even manage 0.60 million.
PSX performance was rock solid from what I've read.
I haven't kept up with it. Sorry folks. I only heard about the stuff from earlier in the year.
RespectThySole
Member
I don't think reviews will affect the initial sales of The Order. It will sell well at launch no matter how it reviews(they will be more important for it's legs). It's a TPS and an easier game to market to the masses than something like Bloodborne.
Also, nothing significant releases around it(Evolve will bomb). It already has nearly 200k pre-orders at GameStop alone. I think it will do 350k-450k in February(US).
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Not a good example. Knack was heavily bundled.
Also, nothing significant releases around it(Evolve will bomb). It already has nearly 200k pre-orders at GameStop alone. I think it will do 350k-450k in February(US).
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Knack is also a million seller and it's a new IP.
But then again it was Knack aka the Mario Killer.
Not a good example. Knack was heavily bundled.
Nightengale
Member
Timing and audience, as well, I'd say.
I like LBP, but as far as IPs appealing to children are concerned, Skylanders, Disney Infinity and Minecraft has really rose up to the occasion and taken a lot of mindshare from stuff like LBP.
I mean, the last console LBP was 2011.
2011 and 2014 are night and day as far as competition in the children space is concerned.
Omnistalgic
Member
Does NPD explain their methodology on counting the "pick one free" games, i.e. games that were not bundled in the box but that buyer got on top of the purchase when getting an Xbox One? (I understand there were such offers in Nov-Dec.) Meaning, do these have an effect on the NPD reported tie ratio?
Xbox one hourly chart on Amazon is climbing up, I wouldn't be surprised if it beats ps4 sales come January, the gap wouldn't be as big as nov and dec though.
ninjablade
Banned
Probably cause the good vibe is not based on reality, it's like telling your kid you're doing great for getting a D instead of an F.
I think Amazons win streak will be tested for sure this month.
ZSaberLink
Media Create Maven
Added prices for some context.
Everyone is assuming that this will be its peak holiday (in the US at least)... while it's very possible that will remain the case given what we know, I think that 2014 WON'T be its peak holiday if Nintendo finally drops the price at least by $100 by next holiday, it has a chance of beating this holiday. It's still Nintendo's most expensive console right? It's also a console that appeals to diehard Nintendo fans and mostly kids, and I still think $299 is way too high of an entry barrier... especially when the other consoles are within earshot of that price.
But I thought the PS4 is currently still ahead on Amazon? Did the X1 surpass it already?
It hasn't surpassed it yet, but it is climbing up the ladder pretty quickly in the hourly charts. It has the AC bundle though, is the new price cut includes the bundle with the 2 free games ?
Yeah, I'm pretty sure it does. Anyway, I think the X1 will be quite close to the PS4 this month but won't lead again.
Panajev2001a
GAF's Pleasant Genius
shinra-bansho
Member
I thought the assumption is that 2014 will be the peak year as a whole, not specifically referring to holiday. Although the two are probably related.
Also, I don't think the price is a major impediment to the diehard Nintendo fans, by their nature these most loyal markets are less price sensitive.
I don't know if that's even plausible without some sort of product reconfiguration.
Also, I don't think the price is a major impediment to the diehard Nintendo fans, by their nature these most loyal markets are less price sensitive.
Extend Wii U's next potential for growth to 3DS owners, and price becomes a key factor. A sub $200 non premium Wii U bundled with a game would start selling to Nintendo fans beyond the wealthy diehard ones.
Such a price cut is likely to happen next year (blame Amibos, economies of scale, etc.) and will push Wii U in the realm of potential birthday present for 3DS kids.
Along with Wii U's finally having solved its disastrous image issue (it's praised left and right now in medias, following 2 years of pretty bad to horrible press - huge consumer perception difference), and with its coolest yearly lineup to come in 2015, building upon Smash and MK8 driving forces as evergreen system sellers, I believe we will keep seeing demand and growth for Wii U. It's peak will depend on how long Nintendo decides to support this platform.
ZSaberLink
Media Create Maven
That's the problem... Nintendo needs to get folks outside of the diehard Nintendo fan group to buy the system right? Also the current ones are the ones wealthy and willing enough to plop down $300 on a system, even if it's just to play Smash & Kart. I know plenty of people who bought GCs pretty much for that, and at $99 it seemed like a no-brainer. You really think they made a console that they could never drop the price past the initial price point? I think their idea was to make as much money per unit on the Wii U as possible while there's still a reason for diehard fans to buy the system. I agree the economies of scale are against them here, but they seem fairly resourceful when making things cheaper (the 2DS probably makes them a good amount of money per unit for example). I'm pretty sure they're getting to the point of producing some new Wii Us if they haven't already, and hopefully they've thought up of some way to cut the manufacturing cost. Either that or it'll eventually be high time to take the hit on the hardware in the hopes of making more money on software (aka I assume 2015).
shinra-bansho
Member
The system has already dropped from the initial price point.
I expect there'll be some manner of price reduction, but I think the continued inclusion of the GamePad will hamper any efforts. So I don't think it will be the magnitude you suggest while retaining positive margin.
The focus isn't on trying to reclaim minor amounts of share now. It's on making what they can and riding it out. Thus, things like Amiibo have served them reasonably well in increasing the end-user spend on the system.
You think they're going to take the hit on the Wii U, when they don't even want to lose a couple dollars margin on the n3DS?
Mista
Banned
I know they dropped it to $350 but is it really permanent or for a short period?
IIRC, yesterday, Xbone was at 15th place, then up to 12, then drop to 13. PS4 fell from 5th to 8th place.
WrenchNinja
Member
It's for an indefinite amount of time
I don't see that happening when half the month was back at $399.
February and March is also going to be won by PS4 with The Order, Bloodborne and MLB.
Panajev2001a
GAF's Pleasant Genius
I would think that they might want to at least appear like doing everything they can to save the Wii U and gain consumers' trust before launching the Wii U successor. One would hope so.
Mista
Banned
Which makes it not permanent until Microsoft says so
Yep, I agree completely. However, how well the PS4 and its exclusive games sell depends on Sony's marketing
How are both consoles doing now?
The average gamer today probably has internet and googled Xbox one at least once after E3, if they did, they saw the avalanche of bad press.
Why do people think the average gamer is like a clueless sheltered 2d platform player.
Today even "parents" are informed because "parents" are gamers, back when I was a kid my folks weren't cause they didnt grow up with them. I did, and still do (I picked the console, not my kids, which wouldn't have happened when I was a kid). The average today is way more informed than 15-20 years ago.
