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[Jeels]

I did not know that, but it's hard to believe it will all of a sudden re-establish the Wii selling at a rate of over 20k on a regular basis sustainable for the long term again. After this month, I'm not going to say it's not possible though.

My point is when it comes to re-assessing the Wii's market health, don't give more importance to one month's result and view it as proof of a turn-around of a year worth of trending. It remains to be seen what happens in the US as far as trending goes, and I guess whenever the Wii gets the title you are talking about in Japan.

When is it supposed to be released?

Well the title I am referring to is Dragon Quest X, and well, we don't really know anything about the title at all. I don't know if Square Enix start revealing info only a few months before release unlike their other titles, but even if that were the case the earliest\ it'll be winter 2011, but I am betting 2012 now.

 

[Watchtower]

Well the title I am referring to is Dragon Quest X, and well, we don't really know anything about the title at all. I don't know if Square Enix start revealing info only a few months before release unlike their other titles, but even if that were the case the earliest\ it'll be winter 2011, but I am betting 2012 now.

You didn't have to say it, I figured that much ;p

And if that's the case, then the point remains for Japan. That's a lot of weeks of potential sub 10k sales that will pass by. Even if you believe the Japanese gamer may be more patient than the Western gamer....that's a loooong time even for them.

Really if the Wii continues that trend and sell sub 10k a week for the next year in Japan, and then sales go up again at Christmas and just around DQ X in 2012....stick a fork in it. It's done. It will be more along the lines of its swan song.

 

[Fafalada]

i don't think we should call someone who spends hours every day playing videogames a casual gamer.

I'd call them a workoholic - the activity involved in interacting with Facebook games certainly doesn't qualify as leisure or play/fun.

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

You do know the Wii's biggest Japanese third party release hasn't even bee released yet correct?

PlayStation 2: March 4, 2000
Dragon Quest VII: August 26, 2000

History repeats?

 

[Flying_Phoenix]

Sony doesn't do a good job of advertising their games. Its just not "out there" the way MS does it.

You got it backwards. The problem with Sony's advertising is that they are way too out there.

 

[kswiston]

Probably still does with the exception of the upcoming DQX

Have we heard a single thing about Dragon Quest X since it was announced? There was about 30 months between the announcement of DQIX for DS and its release. We're nearing that same timespan with DQX, and not a single screenshot, piece of artwork, or logo has been shown to my knowledge.

Considering DQIX was the highest selling game in the franchise, and considering jrpg sales on the Wii have been pretty horrendous, I would be highly surprised if DQX hasn't been moved to the 3DS by this point. I think they will keep the game on a Nintendo machine, because of Nintendo's commitment to improving the franchise's standing in the west, but there is no real reason to stick with the Wii.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

Those are amazing numbers for Microsoft. The primary reasons the X360 keeps selling is because of it's affordable price, immense selection of software and it provides you with 95% of the same games from the PS3 with comparable graphics.

 

[Huff]

Have we heard a single thing about Dragon Quest X since it was announced? There was about 30 months between the announcement of DQIX for DS and its release. We're nearing that same timespan with DQX, and not a single screenshot, piece of artwork, or logo has been shown to my knowledge.

Considering DQIX was the highest selling game in the franchise, and considering jrpg sales on the Wii have been pretty horrendous, I would be highly surprised if DQX hasn't been moved to the 3DS by this point. I think they will keep the game on a Nintendo machine, because of Nintendo's commitment to improving the franchise's standing in the west, but there is no real reason to stick with the Wii.

DQX for Wii2 launch.

 

[Bel Marduk]

Have we heard a single thing about Dragon Quest X since it was announced? There was about 30 months between the announcement of DQIX for DS and its release. We're nearing that same timespan with DQX, and not a single screenshot, piece of artwork, or logo has been shown to my knowledge.

Considering DQIX was the highest selling game in the franchise, and considering jrpg sales on the Wii have been pretty horrendous, I would be highly surprised if DQX hasn't been moved to the 3DS by this point. I think they will keep the game on a Nintendo machine, because of Nintendo's commitment to improving the franchise's standing in the west, but there is no real reason to stick with the Wii.

Horii already said they were making DQ game(s) for the Wii, that includes DQ X obviously. Also the Wii doesn't have a problem selling big games, RPG or not. This is DQ.

 

[donny2112]

We're nearing that same timespan with DQX, and not a single screenshot, piece of artwork, or logo has been shown to my knowledge.

Logo's been shown since the beginning, I thought.

Considering DQIX was the highest selling game in the franchise, and considering jrpg sales on the Wii have been pretty horrendous, I would be highly surprised if DQX hasn't been moved to the 3DS by this point.

So you're highly surprised? There's been recent confirmations that it's still being made for Wii. Usually it's just a one-liner in an interview instead of a media blowout, though. *shrugs*

 

[Huff]

Logo's been shown since the beginning, I thought.

I think that logo was proved fake/fan made

 

[Zen]

Killzone 2 was $45 million on the low end.

http://www.digitalbattle.com/2010/02/20/top-10-most-expensive-video-games-budgets-ever/

You're kidding yourself if you think Killzone 3 cost less than that.

It also wasn't in development for as long.

I'd be very surprised if KZ3 cost more than KZ2 to make.

Heck I'd be surprised if Killzone 3 cost as much as Killzone 2.

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

Horii already said they were making DQ game(s) for the Wii, that includes DQ X obviously. Also the Wii doesn't have a problem selling big games, RPG or not. This is DQ.

I would do terrible things for a DQ7 remake.

 

[jtb]

The only way BF3 will beat MW3 is to become like it, do you really want that?

They are two vastly different FPS experiences. I'd rather BF kept what makes it special rather than trying to ape CoD. Shame though as DICE seems to be obsessed with besting CoD they may do that in graphics etc, but they will need an absolutely addictive MP element and as much as i love BF i just can't see it happening.

Not necessarily. Before Call of Duty, there was Halo. Before Halo, there was Goldeneye. Trends change - and with seven million copies of BC2 sold, Battlefield has one hell of a launching pad to work with. Call of Duty didn't make it big by sacrificing everything that made it Call of Duty - rather, Modern Warfare took everything in Call of Duty 2 and refined it to the point where it provided a complete package, and (arguably) perfected its game play formula. That, and they kept it fresh by adding the modern coat of paint and matchmaking. If Battlefield 3 can find that balance between huge battles, destruction, and keep the core mechanics solid, there's no reason it should have to become a me-too Modern Warfare clone.

 

[Watchtower]

Those are amazing numbers for Microsoft. The primary reasons the X360 keeps selling is because of it's affordable price, immense selection of software and it provides you with 95% of the same games from the PS3 with comparable graphics.

Yeah, let's get back on topic. Those have always been the primary reasons why it sold. But the primary reason why it went from just selling to becoming beastly was because it still does all that but now at a cheaper price, in slim form, and Kinect. The trend's been very obvious and clear. It started with the price drop/slim redesign and got bigger with Kinect. And it looks to continue.

Honestly they are positioned perfectly to keep going like this for at least a year without being challenged by anything, with the only thing having a chance at reversing this trend being a slow release schedule for Kinect.

It doesn't appear that Sony's exclusives are going to be doing anything to slow MS down or steal market share just as most predicted. So the only thing that can hurt them is Kinect all of a sudden getting a bad image because of lack of games.

And even then they do have a price drop in their pocket and I'm sure they would use it if that ever became the case to carry both of them over to the next wave of titles. Just an absolutely brilliantly designed plan and set of moves that allowed them to put a stranglehold on the US market. Don Mattrick may look geeky, but then again, that is one of the main reasons why MS became MS. You got to hand to him. He's got brains.


PS: I should also mention that some of the biggest reasons why the 360 even got here is that while Microsoft's line-up of exclusives is slimmer this generation and far fewer than Sony, at least in the US, GOW and Halo have had a much bigger impact on both establishing its image and hardware sales. I think those games' importance and role is quickly becoming relegated to a minor reason, but without games like that the 360 would have not maintained such steady sales over the long haul. They initially made it, and with each new release solidified it until the price drop and Kinect came to carry it further.The 360's line-up of exclusive packed a lot of punch over a small number of properly selected titles.

 

[alphaNoid]

Those are amazing numbers for Microsoft. The primary reasons the X360 keeps selling is because of it's affordable price, immense selection of software and it provides you with 95% of the same games from the PS3 with comparable graphics.

Add to the list that many peoples 'friends' own 360s and the 2 things that most consumer consider when buying a console are probably...

1. Games
2. Where are your friends playing?

 

[jetjevons]

I'd rather COD:BLOPS be the best selling American game of all time than Wii Play.

And even though the numbers are close the big difference between KZ3 and Bulletstorm is that Bulletstorm has a chance of being profitable. As I understand it KZ3 was a very expensive game.

 

[maeda]

Do we have an approximation for Kinect LTD?

 

[Neuromancer]

I can't get mad about Blops. It has bots which is more than I can say for most shooters these days.

 

[Watchtower]

Do we have an approximation for Kinect LTD?

They recently announced 10 million shipped and they were at 8 million at the end of the year, when supply was still constrained in a few places.

So it's probably not wrong at all to say sold-through numbers are probably somewhere around 9 million units(with an error of margin of ~500k if you can live with that).

 

[bigace33]

So happy that Blackops did good. Good for NBA 2K11 as well.

 

[donny2112]

The thing I don't get is that if PS3 was up YOY, then that's still a good number. Hardly worth hiding from. (Re: Sony's PR)

If they post it once, it'd be obvious if they didn't post the next month (or previous months). If they're trying to hide their numbers, then they'd have to be consistent month-to-month.

 

[Dash Kappei]

MVC3 had such an impressive performance despite being a bare bones addition to the fighting genre, it just proves that fighters can keep racking uo the sales if they continue to make characters appeal and strong franchises at their core.

Time to say bye bye to the Killzone franchise, Sony.
Let GG make an original FPS of their own, from scratch.

BLOBS record might be good for Guinness WR pr blabbering, but it means as much as saying Tetris had that crown. Break it down per sku, not across a million platforms.

Wii 2 announced January 2012 confirmed

Spoiler

Reggie = 40 millions in NA.

 

[speculawyer]

Add to the list that many peoples 'friends' own 360s and the 2 things that most consumer consider when buying a console are probably...

1. Games
2. Where are your friends playing?

And considering that the PS3 has Blu-Ray and free online play, I think the fact that the 360 had a year head-start on the PS3 (or a 2 year head-start if you consider $599) ended up being very important to Microsoft. They got that network/viral aspect going.

 

[Kolgar]

If Sony would simply implement fucking party chat on PS3, it'd do wonders for the platform.

That right there is the sole reason my friends and I usually wind up on 360 even when we'd rather do something on PS3.

"But we can't fucking talk to each other! Oh right, fuck it."

Are you getting my drift, Sony?

 

[Thunderbear]

Reporting Period 1/30/11 through 2/26/11

Software:

7.) Bulletstorm (EA: 360, PS3, PC) - 285.6K
8.) Killzone 3 (Sony: PS3) - 279.9K

Both released at the end of the month, not bad! And PS3 exclusive selling as good as a multiplatform shooter that was fairly hyped is pretty good too.

Sad to see some of those other games in the top 10 though (just 'cause I don't like them, except for Dead Space 2).

If Sony would simply implement fucking party chat on PS3, it'd do wonders for the platform.

That right there is the sole reason my friends and I usually wind up on 360 even when we'd rather do something on PS3.

"But we can't fucking talk to each other! Oh right, fuck it."

Are you getting my drift, Sony?

Minus the attitude I agree with you . I think it would improve sales a fair amount.

 

[Mindlog]

And considering that the PS3 has Blu-Ray and free online play, I think the fact that the 360 had a year head-start on the PS3 (or a 2 year head-start if you consider $599) ended up being very important to Microsoft. They got that network/viral aspect going.

Yeah it was likely a combination of the head start and the community features. The XBOX Live - PSN Hooks will prove to be more vital than any software or hardware legacy.

I wonder how long it will be before we get some more estimates on the number of connected machines.

 

[Brimstone]

So happy that Blackops did good. Good for NBA 2K11 as well.

And don't both games strive to run at 60 frames per second?

 

[okenny]

No Kinect software in the Top 10 like last month though.

Isn't Zumba on 360 a Kinect game?

 

[okenny]

"Last month's big seller was the 250 gigabyte Xbox system bundled a Kinect sensor (for $400), but Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii also saw sales grow during the month, NPD said."

Seems like it was a particularly good February.
# Wii > 397,900
# PS3 > 360,100



And the chart position doesn't even include the hardware bundles. I wouldn't be surprised if it managed to sell between more than 400k units in a week.

Gas is expensive so people are staying home and playing games? :/

 

[shintoki]

MVC3 had such an impressive performance despite being a bare bones addition to the fighting genre, it just proves that fighters can keep racking uo the sales if they continue to make characters appeal and strong franchises at their core.

It was 10 fucking years in the making. MK9 will do gangbusters too.

 

[Mizzou Gaming]

Now I'm practically in full fledged panic mode regarding MS's unbelieveable success with the 360. They are doing this even after gutting a large majority of their first party studios. Meanwhile SONY is unloading an unbelieveable lineup of exclusive software and still getting sodomized by them in the States.

I cannot wait for GEARS of WAR 3 and FORZA 4, and KINECT has been a smash hit in my house. Still part of me is wishing they would start to struggle just so they will throw more things into the 360 mix. I often hear people criticize the 360 lineup saying MS needs to bolster their first party portfolio, but honestly when I look at it from Microsoft's perspective, they don't need to do that all.

Edit; Someone is not doing a very good job convincing all these people they are actually not having all that unbelieveable fun with COD BLOPS

 

[Arpharmd B]

Black Ops breaking the all time best seller record is even more impressive when you consider that each and every game sold was (at least) 60$.

The game has only been out for a couple months, it probably sell another couple million when it's all said and done. Amazing, really.

Microsoft has executed an amazing comeback strategy. It all started with the redesigned console, followed by Halo Reach and Fable III, establishing itself as the platform of choice for Black Ops, and Kinect turned out to be a huge success.

I predicted that they would overtake the market in 2011 in the United States last year. They built upon the already healthy 360 market with Kinect, and it is working brilliantly. Once the good games start rolling out, and a well timed pricecut, and they are easily poised to be the best selling console this year. Crazy to think this is the oldest console on the market, going into it's 6th year. Don't call it a comeback.

Also interesting to note: the 360 is (mostly) selling at 299 and 399. Exactly what the console launch prices were. Granted, they now have built in Wifi, tons more memory, and Kinect sensors bundled in, but you have to think they are making serious bank on the hardware itself. Kinect only costs 60 bucks to manufacture IIRC, and the console is now, what, 45 nanometer chips? It probably makes on average as much as the Wii console makes per unit.

All things considered, 360 is confortably the new market leader in the United States. I know Japan is a lost cause, but it would be interesting to know how well Kinect is doing in the rest of the world.

 

[bigtroyjon]

Black Ops breaking the all time best seller record is even more impressive when you consider that each and every game sold was (at least) 60$.

That's not even remotely close to being true.

 

[Dash Kappei]

It was 10 fucking years in the making. MK9 will do gangbusters too.

Exactly, same as SFIV. Strong franchise of which people wanted to finally play a sequel + great characters appeal.
Next Tekken game not named TvsSF will probably do abysmal numbers as usual.
MK has always done great numbers in NA, if it really is good and a true franchise reboot it could become a super hit and do well even in PAL regions.

 

[Arpharmd B]

Now I'm practically in full fledged panic mode regarding MS's unbelieveable success with the 360. They are doing this even after gutting a large majority of their first party studios. Meanwhile SONY is unloading an unbelieveable lineup of exclusive software and still getting sodomized by them in the States.

I cannot wait for GEARS of WAR 3 and FORZA 4, and KINECT has been a smash hit in my house. Still part of me is wishing they would start to struggle just so they will throw more things into the 360 mix. I often hear people criticize the 360 lineup saying MS needs to bolster their first party portfolio, but honestly when I look at it from Microsoft's perspective, they don't need to do that all.

Edit; Someone is not doing a very good job convincing all these people they are actually not having all that unbelieveable fun with COD BLOPS

Yeah MS has been getting a lot of flack over it's lack of hardcore exclusives around GAF lately. IMO they shouldn't have cut loose all their first party studios. While their strategy is currently working, and they are making serious cash, I wonder if that decision will come back to bite them in the ass. Right now it's looking all good for them, but they clearly need more studios to support their two platforms right now. I wonder if we will see any big studio purchases in the future like we saw with Rare way back when.

You know what kinda strikes me too, mentioning Rare for a moment. This is probably their most important studio right now. Kinect really needs another AAA title like Kinect Sports. I'd say Kinect Fit is probably in the works.

MS has been brilliant this gen. The only thing they should change, they needs to consider building up a strong 1st and 2nd party to help push both platforms. They have the 3rd party support.

 

[AbsoluteZero]

More than 454,000 Wii consoles sold in February to put Wii across the 35 million mark faster than any other console in U.S. history.

Glad to see Nintendo doing well this gener....

Oh. :/

 

[Arpharmd B]

That's not even remotely close to being true.

Ummm, ok? The game is still 60$. There were special editions costing even more than that. What are you talking about?

 

[sinnergy]

Heck I'd be surprised if Killzone 3 cost as much as Killzone 2.

50 Million, is the last number I heard for KZ3.

 

[Khronikos]

Wow, their is a lot of weirdness in this thread. You need to give Killzone 3 despite it flaws two months time at least on the marketplace and not just in NA to even get any idea on how it's going to do in the longrun. Some of you guys are so overwhelming melodramatic. Bulletstorm sold on 3 systems! And it hardly beat KZ3. That is not good for Bulletstorm if anything. KZ3 is a big game in all of Europe and even South America. You can't just act like this game is done after 6 days of sale in one region good lord.

 

[Dash Kappei]

Black Ops breaking the all time best seller record is even more impressive when you consider that each and every game sold was (at least) 60$.

The game has only been out for a couple months, it probably sell another couple million when it's all said and done. Amazing, really.

It will have sold way more than a couple of millions on top when it's all said and done.
Modern Warfare 2 kept selling when Blops was released and it still sells.

 

[speculawyer]

Ummm, ok? The game is still 60$. There were special editions costing even more than that. What are you talking about?

It has been on sale for $39.99.

Right now it is $53@Amazon.

 

[Arpharmd B]

Exactly, same as SFIV. Strong franchise of which people wanted to finally play a sequel + great characters appeal.
Next Tekken game not named TvsSF will probably do abysmal numbers as usual.
MK has always done great numbers in NA, if it really is good and a true franchise reboot it could become a super hit and do well even in PAL regions.

Tekken is a better selling franchise than Mortal Kombat. Has been for a long time. The reason MK9 is going to break the mold of so so MK sales is because it's a full fledged reboot, like SF4.

I predict that it will do very well, but I don't think it will do SF4 and MVC numbers. It doesn't have a strong, hardcore community like SF4 and MVC. While there is no doubt hype behind the title, it is not on the same level as SF4 hype. Street Fighter 4 was marketed so brilliantly, MK hasn't been so far. It will be interesting to watch, but in my opinion, it's going to fall shy of Capcom's heavy hitters. I guess we'll see in a month.

 

[evolution]

Ummm, ok? The game is still 60$. There were special editions costing even more than that. What are you talking about?

I think your forgetting the platforms its on

 

[Watchtower]

Black Ops breaking the all time best seller record is even more impressive when you consider that each and every game sold was (at least) 60$.

The game has only been out for a couple months, it probably sell another couple million when it's all said and done. Amazing, really.

Microsoft has executed an amazing comeback strategy. It all started with the redesigned console, followed by Halo Reach and Fable III, establishing itself as the platform of choice for Black Ops, and Kinect turned out to be a huge success.

I predicted that they would overtake the market in 2011 in the United States last year. They built upon the already healthy 360 market with Kinect, and it is working brilliantly. Once the good games start rolling out, and a well timed pricecut, and they are easily poised to be the best selling console this year. Crazy to think this is the oldest console on the market, going into it's 6th year. Don't call it a comeback.

Also interesting to note: the 360 is (mostly) selling at 299 and 399. Exactly what the console launch prices were. Granted, they now have built in Wifi, tons more memory, and Kinect sensors bundled in, but you have to think they are making serious bank on the hardware itself. Kinect only costs 60 bucks to manufacture IIRC, and the console is now, what, 45 nanometer chips? It probably makes on average as much as the Wii console makes per unit.

All things considered, 360 is confortably the new market leader in the United States. I know Japan is a lost cause, but it would be interesting to know how well Kinect is doing in the rest of the world.

We probably won't see regional breakdown of Kinect any time soon unless they break it down for us with charts at E3.

 

[Arpharmd B]

Well at every retailer in the United States it is 60$.

And what about people who paid 80 or >100$ for special editions? The average selling price of the title is 60$ or perhaps even more.

 

[Opus Angelorum]

Well if the UK is any indication, Bulletstorm is likely to have better legs than Killzone 3.

 

[AbsoluteZero]

May have been mentioned but don't forget that Black Ops is also on the Wii, so you've got the usual two platforms plus one extra selling.

 

[Hours Left]

I see you MvC3.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, fighting games.

 

[Arpharmd B]

I think your forgetting the platforms its on

PC = 50$. Wii = 50$. DS = ??.

Well, ok then, but taking into account special editions, the average price when its all said and done is probably close to 60$. My point is the title has not yet been (universally) discounted nor has it had any platinum hits/GOTY editions and it's already the best selling title, ever. It's incredible, really. I would have never guessed that, I always thought the Treyarch titles were the lesser selling, holdover titles and Modern Warfare was the main draw.

Hell it's actually funny to think that MW2 almost dropped the Call of Duty branding all together (they instead, wisely, chose to keep it albeit in small letters on the box). Clearly it's Call of Duty that sells and not just Modern Warfare (though MW undoubtedly was the title that pushed the game into becoming what it is today).