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[Arnie]

Was there a year UK was #2?

Yes, and to my knowledge it still is number 2. Does anyone have a source to prove Japan overtook it again?

 

[szaromir]

Was there a year UK was #2?

2008

 

[GCX]

I know DKCR will have better legs, and I guess we'll see about December, but the game is hardly their best opening-month seller. I'd say for such a big franchise smack in the middle of November, it could have and should ranked in a bit more.

It's not Retro's best opening but it WILL be their best success by a huge margin.

Metroid and DKC are very different games and they probably follow a very different sales patterns. Prime games were very front-loaded but DKC will probably have sales similiar to many other Nintendo platformers and is probably going sell more in December.

And most of all, unlike Metroid, Donkey Kong will sell decently in every sales territory.

 

[REMEMBER CITADEL]

The whole #2 market thing depends on how you look at it. Do you see UK as a separate market? Or is it Europe? Or is it EMEA? Or is it PAL? Japan is #2 only in one of these cases.

 

[Boney]

Yeah, I just did the same, but I think farnham steals the show there. His breakdowns are almost a little concerning. :lol

What annoys me is that he doesn't respond to anyone, just screams like crazy cat lady.

 

[FrankT]

It had on a cash level, but not a unit level iirc and yea it did flip back.

 

[Tmac]

What a strange month for ps3. I guess it needs a price drop asap in na.

 

[Fafalada]

Surprised no one has shopped NFS on the truck and GT5 on the car.

Thing here is that NFS used to sell 8x this amount 5 years ago, and Burnout was judged as a commercial failure on Gaf for selling 400k in a month in those days.
Racing is nearly as dead as music games are in US it seems.

 

[Cosmonaut X]

What annoys me is that he doesn't respond to anyone, just screams like crazy cat lady.

Heh, nice analogy

TBH, he's heading for a ban and his comments are borderline joke posts, so I think it's probably best just to ignore him now.

 

[Souldriver]

What annoys me is that he doesn't respond to anyone, just screams like crazy cat lady.

Exactly. It's kinda strange to see a longtime gaf member slowly becoming a joke character. It's as if he's bipolar. Total Nintendo domination = happy regular posts. No total Nintendo domination = doom&gloom trollish posts.

 

[Ashes]

Adding need for speed figures from earlier:

01. Call of Duty: Black Ops (360, PS3, Wii, PC, NDS) ACTIVISION BLIZZARD ** - 8.4 Million
02. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (360, PS3) UBISOFT ** - 1.14 Million (800k for x360 I think was said earlier, so about 314k for ps3)
03. Just Dance 2 (Wii) UBISOFT
04. Madden NFL 11 (360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP) ELECTRONIC ARTS
05. Fable III (360) MICROSOFT**
06. Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii) NINTENDO - 430.5K
07. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (PS3, 360, Wii, PC) ELECTRONIC ARTS (417K)
08. Gran Turismo 5 (PS3) SONY** - 400K
09. NBA 2K11 (360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP,PC) TAKE 2 INTERACTIVE
10. Wii Fit Plus (Wii) NINTENDO**


I really hope we get figures for 3,4,5.

 

[Haunted]

Racing is nearly as dead as music games are in US it seems.

That's a bold statement.

 

[Vinci]

Yeah... Definitely need to see December numbers to pass judgement on GT5, but it certainly seems low. DKCR did rather well. Should at least encourage Nintendo to advertise it some over the remaining holiday period. They should really start developing Retro as a Rare replacement - they certainly need one.

The 360 is selling really well. No need of a price drop anytime soon. Surprised by the lack of Kinect games, though.

Interesting month.

EDIT @ Fafalada: Only if you remove Mario Kart from the equation.

 

[ntropy]

Racing [simulator]

 

[offshore]

Well GT4 did 600k in its first month in the US and that was released on the 22nd, but on a quite significantly larger PS2 install base, so GT5's numbers don't surprise me really.

EDIT: Previously posted I see. Still, not surprised by GT5's numbers.

 

[Vinci]

Racing [simulator]

Even if you accept that edit, why would the racing [simulator] genre collapse? It's not that heavily marketed. This isn't like the music genre, which drowned its audience in plastic toys and almost monthly releases.

 

[Fafalada]

Only if you remove Mario Kart from the equation.

Healthy genres still look healthy if you remove the biggest seller, and frankly I think that's stretching genre definitions anyhow.

Could argue that music genre should count dance games too which doesn't look so bad anymore.

Even if you accept that edit, why would the racing [simulator] genre collapse?

I don't think 10M that GT games sold to was entirely different from 12+M that NFS games sold to. And the decline of latter was yearly and well documented.

 

[Ridley327]

It's not Retro's best opening but it WILL be their best success by a huge margin.

Metroid and DKC are very different games and they probably follow a very different sales patterns. Prime games were very front-loaded but DKC will probably have sales similiar to many other Nintendo platformers and is probably going sell more in December.

And most of all, unlike Metroid, Donkey Kong will sell decently in every sales territory.

I just checked and DKC:R is, far and away, their biggest opening month hit.

Metroid Prime-363,400
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes-192,332
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption 218.1K

Prime 1 did end up selling a total of 720k by the end of 2002, which meant it had a really strong second month. It's really difficult to imagine that DKC:R would have any problems selling more than that in the same period.

 

[DR2K]

Racing is nearly as dead as music games are in US it seems.

I see 2 racing games in the top 10. Maybe I'm not seeing things correctly.

 

[Cosmonaut X]

Yeah... Definitely need to see December numbers to pass judgement on GT5, but it certainly seems low. DKCR did rather well. Should at least encourage Nintendo to advertise it some over the remaining holiday period. They should really start developing Retro as a Rare replacement - they certainly need one.

I think a slow & steady approach to expanding Retro would be good. I'm not sure whether any expansion has happened following the departure of leads post-MP3 though.

Having a studio like Retro who seem to be perfectly poised to take existing games and concepts and reimagine or refine them, and who seem to be fairly well in-tune with Western tastes is a huge plus for Nintendo. A more formal partnership with a studio like Next Level Games, or Monster Games would be a good idea too, as both of these studios seem to produce strong work under Nintendo's supervision and with their funding.

 

[zigg]

A more formal partnership with a studio like Next Level Games, or Monster Games would be a good idea too, as both of these studios seem to produce strong work under Nintendo's supervision and with their funding.

Correct me if I'm wrong (and I am super-sad if I am right), but Monster's work isn't exactly selling all that well, is it?

 

[offshore]

I see 2 racing games in the top 10. Maybe I'm not seeing things correctly.

But the numbers aren't brilliant are they. They both got outsold by a month-old Fable 3, which is only on one platform as well.

 

[Vinci]

I think a slow & steady approach to expanding Retro would be good. I'm not sure whether any expansion has happened following the departure of leads post-MP3 though.

Having a studio like Retro who seem to be perfectly poised to take existing games and concepts and reimagine or refine them, and who seem to be fairly well in-tune with Western tastes is a huge plus for Nintendo. A more formal partnership with a studio like Next Level Games, or Monster Games would be a good idea too, as both of these studios seem to produce strong work under Nintendo's supervision and with their funding.

I agree, but I think Nintendo needs to umbrella its Western interests under one brand in order to make for easier communication of what it brings to the table. Again, like Rare. Rare was truly a massive benefit to Nintendo, and having the ability to just say, "Yeah, we've got Rare" and have that instantly draw up a plethora of experiences for gamers was really helpful.

I mean, there are a lot of out-of-work game developers that are remarkably talented. Having Retro use that situation to prop itself up, while still under Nintendo's supervision, could prove enormously important in the years to come.

Correct me if I'm wrong (and I am super-sad if I am right), but Monster's work isn't exactly selling all that well, is it?

No, it isn't.

 

[Cornbread78]

The Kinect Hype train taking over the industry as the "must have" holiday gift here in NA. The 360 numbers are great and area really making Sony Look bad. I'd love to see a sku break down between the $199 model, the Kinect Bundle for $299 (4G) and the $399 250G bundle. That would be more interesting.

Sony needs to do something quick, a great product, but no hype.

an in regards to GT5, is 400K in 4 days bad? Or am I missing something? Launch date was 23rd, report was through the 27th.

 

[szaromir]

But the numbers aren't brilliant are they. They both got outsold by a month-old Fable 3, which is only on one platform as well.

At the same time we seem to be ignoring the elephant in the room. The fact that one title sold 8.4M and didn't completely devastate all other releases is kind of relieving.

 

[DR2K]

But the numbers aren't brilliant are they. They both got outsold by a month-old Fable 3, which is only on one platform as well.

GT is a slow burner in the US. It'll probably hit Gt4 numbers when it's all said and done. Not sure about NFS history, but it charting shows that there are racing fans out there.

 

[DR2K]

At the same time we seem to be ignoring the elephant in the room. The fact that one title sold 8.4M and didn't completely devastate all other releases is kind of relieving.

Like the US government we give our top 1% free rides all the time.

 

[Vinci]

The Kinect Hype train taking over the industry as the "must have" holiday gift here in NA.

I really doubt it. The 360's sales were increasing before Kinect showed up. The 'must have' holiday gift this year is going to be an Apple product.

 

[Cornbread78]

I really doubt it. The 360's sales were increasing before Kinect showed up. The 'must have' holiday gift this year is going to be an Apple product.

Kinect Vs. iPad, I want numbers, LOL would be an interesting comparison. iPads are actually easier to get your hands on right now compared to a Kinect. It's almost like Wii's a couple years ago, people were moer hyped in teh challange to get one for their kids than the product themselves. Working PT in retail, I've seen that same mentality at the store this year. They want one jus tto have one because it is the "new, cool" product.

 

[Cosmonaut X]

Correct me if I'm wrong (and I am super-sad if I am right), but Monster's work isn't exactly selling all that well, is it?

I think Excite Truck performed reasonably in the States, but Excitebots flopped hard - Nintendo really sent 'Bots to die, though. Short announcement-to-release timeframe, mega-weird concept, no advertising to speak of etc. etc.

If I was in the position to do it, I would:

• Start expanding Retro to allow them to manage more than one major project at a time
• Secure a partnership with Next Level Games, Monster Games and Headstrong, all studios who have produced great work for Nintendo platforms
• Establish a new Nintendo label or imprint for publishing more Western-oriented or mature titles, developed in-house (Retro), through partnerships (Next Level etc.) or simply for localising games. Think Disney/Miramax.

...for a start, anyway.

 

[szaromir]

I really doubt it. The 360's sales were increasing before Kinect showed up. The 'must have' holiday gift this year is going to be an Apple product.

There's nothing to doubt with 2.5M sellthrough in under one month, Kinect is one of the devices this Xmas. iDevices will outsell it, but Kinect is in the launch period... But I expect significant drop in early 2011.

 

[Zoe]

07. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (PS3, 360, Wii, PC) ELECTRONIC ARTS (417K)
08. Gran Turismo 5 (PS3) SONY** - 400K

Doesn't seem so impressive anymore.

 

[Bigfoot]

Dance Central could be added to the OP in the #11 spot. I thought this was mentioned in the first 10 pages of the thread.

Any other updates missing?

 

[Kenka]

I think Excite Truck performed reasonably in the States, but Excitebots flopped hard - Nintendo really sent 'Bots to die, though. Short announcement-to-release timeframe, mega-weird concept, no advertising to speak of etc. etc.

If I was in the position to do it, I would:

• Start expanding Retro to allow them to manage more than one major project at a time
  
  
  ...for a start, anyway.

• 
  
  
  Talking about that, what the hell did happen to Raven ? I know it was cancelled but, nothing ever emerged again ? Game looked awesome :-(

 

[GitarooMan]

Doesn't seem so impressive anymore.

?? We knew that DKCR was 430 and GT5 was 400, not sure what you thought it was going to be.

 

[adamsapple]

02. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (360, PS3) UBISOFT ** - 1.14 Million (800k for x360 I think was said earlier, so about 314k for ps3)

Whelp looks like that exclusive advertising or those close ups of the dualshock 3's at the e3 conferences didn't exactly help.

 

[GCX]

Talking about that, what the hell did happen to Raven ? I know it was cancelled but, nothing ever emerged again ? Game looked awesome :-(

Raven Blade was probably as shitty as all the other games that got cancelled to make way for Metroid Prime.

And no, it really didn't look that good.

 

[flyinpiranha]

Anybody "not surprised" by GT5 numbers is kidding themselves. I expected a mil AT LEAST on day 1. Everywhere up and down in every PS3/Sony thread it's touted as THE franchise on the PS3. I know it did better in other parts of the world but it still surprises the shit out of me being it's the ONLY game exclusive to the PS3 in the range of like, 30 days that even released.

 

[Cosmonaut X]

Raven Blade was probably as shitty as all the other games that got cancelled to make way for Metroid Prime.

And no, it really didn't look that good.

Pretty much.

Retro were - by all accounts - an utter mess until Nintendo stepped into to sort them out. I get the impression that it couldn't have been a great place to work at that time, but I think the drastic intervention worked out in the long run.

 

[Ashes]

Dance Central could be added to the OP in the #11 spot. I thought this was mentioned in the first 10 pages of the thread.

Any other updates missing?

I remember that as well, but kinda like the ac:b split, couldn't find a source other then remembering it being mentioned somewhere.

 

[TunaLover]

It seems Move really didn´t make click with the casual =(

 

[offshore]

Anybody "not surprised" by GT5 numbers is kidding themselves. I expected a mil AT LEAST on day 1. Everywhere up and down in every PS3/Sony thread it's touted as THE franchise on the PS3. I know it did better in other parts of the world but it still surprises the shit out of me being it's the ONLY game exclusive to the PS3 in the range of like, 30 days that even released.

Anyone who was expecting a million on day one for GT in the US was frankly insane judging by past numbers.

Like was noted previously, GT4 did 600k on a much larger PS2 install base, and that released on a 22nd. So considering GT5 released on a smaller install base, and with a couple of days less on the market, 400k is actually a reasonable number to expect.

 

[FirstInHell]

The rationalization of the abysmal PS3 sales is entertaining to read.

-Sony did not spend as much as Microsoft in marketing
-GT5 only had three days of sales
-The system is selling well in Europe (without the sales data to back it up)

Any way you slice it, Sony sold roughly 1/3rd the amount of systems than it competitors, their sales are down year over year when the system should be hitting its stride, and their biggest first party franchise that was six years in the making could not break 500,000 units during the biggest holiday shopping month of the year.

 

[MonkeyMoves]

Borys says hi

 

[offshore]

The rationalization of the abysmal PS3 sales is entertaining to read.

The problem is quite simply SCEA. How that executive team continues to still be in jobs is quite remarkable. Maybe...maybe SCEA should hire David Reeves as President and CEO :lol

 

[Tmac]

-The system is selling well in Europe (without the sales data to back it up)

There are a lot of data to back it up, just now as precise and easy to come by as NPD.

Despite 360 head start and huge advantage on cumulative NPD, overall worwide numbers for both consoles are pretty much neck to neck. That difference should be comming from somewhere else, of course japan and europe.

 

[marc^o^]

Borys says hi

Good thing there's a full, brand new list for 2011

 

[DR2K]

The rationalization of the abysmal PS3 sales is entertaining to read.

-Sony did not spend as much as Microsoft in marketing
-GT5 only had three days of sales
-The system is selling well in Europe (without the sales data to back it up)

Any way you slice it, Sony sold roughly 1/3rd the amount of systems than it competitors, their sales are down year over year when the system should be hitting its stride, and their biggest first party franchise that was six years in the making could not break 500,000 units during the biggest holiday shopping month of the year.

Why would Sony need to spend more money on ads? It's not as if people aren't aware of the name brand. They could have used all that money they saved not advertising the PS3 and made it cheaper.

 

[Cheech]

from the amount of people playing on my friends list, i would swear GT5 and COD7 were neck and neck in sales on PS3.

crazy.

Sony needs to drop to $149.95, dropping to $199.95 wouldn't be low enough.

They would end up cannibalizing the FUCK out of their standalone Blu Ray player sales. There is far, far more profit in those than there is a PS3.

And, I just paid $150 for a Sony S570, so knock it off and don't give them ideas! :lol

 

[jonnybryce]

But the numbers aren't brilliant are they. They both got outsold by a month-old Fable 3, which is only on one platform as well.

I think there's still an audience but we're looking at yet another Need For Speed and an extremely hardcore title here. I'm scared of GT and bored of NFS. I liked Blur for a while.