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[exwallst]

How can Dance Central numbers not be known with Harmonix for sale? It's noteworthy that Microsoft hasn't said anything concrete about software sales. Maybe they're just realizing that the customers they just bought don't buy much.

 

[Adam Blade]

I'm not very familiar with the whole entire situation, but why isn't Goldeneye multi-plat?

 

[Lonely1]

How can Dance Central numbers not be known with Harmonix for sale? It's noteworthy that Microsoft hasn't said anything concrete about software sales. Maybe they're just realizing that the customers they just bought don't buy much.

Maybe to avoid comparisons with Just Dance?

 

[PSGames]

Just as many people were banned for trolling Kinect as were banned for defending Kinect. Without talking about your specific ban or the specific post you were banned for (it wasn't me and I have no desire to comment on another moderator's actions), it is possible to go overboard either trolling for or trolling against something.

There was hardly an institutional moderator tilt against Kinect. I can think of at least three moderators who own Kinect currently.

Sorry if that came across as a 'fight the man' post. Overall you guys do a great job. I was just merely pointing out how bad it had gotten on here and how views have changed since then.

 

[Arpharmd B]

I'm not very familiar with the whole entire situation, but why isn't Goldeneye multi-plat?

I don't know if combining the sales with the N64 version just to get it into NPD top ten is fair practice.

 

[Lonely1]

I'm not very familiar with the whole entire situation, but why isn't Goldeneye multi-plat?

The HD twins got their own Bond game.

 

[Neuromancer]

Pachter also noted that one third of PS3 sales were $400 PlayStation Move bundles, versus one half of all Xbox 360 purchases being Kinect bundles. (There are two Kinect bundles, a $300 4GB model and $400 250GB model.) "Xbox 360 Kinect console bundles outsold PS3 Move console bundles by more than 5 to 1," said the analyst.

Holy schnikes

 

[Boney]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought TP more than doubled WW's sales.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

How can Dance Central numbers not be known with Harmonix for sale? It's noteworthy that Microsoft hasn't said anything concrete about software sales. Maybe they're just realizing that the customers they just bought don't buy much.

It should be noted that MS PR typically only brags about individual title sales in the top 10, or when there is a gross discrepancy between 360/PS3/Wii sku sales.

It's disappointing that we don't have sales of Dance Central, but it seems obvious that anyone interested in purchasing Harmonix has seen the numbers, and will make their decision based on that (along with December's sell-through).

 

[FoneBone]

I'm not very familiar with the whole entire situation, but why isn't Goldeneye multi-plat?

The devs have only offered vague answers. I don't know if it's an exclusivity deal, or something pertaining to Nintendo's license for the original game, but I definitely can't see Activision actually thinking there'd have been no audience for it on PS3/360.

 

[chris0701]

COD BLOPS

All these posts and no picture of a Cod. So disapointing.

Time to predict if MW3 will have 10m sales at 2011 Nov.

 

[plagiarize]

oh and to jump on the 'get rid of kevin butler' bandwagon, talking about your competitors in your adverts without them responding in kind for any lengthy period of time just makes you look like an also ran.

 

[Lonely1]

The devs have only offered vague answers. I don't know if it's an exclusivity deal, or something pertaining to Nintendo's license for the original game, but I definitely can't see Activision actually thinking there'd have been no audience for it on PS3/360.

Hence Blood in the Stone game.

 

[apana]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought TP more than doubled WW's sales.

Uh, why are you asking?

 

[FoneBone]

Hence Blood in the Stone game.

Bloodstone has no direct relevance to what I'm talking about.

 

[Vinci]

Well, I based my predictions for the success of Kinect based on the success of the Wii. I will admit that like many people, I underestimated the appeal of the Wii at launch in North America (even though I thought it would do well in Japan), but after having played it for the first time, and seeing the reactions of people who didn't normally play games, I knew that it was going to be a breakout hit. Not because of Nintendo's traditional stable (Zelda was pretty big at launch, but it sold nearly as well on Gamecube), but because of games like Wii Sports and Wii Play.

After the Wii reveal, I was mocked for telling people that the Wii would be the winner of the generation.

I believe that comparing Kinect to the Wii is fair, though I don't feel this benefits Kinect's chances of duplicating the same long-term success that the Wii showed. Simply put, if you go through the Wii's history - in particular, its first 18 months - it's simply mind-boggling how much massive product Nintendo unleashed on that system. And frankly, I don't see anything coming out for Kinect that is as dramatic. Add in the timing of the 3DS, and it seems unlikely to me that Kinect will be able to maintain momentum for longer than six months.

*shrugs*

 

[storybook77]

oh and to jump on the 'get rid of kevin butler' bandwagon, talking about your competitors in your adverts without them responding in kind for any lengthy period of time just makes you look like an also ran.

Kevin Butler should just stick to the MLB: The Show commercials, those are always great.

 

[RedStep]

How can Dance Central numbers not be known with Harmonix for sale? It's noteworthy that Microsoft hasn't said anything concrete about software sales. Maybe they're just realizing that the customers they just bought don't buy much.

You could probably get a rough idea by getting a horrible score and checking the leaderboards. This isn't perfect; Rentals and Borrowers will be added without a sale, but only Gold users are on the leaderboards (Silver purchasers are excluded). I imagine those two factors at least balance out.

 

[FrankT]

Fallout must have taken a pretty good tumble with the what 1.1 million combined last month to at least below #11.

 

[FoneBone]

They'll need games at LEAST as good as Dance Central, Kinect Sports, and Your Shape to start showing up several times a month starting around February/March. I just don't see that being that huge of an obstacle.

If it's not "that huge of an obstacle," then which games are those? I'm not seeing them on release lists.

 

[Smokey]

2010 truly is the Year of the PS3, its expiration date that is

:lol

 

[Megadragon15]

Originally Posted by A.R.K:
does MS fucking go buy their own games in bulk from retailers or what? its disgusting when crap like this sell and quality games struggle...I have to salute the xbox community though, they fucking buy every piece of crap that comes out on the 360 no matter the quality...thats loyalty!

:lol :lol That right there is an honest to goodness angry fanboy rant. Keep up the good fight, bud.

You forgot the best part was this retort after that post :lol :lol :

don't post in the thread again.

 

[Lonely1]

Bloodstone has no direct relevance to what I'm talking about.

Huh? it does. Obviously Activion though there was probably audience for a Bond Game in the HD twins and they developed one.

 

[FoneBone]

Huh? it does. Obviously Activion though there was probably audience for a Bond Game in the HD twins and they developed one.

I'm not talking about "a Bond game". I'm talking about GoldenEye. Yesterday's GoldenEye players are today's Halo/Call of Duty players, and there's not a chance in hell that Activision made it a Wii exclusive because they thought there was no audience for it on PS3/360.

 

[Boney]

Uh, why are you asking?

Not because of Nintendo's traditional stable (Zelda was pretty big at launch, but it sold nearly as well on Gamecube), but because of games like Wii Sports and Wii Play.

Just a foot note.

 

[ExtraKr1spy]

Why are people hating on Kevin Butler. Sony is just advertising the right way like how Manning plays the game the right way.

Every new Butler ad gets a gaf thread. Can't say that about other ads.

 

[Megadragon15]

Why are people hating on Kevin Butler. Sony is just advertising the right way like how Manning plays the game the right way.

Every new Butler ad gets a gaf thread. Can't say that about other ads.

Based on this NPD sales thread (as well as past NPD sales threads), how effective are the Kevin Butler ads in getting people to buy Playstation 3s?

 

[bigtroyjon]

To clarify on Dance Central, it was number 11 on the individual sku chart.
Kinect Sports was number 12 on the individual chart.
Link

 

[CrunchinJelly]

Why are people hating on Kevin Butler. Sony is just advertising the right way like how Manning plays the game the right way.

Every new Butler ad gets a gaf thread. Can't say that about other ads.

That's kinda the point; it's a marketing campaign aimed at those who already own the console.

 

[plagiarize]

Why are people hating on Kevin Butler. Sony is just advertising the right way like how Manning plays the game the right way.

Every new Butler ad gets a gaf thread. Can't say that about other ads.

yeah, if the goal of an advert was to get gaf to make a thread about it, then this marketing campaign would be great.

if the goal is to sell consoles, the fact that they sold fewer consoles this November than last November should give you an idea of why some of us think it's time for a change of approach.

 

[Lonely1]

Why are people hating on Kevin Butler. Sony is just advertising the right way like how Manning plays the game the right way.

Every new Butler ad gets a gaf thread. Can't say that about other ads.

Butler is simply appealing to their current audience. What Sony needs is a bigger audience.

 

[Pooya]

UPDATE
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6285163.html

Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter said that the game [Just Dance 2] had just missed his estimate of 700,000 units sold during the month. Pachter did not offer a sales estimation for Dance Central.

 

[apana]

Just a foot note.

I think TP has sold about 6.5-7 million copies, pretty much doubled the sales of Windwaker. Part of that was the momentum of the Wii and that it was a launch title. Also it lost the cel shading look which hurt Wind Waker sales. I hope Skyward Sword is able to match TP numbers.

 

[Vinci]

Based on this NPD sales thread (as well as past NPD sales threads), how effective are the Kevin Butler ads in getting people to buy Playstation 3s?

At some point, though, it's a matter of marketing overall. I don't know that it's useful to pin everything on the ads alone given that no ads are so profound that they propel a game or system to must-have status. They're simply indicators of what to expect; if what people expect after watching them isn't something they're interested in, that's hardly the ad-man's fault - unless he's communicating something incorrectly.

 

[WaltJay]

I think sony biggest problem has nothing to do with MS or Nintendo. The biggest problem was blu-ray never caught on big with the general consumer. I feel sony was expecting a huge early push for the ps3 because of blu-ray...

And standalone Blu-ray players are < $100, so the PS3 isn't nearly the value it was when they were $200-$300 a couple years ago.

I think the general public either doesn't know or doesn't care about the BD capabilities of the PS3. It adds no value and doesn't factor into the buying decision. The PS3 and Xbox 360 are viewed stritctly as game consoles, even though both can do a lot more. With one being $200 and up and the other is $300 and up, we see which one the public prefers.

 

[manueldelalas]

I think TP has sold about 6.5-7 million copies, pretty much doubled the sales of Windwaker. Part of that was the momentum of the Wii and that it was a launch title. Also it lost the cel shading look which hurt Wind Waker sales. I hope Skyward Sword is able to match TP numbers.

Why do you say cel shading hurt Wind Waker's sales?

 

[CrunchinJelly]

To clarify on Dance Central, it was number 11 on the individual sku chart.
Kinect Sports was number 12 on the individual chart.
Link

Good job, Rare!

Wonder where Your Shape is because Ubi seemed pleased with it's sales a few weeks ago. Think they said it was the best selling third party game.

 

[Opus Angelorum]

The Kevin Butler adverts do nothing but insult the competition, much like the old Mac vs PC ones. They are clever, but nothing more.

 

[plagiarize]

At some point, though, it's a matter of marketing overall. I don't know that it's useful to pin everything on the ads alone given that no ads are so profound that they propel a game or system to must-have status. They're simply indicators of what to expect; if what people expect after watching them isn't something they're interested in, that's hardly the ad-man's fault - unless he's communicating something incorrectly.

i honestly think it's been a good run, but i think it's lost its effectiveness.

keep him around for the platform adverts if you like, but in the adverts from the exclusives i think he distracts from things.

i can't see how he's going to help sell LBP2.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Pachter predicted the low PS3 sales!


Pachter says WiiHD could crush PS3 comeback

Pachter says Move is WiiHD!


Going by transitive property.


WiiHD=PS3 comeback crusher
Move=WiiHD
Move=PS3 comeback crusher


Brilliant!

 

[szaromir]

yeah, if the goal of an advert was to get gaf to make a thread about it, then this marketing campaign would be great.

if the goal is to sell consoles, the fact that they sold fewer consoles this November than last November should give you an idea of why some of us think it's time for a change of approach.

They need to change more things than that, eg work on their release schedule. At the moment it seems they releasse their games when they're ready rather than when it'd be strategically crucial. Microsoft can sit on a finished game for 4 months before releasing it (they did that with H3 ODST).

 

[apana]

Why do you say cel shading hurt Wind Waker's sales?

Well not cel shading exactly but the whole idea of a "kiddy" Zelda and the fact that it's just not what fans were expecting given the look of Ocarina and Majora's mask. The horrible sales of the gamecube may also have been a big factor. I personally enjoyed the look but I prefer the route they are taking with Skyward Sword.

 

[Skiesofwonder]

Just Dance 2 at around 700,000 is.... wow.

I now fully expect the Michael Jackson Experience to be a big hit for Wii. Michael Jackson, Wii Exclusive for the holidays, plays similar to Just Dance, and advertising on shows like The View.... how could it go wrong?

 

[Baki]

Well, I based my predictions for the success of Kinect based on the success of the Wii. I will admit that like many people, I underestimated the appeal of the Wii at launch in North America (even though I thought it would do well in Japan), but after having played it for the first time, and seeing the reactions of people who didn't normally play games, I knew that it was going to be a breakout hit. Not because of Nintendo's traditional stable (Zelda was pretty big at launch, but it sold nearly as well on Gamecube), but because of games like Wii Sports and Wii Play.

Kinect (which I still haven't played) has had that same buzz about it ever since MS has let people go hands on with it. They spent the entire summer touring the country and putting beta versions of the software directly in consumers' hands. So while much of the press turned up their noses (as they did to the Wii) citing the lack of FPS/action games, and much of the tech crowd grumbled about hundredths of a second of lag, and internet forums posted every video of a single glitch or lengthy calibration as signs that MS was trying to sell us shit in a box, hundreds of thousands of normal people were building up anticipation and word of mouth on Kinect.

And then, the product placement. Oprah, Ellen, Bieber concerts, Entourage cameo. All aimed at the same demographic. All driving sales before there was ever a 360 commercial with it on TV. The current ad campaign is peanuts. I doubt MS has even scratched the surface of that 500 million compared to what we'll see next year. If MS wants to maintain their current momentum, they're going to have to try to avoid software droughts. They'll need games at LEAST as good as Dance Central, Kinect Sports, and Your Shape to start showing up several times a month starting around February/March. I just don't see that being that huge of an obstacle. There isn't some magic pixie dust sprayed onto the products of Nintendo, Sega, Ubisoft, THQ, and Neversoft that made their Wii games multi-million sellers over the last few years.



In a sales thread, if you run off a list war, you'd best be talking about sales.

The problem I have with the constant "future prognostication" that people throw at the PS3 vs the other consoles is that

a) Lots of Sony's exclusive titles get delayed from their originally intended launch window
b) Not all of Sony's exclusive titles are flawless masterpieces worthy of being included on list of things to come in EVERY DAMN THREAD
c) Not all of Sony's exclusive titles are sales juggernauts, no matter how many thread views they get here
d) Nintendo and MS, this generation anyway, have a much more noted history of launching their AAA software within 9 months of announcement. Notably Left 4 Dead 2, Wii Fit & +, NSMB Wii, Forza 3, Gears 2, Fable 2, Fable 3, Banjo Nuts & Bolts, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Metroid: Other M, among others, were all launched the same year they were first shown playable. Comparing their upcoming software H2H in December of each year, as GAF is wont to do, disproportionately favors Sony year in and year out because they announce so much. How many years was GT5 on lists? MGS4? Killzone 2? Agent? LA Noire?



As was so often pointed out, Microsoft Kin cost them well over $500M, and it is dead.

R&D =/= marketing.

$500M is a huge marketing budget.

Regardless, the test of Kinects success will be its ability to sustain sales. MS has done an excellent job launching the platform, now they need to sustain it.

 

[offshore]

And standalone Blu-ray players are < $100, so the PS3 isn't nearly the value it was when they were $200-$300 a couple years ago.

Can't agree with that. Standalone BD drives may be cheaper, but considering you get a BD player, great games, Wi-Fi, a browser (albeit a complete shite one, but it did come to my rescue when my MacBook died :lol ) a HDD that you can upgrade with an off-the-shelf one, then I think the PS3 still represents great value.

Unfortunately SCEA have no clue as to how to market it. The best they can offer is stale humour that's lost its focus, and is now geared towards the fans, rather than potential consumers.

 

[charlequin]

So what's the consensus on what murdered the PS3 last month? Is it price, or the fact that nearly all their games were delayed to 2011? Or is it equal parts both?

The software definitely hurt a lot, but I think you can really explain almost all the ups and downs of the PS3 and 360 in the US by looking at relative value. Historically PS3 did well at price parity and 360 did well at $100 off, with the BRD being one of the biggest value differentiators. Now BRD players are cheap and 360 has two better value propositions: the $299 360 bundle with a Kinect is a hell of a lot better expected value than the non-bundled $299 PS3, while the $199 unit is a much cheaper way to buy in if you don't care about motion control (i.e. you want a Blopsbox.)

My point is, all those asking for a price drop will be disappointed. It's not going to happen within the next 8 months, at least.

That's going to be a pretty big problem for them next year, then. They need to be at $199.

That's why I'm surprised MS don't cut their price right now.

At the moment they have a price/value advantage over PS3 in the US and they're profiting on hardware. Better to save that up and just cut to immediately negate whatever advantage Sony gets from their next drop.

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

I thought we all agreed to that months ago. Nobody wants to buy racing games in the US anymore.

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.

They need to expand Western development (and third-party engagement in the West), anyway. If expanding Retro can help with that, it might not be a terrible idea.

 

[LosDaddie]

ON TOPIC:
- CoD really is a juggernaut in gaming. 8.4M is just insane. But yeah, if I wasn't satisfied with Halo Reach, then I'd be playing BLOPS. It's what half of my FL is playing these days.

- Bomba or not, I don't think anyone can deny GT5's sales were disappointing. Not only did it fail to be the #1 console exclusive, but the game couldn't even lift PS3 sales to (at least) remain flat YoY....and that's with Black Friday sales. I'm also not buying the "Only 3 days of sales" excuse either. For a game hyped endlessly on GAF, proclaimed as a true system-seller, and in development for so long, I would've figured north of 600k sales on launch day alone.

- Glad to see NBA 2k11 selling well. Game is tight.

- Sad to see Halo Reach not in the Top 10.

- X360 obviously had a stellar month. With Kinect, $200 arcade SKU, great games, XBL, and a solid holiday bundle, the X360 has a lot going for it. 5yrs in with this level of sales is quite the accomplishment for MS.

- Down 25% YoY for PS3 is just horrible. No way to spin that, at all. Makes for a great NPD thread though

- The Wii needs a price cut to at least $180. But that's assuming Nintendo wants a higher volume of sales with a smaller profit margin.

 

[plagiarize]

They need to change more things than that, eg work on their release schedule. At the moment it seems they releasse their games when they're ready rather than when it'd be strategically crucial. Microsoft can sit on a finished game for 4 months before releasing it (they did that with H3 ODST).

remember when we all thought that was what Sony were doing with GT5?

good times.

 

[teruterubozu]

The Kevin Butler adverts do nothing but insult the competition, much like the old Mac vs PC ones. They are clever, but nothing more.

The Kevin Butler Golf ad did nothing for Move and the PS3. It just reminded people of Wii ("I already have that!")

 

[Big B]

people sure love spending money during november. In amerrica.