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[Thunder Monkey]

Sony moved 70 million PSPs, more then any handheld rival ever had. Vita, at first, seemed posed to fix every issue players had with the PSP.

It's just, well, Sony fubared the prices. $250 was great when the 3ds was 250 and tablets started around $500.

Not so much when the 3ds was $170, tablets were starting to show at 199, and the vita required $20-100 memory cards to function.

Player interest died pre launch. Devs fled form the thing (save for indies in the west, and select japanese devs in the east). Sony sat on this for years before doing anything, and still hasn't fixed many of the issues.

It was hardly DOA, not until sony just sent it to die by not reacting/bad decisions.

I don't think there's anything they could have done. The market changed underneath everyone. No amount of action was going to change that. Nintendo should be the perfect example of that. Huge moves along the way to end up with a system that will lose 90 million units of their prior gen hardware sales.

Sony could have reacted, but you're fooling yourself if you think it would have amounted to anything. By the time they launched Nintendo was already filling the dedicated handheld niche the market now is.

 

[stryke]

They have been pretty clear though that it's a temporary price cut, everyone who doubts that is basing it on pure speculation. I think they will leave the price at $349 no bundle, but part of me wants M.S. to bump the price back up just so I can read the the meltdowns here on Gaf lol. All the "WTF M.S.!!!" Posts it would create, would be glorious lol.

They may have been "clear" but that doesn't mean they're not allowed to change their tune.

 

[Thunder Monkey]

Yea the next 9 all together aren't even close to Smash

Wow...

There's no way this software ecosystem can be profitable...

I mean... holy fuck.

 

[SmokyDave]

No Vita numbers?

Probably for the best.

Witch hunting and console parading over yet?

Getting down to the interesting stuff, why didn't anyone who picked up Smash or a Wii u this month for it also get another game? Any game at all? Wii u software sales Is like yelling into an cavern... All you get is hollow sounds of yourself yelling back and emptiness

That is interesting. Presumably a large chunk of the new buyers only wanted Smash (or their parents wouldn't buy them more games this close to Xmas).

Perhaps there'll be an uptick next month.

 

[Kar]

So... did I win?
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=142957939&postcount=3053

I think I won.
BRAGGING RIGHTS ARE MINE YEAHHH HAHAHAHA

 

[Septic360]

 

[AniHawk]

the drop to $349.99 for the xb1 is only temporary because in january it'll be $299.99.

 

[Monster Zero]

Wow...

There's no way this software ecosystem can be profitable...

I mean... holy fuck.

I think it's the only console making money right now

 

[Staf]

That's a lot more xboxes than I imagined.

Also no Dragon Age

It's weird. I've been fairly underwhelmed by it so far, especially compared to DA:O, but i thought the mainstream would buy a game like it in the masses.

 

[Dysun]

Dragon Age didn't chart but the numbers aren't far off from Far Cry 4/Unity/MCC. Didn't expect it to pass those either, hopefully it has legs and is doing well elsewhere

 

[Thunder Monkey]

I think it's the only console making money right now

Maybe on the hardware itself (don't see it as likely given how low the thing is selling) but not software side. No software ecosystem I've seen has been this devoid of diversity.

There's no way this is a profitable venture.

 

[travisbickle]

Fortunately PS4 sales were pretty good on a historical perspective. Higher than most consoles in their second holiday. One just had such aggressive pricing that it blew all consoles (even Wii) out of the water.

Is this true?

There's a lot of doom and gloom posts in here so I thought neither had sold spectacularly well.

 

[ISee]

The honeymoon is over. Sony needs a to drop the PS4 price or X1 will probably be comfortably #1 in NPD results from now on. First party exclusive and more powerful hardware don't mean as much as the price difference does to the average consumer.

Am I the only one who thinks that 800k PS4s to 1,2kk Xbox Ones is still good, especially considering all the effort Microsoft had to put into this (pricereductions, marketing, crazy bundels, product changes and stepping back from their original vision) ?

It is the US homemarket after all, nobody would even look twice if the PS4 would outsell Xone with 1,2kk to 800k in Japan. I even think most people would take that as a good sign for Microsoft.

I do not even think sony has to react. I am pretty sure they are still leading world wide sales by a large margin. At this point Microsoft doesn't even seem to give a fuck about the rest of the world, at least about mainland europe.

 

[kinoki]

But what happened after? Two of the shitiest sequels ever.

 

[StoppedInTracks]

Also lol at that Wii U number, fucking rest in peace you POS.

LMAO, that made me laugh out loud.

 

[quetz67]

the drop to $349.99 for the xb1 is only temporary because in january it'll be $299.99.

E3 at latest

I think MS will continue with some $349 bundles for now so not to force Sony into reaction and drop to $299 too.

 

[adamsapple]

Heh.

That's a nice change of pace as far as .gif's on GAF go.

also .. wtf Dragon Age

 

[Thunder Monkey]

Is this true?

There's a lot of doom and gloom posts in here so I thought neither had sold spectacularly well.

Wii was still supply constrained, but yes. It's first nonlaunch November (2nd on shelves) was 950k+. One just set a record.

 

[mrklaw]

You need to put the sales in proper context friend. The PS4 sold really well in November. XB1 had an amazing November. Sony isn't going to lose an extra 50 dollars per console sold when the system is still selling at a decent clip.

Yep. Pretty much my only concern for MS would be how does such a big november (and possibly December with the same deal) affect their sales next year? Do they win themselves an uptick in the regular month to month volumes, buying themselves back into the race, or have they hoovered up a ton of next years buyers early, and they flatline next year?

 

[John Harker]

Again, DAI is doing fine: best debut for the franchise to date. Also, digital is way more a factor now than ever so if you add 20% on top, you're looking at a very comfortable margin over the first two games: being 11th for the month where you've been dormant for years and everything else is either an annual sequel or remake all while increasing your sales, hard to see anything bad there

 

[Thunder Monkey]

also .. wtf Dragon Age

Once again guys... the highest launch for the series.

 

[Durante]

It's weird. I've been fairly underwhelmed by it so far, especially compared to DA:O, but i thought the mainstream would buy a game like it in the masses.

I thought so as well, it seems designed to be the next Skyrim. Good on the masses I guess

Once again guys... the highest launch for the series.

Too bad then.

 

[Nightengale]

Wii was still supply constrained, but yes. It's first nonlaunch November (2nd on shelves) was 950k+. One just set a record.

Was XB1 the first console to start their holiday promo in the beginning of the month?

 

[Raide]

Am I the only one who thinks that 800k PS4s to 1,2kk Xbox Ones is still good, especially considering all the effort Microsoft had to put into this (pricereductions, marketing, crazy bundels, product changes and stepping back from their original vision) ?

It is the US homemarket after all, nobody would even look twice if the PS4 would outsell Xone with 1,2kk to 800k in Japan. I even think most people would take that as a good sign for Microsoft.

I do not even think sony has to react. I am pretty sure they are still leading world wide sales by a large margin. At this point Microsoft doesn't even seem to give a fuck about the rest of the world, at least about mainland europe.

I think it just shows if MS actually put some effort in and market their own console aggressively, people will buy it. Sony have been rolling on their good momentum since launch, so MS needed to do something to pick up the slack.

 

[Thunder Monkey]

Again, DAI is doing fine: best debut for the franchise to date. Also, digital is way more a factor now than ever so if you add 20% on top, you're looking at a very comfortable margin over the first two games: being 11th for the month where you've been dormant for years and everything else is either an annual sequel or remake all while increasing your sales, hard to see anything bad there

Jinx you owe me a whiskey!

 

[Occam]

I think it's the only console making money right now

I am pretty sure PS4 is sold at a slight profit by now. It's possible that Wii U is still sold at a slight loss. Xbone is sold at a loss (quite a large one in November).

 

[wolfhowwl]

It's weird. I've been fairly underwhelmed by it so far, especially compared to DA:O, but i thought the mainstream would buy a game like it in the masses.

Apparently DA3 has done better than DAO so far.

 

[Mooreberg]

You need to put the sales in proper context friend. The PS4 sold really well in November. XB1 had an amazing November. Sony isn't going to lose an extra 50 dollars per console sold when the system is still selling at a decent clip.

Yeah I'm not sure they would view this gap in sales as excessive when the far less aggressively priced Destiny bundle created a 300K difference in one month. If they were panicking, we'd have already seen some new configurations for retail in December. But if (or rather, when) Xbox One stays at $349 in January they are probably going to have to keep some promotion going for longer than they anticipated. I don't see a full on price drop before May. The worldwide totals are too good at current pricing to freak out after one month in one region. The gap between 360 and PS3 in North America was so enormous that even having a discussion about Microsoft simply catching up is a bit crazy.

They have been pretty clear though that it's a temporary price cut, everyone who doubts that is basing it on pure speculation. I think they will leave the price at $349 no bundle, but part of me wants M.S. to bump the price back up just so I can read the the meltdowns here on Gaf lol. All the "WTF M.S.!!!" Posts it would create, would be glorious lol.

As I mentioned in another thread on this particular topic, I don't see it happening. It would be the most temporary PR victory ever for them to close the gap for two months, only to see it slide away for almost half a year leading up to E3 price cuts. If they don't catch Sony now, things would get very ugly when price drops hit and they haven't really put anything out for the first few months of the year. $349 as the price admission is going to stay. Maybe bundles that include games become $399.

 

[Celine]

Anything about 3DS and Vita HW?

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Now is not the time for funny gifs, now is a time for reflection. A time for Sony to re-evaluate their approach to the market. To fight now would be fruitless, they must adapt, they must evolve, they must....upgrade to face the new challenges that lay ahead of them.

The road may be bloody, the lion they face at the end may be fierce and born of a jackal, but Sony must endure for it is their destiny to take back the throne and instil order.

 

[samar11]

I got to hand it to Microsoft, they finally did it, beating ps4 by 400k plus. My only question is at what cost though? Can they keep having these crazy deals going forward ?

 

[kitch9]

They have been pretty clear though that it's a temporary price cut, everyone who doubts that is basing it on pure speculation. I think they will leave the price at $349 no bundle, but part of me wants M.S. to bump the price back up just so I can read the the meltdowns here on Gaf lol. All the "WTF M.S.!!!" Posts it would create, would be glorious lol.

There's a saying in retail which basically says its easy to drop a price and very hard to increase it.

MS will not increase the price of the One, I would literally be amazed if they do.

 

[Thunder Monkey]

Too bad then.

Snark Master Hair reporting!

If you weren't such a beautiful genius I'd punch ya. Is it really that bad?

 

[ISee]

I am pretty sure PS4 is sold at a slight profit by now. It's possible that Wii U is still sold at a slight loss. Xbone is sold at a loss (quite a large one in November).

AFAIK, WiiU, Xbox One (499, kinect version) and PS4 were selling with a smallt profit from the start.

 

[KratosEnergyDrink]

Wow. Poor Wii U. My favorite console but hardly anyone cares about it.

I'm wondering how Nintendo doesn't release a new console in 2015.

Why should they? It seems they earn now a lot of money with this console and its games.

And a 1/4 million cared enough, that is hardly hardly anyone...

 

[Nightengale]

Highest launch of the series, but it's also...

3rd iteration in a rather well-established franchise. (even if DA2 did bite off more than it could chew )
4-5 year development period (as opposed to DA2's one-year development time)
Larger dev team ( can't remember, but I remember a sizable number touted for DA:I... 300? )
5 SKUs (as opposed to 3)

If expectations were kept in check to be in-line with the previous games in the franchise, then that's fine. Nowadays, it's hard to tell with crazy things like Dragon's Dogma hoping to sell 10 million/we want the Skyrim audience.

 

[The Artisan]

Overall:

Overall retail sales are down 11% year over year.

Overall hardware sales are down 23% year over year.

Overall retail software sales are down 2% year over year.

This is the first time I'm hearing bout video game hardware/software sales being down this gen.

 

[quetz67]

I got to hand it to Microsoft, they finally did it, beating ps4 by 400k plus. My only question is at what cost though? Can they keep having these crazy deals going forward ?

Some numbers would be nice. I would estimate $100M loss vs. $50M profit for Sony.

(I am old, I remember times when losing $100M in a month wasn't peanuts)

 

[Radec]

Also lol at that Wii U number, fucking rest in peace you POS.

wtf

 

[Occam]

AFAIK, WiiU, Xbox One (499, kinect version) and PS4 were selling with a smallt profit from the start.

No, PS4 was sold at a slight loss at first, something like 20 USD iirc.
Xbone is definitely sold at a loss now, especially taking into consideration the value of the bundled software.

 

[Regret Upon Approval]

CoD drops further. I don't hate the franchise but honestly I'd like for it to decline a fair bit so things can shake up a bunch in the FPS category. Let new IPs break-in and move away from the ADS-centric gameplay to some sort of new hotness.

There's a saying in retail which basically says its easy to drop a price and very hard to increase it.

MS will not increase the price of the One, I would literally be amazed if they do.

People in Canada can believe it.

 

[AniHawk]

No Vita numbers?

some vita numbers

playstation tv < 39k (ltd)

in october, ps vita + ps tv was about 30k. i think in september they were 20k? maybe the combined systems sold about 50k in november. it would put the system near 250k for the year (last month it was about 200k)

 

[Ninja Scooter]

I can't believe people thought Smash would spur a sales spike for the Wii U when Mario Kart couldn't. Now you have people kidding themselves again and moving the goalposts to games like Splatoon, X and Zelda.

 

[M°°nblade]

This is the first time I'm hearing bout video game hardware/software sales being down this gen.

Next-gen console launch opening numbers.

 

[AniHawk]

Sony sold almost as Microsoft? Holy crap.

no, the xb1 outsold the ps4 by 400,000 units.

 

[slavesnyder]

This is the first time I'm hearing bout video game hardware/software sales being down this gen.

wasn't last year launch month?

 

[AniHawk]

I can't believe people thought Smash would spur a sales spike for the Wii U when Mario Kart couldn't. Now you have people kidding themselves again and moving the goalposts to games like Splatoon, X and Zelda.

mario kart did spur a sales spike. sales have been up for the wii u all year outside of about two or three months.

getting it to levels of other non-saturn third-place consoles was another thing entirely. 2015 will be the end of the system and the start of its decline in the us. it can be staved off by a price cut and some lucrative bundles but after 2015, it should fade to vita levels pretty quickly.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

no, the xb1 outsold the ps4 by 400,000 units.

Bit unfair to single out that post as it was before creamsugar posted the chart and all we had to go on was CBOaT's claim of 7-10k difference.

 

[John Harker]

I can't believe people thought Smash would spur a sales spike for the Wii U when Mario Kart couldn't. Now you have people kidding themselves again and moving the goalposts to games like Splatoon, X and Zelda.

Be fair. The console is up like 37%-ish to last year.

That is exactly what you'd call "raising sales" - it would have been much worse without mario kart. So yea smash could have done more but stil up double digits to last year this month

 

[Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule]

That gif does not represent the situation, Sony is not trying at all