July NPD - "The Wii is just a fad"

[Andrew Mallon]

Wii 425 k
Nintendo DS 405 k
PlayStation 2 222k
PlayStation Portable 214k
Xbox 360 170k
PlayStation 3 159k
Game Boy Advance 87k

This is the first time Wii sales have eclipsed the DS. Lousy PS3 sales considering there was a $100 price drop.

Top 10 Software:

360 NCAA FOOTBALL 08 ELECTRONIC ARTS 1 397k
PS2 GUITAR HERO ENCORE: ROCKS THE 80S ACTIVISION (CORP) 2 339k
WII PLAY W/ REMOTE NINTENDO OF AMERICA 3 278k
PS2 NCAA FOOTBALL 08 ELECTRONIC ARTS 4 236k
WII MARIO PARTY 8 NINTENDO OF AMERICA 5 177k
PS3 NCAA FOOTBALL 08 ELECTRONIC ARTS 6 156k
NDS POKEMON DIAMOND VERSION NINTENDO OF AMERICA 7 144k
PS2 TRANSFORMERS: THE GAME ACTIVISION (CORP) 8 143k
PS2 GUITAR HERO 2 W/GUITAR ACTIVISION (CORP) 9 138k
360 GUITAR HERO 2 W/ GUITAR ACTIVISION (CORP) 10 108k

Cribbed from GAF.

[Destructor]

That's all the PS3 did? And here I thought the sales were 'huge' and other really big words.

EDIT: This month, if you believe the 'outside sources' of data collecting, the Wii has outsold the 360 worldwide.

[pr0ner]

Damn.  Just damn.

[Destructor]

And before anybody else does, let me plunk down this image. 

[Kurt Stevens]

I'm suprised that the PS3 almost caught the 360 in sales for July.

[gellar]

Ok this is just getting crazy now.

gellar

[Destructor]

But look on the bright side. The PS3 got a title in the top 10! Yeah, I think it's the first time, but...

[Ridah]

It's cool to see the 360 version of NCAA 08 selling so well, kinda gives an idea what direction most gamers (i.e non-soccer mom/tuesday gamer) are flocking.

[Calvin]

Ok this is just getting crazy now.

gellar

Crazy and just sad man

[StitchJones]

I really don't understand who is buying these Wii's.  I know a lot of gamers and for the most part they are not even thinking about the Wii much.  If it is casual  or nongamer types buying them, then expect to see horrible software sales in relation to how many systems they have out there.

[Kevin Grey]

I really don't understand who is buying these Wii's.  I know a lot of gamers and for the most part they are not even thinking about the Wii much.  If it is casual  or nongamer types buying them, then expect to see horrible software sales in relation to how many systems they have out there.

It's the same thing with the PS2 though.  Even something like GTA only sells to about 10% of the install base while on a more "hardcore" console like the Xbox, Halo sold to about 30-40% of the install base.

[Jag]

I really don't understand who is buying these Wii's.  I know a lot of gamers and for the most part they are not even thinking about the Wii much.  If it is casual  or nongamer types buying them, then expect to see horrible software sales in relation to how many systems they have out there.

<--- fear of RROD drove me to the Wii. MS's failure to fix it and reduce prices during these critical months kept me there.

[denoginizer]

It's cool to see the 360 version of NCAA 08 selling so well, kinda gives an idea what direction most gamers (i.e non-soccer mom/tuesday gamer) are flocking.

I am very surprised the 360 version of NCAA outsold the PS2 version.  If the PS3 got outsold by the 360 despite the price drop, then Sony is in big trouble.  But I guess we already knew that.


Nintendo is playing a different game.

[wonderpug]

I'm impressed with how well Guitar Hero 80s Edition sold.

[CeeKay]

And before anybody else does, let me plunk down this image. 

that always makes me giggle.

[Kevin Grey]

Nintendo is playing a different game.

If that's true (and in my opinion it isn't) then it's a very, very bad thing for the industry.  Because if you remove Nintendo from the equation what you're left with is the leading next generation console consistently selling less than 200k.  And that's awful.  It's like a movie bragging that they're number one at the box office but only making $8 million dollars. The PS2 wasn't doing nearly that poorly this time last gen so what would mean is that the market is shrinking with consumers showing general apathy toward any of the "next generation" consoles. 

[warning]

[CeeKay]

and thus warning won the interweb FOREVERZ!!!!!!!!

[Kevin Grey]

For you sports fans notably absent is 2K's All Pro Sports Football. 

[warning]

Nintendo is playing a different game.

If that's true (and in my opinion it isn't) then it's a very, very bad thing for the industry.  Because if you remove Nintendo from the equation what you're left with is the leading next generation console consistently selling less than 200k.  And that's awful.  It's like a movie bragging that they're number one at the box office but only making $8 million dollars. The PS2 wasn't doing nearly that poorly this time last gen so what would mean is that the market is shrinking with consumers showing general apathy toward any of the "next generation" consoles. 

I love how the PS2 *still* has 4 titles in the top 10.

I'm pretty sure Microsoft and Sony shot their "next-generation is now" load way too early.  I think the masses of people who buy these (not us relatively hardcore types) just aren't ready for/don't want next generation, especially at these prices and when their perfectly fine PS2's are still working and have great games still to play.  I'm not sure what else it could be.  The next-gen games are certainly there, they look and play great.

[Kevin Grey]

I love how the PS2 *still* has 4 titles in the top 10.

Yup.  It gets to the heart of what I was saying earlier- you can't judge the market as a whole based on the hardcore.  How many people on this forum were playing the PS2 version of NCAA or are even playing Transformers at all?  The people buying that stuff aren't posting on messageboards.  Mario Party 8 is rapidly approaching a million in sales (if it hasn't exceeded it yet) but I'm not sure the thread here even got to 20 posts. 

[unbreakable]

I really don't understand who is buying these Wii's.  I know a lot of gamers and for the most part they are not even thinking about the Wii much.  If it is casual  or nongamer types buying them, then expect to see horrible software sales in relation to how many systems they have out there.

I bought one.  Everyone I know wants to get one eventually.

Once they are more easily available, perhaps their sales figures will go even higher.  I have never, ever seen one on a shelf at Best Buy or Gamestop.  Everyone I know who has one purchased it online.

[Canuck]

How is it that the Wii is eclipsing all the other consoles and yet it only managed one single title in the top 10???  What are people doing with their Wiis anyway?  The Wii may be ridiculously cheap but I won't even consider buying one until it can back up the hardware with the software.  And in my opinion it's doing an even worse job than Sony in that department.

[Kevin Grey]

How is it that the Wii is eclipsing all the other consoles and yet it only managed one single title in the top 10???  What are people doing with their Wiis anyway?  The Wii may be ridiculously cheap but I won't even consider buying one until it can back up the hardware with the software.  And in my opinion it's doing an even worse job than Sony in that department.

Two titles (Wii Play and Mario Party).

Also, the monthly sales chart is driven by new releases and unfortunately there really wasn't anything notable in July (no argument there is a lack of Wii Software).  However in terms of staying power all three of Nintendo's Top 10 entries have been on the chart at least three months and that's a very good statistic.  360 has only one that's been on there more than one month- Guitar Hero 2 which has the same broad-based appeal that is keeping Nintendo's software on there longer.  Most 360 titles do big numbers their first month and then plummet 80-90% the following month to never see the top of the chart again.  Alas, most PS3 titles never even the see the chart period. 

[EngineNo9]

I don't really consider WiiPlay to be a game.  It's a regular priced controller with a $10 add-on pack of shitty games. 

[EddieA]

I don't pay close attention to game sales, but it seems like Wii games are hardly ever in the top 10.  I'm guessing that a lot of Wii casual gamers don't play that many games, and thus they're satisfied with the few they have.  It could be interesting to see how third parties react to this.  It doesn't really matter to them if the Wii is selling tons of units if nobody's buying their games.

[Ridah]

This is how I see it with Wii and 360 sales:

As far as the Wii goes, despite having almost no worthwhile software, the system continues to sell extremely well because parents out there know that this is their best chance at getting hold of one before the holiday season creeps up on us. First there was the massive shortage and "new hot product" buzz that drove Wii sales, now the anticipation of a shortage for the following season is going to once again drive sales into the next year. Personally, I'm not surprised at all to see the Wii selling so well because as I've said a dozen times, I see the Wii lifespan as entirely front-end loaded. If the Wii continues to outsell the 360 and PS3 after two years on the shelf, then I'll be surprised.

With the 360, I see July as simply the calm before the storm. August introduces the first month of big fall releases for 07 (not to mention the price drop), and every month following into Christmas there are serious heavy-hitters to drive those who have been holding off into finally making the plunge. Not to mention the PS3 is providing almost no notable competition (especially in light of Heavenly Sword turning out to be nothing special). I think we will begin to see a sharp incline in 360 hardware and software sales starting this month.

As far as the PS3 goes, I think it's going to be lost in the madness surrounding the Wii and 360. Which again, is not surprising to me because opposite of the Wii, I see the PS3's lifespan as back-end loaded (i.e the real shit won't start flowing until a couple years in).

This is all prediction, we'll see how far off my aim is.

[metallicorphan]

I don't pay close attention to game sales, but it seems like Wii games are hardly ever in the top 10. 

i dont know about America but last week(or week before) the whole top ten here in the UK was like 5 DS games,4 Wii games and one multiplatform game(harry potter)....,i have actually started to hate nintendo(after loving them for all the last consoles)..all those games were brain training,cooking mama and wii play type games...oh and the pokemon games.................IMO,an absolute dire top ten

and my Wii never gets turned on<<<and yes you may still make jokes about that

[denoginizer]

Nintendo is playing a different game.

If that's true (and in my opinion it isn't) then it's a very, very bad thing for the industry.  Because if you remove Nintendo from the equation what you're left with is the leading next generation console consistently selling less than 200k.  And that's awful.  It's like a movie bragging that they're number one at the box office but only making $8 million dollars. The PS2 wasn't doing nearly that poorly this time last gen so what would mean is that the market is shrinking with consumers showing general apathy toward any of the "next generation" consoles. 

The fact that the PS2 is still selling like it is means that the "Next Generation" started too early.  The Wii is straddling the line between the generations. 

I doubt we will ever see another console match what the PS2 did.  (Yes even the Wii.) I just don't think it is reasonable to expect sales of over 300K for a $399+ console in June anymore.

[Ridah]

I don't pay close attention to game sales, but it seems like Wii games are hardly ever in the top 10. 

i dont know about America but last week(or week before) the whole top ten here in the UK was like 5 DS games,4 Wii games and one multiplatform game(harry potter)....,i have actually started to hate nintendo(after loving them for all the last consoles)..all those games were brain training,cooking mama and wii play type games...oh and the pokemon games.................IMO,an absolute dire top ten

That's exactly how I feel. I get just as annoyed when I look at the PC top 10 and see all those lame The Sims expansions taking up half of the list and then some children's software taking up the rest (although, WoW keeping the #1 spot away from that garbage helps).

[gellar]

Nintendo is playing a different game.

If that's true (and in my opinion it isn't) then it's a very, very bad thing for the industry.  Because if you remove Nintendo from the equation what you're left with is the leading next generation console consistently selling less than 200k.  And that's awful.  It's like a movie bragging that they're number one at the box office but only making $8 million dollars. The PS2 wasn't doing nearly that poorly this time last gen so what would mean is that the market is shrinking with consumers showing general apathy toward any of the "next generation" consoles. 

The fact that the PS2 is still selling like it is means that the "Next Generation" started too early.  The Wii is straddling the line between the generations. 

I doubt we will ever see another console match what the PS2 did.  (Yes even the Wii.) I just don't think it is reasonable to expect sales of over 300K for a $399+ console in June anymore.

100% agree.  I think you hit the nail on the head... the general gaming public is not ready and not wanting a $400 HD console right now.  Sometime later... sure.  The Wii is straddling (great thought) and is killing because of it.  Not to mention it does a few cool things, apparently.

gellar

[Destructor]

Once they are more easily available, perhaps their sales figures will go even higher.  I have never, ever seen one on a shelf at Best Buy or Gamestop.  Everyone I know who has one purchased it online.

I was in a Gamestop the other day at around 3pm and they had one Wii left in stock. Of course, it sold as I was there, but it was there (and wasn't being held for anyone, either).

I doubt we will ever see another console match what the PS2 did.  (Yes even the Wii.) I just don't think it is reasonable to expect sales of over 300K for a $399+ console in June anymore.

Agreed totally. While the hardcore gamer has snatched up the 360 and the PS3, the 'regular' and causal gamers are sticking with the PS2 and the Wii. The prices of their more expensive brethren are just too high. Yeah, the games look great and there are some absolutely fantastic titles on them (well, for the 360 anyway), but nobody wants to spend that kind of money. The 360's constant overheating problems aren't helping matters either.

That said - I haven't fired up my Wii in ages (short of playing RE4 Wii). I only own two games for it, too (Zelda being the other - Wii Play, which I also own, doesn't count as a 'game'). My PS3 is a PS2 game machine in disguise,  and I haven't done much with my 360 either (although I will be playing the heck out of it shortly, along with my Wii). *shrugs*

[kathode]

The PS2 is selling well because it's cheap and has a shitload of awesome games.  Turns out people like that.  You don't have to wait for the last gen to die off before you move on, and it's right there in black and white that NCAA sold more for 360 than PS2.

[Old Negus]

The Wii will continue to lead as long as A) the 360 and PS3 are $100+ more expensive than the Wii and B) People have fun playing Wii Sports at their buddies' houses. I witnessed it in my circle of friends. We got a Wii opening week. Our friends played it. They searched high and low for their own. Then people saw theirs and had to get their own as well. I tell ya, Wii tennis is selling these things.

It's a fun party machine. But there are at least a few great games for solo play that is giving it (short) legs for now. Super Paper Mario and Twilight Princess top that list. There are plenty of other games which aren't perfect, but still loads of fun like Excite Truck and WarioWare too that are going to keep gamers happy.

But combine lower price with high novelty and you get a big seller. I'll be curious to see how it's doing in a couple years. I personally think Nintendo will be printing money for a long time to come. They've struck a nerve. What they'll need, though, in the next year or so is another Wii Sports type game, to keep Wii owner buddies wanting their own. I think Wii Music will be that game, actually, but who knows.

[CeeKay]

Wii Music?

* CeeKay runs off to Google

nnnnniiiiiiiiccccce!!!

[pr0ner]

Wii Fit (or is it Wii Fitness?), when it launches next year, will also be something huge for the Wii.

Plus, Wii also has Metroid, a Mario game, and Smash Brothers coming out before the end of the year.

Mario Kart also comes out sometime in 2008.

The Wii won't stop selling anytime soon simply because of those titles.

[metallicorphan]

The Wii will continue to lead as long as A) the 360 and PS3 are $100+ more expensive than the Wii and B) People have fun playing Wii Sports at their buddies' houses. I witnessed it in my circle of friends. We got a Wii opening week. Our friends played it. They searched high and low for their own. Then people saw theirs and had to get their own as well. I tell ya, Wii tennis is selling these things.

ahh,see thats prolly why i hate it,as i have no friends and if i didnt have to go to work i would be a recluse and sat indoors on my own all the time


and excite truck should of been renamed as 'look out for that tree'

[kronovan]

Well I guess I have a different take on the hardware and software numbers than some other folks here. Here's how I see them:

First off Sony price cut there console by $100 with good news that they almost doubled there sales over recent months. The  bad news is that despite that price cut they still sold less than 200K for the entire month. Which leads me to obvious conclusion that the PS3 is still too overpriced for the US market. They managed to have a game for their platform finally crack the top 10, but unfortunately the same game on a competitors platform significantly outsold it.

As for Microsoft, the good news is that a 3rd party dev produced the number 1 selling software title for their platform. With the bad news that the sales of their console only increased marginally, which leads me to believe that almost everyone who bought the #1 title for the month already owns a 360; so much for people flocking to it. It's fine to criticize Nintendo for appealing to the casual gamer, but Microsoft is doing little or nothing to get 3rd parties -or themselves- to produce games for people outside their narrow demographic.

As for Nintendo, the good news is that they still have the #1 selling console and handheld device. With the bad news that the software titles on their platforms that cracked the top 10 are all 1st or 2nd party games. And other than Pokemon Diamond they're anything but top quality titles.

BTW: The soccer moms stereo type to characterize Wii gamers is really getting old. Since I own a Wii and play it more than my other 2 consoles I'll make a few suggestions. Let's see... how about 'Gamers that don't want to constantly shoot, mame, blow up shit and buy a FPS once a week' or maybe 'Boring parent types that want to play video games with their kids' or I know 'dirty Belgium gaming bastards'....well maybe the last one isn't original enough.

[metallicorphan]

Let's see... how about 'Gamers that don't want to constantly shoot, mame, blow up shit and buy a FPS once a week' or maybe 'Boring parent types that want to play video games with their kids' or I know 'dirty Belgium gaming bastards'....well maybe the last one isn't original enough.

i do kind of agree with you,but surely for any console there should be an even selection of different style games

[kronovan]

Let's see... how about 'Gamers that don't want to constantly shoot, mame, blow up shit and buy a FPS once a week' or maybe 'Boring parent types that want to play video games with their kids' or I know 'dirty Belgium gaming bastards'....well maybe the last one isn't original enough.

i do kind of agree with you,but surely for any console there should be an even selection of different style games

All in time Metallic...all in time. I hope for your sake the UK gets MP3 on Monday so you can dust off your Wii.