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Media Create Sales: 04/13 - 04/19
- Thread starter PantherLotus
- Start date
Kurosaki Ichigo
Member
30-35k. Given such start for a budget re-release plus an anime airing and barring most likely new game(s) being made (that would pump some interest on the first one) I wonder if 300k would be that difficult to reach.Fafalada said:
I honestly do not understand Square Enix's pro-360 strategy, either. Sure, it's beating the PS3, but even the 360's western sales have been fairly unspectacular compared to the PS2 last gen. I'd also argue that SE's very Japanese games really have a low audience compared to what the 360 is known for. The HD era of games is saved by the dual presence of the PS3 and 360, not at the standings of either one individually (even in Japan -- see Biohazard 5).
I can see where SE went with their strategy, but their execution has been poor. They've spent the last year or so trying to sell 360 systems in Japan, only to tell those same people that they'll still need a PS3 for FFXIII. I have to wonder how many of the 50,000+ people who bought a PS3 this week were also buyers of 360s with SE's games.
Irrespective of me being a huge Biohazard fan, I like to think of Capcom as the juggernaut Japanese publisher of this generation. Certainly, they can be thanked for saving the PSP because Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G is probably going to outsell every Dragon Quest except for VII, and every Final Fantasy game ever published. They've also got a vibrant multiplatform strategy, and have only had a few minor financial hiccups this generation, mostly related to Wii games that had low budgets to begin with. They really know their strengths very well, and use the different platforms out there to their advantage. Bringing Monster Hunter 3 to the Wii with the obvious intent of making a PSP version was probably their best decision this gen.
I can see where SE went with their strategy, but their execution has been poor. They've spent the last year or so trying to sell 360 systems in Japan, only to tell those same people that they'll still need a PS3 for FFXIII. I have to wonder how many of the 50,000+ people who bought a PS3 this week were also buyers of 360s with SE's games.
Irrespective of me being a huge Biohazard fan, I like to think of Capcom as the juggernaut Japanese publisher of this generation. Certainly, they can be thanked for saving the PSP because Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G is probably going to outsell every Dragon Quest except for VII, and every Final Fantasy game ever published. They've also got a vibrant multiplatform strategy, and have only had a few minor financial hiccups this generation, mostly related to Wii games that had low budgets to begin with. They really know their strengths very well, and use the different platforms out there to their advantage. Bringing Monster Hunter 3 to the Wii with the obvious intent of making a PSP version was probably their best decision this gen.
test_account
XP-39C²
Why would they regret it?jeremy1456 said:
oldie-newbie
Member
I think many of them took the opportunity of buying the special edition of the PS3 final fantasy console and selling their old PS3. Does someone know the number of PS3 special edition available?
http://ps3maven.com/final-fantasy-vii-ps3/
http://ps3maven.com/final-fantasy-vii-ps3/
Tylahedras said:
shykyoichi
Member
Slow week. Let's all hope golden week will break the trend.markatisu said:
RurouniZel
Asks questions so Ezalc doesn't have to
PantherLotus said:
I forgive you Japan.
I know RE5 has sold a lot more than VC, I just thought this was kinda cool lookin'
Pureauthor
Member
Fafalada said:
DQ is always more Horii's choice that Wada's, and more to the point, DQ doesn't make kings, it only hops on board after they've been crowned.
Spiegel said:
Last week was 13,349
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=15485803&postcount=1
You must be looking at Famitsu numbers
This week was an increase of almost 2k
ElectricThunder
Member
Go Roguelike go! Continue partially justifying the niche in Japan!
Die Squirrel Die
Member
Y2Kev said:
Probably, at least for the near future, as any development deals for exclusives and such would probably have been done long before IU, TLR and SO4 were released. I don't know how much absolute power Wada wields at SE, or how many other people with the ability to influence the company's direction share his goal, but I can't really see SE carrying on with their current results indefinitely.
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
Y2Kev said:
I think most people fundamentally underestimate the extent and the nature of the help.
Most people seem to think that MS writes cheques with lots of zeroes. The reality is that they don't likely do much of that at all and if they did you'd hear companies report that kind of thing as income.
They DO offer the same kinds of incentive packages platform holders have always offered, just to an even greater extent. Need to go 50/50 on marketing your game? We're there for you. You've only got 20 dev kits? Have 100 for free. Programming help? We'll dispatch a team and a team of translators to help you with SDK stuff. That platform licence fee we take off every game sale? Keep it. The fee we charge for TCR compliance checks? Don't worry about it. Flunk TCR? We'll fix your code and retest for free. Need games printed quickly? You jump the queue, allocation is whatever you want. Need something added to our operating system/firmware? Here's the project lead's phone number. Want a feature on the dashboard? Need a high visibility demo? Want a hardware bundle? We'll play ball. Need more help with retail sales allocation pitches? Or on a more sinister level; need cash to offer retailers price protection?
And again, some combination of these things are done by all platform holders to all publishers/developers. Microsoft pitched "buy 3 dev kits, get 3 for free" to the Darwinia guys, and there's no possible incentive to do that cash-wise. Sony gave Capcom the PSN storefront thing. Nintendo waived office requirements for the World of Goo guys. All platform holders (maybe not Nintendo) give preferred developers heads up when new hardware or firmware is coming down the line. Phyreengine is a truly momentous gesture from Sony. Nintendo did exclusive comarketing for Madden during the GameCube years (lol dat worked)
As a rule, I think all of these interventions help to subsidize games that would otherwise never be financially possible. Especially this generation. Especially near the beginning of any generation.
I really believe that Microsoft in Japan, based on their stated goal of gaining mindshare and pushing their platform regardless of profitability, is doing all of these things and more. Maybe in exchange for exclusivity, maybe just to get the games at all.
Either way; I think platform holders should all do this. I think they should go further. Platform holders should owe game makers, not the other way around. I realize that's a reversal of conventional wisdom, but I think it'd be a better industry for it.
People bitch and moan because "THE GAME ISN'T COMING TO THE PLATFORM I MOST PREFER" or "M$ SUX" or whatever, and I understand why those people feel bummed and feel like it's not based on a "fair" allocation of resources, but I think on the whole and without talking about any one console or any one generation, more of this should happen from all parties to all developers.
perfectchaos007 said:
I realize I'm venturing into broken record territory here, but I just don't see it. Have people looked at the PS3 release list yet? The FF13 demo was the last bullet for a while (aside from a potential price drop of course).
LiquidMetal14
hide your water-based mammals
:lol :lol :lol :lolperfectchaos007 said:
Small chance but at least things are interesting for now. Don't bank on it though UNLESS there's a price cut and FF13 hits this year (which it looks like it will). Even then I don't think it will sustain enough momentum to hit that goal. I will say that this year is the PS3's best so far in Japan.
Moneyhats or not, I've been tooting that horn since the beginning. The Japanese audience wants RPG's, Mystlwalker games, and hentai games on PS3 AT LEAST (as well as 360, it's proven well to support 360 forthe west). And Sony has enough of the hardcore to pull good numbers in all regions for these games. Let's not mistake anything as nothing but Final Fantasy would shake the sales charts BUT putting games on at least both platforms is and should have been the way from the beginning. I do understand that some had dev kits for 360 than PS3 but things have changed now. I'm glad to see End of Eternity (a Tri-Ace product) launching on both platforms.DevilWillcry said:
They are crazy but it appears to be good business. More revenues and units out there is always a good thing for anyone.Tylahedras said:
This is very true, they do not have the pull they've had. It's in small part to the paltry and dismal performance of their games this generation. That's part of it.gofreak said:
Your whole statement is very well put gofreak.
Paracelsus
Member
Y2Kev said:Sadly, I still don't see how some of S-E's projects are financially viable even with these interventions.
Rather, we do not know for sure if subsiziding > or < loss of mindshare/marketshare.
Or better yet, it's absurd to think that a giant company like S-E needs subsiziding in order to produce games, while -as stated plently above- Capcom handled the whole thing on its own lots of times already this current gen, and on multiple platforms to add. The whole Stumpokapow debate is correct for companies like Cave, ADV and such, but Square-Enix? Really?
pseudocaesar
Member
schuelma said:
IF, thats a huge if, GT5 hits this year aswell...then the PS3 will outsell it. GT5 and FFXIII will sell several hundred thousand units of hardware between them. Thats my bet anyway.
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
Kenka said:
Yes, my next sentence. "The reality is that they don't likely do much of that at all and if they did you'd hear companies report that kind of thing as income." (like we saw with the actual literal moneyhat given to Take 2 for GTA DLC--and even that was simply an advance rather than a lump cheque).
The rest of my wall of text explains the kinds of things they ARE likely to do.
There's nothing wrong with thinking that all platform holders provide monetary incentives to develop on their platform, but it's not done in the stupidly obvious cheque-writing sense.
It's like the difference between dating and prostitution.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Kenka said:
You should follow through with the rest of the "wall of text". It goes a bit of a way to answering your question.
LiquidMetal14
hide your water-based mammals
If both those hit (or when they hit) I can see a good 80-100k or more units of HW moving in their respective first week sales. Especially when you know there will be bundles for those. GT has great pull all over the world, this is a system seller.pseudocaesar said:
lowlylowlycook
Member
Does the PS3 still cost more than the PS2's launch price in Japan?
spwolf said:
Well, we can look at what we know is coming and make pretty educated guesses. A lot of people correctly guessed that Wii was in big big trouble in early January when sales began falling off drastically and we knew that there were no big releases coming to save things. Looking at the PS3 release list for the next few months, and knowing that Sports Resort and MH Tri are both coming relatively soon, I think we can make an educated guess that Wii will start outselling PS3 again.
Kenka said:
Pretty obviously not, since you apparently had questions that his post answered if you'd just read a few more seconds.
Good post, Stump, but I strongly disagree with you final conclusions. With a few exceptions, I think those sorts of monetary incentives create unsustainable business practices, where software companies begin to rely on outside assistance to prop up their business. It's one thing if it's an occasional perk, but quite another if it becomes a long term necessity to maintain profitability. I'm very wary of subsidizing any industry long term.
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
Kenka said:
oh
this is the part where you reply with your damning evidence of microsoft's cheque-writing, your rebuttal of my developer outreaching commentary, and i am deeply shamed by being destroyed on the internet.
Opiate said:
either platform owners subsidize software makers or software makers subsidize platform owners (as in platform licencing fees, publisher licencing fees, paying exorbitant costs for dev kits, etc)--the razor->razorblade model is an industry self-subsidy.
... and i'd rather prop up unsustainable creative endeavors (as in prestige films, for example, or subsidizing software makers) than unsustainable and foolhardy adventures in hardware.
Stumpokapow said:
(
Why do you write this ? Do you really think Microsoft has not successfully paid the right to obtain exclusives ?
They did. How do you think they succeeded in launching so many exclusive games for their Xbox back in the beginning of the decade ? How did they secure 70% of S-E laughable current gen line-up ? How did they manage to get DLC for GTA ? How did they manage to lose of buttload of money until now ?
The list goes on. Now, I may have been a bit far and took a long path to eventually say this : your argument is flawed and useless.
I may add this : everybody knows Microsoft paid for several exclusives. the way this impacts the comptability of both companies involved doesn't change anything.
They did. How do you think they succeeded in launching so many exclusive games for their Xbox back in the beginning of the decade ? How did they secure 70% of S-E laughable current gen line-up ? How did they manage to get DLC for GTA ? How did they manage to lose of buttload of money until now ?
The list goes on. Now, I may have been a bit far and took a long path to eventually say this : your argument is flawed and useless.
I may add this : everybody knows Microsoft paid for several exclusives. the way this impacts the comptability of both companies involved doesn't change anything.
Hum. I may have gone far. But I disagree with your position softening Microsoft strategy of moneyhatting exclusives.
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
Kenka said:
I really think that if Microsoft paid, in cash, money to secure exclusives, companies would be legally obligated to report that cash in financial briefings and we'd be made aware of those payments.
Instead, I think Microsoft buys exclusives using other non-cash incentives. Like the ones I listed in my post.
Using the strategies I mentioned.
Project Sylpheed: Nothing.
FFXI: Nothing.
IU: They co-published it.
SO4: The strategies I mentioned along with the bonus of having a tech base from IU.
FFXIII: The strategies I mentioned.
You do know my post says "MS buys exclusives", right? Because if you read it as "MS doesn't buy exclusives", you didn't read it.
I mentioned that in my post.
1) It wasn't a cheque, it was a cash advance. Which I mentioned in my post.
2) That information was reported by Take 2 for accounting purposes. If this was a widespread practice, show me examples of other companies reporting this information for accounting purposes.
This is evidence AGAINST your position.
You think 6 billion dollars in losses was moneyhatting?
Let's see--how did Microsoft lose 6 billion dollars?
Infrastructural investment, R&D, loss-leading on hardware, a positively terrible reliability rate and losing buckets of cash on repairs, setting aside more than a billion dollars for future repairs, paying salaries of their internal studios, all of the strategies I mentioned including comarketing?
How do you think they lost 6 billion dollars? The biggest moneyhat of the generation, the GTA $50 million, goes into 6 billion dollars 120 times, even more when you consider that as a cash advance MS is going to get quite a bit of the money back over time. Start naming titles.
I don't think there's any evidence for what you're suggesting, and when I said "this is the part where you own me", I didn't mean "this is the part where you reply repeating that you feel I'm wrong but not explaining how or providing evidence to support your side".
Sorry, since you don't like "walls of text", I'll make it real simple:
Microsoft pays for exclusives, and they do it more often than people think. They just don't do it by writing cartoonish giant cheques. They do it by otherwise making projects profitable or subsidized.
Die Squirrel Die
Member
schuelma said:
The DS and PSP have been trading blows on the hardware front for a while now. Were people expecting the DSi to revitalise sales beyond where the DSL was before? While the DSi does bring new features to the table, as yet none of that stuff is being used extensively for software.
mckmas8808
Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
Kilrogg said:
What's even more amazing is that the PSP is the 2nd place handheld and has sold over 10 million units in Japan alone!!!
O_O