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[Magicpaint]

Yeah, nice Bladestorm sales.

I really don't have any idea.

I think it's because everything is expected to sell 100 times better when it's on DS. Something like that.

 

[tanod]

Nintendo's obviously started stockpiling/redirecting for Xmas. The PSP is probably seeing its stock dwindle due to the new hotness coming. The PS3 is actually hanging onto a decent portion of the Minnabump. Everything else isn't really unexpected.

That sums it up nicely.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

WTH, then why was this thread full of people stating how disappointing FFCC sells and how it wont even reach the numbers of its GCN-precedessor? Baka baka :-/

A) Making apples-to-oranges comparisons with MC's FFCC:ROF number to Famitsu's FFCC number, which does make the DS one seem smaller.
B) A game selling only slightly better on 19-million DS than on 3.3-million GCN still seems pretty disappointing.

 

[ethelred]

B) A game selling only slightly better on 19-million DS than on 3.3-million GCN still seems pretty disappointing.

Really? But people seem pretty happy to trumpet Phantom Hourglass's marginal improvement over Wind Waker. Chibi Robo is considered successful for selling slightly more than the GameCube game despite the fact that both of those have sold much less than Ring of Fates. Same with Mario Kart DS -- is outselling games on the N64 and GameCube such a big accomplishment?

 

[John Harker]

Really? But people seem pretty happy to trumpet Phantom Hourglass's marginal improvement over Wind Waker. Chibi Robo is considered successful for selling slightly more than the GameCube game despite the fact that both of those have sold much less than Ring of Fates. Same with Mario Kart DS -- is outselling games on the N64 and GameCube such a big accomplishment?

Not to mention budget differences.
I doubt FFCC:RoF cost as much as the original did to conceptiualize, plan, and develop... the DS hardware would likely require a smaller dev team too.

However, wasn't the first FFCC partially funded by Nintendo with that whole Q Fund business?

 

[ethelred]

However, wasn't the first FFCC partially funded by Nintendo with that whole Q Fund business?

Correct, Nintendo published the first Crystal Chronicles. However, I guess Square thought its performance was good enough that they decided to create two sequels based on that... so hey, good enough for Square, who are we to complain?

 

[Defuser]

2. PS3 Bladestorm - 63,000 (over 90% sold through)
.

I can see Koei lowered their expectations and shipments. Good for them.

 

[Evlar]

I don't think I had ever heard of Bladestorm until reading the last two pages. If I did it never made a lasting impression.

PS3 sales are, again, encouraging in a "comatose man wakes up and can say cat and dog" sort of way. It's more than we had expected but only because we expected next to nothing. Yet I'm glad to see it, and it indicates to me that PS3 might begin to establish more of a foothold in Japan later this year when the software releases progress from a trickle to a slightly faster trickle.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

Really? But people seem pretty happy to trumpet Phantom Hourglass's marginal improvement over Wind Waker. Chibi Robo is considered successful for selling slightly more than the GameCube game despite the fact that both of those have sold much less than Ring of Fates.

Which I also find very goofy. Though with a series as small and unknown as Chibi-Robo expectations seem low all around.

Same with Mario Kart DS -- is outselling games on the N64 and GameCube such a big accomplishment?

Mario Kart has nearly reached the point of selling as well as those games combined (it has sold more than MKDD and MK Advance combined), and was originally released when the DS hadn't quite reached 5 million. It's a legitimate big step above its immediate console and handheld predecessors.

 

[Grampasso]

Despite the low week I'm amazed FFCC is still number one, and even more amazed at Bladestorm sales :O Anyway being these numbers from Famitsu I know MC ones will be lower (like 55/60k for FFCC)

 

[Hammerhai]

And how about Bladestorm for the 360?

 

[ethelred]

Which I also find very goofy.

In the case of something like Crystal Chronicles (a game that was pretty thoroughly panned by lots of gamers), I think it's possible to recognize that there's just a limited appeal -- holding onto that entire audience, and perhaps expanding it a bit (we don't know where RoF will end up, but it's tracked slightly higher than the original in the first two weeks) is enough of an accomplishment.

Not every game is destined for blockbuster status; some will achieve acceptable sales. Given how often series decline from one installment to the next, pulling in the same sales as your predecessor isn't a failure even if that game wasn't a million seller.

 

[Cheesemeister]

I can see Koei lowered their expectations and shipments. Good for them.

 

[Grampasso]

Not every game is destined for blockbuster status; some will achieve acceptable sales. Given how often series decline from one installment to the next, pulling in the same sales as your predecessor isn't a failure even if that game wasn't a million seller.

I agree. It's not like you (developer) have necessarily a larger budget for a sequel so you HAVE to sell more than the previous one to consider the new title a success. In this specific case I think the title has had a smaller budget (honestly I think developing for DS is much cheaper than doing it for Gamecube). And we have also to consider that a lot of franchises simply sell to a set numbers of people and nothing more than that, how do we explain otherwise the similar numbers for FFX, FFX-2 and FFXII with so much different PS2 userbases when the three games were out?

 

[PistolGrip]

So the DS will pass PS2 sales in japan by the end of the year. wow. what a beast that thing turned out to be

 

[test_account]

And how about Bladestorm for the 360?

Is Bladestorm being released for 360 in Japan? The 2 latest (?) TV commercials only mentions PS3 version what i can see.

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/24019.html

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/24021.html


EDIT: I just checked Amazon.jp and i see the 360 version is listed there so i guess its comming out too. Dunno why the 360 version isnt mentioned in the commercial tho, maybe Sony decided to do the adverticing or something?

 

[schuelma]

So does anyone believe Wii demand is slowing a bit, or just low shipments? Any first hand reports other than Vinnk?

 

[Kurosaki Ichigo]

Bladestorm 360 will be released on 8th November.

 

[Square2005]

Famitsu numbers...

DSL - 101,000
Wii - 48,000
PSP - 22,000
PS3 - 17,000
PS2 - 16,000
360 - 2,000

1. NDS Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Ring of Fates - 77,000 (~284,000)
2. PS3 Bladestorm - 63,000 (over 90% sold through)
3. PS2 Sengoku Musou 2 Mushoden - 58,000 (~233,000)
4. Wii Mario Party 8 - 43,000 (~752,000)
5. PS2 Gintama Gin-San to Issho! Boku no Kabuki Machi Nikki - 35,000

Other new titles
6. NDS One Piece Gear Spirit - 30,000
9. NDS Summon Night Twin Age: Seireitachi no Kyoumei - 21,000
12. PS2 Beatmania II DX13 DistorteD - 17,000
23. PS2 Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn! Dream Hyper Battle - 11,000
... 360 Hitman Blood Money - 5,500
... NDS Oni Zero: Sengoku Ransei Hyakkaryouran - 1,600

Other titles
7. NDS Gyakuten Saiban 3 - 27,000 (~92,000)
8. NDS My Housekeeping Diary - 21,000 (~166,000)
21. PS3 Minna no Golf 5 - 12,000 (~295,000)
24. NDS Zelda Phantom Hourglass - 11,000 (~771,000)
DQS is out of top30.

Why do we only get rounded up figures here? If you're subscribed to FAmitsu Weekly can't we get exact figures each week?

 

[ksamedi]

Another boring week coming up. Thats why the MC threads have been relatively less popular i think. Still nice to see Mario Party hanging in there. I hope it reaches a million.

 

[Version 3.0]

B) A game selling only slightly better on 19-million DS than on 3.3-million GCN still seems pretty disappointing.

A larger installed base does NOT equal an equivalent jump in franchise sales. Never has, never will. Larger install base equals broader sales (lots of games sell well), much moreso than deeper sales (fewer games that sell extremely well).

Or, to put it in layman's terms: if a million people buy your console, most of them might have the same taste in games. If 100 million people buy your console, no way do they like the same games. Not even on a Nintendo console, where the most prominent games carry the same brand name as the console.

Or yet another way: it's much easier to sell to 25% of a small userbase (see: SSBM or Halo--both hit 25%+) than it is to a large userbase (see: Gran Turismo or GTAIII, both around 10%).
If the Gamecube or Xbox had sold 100+ million consoles, their biggest games wouldn't have had a fivefold increase in sales. It doesn't work that way. Maybe they would've doubled.

 

[Liabe Brave]

If the Gamecube or Xbox had sold 100+ million consoles, their biggest games wouldn't have had a fivefold increase in sales. It doesn't work that way. Maybe they would've doubled.

Your point is overall correct, but look at the (approximate) numbers here. You estimate yourself that a quadrupling of console base might result in only about a doubling of sales.

Well, a sextupling of console base (DS vs. GCN) resulted in mere marginal increases in Crystal Chronicles' case. That's why some people are disappointed.

 

[cvxfreak]

Wow, Phantom Hourglass dropped down to 11K.

 

[botticus]

Your point is overall correct, but look at the (approximate) numbers here. You estimate yourself that a quadrupling of console base might result in only about a doubling of sales.

Well, a sextupling of console base (DS vs. GCN) resulted in mere marginal increases in Crystal Chronicles' case. That's why some people are disappointed.

But that's apples-to-oranges. Demographic of the GCN is likely different from that of the DS. Chances are if the Cube Crystal Chronicles had been released to a userbase of 19 million, you'd have seen much greater sales.

That said, I think the best explanation for a lack of growth in the Crystal Chronicles sales is that people weren't all that thrilled with the GCN iteration. Even though RoF is much different, it's still Crystal Chronicles, and it started off on the wrong foot just by sharing the name.

 

[Christine]

That said, I think the best explanation for a lack of growth in the Crystal Chronicles sales is that people weren't all that thrilled with the GCN iteration. Even though RoF is much different, it's still Crystal Chronicles, and it started off on the wrong foot just by sharing the name.

I agree. I think that Square should turn this:

Into this:

They're 85% of the way there already.

 

[Version 3.0]

Your point is overall correct, but look at the (approximate) numbers here. You estimate yourself that a quadrupling of console base might result in only about a doubling of sales.

Well, a sextupling of console base (DS vs. GCN) resulted in mere marginal increases in Crystal Chronicles' case. That's why some people are disappointed.

Fair enough. I only pointed it out because it's sort of a pet peeve of mine: install base comparisons. Like "what was the PS2's installed base when Hot Shots Golf 4 came out?" as a method of making HSG 5's sales look more impressive because of its attach rate.

I've said it before in these threads: a high attach rate for a game is not an indicator of a healthy console. It's more likely to be the opposite: a sign of a niche console.

 

[Christopher]

Hate to be the Devils advocate but the PS2 At the moment is still alive, if i was a Indy software company, i be making games for PS2, low cost to develop plus a huge market to sell to.

- anyone think i am crazy? As an entrepentuer myself i see alot of money that could still be made in the Playstation 2 market. Esspecially in Japan.

not to troll but you could always port your game to the PSP and Wii as well making more bang for your buck.

 

[jarrod]

Damn. Those are major bomb numbers for Summon Night. :/

Well, it's a RTSRPG spinoff iirc. How well did the PS2 ARPG or the GBA dungeon crawlers sell?

 

[KINGMOKU]

Hey guys, I didnt see a thread, and I am NOT creating a new one for fear of somehow it bieng banned numbers, but did anyone else read that MetroidPrime3 sold over 400,000 copies its first week? I didnt see a thread, nor did I see a link to VGshit in any of the stories. Did I miss the thread or something?

 

[sphinx]

Hey guys, I didnt see a thread, and I am NOT creating a new one for fear of somehow it bieng banned numbers, but did anyone else read that MetroidPrime3 sold over 400,000 copies its first week? I didnt see a thread, nor did I see a link to VGshit in any of the stories. Did I miss the thread or something?

that came from kotaku.

They basically said a couple of very unreliable sources, including VGcrap, had been tossing the 400k number around but that nothing was confirmed.

certainly the kind of stuff GAF hates.

 

[botticus]

Hey guys, I didnt see a thread, and I am NOT creating a new one for fear of somehow it bieng banned numbers, but did anyone else read that MetroidPrime3 sold over 400,000 copies its first week? I didnt see a thread, nor did I see a link to VGshit in any of the stories. Did I miss the thread or something?

Gamasutra says Metroid outsold Bioshock last week in its weekly overview of Amazon.com sales. VGpoo says Bioshock sold 400k its first week. Some random site misreads Gamasutra as saying that Metroid's first week was better than Bioshock's first week. Uses said numbers to say that Metroid sold more than 400k. So basically it's possible, but no more so than 200k.

 

[apujanata]

Very nice Bladestorm sales. Hope they replenish the stock quickly (since 90% was sold out). OTOH, retailer noticed that there is almost no PS3 games with legs, so retailers might decide NOT to re-order additional shipment of Bladestorm.

Anyone thing that retailers might not re-order bladestorm in the future ? Anyone know whether Bladestorm have price drop in it's second week (I don't think it will have price drop, but who knows ?)

Gamasutra says Metroid outsold Bioshock last week in its weekly overview of Amazon.com sales. VGpoo says Bioshock sold 400k its first week. Some random site misreads Gamasutra as saying that Metroid's first week was better than Bioshock's first week. Uses said numbers to say that Metroid sold more than 400k. So basically it's possible, but no more so than 200k.

Wow if it is true (the bolded part).

 

[botticus]

Wow if it is true (the bolded part).

Well, it's true for Amazon.com, and it's Metroid's release week versus Bioshock's second week... good for Metroid, but not shocking to me.

 

[miguel_c_hammer]

Do the Japanese read the fine print?

 

[jj984jj]

Do the Japanese read the fine print?

:lol

 

[zeldarooles]

Do the Japanese read the fine print?

:lol :lol :lol :lol

 

[PantherLotus]

Pretend I did my charts this week. Getting bored with it.

 

[apujanata]

Pretend I did my charts this week. Getting bored with it.

You shouldn't do that. this is the most interesting week of all time. PS3 got the closest to Wii, ever.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

You shouldn't do that. this is the most interesting week of all time. PS3 got the closest to Wii, ever.

Not as close as Gundabump.

If Panther is getting burnt out, I could pick up some of the slack. I already tell the weekly/lifetime PS3/Wii share, so doing the same for X360/PS3/Wii wouldn't be a big step.

 

[PantherLotus]

I think it was a joke, JJ. :|

 

[Grampa Simpson]

Pretend I did my charts this week. Getting bored with it.

NEXT GEN WEEKLY SALES 36

Since 11/27/07:
37 Total Weeks of Next Gen sales.
31 Total Weeks of post-holiday sales.

Trends
Trends are generally determined by the last 4 weeks of data. Averages are determined by total sales divided by the number of weeks posted above. Outside factors are considered (such as big releases, holidays, etc) when determining current trends and establishing predictions. Trend results are not an average.

360 - Established Trend: 2k. Next Gen Avg = 6,106. Post Holiday Avg = 3,774.
Wii - Adjusting Trend: 60-78k. Next Gen Avg = 90,546. Post Holiday Avg = 72,104.
PS3 - Slowing Trend: 17-25k. Next Gen Avg = 24,511. Post Holiday Avg = 17,284.

Expectations for Next Week
Expectations are predictions only, and are based upon trends, outside factors, and sales history. Previous week's success rate included for accountability.

360 - 2.5k <-- within .8k the previous week. This will seemingly never change.
Wii - 70k <-- within 5k the previous week. Looks like a return to the 64-75k shipment cycles. I expect sales to remain cyclical for the time being.
PS3 - 17k <-- Within 3k the previous week. Will sales continue to slide to pre-minna golf levels (9-13k) or will they establish a new mesa from which to peer upwards? (15-25k) I'm going to guess somewhere right in the middle for the next 4-6 weeks (10-18k).

Significant Notes:
&#9679; The Wii has extended its lead to 2,286,902 over the PS3.
&#9679; 88,553 consoles sold this week. Wii had 73.54% of all console sales.
&#9679; The Wii only outsold the PS3 3.05:1 this week. Iwata is ashamed.
&#9679; The 5 million Wii watch party continues...expected to cross the 5 mil. mark before 01/01/08.
&#9679; The PS3 has actually gained market share for THREE weeks in a row!! (21.85% -> 21.95% -> 22.05% ->22.09%) -- Should be noted that this is at the expense of the 360, as the Wii is still gaining as well.
&#9679; The Wii has had 67% market share for over 3 months now, but still hasn't reached 70%. Is this the plateau that this market will accept?

Nobody will notice the difference. Nothing really changes week to week.

 

[apujanata]

I think it was a joke, JJ. :|

Actually, it is not a joke. I seldom do unobvious joke and unobvious sarcasm, if ever. I didn't realise that Gundabump is much closer. My bad.

Nobody will notice the difference. Nothing really changes week to week.

You should wait for Fitbump. Once Fitbump arrive, it will one whole year of non-stop easter for Wii in Japan, with 80K+ weekly sales. (it will not get 100K+ non-stop like DS, since most Japanese people are slim, compared to US citizen).

 

[Jasoncheng]

NEW GPARA RANKING
http://www.gpara.com/ranking/mediacreatebn/ranking_20070906.php

 

[Forgotten Ancient]

Do the Japanese read the fine print?

:lol :lol :lol

That's all I have to contribute. Well done, sir.

 

[PantherLotus]

Actually, it is not a joke. I seldom do unobvious joke and unobvious sarcasm, if ever. I didn't realise that Gundabump is much closer. My bad.



You should wait for Fitbump. Once Fitbump arrive, it will one whole year of non-stop easter for Wii in Japan, with 80K+ weekly sales. (it will not get 100K+ non-stop like DS, since most Japanese people are slim, compared to US citizen).

I thought you were making fun of my shocking-statement-of-the-week that I used to do. It would always read something like, "The PS3 has never sold more than the Wii, ever."