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Taken from C&VG.com:
Ready for this? Sure, we've thrown more numbers at you in the last few days than a conference of mathematicians discussing the latest quantum giga-flux theory, but we've got another batch for you - perhaps the most visually shocking of the lot.
Australia is the setting - sun-kissed home of natural beauty and natural home of sun-kissed beauties - and the Christmas sales figures for the big three consoles are in.
No surprise at the top, with PS2 securing around 84,477 sales during the last three weeks of December. Microsoft came second, with the Xbox finding its way into a decent 45,939 tinsel-draped homes.
And then there's Nintendo. Ah, Nintendo! We love you, we really do. A fine machine with some of the most creative and downright playable games on the planet. Home of Zelda, Kirby, Metroid, Starfox and, of course, Mario. How did the GameCube sell during the Christmas period in the land they call Oz?
5,846. Five thousand, eight hundred and forty six. Xbox sold over forty-five thousand. GameCube failed to break six. Barely 3% of the overall market share. Hum.
Reasons? Well, if we're to believe EA's Bob Katz, Nintendo's "disappointing reluctance to compete" was behind the shortfall. Katz's comment may also explain why EA started to reduce the price of its games towards the end of last year - simply not enough numbers to do good business.
Will 2003 prove any different? Regional analysts seem to think not, but we can only wait and see.
- - - - - - - - -
Oh dear...
Ready for this? Sure, we've thrown more numbers at you in the last few days than a conference of mathematicians discussing the latest quantum giga-flux theory, but we've got another batch for you - perhaps the most visually shocking of the lot.
Australia is the setting - sun-kissed home of natural beauty and natural home of sun-kissed beauties - and the Christmas sales figures for the big three consoles are in.
No surprise at the top, with PS2 securing around 84,477 sales during the last three weeks of December. Microsoft came second, with the Xbox finding its way into a decent 45,939 tinsel-draped homes.
And then there's Nintendo. Ah, Nintendo! We love you, we really do. A fine machine with some of the most creative and downright playable games on the planet. Home of Zelda, Kirby, Metroid, Starfox and, of course, Mario. How did the GameCube sell during the Christmas period in the land they call Oz?
5,846. Five thousand, eight hundred and forty six. Xbox sold over forty-five thousand. GameCube failed to break six. Barely 3% of the overall market share. Hum.
Reasons? Well, if we're to believe EA's Bob Katz, Nintendo's "disappointing reluctance to compete" was behind the shortfall. Katz's comment may also explain why EA started to reduce the price of its games towards the end of last year - simply not enough numbers to do good business.
Will 2003 prove any different? Regional analysts seem to think not, but we can only wait and see.
- - - - - - - - -
Oh dear...
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Whitestripes wrote:
> As a GC owner, I don't give a damn what the rest of the public think,
> as long as Nintendo are still around, and from the huge profits they
> will be, and all of the fantastic games being made are still released,
> I am 100% satisifed. Even if I was the only GC owner in the world, if
> the 50 or so games on my list for this year were still made for it, I
> would be more than happy with it.
>
> People like you make me sick, the console you favour has to be selling
> the most doesn't it? It has to be all corporate and media friendly.
> Well shock horror, but if Nintendo don't advertise their games enough,
> I don't give a damn! Because I know whats coming and I'm looking
> forward to it. Like I said, I would be perfectly happy being the only
> Gamecube owner in the world, so long as the games I want are released.
There is a problem with this idea. If you were the only GC user in the world, there would be no games released for it. It would not viable (money wise) to release games for a console with just 1 user. So the amount of GC's sold does mean some thing. If GC user base drops further behind in the future (compared with the others), software developers will not put games on GC - it would not be viable (they wouldn’t make enough money to make it worth while or to pay for development of that title on that format). Even if Nintendo do make money on the hardware, it won't make any difference if it's got the smallest number of users.
> As a GC owner, I don't give a damn what the rest of the public think,
> as long as Nintendo are still around, and from the huge profits they
> will be, and all of the fantastic games being made are still released,
> I am 100% satisifed. Even if I was the only GC owner in the world, if
> the 50 or so games on my list for this year were still made for it, I
> would be more than happy with it.
>
> People like you make me sick, the console you favour has to be selling
> the most doesn't it? It has to be all corporate and media friendly.
> Well shock horror, but if Nintendo don't advertise their games enough,
> I don't give a damn! Because I know whats coming and I'm looking
> forward to it. Like I said, I would be perfectly happy being the only
> Gamecube owner in the world, so long as the games I want are released.
There is a problem with this idea. If you were the only GC user in the world, there would be no games released for it. It would not viable (money wise) to release games for a console with just 1 user. So the amount of GC's sold does mean some thing. If GC user base drops further behind in the future (compared with the others), software developers will not put games on GC - it would not be viable (they wouldn’t make enough money to make it worth while or to pay for development of that title on that format). Even if Nintendo do make money on the hardware, it won't make any difference if it's got the smallest number of users.
Dringo wrote:
> Top score wrote:
> Help me out here but is there a trend developing here:
>
> Number 1 Console in the world has Dvd = PS2
>
> Number 2 Console in the world has Dvd = Xbox
>
> Number 3 and dead last the GC Nintendo is proud of the fact it
> doesn't have dvd or are they just realising it's the N64 all over
> again.
>
> Oh my god who are you?
>
> Nintendo are selling all because they haven't got involved in this
> multi-platform, realistic graphic fight with Sony and Microsoft...
> that is why they are selling so well... Nintendo do not use DVD player
> because it isn't a multiformat console... with the new DVD onslaught
> (coming basically now) everyone is grabbing a stand alone DVD
> player... so who see's the attraction to the ps2? Now all they need is
> a game console... they could get an X-box but except for America the
> world seems to hate them so we'll get a GC... cheaper you see.
>
> Please remember that the X-box is no where near the Gamecube's second
> position, it is forever changing places in the west and in Japan the
> X-box might as well not exist.
But PS2 and XBox also use DVD to hold the games. DVD games can be much bigger as they hold more than the Nintendo custom disc.
> Top score wrote:
> Help me out here but is there a trend developing here:
>
> Number 1 Console in the world has Dvd = PS2
>
> Number 2 Console in the world has Dvd = Xbox
>
> Number 3 and dead last the GC Nintendo is proud of the fact it
> doesn't have dvd or are they just realising it's the N64 all over
> again.
>
> Oh my god who are you?
>
> Nintendo are selling all because they haven't got involved in this
> multi-platform, realistic graphic fight with Sony and Microsoft...
> that is why they are selling so well... Nintendo do not use DVD player
> because it isn't a multiformat console... with the new DVD onslaught
> (coming basically now) everyone is grabbing a stand alone DVD
> player... so who see's the attraction to the ps2? Now all they need is
> a game console... they could get an X-box but except for America the
> world seems to hate them so we'll get a GC... cheaper you see.
>
> Please remember that the X-box is no where near the Gamecube's second
> position, it is forever changing places in the west and in Japan the
> X-box might as well not exist.
But PS2 and XBox also use DVD to hold the games. DVD games can be much bigger as they hold more than the Nintendo custom disc.
Hey...we all know Australians have no taste!
Belldandy wrote:
>
> Yes it does, it's called C O M P E T I T I O N. Something Nintendo
> Europe seem to have trouble understanding.
>
Er, the Gamecube outsold the Xbox in Europe.
In Australia Xbox is doing better, and the UK the Xbox is ahead of the Gamecube, but European sales figures to the end of the year had the GC at 1.5 million and the Xbox at 1.2.
Not that it bothers me, as long as the games keep coming.
>
> Yes it does, it's called C O M P E T I T I O N. Something Nintendo
> Europe seem to have trouble understanding.
>
Er, the Gamecube outsold the Xbox in Europe.
In Australia Xbox is doing better, and the UK the Xbox is ahead of the Gamecube, but European sales figures to the end of the year had the GC at 1.5 million and the Xbox at 1.2.
Not that it bothers me, as long as the games keep coming.
Whitestripes wrote:
> People like you make me sick, the console you favour has to be selling
> the most doesn't it? It has to be all corporate and media friendly.
But it isn't ! Xbox is not outselling the PS2, last time I looked Nintendo were a corporation just like MS, and I don't think that Microsoft are all that media friendly considering the monopolies thing in the US, and the PC world's general love hate relationship with it.
> Well shock horror, but if Nintendo don't advertise their games enough,
> I don't give a damn! Because I know whats coming and I'm looking
> forward to it. Like I said, I would be perfectly happy being the only
> Gamecube owner in the world, so long as the games I want are released.
But, if you were the only one, they'd be damn expensive games wouldn't they ? Sure, you - a devoted Nintendo fan- know what is coming. Does the average buyer though ? Nope. Yes, with the PS2 pre Xmas, nearly every PS2 owner knew GTA VIce was coming. Why ? Publicity, word of mouth, and general hype. Metorid Prime is just months away, yet where is the publicity apart from in NOM and the official web site ? Oh, there isn't any....
In the GC Nintendo have an excellent console, but it's looking like N64 deja vu to me....
~~Belldandy~~
> People like you make me sick, the console you favour has to be selling
> the most doesn't it? It has to be all corporate and media friendly.
But it isn't ! Xbox is not outselling the PS2, last time I looked Nintendo were a corporation just like MS, and I don't think that Microsoft are all that media friendly considering the monopolies thing in the US, and the PC world's general love hate relationship with it.
> Well shock horror, but if Nintendo don't advertise their games enough,
> I don't give a damn! Because I know whats coming and I'm looking
> forward to it. Like I said, I would be perfectly happy being the only
> Gamecube owner in the world, so long as the games I want are released.
But, if you were the only one, they'd be damn expensive games wouldn't they ? Sure, you - a devoted Nintendo fan- know what is coming. Does the average buyer though ? Nope. Yes, with the PS2 pre Xmas, nearly every PS2 owner knew GTA VIce was coming. Why ? Publicity, word of mouth, and general hype. Metorid Prime is just months away, yet where is the publicity apart from in NOM and the official web site ? Oh, there isn't any....
In the GC Nintendo have an excellent console, but it's looking like N64 deja vu to me....
~~Belldandy~~
Belldandy wrote:
>
> Yes it does, it's called C O M P E T I T I O N. Something Nintendo
> Europe seem to have trouble understanding.
No, no and no. It does not have to be this way. This is not a rule of life that is set in stone. They do no have to compete if they don't want to. Why, why do you insist that they MUST compete? If you're too damn stupid too notice, but Nintendo have made a far larger profit with the Gamecube than Microsoft have with the XBox, ensuring that they will be around for the next generation as well.
>
> Evidently you are right, 5846 people did consider it a bargain for
> Christmas.
That was in Australia, clearly the XBox was a roaring success of about 4,000 in Japan, compared to the Gamecube's whopping 60,000 units a week.
>
> But seriously, compare the value from the point of someone who is
> buying it as a present.
If it's a rip-off don't buy it, it's your choice isn't it? I couldn't give a crap about value comparisons, The XBox or PS2 could have been £60 with any 10 games of your choice for free, but the GAmecube still would ahve been the console I bought first, as it's the one I actually want.
As a GC owner, I don't give a damn what the rest of the public think, as long as Nintendo are still around, and from the huge profits they will be, and all of the fantastic games being made are still released, I am 100% satisifed. Even if I was the only GC owner in the world, if the 50 or so games on my list for this year were still made for it, I would be more than happy with it.
People like you make me sick, the console you favour has to be selling the most doesn't it? It has to be all corporate and media friendly. Well shock horror, but if Nintendo don't advertise their games enough, I don't give a damn! Because I know whats coming and I'm looking forward to it. Like I said, I would be perfectly happy being the only Gamecube owner in the world, so long as the games I want are released.
>
> Yes it does, it's called C O M P E T I T I O N. Something Nintendo
> Europe seem to have trouble understanding.
No, no and no. It does not have to be this way. This is not a rule of life that is set in stone. They do no have to compete if they don't want to. Why, why do you insist that they MUST compete? If you're too damn stupid too notice, but Nintendo have made a far larger profit with the Gamecube than Microsoft have with the XBox, ensuring that they will be around for the next generation as well.
>
> Evidently you are right, 5846 people did consider it a bargain for
> Christmas.
That was in Australia, clearly the XBox was a roaring success of about 4,000 in Japan, compared to the Gamecube's whopping 60,000 units a week.
>
> But seriously, compare the value from the point of someone who is
> buying it as a present.
If it's a rip-off don't buy it, it's your choice isn't it? I couldn't give a crap about value comparisons, The XBox or PS2 could have been £60 with any 10 games of your choice for free, but the GAmecube still would ahve been the console I bought first, as it's the one I actually want.
As a GC owner, I don't give a damn what the rest of the public think, as long as Nintendo are still around, and from the huge profits they will be, and all of the fantastic games being made are still released, I am 100% satisifed. Even if I was the only GC owner in the world, if the 50 or so games on my list for this year were still made for it, I would be more than happy with it.
People like you make me sick, the console you favour has to be selling the most doesn't it? It has to be all corporate and media friendly. Well shock horror, but if Nintendo don't advertise their games enough, I don't give a damn! Because I know whats coming and I'm looking forward to it. Like I said, I would be perfectly happy being the only Gamecube owner in the world, so long as the games I want are released.
Top score wrote:
> Help me out here but is there a trend developing here:
>
> Number 1 Console in the world has Dvd = PS2
>
> Number 2 Console in the world has Dvd = Xbox
>
> Number 3 and dead last the GC Nintendo is proud of the fact it
> doesn't have dvd or are they just realising it's the N64 all over
> again.
Oh my god who are you?
Nintendo are selling all because they haven't got involved in this multi-platform, realistic graphic fight with Sony and Microsoft... that is why they are selling so well... Nintendo do not use DVD player because it isn't a multiformat console... with the new DVD onslaught (coming basically now) everyone is grabbing a stand alone DVD player... so who see's the attraction to the ps2? Now all they need is a game console... they could get an X-box but except for America the world seems to hate them so we'll get a GC... cheaper you see.
Please remember that the X-box is no where near the Gamecube's second position, it is forever changing places in the west and in Japan the X-box might as well not exist.
> Help me out here but is there a trend developing here:
>
> Number 1 Console in the world has Dvd = PS2
>
> Number 2 Console in the world has Dvd = Xbox
>
> Number 3 and dead last the GC Nintendo is proud of the fact it
> doesn't have dvd or are they just realising it's the N64 all over
> again.
Oh my god who are you?
Nintendo are selling all because they haven't got involved in this multi-platform, realistic graphic fight with Sony and Microsoft... that is why they are selling so well... Nintendo do not use DVD player because it isn't a multiformat console... with the new DVD onslaught (coming basically now) everyone is grabbing a stand alone DVD player... so who see's the attraction to the ps2? Now all they need is a game console... they could get an X-box but except for America the world seems to hate them so we'll get a GC... cheaper you see.
Please remember that the X-box is no where near the Gamecube's second position, it is forever changing places in the west and in Japan the X-box might as well not exist.
Belldandy wrote:
> Evidently you are right, 5846 people did consider it a bargain for
> Christmas.
In Australia.
> But seriously, compare the value from the point of someone who is
> buying it as a present.
>
> GC, 129.99, no games, no dvd, needs memory card to save.
> Xbox, 159.99, two games, need a dvd add on but you don't need a memory
> card to save.
> PS2, 169.99, no games, dvd, needs memory card.
Yep X-box is better value for money, I could of told you that, it is just a shame it is doing the worst.
> Nintendo needs to remember that they are the only one of the big three
> which treats Europe like cr@p....
Are they now? Says you? Give me a one good reason why that is true and I'll argue against it.
> Evidently you are right, 5846 people did consider it a bargain for
> Christmas.
In Australia.
> But seriously, compare the value from the point of someone who is
> buying it as a present.
>
> GC, 129.99, no games, no dvd, needs memory card to save.
> Xbox, 159.99, two games, need a dvd add on but you don't need a memory
> card to save.
> PS2, 169.99, no games, dvd, needs memory card.
Yep X-box is better value for money, I could of told you that, it is just a shame it is doing the worst.
> Nintendo needs to remember that they are the only one of the big three
> which treats Europe like cr@p....
Are they now? Says you? Give me a one good reason why that is true and I'll argue against it.
Ah, Dringo, I see you've gone for the Gary tagine. Wondered when someone would.
Ah yes Nintendo is treating Australia as bad as the used to treat Europe. They're getting games later, they are getting things more expensive and advertisement is at an all time low.
It is an unimportant market to them all but nevertheless dissapointing.
It is an unimportant market to them all but nevertheless dissapointing.
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