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Xbox sales on the rise :)
"After only two weeks ahead of Xbox following the launch of Mario Sunshine, GameCube sales have dropped in the UK, while Xbox enjoys a healthy surge. For the week ending October 19, GameCube clocked up a figure of 5,662 unit sales - a drop of seven percent on the previous week - whereas Xbox shifted 7,319 units over the same period - an increase of 20 percent.
The rise in Xbox sales can be accounted for by the recent cheap packages being offered by UK retailers like Argos and Dixons, but with its flagship triple-AAA Mario title only out for two weeks, the figure must be of great concern to Nintendo. With PS2 miles out in front, the race is on for the crucial second place spot in the next-gen console race and on current form Microsoft is favourite.
How Nintendo will respond to these figures remains to be seen, but the company may be compelled towards slashing the price of hardware in the run up to the crucial Christmas period in order to compete.
This brings the 2002 figures to date to 218,421 GameCube units compared with 215,818 for Xbox, with Microsoft's console well on track to having a larger installed user base than Nintendo by the end of the year. PS2 notched up sales of 23,451 last week, with GBA enjoying an increase of 14 percent at 9,730."
Xbox sales on the rise :)
"After only two weeks ahead of Xbox following the launch of Mario Sunshine, GameCube sales have dropped in the UK, while Xbox enjoys a healthy surge. For the week ending October 19, GameCube clocked up a figure of 5,662 unit sales - a drop of seven percent on the previous week - whereas Xbox shifted 7,319 units over the same period - an increase of 20 percent.
The rise in Xbox sales can be accounted for by the recent cheap packages being offered by UK retailers like Argos and Dixons, but with its flagship triple-AAA Mario title only out for two weeks, the figure must be of great concern to Nintendo. With PS2 miles out in front, the race is on for the crucial second place spot in the next-gen console race and on current form Microsoft is favourite.
How Nintendo will respond to these figures remains to be seen, but the company may be compelled towards slashing the price of hardware in the run up to the crucial Christmas period in order to compete.
This brings the 2002 figures to date to 218,421 GameCube units compared with 215,818 for Xbox, with Microsoft's console well on track to having a larger installed user base than Nintendo by the end of the year. PS2 notched up sales of 23,451 last week, with GBA enjoying an increase of 14 percent at 9,730."
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All consoles seem to be doing very well, which means great news for us gamers! I'm a little disappointed that after only two weeks, Sunshine isn't helping sales, but I suppose everyone who wanted it got it on release, and it's good in the long run.
The Playstation sold so much because you could chip it, piracy sold that console....
WòókieeMøn§†€® wrote:
> Then the stagnant software collection after
> launch. Now I know many of you don't agree with my opinion, and
> that's fair enough - but I suggest to you that the lack of sales over
> the 7 months since launch would indicate that it is an opinion held by
> many people.
Actually the PS2's collection was pretty stagnant too for the first 6 months or so. The Dreamcast didn't survive against the PS2, not for lack of decent games, but because of the Playstation's image.
Its basically seen as the "cool" console to own. I remember the few months or so before the PS2's release here, I had a Dreamcast and while I was at work, the majority of people were saying "I'm waiting for the PS2 to come out, the Dreamcast is crap."
I asked if they knew what games were out or coming out on either system and they didn't know ! I remember one person being like "well, Gran Turismo will come out sometime."
Thing is, a lot of people just wanted to own the PS2 because of the name. Sony were clever in making the Playstation name cool to older audiences and casual gamers. This went on to spread to kids as well.
Lets face it, the PS3 could have 3 complete crap games at launch and not have much better for a year and it'll still sell thanks to the name Playstation.
> Then the stagnant software collection after
> launch. Now I know many of you don't agree with my opinion, and
> that's fair enough - but I suggest to you that the lack of sales over
> the 7 months since launch would indicate that it is an opinion held by
> many people.
Actually the PS2's collection was pretty stagnant too for the first 6 months or so. The Dreamcast didn't survive against the PS2, not for lack of decent games, but because of the Playstation's image.
Its basically seen as the "cool" console to own. I remember the few months or so before the PS2's release here, I had a Dreamcast and while I was at work, the majority of people were saying "I'm waiting for the PS2 to come out, the Dreamcast is crap."
I asked if they knew what games were out or coming out on either system and they didn't know ! I remember one person being like "well, Gran Turismo will come out sometime."
Thing is, a lot of people just wanted to own the PS2 because of the name. Sony were clever in making the Playstation name cool to older audiences and casual gamers. This went on to spread to kids as well.
Lets face it, the PS3 could have 3 complete crap games at launch and not have much better for a year and it'll still sell thanks to the name Playstation.
Yeah the GBA is doing well, Dunno why though, i still have the two games i got at Xmas for it - Mario Kart and Breath of Fire. Not many more have come out....
So you finally admit that it is a fight for 2nd place, then? ;-)
Nomad Soul wrote:
> Is there room for 3 consoles in the long run....? With the market
> expanding day by day, I think there is.
Absolutely. Though only because the 3rd player is Microsoft.
Whether people agree with/like it or not, PS2 is (and will probably remain) "the" console. As I said in another thread (in Prime) the other day, not only does it have a commanding lead in sales, but that lead continues to grow week after week, despite the best efforts of everyone else.
Nintendo are pretty much guaranteed at least a certain amount of purchases because of their historical fan base. Not only that, but they've made a pretty fine machine.
Microsoft have also made a fine machine, but - again as I said the other day - they have an uphill struggle. Not only because of people's preconceptions about them, but they've also done themselves harm.
First off there was the price drop, which made people question the value of the machine. Then the stagnant software collection after launch. Now I know many of you don't agree with my opinion, and that's fair enough - but I suggest to you that the lack of sales over the 7 months since launch would indicate that it is an opinion held by many people. I would also suggest that, while the software situation is changing, it *may* already be too late to affect sales significantly. (And before the hardcore Xbox fans jump on me - just take a deep breath and try and absorb what I've said - there is some logic in there.)
Anyway, back to my original point. I think the market can happily support the three machines, simply because the third company is Microsoft. Whatever the sales figures, MS can afford - unlike Sega - to keep throwing money at Xbox to keep it alive for some considerable time, even if it should appear to be floundering.
There are only two ways I can see Xbox failing. The first is if MS decide to stop throwing money at it. The second is if 3rd-party developers decide they're not getting enough return from Xbox games and pull the plug.
On the other hand, the only way to guarantee Xbox the prime market share is if MS buy up all 3rd-party developers. Which isn't exactly beyond the realms of possibility! :-)
Nomad Soul wrote:
> Is there room for 3 consoles in the long run....? With the market
> expanding day by day, I think there is.
Absolutely. Though only because the 3rd player is Microsoft.
Whether people agree with/like it or not, PS2 is (and will probably remain) "the" console. As I said in another thread (in Prime) the other day, not only does it have a commanding lead in sales, but that lead continues to grow week after week, despite the best efforts of everyone else.
Nintendo are pretty much guaranteed at least a certain amount of purchases because of their historical fan base. Not only that, but they've made a pretty fine machine.
Microsoft have also made a fine machine, but - again as I said the other day - they have an uphill struggle. Not only because of people's preconceptions about them, but they've also done themselves harm.
First off there was the price drop, which made people question the value of the machine. Then the stagnant software collection after launch. Now I know many of you don't agree with my opinion, and that's fair enough - but I suggest to you that the lack of sales over the 7 months since launch would indicate that it is an opinion held by many people. I would also suggest that, while the software situation is changing, it *may* already be too late to affect sales significantly. (And before the hardcore Xbox fans jump on me - just take a deep breath and try and absorb what I've said - there is some logic in there.)
Anyway, back to my original point. I think the market can happily support the three machines, simply because the third company is Microsoft. Whatever the sales figures, MS can afford - unlike Sega - to keep throwing money at Xbox to keep it alive for some considerable time, even if it should appear to be floundering.
There are only two ways I can see Xbox failing. The first is if MS decide to stop throwing money at it. The second is if 3rd-party developers decide they're not getting enough return from Xbox games and pull the plug.
On the other hand, the only way to guarantee Xbox the prime market share is if MS buy up all 3rd-party developers. Which isn't exactly beyond the realms of possibility! :-)
Christmas is crunch-time for the XBOX. With the new 2 SEGA game console package, and great exclusives like Blinx and Splinter Cell, hopefully XBOX sales will rocket.
There's no catching the PS2 though.
Is there room for 3 consoles in the long run....? With the market expanding day by day, I think there is.
There's no catching the PS2 though.
Is there room for 3 consoles in the long run....? With the market expanding day by day, I think there is.
Seems a little unfair as the gamecube wasn't launched until May and the Xbox was in March so the Xbox had a 2 months sales lead plus we are not at the end of the year anyway so xbox has had at least 6 months to sell where as the gamecube has only had 4 whole months and its still ahead in sales.
I think the only thing it really proves is that a console price reduction has more effect than a AAA games title but then perhaps Mario Sunshine isn't a AAA title after all.
Many have put the xbox sales lead down to the massive amount of chipping going on but this means developers aren't going to sell as many games.
Even the new revised xbox is chippable.
Anyway to my eyes all I can see is two struggling consoles and one very successful console.
I think the only thing it really proves is that a console price reduction has more effect than a AAA games title but then perhaps Mario Sunshine isn't a AAA title after all.
Many have put the xbox sales lead down to the massive amount of chipping going on but this means developers aren't going to sell as many games.
Even the new revised xbox is chippable.
Anyway to my eyes all I can see is two struggling consoles and one very successful console.
I can't believe that the GBA is still selling so well.
And you've got to admit, 20,000+ units of PS2 is pretty good, considering the damn thing is nearly two years old!
And you've got to admit, 20,000+ units of PS2 is pretty good, considering the damn thing is nearly two years old!
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