Worldwide Console Hardware Sales Compared

Thanks to GameSpy for their import gaming column which also collates the total hardware sales for all the major consoles by territory, information that's often hard to find in one place. The article points out: "Generally speaking, worldwide, the PlayStation 2 is crushing the competition, having sold millions and millions more consoles than the Xbox or GameCube", and "Xbox seems to be more popular [than GameCube] in both North America and Europe", leading Nintendo's console by a million in the U.S. and a couple of hundred thousand in Europe. But in the East, the situation is different, since "hardly anybody is buying the Xbox in Japan", and the GameCube has a one-and-a-half million console advantage, further bolstered by a recent weekly chart that has the GC selling 16,841 consoles, and Xbox selling just 530 machines.

Comments

Bleed, boy! Bleed!

[Mulletproof]

"hardly anybody is buying the Xbox in Japan", and the GameCube has a one-and-a-half million console advantage, further bolstered by a recent weekly chart that has the GC selling 16,841 consoles, and Xbox selling just 530 machines.

Well of course nobody is buying the XBox in Japan. There is hardly and 'console' flavored games for it on either side of the ocean. Most are either very PC flavored, 2 year old ports of previously marketed games or are simply too mediocre to be noticed. And don't go off on me with some fanboy rant. I own an Xbox and did Live Beta. I can count the number of truly attention getting games on one hand (maybe two) and the number that actually sell large quantities in Japan is even less.

In all honesty though, I don't think MS cares about that market, or at least only enough to keep disgruntled US/European gamers from burning their headquarters down. I'm more and more of the opinion that they are trying to grow a grass roots domestic gaming culture from the ground up, attempting to accomplish what Japan has had for two decades-- A thriving, rampant gaming industry and consumer lifestyle almost entirely independent of the Japanese market. Kinda goes along with that monopoly thing. I can see the reason for it somewhat. As long as they rely on a japanese market to make them games, they'll be beholden to them in one way or another. By establishing a foundation at home, they can at least battle for their monopoly on an even footing instead of on the enemies home turf.

But without relying on the Japanese market which sells games nearly everybody likes, it's going to be a painfully uphill battle... I don't see them being anything close to a challenge for at least another console, maybe even two more. You think they're bleeding bad now? Wait until MS is facing a brand spankin' new PS3 with a fanbase inherited from two generations of excellent consoles...

Say what you want about Gates and his Billions. Sony is a rock solid company itself with it's own billions, and console hardware experience AND a an established consumer base. If MS doesn't alter their strategy a tad, bleeding moutains of cash will be the only way to the promised land. I know they have it, but against an opponet with equal mountains of cash already making more moutains of cash, it isn't exactly the brightest move...

Get your own IMO. This one's mine.

Re:Bleed, boy! Bleed!

[einTier]

I don't think Sony is the one that needs to worry right now, and I don't think Microsoft is gunning for them -- yet. Remember, there's always been space for two consoles, but not three. Nintendo's market share for it's primary console has been slipping for years, as they constantly try to make the hardware they want to make and then try to convince people to buy it rather than figuring out what people want to buy and then making that.

Sounds a lot like another company Microsoft and Intel cratered about a decade ago.

Hardware numbers...

[Anonymous Coward]

...always make me laugh. Sure, it is fairly important to get your units out there but, shouldn't the focus be on overall game sales per system? E.g. Are "system" owners actually buying games? Is "system" actually maintaining an expected level of game sales? What is the ratio of game sales per unit? Etc...

To me, that would be more indicative of what is happening in the market.

Re:Low numbers for europe

[weicco]

Nah, I don't think that's the reason. At least kids in my neighbourhood speaks, and especially writes, english better than finnish which is their native language :)

Re:Low numbers for europe

[CheeseEatingBulldog]

I doubt it has anything to do with local language, here in holland all films are in the original language with dutch subtitles, plus most advertising is still in English. The French and Germans still dub all films and tv though, but big games like Final Fanstasy are translated anyway. Europeans generally learn other languages to broaden their horizons...and to understand their fellow humans.