Slashdot Mirror
Nintendo Claims No.2 Spot, PS2 Sales Down Year-On-Year
jkcity writes "In an interview with Nintendo's Perrin Kaplan on IGN Cube, she claims: 'We basically won 2003 [in the U.S.] and moved ourselves to the number two spot, and Microsoft's Xbox to number three', also noting: 'Year-on-year we were up 68.5% [in December] based on units sold. We sold about 1.1 million GameCubes in December... For the whole year we were up 35%. Our competitors were both in the negative.' But an analyst quoted in an [overly harsh?] BBC News story is less impressed, suggesting the console 'did not do as well as I would have expected'." Elsewhere, a Reuters story notes that PlayStation 2 sales in the U.S. "fell 27 percent to 2.94 million units in November and December from four million units a year earlier", but the console still seems to be outselling the GameCube's increased Xmas volume.
With the huge market of PS2 owners this Christmas [who have had their consoles for awhile], a $100 second console was very attractive, I assume. Furthermore, the Gamecube seems to compliment the PS2 better than the XBox compliments the PS2 - meaning that there seems to be a lot of games for the Gamecube that can't be found on the PS2 whereas most of the games of the XBox can be found on the PS2 in some form or another. When looking to add a second console to my entertainment setup, I look for unique play experiences, not just better graphics.
In addition to the dirt cheap price of the gamecube, third parties are really starting to come around and produce the same titles as for the Xbox and PS2. For me, that was the biggest annonyance of the first year the gamecube was released.
It is very dangerous to understand Nintendo. It has been profitable games company for a long time. - David Cole, DFC Intelligence
It's puzzling how BBC could mess up this quote underneath the picture, when they get it right in the actual body of the article (where it says "underestimate" instead of "understand"). All they had to do was copy and paste!
Please subscribe to see the more insightful version of th
Of course, what statistics are you basing your opinion on? The salesmen at EB who try to sell you a warranty and tell you how many are returned? Or the ranting posted on the Internet? Unless you have some hard numbers and can show that, per 1,000 machines, more are defective than the Xbox or Gamecube, you're just spreading FUD.
these kinds of press releases are primarily for stockholders, analysts, and 3rd party developers. even though fanboys may love to use this crap for their pissing contests, it isn't aimed at them.
of course, analysts don't really care about market share won by severely cutting prices. particularly if the increased market share doesn't result in significantly increased software sales. (which is yet to be seen despite the quantity of GC's sold)
The interesting part though is how console installed base correlation to total software sales tapers off more quickly than hardware sales.
Every ps2 game released should outsell every GC or xbox title 5 to 1 at least due the sheer size of the installed base. but the monthly numbers haven't shown that to be a trend over the last two years. Just as the monthly numbers haven't shown a significant increase in GC game sales due their new, larger, installed base. It just seems the new price is pulling in people who are only buying 1 or 2 of the already existing superhits (prime, wind waker, sunshine).
and so long as console makers lose money on each box - analysts by and large won't care about installed base. they only follow 3rd party developer movement and software sales. (nintendo may have been making money on each GC at $200, but it's extremely doubtful they still did at $150, let alone $100).
so the question is: are third party developers going to throw more titles toward nintendo now that they have a larger installed base? and, will the lower price actually result in significant software sales growth?
If not, then this article only tries to put up a rosy picture for the shareholders, though it'll have no real effect on the existing trends. ( sony > ms > nintendo )
// "Can't clowns and pirates just -try- to get along?"
"Does it want to be in the handheld, the kiddie market or compete more externally in the wider market?"
first and foremost, this part of the article is totally ridiculous. A console can be many many things. In fact, Nintendo has had the opportunity of a lucrative handheld market, while also being a console business. Why do you have to cater to one and only one market? Obviously you don't. I think if anything there are two things that Nintendo is doing wrong. The first is their image, people DO still think of the gamecube as primarily for kids. I do, but I also own the Mature titles. So perhaps their image needs to be dealt with. The other thing is with their lack of cheaper titles. I can play $15 greatest hits PS2 titles and $20 PS2 GH games. While it usually costs around $25-$30 for a GH equivalent on the gamecube. Who cares if the GC is cheaper, the games are often more expensive when it comes to older titles. Perhaps Nintendo should consider making more of their titles around the $20-$25 mark.
Also in the market, it talks about how the PS2 had a year's headstart over Microsoft and Nintendo. However, the first year the PS2 was out, lots of gamers were dissappointed with the lack of titles. I think having a headstart doesn't necessarily give a company an advantage. Nintendo and Microsoft have some great titles, but yes, I am aware that the PS2 has a huge selection of titles (but is that due to them being Sony, or having a headstart, and could you say the same if we were talking about Nintendo or Microsoft?).
I do agree however that Nintendo should not be underestimated. They don't have the resource of Sony or Microsoft, but they do have experience. I think that they will be around for along time.
The only other problem I have, is that at this point I see no reason for Nintendo to make a next gen console. The GC still has alot of potential left in it, and it seems absurd to make gamers buy a new console, and new games for it. Also, it might be good to see what Sony, and Microsoft come out with so they can top those consoles. All the while, continuing to increase the number of the titles for the GC. On the otherhand, it makes perfect sense that the PS2 be phased out to the PS3 since the PS2 is seeing its age.
In any case, don't count Nintendo out just because they don't have the buy power of Sony and Microsoft. Money doesn't bring success, talent does.
There was a marketing campaign couple of years ago in Poland. One of three GSM operators finally received licence for 900MHz (previosly they only had 1800, so they covered only major cities) and put major buzz into their slogan ``fastest growing coverage''.
;)
;)
Lots of people had fun about marketing a shortcoming as an advantage. I mean, the other two operators had 99.x% coverage, so their coverage grew by 0.03% annually, and the newcommer had sth like 40% annual rate
So, if your market grows from one unit to ten units you can make a lot of buzz about 1000% annual rate
Robert
Bastard Operator From 193.219.28.162
Statistics about sales are all well and good, but sometimes they don't paint a realistic picture. I got a 'cube for X-mas with no memory card, so I attempted to find one.
My first stop was my local Walmart. Despite the large volume of games for PS2 and X-Box, the gamecube shelf was completely bare, not a single game was left. Needless to say, they didn't have any memory cards.
I went to my local mall and visited every store that carried the cube and found similar situations. I finally stopped at EB Games who had 3rd party cards (the Nintendo brand was sold out).
If anyone asks why weren't 'cube sales weren't higher in my area, it's pretty simple. No one had any left. I suspect other people in other areas may have similar stories, but at this point, Nintendo beat the sales predictions of every retail chain to the point of clearing their inventory. And that's a good season.
-- Political fascism requires a Fuhrer.
The person you are arguing with is VERY correct - the first generation of the PS1 had a very, very bad laser in it. You want sources? Read up for PS1:
/ ps2-1.html
:)
My favorite PS1 Lens Repair Guide
Common Problem with SCPH-1001 model
And now for PS2:
http://www.arstechnica.com/reviews/003/gaming/ps2
http://faqs.ign.com/articles/390/390535p1.html
And I could go on and on...
The PS2 Model SCPH-30001 was horrible at reading DVD-R discs. The newer models are much, much better. So, if you want to watch home movies, you have to pitch the first generation ps2 and get a new one, like a V7, V9, or V10 console. V9 and V10 being almost identical on that front, but V7 is not bad either. About that problem with model 1001 for the PS1 above - I had that problem with my generation 1 model, and it was because Sony used plastic slide rails in the laser instead of metal. Future models used aluminum. One such fix for that problem was to take apart the laser, sand it down so the rails were even again, and then apply aluminum from a pop can with crazy glue on the rails so the plastic is protected, and doesn't wear anymore. I had a lot of success using that method with fixing those old consoles.
My point is that just because your PS1 still works, that doesn't mean that there hasn't been thousands of people who's PS1 or PS2s died within the first year they had them. That's not good - but Sony makes a lot of cash this way, and so do people like me who charge to do repairs
Hah.. I'd question that one. Facts are by definition the truth
If something is well known, but is wrong, it would be a misconception.
fact n.
2. c. Something believed to be true or real: a document laced with mistaken facts.
Rob