Wii Sniffs One Million Mark in Japan
Beats all-comers as in Japanese race for sales
The latest available figures for sales of the major consoles (excluding handhelds) in Japans show Nintendo’s Wii selling 437,520 more than Sony’s Playstation 3.
If that wasn’t quite enough, it’s also outgunned Microsoft’s Xbox 360 by a staggering 734,613 units.
The figures, from Media Create, show that the Wii has in fact not only owned Christmas (trans: ‘The Holiday Period’) but has apparently left it to its kids in its Wiil.
Numbers taken from the week beginning November 11th (and remember that Wii didn’t launch in Japan until December 2nd) will make sobering reading for Nintendo’s competitors:
Xbox 360: 88,698
Sony Playstation 3: 385,791
Nintendo Wii: 823,311
Aside from the fact that this means that Wii is merely 176,689 sales away from the magic million in a single territory, the most interesting point is the trend. Sales of the console are growing steadily despite the lack of stock availability which appears to be hamstringing both PS3 and Wii… everywhere. Two weekly periods show this in sharp relief.
The week of December 11th to 17th saw 108,237 Wiis sold compared to 70,942 PS3s. From the 18th to the 24th, 171,040 more Wiis were sold than the previous week (the week’s total being 279,277), while Sony apparently shifted 5,940 more (week total of 76,882).
We won’t mention Microsoft which is, frankly, not in the game in what looks like a heavily parochial Japanese market.
What these figures indicate is that the novelty factor of Wii is yet to turn sour and see it hidden under beds or simply trashed, as some have predicted.
But before this piece changes into a Wii-fanning frenzy, bear in mind that the price difference between software and hardware for the two console competitors in the land of the rising yen, means that Nintendo has got to be outselling its more technically advanced foe. And it’s got to be outselling it in big, big numbers. While both companies have invested large sums in hardware development and courting games makers, Sony’s price premium could pay off in the eyes of its shareholders. Nintendo must sell big, often and consistently into the depths of 2007.
When all is said and done, it will be about games, games and games. Right now, Sony’s got little to show but a great deal in the pipeline. Nintendo, on the other hand, has got to get some strong software into the market before the initial thrill of Wii Sports and the one-eyed worship of Zelda grows thin and pales into ‘nice novelty but now for some real action’.
Stateside Scalping
The USA is where the big battle should be heating up for Sony versus Microsoft. And Sony did its damndest to get numbers into the States at launch in order to start the fight. But news reaching SPOnG from across the pond is that the quick buckers who bought PS3s early to then flog them on Ebay are being sadly (or not so sadly) mistaken.
Our men in the U.S. told us today that PS3s are being returned in numbers by such failed scalpers. Now, this is of course a good thing for genuine gamers. On the other hand, it rather goes against the continued excuses from fanboy sites that there is no inventory left to sell in the States.
If that wasn’t quite enough, it’s also outgunned Microsoft’s Xbox 360 by a staggering 734,613 units.
The figures, from Media Create, show that the Wii has in fact not only owned Christmas (trans: ‘The Holiday Period’) but has apparently left it to its kids in its Wiil.
Numbers taken from the week beginning November 11th (and remember that Wii didn’t launch in Japan until December 2nd) will make sobering reading for Nintendo’s competitors:
Xbox 360: 88,698
Sony Playstation 3: 385,791
Nintendo Wii: 823,311
Aside from the fact that this means that Wii is merely 176,689 sales away from the magic million in a single territory, the most interesting point is the trend. Sales of the console are growing steadily despite the lack of stock availability which appears to be hamstringing both PS3 and Wii… everywhere. Two weekly periods show this in sharp relief.
The week of December 11th to 17th saw 108,237 Wiis sold compared to 70,942 PS3s. From the 18th to the 24th, 171,040 more Wiis were sold than the previous week (the week’s total being 279,277), while Sony apparently shifted 5,940 more (week total of 76,882).
We won’t mention Microsoft which is, frankly, not in the game in what looks like a heavily parochial Japanese market.
What these figures indicate is that the novelty factor of Wii is yet to turn sour and see it hidden under beds or simply trashed, as some have predicted.
But before this piece changes into a Wii-fanning frenzy, bear in mind that the price difference between software and hardware for the two console competitors in the land of the rising yen, means that Nintendo has got to be outselling its more technically advanced foe. And it’s got to be outselling it in big, big numbers. While both companies have invested large sums in hardware development and courting games makers, Sony’s price premium could pay off in the eyes of its shareholders. Nintendo must sell big, often and consistently into the depths of 2007.
When all is said and done, it will be about games, games and games. Right now, Sony’s got little to show but a great deal in the pipeline. Nintendo, on the other hand, has got to get some strong software into the market before the initial thrill of Wii Sports and the one-eyed worship of Zelda grows thin and pales into ‘nice novelty but now for some real action’.
Stateside Scalping
The USA is where the big battle should be heating up for Sony versus Microsoft. And Sony did its damndest to get numbers into the States at launch in order to start the fight. But news reaching SPOnG from across the pond is that the quick buckers who bought PS3s early to then flog them on Ebay are being sadly (or not so sadly) mistaken.
Our men in the U.S. told us today that PS3s are being returned in numbers by such failed scalpers. Now, this is of course a good thing for genuine gamers. On the other hand, it rather goes against the continued excuses from fanboy sites that there is no inventory left to sell in the States.
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Comments
Rob Dunlop 29 Dec 2006 21:00
1/3
Nintendo has got to be outselling its more technically advanced foe. And it’s got to be outselling it in big, big numbers. While both companies have invested large sums in hardware development and courting games makers, Sony’s price premium could pay off in the eyes of its shareholders. Nintendo must sell big, often and consistently into the depths of 2007.
Are you saying that Nintendo has to sell more systems than Sony, because the Wii is a lot cheaper? That's nonsense.
Nintendo makes money on every Wii sold. Sony loses around $250 on every PS3 sold. Sales without profit aren't that attractive to shareholders. Sony's costs will come down in time, but right now the more consoles they sell, the more money they lose. Of course, they make money on every game sold, but if they have to recoup $250 per system, the consumer has to buy like 15 games before Sony breaks even.
Rob
crs117 30 Dec 2006 00:00
2/3
I totally agree with what rob just posted.
In related news. i went to a TRU, a target, an EB games and a couple walmarts today each store had at least 1 ps3 one walmart had 5 or 6 ps3s for sale. Not a single store had a single wii or any controllers at all.
Nintendo is scoring big right now. I doubt that the craze will end anytime soon. As more folks get to see what the wii is all about from all the other folks that got them for christmas...they will be heading out to purchase their own. i took mine to a friends for the holiday and this mostly non-gaming family played the whole time i was there. Mom and Pops the two married daughters (who dont game) and their husbands. I didnt even play it while i was down there with them. Anyway because of my wii 3 other wiis will be sold now as soon as some stock is found.
In related news. i went to a TRU, a target, an EB games and a couple walmarts today each store had at least 1 ps3 one walmart had 5 or 6 ps3s for sale. Not a single store had a single wii or any controllers at all.
Nintendo is scoring big right now. I doubt that the craze will end anytime soon. As more folks get to see what the wii is all about from all the other folks that got them for christmas...they will be heading out to purchase their own. i took mine to a friends for the holiday and this mostly non-gaming family played the whole time i was there. Mom and Pops the two married daughters (who dont game) and their husbands. I didnt even play it while i was down there with them. Anyway because of my wii 3 other wiis will be sold now as soon as some stock is found.
Dreadknux 30 Dec 2006 11:04
3/3
Nintendo makes money on every Wii sold. Sony loses around $250 on every PS3 sold. Sales without profit aren't that attractive to shareholders. Sony's costs will come down in time, but right now the more consoles they sell, the more money they lose. Of course, they make money on every game sold, but if they have to recoup $250 per system, the consumer has to buy like 15 games before Sony breaks even.
You forget that Sony (and especially Microsoft) can afford to lose a buck on a console as long as it gets it off the shelf and into consumer's hands during the early launch period. I believe Nintendo has always made a profit on their consoles, while Sony for instance has been losing money on the PS1 and PS2 hardware more times than they actually gained money from it. But that simple fact didn't change Nintendo's position during the 32/64-bit era.
Yeah, Nintendo makes money from its hardware, but then again it always does. Sony loses money, but then again it always does. The difference is that other Sony arms can pump as much cash as they like to the SCEI directive (and as they have with PS3) and Nintendo simply doesn't have that luxury - they kinda need the profits (and if they have too much money, I've not seen them spend it overtly aside from the Wii marketing campaign in recent years).
The fact both consoles make/lose money is a moot point. The real deal is whether either consoles can sustain themselves in the long run - Nintendo still have a lot to prove with the Wii to keep those who invested in it. Personally, I believe the Wii can pull through and is doing amazingly well, but Nintendo need to bellow this message out otherwise we'll see people dropping a once-popular niche console like they did with the Gamecube.
Aside from that, I agree that Nintendo are doing a superb job so far with the Wii. I just hope, like SPOnG suggest, that Nintendo has a definitive plan to follow through on in 2007 that caters for the hardcore as well as casual.