The figures for US games hardware and software sales for January are in from market research firm NPD, showing a 6% drop-off compared to January last year. Total sales by value for the month were $1.18 billion (£601.6 million).
What should be borne in mind when considering the figures, however, is that a "month" is a slippery beggar in market research; January 2008 comprised four weeks, versus the five week January of last year.
In spite of that, software sales were up 11% to $610.6 million (£311.3 million). NPD's Anita Frazer attributes this to higher prices, however, saying, "Pricing again plays into the great performance of software. The average retail price of games is up 19% from last January and much of that can be attributed to Rock Band and Guitar Hero. In fact, 360 Rock Band was the top-selling game in dollar terms, bringing in $30 million in sales for the month."
Overall, hardware sales were down 25% to $377.8 million (£192.6 million), while accessory sales also dropped - by 4% - to $191 million (£97.4 million).
Unsurprisingly, the Wii led the way in console unit sales, chalking up 274,000 sales. The PS3 was next up, with 269,000 sales, getting the edge on the PS2, which sold 264,000 units. The DS only managed to get to Number 4 in the list, with 251,000 sales. It was followed by the PSP and Xbox 360, which tied at 230,000 sales. Microsoft has already offered up an explanation for this, however, having stated that it suffered from hardware shortages in January.
In terms of software, Activision's Call of Duty 4 on the 360 led the way. CoD 4 also marked the PS3's only entry in the Top 10, placing at Number 8.
You can see the lists for hardware and software in full below.
Hardware (units)
Nintendo Wii - 274,000
PlayStation 3 - 269,000
PlayStation 2 - 264,000
Nintendo DS - 251,000
Sony PSP - 230,000
Xbox 360 - 230,000
What should be borne in mind when considering the figures, however, is that a "month" is a slippery beggar in market research; January 2008 comprised four weeks, versus the five week January of last year.
In spite of that, software sales were up 11% to $610.6 million (£311.3 million). NPD's Anita Frazer attributes this to higher prices, however, saying, "Pricing again plays into the great performance of software. The average retail price of games is up 19% from last January and much of that can be attributed to Rock Band and Guitar Hero. In fact, 360 Rock Band was the top-selling game in dollar terms, bringing in $30 million in sales for the month."
Overall, hardware sales were down 25% to $377.8 million (£192.6 million), while accessory sales also dropped - by 4% - to $191 million (£97.4 million).
Unsurprisingly, the Wii led the way in console unit sales, chalking up 274,000 sales. The PS3 was next up, with 269,000 sales, getting the edge on the PS2, which sold 264,000 units. The DS only managed to get to Number 4 in the list, with 251,000 sales. It was followed by the PSP and Xbox 360, which tied at 230,000 sales. Microsoft has already offered up an explanation for this, however, having stated that it suffered from hardware shortages in January.
In terms of software, Activision's Call of Duty 4 on the 360 led the way. CoD 4 also marked the PS3's only entry in the Top 10, placing at Number 8.
You can see the lists for hardware and software in full below.
Hardware (units)
Nintendo Wii - 274,000
PlayStation 3 - 269,000
PlayStation 2 - 264,000
Nintendo DS - 251,000
Sony PSP - 230,000
Xbox 360 - 230,000
Software (units)
1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Xbox 360) - 330,900
2. Wii Play with remote (Wii) - 298,100
3. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock with guitar (Wii) - 239,600
4. Rock Band bundle (Xbox 360) - 183,800
5. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock with guitar (Xbox 360) - 182,700
6. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii) - 172,000
7. Burnout Paradise (Xbox 360) - 144,100
8. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PS3) - 140,000
9. Mario Party (DS) - 138,500
10. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (DS) - 133,000
1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Xbox 360) - 330,900
2. Wii Play with remote (Wii) - 298,100
3. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock with guitar (Wii) - 239,600
4. Rock Band bundle (Xbox 360) - 183,800
5. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock with guitar (Xbox 360) - 182,700
6. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii) - 172,000
7. Burnout Paradise (Xbox 360) - 144,100
8. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PS3) - 140,000
9. Mario Party (DS) - 138,500
10. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (DS) - 133,000
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Comments
Daz 15 Feb 2008 14:43
1/14
doesn't surprise me, I mean the more people who own a console the less people there are left to buy it, it's pure logic, then there's the people who don't care about consoles or gaming in general
deleted 15 Feb 2008 17:24
2/14
Daz wrote:
doesn't surprise me, I mean the more people who own a console the less people there are left to buy it, it's pure logic, then there's the people who don't care about consoles or gaming in general
I would agree if we were talking about the PS2 and the 200,000,000+ people who own one, but there until the 360/Wii/PS3 reaches 100,000,000 units sold, then there are far more poeple who want one than have one. but also by your logic as soon as the first console is sold then there are less people to buy it, remember there are 6+ billion people in this world and its highly liekly the reduced sales were down to the fact that less people want one.
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Daz 15 Feb 2008 18:56
3/14
but also by your logic as soon as the first console is sold then there are less people to buy it
it's true tho, say 10 people want to buy an item as soon as the first person buy's one there are less who want's to buy one because there are only 9 people who want it now. it doen't matter how big the numbers are it basic maths at the end of the day.
Bentley 15 Feb 2008 19:06
4/14
Well, if your maths is as bad as your English, I wouldn't trust your calculations anyway.
It may surprise you to find out that not everybody that wants "product X" buys it immediately. I know plenty of people who have wanted a PS3 since way before launch and are only just getting around to it. They've been waiting for the right moment. And then there are the people who will see someone else with a PS3 and think "actually, I want one now, that's cool". Your equations are massively flawed, and rather than being "pure logic" are actually illogical, in that only one factor is included and thousands of others are conveniently ignored.
It may surprise you to find out that not everybody that wants "product X" buys it immediately. I know plenty of people who have wanted a PS3 since way before launch and are only just getting around to it. They've been waiting for the right moment. And then there are the people who will see someone else with a PS3 and think "actually, I want one now, that's cool". Your equations are massively flawed, and rather than being "pure logic" are actually illogical, in that only one factor is included and thousands of others are conveniently ignored.
HyperTails 15 Feb 2008 19:48
5/14
The PS3 did well to get so close to the Wii. It'll be interesting to see two things next January:
1) What the PS3 sales figures are.
2) Whether or not the Wii hype burnt out or whether it carred on.
1) What the PS3 sales figures are.
2) Whether or not the Wii hype burnt out or whether it carred on.
Daz 15 Feb 2008 20:28
6/14
Bentley wrote:
Well, if your maths is as bad as your English, I wouldn't trust your calculations anyway.
It may surprise you to find out that not everybody that wants "product X" buys it immediately. I know plenty of people who have wanted a PS3 since way before launch and are only just getting around to it. They've been waiting for the right moment. And then there are the people who will see someone else with a PS3 and think "actually, I want one now, that's cool". Your equations are massively flawed, and rather than being "pure logic" are actually illogical, in that only one factor is included and thousands of others are conveniently ignored.
It may surprise you to find out that not everybody that wants "product X" buys it immediately. I know plenty of people who have wanted a PS3 since way before launch and are only just getting around to it. They've been waiting for the right moment. And then there are the people who will see someone else with a PS3 and think "actually, I want one now, that's cool". Your equations are massively flawed, and rather than being "pure logic" are actually illogical, in that only one factor is included and thousands of others are conveniently ignored.
ain't nowt wrong with my English, leave that out of it, have a go at my maths by all means I'll even agree with you, hell I probably ask "what was your first clue sherlock?", however your wrong about one thing, I didn't intentionaly ignore them.
alexh2o 16 Feb 2008 10:32
7/14
Daz wrote:
doesn't surprise me, I mean the more people who own a console the less people there are left to buy it, it's pure logic, then there's the people who don't care about consoles or gaming in general
that makes perfect sense to me also: 350million people in America... only 1 in 10 would considering buying or owning a console, so 35million customers... 1 in 3 customers choose 'your console', so a potential market for 12 million consoles. obviously factor in multiple purchases and owning all types, plus a few replacement figures, and your potential sales in the US hit a ceiling around 25million across the entire consoles life. now the 360 is nearing half that and isnt close to its half life so i would expect to see sales reduce some what. the PS3 still has massive growth potential. finally the Wii is a bit odd because its target audience is probably more like 1 in 5 American, so itll probably just keep on selling!
deleted 16 Feb 2008 12:35
8/14
alexhooren wrote:
Daz wrote:
doesn't surprise me, I mean the more people who own a console the less people there are left to buy it, it's pure logic, then there's the people who don't care about consoles or gaming in general
that makes perfect sense to me also: 350million people in America... only 1 in 10 would considering buying or owning a console, so 35million customers... 1 in 3 customers choose 'your console', so a potential market for 12 million consoles. obviously factor in multiple purchases and owning all types, plus a few replacement figures, and your potential sales in the US hit a ceiling around 25million across the entire consoles life. now the 360 is nearing half that and isnt close to its half life so i would expect to see sales reduce some what. the PS3 still has massive growth potential. finally the Wii is a bit odd because its target audience is probably more like 1 in 5 American, so itll probably just keep on selling!
Pulling figures from your arse doesnt make it make sense!
alexh2o 16 Feb 2008 13:01
9/14
haritori wrote:
Pulling figures from your arse doesnt make it make sense!
Whats the point in being rude? You dont see me commenting on the fact you blindly pull a load of figures out of your arse, say the PS2 selling 200million when in fact yourll find its about 120million, and claiming the sales wont reduce until about 100million when thats just plain ridiculous considering great machines like the N64 sold about 30million total!
Sorry but what do you think forecast/predicting is if its not based on your assumptions and guesses?
deleted 16 Feb 2008 13:47
10/14
alexhooren wrote:
haritori wrote:
Pulling figures from your arse doesn’t make it make sense!
What’s the point in being rude? You don’t see me commenting on the fact you blindly pull a load of figures out of your arse, say the PS2 selling 200million when in fact you’ll find it’s about 120million, and claiming the sales won’t reduce until about 100million when that’s just plain ridiculous considering great machines like the N64 sold about 30million total!
Sorry but what do you think forecast/predicting is if its not based on your assumptions and guesses?
Yes plain ridiculous like the first comment and yours,
Both of those comments are saying that reduced sales of consoles is down to the availability of customers and that they have been reduced to the point where there are less people to buy/want one than who have one!, this is balls, and so is your 5 in 1 crap 3 in 1 crap that you just made up, unless you can show me figures for these statistics, fact is 17-18 million 360 sold, Snap for Wii, and Catching up PS3 by no means have we hit any barrier for people wanting a console and definitely will we never hit a barrier for more people owning a console over people wanting one.
I pointed out the PS2 as currently it has the total console sales ever award in its bag and guess what it’s still selling, so it just shows the first comment was based on nothingness just like your 3 in 1 comment,
I wasn’t being rude I was just replying on a level you may understand better, and if you cant take critism in a forum well get out of the preverbial kitchen.
Now if you both think that 360/Wii or PS3 sales will cap off at 30-40 million, my estimate is that by 2012 360 will have sold 50-60 million, Wii will have Sold 50-60 million and the PS3 will have Sold over 100 Million. but whats different this time is people actually want a Nintendo console (unlike Cube), Xbox is to market early and made its self known (unlike XBOX1) and the PS3 Has got better competition this time, and the end of this gen of wars i suspect we will see the 200,000,000 mark being crossed but only accumalative by all Sony, MS and Ninty in a 40%, 30%, 30% respective of market share.
alexh2o 16 Feb 2008 14:15
11/14
haritori wrote:
I'm a t**t!
Enough said.
headcasephil 16 Feb 2008 22:16
12/14
Daz wrote:
but also by your logic as soon as the first console is sold then there are less people to buy it
it's true tho, say 10 people want to buy an item as soon as the first person buy's one there are less who want's to buy one because there are only 9 people who want it now. it doen't matter how big the numbers are it basic maths at the end of the day.
deleted 16 Feb 2008 23:11
13/14
alexhooren wrote:
haritori wrote:
I'm a t**t!
Enough said.
Ah, touché although missing a certian elegance, it fits the bill, perhaps the preverbal kitchen isnt too hot after all, although i doubt very much you will make head chef. but i still insist that your comment was pulled from your arse.
Daz 17 Feb 2008 16:44
14/14
phil cort wrote:
Daz wrote:
but also by your logic as soon as the first console is sold then there are less people to buy it
it's true tho, say 10 people want to buy an item as soon as the first person buy's one there are less who want's to buy one because there are only 9 people who want it now. it doen't matter how big the numbers are it basic maths at the end of the day.
hmm, good point.