Analyst: Some Retailers Could De-List Xbox 360

Rumours fly as Xbox 360 apparently does not in some regions.

Posted by Staff
Analyst: Some Retailers Could De-List Xbox 360
Speaking at the recent Nordic Game Conference 2008, respected games analyst Nick Parker has dropped a rumour bomb regarding the Xbox 360's lifespan in Europe.

Parker is quoted as telling the conference in Malmo that "The trouble with Xbox 360 is it hasn't managed to shake off this urban, irreverent adult male feel; so it hasn't gained traction in the more casual gaming markets of mainland Europe such as France, Spain and Italy, where it's stalled."

He is then quoted as stating:

"And there are already rumours of Xbox 360 being delisted from certain retailers."


That sounds quite a huge claim to us, so we called Nick today and spoke to him in his role as MD of Parker Consulting. He explained the full context of the quote.

"There were rumours a couple of months ago from people who know that region - Spain and Portugal - that some retailers were looking at de-listing.

"If you had to create space for those things that were going to make profit, Xbox 360 could be a candidate. It's what you'd expect in any markets where products are slow moving.

"Independent sales data is indicating that sales in certain regions are proving to be a challenge."

It was not just Parker who sounded a note of caution though. The Xbox 360 took quite a hammering in terms of its European profile at the panel. David Cole an analyst from DFC Intelligence also weighed in with "If you're doing a first-person shooter title, you're clearly going to want to be on Xbox 360, and that's for years to come," he offered. "[But] their efforts at marketing outside of the first-person shooter crowd have been disastrous."

For now, we think we'll let sales figures do the talking... as soon as any of the platform holders get around to releasing the most up-to-date and audited ones that is.

Source: Gamesindustry.biz


Comments

tgrass21 6 Jun 2008 15:03
1/4
Sooooo.....Lost Odessy, Fable 2, Infinate Undiscovery, Viva Pinata, Forza 2, Too Human, Alan Wake, Ninja Gaiden 2, Halo Wars, Lost Planet, Banjo Kazui, Gears of War, Dead Rising and Kameo are 1st person shooters how ?

My friends in the UK on Xbox Live seem to love the 360 for more then FPS games.
Andrew 6 Jun 2008 15:20
2/4
Sounds like a deliberate attempt to pull the rug from under XBOX360, which is doing very well in most markets. I wonder who handed him the big cheque?
more comments below our sponsor's message
Scy 6 Jun 2008 16:25
3/4
Andrew wrote:
Sounds like a deliberate attempt to pull the rug from under XBOX360, which is doing very well in most markets. I wonder who handed him the big cheque?

Could also be a counter to the news that Sony have canned Getaway for PS3 and that Red Alert has also been dropped from the PS3 roster.
Kyle 7 Jun 2008 01:01
4/4
I doubt it's becuase of any Sony insecurities.

The Xbox 360 just isn't doing anywhere near as well in Europe as a whole. It's only Britain and.

It's the leader in America, indeed though. But I also agree to an extent that Microsoft have had a distatrous time appealing to mass market. Sony and their PS3 have done no better, but they have heritage for mass market with the PS2.
Posting of new comments is now locked for this page.