Nintendo Forgets Apple as It Announces Competitor Hardware Sales
PS3 leading in Europe according to figures used at Nintendo shareholder meet
In its recent explanation to shareholders and analysts of losses incurred in 2011-2012 Nintendo has used Media Create figures to display what it sees are its major competitors. Sony wins Europe. Microsoft wins the USA. Nintendo wins Japan. Not far off what we were expecting. But where is Apple?
One of the reasons that Nintendo has declared its first annual loss in, well since it started making video game consoles, is its failure to move with the times. The Wii is old. The Wii U has not been exciting critics yet. And the remaining DS family has not attracted new users in the same way as Apple's devices.
This is made all the more apparent when, at its shareholder meeting, the company concentrated on the old enemies of Microsoft and Sony when talking about sales figures for hardware.
In terms of market breakdown, let's go with Nintendo's comments:
Europe
"Sony’s PlayStation 3 has taken the lead in the video game market in Europe since the beginning of this year. It means that each of Japan, the U.S. and Europe has different hardware with the largest share this year. Although the Nintendo 3DS has recently increased its weekly sales, it is far from a satisfactory level."
USA
"In contrast to Japan, the United States has a home console market that has traditionally been strong. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 has been keeping the momentum it created at the end of last year. At some retailers the Wii did better than it did last year, but we have not managed to maintain enough momentum for the Wii since the beginning of this year.
"The Nintendo 3DS, which now has an overwhelming presence in Japan, also has the largest share in the U.S. handheld game market. However, considering that the U.S. market is two or three times the size of its Japanese equivalent, I believe that the sales of the Nintendo 3DS in the U.S. are far below the level that it could potentially reach. Also, unlike Japan, the United States still has a relatively large market for the Nintendo DS."
Japan
"In the previous year-end sales season, the Japanese game market witnessed explosive sales of the Nintendo 3DS, and this momentum has been maintained. Sales are traditionally low around this time of year, and it is not immediately after the launch of a new system either, so we believe this is a sign that the Nintendo 3DS has a strong presence in the market. On the other hand, since this year started, we have seen the Wii sales quickly losing momentum.
"In the home console market this year, Sony’s PlayStation 3 remains in good shape."
No mention of competition in the handheld space from Apple in any market? Time for some new thinking? Tell us what you think in the Forum.
Source: Nintendo
One of the reasons that Nintendo has declared its first annual loss in, well since it started making video game consoles, is its failure to move with the times. The Wii is old. The Wii U has not been exciting critics yet. And the remaining DS family has not attracted new users in the same way as Apple's devices.
This is made all the more apparent when, at its shareholder meeting, the company concentrated on the old enemies of Microsoft and Sony when talking about sales figures for hardware.
In terms of market breakdown, let's go with Nintendo's comments:
Europe
"Sony’s PlayStation 3 has taken the lead in the video game market in Europe since the beginning of this year. It means that each of Japan, the U.S. and Europe has different hardware with the largest share this year. Although the Nintendo 3DS has recently increased its weekly sales, it is far from a satisfactory level."
USA
"In contrast to Japan, the United States has a home console market that has traditionally been strong. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 has been keeping the momentum it created at the end of last year. At some retailers the Wii did better than it did last year, but we have not managed to maintain enough momentum for the Wii since the beginning of this year.
"The Nintendo 3DS, which now has an overwhelming presence in Japan, also has the largest share in the U.S. handheld game market. However, considering that the U.S. market is two or three times the size of its Japanese equivalent, I believe that the sales of the Nintendo 3DS in the U.S. are far below the level that it could potentially reach. Also, unlike Japan, the United States still has a relatively large market for the Nintendo DS."
Japan
"In the previous year-end sales season, the Japanese game market witnessed explosive sales of the Nintendo 3DS, and this momentum has been maintained. Sales are traditionally low around this time of year, and it is not immediately after the launch of a new system either, so we believe this is a sign that the Nintendo 3DS has a strong presence in the market. On the other hand, since this year started, we have seen the Wii sales quickly losing momentum.
"In the home console market this year, Sony’s PlayStation 3 remains in good shape."
No mention of competition in the handheld space from Apple in any market? Time for some new thinking? Tell us what you think in the Forum.
Source: Nintendo
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Comments
Facelord 13 May 2012 06:31
1/2
They didn't forget Apple. Apple is not a competitor. They make games for a completely different market. Any person who would purchase an overpriced Apple product in place of a far superior(and cheaper) dedicated handheld with physical buttons is clearly not in the market for a game system. People who say otherwise are idiots, complete idiots who know nothing about the market and don't deserve their jobs as writers.
>:|
>:|
Dave 10 Jun 2012 02:06
2/2
From a consumer perspective, iPhone/iPad gaming is nowhere near the same thing. In fact, it can hardly be considered "gaming". The App Store's content is pretty much glorified solitaire/minesweeper - sure, everybody plays it, but most who do are only casual players there to pass a few minutes between bus stops. Some may be fooled by the fact that well-known gaming companies such as Capcom and Square Enix develop for those platforms, but the user base is entirely different. My little sister plays games on her iPhone, once a week for 5 minutes. Mario Kart 7 drains hours upon hours of my time every other day. Does Nintendo comment on the PC gaming market, just because there exists PC games?