ConsoleWar
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Stateside PS3 sales up 300% following Slim introduction
Boy, it sure likes Sony did something right slimmin' down (and slightly cripplin') that new PS3 of theirs. And sure, considering that the British picked up PlayStation 3 purchases a whopping 999%, maybe a Stateside retail bump of a "mere" 300% (for the first week after the price cut) is small potatoes. Or maybe we're just growing jaded. If this isn't great, good news enough for Sony, check it: as of August, according to a survey by GamePlan Insights, five of consumers' top 10 most-wanted games are on PS3 (including Gran Turismo 5, Final Fantasy XIII, God of War III, Assassin's Creed 2, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2). For more exciting facts, figures, and details, check out the PR after the break. [Via Joystiq]
PS3 Slim sales up nearly 1000% in the UK, Noel quits Oasis (again)
It looks like Engadget editors aren't the only folk who prefer technology that's slimmer, cheaper, and better. According to an article at GamesIndustry.biz, a group that charts retail sales in the UK is saying that sales of the PS3 increased over 999 percent in the week since its British debut of the newer, slimmer form factor. And if that wasn't good news enough for Sony, the console has also outsold the DS, Wii and Xbox 360 by approximately 3:1. Although the last time it was the lead hardware format in the UK was the first week of 2008, the PS3 has never lagged as far behind the others as it has Stateside. But still -- a near 1000 percent increase? If true, that makes the States' 104 percent increase seem lackluster in comparison. Then again, maybe the Brits never realized that Disney Sing It! High School Musical 3 is available on platforms other than the PlayStation. That could explain a lot of things, actually...
PS3 and Xbox 360 hardware sales jump last week amid price cuts, both beat Wii for once
If you're sick of hearing your grandmother brag about how popular her chosen console is while she rocks your world in Wii Sports Bowling yet again, maybe this news will finally shut her up. Last week, thanks to a flurry of price cuts and slimming waistlines, the other two players in the console war saw significant sales boosts. Xbox 360 numbers jumped 32 percent over the week before and the PS3 was up an impressive 104 percent. That puts all three consoles neck-and-neck for the American weekly sales lead, each one close enough to 75,000 units that the margin of error more than covers the lot. But, since both price cuts officially went into effect part-way through that week, we're expecting even bigger surges ahead -- and even bigger drops from the Nintendo's offering as we get further and further away from the release of Wii Sports Resort, seemingly the last game worth playing on the thing.
The console war summed up in imperfect analogies
Analogies help us make sense of life. They can take a complex, confusing set of variables and couch them in familiar terms. So for instance, when a major publisher compares the Wii to "two Gamecubes duct taped together," the listener gets a clear picture of the unfamiliar system vis a vis the familiar purple box. Complexity simplified!Nintendo's George Harrison has a different analogy in mind to describe his system, though. In an interview with eclectic financial site The Motley Fool, Harrison compared the Wii to a hybrid competing against two SUVs with "big new chrome rims." While all three are technically cars, Harrison argues, the markets for each aren't likely to overlap much. "Two companies are going in one direction, and we're headed in another," Harrison summed up.While he's definitely right on that last point, we're not sure the hybrid/SUV comparison is the most apt analogy to describe the current console wars. Here's a few other contenders we've managed to come up with: A nutritious Apple (the Wii) vs. two heart-clogging double bacon cheeseburgers. A pea-shooter vs. two rocket-propelled grenade launchers. A $99 suit vs. two custom-tailored Giorgio Armanis A Casio digital watch vs. two diamond-encrusted Rolexes. These are just off the top of our heads. We're sure you can do better. Leave us your favorite Wii vs. the world analogies in the comments.[Via Aussie-Nintendo]
MS, Nintendo, Sony all agree: July sales numbers were great!
We're always amazed by the endless optimism of public relations departments. No matter what kind of story the sales numbers tell, they can always spin it around into a much sunnier story.Nintendo was first in console sales last month and first out of the gate with their spin. In a press release they trumpeted the Wii's ability to stay on top despite "industry pricing shifts" (or, more accurately, shift -- the effect of Microsoft's price drop won't show up until the August numbers). July gave the Wii its highest weekly sales rate since December and its sixth consecutive month of topping the hardware sales charts, Nintendo was quick to point out. Nintendo also trumpeted its library of an estimated 800 Wii and DS games by the end of the year. Of course, that will include about 150 Virtual Console rehashes, but hey, who's counting? Besides Nintendo. And us.Microsoft was next, playing up the fact that the Xbox 360 has now outsold the PS3 for nine straight months despite analyst predictions to the contrary (Wii? Wii who?). Despite being second in home console sales for a while now, Microsoft stressed that the Xbox 360 still leads by a good margin in lifetime consumer spending on software, hardware and accessories. Speaking of software sales, Microsoft is mighty proud of their software attach rate of 6.2 and their habit of placing plenty of third party games in the top ten for monthly sales (20 titles so far this year, compared to one each for the Wii and PS3).Sony's reaction was posted directly to the company's official blog and talked primarily about the overall sales growth in the industry. When it comes to Sony systems, Analyst Relations Manager Mariam Sughayer says she's happy to see a 61 percent increase in PS3 sales over June, even if that still places the system in third place. It's not just the price drop, either ... Sughayer thinks consumers are buying hardware in anticipation of upcoming software like Warhawk, Heavenly Sword and Lair. Hopefully those buyers won't be put off by some of the middling early reviews for those games.
Today's montageist video: Wii60 BFF
Sure, we've covered the Wii60 meme before, but this is too good to pass up; our video pick shows a quirky Wii60 commercial where the consoles -- and their games -- are acted out in a musical montage. Anthony Barrera, Brian Camacho, and Rudolph Rosado, we salute your YouTube prowess.See the video after the break.[Thanks, Ant]
Pachter: PlayStation 3 will win next-gen war because of Blu-Ray
The most recent Wedbush Morgan report has been released and in it, Michael Pachter states that he believes that Blu-Ray may actually be the deciding factor in the console wars. At the end of the PS3/Wii/360 generation, he expects Sony to 'win' with a 36% market share, largely due to the strong movie industry support of Blu-Ray.Interestingly though, he also states that this console cycle will essentially be "a dead heat, and each manufacturer will have sufficient market share to generate significant profits." This is great news for videogame fans everywhere, since an evenly divided market will mean that each of the consoles will have a chance to grow and mature as they age. This may be PS3 Fanboy, but I really don't want any of the current consoles to pull a Dreamcast.
Analysis determines publisher strengths in console war
While analyst predictions for the current round of the system wars vary greatly, most analysts agree that Sony will no longer enjoy the same level of market dominance it had in previous generations. If you'll grant that premise, what third party developers are in the best position to benefit from this shift in console fortunes?A pair of analysts at 2K Advisors (no relation to the developer) decided to try and figure out the answer to that question with a new metric called the Revenue Attach Rate (RAR). Basically, the RAR measures how much money a publisher makes on system software for each unit of that system currently in the marketplace. All other things being equal, publishers benefit most when systems that give them a high RAR do well, because those system sales translate to more revenue than other system sales.Based on previous generation RARs for the major publishers, the 2K analysts determined that EA and Take Two have the most to lose from increased market share for Nintendo in this generation. Both companies showed relatively weak RARs for the GameCube, which might explain why they have each been falling all over themselves to play nice with the big N in light of strong Wii sales. Activision would benefit most from a strong Microsoft performance, given their high Xbox RAR, while THQ's relatively balanced console portfolio makes them well suited to succeed no matter who wins the battle.The full report is a little technical, but it's full of lots of good data and analysis for anyone following the business side of the game industry.[Source: 2K Advisors]
Today's best-looking mech video: Armored Core comparison
It's an old-fashioned PS3 versus 360 graphics showdown in today's video pick, with GameTrailers running a side-by-side comparison of Armored Core 4. Which version of this mech title looks best? Judge for yourself after the break, or visit the HD version -- it doesn't embed like the SD file -- on the GameTrailers site. Let the scrutiny begin!Image from CSG_Starfury's account of life-sized BattleMech project.
Wii Warm Up: Wii vs. PS3
We talked about this a little recently, since it's hard to discuss the Wii60 phenomenon without invoking the PS3, but we wanted to spend some time directly addressing the "fight" between the Wii and Sony's PS3. It's something that has often been invoked by both industry sources and the mainstream media. Journalists of all stripes have been consistently pitting the two systems against one another since long before they were actually released, while the Xbox 360 -- though a next gen console -- is often left out in the cold due to its head start. An article in yesterday's New York Times put the spotlight on the head-to-head "console war" and we thought it was time to ask you guys what you thought. Is it accurate to pit the Wii and the PS3 against one another? Is this generation a typical console war in any sense? Are you sick of hearing about the forgotten piles of PS3s filling stores, while the Wii shelves lie empty and dormant? And is it even accurate to ask, as the Times did, which one readers prefer?[Thanks to Max for tipping us on the NYT article!]
DS Daily: How much do graphics matter?
Handhelds have come a long way over the years, and even the GBA can churn out some impressive looking games, to say nothing of our beloved DS and a certain other handheld. Even so, graphics on handheld games don't really rival those in other consoles, for obvious reasons. For the past year, graphics have been one of the biggest topics in the gaming industry, and it's at the heart of some of the discussions concerning the next-gen console war. Despite all the attention given to graphics, the DS -- pretty, but no graphical powerhouse -- continues to outsell everything, everywhere. So we come to you, dedicated DS gamers after our own hearts, to ask ... how much do graphics really matter?
Gates now sees Nintendo as primary competition
The Nintendo Wii's tremendous commercial success all around the world is having an impact on competing manufacturers who previously viewed the system as an outlying oddity aimed at a seperate market. In the past, both Sony and Microsoft have dismissed head-to-head competition with Nintendo, even going so far as to endorse the Wii as an incidental ally in their graphically superior grudge match.In a brief clip on a Japanese news station (embedded after the break), Bill Gates notes surprise at the Wii's success and labels Nintendo as Microsoft's "toughest competition" in the gaming arena. Of course, the statement doubles as a jab at Sony, now relegated to third place on the the Xbox 360 threat scale.According to Japanese sales charts, the coveted second place is still securely held by a largely shrugging Japanese populace.[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
Analyst: PS3 will win with 75 million units by 2010
Another day, another analyst throwing out their predictions for the console wars. This time it's a Datamonitor report predicting Sony will "win the console war in the long term with an install base of around 75 million globally by 2010." That may sound impressive, but considering the PS2 has already sold in excess of 111 million systems worldwide, this would still represent a sizable hit for Sony. Indeed, Datamonitor predicts that the PS3 won't "dominate as much as its predecessor" because of delays in Europe and early inroads by the Xbox 360. Oh analysts, can't you make up your mind? Is Sony going to win big in the long run or fall into last place? Are they going to lead the market or is the system dragging the whole company down? We know you're basically just taking shots in the dark but, well, we were just hoping for some more consistent grouping, is all. [Via Pro-G]
Are we winning the war?
These days, it seems like the answer is a resounding yes, we are winning thus far in the console war. According to the Toronto Star, analysts are certain of it, and we know how reliable those analysts are! It's still news whenever any retailer gets a shipment, and people are still plotting, shifty-eyed, their shopping strategies. And it's not just because of a low number of consoles in circulation; we haven't seen a deluge of fresh PS3s roll off the factory belts, and yet they sometimes languish in stores for a day or two before someone takes them home. To make matters worse, we've all heard about the PS3s that get returned because the buyer only wanted to resell it, but couldn't. But let's not count our chickens just yet. We're still in launch times, and it's a bit early to be calling the race. But expect to see a lot of articles like the one in the Toronto Star, articles filled with heart-warming Wii stories and sad Sony fans trying to rally their cause. It's okay to feel a momentary glimmer of pride -- that's our baby, out there in the trenches! -- but let's see how things shape up over the next six months.[Image via Aeropause]
Designer: Xbox 360 may take third-place
In his Designer's Notebook column, Ernest Adams compares the ways developers approach game design between the Wii and PS3. While well-argued, his analysis breaks down to input innovation (read: Wii) versus output innovation (read: PS3) that many writers have already considered. But in addition to that background, Adams tackles the question about how many -- and which -- consoles can succeed simultaneously. His tentative prediction: Wii and PS3 over the Xbox 360.Adams thinks that the videogame market can support two consoles fighting for first place in addition to a distant third-place console. Nintendo has filled the third-place role since the N64, but because of the buzz and potential of the Nintendo's latest, Adams thinks that the Wii and the PS3 will lead the market. Why the snub for the Xbox 360? Its early launch may have hurt it more than anything, as techies will see the PS3 as the latest hardware, and casual gamers will like the variety and price-point of the Wii.What about the games? The Microsoft lead has given its developers more time to take advantage of its hardware; the upcoming crop of Xbox 360 titles includes several standouts. Is that development time an important piece in selling hardware?
eBay hypes up game system auctions
Visitors to the eBay home page today were greeted with a bevy of quick links to auctions for next generation video game systems. EBay's list of the ten most popular items lists the Sony Playstation 3 at No. 1 with nearly 15,000 active auctions and the Xbox 360 at No. 5 with 1250 auctions. The PS3 also tops eBay's list of Top Tech Toys and ranks No. 2 on the gifts for kids list. The Wii doesn't make any of the lists, but is featured as eBay's promotional "it of the day," a position that had featured the PS3 as recently as last week.Interestingly, Atari systems rank No. 2 on the classic eBay list, proving that not everyone needs the latest and greatest this holiday season.
High attach rate equals bad news for 360?
The 360's high attach rate has been a big boasting point for Microsoft for some time now. After all, it's only natural to claim success when everyone who buys your console also buys an average of 5 games. It all sounds rosy, but according to the Susquehanna Financial Group, the 360's high attach rate may be indicative of its ultimate failure. "How the hell does that make sense?" you ask, and with good reason. The Susquehanna Financial Group believes that the high attach rate could indicate that the 360 attracts more "hardcore" gamers and fewer "casual" gamers. Again, this sounds like a good thing, because hardcore gamers buy more games. However, if the 360 isn't attracting casual gamers (who far outnumber hardcore gamers), then its overall installed base will never grow. From a publisher's perspective, it's always better to have more potential customers. As the analysts at SIG put it, "a console with an attach rate of 8 and an installed base of 50 million is superior to a console with an attach rate of 12 with an installed base of 20 [million]." In other words, attach rates are less meaningful if the installed base isn't large enough to back it up.Still, it may be a little early to declare that the 360 is the next Dreamcast, a failed machine with a dedicated following. The 360 is still young, and many people have been waiting for the Wii and PS3 to arrive before they made their decision. If anything, the new console war is only just beginning.[Via Joystiq]
Layered disc to stop next-gen format war?
Console makers and movie studios both have a lot riding on the success of the competing DVD formats, but a new patent recently filed by Warner Bros. engineers may help calm the battle. The patent details the creation of a disc that holds HD-DVD, Blu-ray and standard DVD data on the same disc by using three different layers of information. The discs would cost more to produce, but the cost might be worth it if movie consumers could be sure that the disc will work on whatever HD player they may end up with.Could the technology lead to layered game discs that work in all three next-gen systems? Unlikely, since getting all the various publishers and console makers to agree on packaging and technical details would likely be impossible. Also, The Wii and Xbox 360 versions of a game would have to share room on the standard DVD layer, which might be a tight squeeze for some larger games. Still, it's nice to dream...
PS3 cut in half, delay in Europe: Our take
Covering PS3 news is anathema to some of our readers, but we must comment on Sony's surprise announcements today. In case you haven't heard, Sony set us up the bomb today that they will ship a worldwide total of 500,000 PS3s at launch, and only in the US and Japan at that. Given these numbers, Sony also readjusted their end of the year sales estimate to 2 million units (down from 4 million). Even more perplexing, Japan will only see 100,000 of the first shipment. Even more perplexing than that, Europe will see a grand total of zero (zed) PS3 units at launch. Which of course means that the PS3 won't actually be launching at all in Europe, at least, not this year. Our sad crumpet munching friends will have to wait until March of 2007 to snag a PS3. At least you have Dead Rising now. What, if anything, does this mean for the 360? Read on for our take.
Publisher predicts Wii to double GC sales
Japanese publishing company Enterbrain has tossed their hat into the analyst ring with a new set of longterm predictions on the outcome of the console war in Japan. President Hirokazu Hamamura predicts that the Wii will sell for about 20,000 yen and $170 in the U.S., and that over the next five years, the Wii will move 10 million units in Japan. This far outstrips the 4 million GameCubes the article lists as having sold in Japan so far. Hamamura also puts the PS3 at similar numbers, predicting a draw between Sony and Nintendo in systems sold over the next five years. The Xbox 360, they said, doesn't really have a chance for success in Japan. Ouch. These predictions are far different from those made for the U.S., which reflects the vast difference in market -- at least so far as Japanese underdog Microsoft is concerned.
