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Nintendo Releases Q1 Sales Results

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Its strange. When the DS came out it was nearly a flop, the PSP spanked it when it came out. Then good SW actually made it to the DS and the PSP, other than homebrew stuff, just lacks really good games IMO. My PSP is collecting dust and I use my DS nearly every day.
 
Speaking of DS, in the financials it showed that DS sales were dropping in Japan. I'm guessing it is because pretty much everyone there has a DS. So, that means a new DS, right? I thought maybe next year. But, according to Pachter a new DS will come out this year.

Following Nintendo's financial results yesterday which revealed that sales of the DS are in decline in Japan, analyst Michael Pachter has said that he believes Nintendo has a new handheld ready for launch before the end of the year.

DS sales in the US and Europe remain strong, and the Wedbush Morgan exec expects the majority of Nintendo's DS shipment for this fiscal year to arrive in these territories to meet ongoing demand.

"It is likely that DS demand will continue to decline in Japan, and we think that Nintendo has a new handheld device ready for launch in that territory before the end of the calendar year," said Pachter.

"We think that the lion's share of the expected 28 million DS hardware units shipped during the fiscal year will land in the US and Europe, and we expect to see strong software sales in those territories," he added.

Profit for Nintendo rose 34 per cent in the first fiscal quarter of the year to JPY 107.2 billion, with sales topping JPY 423.3 billion.
Click to expand...
 
I see some people here refuse to believe simple market economics. I don't deny the Wii has sold very well, but the rate at which it is selling, isn't exactly unheard of. Nintendo, especially by now, should easily be able to manufacture enough Wiis to have a lot still standing on shelves a few days after a shipment.
But when the supply is artificially choked, and it appears to be impossible to find one, the demand then skyrockets because everyone believes everyone else has one, thus getting it into their head that the system is even more successful than it really is.
Yes, a LOT of people have wanted a Wii, and thought good things of it, but can anyone imagine how many have actually pressed themselves into buying one simply because they saw it? Hell, I did. I had no plans to buy it until last summer, but when I was at Target during the Spring, I saw a few on the shelf (and I knew this was a beyond-rare sight), and snagged one.
Now, I don't claim that most of the sales have been due to artificial demand, but I imagine a decent amount are the direct result of what is possibly artificial supply restraints.
The PS2 sold like hotcakes too, and yet it was always able to be found on store shelves. What made it sell so damned well? Kickass software. Something the Wii lacks, and is what lends some support to my argument. Software sales on the Wii are pathetic compared to the other console. Yes, every now and then an awesome first-party title comes out on the Wii, a Mario game or something, and they sell like crazy... because Wii owners have nothing else to enjoy.
I own a PS3, Wii, and a gaming PC. I play the Wii so rarely, that I let my sister and brother-in-law borrow it for the summer. That, and it's more of a party system, or at least multiplayer, kind of boring playing it by yourself... so they are enjoying it more than I ever did. I'll get it back for the school year, because I imagine my roommates are going to play it too, and that could be fun.
 
Originally posted by: Queasy
Speaking of DS, in the financials it showed that DS sales were dropping in Japan. I'm guessing it is because pretty much everyone there has a DS. So, that means a new DS, right? I thought maybe next year. But, according to Pachter a new DS will come out this year.

Following Nintendo's financial results yesterday which revealed that sales of the DS are in decline in Japan, analyst Michael Pachter has said that he believes Nintendo has a new handheld ready for launch before the end of the year.

DS sales in the US and Europe remain strong, and the Wedbush Morgan exec expects the majority of Nintendo's DS shipment for this fiscal year to arrive in these territories to meet ongoing demand.

"It is likely that DS demand will continue to decline in Japan, and we think that Nintendo has a new handheld device ready for launch in that territory before the end of the calendar year," said Pachter.

"We think that the lion's share of the expected 28 million DS hardware units shipped during the fiscal year will land in the US and Europe, and we expect to see strong software sales in those territories," he added.

Profit for Nintendo rose 34 per cent in the first fiscal quarter of the year to JPY 107.2 billion, with sales topping JPY 423.3 billion.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

I won't buy the new DS, but I was looking at getting a second DS Lite. I love my DS to death :heart:
 
When I play my Wii, it is almost always with someone else. For me, it not only became something which is used when friends come over, but it also acts as an additional option to choose from when the wife and I are deciding what to do on any particular night. Being that we both work and have a young child, we cannot just go out any day of the week so we have many nights where choosing something to do together is often limited to watching TV, choosing a movie, playing a board game, etc. Purchasing the Wii has added another option to that list which we both enjoy and can spend quality time together.

I believe that there are TONS of families out there whose routines are similar to mine and use the Wii in a similar way. Now, I will say that as an old school gamer who enjoys spending a lot of time playing a variety of video games, the Wii is not enough for me. I want PC games and other consoles as well. However, when I play the Wii, I am playing it because I want something that all other games do not offer which is a unique and relaxed way to have fun playing a video game with other people in my home. My desire to play the Wii does not feel similar to my desire to play other games which is a major cornerstone to my point. It is quite different unlike my desires to play console games on a 360, PS3, or PC which are much more similar.

Therefore, I have come to conclude that the Wii is almost a completely different type of entertainment in itself. Since video games are all about entertainment and entertainment is based on what you are doing, how you are doing it, and how it makes you feel I believe that the Wii is offering a type of entertainment which has no linear competitors. It is unique even though it is a video game console. That doesn't make it better. It just makes it different.

Those who are seeking the entertainment that it offers will be satisfied. Those who are seeking the type of entertainment that other consoles offer may not be satisfied because they are not the same thing. If you are in the mood to play football, you may not be satisfied by playing baseball instead even though they are both sports, involve a team, require athletic skills, and are generally considered to fall into a similar category of entertainment. The comparison of entertainment involving the Wii and other video games is similar.

Of course, it also greatly depends on which Wii game we are talking about here. There are some games which are much more closely related to other console games or are games which we have become familiar with from past consoles such as Zelda, Metroid, and Mario. These games stand a greater chance to satisfy those who are seeking a familiar kind of entertainment while also become very satisfying to those who are seeking the type of entertainment that the Wii offers.
 
Originally posted by: MikeyLSU
plenty of fads make buttloads of money, the question will be is "will this type of gaming still be as popular in 10 years"

I think no.
Click to expand...

Even MS has admitted the casual crowd is where it's at. Just look at their E3 presentation.

You "hardcore" gamers are the fad.
 
Originally posted by: Xavier434
If there is one thing that is true about the main customer base for Nintendo and the Wii in particular is that they mostly consist of the silent majority.

Those who claim it is a fad or whatever are the types who are either not regularly exposed to or never exposed to these customers. These customers are the ones who have children which play their Wii regularly and do not come and post nonsense on the internet. They are also the adults that are not even registered on a single web forum. They are never heard.

That's one reason why the high numbers over such a long period of time count for so much. Nintendo is already working on the next gen system too. It will be interesting to see how the sales figures compare to the Wii.
Click to expand...


and you know what they play regularly? Cheap gamecube games because their parents won't buy them $50 wii games.

a lot of my buyers ask, what is a gamecube and how can it run on wii. That's because all they know about is the wii.

 
Originally posted by: BoberFett
Originally posted by: MikeyLSU
plenty of fads make buttloads of money, the question will be is "will this type of gaming still be as popular in 10 years"

I think no.
Click to expand...

Even MS has admitted the casual crowd is where it's at. Just look at their E3 presentation.

You "hardcore" gamers are the fad.
Click to expand...

No, it's just a different (and now much smaller, relatively speaking) market segment.

I wouldn't call something that has been around for decades a fad.
 
Originally posted by: destrekor
I see some people here refuse to believe simple market economics. I don't deny the Wii has sold very well, but the rate at which it is selling, isn't exactly unheard of. Nintendo, especially by now, should easily be able to manufacture enough Wiis to have a lot still standing on shelves a few days after a shipment.
But when the supply is artificially choked, and it appears to be impossible to find one, the demand then skyrockets because everyone believes everyone else has one, thus getting it into their head that the system is even more successful than it really is.
Yes, a LOT of people have wanted a Wii, and thought good things of it, but can anyone imagine how many have actually pressed themselves into buying one simply because they saw it? Hell, I did. I had no plans to buy it until last summer, but when I was at Target during the Spring, I saw a few on the shelf (and I knew this was a beyond-rare sight), and snagged one.
Now, I don't claim that most of the sales have been due to artificial demand, but I imagine a decent amount are the direct result of what is possibly artificial supply restraints.
The PS2 sold like hotcakes too, and yet it was always able to be found on store shelves. What made it sell so damned well? Kickass software. Something the Wii lacks, and is what lends some support to my argument. Software sales on the Wii are pathetic compared to the other console. Yes, every now and then an awesome first-party title comes out on the Wii, a Mario game or something, and they sell like crazy... because Wii owners have nothing else to enjoy.
I own a PS3, Wii, and a gaming PC. I play the Wii so rarely, that I let my sister and brother-in-law borrow it for the summer. That, and it's more of a party system, or at least multiplayer, kind of boring playing it by yourself... so they are enjoying it more than I ever did. I'll get it back for the school year, because I imagine my roommates are going to play it too, and that could be fun.
Click to expand...

exactly, people want what they can't have, what others want and what keeps it's value.
 
Originally posted by: BoberFett
Originally posted by: MikeyLSU
plenty of fads make buttloads of money, the question will be is "will this type of gaming still be as popular in 10 years"

I think no.
Click to expand...

Even MS has admitted the casual crowd is where it's at. Just look at their E3 presentation.

You "hardcore" gamers are the fad.
Click to expand...

Thats somewhat of a stupid thing to say, "hardcore" gaming has been around for a long ass time, calling it a fad is stupid. I honestly don't see either hardcore or casual gaming going away anytime soon, so people on both sides of the fence are being immature fanboys imo. Its like hardcore gamers are scared that casual gaming will take over gaming completely. Then we have people who act like being a casual gamer makes you more cool because its more popular...right.

I personally don't think casual gaming can take over the market even just because of its very nature. Casual gamers are casual because they don't game that much, so they generally buy less games than hardcore gamers, usually a lot less from my personal experience. Hardcore gamers buy a lot more games, so even though they are a smaller percentage of total gamers now there is still money to be made there. Also, there are a lot of developers who will continue to make "hardcore" games simply because they like those kinds of games themselves.

So anyway, these threads are stupid, they always degenerate into stupid insults and people trying to discount the other sides successes. 360 and PS3 fanboys act like the wii is awful and just a stupid fad, and wii fans act like sales numbers make their system more fun for them to play. I don't really care either way, I own all 3 systems so its all good for me, they're all fun and anyone who thinks either casual or hardcore gaming is gonna die soon is being stupid imo.
 
Originally posted by: CasioTech
Originally posted by: destrekor
I see some people here refuse to believe simple market economics. I don't deny the Wii has sold very well, but the rate at which it is selling, isn't exactly unheard of. Nintendo, especially by now, should easily be able to manufacture enough Wiis to have a lot still standing on shelves a few days after a shipment.
But when the supply is artificially choked, and it appears to be impossible to find one, the demand then skyrockets because everyone believes everyone else has one, thus getting it into their head that the system is even more successful than it really is.
Yes, a LOT of people have wanted a Wii, and thought good things of it, but can anyone imagine how many have actually pressed themselves into buying one simply because they saw it? Hell, I did. I had no plans to buy it until last summer, but when I was at Target during the Spring, I saw a few on the shelf (and I knew this was a beyond-rare sight), and snagged one.
Now, I don't claim that most of the sales have been due to artificial demand, but I imagine a decent amount are the direct result of what is possibly artificial supply restraints.
The PS2 sold like hotcakes too, and yet it was always able to be found on store shelves. What made it sell so damned well? Kickass software. Something the Wii lacks, and is what lends some support to my argument. Software sales on the Wii are pathetic compared to the other console. Yes, every now and then an awesome first-party title comes out on the Wii, a Mario game or something, and they sell like crazy... because Wii owners have nothing else to enjoy.
I own a PS3, Wii, and a gaming PC. I play the Wii so rarely, that I let my sister and brother-in-law borrow it for the summer. That, and it's more of a party system, or at least multiplayer, kind of boring playing it by yourself... so they are enjoying it more than I ever did. I'll get it back for the school year, because I imagine my roommates are going to play it too, and that could be fun.
Click to expand...

exactly, people want what they can't have, what others want and what keeps it's value.
Click to expand...

While I am sure this constitutes the reason for some Wii's which have been sold (possibly a great many), that does not mean that those same Wii's have not satisfied the customer. Also, such tactics only really work for so long regardless of supply. The Wii's just keep selling and selling with no end in sight it seems.


Originally posted by: CasioTech
and you know what they play regularly? Cheap gamecube games because their parents won't buy them $50 wii games.

a lot of my buyers ask, what is a gamecube and how can it run on wii. That's because all they know about is the wii.
Click to expand...

*shrug*

I am sure many use it to play mostly gamecube games. Others, mostly Wii games. Some are about the classics from WiiWare. While, many others play it all almost equally. In the end, it doesn't matter how you use it as long as you enjoy using it and feel the purchase was worth the satisfaction just like any product or service.
 
Originally posted by: Oyeve
Its strange. When the DS came out it was nearly a flop, the PSP spanked it when it came out. Then good SW actually made it to the DS and the PSP, other than homebrew stuff, just lacks really good games IMO. My PSP is collecting dust and I use my DS nearly every day.
Click to expand...

Opposite for me.. my PSP gets much, much more use than my DS.. but I enjoy both still. 🙂
 

I like the wii, I think it is great and certainly successful. I just don't get the sales figures callout threads.. As a long time PC gamer, I remember looking at those top 10 sales list, and thinking WTF ? For example, The Sims has sold ~25 million more copies than Starcraft, Diablo II, and Half-Life combined. Does that make it a better game ?

Unless you are a shareholder, who cares ? All 3 consoles are either profitable now, or will be before EOL.
 
Originally posted by: Xavier434
If there is one thing that is true about the main customer base for Nintendo and the Wii in particular is that they mostly consist of the silent majority.

Those who claim it is a fad or whatever are the types who are either not regularly exposed to or never exposed to these customers. These customers are the ones who have children which play their Wii regularly and do not come and post nonsense on the internet. They are also the adults that are not even registered on a single web forum. They are never heard.
Click to expand...

I don't necessarily agree with this and I'd argue that this forum is somewhat of an anomaly that I think corresponds greatly with the fact that this is a PC tech related website. When I read posts from console gamers here, I get the impression of a PC gamer who simply didn't want to or couldn't afford to keep upgrading their PC so they purchased an Xbox360 and keep on playing PC games. They play Halo, which is a PC FPS, they play CoD4, another PC FPS, or Kotor, which is a PC RPG from Bioware, or GTA4 which is another series originating from the PC. These are all western PC games that have been ported to the console because Microsoft decided to make a console that mimics the PC. They are talking about Fallout 3 which is another PC series. Sometimes I come to this forum just to get PC gaming news because of how much of this forum is centered on those types of games without maybe even realizing it.

When I go to a site like Penny-Arcade, I read threads that are 50+ pages long with thousands of posts on a game that wouldn't even get a thread in this forum and if someone bothered to create a thread nobody would even respond. Like Etrian Odyssey for instance.

So I guess what I'm saying is that, while it is true that there is a silent majority in regards to Nintendo there is also a large community that is basically un/misrepresented here.
 
Originally posted by: skace
Originally posted by: Xavier434
If there is one thing that is true about the main customer base for Nintendo and the Wii in particular is that they mostly consist of the silent majority.

Those who claim it is a fad or whatever are the types who are either not regularly exposed to or never exposed to these customers. These customers are the ones who have children which play their Wii regularly and do not come and post nonsense on the internet. They are also the adults that are not even registered on a single web forum. They are never heard.
Click to expand...

I don't necessarily agree with this and I'd argue that this forum is somewhat of an anomaly that I think corresponds greatly with the fact that this is a PC tech related website. When I read posts from console gamers here, I get the impression of a PC gamer who simply didn't want to or couldn't afford to keep upgrading their PC so they purchased an Xbox360 and keep on playing PC games. They play Halo, which is a PC FPS, they play CoD4, another PC FPS, or Kotor, which is a PC RPG from Bioware, or GTA4 which is another series originating from the PC. These are all western PC games that have been ported to the console because Microsoft decided to make a console that mimics the PC. They are talking about Fallout 3 which is another PC series. Sometimes I come to this forum just to get PC gaming news because of how much of this forum is centered on those types of games without maybe even realizing it.

When I go to a site like Penny-Arcade, I read threads that are 50+ pages long with thousands of posts on a game that wouldn't even get a thread in this forum and if someone bothered to create a thread nobody would even respond. Like Etrian Odyssey for instance.

So I guess what I'm saying is that, while it is true that there is a silent majority in regards to Nintendo there is also a large community that is basically un/misrepresented here.
Click to expand...

I think in a sense we are both correct.
 
Originally posted by: CasioTech
Originally posted by: Xavier434
If there is one thing that is true about the main customer base for Nintendo and the Wii in particular is that they mostly consist of the silent majority.

Those who claim it is a fad or whatever are the types who are either not regularly exposed to or never exposed to these customers. These customers are the ones who have children which play their Wii regularly and do not come and post nonsense on the internet. They are also the adults that are not even registered on a single web forum. They are never heard.

That's one reason why the high numbers over such a long period of time count for so much. Nintendo is already working on the next gen system too. It will be interesting to see how the sales figures compare to the Wii.
Click to expand...


and you know what they play regularly? Cheap gamecube games because their parents won't buy them $50 wii games.

a lot of my buyers ask, what is a gamecube and how can it run on wii. That's because all they know about is the wii.
Click to expand...

I am one of those parents. I bought my daughter a Wii for Christmas last year and Mario Galaxy. To date, Wii Sports and Galaxy are the only Wii games we have. My daughter still plays alot of the GC game on the Wii. Why have two consoles plugged in when the Wii will do both. I expect eventually I will get Zelda:TP for her and Mario Cart. Beyond that I"m not sure.

 
Originally posted by: destrekor
I see some people here refuse to believe simple market economics. I don't deny the Wii has sold very well, but the rate at which it is selling, isn't exactly unheard of. Nintendo, especially by now, should easily be able to manufacture enough Wiis to have a lot still standing on shelves a few days after a shipment.
But when the supply is artificially choked, and it appears to be impossible to find one, the demand then skyrockets because everyone believes everyone else has one, thus getting it into their head that the system is even more successful than it really is.
Yes, a LOT of people have wanted a Wii, and thought good things of it, but can anyone imagine how many have actually pressed themselves into buying one simply because they saw it? Hell, I did. I had no plans to buy it until last summer, but when I was at Target during the Spring, I saw a few on the shelf (and I knew this was a beyond-rare sight), and snagged one.
Now, I don't claim that most of the sales have been due to artificial demand, but I imagine a decent amount are the direct result of what is possibly artificial supply restraints.
The PS2 sold like hotcakes too, and yet it was always able to be found on store shelves. What made it sell so damned well? Kickass software. Something the Wii lacks, and is what lends some support to my argument. Software sales on the Wii are pathetic compared to the other console. Yes, every now and then an awesome first-party title comes out on the Wii, a Mario game or something, and they sell like crazy... because Wii owners have nothing else to enjoy.
I own a PS3, Wii, and a gaming PC. I play the Wii so rarely, that I let my sister and brother-in-law borrow it for the summer. That, and it's more of a party system, or at least multiplayer, kind of boring playing it by yourself... so they are enjoying it more than I ever did. I'll get it back for the school year, because I imagine my roommates are going to play it too, and that could be fun.
Click to expand...
Marketing genius? That's part of the reason.

But Nintendo has always choked supplies of their consoles at launch. It was the same exact situation for the N64 and Gamecube (I know because I tried to buy both at launch).

And the N64 and Gamecube had similar software profiles as well; great first party support, with lagging third party support. So why did they fail, while the Wii is dominating?

1) Revolutionary interface - it's not going to replace regular gaming controllers, but it is unique enough that people want to buy it and try it.

2) Low launch price - inexpensive enough that it was a feasible impulse purchase for parents and gamers. Remember that price points are *HIGHLY* psychological, so even though real-world cost isn't largely different between the X360 and Wii, the $249 price point matters. Sony was off their rocker launching at $599/$499.
 
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Marketing genius? That's part of the reason.

But Nintendo has always choked supplies of their consoles at launch. It was the same exact situation for the N64 and Gamecube (I know because I tried to buy both at launch).

And the N64 and Gamecube had similar software profiles as well; great first party support, with lagging third party support. So why did they fail, while the Wii is dominating?

1) Revolutionary interface - it's not going to replace regular gaming controllers, but it is unique enough that people want to buy it and try it.

2) Low launch price - inexpensive enough that it was a feasible impulse purchase for parents and gamers. Remember that price points are *HIGHLY* psychological, so even though real-world cost isn't largely different between the X360 and Wii, the $249 price point matters. Sony was off their rocker launching at $599/$499.
Click to expand...

If you don't mind, I would like to add #3 which is a simple concept that many people tend to overlook even though it is a cornerstone.

3) Fun. People have a lot of fun using their Wii and that fun justifies the cost in their minds.
 
Originally posted by: randay
Originally posted by: bunnyfubbles
Its not robbery if they can still push units at those prices. Don't be fooled by any marketing speak that tries to make you think they appreciate gamers so they're reducing the prices...no, they do it because they know they wouldn't be able to push the volume required to keep putting out those key popular titles at a higher price.
Click to expand...

good advice! you can't fool me with your marketing speak!!!
Click to expand...

:thumbsup:
 
Originally posted by: Lothar
Originally posted by: BladeVenom
Even more nonsensical than calling it a fad, is some individuals saying no ones buying games for it, yet every sales chart I've seen recently has Nintendo dominating it. http://www.vgchartz.com/weekly.php OR http://www.amazon.com/gp/bests.../ref=pd_zg_hrsr_vg_2_1
Click to expand...

What can I say, there are idiots everywhere.
Click to expand...

Why are these people idiots? Because they don't want to play, 'Super Space Gun Blast Online Blood Death - World War Two Edition 3'?
 
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Originally posted by: Lothar
Originally posted by: BladeVenom
Even more nonsensical than calling it a fad, is some individuals saying no ones buying games for it, yet every sales chart I've seen recently has Nintendo dominating it. http://www.vgchartz.com/weekly.php OR http://www.amazon.com/gp/bests.../ref=pd_zg_hrsr_vg_2_1
Click to expand...

What can I say, there are idiots everywhere.
Click to expand...

Why are these people idiots? Because they don't want to play, 'Super Space Gun Blast Online Blood Death - World War Two Edition 3'?
Click to expand...

You are misunderstanding him. He is saying that people are idiots because they are assuming no one is purchasing games for the Wii even though the sales charts are proving otherwise.

Lothar hasn't shown too much fanboy tendencies in his previous post like that. His priorities revolve around money when it comes to this stuff.
 
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Originally posted by: Lothar
Originally posted by: BladeVenom
Even more nonsensical than calling it a fad, is some individuals saying no ones buying games for it, yet every sales chart I've seen recently has Nintendo dominating it. http://www.vgchartz.com/weekly.php OR http://www.amazon.com/gp/bests.../ref=pd_zg_hrsr_vg_2_1
Click to expand...

What can I say, there are idiots everywhere.
Click to expand...

Why are these people idiots? Because they don't want to play, 'Super Space Gun Blast Online Blood Death - World War Two Edition 3'?
Click to expand...

Because they don't know their arithmetic.
If the Wii keeps toping the software sales chart every year and you're still saying no one is buying games for it, then obviously someone didn't teach you 1+1 properly in kindergarten.
 
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