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[dragonyeuw]

I reckon the market for the average consumer willing/able to buy these consoles at current pricing is drying up fast. On top of that, people are waiting for PS5 Pro( those who can afford whatever it will cost), Switch 2 and frankly if I was on the fence with Series X/S, recent events doesn't exactly inspire confidence in buying Xbox hardware.

 

[feynoob]

Can you be more specific so you can take your victory lap?

Economy shit. Spending gows down. Studios not getting enough sales, more studio closure to keep the funding.

 

[Elios83]

Circumstances are completely different between the three manufacturers.
It's really stupid to try to throw all three under the same bus without context.

Percentage based yoy comparisons are obviously unfavorable for Sony since last year they had an unprecedented growth period due to the end of shortages. That demand couldn't be sustained forever.
Sales are still strong in absolute terms, but their issue is that in the 4th year on the market they obviously need a price cut, instead we got price increases. In previous generations this would have been crazy to even suggest.
They will have to find a balance, they can't afford hardware sales to slowdown too much or it will have an impact on software and services sales where they make money, a business model where hardware is sold at a controlled loss will be inevitable.

Nintendo simply needs to introduce a new system because their current product is just too old and outdated.
Microsoft has killed their Xbox console brand with their idiotic business decisions.

The situations are completely different.

 

[cinnamonandgravy]

no bloodborne 2, so you get the poo

 

[feynoob]

Circumstances are completely different between the three manufacturers.
It's really stupid to try to throw all three under the same bus without context.

Percentage based yoy comparisons are obviously unfavorable for Sony since last year they had an unprecedented growth period due to the end of shortages. That demand couldn't be sustained forever.
Sales are still strong in absolute terms, but their issue is that in the 4th year on the market they obviously need a price cut, instead we got price increases. In previous generations this would have been crazy to even suggest.
They will have to find a balance, they can't afford hardware sales to slowdown too much or it will have an impact on software and services sales where they make money, a business model where hardware is sold at a controlled loss will be inevitable.

Nintendo simply needs to introduce a new system because their current product is just too old and outdated.
Microsoft has killed their Xbox console brand with their idiotic business decisions.

The situations are completely different.

Ps might get more Xbox users, but that will depend on how much they are going to make.

And getting a second console at this stage is tough for alot of people.

 

[Lupin25]

Xbox dead.

PS5 is going to have a rough gen remaining. Only silver lining is gta6.

Switch would have a new gen. Could be big or not depending on which Nintendo shows up.

PS5 will be fine, but this year specifically… doesn’t have as many marquee titles.
There’s no big games to buy a console for.

We’re due for a massive showcase.

No game this year will hit the anticipated highs of Hogwarts Legacy, TOTK, Spider-Man 2, or BG3 (once it broke out) of last year, unfortunately.

Sony has to start building hype for next year’s big guns: GTA 6, RE9, MH: Wilds, Hades 2, Marathon, Death Stranding 2, Ghost of “Kamakura”, etc. Those are the types of games that will revitalize the industry.

 

[ByWatterson]

It's worth pointing out that the UK economy is in the shitter versus Europe and especially the United States.

 

[Fabieter]

PS5 will be fine, but this year specifically… doesn’t have as many marquee titles.
There’s no big games to buy a console for.

We’re due for a massive showcase.

No game this year will hit the anticipated highs of Hogwarts Legacy, TOTK, Spider-Man 2, or BG3 (once it broke out) of last year, unfortunately.

Sony has to start building hype for next year’s big guns: GTA 6, RE9, MH: Wilds, Hades 2, Marathon, Death Stranding 2, Ghost of “Kamakura”, etc. Those are the types of games that will revitalize the industry.

It's interesting because for this is one of the best years ever.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

This is so true. I've been spending money on aquariums and my dogs because gaming is so fucking boring right now.

We got Helldivers, Rebirth, Ronin, Stellar Blade, and Hades 2 in a row. 2024 is stacked. The idea of gaming being boring is factually wrong.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Economy shit. Spending gows down. Studios not getting enough sales, more studio closure to keep the funding.

So if consumer spending continues to be higher than 2023 are you still right?

Multiple companies are releasing their earnings and reporting record sales...

Like I feel like no matter what you conclude that you're right just because studios close down. Am I right there?

 

[Ozriel]

The OLED was $349. The current Switch is still $299.

The new Switch will launch with a (relatively) newer, custom chip compared to using a 3 year old Tegra X1 in the original switch. It’ll pack more expensive storage vs the 32gb eMMC in the original switch. It’ll ship with a better, higher resolution display and more RAM.

$299 is most certainly unrealistic. It’ll never launch cheaper than the current OLED Switch.

$349 at a minimum.

 

[Klik]

No wonder since every new game in last 4 years feels like upgraded ps4 game. Little inovation in every segment

 

[feynoob]

So if consumer spending continues to be higher than 2023 are you still right?

Multiple companies are releasing their earnings and reporting record sales...

Like I feel like no matter what you conclude that you're right just because studios close down. Am I right there?

I would love to see this logic by the end of 2024

 

[jm89]

This is why you can't compare ps5 sales drop off to Xbox, and why there is concern with the Xbox sales drop off.

 

[saintjules]

Oh, Dring is back.

That level of vitriol and salt because he posted sales stats?

 

[feynoob]

and why there is concern with the Xbox sales drop off.

Dont think that matters anymore after the recent news.

 

[rkofan87]

Fallout 4 rules the roost in April | UK Monthly Charts

Fallout 4 was comfortably the best-selling game of April in the UK, according to the latest GSD data. It was a quiet mo…

www.gamesindustry.biz

well he was not gone for long lol

 

[Rockman33]

Isn't this lacking context though? Sales were up last year due to shortages easing - expecting that to continue is unrealistic.

Yes I understand the demand for infinite growth, yes it is stupid. That said, I do think the console market is going to wither and die unless something changes. Archaic thinking will make that inevitable.

so we can celebrate the growth, but when it’s in decline we need asterisks?

This is data points. That’s how capitalism is, whether you like it or not.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

I would love to see this logic by the end of 2024

What logic?

 

[Lupin25]

It's interesting because for this is one of the best years ever.

It’s great, but big IP like GTA6, Spider-Man & Zelda typically dwarf competition and represent the “all-encompassed game”, for most people, for years at a time.

Assassin’s Creed (or Star Wars*) is the only big game and IP we know is coming that is left this year. The economy is trash and no one is going out of their way to buy a console without a big game attached.

 

[Fabieter]

It’s great, but big IP like GTA6, Spider-Man & Zelda typically dwarf competition and represent the “all-encompassed game”, for most people, and for years at a time.

Assassin’s Creed (or Star Wars*) is the only big game and IP we know is coming that is left this year. The economy is trash and no one is going out of their way to buy a console without a big game attached.

As a big final fantasy fan this is insane to me.

 

[GHG]

so we can celebrate the growth, but when it’s in decline we need asterisks?

This is data points. That’s how capitalism is, whether you like it or not.

But that's the thing, he did asterisk it when there was growth:

PS5 sales surge in January

Overall, 125,000 consoles were sold (GfK panel data, not upweighted). PS5 was the leader, with sales up a whopping 98% over January last year, when there were significant shortages.

PS5 sales surge in January, but game sales fall | UK Monthly Charts

FIFA 23 is No.1

www.gamesindustry.biz

And in March:




And again in April:

Across those markets, PS5 sales are up by five times in March 2023 compared with the year before. In 2022 there had been severe stock shortages for Sony's console.

Q1 PC and console game sales down 11% across Europe | European Monthly Charts

Console sales are up 41% for the quarter across selected markets

www.gamesindustry.biz

Need I go on?

 

[Lupin25]

As a big final fantasy fan this is insane to me.

Final Fantasy is a big IP, but people bought FFXVI and for some, it was great, for others it was mediocre.

There’s not as much anticipation anymore for the series as much as a game like GTA 6 or Zelda. “The 97 metacritic masterpiece”. That, and the fact they release every 6-10 years.

 

[Goalus]

Need I go on?

Not necessary.

How to lie with statistics 101.

 

[THE DUCK]

I mean in previous generations, consoles were priced much lower by this point in thier lifecycle. (Even with inflation taken into account)

They need to drop the price to sell to the larger more casual audience.

 

[GHG]

Not necessary.

Elaborate.

I'd genuinely like to see you try.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

We got Helldivers, Rebirth, Ronin, Stellar Blade, and Hades 2 in a row. 2024 is stacked. The idea of gaming being boring is factually wrong.

Learn what "factual" means before you use it in a sentence.

 

[Rockman33]

But that's the thing, he did asterisk it when there was growth:

PS5 sales surge in January, but game sales fall | UK Monthly Charts

FIFA 23 is No.1

www.gamesindustry.biz

And in March:




And again in April:

Q1 PC and console game sales down 11% across Europe | European Monthly Charts

Console sales are up 41% for the quarter across selected markets

www.gamesindustry.biz

Need I go on?

If you’d like you can go on.

Still a bit confused about why you’re in a twist. What did you want him to say? Weren’t both this year and last year the consoles fully stocked? Whereas in 2022 they weren’t(which should get more context), that’s why the percentage growth was so monstrous?

You can’t accurately report on decline or growth if either year had been constrained.

 

[GHG]

If you’d like you can go on.

Still a bit confused about why you’re in a twist. What did you want him to say? Weren’t both this year and last year the consoles fully stocked? Whereas in 2022 they weren’t(which should get more context), that’s why the percentage growth was so monstrous?

You mentioned the "asterisk", I'm just showing you it applies when he finds it convenient to do so.

The point is that if he's going to disclaimer individual platforms when they are up, then maybe he ought to do the same when they are down instead of attempting to throw the entire industry under a single net.

It makes no sense to only be willing to provide further context in certain circumstances when discussing percentage data, but then to completely disregard the context surrounding the exact same data point at a later date when the circumstances are different.

The lack of consistency here means that his conclusions can be safely disregarded.

 

[Rockman33]

You mentioned the "asterisk", I'm just showing you it applies when he finds it convenient to do so.

The point is that if he's going to disclaimer individual platforms when they are up, then maybe he ought to do the same when they are down instead of attempting to throw the entire industry under a single net.

It makes no sense to only be willing to provide further context in certain circumstances when discussing percentage data, but then to completely disregard the context surrounding the exact same data point at a later date when the circumstances are different.

The lack of consistency here means that his conclusions can be safely disregarded.

What would the asterisk be for this? Weren’t they both fully stocked last year and now this year?

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

I honestly think the more first party games show up on PC, the more the sales of consoles are going to decrease because they are essentially taking away the reasons to own them. I don’t know. The excitement just doesn’t seem to be there for consoles like before. Less genuine exclusives, long development cycles, lack of price drops, lack of direction, etc could be a contributor as well.

 

[GHG]

What would the asterisk be for this? Weren’t they both fully stocked last year and now this year?

Playstation - "outsized demand/sales last year, resulting in back to back record quarters"

Nintendo - "switch coming towards the end of its life cycle, natural and expected drop-off at this stage"

Microsoft - fuck knows, but it's his job to come up with something meaningful and tnagiable here

------

When it comes to analysing and discussing percentage change data it is particularly important to disclose and take in to account further context surrounding historical data (baseline values) - if not it can result in completely incorrect (and sometimes even outlandish) conclusions.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

This is why you can't compare ps5 sales drop off to Xbox, and why there is concern with the Xbox sales drop off.

exactly, Are people this retarded?

answer: Yes.

 

[Woopah]

You mentioned the "asterisk", I'm just showing you it applies when he finds it convenient to do so.

The point is that if he's going to disclaimer individual platforms when they are up, then maybe he ought to do the same when they are down instead of attempting to throw the entire industry under a single net.

It makes no sense to only be willing to provide further context in certain circumstances when discussing percentage data, but then to completely disregard the context surrounding the exact same data point at a later date when the circumstances are different.

The lack of consistency here means that his conclusions can be safely disregarded.

I think the difference is one of scale.

I Q1 2023 PS5 had crazy growth %s so it's worth pointing that out when explaining why PS5 was down in Q1 in 2024.

But April 2023 PS5 didn't have that crazy boost any more. It was up 14% YoY which is good growth but nothing unusual for a console in its third year.

If I'm reading the numbers right, PS5 sold less in April 2024 than it did in April 2022, so the end of stock shortages are not the only reason for the decline.

 

[TropicanaTwista]

Players who only play the big GASS franchises (Fornite, COD, GTA, FIFA etc...) and can continue playing them from their PS4/XBO

This is the biggest issue which doesn't get talked about enough, imo. I'm amazed when I log into my ps5 how many people are still on PS4. It's literally over 50% of my friends list that still is on ps4. The new consoles have been out for over 3.5 years! I kind of do get it though, if I was to only play CoD, fornite, 2k, etc. why would I pay money to get a PS5 to just have essentially status quo.

I think other issues people bring up, the systems needing a price cut or gen Z also can have some validity to them, but Sony/ MS need to get people to upgrade their damn 10+ year old boxes.

 

[AGRacing]

Objectively, this generation does suck.

GTA6 man. That’s the answer.

 

[Gambit2483]

What a fucking trainwreck

Much of that growth was due to Nintendo and the runaway success of the Switch. Now that Switch is sunsetting the hardware sales have been steadily falling, so these results aren't too surprising.

 

[GHG]

I think the difference is one of scale.

I Q1 2023 PS5 had crazy growth %s so it's worth pointing that out when explaining why PS5 was down in Q1 in 2024.

But April 2023 PS5 didn't have that crazy boost any more. It was up 14% YoY which is good growth but nothing unusual for a console in its third year.

If I'm reading the numbers right, PS5 sold less in April 2024 than it did in April 2022, so the end of stock shortages are not the only reason for the decline.

April was still strong last year:

PS5 sales are up 144% over April last year and was the best-selling platform of the month, Nintendo Switch sales rose nearly 38%, while Xbox Series S and X sales are up over 19%.

However, compared with March, only Nintendo Switch sales increased month-on-month. This was in part due to the release of a special edition console, which arrived at the end of the month ahead of the new Zelda game: Tears of the Kingdom.

Xbox, Sony, Nintendo and Star Wars post strong sales across Europe | European Monthly Charts

Dead ISland 2 makes No.3 in the charts

www.gamesindustry.biz

By the way, he's no stranger to providing blanket anaysis when it suits (from April last year again, this was his response when questioned on it) :

 

[HeWhoWalks]

PS5 is going to have a rough gen remaining. Only silver lining is gta6.

No it isn't, in either case.

 

[SportsFan581]

People shifted from SP games to live service games.
The rise of fortnite and other f2P games took most of people's attention.

When so many players are content playing older games that are running at an acceptable level for them on their existing hardware, they are less likely to upgrade to new hardware. That doesn't sound unreasonable to me at all.

I would say the lack of price drops is way up on the list of causes as well. Typically every price change opens up a new group of buyers, even when the change seems insignificant.

 

[Aguero9320]

so we can celebrate the growth, but when it’s in decline we need asterisks?

This is data points. That’s how capitalism is, whether you like it or not.

Again, context is important. Capitalism is not immune to anomalous results, and smart capitalists factor them in to their thinking/decision making rather than blindly pointing at data points.

And I didn’t ’celebrate the growth’, if I had commented during that period I would have had similar “asterisks” - numbers were artificially high because of pent up demand, so don’t get too giddy and expect that trend to continue. And oh look, it didn’t…

Your condescending point is rendered moot regardless of that though because it wasn’t ‘just data’, it was accompanied by commentary that consoles are ‘having a horrible year’, to which I say that analysis lacks needed context/insight, probably for the love of clickbait, and was the part I was taking issue with.

But yes, if you want to look at it that way, sometimes capitalism and some capitalists can be monumentally stupid, so feel free to disregard any business intelligence that might be a factor here…

 

[bender]

How to lie with statistics 101.

Eight of ten people think we are 67% boned.

 

[digital_ghost]

Huh its almost as if high inflation lowers spending as people just want to survive.

 

[Physiognomonics]

Circumstances are completely different between the three manufacturers.
It's really stupid to try to throw all three under the same bus without context.

Percentage based yoy comparisons are obviously unfavorable for Sony since last year they had an unprecedented growth period due to the end of shortages. That demand couldn't be sustained forever.
Sales are still strong in absolute terms, but their issue is that in the 4th year on the market they obviously need a price cut, instead we got price increases. In previous generations this would have been crazy to even suggest.
They will have to find a balance, they can't afford hardware sales to slowdown too much or it will have an impact on software and services sales where they make money, a business model where hardware is sold at a controlled loss will be inevitable.

Nintendo simply needs to introduce a new system because their current product is just too old and outdated.
Microsoft has killed their Xbox console brand with their idiotic business decisions.

The situations are completely different.

Also during last gen Sony had PS4 Pro that was helping PS4 sales trajectory, this time Covid prevented Sony to have PS5 Pro already released. Like you said Dring tweet is disingenious in that he puts all 3 manufacturers in the same "console are doomed" bag. When only Xbox can be objectively put into that bag. Because if you objectively look at past data point Sony and Nintendo are still thriving considering the Covid pandemic and its consequences.

He is not thinking like an objective sales analyst, but like a Microsoft activist like the vast majority of western mainstream medias.

 

[GHG]

Eight of ten people think we are 67% boned.

26% decrease in the % that people think we are boned - everything is fine.

Spoiler

The undisclosed 2 out of 10:

 

[Woopah]

April was still strong last year:

Xbox, Sony, Nintendo and Star Wars post strong sales across Europe | European Monthly Charts

Dead ISland 2 makes No.3 in the charts

www.gamesindustry.biz

By the way, he's no stranger to providing blanket anaysis when it suits (from April last year again, this was his response when questioned on it) :

That's the continental Europe numbers.

In the UK PS4 was up 15% in April 2023 https://www.gamesindustry.biz/speci...oosts-nintendo-switch-sales-uk-monthly-charts

 

[SportsFan581]

Also during last gen Sony had PS4 Pro that was helping PS4 sales trajectory, this time Covid prevented Sony to have PS5 Pro already released. Like you said Dring tweet is disingenious in that he puts all 3 manufacturers in the same "console are doomed" bag. When only Xbox can be objectively put into that bag. Because if you objectively look at past data point Sony and Nintendo are still thriving considering the Covid pandemic and its consequences.

He is not thinking like an objective sales analyst, but like a Microsoft activist like the vast majority of western mainstream medias.

Another option is that he is just providing the data and showing you that shipments were down across the board. People seeing a ton of bias in that are casting that onto the information provided themselves. Just because Xbox and Sony are both down by a similar percentage doesn't mean that Xbox and PS sales were the same (far from it), and the article never implies that at all. As has been pointed out, the comparative month was a great month for PS where the same time period was not as great for Xbox and so on, but the reverse of that was never implied by the article.

 

[GHG]

That's the continental Europe numbers.

In the UK PS4 was up 15% in April 2023 https://www.gamesindustry.biz/speci...oosts-nintendo-switch-sales-uk-monthly-charts

Ah gotcha.

Even in that article he provides month over month along with year over year context as well as some individual context regarding the Switch's sales.

I digress...

 

[N1tr0sOx1d3]

Anybody would think we’re traversing a cost of living crisis, energy crisis, recession, inflationary and high interest rate period.

 

[Woopah]

Ah gotcha.

Even in that article he provides month over month along with year over year context as well as some individual context regarding the Switch's sales.

I digress...

I think he just chooses to focus on whatever he finds more interesting. Last year's April article has more detail on hardware, while this year's had more detail on software.