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NPD December 2012 Sales Results [Up2: Xbox 360, All Nintendo Hardware, NSMB Wii U]

John Harker

Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
So I'm assuming that titles like AC 3, Tekken TT 2, ME 3, the sports games are underperforming terribly at this point?

I don't know what third parties are expecting from those titles.

I'm sure their expectations were all reasonable...
But it's rough when some of the games you mention didn't even hit 10k. LTD.
 

jvm

Gamasutra.
One of the sources was posted here on GAF: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69205
Beautiful graph. Regarding the above data from waaaaay back... I don't know much about NPD's 1990s history, especially with regard to video games, but they said this yesterday:
Far Cry 3 generated positive critical reviews and ranked sixth overall based on December unit sales. This praise, along with stepping outside the hectic November launch period, led to this game being the second-most successful December launch since NPD began tracking retail sales in 1995.
So, how do you get sales from prior to that? Did NPD buy them from another source?
 

guek

Banned
I'm sure their expectations were all reasonable...
But it's rough when some of the games you mention didn't even hit 10k. LTD.

I wonder if the blank january release schedule is a deliberate move by nintendo to encourage people pick up more of the launch lineup. As misguided as it seems, it sounds like something nintendo would do.
 
I'm sure their expectations were all reasonable...
But it's rough when some of the games you mention didn't even hit 10k. LTD.

Harker is hinting out the main issue with the Wii U so far: the physical software besides Mario, Nintendoland, and ZombiU to a lesser extent. Once that is dealt with, the hardware issue will improved along with it.

I do wonder how much digital distribution is a factor, though. Is it safe to assume that a few games sold at least 2k or well over in sales from DD?
 

Sadist

Member
I'm sure their expectations were all reasonable...
But it's rough when some of the games you mention didn't even hit 10k. LTD.
That is bad, damn.

I suppose one of them is ME 3. I always said EA would be lucky to reach 100k, guess I was right lol. The other being being Tekken TT 2, with all the fighting game sales going down the drain. I just don't know what Nintendo can do to turn the tides. Seems a lot of them made up their minds regarding the Wii U.
 
If no one minds a bit of steering in this debate, the Wii U hardware sales are kind of fine, not really an issue considering the market... the software sales, on the other hand, range from ok to troubling. That's really the part worth discussing. No ones really buying, only like 2-3 games with attach rates at 10%, may lose exclusives this way unless demand for software increases to the point projects become profitable/more profitable.

And also the X360 hardware discussion right now is laughable, people saying it isn't as big of a success, still bringing up the failure rate. Not worth going down that path, gents. It's mostly a non factor at this stage.

Particularly when the 360 was a disproportionate software beast from launch on. Which is the opposite of what's happening with the U. The question is, can drastic action be taken in the short term to stimulate software demand before the damage is done? Like, whatever Nintendo has banked on to drive software is clearly not happening.
 

Kacho

Gold Member
If no one minds a bit of steering in this debate, the Wii U hardware sales are kind of fine, not really an issue considering the market... the software sales, on the other hand, range from ok to troubling. That's really the part worth discussing. No ones really buying, only like 2-3 games with attach rates at 10%, may lose exclusives this way unless demand for software increases to the point projects become profitable/more profitable.

I noticed the Miiverse communities grow quite a bit after Christmas for Black Ops 2, Assassin's Creed 3, Zombi U, Nintendo Land, and NSMBU. I'm assuming these games are all fine for the most part.

However, Warriors Orochi 3, Tekken Tag Tournament 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3 are all about the same. I imagine sales for these games are beyond disastrous? That really bums me out if that's the case and doesn't give me much hope for MH3U and Rayman.
 

Mpl90

Two copies sold? That's not a bomb guys, stop trolling!!!
ME3 is probably one of those that did less than 10k. That's...bittersweet.
 
I wonder if the blank january release schedule is a deliberate move by nintendo to encourage people pick up more of the launch lineup. As misguided as it seems, it sounds like something nintendo would do.
I was thinking that too. It makes some sense, though I'm not sure on the effectiveness of that plan.
 

TheNatural

My Member!
This can easily be countered by asking, "How much would the 360/PS2/N64 sale if there wasn't any supply problems?" There is no real answer to that.

We can't even answer if the numbers would be very different if Nintendo released more deluxe models compared to overshipping the basic. Going with your approach, Nintendo's issue is that they did not cheat and created a sellout by intentionally undershipping the Wii U.

The fuck?

Undershipping doesn't create demand, the demand is already there. Wii outsold the PS3 and 360 combined in the first half of 2007, and were in low supply throughout the year.

You don't need hard numbers and a calculator to know fuck all that there's little demand for the Wii U and there was high demand for other systems in previous launches. What other systems could have sold if there were more on the shelf is irrelevant because you can tell after the launch period that when they were on the shelves, they sold.

Wii U sold horrible because there's no demand, it's that simple. "Cheating" as you would call it, wouldn't have made a damn bit of difference. And BTW, Deluxe models are everywhere, I don't know what you're making up to say they overshipped the basic. No one wants them, my store has plenty available on the floor and in backstock.
 
If no one minds a bit of steering in this debate, the Wii U hardware sales are kind of fine, not really an issue considering the market... the software sales, on the other hand, range from ok to troubling. That's really the part worth discussing. No ones really buying, only like 2-3 games with attach rates at 10%, may lose exclusives this way unless demand for software increases to the point projects become profitable/more profitable.

And also the X360 hardware discussion right now is laughable, people saying it isn't as big of a success, still bringing up the failure rate. Not worth going down that path, gents. It's mostly a non factor at this stage.
I fully blame this on the marketing and also trying to live off the Wii branding. They just aren't the crowd that buy a lot of these core 3rd party games. And it's all one slippery slope or self fulfilling prophecy or whatever you want to call it.
 
blast from the past indeed

NPD TRSTS VIDEO GAMES

Top 15 Video Game Titles Ranked by Units Sold
September, 1996


Last Average
Month Rank Title Platform Publisher Retail Price

* 1 Super Mario 64 Nintendo 64 Nintendo $62.48
* 2 Madden 97 Sony Playstation Electronic Arts $54.60
1 3 Tekken 2 Sony Playstation Namco $46.07
* 4 Pilotwings 64 Nintendo 64 Nintendo $62.15
* 5 Crash Bandicoot Sony Playstation Sony Computer Ent $53.30
* 6 Beyond the Beyond Sony Playstation Sony Computer Ent $56.35
12 7 Tetris Attack Super Nintendo Nintendo $32.03
* 8 Andretti Racing Sony Playstation Electronic Arts $52.05
* 9 NFL Quarterback Club 97 Sony Playstation Acclaim $54.00
2 10 Super Mario RPG: Super Nintendo Nintendo $65.39
7 11 Donkey Kong Country 2 Super Nintendo Nintendo $58.36
3 12 Super Mario Kart Super Nintendo Nintendo $31.43
* 13 Madden 97 Saturn Electronic Arts $56.42
* 14 NCAA Football Gamebreaker Sony Playstation Sony Computer Ent $55.79
10 15 Nights (with control pad) Saturn Sega of America $62.88

There's not enough bold to highlight the greatness.
 

John Harker

Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
I wonder if the blank january release schedule is a deliberate move by nintendo to encourage people pick up more of the launch lineup. As misguided as it seems, it sounds like something nintendo would do.

Yea I was saying the same thing in another thread too
 

John Harker

Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
To be fair, my use of "some" wasn't really the best word choice. It's really "one," with the other being "slightly above 10k." But whatever. You got the message.
 

donny2112

Member
and the price isn't a barrier.

:lol

Could it have sold more at the current price if it had more appealing software? Yes.
Is the U.S. market very price-sensitive when it comes to video game hardware? Yes. We only have years of data saying it is. :p

So, how do you get sales from prior to that? Did NPD buy them from another source?

NPD/TRSTS was tracking video games under toys prior, I believe. They would've just pulled them out to a separate section in 1995, then.
 
Yeah, I guess they feel confidence..

it means a lot.. more than you think..
Your average investor runs around like a chicken with it's head cut off chasing quarterly profits. They were asking Iwata to release games for the iPhone. It doesn't mean that much in the short term.
 

Juken

Member
Yeah, I guess they feel confidence..

it means a lot.. more than you think..

I think you're putting way too much faith in how informed the average investor is. The majority of Nintendo investors won't even know about the NPD reports...never mind being able to understand/react to them properly.

Stocks can move erratically in the short term.
 

Mpl90

Two copies sold? That's not a bomb guys, stop trolling!!!
If you look at the annual charts, the Top 4 best-selling third-party games in North America all showed up for the Wii U launch.

Not a single one of them sold in great quantities even in relation to the install base.

What this means is that it doesn't matter whether Nintendo delivers every single third-party game that hit X360 and PS3 over the next two years... none of these games will sell. Third-party games won't sell on a highly successful 3DS platform either unless it's an overpriced 3D-enhanced version of Angry Birds.

In short, Nintendo's third-party support base is irreparably destroyed apart from fringe releases with small print counts and low expectations. On EVERY platform.

Err, it kind of contradicts saying that an overpriced 3D Angry Birds port selling = impossibility of third party software to sell. I mean, it shows software can sell on 3DS, even more casual one. And if only that were the only 3DS third party title that did / is doing well: look at Sonic; look at KH3D ( it'll be at 450-500k when Holidays 2013 will be done, thanks to Pokémon attracting kids and installed bases increasing). Tales of the Abyss is around 55-60k; the original did 72k on PS2. Then, we have Lego titles that are selling, and selling, and selling. I'm not saying third party sales are stellar, amazing or anything like that, but they're not bad overall ( Revelations is a flop, granted...and strangely it seems it's having some legs, since in June it was under 150k and now, given creamsugar's chart, it's approaching 200k; but it's still a flop). You shouldn't forget either that software on handhelds sell a lot through time, and on 3DS we're seeing this too.
 
If no one minds a bit of steering in this debate, the Wii U hardware sales are kind of fine, not really an issue considering the market... the software sales, on the other hand, range from ok to troubling. That's really the part worth discussing. No ones really buying, only like 2-3 games with attach rates at 10%, may lose exclusives this way unless demand for software increases to the point projects become profitable/more profitable.

And also the X360 hardware discussion right now is laughable, people saying it isn't as big of a success, still bringing up the failure rate. Not worth going down that path, gents. It's mostly a non factor at this stage.
Presumably this doesn't include NSMBU? ZombiU at >100K gives around 11%.

If it includes NSMBU there's only like 1 other game that has an LTD >89K?

If it doesn't include, then there's 1-2 other games?

On the one hand NSMBU is probably the only thing driving sales; on the other since people are consolidating around it, the software sales for everything else end up pretty poor.
I'm sure their expectations were all reasonable...
But it's rough when some of the games you mention didn't even hit 10k. LTD.
Dayum.
 

jcm

Member
iUV4nA0H6IdZa.png

A picture is worth a thousand words. If you would have posted that yesterday you'd have saved me some irritating transcription :).
 
I noticed the Miiverse communities grow quite a bit after Christmas for Black Ops 2, Assassin's Creed 3, Zombi U, Nintendo Land, and NSMBU. I'm assuming these games are all fine for the most part.

However, Warriors Orochi 3, Tekken Tag Tournament 2, and Ninja Gaiden 3 are all about the same. I imagine sales for these games are beyond disastrous? That really bums me out if that's the case and doesn't give me much hope for MH3U and Rayman.

Why? Warriors Orochi is niche as hell, and Ninja Gaiden 3 was a late port of a mediocre game. The only slightly surprising one is Tekken Tag, and it was still a late port.

By the time MH and Rayman come out those people who only bought a Mario on their Wii U will be looking for something more, and those 2 games should be primed to take advantage of that.
 
Outside of Zombi U, almost no Wii U third party title was a decent bargain.

I bought Warriors Orochi 3 for 360 for $10 a week after it came out on the Wii U for $60.

The only difference was a PVP mode.
 

John Harker

Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
Presumably this doesn't include NSMBU? ZombiU at >100K gives around 11%.

If it includes NSMBU there's only like 1 other game that has an LTD >89K?

If it doesn't include, then there's 1-2 other games?

On the one hand NSMBU is probably the only thing driving sales; on the other since people are consolidating around it, the software sales for everything else end up pretty poor.
Dayum.

you're not far off the mark. but note i'm not saying some publishers weren't happy with the sales, I think SU is doing well for example, so i'm not speaking for anyone in particular, im just looking at all the data aggragetley and measuring momentum and attach rates, etc. that's why i actually dont think the hardware sales are really an issue right now, it's a super depressed market in general.

I think nintendo has to do a better job working with broader publishers on securing content and helping to guarantee it becomes profitable
 
im just looking at all the data aggragetley and measuring momentum and attach rates, etc. that's why i actually dont think the hardware sales are really an issue right now, it's a super depressed market in general.

It's the double whammy of lower than expected hw and lower than expected attach rates that hurt. The sw pricing is right where it should be. I wish digital sw sales were more easily extrapolated for, might help make the data make more sense. Impossible to read long-term impact right now.

That doesn't bode well for future support from those publishers.

All depends on the expectations and budgets set for those games. There were so many ports because they are lower cost and because no one was planning for another Wii-level success. Everyone's testing the waters and will look closely at what did well and what didn't and adjust from there.
 

Kacho

Gold Member
Why? Warriors Orochi is niche as hell, and Ninja Gaiden 3 was a late port of a mediocre game. The only slightly surprising one is Tekken Tag, and it was still a late port.

By the time MH and Rayman come out those people who only bought a Mario on their Wii U will be looking for something more, and those 2 games should be primed to take advantage of that.

Other than Zombi U, only some of the well-established third party games did 'OK' numbers. Everything else tanked. Imagine what all of the niche software did in comparison to those. That doesn't bode well for future support from those publishers.

I want more Tecmo-Koei titles in the future and we might not see many get localized since WO3 and NG3 bombed hard.

Also, Rayman and especially Monster Hunter are what I would call niche titles. I suspect they will not do well.
 

Sadist

Member
I want more Tecmo-Koei titles in the future and we might not see many get localized since WO3 and NG3 bombed hard.
In Europe Fist of the Northstar 2 will be released as a download only title on Wii U. That might be the way to go, because Tecmo-Koei doesn't have a huge presence in Europe.

you're not far off the mark. but note i'm not saying some publishers weren't happy with the sales, I think SU is doing well for example, so i'm not speaking for anyone in particular, im just looking at all the data aggragetley and measuring momentum and attach rates, etc. that's why i actually dont think the hardware sales are really an issue right now, it's a super depressed market in general.

I think nintendo has to do a better job working with broader publishers on securing content and helping to guarantee it becomes profitable
Hmmm. Going by the list of Creamsugar Sonic & Allstar Racing, Just Dance 4 and I'd say Batman are in the okay zone as well? Same goes for Epic Mickey 2?

The thing that surprised me the most is Assassin's Creed III. I kind of expected... more.
 

Kacho

Gold Member
All depends on the expectations and budgets set for those games. There were so many ports because they are lower cost and because no one was planning for another Wii-level success. Everyone's testing the waters and will look closely at what did well and what didn't and adjust from there.

True, but I can't imagine they set their expectations that low, right? Business decisions will need to be made and I don't think they'll be too favorable to the Wii U, at least in terms of bringing titles to the US/UK. Maybe what Sadist says will be the most (only?) viable option for us.
 
Well ask yourself which region the vast majority of developers are targetting? Where do the majority of game sales come from? Which region sets the most trends for whats popular?

Now you have your answer for why the 360 dominating in NA/UK is a big deal, and PS3 catching up due to Japan and other non-English speaking countries is not nearly as influential.
But 360 doesn't dominate in UK if I'm not mistaken? Euro territories are still very loyal to PS3, and Japan is pretty crazy on portables, dunno how big of an impact that had on PS3 catching up...it sells well in all territories...

I absolutely hate FPS which is a big western trend, so I think your post is a little biased as I don't really care what's selling well this generation, (COD/Wii Sports/Dance Central) U.S development doesn't produce my personal favorite titles this year or ever, and trends are just devs following money, why would that be a positive thing? Sales are not the biggest picture when it comes to game quality and original ideas (Angry Birds) and shouldn't be used as a measuring stick to a consoles's worth. PS3 was getting pretty much the treatment as Vita after it's first year, so saying it just caught back up because of Japan is a huge disservice. Sony worked there asses off with exclusives--that's about it...

Having said that, I think all consoles have really benefited from each other in some way. I'm a tad worried about next-gen though, as the differentiating factor will likely be OS/Ecosystem and not so much difference in architecture and power, so I'm worried about Sony in this area. They really have to market/engineer smart with PS4, and establish Vita...and they have shown constantly software isn't there strong point, when that's where the industry is headed. Would hate to see WWS go away..
 

Mpl90

Two copies sold? That's not a bomb guys, stop trolling!!!
Since this is NPD and there are people with NPD datas right under their noses ( heh :D )...Do we have some numbers for Castlevania franchise in US? At least for Lords of Shadows and one of the last DS entries.
 
But 360 doesn't dominate in UK if I'm not mistaken? Euro territories are still very loyal to PS3, and Japan is pretty crazy on portables, dunno how big of an impact that had on PS3 catching up...it sells well in all territories...

I absolutely hate FPS which is a big western trend, so I think your post is a little biased as I don't really care what's selling well this generation, U.S development doesn't produce my personal favorite titles this year or ever. Sales are not the biggest picture when it comes to game quality and original ideas (Angry Birds) and shouldn't be used as a measuring stick to a consoles's worth. PS3 was getting pretty much the treatment as Vita after it's first year, so saying it just caught back up because of Japan is a huge disservice. Sony worked there asses off with exclusives--that's about it...

360 very much dominates the UK, in a similar scale to the US. Hence why Americans really should be more concerned that the console market in the UK is dying on its arse.
 

Sadist

Member
But 360 doesn't dominate in UK if I'm not mistaken? Euro territories are still very loyal to PS3, and Japan is pretty crazy on portables, dunno how big of an impact that had on PS3 catching up...it sells well in all territories...
360 is strong in the UK. The rest of Europe tends to mix it up. Germany, France like Nintendo systems. Spain likes the PS3 etc etc.
 
360 is strong in the UK. The rest of Europe tends to mix it up. Germany, France like Nintendo systems. Spain likes the PS3 etc etc.

Germany and France like the nintendo handhelds, they have been as much PS3 land as the rest of mainland EU since the Wii died
 
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