Microsoft is rapidly losing its year long head start to Nintendo and S Options

[Xbox-Scene]

Microsoft is rapidly losing its year long head start to Nintendo and Sony Posted by XanTium | September 6 18:04 EST | News Category: Xbox360

From roughlydrafted.com: [QUOTE] Nintendo's Wii, while nearly impossible to find in retail stores, sold slightly above the company's second quarter June 2007 goal of 9 million units, reaching sales of 9,270,000. Sony's PlayStation 3 also edged slightly above its 6 million goal for Q2 by shipping 6,210,000 units to stores. There is still significant inventory left unsold in stores, which prompted Sony to cut the PS3's price in July by $100, to $499 and $599 for the two PS3 models. Microsoft had originally set a target of 15 million Xbox 360s by the middle of 2007, but dropped that target down to 12 million. Even with lowered expectations, the company was still unable to meet its goal, having only shipped 11,600,000 units by the end of June. For the first half of 2007, while Nintendo sold 6 million units a quarter and Sony shipped 2 million per quarter, Microsoft was only about to push out 600,000 units a quarter, in large part because the retail channel is already full of unsold Xbox 360s. When looking at actual worldwide sales reported by manufacturers, 360 unit sales are flattening out dramatically. Microsoft has now had two quarters of sales well behind last year's sales. In its second year, the Xbox 360 is slipping behind every quarter in year over year sales, and not by a little. This years' Xbox 360 sales are less than half those of 2006's. While Windows Enthusiasts like to deride PS3 sales as low, Sony's relatively high priced console is selling at identical levels to Microsoft's 360 figures from last year after its initial stumble out of the gate. In other words, the PS3 is matching the Xbox 360's first year sales while 360 itself isn't, allowing Sony to incrementally catch up while Microsoft languishes with static sales. In just half a year, Sony is at half of Microsoft's sales, despite the Xbox 360 having been on sale for over a year and a half. Nintendo's Wii, however, is taking off in a way that leaves both of the HD consoles behind. It appears poised to pass total sales of the 360 next month at the end of the third quarter. [/QUOTE] Full Story: roughlydrafted.com

[INM8]

They should be sensible and drop the price a bit more. Microsoft have enough money to give everyone in the world free xbox 360s if they wanted, so why not drop the price of the Pro system to match the Wii. I think that'd be a nail in the PS3s coffin, and the Wii would have more competition as well.

[DeMoN_DARREN]

Wii is selling like hotcakes (mmmm, hotcakes) cos its marketed for all and cheap. But damn if PS3 is making better steps then Xbox 360, i swear the PS3 has no hold where i am, i know 20 people off the top of my head (in the south of the UK) that personally have a 360 and not one that has a PS3

[Flashelek]

They should be sensible and drop the price a bit more. Microsoft have enough money to give everyone in the world free xbox 360s if they wanted, so why not drop the price of the Pro system to match the Wii. I think that'd be a nail in the PS3s coffin, and the Wii would have more competition as well.

Well, whats better then money? More money ofc.. MS wont raise their prices (they just have i think), PS3 has its advantages and disadvantages, but remember.. Its problems will show as well..

Go XBox Go, i dont like MS but i just love this god damned console..

[Tiuk]

Does anybody care? Really?

What does it matter if there are more Wiis out there than 360s? I have both, I enjoy both for completely different reasons. People are going to enjoy their consoles, I don't give a shit if the PS3 ends up selling 100 million units.

[nuke field ET]

Wii is selling like hotcakes (mmmm, hotcakes) cos its marketed for all and cheap. But damn if PS3 is making better steps then Xbox 360, i swear the PS3 has no hold where i am, i know 20 people off the top of my head (in the south of the UK) that personally have a 360 and not one that has a PS3

Exactly. Out of everyone I know of that has a current-gen gaming console, they either have an xbox 360, wii, or both (i.e. myself ). I don't know where these sources are citing that the PS3 is making any sort of comeback whatsoever; there's really no games that stand out for it, and there's been numerous times that the controls themselves ruined an otherwise good game (e.g. lair).

I would think that the main reason the xbox 360 is starting to lag behind is its horrid reputation of failing hardware. I always hear some sort of joke or pun about the hardware giving out after about only 6 months of use. I've had 2 (yep, 2) consoles burn out on me so far, and I've had to buy another one each time because it was either out of the warranty window (1st) or I voided the warranty (2nd). I've always been a major proponent of xbox live, though; that's about the best thing the 360 has going for it, I would say. The games are fine, too; the 360 has a good selection of top-notch games that have been released, and they've had arcade out for a while, for anyone who simply wants to play a quick half-hour of hold 'em.

I don't think a price cut would boost sales that much. They really need to find a solution to their hardware issues before that issue alone becomes the reason it's pushed to #3.

[twisted_oak]

All those refurb units that are available can't help their sales very much as well.

Also, I only know one person who has a PS3. He has one game. lol

This post has been edited by twisted_oak: Sep 6 2007, 11:16 PM

[slipstream]

what they fail to mention is that the 360 'stumbled' its forst 6 months because it was nearly impossible to find in stored for the first 5-6 months, while the PS3, which they say is matching its sales, has been available in every store I have went in after about a month after its release

[nishu]

Wii is selling like hotcakes (mmmm, hotcakes) cos its marketed for all and cheap. But damn if PS3 is making better steps then Xbox 360, i swear the PS3 has no hold where i am, i know 20 people off the top of my head (in the south of the UK) that personally have a 360 and not one that has a PS3

The fact that you can only name Xbox owners off the top of your head only points to the fact that there is distortion in using the sample data from your own personal experience to predict the wider population data. Naturally you would tend to associate with people who share your interests and those people would tend to buy 360's if you are a fan. If you were a Sony fan, then chances are most of your friends would also have a PS3.

This is why we have independent agencies that measure sales statistics and can provide reliable and unbiased data on what consoles are actually gaining market share.

[ubernewb]

of course the wii is kickin arse.. nintendo did what microsoft and sony should have done all along.. they put the focus on the fun factor. while m$ and sony were overly consumed with heavy graphics and high def gaming, nintendo came up with a system that revolved around the casual gamer who enjoys having some silly fun with friends.. because they weren't going all hardcore with it, they were able to keep the price down a bit.. which i'd be willing to bet is also a big part of their success.

my own personal example.. i have about 3-4 friends that enjoy going online for some forza racing or gears multiplayer.. but every single person i know LOVES to play some mario party.. my 360 is on when i get home from work, but my wii is on when friends come over.. plain and simple

as for increased sony sales, that's kind of a no-brainer.. sony has built up quite a fanbase over the years. if anything, i'd say their sales are a little low based on the percentage of people that would normally have bought one just cuz it has the sony label on it.




i'd also like to point out that sony has listed units shipped, not units sold... i work at best buy, and i can tell you there are piles upon piles of these things in stock at almost every store that have been collecting dust for a while now, whereas the wii's are gone within a few hours of arriving in the building (the only time they last any longer is when they're being held for a sunday ad) ... we had a shipment of 12 of them arrive at about 2pm the other day.. by 6pm when i got off they were gone

[Software2]

What's the attach rate for games?

[zero129]

By the end of this year we will see who comes out on top.

This post has been edited by zero129: Sep 6 2007, 11:25 PM

[T Ghost]

Does anybody knows what the sources of this roughlydrafted.com are?

'Cause I don't know where is the lala land where PS3 is selling this year like 360 was selling in 2006.

With the exception of Japan, where everybody sells more than XBOX 360.

[ubernewb]

By the end of this year we will see who comes out on top.

here's my prediction..

1. wii
2. 360
3. peepee3

360 will definately make up some ground with halo3.. i personally know of 4 people that are buying a 360 on halo's launch.. i'm sure they're not the only 4 people doing that either

sorry m$, but the wii is just too damn fun.. maybe take some notes for your next console

[Tony42077]

I don't know who is buying the PS3, and or why. I'm assuming that half of the people that did so wanted a Hi Def Disc Player. With the amount of people that have owned a PS1 and PS2 throughout the years, many of the PS3 early adopters are buying one on sheer brand loyalty. Just look at the continuing sales of the PS2. I'll bet that %90 of the people buying the PS2 are replacing broken/unreliable units, or are puting one in every room of their house as a DVD/Game player. I mean who is just now getting into gaming and buys a PS2 seven years after its release?

In the end, the quality of games will drive the market leader which is evident with the Wii. Sony's lack of exclusive titles to date has not had anyone buying the system off of word-of-mouth sales which is huge. They are going to have to rely on games that are available on both systems (HL2, Assasins Creed). GoW word-of-mouth sales alone moved an extra 2 million units itself last year. I'm sure that H3 will move more systems by itself than any other game ever released. Watching what your friends are playing sells more units than any add campaign could.

I honestly don't care about the Wii and its 'fun' games. They can sell 30 million of them, that doesn't change the fact that it can't hold a candle to the 360s FPS, Driving, and Sports games. Keep the little kid games on the Wii where they belong.

In the end, we're all winners due to market competition striving to push each other to make better games and systems.