Microsoft Responds To September NPD Results Options

[Xbox-Scene]

Microsoft Responds To September NPD Results Posted by XanTium | October 16 20:09 EST | News Category: Xbox360

From the press release: [QUOTE] 347,000 Xbox 360 consoles sold in September following our U.S. price cut on Sept. 5 contributing to a U.S. install base of 11.3 million (September NPD data). Xbox 360 is now the most affordable next generation console on the market--$50 less than the Wii and half the price of the PlayStation 3. Backed by September sales data, which showed $326 million in total consumer spend in the U.S. and a record software attach rate of 8.1 (September NPD data), we know Xbox 360 owners will continue to flex their buying power in the coming weeks when blockbusters like "Gears of War 2," "Lips," "Fable II," "You're in the Movies" and "Scene It? Box Office Smash" hit shelves. Xbox 360 is the preferred stage for this holiday's hottest music games New music tracks for popular games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero extend every music experience so every party feels like a new party. Xbox LIVE has delivered more than 80% of the downloadable songs for music games, currently averaging 3.8 million music downloads per month. In total, Xbox 360 users have enjoyed more than 45 million music downloads. (Microsoft internal data) In addition to leading the online music game market, Xbox 360 sells more copies of the world's favorite music franchises. To date this generation, in the U.S., nearly 2 million copies of the Rock Band franchise have sold on the Xbox 360, almost 1 million more than the competition combined. Life-to-date sales of the Guitar Hero franchise on Xbox 360 top 4 million, securing more than 50% of franchise sales this generation (September NPD data). "Rock Band 2" debuts exclusively on Xbox 360 · Since its U.S. launch on Sept. 14, "Rock Band 2" on the Xbox 360 sold 363,000 copies in September, making it September's #3 selling game. · This holiday, Xbox 360 will continue to sell more third-party games like "Rock Band 2" than the competition. In September alone, Xbox 360 generated $167 million in third party game sales. Calling all shower singers, wanna-be rappers and pop princesses - "Lips" hits the stage in November · "Lips" will have music fans singing their favorite tunes this holiday season as this totally new singing IP lands around the globe. "Lips" lets people sing the music they want with breakthrough wireless motion-sensitive microphones, backed by master tracks and original music videos. "Lips" hits in mid-November, exclusively for Xbox 360 from Microsoft and iNiS. "Guitar Hero® World Tour" drops on Oct. 26 with a cooperative band experience, newly redesigned controllers and in-game Music Studio music creator · "Guitar Hero World Tour" launches on Oct. 26. Xbox 360 gamers worldwide have early access to an R.E.M. track pack featuring three songs from the band's new album, and Metallica's highly anticipated full-length album, "Death Magnetic," was offered to music fans around the world as downloadable content on Xbox LIVE in its entirety on the same day the record was released. At the Tokyo Game Show last week we announced that the New Xbox Experience will launch worldwide on Nov. 19. For the first time in the history of the internet, 14 million consumers across 24 countries will all tune in at the same time to watch their Xbox 360 completely reinvent itself, for free, with the New Xbox Experience. From the best music games and blockbuster titles, to LIVE Parties, photo sharing and access to a movie and TV show library 30,000 deep through the New Xbox Experience, Xbox 360 has something for everyone this holiday. [/QUOTE]

[readmore]

In case anyone cares

U.S. Hardware Sales for September 2008:

Nintendo Wii – 687,000
Nintendo DS - 536,800
Xbox 360 – 347,200
PS3 – 232,400
PlayStation Portable - 238,100
PlayStation 2 - 173,500


Top Ten Video Games for September 2008 (ranked by total U.S. units sold)


Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - Xbox 360 – LucasArts – 610,000
Wii Fit - Wii - Nintendo of America - 518,000
Rock Band 2 - Xbox 360 - EA - 363,000
Mario Kart w/Wheel - Wii - Nintendo of America - 353,000
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - PS3– LucasArts – 325,000
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames - Xbox 360 - EA- 297,000
Play w/ Wii Remote - Wii - Nintendo of America – 243,000
Madden NFL 09 - Xbox 360 – EA – 224,000
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - Wii – LucasArts – 223,000
Madden NFL 09 - PS2– EA – 158,000

[Chancer]

Although sales have been boosted. the aim of outselling the Wii which they secretly hoped might happen. It may be the best value console but it still will not make it the biggest selling one.
I believe people can own one of these as well as the Wii now the price is so low.

[Kurto2022]

I am still just not getting it. I have a Wii and an Xbox and while the Wii has a few neat games there is nothing there that draws me in. Most people I know with the Wii also agree, however, most of the little kids do prefer it. I just keep thinking the bottom is going to fall out but it never does.

[dokworm]

The 360 sells predominantly to 14-35yr old males, the wii sells to men women and children from 4yrs old to 80 and beyond.
It is truly a mass market product, the 360 is still relatively niche. The wii just keeps going, it has been far too long to be a fad, and sure many 360 owners don't see a lot to keep them interested, but there are a lot of titles for that mass market to keep them coming back.
Boom blox, de blob, World of Goo, Mad World, the mario stuff, zelda, Wii Sports (Huge with the elderly!) and enough mainstream titles like force unleashed etc, means a really diverse portfolio for that little thing. It has wider appeal, less appeal to the hardcore gamer, but plenty for everyone else.

[TexT]

Its all about software sells.. 360 destroys everyone in this category.. the only category 3rd party developers care about.

[PandaExpress]

Its all about software sells.. 360 destroys everyone in this category.. the only category 3rd party developers care about.

from the top ten list posted on top
there are 4 games for 360 and 4 for the wii, so it looks like wii games are starting to sell more and soon wii catch up to 360 sells.
oh and I am sure 360 games cost 10X more to develop then wii games, 3rd party developers will like that too.

[itchy]

Its all about software sells.. 360 destroys everyone in this category.. the only category 3rd party developers care about.

3rd party developers also care about installed console base. The more consoles, the more folks to buy a game for it. That's what's still keeping the PS2 in business.

Nonetheless it still amazes me the Wii is still doing so well.

[ChrisF]

Nintendo managed to hit upon the "Pet Rock" and one of the best selling items of the decade. GameCube flopped (still profitable) and most people didn't think they should do hardware again. Yes, they were innovative and yes the Wii has merits but in no one's wildest expectations did they thing it would become a cultural "must have". Cabbage Patch Dolls in the 1980s were similar, nice concept, neat doll, nothing really special and all of a sudden everyone is insane for them.

[Chancer]

Its all about software sells.. 360 destroys everyone in this category.. the only category 3rd party developers care about.

No the thread is about hardware sales.

[sabbath_dude]

The 360 sells predominantly to 14-35yr old males, the wii sells to men women and children from 4yrs old to 80 and beyond.
It is truly a mass market product, the 360 is still relatively niche.

Agreed.

from the top ten list posted on top
there are 4 games for 360 and 4 for the wii, so it looks like wii games are starting to sell more and soon wii catch up to 360 sells.
oh and I am sure 360 games cost 10X more to develop then wii games, 3rd party developers will like that too.

I think TexT was referring to attachment rates rather than outright title sales. The attachment rate on the 360 blows the Wii out the water in that respect and I very much doubt the Wii will ever get even close.

[Spartiku5]

I love playing the 360, the textures, the games, the content but when the kids bring there wii downstairs to play on the big telly, i have to admit it is a huge laugh, the 360 is awsome dont get me wrong but the wii apeals to a huge audiance this can not be ignored.
There is room in the market for both consoles the 360 price cut just makes it better for the consumer, we should be happy they are both doing well

[halcyonx12]

They seriously think Rock Band 2 will sell better on 360 than Wii?

[Verity]

there are 4 games for 360 and 4 for the wii, so it looks like wii games are starting to sell more and soon wii catch up to 360 sells.

Let's take a look at those titles, shall we?

Wii Fit - Wii - Nintendo of America - 518,000
Mario Kart w/Wheel - Wii - Nintendo of America - 353,000
Play w/ Wii Remote - Wii - Nintendo of America – 243,000
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - Wii – LucasArts – 223,000

(thanks for the numbers readmore)

So, out of the four Wii top ten sellers, three are first-party Nintendo titles. The fourth is Force Unleashed, which is being outsold by the Xbox360 nearly 3-to-1. The long held opinion that Wii is good for Nintendo but bad for everyone else still seems to be holding on.

I hate to say it (since I don't particularly like Microsoft) but Xbox360 seems to be where the software is at!

This post has been edited by Verity: Oct 19 2008, 10:40 PM

[dokworm]

If your install base is twice anyone elses, then you can get away with half the attachment rate. If you are making profit on your hardware, you are in an even better situation.

The Wii (I'm guessing here) probably is a lot cheaper to develop for, if you only spend 5 million on a game instead of fifty, you don't have to move anywhere near as many units.

I disagree that the Wii is the 'pet rock' or cabbage patch doll, if it was, the sales would have died off six months ago. That sucker is consistent, it outsells the combined sales of the (technically superior) PS3 and 360 every damn month, and these days isn't the cheapest kid on the block either. It really just is about it being a wider product than the other two, it appeals to more sectors of the market, so it sells more, plus it is small, quiet and unobtrusive in the loungeroom, has a much higher WAF than any console in history (Wife Acceptance Factor) and is probably the first console ever to sell in large numbers to senior citizens. It has broad, mass market appeal, and is making Nintendo a fortune, and I doubt is sending any 3rd party developers to the wall.
It is a different product to the 360 in many ways, but the 360 or the PS3 could have owned this market as well if they had the nouse, but they didn't believe in the casual gamer, got caught up in the technology and so are the more niche players this time round. It is the best time in history to be a gamer, there is truly a huge range of games available now to suit just about anyone.