Video Game/Console Sales are Slipping as Much as Auto Sales

[Wesley]

MarketWatch.com Story

The Wii from Nintendo /quotes/comstock/11i!ntdoy (NTDO.Y 33.55, -0.77, -2.24%) remained the most popular of the next-gen consoles, but the mega-popular device has watched sales slide notably over the last two months. About 340,000 Wii units were sold in April, down 43% from March and less than half of the 753,000 units sold in February.

Rival consoles from Microsoft Corp. /quotes/comstock/15*!msft/quotes/nls/msft (MSFT 20.32, +0.26, +1.31%) and Sony Corp. /quotes/comstock/13*!sne/quotes/nls/sne (SNE 26.43, +0.17, +0.65%) fared little better. The XBox 360 sold 175,000 units -- down 47% from March -- while the Playstation 3 saw unit sales fall 42% to 127,000 for April, according to NPD.

 

[RayShimley]

MarketWatch.com Story

The Wii from Nintendo /quotes/comstock/11i!ntdoy (NTDO.Y 33.55, -0.77, -2.24%) remained the most popular of the next-gen consoles, but the mega-popular device has watched sales slide notably over the last two months. About 340,000 Wii units were sold in April, down 43% from March and less than half of the 753,000 units sold in February.

Rival consoles from Microsoft Corp. /quotes/comstock/15*!msft/quotes/nls/msft (MSFT 20.32, +0.26, +1.31%) and Sony Corp. /quotes/comstock/13*!sne/quotes/nls/sne (SNE 26.43, +0.17, +0.65%) fared little better. The XBox 360 sold 175,000 units -- down 47% from March -- while the Playstation 3 saw unit sales fall 42% to 127,000 for April, according to NPD.

Yes, God forbid they actually have Wii's available in stores now!

 

[Mr Janny]

Yes, God forbid they actually have Wii's available in stores now!

they're actually pretty easy to find, now.

 

[Clonefan94]

Where I don't think the economy is helping things, I do believe there are more factors to consider here when it comes to console sales. I'd think summer is pretty slow time for console sales as it is. Then considering we are reaching year 4 or 5? for the 360 and year 3 for the PS3. I think you are reaching a point in this cycle where most people that want a system, have a system. And until the holiday season you probably won't see much of a jump anyways.

A better indication would be actual game sales and how they are doing right now. Games are where they make their money anyways. And if they played their cards right, they'd punch that, "Can't afford a vacation, take one at home on your TV." market.

The only system I really remember still selling strong late in it's cycle was the PS2. And that's because it was cheap, cheap, cheap and everyone was still producing games for it. A big price drop would help those console sales numbers substantially, but I imagine they'll hold that off for the holiday season.

 

[brianhos]

Is there any new great games out? That is the reason I have not bought anything in a while.

 

[Cyclonick182]

Is there any new great games out? That is the reason I have not bought anything in a while.

Not so much. Summer is a dead period for big game releases for the most part.

 

[danrog]

I've heard rumblings that PS3 basic package price is dropping to $300 from $400 shortly. Anyone hear any truth to these rumors?

 

[IcSyU]

I've heard rumblings that PS3 basic package price is dropping to $300 from $400 shortly. Anyone hear any truth to these rumors?

I doubt it simply because they're already selling them at a loss. I think if they were going to knock them down, they'da done it already.

 

[Cyclonick182]

I doubt it simply because they're already selling them at a loss. I think if they were going to knock them down, they'da done it already.

Its pretty likely that they will IMO, but like others have said, its not likely that it will happen until the holiday season.

 

[Wesley]

If new video games were $30, sales might pick up.

Are new game applications on iPods/iPTouch/phones diverting some sales of games to the phones?

 

[tzjung]

Dude...

A couple of TERRIFIC PS3 games have come out recently or are coming out soon:

Killzone 2 in Feb (best gfx of any game this gen)
Infamous (9.2 from IGN, Superhero Sandbox game out on May 25th)

 

[Cyclonick182]

If new video games were $30, sales might pick up.

Are new game applications on iPods/iPTouch/phones diverting some sales of games to the phones?

I doubt it. Alot of those games arent close to the caliber of game that you get on a handheld, and definately not on par with consoles. I do think the price point of games has alot to do with it though. 60 bucks for a new release is pretty crazy, even though its probably justified with ever rising cost to develop games.

 

[Cyclonick182]

Dude...

A couple of TERRIFIC PS3 games have come out recently or are coming out soon:

Killzone 2 in Feb (best gfx of any game this gen)
Infamous (9.2 from IGN, Superhero Sandbox game out on May 25th)

That would be why I qualified it with for the most part. Its generally the rule but what rule doesnt have a few exceptions? But you try to make the case that summer is like winter for releases, thats blind. Also a Feb. release isnt really a summer release.

 

[The_Architect]

Punchout comes out next week!

 

[Mr Janny]

Summer is traditionally slow, but there are still some good games to be found.

EA will have some heavy hitters this summer. Fight Night Round 4 in June, NCAA Football 10 in July, and Madden 10 in August. Also, Tiger Woods 10 is in there as well.

Sacred 2 just released for those who are into the Diablo style of game.

Battlestations Pacific is a fantastic WWII flight/naval battle RTS on the Xbox 360. It just came out.

The Bionic Commando remake looks to be pretty decent, and the new Red Faction is getting some pretty good buzz.

 

[AirWalke]

Wii has seen a virtual drought of games for the past year that appealed to their hardcore market (Animal Crossing and Wii Fit do not count.). I think the honeymoon period is well over for the Wii itself, and with motion controls rumored to be coming to the PS3 and 360 this summer, Nintendo has a lot to do to bring back their momentum.

The PlayStation 3 looks like it's going to have a great year at this point, with God of War 3, inFamous, Uncharted 2, new Ratchet and Clank game, and Final Fantasy XIII.

Look for the future of these systems around the beginning of June when E3 starts in LA... a lot of gaming companies make their big announcements at this expo.

 

[tim_redd]

the wii motion plus thing comes out soon. I'm interested to see how well the Tiger Woods golf game will be with it...

 

[Cyclonick182]

Wii has seen a virtual drought of games for the past year that appealed to their hardcore market (Animal Crossing and Wii Fit do not count.). I think the honeymoon period is well over for the Wii itself, and with motion controls rumored to be coming to the PS3 and 360 this summer, Nintendo has a lot to do to bring back their momentum.

The PlayStation 3 looks like it's going to have a great year at this point, with God of War 3, inFamous, Uncharted 2, new Ratchet and Clank game, and Final Fantasy XIII.

Look for the future of these systems around the beginning of June when E3 starts in LA... a lot of gaming companies make their big announcements at this expo.

1) PS3 already has them already, sort of, with the dual shock 3. I forget their cutesy name they had for it, but it was clunky.

2)Japan gets it this year, We don't til early next I believe.

 

[MrGreg]

I've heard rumblings that PS3 basic package price is dropping to $300 from $400 shortly. Anyone hear any truth to these rumors?

There have been rumblings for a couple of years, so I don't really believe them anymore. However, Dell occasionally sells the 80GB PS3 for $300 after coupon, so it can be had for cheaper.

 

[aeroclone]

I agree with a lot of the points in this thread. I don't know that it is so much the economy as it is other market factors. The systems are getting late in their life, several years in. Most people that want in already have one. The next big sales push will come when the price cuts start, which I would think may be later this year.

The other issue is games. There just aren't that many top tier titles coming out right now, which isn't that unusual, the holiday season is the big time for this.

I would say watch for big announcements here at E3, new games for the Christmas season, new accessories, or price cuts.