The monthly visitor (aka February NPDs)

[Sheep]

When I read this month's numbers, I assumed somebody pulled a fast one and managed to punk everyone by reporting fake numbers, but it looks like Microsoft managed to outsell Nintendo in February.

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/11/february-npd-xbox-360-and-bioshock-2-sales-heat-up/

-DS: 613K (45%)
-360: 422K (27%)
-Wii: 398K (-15%)
-PS3: 360K (30%)
-PSP: 133K (33%)
-PS2: 102K (143%)

1. BioShock 2 - Xbox 360 - Take-Two - 562.9K
2. New Super Mario Bros. Wii - Wii - Nintendo - 555.6K
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - Xbox 360 - Activision - 314.3K
4. Just Dance - Wii - Ubisoft - 275.4K
5. Wii Sports Resort - Wii - Nintendo - 272.5K
6. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 - PS3 - Activision - 252.8K
7. Mass Effect 2 - 360 - EA - 246.5K
8. Dante's Inferno (Divine Edition) - PS3 - EA - 242.5K
9. Dante's Inferno - 360 - EA - 224.7K
10. Heavy Rain - PS3 - Sony - 219.3K

Let's summarize. Microsoft does pretty much nothing of note to push the 360 (that I can recall), Sony has some of its biggest titles come out, and Microsoft wins the overall sales battle? If the PS3 doesn't dominate everyone in March with FF13 and God of War III rolling out, I think we can forget about the PS3 ever overtaking the 360 in North America.

 

[clint g]

FFXIII won't be doing much for the PS3 in North American I think. The only FFXIII bundle released is an XBOX360/FFXIII bundle so if anything, it may help sales of the 360. On top of that, those with 360s but without a PS3 can just as easily get their 360 fix on their current system. Also, I can't speak for anyone else but God of War III, despite being a great game, doesn't feel like much of a system seller.

With that being said, some reports by our fellow posters seem to indicate that Sony isn't meeting demand with their system. As a result, it wouldn't shock me if people out there looking for PS3s just buy the easily available 360 instead.

 

[firehawk12]

Hah, wow. Bioshock 2 PS3 didn't break the top 10. Oh well.

 

[Sheep]

With that being said, some reports by our fellow posters seem to indicate that Sony isn't meeting demand with their system. As a result, it wouldn't shock me if people out there looking for PS3s just buy the easily available 360 instead.

If this was the case and I was in charge at Sony, heads would be rolling among the people in charge of projecting sales numbers and manufacturing consoles. Some of the system's biggest exclusives like GOW3 and Heavy Rain come out, a traditional Sony heavy hitter in FFXIII (despite it appearing on the 360 too) and other big multi-platform games come out and they don't anticipate an increase in console sales? Really?

 

[clint g]

You're preaching to the choir on this one

What Sony SHOULD have done was release that slick FFXIII PS3 that got released in Japan. Instead, MS was able to pick up that deal with the 360. If I was Sony I would have also have pushed for a limited edition version of FFXIII to be released on the PS3 (im actually extremely shocked that a limited edition version of the game has been released).

Should we be surprised though? The PS3 has been terribly mismanaged since launch.

 

[TheBrew]

FFXIII won't be doing much for the PS3 in North American I think. The only FFXIII bundle released is an XBOX360/FFXIII bundle so if anything, it may help sales of the 360. On top of that, those with 360s but without a PS3 can just as easily get their 360 fix on their current system. Also, I can't speak for anyone else but God of War III, despite being a great game, doesn't feel like much of a system seller.

With that being said, some reports by our fellow posters seem to indicate that Sony isn't meeting demand with their system. As a result, it wouldn't shock me if people out there looking for PS3s just buy the easily available 360 instead.

Hell, the PS3 I got was on craigslist because I couldn't find a new one (and it had Marvel vs. Capcom 2 installed already).

 

[Haggis and tatties]

Man Nintendo is just unstoppable.

 

[Rii]

[UTvoice] Unstoppable [/UTvoice]

I'm waiting on the new handheld hardware from Nintendo/Sony which should be unveiled at E3 this year. Eurogamer has some delightful speculative technical wankery regarding such here. Hopefully Wii HD will make an appearance too.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

I will be interested to see how they do with the new DS, the one with the bigger bigger screen, i mean how many times can they successfully sell the same handheld.

 

[Rii]

They're just looking to wring every last inch of life out of it.

I can't imagine that Nintendo will be willing to sacrifice backwards compatibility with the DS in its new design. That doesn't necessarily mean that the new handheld will have two screens, though. For example, it could have a single, large, high-resolution widescreen display that, when tilted on its side, divides itself into two DS-esque displays.

 

[FordSVT]

What is the current software/hardware ratio? MS still dominating that stat? What with the number of Wiis bought as home fitness machines and party features, half of them rotting in closets collecting dust and the PS3 often being sold along side a home theatre system to a 45 year old guy looking for a BR player as a gamer.

 

[Sheep]

What is the current software/hardware ratio? MS still dominating that stat? What with the number of Wiis bought as home fitness machines and party features, half of them rotting in closets collecting dust and the PS3 often being sold along side a home theatre system to a 45 year old guy looking for a BR player as a gamer.

If the monthly software sales charts are any indication, Microsoft is absolutely cleaning house on that front, Nintendo has a small handful of big titles that have stuck around the charts forever (like Wii Fit) and Sony's games (even the high profile ones) rarely make an extended appearance.