Video Game Industry Sales and Financial

[Viper]

This thread is dedicated to overall hardware, software and financial statements from the big 3 hardware manufacturers.

All figures are given from various respected sources including the companies themselves and tracking companies such as NPD. Though some report shipped and others reports actual sales, for the sake of argument, we'll blur those lines.

I'll take the next three posts and update accordingly. One post each for Sony, Nintendo and MS.

[Viper]

SONY


Worldwide Hardware: (as of Dec 31st, 2007)
**Sony no longer offers a territorial breakdown. I will strike though the numbers on hold until they become available again**

PS3:
NA - 2,620,000
Japan - 1,260,000
Euro - 1,620,000
Total - 10,490,000

PS2:
NA - 47,680,000
Japan - 25,420,000
Euro - 44,790,000
Total ~ 122,890,000

PSP:
NA - 9,580,000
Japan - 6,920,000
Euro - 8,890,000
Total ~ 33,00,000

PS: March 31, 2005
NA - 40,780,000
Japan - 21,590,000
Euro - 40,120,000
Total - 102,490,000


Worldwide Software: (as of Dec 31, 2007)
**Sony no longer offers a territorial breakdown. I will strike though the numbers on hold until they become available again**

PS3:
NA - 7,500,000
Japan - 1,800,000
Euro - 3,900,000
Total 54,400,000

PS2:
NA - 565,000,000
Japan - 228,000,000
Euro - 447,000,000
Total ~ 1,370,000,000

PSP:
NA - 43,200,000
Japan - 19,600,000
Europe - 38,600,000
Total ~ 142,200,000


Top Sony Game Sales:


PS:

1. Gran Turismo - 10.84 million (Japan 2.55, NA 3 .99, Euro 4.30)
2. Final Fantasy VII - 9.72 million (Japan 3.93, NA 3.09, Euro 2.70)
3. Gran Turismo 2 - 9.34 million (Japan 1.71, NA 3.96, Euro 3.67)
4. Final Fantasy VIII - 7.86 million (Japan 3.64, NA 2.34, Euro 1.88)
5. Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back - 7.61 million (Japan 1.33, NA 3.91, Euro 2.37)
6. Crash Bandicoot 3 - 7.13 million (Japan 1.45, NA 3.77, Euro 1.91)
7. Tekken 3 - 6.91 million (Japan 1.40, NA 3.09, Euro 2.42)
8. Metal Gear Solid - 6.6 million *
9. Crash Bandicoot - 6.54 million (Japan 0.90, NA 3.32, Euro 2.57)
10. Driver - 6.17 million (Japan 0.02, NA 3.09, Euro 3.06)
11. Resident Evil 2 - 5.82 million (Japan 2.28, NA 1.93, Euro 1.61)
12. Tekken 2 - 5.45 million (Japan 1.37, NA 2.02, Euro 2.06)
13. Final Fantasy IX - 5.30 million (Japan 2.80, NA 1.66, Euro 0.84)
14. Resident Evil - 5.05 million (Japan 1.68, NA 2.10, Euro 1.27)
15. Tomb Raider II - 4.94 million (Japan 0.20, NA 2.05, Euro 2.69)
16. Spyro the Dragon - 4.74 million (Japan 0.07, NA 3.35, Euro 1.49)
17. Driver 2 - 4.73 million (Japan 0.02, NA 2.42, Euro 2.29)
18. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 - 4.56 million (Japan 0.02, NA 3.02, Euro 1.54)
19. Tomb Raider - 4.45 million (Japan 0.14, NA 2.16, Euro 2.15)
20. Dragon Quest VII - 4.33 million (Japan 4.12, NA 0.21, Euro 0.00??)



PS2:

1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - 14.88 million (Japan 0.41, NA 7.89, Euro 6.58)
2. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec - 14.84 million (Japan 1.89, NA 7.11, Euro 5.84)
3. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City - 14.20 million (Japan 0.47, NA 8.20, Euro 5.53)
4. Grand Theft Auto III - 11.60 million (Japan 0.36, NA 6.55, Euro 4.69)
5. Gran Turismo 4 - 8.11 million (Japan 1.10, NA 2.49, Euro 4.52)
6. Final Fantasy X - 7.95 million (Japan 3.02, NA 2.74, Euro 2.19)
7. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty - 7.01 million *
8. Need for Speed Underground - 6.49 million (Japan 0.08, NA 2.99, Euro 3.42)
9. Need for Speed Underground 2 - 6.38 million (Japan 0.08, NA 2.63, Euro 3.67)
10. Medal of Honor: Frontline - 6.29 million (Japan 0.17, NA 2.80, Euro 3.32)
11. Kingdom Hearts - 5.50 million (Japan 1.24, NA 3.45, Euro 0.81)
12. Final Fantasy X-2 - 5.21 million (Japan 2.41, NA 1.82, Euro 0.98)
13. Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex - 4.97 million (Japan 0.24, NA 1.95, Euro 2.78)
14. Final Fantasy XII - 4.94 (Japan 2.42, NA 1.68, Euro 0.84)
15. Dragon Quest VIII - 4.68 million (Japan 3.61, NA 0.47, Euro 0.60)
16. Medal of Honor: Rising Sun - 4.65 million (Japan 0.13, NA 1.81, Euro 2.71)
17. Madden NFL 2005 - 4.46 million (Japan 0.01, 4.35, Euro 0.10)
18. Spider-Man - 4.33 million (Japan 0.03, NA 2.51, Euro 1.79)
19. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers - 4.28 million (Japan 0.08, NA 1.84, Euro 2.36)
20. Need for Speed: Most Wanted - 4.06 (Japan 0.08, NA 1.82, Euro 2.16)


PS3
1. MotorStorm - 2.78 million (Japan 0.08, NA 1.53, 1.17)
2. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - 2.52 million (Japan 0.10, NA 1.22, Euro 1.20)
3. Resistance: Fall of Man - 2.39 million (Japan 0.14, NA 1.06, Euro 1.19)
4. Assassins Creed - 2.31 million (Japan 0.06, NA 0.95, Euro 1.30)
5. Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 - 1.33 million (Japan 0.30, NA 0.00, Euro 1.03)
6. Uncharted: Drakes Fortune - 1.29 million (Japan 0.06, NA 0.52, 0.71)
7. FIFA 08 - 1.17 million (Japan 0.00, NA 0.20, Euro 0.97)
8. Need For Speed: ProStreet - 1.06 million (Japan 0.03, NA 0.35, Euro 0.68)



PSP

1. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories - 4.69 million (Japan 0.12, NA 1.99, Euro 2.58)
2. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories - 2.34 million (Japan 0.04, NA 0.84, Euro 1.46)
3. Monster Hunter Freedom 2nd - 2.09 million (Japan 1.68, NA 0.19, Euro 0.22)
4. Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition - 1.88 million (Japan 0.01, NA 1.15, Euro 0.72)
5. Need for Speed Most Wanted - 1.84 million (Japan 0.02, NA 1.10, 0.72)
6. Star Wars: Battlefront II - 1.49 million (Japan 0.01, NA 0.91, Euro 0.57)
7. Monster Hunter Freedom - 1.41 million (Japan 1.03, NA 0.22, Euro 0.16)
8. Daxter - 1.40 million (Japan 0.00, NA 1.40, Euro 0.00)
8. Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee - 1.35 million (Japan 0.58, NA 0.36, Euro 0.41)
10. SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo - 1.33 million (Japan 0.01, NA 0.98, Euro 0.34)
11. Pro Evolution Soccer 5 - 1.28 million (Japan 0.32, NA 0.00, Euro 0.96)
12. Need For Speed Underground Rivals - 1.18 (Japan 0.02, NA 0.67, Euro 0.49)
13. Ridge Racer - 1.14 million (Japan 0.36, NA 0.34, Euro 0.44)
14. FIFA 07 - 1.03 million (Japan 0.00, NA 0.22, Euro 0.81)
15. Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops - 1.03 million (Japan 0.38, NA 0.34, Euro 0.31)
16. Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron - 1.03 million (Japan 0.00, NA 0.67, Euro 0.36)



* - Global breakdown figures for the two MGS titles were not current though overall total is current.



Sony Games Division Financial
**Q1 begins April 1st each year**

Revenue (in millions)

Quarter
Q1 2005 - $976
Q2 2005 - $1,078
Q3 2005 - $2,744
Q4 2005 - $2,076
Q1 2006 - $1,571
Q2 2006 - $1,896
Q3 2006 - $3,553
Q4 2006 - $1,303
Q1 2007 - $1,065
Q2 2007 - $1,443
Q3 2007 - $3,721
Q4 2007 - $2,383
Q1 2008 - $1,598
Q2 2008 - $2,117


Operating Income or (Loss)

Quarter
Q1 2005 - ($27)
Q2 2005 - ($0)
Q3 2005 - $433
Q4 2005 - $14
Q1 2006 - ($54)
Q2 2006 - $73
Q3 2006 - $575
Q4 2006 - ($525)
Q1 2007 - ($233)
Q2 2007 - ($369)
Q3 2007 - ($455)
Q4 2007 - ($914)
Q1 2008 - ($237)
Q2 2008 - ($841)

[Viper]

Nintendo


Worldwide Hardware: (as of Dec 31st, 2007)

Wii
NA - 8,850,000
Japan - 4,990,000
Euro - 6,300,000
Total - 20,130,000

GameCube
NA - 12,940,000
Japan - 4,020,000
Euro - 4,760,000
Total - 21,720,000

Nintendo 64
NA - 20,630,000
Japan - 5,540,000
Euro - 6,750,000
Total - 32,920,000

SNES
NA - 23,350,000
Japan - 17,150,000
Euro - 8,580,000
Total - 49,080,000

NES
NA - 34,000,000
Japan - 19,200,000
Euro - 8,560,000
Total - 61,760,000

Nintendo DS
NA - 20,180,000
Japan - 21,660,000
Euro - 22,940,000
Total - 64,790,000

Game Boy Advance
NA - 41,650,000
Japan - 16,760,000
Euro - 22,310,000
Total - 80,720,000

GameBoy
NA - 44,060,000
Japan - 32,470,000
Euro - 42,160,000
Total - 118,690,000


Worldwide Software: (as of Dec 31st, 2007)

Wii
NA - 60,090,000
Japan - 16,830,000
Euro - 35,460,000
Total - 113,190,000

GameCube
NA - 138,300,000
Japan - 27,490,000
Euro - 42,510,000
Total - 208,310,000

Nintendo 64
NA - 142,060,000
Japan - 39,750,000
Euro - 43,160,000
Total - 224,970,000

SNES
NA - 134,990,000
Japan - 194,810,000
Euro - 49,220,000
Total - 379,020,000

NES
NA - 230,850,000
Japan - 225,860,000
Euro - 43,290,000
Total - 500,000,000

Nintendo DS
NA - 109,160,000
Japan - 108,450,000
Euro - 113,250,000
Total - 330,870,000

Game Boy Advance
NA - 216,170,000
Japan - 72,660,000
Euro - 87,020,000
Total - 375,850,000

Game Boy
NA - 190,610,000
Japan - 157,040,000
Euro - 153,300,000
Total - 500,950,000


Top Nintendo Game Sales:


NES: (Pack in titles included)
1. Super Mario Bros. - 40.24 million (Japan 6.81, NA 29.52, Euro 3.91)
2. Duck Hunt - 28.31 million (Japan 0.28, NA 27.34, Euro 0.69)
3. Super Mario Bros. 3 - 18 million (Japan 3.84, NA 9.69, Euro 3.75)
4. Super Mario Bros. 2 - 7.46 million (Japan 0.00, NA 5.97, Euro 1.49)
5. The Legend of Zelda - 6.51 million (Japan 1.69, NA 3.80, Euro 1.02)
6. Tetris - 5.58 million (Japan 1.81, NA 3.02, Euro 0.75)
7. Dr Mario - 4.85 million (Japan 1.53, NA 2.66, Euro 0.66)
8. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link - (4.38 million (Japan 1.61, NA 2.22, Euro 0.55)
9. Excitebike - 4.16 million (Japan 1.57, NA 2.07, Euro 0.52)
10. Dragon Quest III - 4.09 million (Japan 3.77, NA 0.32, Euro 0.00)
12. Golf - 4.01 million (Japan 2.46, NA 1.24, Euro 0.31)
13. Kung Fu Master - 3.5 million (Japan 1.42, NA 1.66, Euro 0.42)
14. Baseball - 3.20 million (Japan 2.35, NA 0.74, Euro 0.11)
15. Dragon Quest IV - 3.13 million (Japan 3.04, NA 0.09, Euro 0.00)
16. World Class Track Meet - 3.08 million (Japan 0.64, NA 1.95, Euro 0.49)
17. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! - 3.02 million (Japan 0.45, NA 2.06, Euro 0.51)
17. Metroid - 2.73 million (Japan 1.04, NA 1.35, Euro 0.34)
18. Doki Doki Panic - 2.65 million (Japan 2.65, NA 0.00, Euro 0.00)
19. Dragon Quest II - 2.58 million (Japan 2.41, NA 0.17, Euro 0.00)
20. Ice Hockey - 2.42 million (Japan 0.78, NA 1.29, Euro 0.35)


SNES: (Pack in titles included)
1. Super Mario World - 20.61 million (Japan 3.55, NA 12.97, Euro 4.09)
2. Super Mario All-Stars - 10.55 million (Japan 2.12, NA 6.08, Euro 2.35)
3. Donkey Kong Country - 9.30 million (Japan 3.00, NA 4.43, Euro 1.87)
4. Super Mario Kart - 8.76 million (Japan 3.82, NA 3.59, Euro 1.35)
5. Mortal Kombat - 7 million
6. Street Fighter II - 6.30 million (Japan 2.88, NA 2.51, Euro 0.91)
7. Donkey Kong Country 2 - 5.15 million (Japan 2.21, NA 2.10, Euro 0.84)
8. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - 4.61 million (Japan 1.16, NA 2.46, Euro 0.99)
9. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island - 4.12 million (Japan 1.77, NA 1.68, Euro 0.67)
10 Street Fighter 2 Turbo - 4.10 million (Japan 2.10, NA 1.44, Euro 0.56)
11. Donkey Kong Country 3 - 3.51 million (Japan 1.77, NA 1.26, Euro 0.48)
12. Final Fantasy VI - 3.42 million (Japan 2.55, NA 0.87, Euro 0.00)
13. Killer Instinct - 3.20 million (Japan 0.12, NA 2.29 , Euro 0.79)
14. Dragon Quest VI - 3.19 million (Japan 3.19, NA 0.00, Euro 0.00)
15. Star Fox - 2.99 million (Japan 0.80, NA 1.63, Euro 0.56)
16. F-Zero - 2.85 million (Japan 0.90, NA 1.39, Euro 0.56)
17. Dragon Quest V - 2.79 million (Japan 2.79, NA 0.00, Euro 0.00)
18. Final Fantasy V - 2.45 million (Japan 2.45, NA 0.00, Euro 0.00)
19. Chrono Trigger - 2.31 million (Japan 2.03, NA 0.28, Euro 0.00)
20. Mario Paint - 2.31 million (Japan 0.27, NA 1.45, Euro 0.59)


N64:
1. Super Mario 64 - 11.89 million (Japan 1.92, NA 6.87, Euro 3.10)
2. Mario Kart 64 - 9.87 million (Japan 2.24, NA 5.52, Euro 2.11)
3. GoldenEye 007 - 8.09 million (Japan 0.13, NA 5.77, Euro 2.19)
4. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - 7.60 million (Japan 1.46, NA 4.08, Euro 2.06)
5. Super Smash Bros. - 5.55 million (Japan 1.97, NA 2.93, Euro 0.65)
6. Pokémon Stadium - 5.46 million (Japan 0.95, NA 3.16, Euro 1.35)
7. Donkey Kong 64 - 5.27 million (Japan 1.10, NA 3.31, Euro 0.86)
8. Diddy Kong Racing - 4.88 million (Japan 0.91, NA 2.89, Euro 1.08)
9. Star Fox 64 - 4 million (Japan 0.61, NA 2.76, Euro 0.63)
10. Banjo-Kazooie - 3.65 million (Japan 0.56, NA 1.86, Euro 1.23)
11. Pokémon Snap - 3.63 million (Japan 0.67, NA 2.22, Euro 0.74)
12. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - 3.36 million (Japan 0.74, NA 1.89, Euro 0.73)
13. Star Wars: Episode I Racer - 3.10 million (Japan 0.12, NA 2.30, Euro 0.68)
14. Wave Race 64 - 2.94 million (Japan 0.34, NA 1.97, Euro 0.63)
15. Yoshi's Story - 2.85 million (Japan 0.99, NA 1.28, Euro 0.58)
16. Mario Party - 2.70 million (Japan 0.88, NA 1.24, Euro 0.58)
17. Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire - 2.60 million (Japan 0.07, NA 1.99, Euro 0.54)
18. Pokémon Stadium 2 - 2.54 million (Japan 1.14, NA 1.01, Euro 0.39)
19. Perfect Dark - 2.52 million (Japan 0.16, NA 1.54, Euro 0.82)
20. Mario Party 2 - 2.49 million (Japan 1.07, NA 1.27, Euro 0.15)


GameCube:
1. Mario Kart: Double Dash!! - 6.60 million (Japan 0.89, NA 3.85, Euro 1.86)
2. Super Smash Bros. Melee - 6.58 million (Japan 1.44, NA 4.06, Euro 1.08)
3. Super Mario Sunshine - 5.91 million (Japan 0.87, NA 3.73, Euro 1.31)
4. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker - 4.38 million (Japan 0.89, NA 2.44, Euro 1.05)
5. Luigi's Mansion - 3.39 million (Japan 0.46, NA 2.21, Euro 0.72)
6. Metroid Prime - 2.77 million (Japan 0.12, NA 1.92, Euro 0.73)
7. Pokémon Colosseum - 2.50 million (Japan 0.71, NA 1.17, Euro 0.62)
8. Animal Crossing - 2.49 million (Japan 0.66, NA 1.68, Euro 0.15)
9. Sonic Adventure 2: Battle - 2.44 million (Japan 0.23, NA 1.57, Euro 0.64)
10. Mario Party 4 - 2.44 million (Japan 0.92, NA 1.13, Euo 0.39)
11. Mario Party 5 - 2.05 million (Japan 0.73, NA 0.96, Euro 0.36)
12. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - 1.95 million (Japan 0.46, NA 1.23, Euro 0.26)
13. Sonic Mega Collection - 1.89 million (Japan 0.07, NA 1.38, Euro 0.44)
14. Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader - 1.88 million (Japan 0.03, NA 1.03, Euro 0.82)
15. Star Fox Adventures - 1.85 million (Japan 0.32, NA 0.95, Euro 0.58)
16. Resident Evil 4 - 1.66 million (Japan 0.22, NA 0.99, Euro 0.45)
17. Pikmin - 1.61 million (Japan 0.56, NA 0.78, Euro 0.27)
18. Super Mario Strikers - 1.57 million (Japan 0.21, NA 0.94, Euro 0.42)
19. Mario Party 6 - 1.56 million (Japan 0.60, NA 0.85, Euro 0.11)
20. Kirbys Air Ride - 1.53 million (Japan 0.45, NA 0.96, Euro 0.12)


Wii:
1. Wii Sports - 19.68 million (Japan 2.88, NA 9.68, Euro 7.12)
2. Wii Play - 10.41 million (Japan 2.28, NA 5.00, Euro 3.13)
3. Super Mario Galaxy - 5.95 million (Japan 0.92, NA 3.23, Euro 1.80)
4. Mario Party 8 - 4.76 million (Japan 1.25, NA 2.26, Euro 1.25)
5. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - 4.67 million (Japan 0.58, NA 2.50, Euro 1.59)
6. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games - 3.38 million (Japan 0.52, NA 1.26, Euro 1.60)
7. Wario Ware: Smooth Moves - 2.26 million (Japan 0.68, NA 0.93, Euro 0.65)
8. Super Paper Mario - 2.22 million (Japan 0.57, NA 1.02, Euro 0.63)
9. Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree - 2.16 million (Japan 0.38, NA 0.58, Euro 1.20)
10. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock - 1.88 million (Japan 0.00, NA 1.62, Euro 0.26)
11. Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition - 1.64 million (Japan 0.14, NA 0.82, Euro 0.68)
12. Wii Fit - 1.63 million (Japan 1.63, NA 0.00, Euro 0.00)
13. Mario Strikers Charged - 1.49 million (Japan 0.19, NA 0.61, Euro 0.69)
14. Super Smash Bros Brawl - 1.45 million (Japan 1.45, NA 0.00, Euro 0.00)
15. Link's Crossbow Training - 1.36 million (Japan 0.00, Na 0.99, Euro 0.37)
16. Rayman Raving Rabbids - 1.28 million (Japan 0.02, NA 0.78, Euro 0.48)
17. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - 1.21 million (Japan 0.00, NA 0.77, Euro 0.44)
18. Carnival Games - 1.19 million (Japan 0.00, NA 0.73, Euro 0.46)
19. Sonic and the Secret Rings - 1.18 million (Japan 0.04, NA 0.43, Euro 0.71)
20. Red Steel - 1.04 million (Japan 0.04, NA 0.46, Euro 0.54)




GameBoy: (Pack in titles included)
1. Pokémon Red and Blue, and Green - 31.37 million (Japan 10.23. NA 11.44, Euro 9.70)
2. Tetris - 30.26 million (Japan 4.24, NA 23.55, Euro 2.47)
3. Pokémon Gold & Silver - 23.10 million (Japan 7.21, NA 9.14, Euro 6.75)
4. Super Mario Land - 18.14 million (Japan 4.19, NA 10.99, Euro 2.96)
5. Pokémon Yellow - 14.64 million (Japan 3.16, NA 5.98, Euro 5.50)
6. Super Mario Land 2 - 11.18 million (Japan 2.70, NA 6.25, Euro 2.23)
7. Pokémon Crystal - 6.39 million (Japan 2.10, NA 2.59, Euro 1.70)
8. Dr. Mario - 5.34 million (Japan 2.08, NA 2.21, Euro 1.05)
9. Pokémon Pinball - 5.31 million (Japan 1.02, NA 3.07, Euro 1.22)
10. Super Mario Land 3 - 5.19 million (Japan 1.59, NA 2.53, Euro 1.07)
11. Kirby's Dreamland - 5.13 million (Japan 1.71, NA 2.75, Euro 0.67)
12. Super Mario Bros. Deluxe - 5.07 million (Japan 0.20, NA 3.45, Euro 1.42)
13. The Legend of Zelda: Seasons/Ages - 3.99 million (Japan 1.03, NA 1.81, Euro 1.15)
14. Donkey Kong Land - 3.91 million (Japan 1.08, NA 2.00, Euro 0.83)
15. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening - 3.83 million (Japan 0.54, NA 2.24, Euro 1.05)
16. Pokémon Trading Card Game - 3.70 million (Japan 1.39, NA 1.51, Euro 0.80)
17. F-1 Race - 3.41 million (Japan 0.90, NA 1.76, Euro 0.75)
18. Yoshi - 3.12 million (Japan 0.85, NA 1.59, Euro 0.68)
19. Donkey Kong - 3.07 million (Japan 0.80, NA 1.59, Euro 0.68)
20. Kirby's Dreamland 2 - 2.36 million (Japan 1.51, NA 0.70, Euro 0.15)


GameBoy Advanced:
1. Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire - 15.20 million (Japan 5.42, NA 5.65, Euro 4.13)
2. Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen - 10.26 million (Japan 3.22, NA 4.23, Euro 2.81)
3. Pokémon Emerald - 6.40 million (Japan 2.12, NA 2.56, Euro 1.72)
4. Mario Kart: Super Circuit - 5.45 million (Japan 1.00, NA 2.66, Euro 1.79)
5. Super Mario Advance - 5.32 million (Japan 0.92, NA 3.10, Euro 1.30)
6. Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World - 5.28 million (Japan 0.96, NA 3.16, Euro 1.16)
7. Super Mario Advance 4 - 5.03 million (Japan 0.84, NA 2.88, Euro 1.31)
8. Namco Museum - 3.01 million (Japan 0.05, NA 2.96, Euro 0.00)
9. Disney's Finding Nemo - 2.55 million (Japan 0.04, NA 1.38, Euro 1.13)
10. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - 2.50 million (Japan 0.34, NA 1.61, Euro 0.55)
11. Super Mario Advance 3 - 2.82 million (Japan 0.63, NA 1.72, Euro 0.47)
12. Disneys Finding Nemo - 2.74 million (Japan 0.04, NA 1.55, Euro 1.15)
13. Classic NES Series: Super Mario Bros. - 2.26 million (Japan 1.40, NA 0.63, Euro 0.23)
14. Sonic Advance - 2.24 million (Japan 0.25, NA 1.22, Euro 0.77)
15. Wario Land 4 - 2.17 million (Japan 0.54, NA 0.83, Euro 0.80)
16. Frogger's Adventures: Temple of the Frog - 2.15 million (Japan 0.00, NA 1.95, Euro 0.20)
17. Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land - 2.15 million (Japan 0.92, NA 1.12, Euro 0.11)
18. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga - 2.12 million (Japan 0.47, NA 1.46, Euro 0.19)
18. Spyro: Season of Ice - 2.10 million (Japan 0.00, NA 1.19, Euro 0.91)
19. The Incredibles - 2.06 million (Japan 0.04, NA 1.18, Euro 0.84)
20. Pokemon Mysterious Dungeon: Red Rescue Team - 2.06 million (Japan 0.76, NA 0.73, Euro 0.57)



DS
1. Nintendogs - 17.62 million (Japan 1.72, NA 6.69, Euro 9.21)
2. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl - 14.01 (Japan 5.64, NA 4.68, Euro 3.69)
3. New Super Mario Bros. - 13.48 million (Japan 5.29, NA 4.10, Euro 4.09)
4. Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day - 12.11 million (Japan 3.88, NA 2.58, Euro 5.65)
5. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training 2 - 10.25 million (Japan 5.00, NA 1.75, Euro 3.50)
6. Mario Kart DS - 9.73 million (Japan 3.06, NA 3.34, Euro 3.33)
7. Animal Crossing: Wild World - 9.05 million (Japan 4.78, NA 1.83, Euro 2.44)
8. Super Mario 64 DS - 5.76 million (Japan 1.16, NA 2.51, Euro 2.09)
9. Big Brain Academy - 4.80 million (Japan 1.60, NA 1.36, Euro 1.84)
10. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass - 3.72 million (Japan 0.92, NA 1.40, Euro 1.40)
11. Mario Party DS - 3.18 million (Japan 1.65, NA 0.88, Euro 0.65)
12. English Training - 3.12 million (Japan 2.28, NA 0.36, Euro 0.48)
13. Pokemon Mysterious Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team - 3.10 million (Japan 0.83, NA 1.21, Euro 1.06)
14. Yoshi Island DS - 2.82 million (Japan 1.03, NA 1.08, Euro 0.71)
15. Cooking Mama - 2.51 million (Japan 0.08, NA 0.96, Euro 1.47)
16. Tetris DS - 2.41 million (Japan 1.32, NA 0.72, Euro 0.37)
17. Pokemon Ranger - 2.41 million (Japan 0.77, NA 1.00, Euro 0.64)
18. WarioWare: Touched! - 2.19 million (Japan 1.20, NA 0.51, Euro 0.48)
19. Flash Focus - 2.18 million (Japan 0.86, NA 0.40, Euro 0.92)
20. Sonic Rush - 2.16 million (Japan 0.06, NA 0.63, Euro 1.47)




Nintendo Financial:

Revenue (In millions)

Quarter
Q1 2004 - $758
Q2 2004 - $953
Q3 2004 - $2,220
Q4 2004 - $893
Q1 2005 - $639
Q2 2005 - $934
Q3 2005 - $1,999
Q4 2005 - $825
Q1 2006 - $1,136
Q2 2006 - $1,424
Q3 2006 - $3,474
Q4 2007 - $2,151
Q1 2008 - $2,762
Q2 2008 - $3,070


Operating Income

Quarter
Q1 2004 - $209
Q2 2004 - $214
Q3 2004 - $204
Q4 2004 - $183
Q1 2005 - $34
Q2 2005 - $140
Q3 2005 - $535
Q4 2005 - $64
Q1 2006 - $250
Q2 2006 - $325
Q3 2006 - $844
Q4 2007 - $495
Q1 2008 - $735
Q2 2008 - $850

[Viper]

MicroSoft


Worldwide Hardware: (as of Dec 31st, 2007)
**Microsoft no longer offers a territorial breakdown. I will strike though the numbers on hold until they become available again**

Xbox:
NA - 16 million
Japan/PAL - 2 million
Euro - 6 million
Worldwide - 24 million

Xbox360:
NA - 6.8 million
Japan/PAL - 1.5 million
Euro - 3.3 million
Worldwide - 17.7 million



Worldwide Software: (as of June 30, 2006)

Xbox:
NA - 162 million
Japan/PAL - 9 million
Euro - 54 million
Total - 225 million

Xbox360:
Pending



Top MS Game Sales:


Xbox:

1. Halo 2 - 8.35 million (Japan 0.11, NA 6.57, Euro 1.67)
2. Halo: Combat Evolved - 6.43 million (Japan 0.10, NA 4.91, Euro 1.42)
3. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell - 2.93 million (Japan 0.00, NA 1.80, Euro 1.13)
4. Fable - 2.60 million (Japan 0.00, NA 1.95, Euro 0.65)
5. Grand Theft Auto: Double Pack - 2.22 million (Japan 0.00, NA 1.58, Euro 0.64)
6. Project Gotham Racing - 2.14 million (Japan 0.05, NA 1.40, Euro 0.69)
7. Need for Speed: Underground 2 - 2.05 million (Japan 0.00, NA 1.19, Euro 0.86)
8. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - 1.95 million) (Japan 0.00. NA 1.46, Euro 0.49)
9. Grand Theft Auto: Sand Andreas - 1.93 million (Japan 0.00, NA 1.26, Euro 0.67)
10. Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind - 1.83 million (Japan 0.00, NA 1.36, Euro 0.47)
11. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon - 1.70 million (Japan 0.00, NA 1.18, Euro 0.52)
12. Need for Speed: Underground - 1.64 million (Japan 0.00, NA 1.02, Euro 0.62)
13. Dead or Alive 3 - 1.63 million (Japan 0.24, NA 1.06, Euro 0.33)
14. Star Wars: Battlefront - 1.59 million (Japan 0.00, NA 1.08, Euro 0.51)
15. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 - 1.58 million (Japan 0.00, NA 0.93, Euro 0.65)
16. Project Gotham Racing 2 - 1.56 million (Japan 0.04, NA 0.85, Euro 0.67)
17. Madden NFL 2005 - 1.45 million (Japan 0.00, NA 1.42, Euro 0.03)
18. Madden NFL 2006 - 1.44 million (Japan 0.00, NA 1.41, Euro 0.03)
19. ESPN NFL 2K5 - 1.41 million (Japan 0.00, NA 1.39, Euro 0.02)
20. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow - 1.41 million (Japan 0.00, NA 0.74, Euro 0.67)


Xbox360:

1. Halo 3 - 7.37 million (Japan 0.10, NA 5.43, Euro 1.84)
2. Gears of War - 5.04 million (Japan 0.08, NA 3.26, Euro 1.70)
3. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - 5.03 million (Japan 0.07, NA 3.50, Euro 1.46)
4. Forza Motorsport 2 - 3.64 million (Japan 0.04, NA 2.54, Euro 1.06)
5. Assassins Creed - 3.49 million (Japan 0.07, Na 2.28, Euro 1.14)
6. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock - 2.43 million (Japan 0.00, NA 2.05, Euro 0.38)
7. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - 2.40 million (Japan 0.08, NA 1.60, Euro 0.72)
8. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance - 2.38 million (Japan 0.00, NA 2.38, Euro 0.00)
9. Madden NFL 08 - 2.15 million (Japan 00.00, NA 2.12, Euro 0.03)
10. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter - 2.12 million (Japan 0.02, NA 1.43, Euro 0.67)
11. Tom Clancy Rainbow Six: Vegas - 2.08 million (Japan 0.03, NA 1.33, Euro 0.72)
12. Call of Duty 2 - 2.02 million (Japan 0.02, NA 1.42, Euro 0.58)
13. Call of Duty 3 - 1.97 million (Japan 0.03, NA 1.25, Euro 0.69)
14. Guitar Hero II - 1.96 million (Japan 0.00, NA 1.62, Euro 0.34)
15. Madden NFL 07 - 1.80 million (Japan 0.01, NA 1.75, Euro 0.04)
16. Saints Row - 1.69 million (Japan 0.02, NA 1.02, Euro 0.65)
17. Fight Night Round 3 - 1.65 million (Japan 0.01, 1.22, Euro 0.42)
18. Bioshock - 1.63 million (Japan 0.02, NA 0.94, Euro 0.67)
19. Dead Rising - 1.63 million (Japan 0.08, NA 1.05, Euro 0.50)
20. Mass Effect - 1.60 million (Japan 0.00, NA 1.17, Euro 0.43)




MicroSoft Home and Entertainment Division Financial:

Revenue (in millions)

Quarter
Q1 2004 - $632
Q2 2004 - $1,407
Q3 2005 - $593
Q4 2005 - $610
Q1 2005 - $525
Q2 2005 - $1,556
Q3 2005 - $1,056
Q4 2006 - $1,138
Q1 2007 - $1,030
Q2 2007 - $2,964
Q3 2007 - $929
Q4 2007 - $1,159
Q1 2008 - $1,929
Q2 2008 - $3,060

Operating Income or (Loss)

Quarter
Q1 2004 - ($142)
Q2 2004 - $84
Q3 2005 - ($154)
Q4 2005 - ($179)
Q1 2005 - ($141)
Q2 2005 - ($293)
Q3 2006 - ($388)
Q4 2006 - ($414)
Q1 2007 - ($96)
Q2 2007 - ($289)
Q3 2007 - ($315)
Q4 2007 - ($1,199)
Q1 2008 - $165
Q2 2008 - $357

[Viper]

These figures represent the most accurate figures to date and will be updated as they become available. If you find any errors, please inform me with a link to the correct data, thank you and enjoy.

[R2D]

Viper... Each you or I made a mistake... There is no way Xbox sold 106 million. If it did... Then WOW. Cause even it's Japan numbers can beat out GC. Shocking...

Anyway... Great site/thread...

[Viper]

Sorry, still editing.

[R2D]

^ Ohh man... It got my hopes up :(

[R2D]

^ I'm scared to look :P

Why is everyone saying the 360 is selling bad ? It sold 1/5 of the original, with a few games, NO exclusives, and not even backcapible. It's doing great. Now it sold 5 million, by the end of the holidays, it'll sell 2 million. By the time next holidays come, Xbox would have sold 3 million, bringing it to 10 million. But the end of next year it will sell 8 million more... making it 18 mill sold. By the 4th add another 6 million... pushing it to 24 million. By year 5... It can sell around 30 million. Beating the first Xbox.

[Generosity of God]

alot of crazy numbers there

[Viper]

Update Q2 2006 figures for Sony and Nintendo. Microsoft to update within the week.

Individual game sales figures not updated.

[OmniStalgic]

Are these accurate??? What the heck is going on:huh: I thought PSP was in danger of being a failure!

[gljvd]

Are these accurate??? What the heck is going on:huh: I thought PSP was in danger of being a failure!



It is in terms of software

Psp total software is 69k . NDS is 103k

Whats more telling is individual sales . Look at the psp titles that have sold over 1m

Psp has 3 . 1 of which is over 2m

NDS has 13 . 7 of those are over 2m . and one is almost at 7m

That is where the diffrence comes in . This holiday season will add even more titles to the list like ff 3 which is almost at 1m in japan alone and the pokemons that are already at 2.5m in japan and other games coming .

Psp hardware is selling well . Just looks really bad next to the ds

[HolyPaladin]

I thought PSP was in danger of being a failure!

People in general seem to have a funny perspective of what constitutes a "failure" in the gaming industry. Many a gamer might look at the Nintendo 64 or the GameCube and consider them to be a failure. While it's true that they didn't sell nearly as well as their competition (PSX and PS2 respectively), they did sell millions of units and saw games released and sold for them through their entire life cycles, and most importantly they were profitable to Nintendo.

If the PSP sells units and makes Sony some money, it's a success, regardless of whether it sells more or less than the DS. This is certainly the case with the successful DS, which has sold units and clearly made Nintendo some money.

[F089/H]

Hmm..Thank you...I love Statistics....and Numbers.

[dantruon]

People in general seem to have a funny perspective of what constitutes a "failure" in the gaming industry. Many a gamer might look at the Nintendo 64 or the GameCube and consider them to be a failure. While it's true that they didn't sell nearly as well as their competition (PSX and PS2 respectively), they did sell millions of units and saw games released and sold for them through their entire life cycles, and most importantly they were profitable to Nintendo.

If the PSP sells units and makes Sony some money, it's a success, regardless of whether it sells more or less than the DS. This is certainly the case with the successful DS, which has sold units and clearly made Nintendo some money.

and you have to factor in the price of the PSP is almost double the price of DS and generally the games on the PSP cost more than the game on the DS. Thus if you are just judging the success or failure rate just based on how much each company sold their product then you have fail to see the big picture. In order to see the real figure one must read each company's financial report.

[Viper]

Nintendo and MS quarter financial numbers updated.

Nintendo hardware and software totals updated (individual games will be updated later).

[curryking1]

I appear to have posted my previous post that was here in the incorrect thread :)

So I'm guessing the PS3 Euro sales are unavailable? It seems like it's always harder to get numbers from there, I'm guessing there's not a sales group that can cover all the regions included that well or something?

[curryking1]

http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/may2007/gb20070516_346923.htm

I dunno if anyone cares, but this one says Sony has shipped, to retailers, not sold, 3.6 million PS3s. Just FYI then.

[safronlove]

Hi to everyone good data collected but my question is there will be more sale then it is given here

[Viper]

Welcome and thank you.

I've been without Internet for the past month and I'm still waiting for more figures to come in but I will definitely continue to update these numbers.

[OmniStalgic]

Viper, just another tks for this thread man...Very informative and really put perspective on what's going on behind all the PR...

+rep

Is Resistance the only million seller on PS3 so far?

Also, if Sony manages to release all of those upcoming titles between the September-January time frame, wouldn't that actually make it more successful than X360 going by how fast it takes to get to 10mil units?

[Viper]

Thanks. I also need to try and update some of those game sales. I'm behind on that aspect.

Yes, Resistance is the only million seller but Motorstorm should get there real soon. After that nothing is even close.

It took the Xbox360 19 months to get there with a full global launch but was supply constrained too. PS3 is on pace to hit 10 million in several years. It's currently only selling at a rate of 210,000 per month globally (9,000 in Japan weekly, 20,000 in the US weekly, 20,000 in PAL weekly). Predicting how well those Fall/Winter games will spike sales is tough and are those just that, spike or is it going to truly raise monthly sales altogether? Needs a price cut to help too. At this point in the cycle, X360 has sold more than the PS3 in the same time frame and the PS3 is not doing anything to close that gap yet.

It has a lot of ground to cover in the next year. It needs 6.6 million to hit 10 million and at 200,000 per month, it won't reach 10 million until near holiday '08 if you give account for a price drop, holidays and AAA games. That will put it 4-5 months beyond the X360's 10 million mark. To Sony's defense it didn't hit Europe until 4 months after US/Japan so the time frame even at that point would give it a near equal timing based on certain circumstances.

This holiday is sot vital to PS3's future it's not even funny. IF X360 outsells it and continues to widen the sales gap, dev support will start to drop harshly just like GC did. Developers/publishers aren't loyal fanboys like a lot of us are. They are in for the business, and sure the love of what they do, and if the money is not on PS3 they won't put their A teams/games on it.

The next 2 months will be very telling. If any of the big titles leading up to Lair don't put up a decent showing, Sony will have to buckle down and eat a very harsh price cut ($100.00 won't cut it, it must go lower than X360 period) and start paying off devs like MS did with Rockstar.

[Viper]

Financial, hardware and software figures updated for MS and Nintendo. Sony will be reporting soon.

Actual game data will get an update soon as well.

[masteratt]

After that Analyze it too- It's easier to look at it that way.

[Viper]

No problem. I already planned on doing a 6 month report to see how things are going this first 6 months of the year vs how things went the first 6 months for other consoles as well as some comparative analysis quarter to quarter.

[Dakota Grabowski]

MS just reported..

"Our lead in worldwide install base continues to grow, with more than 11.6 million Xbox 360 consoles sold across 37 countries, the largest install base of any next-gen console. This June 2007, we sold 197K Xbox 360 consoles – 40,000 units more than we sold last month. "

"Month over month, consumers’ commitment to Xbox 360 continues, with record-breaking attach rates of 6.1 games and 3.2 accessories sold per console. Since launch, we’ve sold 20.1 million games, more than our next-gen competitors combined. "

[Viper]

*cough11.6bullshitcough*

Sold to retailers but they need to break it down by territory since I do report shipment figures here. Actual sales to customers are debated elsewhere.


EDIT:Wait a minute. What the fuck are they smoking? 20.1 million games is more than PS3 and Wii combined? BULLSHIT! Wii alone has already sold more.

Wii - 21,630,000
PS3 - 13,200,000

Total - 48,030,000


MS needs to get their damn facts straight.

[Dakota Grabowski]

some people are 'speculating this'

10.6 x 6.1 = 64 million

that is more than both. But, I don't know where that 20.1 came from, I think that may be from MS themselves.

[masteratt]

They should talk about gaming division profits :thumpsup:

Then I assume it would go:
Sony (pwned two generations with good software and awesome hardware sales)
Nintendo (Wii is making them the richest in the world)
MS (with zero profit...or has that changed yet?)

[Viper]

some people are 'speculating this'

10.6 x 6.1 = 64 million

that is more than both. But, I don't know where that 20.1 came from, I think that may be from MS themselves.That's more plausible. In fact, I can guarantee you 20.1 is incorrect because a quick calculation of a few big sellers already puts it past 20 million.


They should talk about gaming division profits :thumpsup:

Then I assume it would go:
Sony (pwned two generations with good software and awesome hardware sales)
Nintendo (Wii is making them the richest in the world)
MS (with zero profit...or has that changed yet?)
PS2 gained Sony about $2 billion profit since 2000.
Nintendo just made $2 billion in profit this year.
MS made one profitable quarter during the release of Halo 2 but have lost over $5 billion on the Xbox project as a whole.

[masteratt]

That's it?

Damn Sony needs to charge for more stuff.

But they said they launched the BRAVIA campaign thanks to the money they got from the PS division.
I guess they included PS1 in their saying as well.

How much do you think Sony profited from the PS as a whole (excluding PS3 of course lol)?

It's hard to think that only $2 Billion helped them launching the BRAVIA campaign...:/

[Dakota Grabowski]

I think the 20.1 is... Microsoft releases (with a possibility including XBLA). No idea though.

[Viper]

I don't have figures going that far back. There weren't published like they are now for one.

The $2 billion in PS2 profit became well known recently when Sony themselves announced it in a PR piece. I'd have to find it again but even so the numbers matched up with the numbers they were giving out annually since PS2 released so the $2 billion figure is accurate.

Nintendo just knows how to make money. It's not even really fair to say Sony did bad on PS2 profits, it's just Nintendo is doing so incredibly phenomenal right now that it makes smaller figures look bad.


EDIT: 20.1 being 1st party? That would make 1st party accounting for 33% of all software sales. I'm not so sure on that one. They really need to clarify this.

[Dakota Grabowski]

Here are some quotes from a few of the industry's finest.


N'Gai,

The Wii really is a monster! To post 400,000+ sales in July is a tremendous achievement for Nintendo and proof that the "Wii is a gimmick" argument is officially dead. It's also a clarion call to third party publishers that they better get their Wii strategy in order, pronto. It must be embarrassing to EA that Harry Potter for the Wii just squeaked into [the Wii's] top 10 in July and was outsold by The Bigs from Take 2. I wonder when a third party publisher will release a #1 selling Wii game? Something to consider: Could Guitar Hero 3 for the Wii become the monster third party hit for the holidays?

Until third parties figure out a better Wii strategy, they will be caught in a precarious position. Let's use EA's NCAA football game, the #1 title of the month, as an example. This year the 360 version sold almost 400,000 units, up from 333,000 units last year. That's respectable growth. But the PS2 version dropped from 490,000 units last year to 236,000 this year. Without a Wii version, the PS3 sales of 156,000 (which obviously didn't exist last July) don't make up the difference. EA may have overcharged for the PS2 SKU this year ($49 when it should have been $39), but could there be a bigger issue at hand? Are PS2 gamers moving to the Wii? Or worse, are the PS2 gamers leaving the market as active consumers? They aren't buying PS2 games anymore and they aren't upgrading to new boxes either.

If that is indeed the case, the Wii becomes even more vital as a lifeline for third parties. As of now, no one has cracked the code on what makes a hit Wii game. Will EA do it with Boogie? I'm thinking not. When--not if--Wii sales do eclipse the 360 worldwide, third parties must figure out how to deliver hits on the Wii. They can no longer use the excuse that "Only first party games sell on Nintendo platforms." Maybe EA's SmartyPants trivia game or Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 will break through. But you have to believe that the Wii sales are causing some sleepless nights for third party execs.


First, let's talk GTA IV. I guess I've never really spoken about it publicly before, but for a number of months I'd been hearing from sources inside and outside of Rockstar that the game's development was running behind schedule. It's fair to point out that this is the first time Rockstar has ever tried to ship a GTA game on multiple platforms, as well as the first time Rockstar has made a GTA open world game on its own technology. At E3 I spent a lot of time talking to executives about a potential GTA slippage and no one was denying it. One of the biggest names in the industry told me, under cone of silence, that he had recently heard that Take-Two would either be forced to "split ship the game" (shipping the Xbox 360 this fall, and the PS3 version next year) or delay both versions until 2008. For whatever reason Rockstar decided on the latter option.

But no matter the reasons for the delay, let's assess the impact. The night before Take-Two's surprise announcement, I was out to drinks with a high-ranking official in the business. We were discussing the lackluster Xbox 360 sales so far and this executive said that they thought GTA was going to be the game changer that kickstarts 360 sales perhaps even moreso than Halo 3. GTA IV would have also been a major boost for the PS3.

So it's been surprising to read all this analysis which focuses on how the GTA IV delay is great news for other publishers because gamers will have more available dollars. That assumes these gamers already have a next-gen system. Clearly the numbers show that a lot of PS2 owners haven't yet upgraded. I think they might have done it for GTA IV. But are they going to do it for Army of Two? C'mon! GTA IV may be the gatekeeper to the next gen.

Without GTA the PS3 is going to struggle this holiday season, especially given the middling reviews of Lair and Heavenly Sword. Ratchet and Uncharted should fare better, but Killzone 2, Metal Gear Solid 4 and LittleBigPlanet can't come soon enough. I think the price "adjustment" will help Sony, but if we don't see at least a doubling of sales in July (north of 150,000) we'll know the problem isn't just price--it's also a lack of compelling software.


The other point worth noting about EA's Wii software, as well as that of its Western third party peers, is that they're for the most part going after the same two demographics: children and casuals. But what about the third "C": core gamers? Even when Nintendo points the way with titles like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, they're all still afraid to challenge the Kyoto kingpin with core games--whether they be brand extensions or original IPs--made specifically for the Wii. You mentioned Harry Potter: why hasn't EA done a deep Zelda-like take on that franchise--or made plans for a Resident Evil 4-style version of the still-unannounced horror game Dead Space? Why hasn't Activision done a Call of Duty spinoff focused on a lone Special Forces officer operating in hostile territory, a la Metroid? Ubisoft deserves credit for Red Steel, but unless I'm mistaken, they've yet to announce another Wii exclusive aimed at core gamers. While I applaud the fact that so many Western third party developers have gotten religion on casual games, there's a core gamer crowd on the Wii that even Nintendo hasn't been regularly serving, yet no-one seems willing to step up to the plate.

I ran this theory past an exec from a major publisher over lunch, and he insisted that the key takeaway from the Wii's explosive start was Wii Sports, not Twilight Princess. (Throw in the performance of Wii Play and Mario Party 8, and it's easy to see why the Wii is drowning in mini-game collections.) But I think he's wrong. Clearly, developers and publishers who have drawn inspiration from Wii Sports are trying to crack the code of the Wii along two axes: gestural controls, because that's what partially distinguishes the Wii from the PS3 and fully differentiates it from Xbox 360; and appealing accessibility. But that worthy yet-narrow focus parallels a mistake that many developers--not to mention journalists like myself--made early on with the DS.

We assumed that a "true" DS game had to make use of all of its features--touch, two screens, D-pad, buttons, microphone, Wi-Fi--rather than isolating one or two features around a specific gameplay experience. Since then, Nintendogs has proved that a game can be built entirely around touch. Brain Age has shown the viability of holding the DS like a book. New Super Mario Brothers demonstrated the appeal of old-school platformers with old-school controls. The DS, in other words, was proven to be a platform that can support a variety of carefully designed and focused experiences. And by the end of this holiday season, with Metroid Prime 3, Super Mario Galaxy and Smash Bros. Brawl, the Wii will have done the same. Yes, those six games I've mentioned all bear the Nintendo logo, which generally elicits a Pavlovian response from Nintendo gamers that third party games rarely do. Still, this can't continue to serve as an excuse for publishers' narrow creative and demographic focus. I don't envy their task given the recent history of Nintendo's five home and portable platforms. But as long as third party publishers keep stereotyping Wii and DS gamers while telling themselves that they're being inventive, their blinkered, tentative, panicked efforts to Nintendo's machines will only further gamers' historic indifference to their offerings.


For head to head, Guitar Hero III will obviously outsell Rock Band on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, because Guitar Hero will be cheaper--I'm expecting Rock Band to retail for $199 with one guitar, microphone, drum kit and the game disc--as well as being the more established brand. But having played early versions of both games, I'm forecasting that Rock Band will in the long run surpass Guitar Hero (though the market will certainly support both games for years to come.) As I've told you, Guitar Hero is the game, but Rock Band is the experience—playing this game with three other people is peerlessly entertaining, and it's the best argument I've seen for saving your quarters to buy the biggest flat screen TV you can afford. I predict that the same early adopters whose word-of-mouth turned Guitar Hero into first a cult hit, then a runaway phenomenon, will migrate over to Rock Band. Oh, they'll still buy and play Guitar Hero, but when friends come over, it's Rock Band that they'll haul out to rock out with their controllers out.

Guitar Hero III

1. PlayStation 2
2. Xbox 360
3. Wii
4. DS
5. Playstation 3

Rock Band

1. Xbox 360
2. Playstation 3

[Viper]

Dakota, N'Gai questioned what the next big 3rd party title for Wii would be. It was RE4. It quietly just crossed 1 million shipped. Capcom had projected to ship 420,000 worldwide by March 2008. Though I suspect GHIII to be the next
big seller.


Time to go update these charts.

[Viper]

All charts for Sony, Nintendo and MS updated. Unfortunately, Sony and MS are not offering territorial sales breakdowns for hardware for the past few quarters so I've drawn a line through the old numbers to indicate they are old.

A quick analysis (Will give a more detailed one later):

MS has shipped 3 million X360 units this year.
MS has earned $4.017 billion in revenue this year.
MS has lost $1.349 billion in operating income this year.

Sony has shipped 3.75 million PS3 units this year.
Sony has shipped ~3.3 million PSP units this year.
Sony has earned $6.098 billion in revenue this year.
Sony has lost $1.992 billion in operating income this year.

Nintendo has shipped 9.98 million Wii units this year.
Nintendo has shipped 13.35 million DS units this year.
Nintendo has earned $7.983 billion in revenue this year.
Nintendo has gained $2.08 billion in operating income this year.