NPD: PS3, Xbox 360 sales still lag behind PS2

Market research group NPD released video game console sales figures for the month of February, and the units with the fastest processors look to be selling the slowest.

Video game console sales in February 2008, according to research group NPD, showed a 19% increase in units sold year-over-year, with Microsoft's Xbox 360 selling the fewest among what is still, more than two years after its introduction, called the "next gen" console market.

This distinction is necessary because the sixth-generation PlayStation 2 console is not only still selling, but is actually selling better than its successors. The eight-year old system was reported by NPD to have sold 351,800 units last month. The PS3 sold 280,800 units, and the 360 sold 254,600.

The only next-gen console which beat the PS2 in sales was Nintendo's Wii, which moved a reported 432,000 units. Some argue that the Wii is barely a "next gen" console itself. The recently released Super Smash Brothers Brawl, a fighting game featuring Nintendo's licensed characters, illustrates this perspective. The highly anticipated game has none of the Wii's trademark gestural control features, and relies heavily on the last-generation Gamecube controller.

Sony's PlayStation 2 retails for around $130, and Nintendo's Wii sells for around $250. A 40 GB PS3 typically retails for around $400, and the xbox 360 console usually goes for $350.

NPD's report that video game sales were up for the month, paired with the distant leads held by lower-priced consoles, raise the question of whether price, more so than any of a console's other qualities, dictates its ultimate stature in the market.

Wii Leads The Sales In Japan Too

It seems like Wii is unbeatable. Shortly after the NPD Group released its data about the gaming sales in US during February, Media Create revealed that Nintendo Wii is the champion in Japan too.

According to Media Create, in the week ending March 9, Nintendo sold 57,068 Wiis in Japan, which is almost double compared to 21,008 PS3s sold by Sony. As for Microsoft, its Xbox 360 continues to struggle and it has sold only 2891.

So far, Microsoft has failed to impress the Japanese gamers, who bought only 257,800 Xbox 360 consoles during 2007, according to the data released by Enterbrain. In comparison, Nintendo Wii sold 3.6 million units, while Sony managed to sell 1.2 million PS3s.

Though, it is very possible that during the next week Xbox 360’s sales will be higher, because on March 6, Microsoft started to sell its Xbox 360 Arcade in Japan for only 27,800 yen ($260) instead 34,800 yen.

Xbox Arcade was launched in the US last year in October and it is sold for $279.99. The package includes five family-friendly games, a wireless controller, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) connection to enable high-definition output if desired and 256 MB of memory useful for storing games and entertainment content. Unlike the Core version, the Arcade doesn’t have a hard drive.

On the handheld market, Nintendo DS was outsold by Sony’s PSP. Sony sold 53,924 PSPs, while Nintendo DS ranked second with 48,658 units.

As for the United States, PS3 had a good February month, despite being outsold by Nintendo Wii almost 2 to 1. While Wii sold 432,000 units, Sony managed to sell 281,000 PS3s and Microsoft was lagging far behind with only 255,000 units.

According to the analysts, PS3 sales were boosted by the recent victory of BluRay, and it remains to be seen is Sony will manage to keep the rhythm.

Though, earlier this month iSuppli analyst Pamela Tufegdzic predicted that 2008 will be the turning year for Sony’s PlayStation 3. "2008 will be a turning year for the PS3," said Tufegdzic for Reuters. "Sony is offering a better forthcoming software pipeline with blockbuster titles like "Gran Turismo 5", which will boost PS3 sales this year."

Also, Sony announced June 12 as the official release date of its exclusive game, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots. It is believed that the new title will boost the sales of PS3, in the same manner as Halo 3 did for Xbox 360 during last year.

On the Xbox 360’s front, Microsoft is expecting the release of Grand Theft Auto IV, Rockstar’s upcoming title, to boost the sales of its gaming console. Although, the game is not an Xbox 360 exclusive, GTA’s makers have promised some exclusive content to be available later this year.

So, after all it seems like the battle of the gaming consoles is still open.

Source: http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Wii_Leads_The_Sales_In_Japan_Too_15194.html

Xbox 360 could get Blu-ray - Sony

A senior Sony executive has claimed Microsoft is in talks about bringing Blu-ray technology to Xbox 360 - but Microsoft says it has no plans to do so.

According to the Financial Times it all started when Stan Glasgow, president of Sony Electronics US, made a speech at a "media dinner". He said Microsoft and Apple are both having a chat with Sony about how they can incorporate Blu-ray tech into their products.

The news comes two weeks after Microsoft's corporate vice president of Live, Software and Services, John Schappert, told Eurogamer that the HD-DVD add-on's poor attach rate - just 3 percent - might dissuade Microsoft from releasing another high-definition disc drive add-on.

We love teh gaymes iz not tru, said Microsoft in a statement. Or more specifically: "We have made no such announcement. Games are what are driving consumers to purchase game consoles and we remain focused on providing the largest library of blockbuster games available." That clears everything up then.

Later in his speech Glasgow said he's not worried about digital downloads overtaking Blu-ray, what with bandwidth limitations and the fact consumers like having discs anyway. "Downloading will build over time, but this will be over a period of years," he observed. He also predicted the cost of Blu-ray players will drop to USD 299 before the end of the year, falling to USD 200 by 2010.