Japanese Hardware Sales: April 16 - 22
by Nick Doerr 
{ Apr 27th 2007 at 11:30AM }
Another week, another report on the status of our favorite consoles over in the land of the rising sun. What've we got to say? It's another bummer week for Sony. The Nintendo DS and the Wii have almost unbelievably consistent sales numbers every week -- we're assuming that's most of their supply. Microsoft is still in its usual place, but we know how the Japanese react to Western powers.- DS-Lite: 172,359
- Wii: 77,913
- PSP: 29,459
- PS2: 11,398
- PS3: 11,000
- XBox 360: 2,307
- GBA SP: 860
- GB Micro: 449
- GameCube: 266
- DS: 81
- GBA: 55
We've got very little else to say. Another week, another ouch. It's probably going to hover at the same levels for a while, until big games hit. Or that price drop happens.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dolla Dolla @ Apr 27th 2007 11:50AM
The Japanese already have an unofficial price cut. PS3s are the cheapest in the world there.
The game situation is the problem. There's a serious drought there with very little to appeal to the Japanese audience.
kingofwale @ Apr 27th 2007 12:13PM
it's easy to blame PS3's sale number on software, but when did the last good Wii game come out??
I think people just have to accept the fact that Wii will sale well regardless and understand Wii's success isn't something that will hurt PS3 all that much. It targets different audiences here. A lot of people that has a PS3, also has a Wii.
What will help PS3 is to have a Japanese made game. DMC or FF will do wonder to Japanese sale.
and nothing will help xbox in Japan, not even HAlo 3
Jebus Crust @ Apr 27th 2007 12:24PM
The WeeCube is not even a dent in most Japanese peoples pocketbooks. The PS3 is. That will all change when the good Japanese market games start to come out. I am assuming most are waiting till then. To them, why go out and buy something you are not going to use yet?
Give it time....this time next year the PS3 will be in a much better situation...and almost no-one will even remeber the rocky start.
Jesse @ Apr 27th 2007 3:17PM
Nick, I thought you said the gap was narrowing between the Wii and PS3. It looks to me like it's 7-to-1 this which would continue the trend of growing the Wii gap.
Also, the PS3 is available for $400 in a lot of Japanese stores. In fact, there were sales for well under $400. It's still not selling. In the West, it's clear that a $500 PS3 won't sell (top end edition or not) and in the UK retailers are selling the device for $140 under retail (70 pounds under retail).
And it's still barely selling. A $100 price cut is clearly *not* going to be sufficient. It would have to be a very significant cut.
Geoff Gibson @ Apr 27th 2007 3:28PM
So I was doing my usual "Engadget, Joystiq, Nintendo WiiFanboy, PS3Fanboy, Xbox360fanboy.com thing" and read that Nintendo has acquired Monolith Software from Namco Bandai.
I don't know how this will effect the PS3 but I DO know that the Xenosaga series were HUGE Playstation exclusive titles in Japan. There lack of a presence on Sony's console this time around can't be good news for SCE-Japan.
ndoerr @ Apr 27th 2007 4:05PM
Jesse -- If you'd like, we can also bring in my statement to my friends in 1999: "The Dreamcast is gonna do great!" At the time, it seemed true. So did my statement way back when about the Wii:PS3 ratio. At the time, it was true. The gap was decreasing.
But as we all know, then does not equal now. Things change with time. At the time I said that, it was true. Now? Not so much. Doesn't make any sense to me why you'd bring that up.
As for the sales, I've little to add to your statement. Different target market, the fact Japanese homes aren't generally equipped with giant HDTV's (the homes are significantly smaller than American homes), and the familial culture the Japanese have. A system promising quality family time may have some sway in their minds. That's just conjecture, but who knows how the human mind works?
Jesse @ Apr 27th 2007 5:29PM
Nick,
Indeed the past is the past, and at that point the sales were 2-to-1, but the gap was increasing and Nintendo was still supply limited. Nintendo's forecast for the next fiscal year is 14 million Wiis. To put that into perspective, Sony shipped 8 million PS2s for their second fiscal year.
The US market isn't all that different from the Japanese market in terms of sales. This month in the US the PS3 is on track to sell less than 100k units (4 week NPD period). Considering the size difference of the markets, the numbers line up well (45k in Japan vs 100k in the US).
Don't feel bad. The 360's sales are dropping quite a bit also.
mccomber @ Apr 27th 2007 6:18PM
At this point, there really isn't a lot of reason to buy a PS3. We're in that period between launch and games—and it's a long, dry one at that.
As Dolla said, and Jesse underlined, it's not price, it's games. We're looking pretty good for this fall, but honestly if I hadn't already bought a ps3 at launch, and especially if I was someone not interested in bluray, I doubt I'd buy one now. I'd definitely be saving my money for this fall though, as long as the titles we're waiting on start showing up. The constant price-cut, and upgraded HD rumours would just reinforce that decision. Not saying I regret my purchase as I doubt I'd have gone 360 instead, but I can't argue a reason to buy a ps3 right now.
kingofwale @ Apr 27th 2007 6:18PM
@5
yes, Nintendo did purchase the company and probably now thinking of porting the trilogy (that were released on PS2) to Wii, as for future Xenosaga series (god I hope there aren't, it's just not selling anywhere else other than Asia), I think it's going to be for both PS3 and Wii, but if Nintendo wants to make it exclusive for Wii... it's not going to affect me at all.
ndoerr @ Apr 27th 2007 6:38PM
Jesse -- Indeed! Excellent work, there. I completely agree with that data, conclusion, etc. It's nice to have a great discussion like this. Aside from the Wii, the two "hardcore" systems seem to be getting into that summer lull a little early. It's disconcerting, but not unheard of.
Next-Gen-Gamer @ Apr 28th 2007 4:57AM
More over-the-top optimism from kingofwale.
"I think people just have to accept the fact that Wii will sale well regardless and understand Wii's success isn't something that will hurt PS3 all that much. It targets different audiences here."
This whole "Wii won't hurt 360/PS3" thing ended months ago. Everyone is fully aware that they're all competing. No matter how hard Sony wants to believe the PS3 will sell as a home entertainment machine, they're wrong. Consumers look at the PS3, and they see a video game console. Of course, when every commercial revolves around video games, what are consumers supposed to think?
"A lot of people that has a PS3, also has a Wii."
I'd love to see the source you pulled that from. Thin air is NOT a source, mind you.
"yes, Nintendo did purchase the company and probably now thinking of porting the trilogy (that were released on PS2) to Wii, as for future Xenosaga series (god I hope there aren't, it's just not selling anywhere else other than Asia), I think it's going to be for both PS3 and Wii, but if Nintendo wants to make it exclusive for Wii... it's not going to affect me at all."
Does any of that actually have to do with what #5 said? He/she was talking about how Nintendo's majority ownership over Monolith Soft may effect Sony and the PS3 in Japan. In other words, your attempt to downplay it is irrelevant. Who cares if it doesn't affect you at all? Japan is going to see that you don't care, and suddenly they won't care either?
All he wanted to discuss was how it may hurt Sony and the PS3, and you turned it into "downplay the positive Nintendo news". It had very little to do with Nintendo, but apparently it was enough for you to start posting one of those "blind faith" comments.
kingofwale @ Apr 28th 2007 9:02AM
awww, what my comment has to do with 5? by simply stating it will probably affects xenosage with Sony, and then stating it doesn't affect "ME".. you know, the concept of individuality that you seem to have problem grasping? even though in nowhere did I mention I represent Japanese audience for game or anybody else.
>Consumers look at the PS3, and they see a video game console
I'd love to see the source you pulled that from. Your behind is NOT a source, mind you.