NPD Group released its console sales data for February 2010 while I was at GDC. The numbers are pretty interesting. Check ’em out!
- Nintendo DS: 613,200
- Xbox 360: 422,000
- Wii: 397,900
- PlayStation 3: 360,100
- PlayStation Portable: 133,400
- PlayStation 2: 101,900
The continued onslaught of the Nintendo DS shouldn’t surprise anyone. It’s a great portable console with tons of games and a huge March release (Pokemon HeartGold
Now unleash your Pach Attack and go after the numbers as if you were a very tall gaming analyst. I can’t wait to hear your analysis of NPD Group’s sales figures!
Does the PSP number include the PSPgo? If not, wow what a dud.
@Smartguy PSP figures include all models. Same with DS.
Who's still buying PS2s?
@RRODisHere It's a cheap console with a ton of cheap games — tons of great ones too. Not everyone can afford $300 consoles and $60 games.
@ray
I understand that point, but my thinking in the matter is that they are buying most of their games used (since there is such a large catalog to choose from, they are mostly sold in used game stores, not new in store). So I don't get why they are buying a new console and buying used games, I would have thought that the systems would be plentiful at the same used game store they are getting the games from.
@Raymond Padilla
That's true. I'm just shocked that it's still selling that well. Sony definitely fulfilled their 10 year plan and then some.
@RRoD: Hopefully not people with the same bad luck with consoles as me. I went through 3 PS2's….which means I bought 4 in total. I haven't played mine in so long that for all I know it's sitting in my media cabinet already burnt out and just waiting for me to discover the bad news…..again.
FYI, if I have to send my 360 back for repairs again because of the eject button, that's officially 8 consoles I've burnt through in the past 2 console generations (3 PS2's, 2 XBOX's, currently 2 360's) . I find that to be an absurd number.
@Nightshade
Those numbers are absurd.
@Nightshade
In regards to your comment #3, I fear that E3 will be 80% about motion control games from Sony and Microsoft and 20% traditional games.
@RRoD: I think it'll be closer to 50/50 honestly. Having watched these press events over the past few years I'd say MS does a better job of balancing content and flow than Sony does in general, but I think both companies will have to balance things out to keep a lot of the hardcore gamers interested.
@RRODisHere Don't forget about 3D gaming. I actually got to check out some brief 3D demos and was very, very surprised. This will be a Coffee Talk topic later this week.
@Ray
I wear glasses and do not have any interest in 3D gaming. I don't even go to 3D movies because of it.
@Raymond Padilla
I forgot about 3D gaming. Do you think this is the year that Sony doesn't spend any time at E3 on the PS2?
@Nightshade
What did Microsoft have to balance? Sony had to balance the PS3, PS2, and PSP. Now add 3D gaming and Move to that list and they will have to do a really good balancing act at E3. Microsoft seems to really be banking on Natal as the future and their way to hang around as long as Sony so they really need to show and prove at E3 so I feel that Natal will have to overshadow the traditional Xbox games.
@RRODisHere That's a pretty good bet. Sony has a ton to highlight at E3 2010 — PS3, PSP, Move, and 3D.
@RROD
Their big reveal could be a price increase for Live.
Sony has too much balance I think. If they are still interested in selling PS2 related materials, then why didn't they just include BC with every PS3? It has to be cheaper to emulate than build a unit….not too mention Sony graciously only gives an SD cable with their machine.
@RRoD: I just feel like the average MS press event flows better. Sony's are generally ok, but they can sometimes feel bogged down. Of the three big companies, the Nintendo ones are the hardest for me to watch though. There's just hardly ever anything that they're talking about that interests me personally.
One more thing, if Microsoft brings out Green Day for Rock Band Green Day then I will throw something at the tv.
@Nightshade386 I agree with your assessment. Microsoft was the first of the "big three" to adjust its press conferences to make them palatable for television/video. Sony has gotten better, but still slips into that PowerPoint/pie chart area. Kaz Hirai, as smart as he is, has also sucked the air out of several auditoriums in Los Angeles.
@Nightshade386 For me, Nintendo is the exception to that rule. I love hearing Iwata speak English. I find it very charming.
I can see that to a certain extent too. lol. But honestly, if I'm having trouble understanding what a speaker is saying than I tend to miss about half of the information they're trying to give me. Ultimately in that type of setting I just don't think it works.
March should be much bigger for Sony.
I’m interested to see what the Move and Netal versions of the PS3 and 360 do to the Wii’s sales….
Wow
Very true nightshade lets wait and see
I had heard that the 360 had passed the wii and ps3 this month, I’m a little surprised to see anyone but the wii ahead here. lol.
I am definitely expecting the ps3 to be ahead though for a couple months here pretty soon with God of War 3 hitting soon.
@bsukenyan There are plenty to new PS2s and new PS2 games at general stores like Target and Wal-Mart.
@Ray
yeah I believe they have the units still available in larger stores like wal-mart and target, I guess I’m just with RROD and was surprised that the numbers are still up like they are. I still would have expected the ps2 to be sold in used game stores like I mentioned earlier.
I agree with RROD, I think motion or nontraditional will be the lion’s share this year. Natal and Move will be the highlights. I also think Sony will use the Move buzz to help push along a fee for PSN.
No clue what the big reveal for MS will be this year.
@Smartguy Yeah, there are certainly a lot of issues and concerns with 3D gaming, but the brief bits I saw were WAY better than what I was expecting.
@Smartguy
I don’t think there is any “big reveals” left for Microsoft. All big 3rd party games have gone multi platform now so there won’t be any FF13, MGS Rising megatons from Microsoft this year. I have a feeling that Sony will announce either Mass Effect or Splinter Cell: Conviction coming to the PS3 this holiday season.
@Smartguy
I don’t get that either. Maybe they want people to buy PS2s if they want PS2 games. I think that they realized that people keep buying Xbox 360s when they break so they can get people to keep buying PS2 when they break if they don’t make the PS3s backwards compatible. And I always thought it was stupid to sell an HD console with Blu-Ray yet not include an HDMI cable. With everything that comes with the PS3 out of the box you have to buy an HDMI cable, I don’t get that.
What I want from E3 is for Sony to announce Warhawk 2, Twisted Metal, Syphon Filter, Heavenly Sword 2, and I want release dates this year for Gran Turismo 5 and The Last Guardian. If Microsoft announces Killer Instinct 3 then I would be jealous. I don’t know what they’re waiting on. They own Rare.
Killer Instinct 3 would interest me.
Cccommmmmbbbbo breakerrrr
@Ray: I agree. The problem overall with the Japanese companies trotting out Japanese figureheads at these press conferences is that anytime you introduce a person in this setting using English as their second language or talking through a translator, the entire event grinds to a halt. The Ubisoft Presser last year was terrible for the same reason (French, not Japanese, but same issue overall)….that and I’m not sure if James Cameron had a time limit predetermined for him or not, but that would have been nice…..