July’s NPD numbers are the most interesting console sales figures in a long, long time. For the first time in three years (I think), a Nintendo console is not on top of the list! The quote Brian Fellow from Brian Fellow’s Safari Planet, “That’s crazy!!!” Let’s check out the numbers:
- Xbox 360: 443,500
- Nintendo DS: 398,400
- Nintendo Wii: 253,900
- PlayStation 3: 214,500
- PlayStation Portable 84,000
Even though Nintendo sold a lot of hardware in July, it just feels weird that the company didn’t top the charts. It’s like when Hulk Hogan turned heel or seeing Joe Torre in a Dodgers’ uniform — it’s just doesn’t feel right.
Is this the start of Nintendo’s decline (until the 3DS takes over the world)? Can Microsoft sustain the momentum it generated with the Xbox 360 Slim SeXbox 360? Look at those lowly PSP numbers? Is there anything Sony can do to kickstart its handheld system? Or should Sony focus its portable efforts on the PSP2? Answer and discuss (please)!
i thought 84000 psps in a month seemed pretty good, i dont know anyone who has bought one lately
@thundercracker I'm guessing that God of War will be the last "big" release for PSP. Perhaps Sony will reveal new info on a PSP2 at Tokyo Game Show…or perhaps not. I'd love that Android/PSP rumor to pan out. That's potentially huge if it's multi-carrier.
R.I.P PSP. I hate to see that kid unemployed. those commercials are awesome. start working on a PSP2 Sony! Or nintendo is going to "Finish You" with the 3DS.
Wow I had no idea that was Tracy Morgan in the pic lmfao I love that dude and his mind grapes lol.
@Tokz
I think it is a foregone conclusion that Nintendo will finish Sony's portable gaming platform with 3DS. Seeing those numbers i don't question MS's current decision of not entering that market.
@smartguy I disagree. Obviously Sony will not dominate the portable space, but it would be smart to remain there. It can still leverage console connectivity, increase PSN activity, and promote its various franchises with a handheld system. Besides, there's nothing wrong with being a strong #2.
Also, Microsoft is entering the market with Windows Phone 7. That's why I think the Android/PSP rumors are interesting.
@smartguy
you would think so but i think Rpad's right. you can't abandon hope, if that was so the rebel alliance would have never defeated the empire. Eveyone loves an underdog but i just can't get into the PSP. maybe they're new PSP will or the Android-PSP hybrid might do it but we'll have to wait and see.
@Ray
Unless their new device is also capable of making phone calls and is in line with the price of a good smartphone, it's done Ray. I think if you include smartphones in the mix then Sony won't even be number 2. Win7mo could be considered their entry into the portable market, but they are joining a market that is highly competitive in regards to the sheer amount of hardware devs.
In a business sense if you aren't viable or making any money there is no sense in sticking around. Sony has obviously poured more cash into marketing the device, but I don't see it translating into an uptick in sales numbers. I can't remember the last time I saw an ad for the PSPgo.
The PSPgo is an enigma of sorts. On one hand I can totally rationalize it as a glorified beta for their digi store and form factor. On the other I see it as an oopsie daisy we didn't take into account the licensing needed to put our back catalog into digi content.
As far as the Android PSP rumors go, I'll take more notice of them when I hear about anything Google might release about Gingerbread. Currently I do not know how Froyo wouldn't be adequate for such a device. The mere fact that Gingerbread is purported to be the OS leaves me with high doubts since carriers are just now pushing Froyo to capable handsets. Stripped froyo in some instances.
@smartguy The installed base of the PSP is around 80-million and the company has sold millions of games. I don't think it's the failure you make it out to be. If you think Sony has lost money on it, I'd love to see numbers that back that up.
Gingerbread is hitting in Q4. The device's release date hasn't been mentioned either.
@Ray
I would need to research Sony's figures for profitability on the PSP brand. I won't argue that they probably do turn a black margin on a unit that is sold. Here is an article written by someone you like about a certain developer seeing the least profit on this platform:
http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2009/02/12/wii-mos…
Regardless if Gingerbread hits in Q4, I doubt a US carrier will approve it in time for release this fall to any device. I have my doubts about Gingerbread releasing this year. I think I/O will be where we get a glimpse of it. The device is mentioned to have an October release date which is why I'm mentioning the fall.
@smartguy HTC's dual-core Snapdragon phone is supposed to launch with Gingerbread in November. We shall see.
all this talk of Froyo and gingerbread is making my sweeth tooth hurt. I think a run to DD is on my agenda after work.
@tokz_21 You know, I never really liked gingerbread (bread, cake, cookies, etc.).
@rpad
really??? i love desserts! you can have them at any time! This is probably why breakfast is my favorite meal of the day too. I can have steak with my eggs to go along with my pancakes and no one looks at me weird. If i was to have that for lunch or dinner people would be looking at me all weird.
@tokz_21 I love desserts — just not high on gingerbread. All the other Android codenames are fine with me — cupcake, donut, eclair, and frozen yogurt are awesome.
@rpad
oh you threw me off with your parentheses (sp?) selections. i thought you were including those along with gingerbread. you know at first i didn't think i liked gingerbread then i found out my favorite mexican pastry, i guess you can call it, is made out of gingerbread. here's a pic if you want to see what i'm talking about. this pastry and a cold glass of milk and i'm good.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EfPi4Px-w9w/Ss5rjXedOzI…
@Tokz
I love desserts in general as well. Everyone around me knows that I eat way too much junk food. I get that from my dad who is notorious for eating candy and drinking pop for breakfast. Desserts just go down easier than regular food 90% of the time.
@bsu
It's awesome to know i'm not a weirdo for ordering a coke with my breakfast meals or eating sourpatch kids for breakfast at times.
@bsukenyan Ah, you Midwesterners and the use of the term "pop". It's so cute.
Could live in the south where ever soda is labeled as "Coke" >_>
Haha. I always liked beer and beignets for breakfast. I still do. They are my guilty pleasure treats now. I don't eat candy.
@cami
You beat me to it
lol reminds me of when i briefly lived in indianapolis. it cracked me up to hear people call a vacuum a "sweeper" too.
It's called "pop" in Pittsburgh too.
I'm a breakfast buffet enthusiast myself. I enjoy a little bit of everything.
@smartguy
lol yeah i guess i did. but apparently around here people say "warsh" as opposed to "wash" also. my mom's a victim of that lol.
@Tokz
I can't say anything bad about that when I like to have candy for breakfast all the time. There is always some sort of candy around which I will eat at any point of the day, especially the mornings after I wake up, am on my way to classes, or on my way to work.
The proper term, as used in New York, is soda, of course.
And now thanks to the candy/breakfast conversation I could really use some candy or brinner.
@cami
Try growing up around chalmettians and Creoles. It's like learning three languages lol. Oil = Earl and toilet = terlet.
The parish is just another world unto itself
@Cami
I don't know too many people who say sweeper, actually. hmm. (I live about 45 minutes outside Indy).
@Ray
I actually had to make myself start to say pop because I was so used to saying soda from when I lived in Wisconsin. I had a linguistics class before where we analyzed a lot of those culturally different terms for various things, it's amazing how much language can change with just the difference of 100 miles.
@Tokz
now then you mention them I have a taste for sour patch kids. I might have to run to the store here pretty soon. lol.
lol!
@bsu
it was in brownsburg that i heard more people call it that.
@ray
I actually have grown out of that with my somewhat traveling i do for work. So i call the beverage by it's name when i ask for it.
@bsu
I just ran out of them. I bave to head to the candy store in merrillville and get some more, along with Andes chocolate mint.
@Cami
I hadn't heard that one before. When I was in Indy I was more on the East side and South side. so it could have just been that area. I will have to listen for that one now.
@Tokz
Albenese candy? I have been meaning to go there but my fiance does not love candy quite as much as I do so it is harder to get her to want to go there.
Even with Marcus’s commercials I think they should jump ship on the Psp and focus on the newer models (rumored and confirmed).
Well some of the older folks round these parts call soda Tonic but you have to put a hard Boston accent on it. I don't get it lol.
@bsu
Yes thats the place. I know you can order online but i like to choose my candy in person.
@big blak
I always pick up the Bostonian accent when i'm there. My gf always picks on me for that.
Google "Pittsburghese" and see what comes up. Or I can save you some trouble:
http://www.pittsburghese.com/glossary.ep.html?typ…
@ N8R
Dude that is funny!
@ Tokz
Its hard not to pick it up lol, as long as I can remember I've been fighting the accent but it still comes out when I say beer (beyah) and a few other choice words.
It took me 2 years of living in CA for me to even notice I had a Pittsburgh accent. I still can't do certain words right.
I still say pop for starters, and I look and ask for chipped ham at the grocery store as opposed to chopped ham. The ones I really notice though are the fact that I say words like shower and hour as if the only had one syllable (shawr and ouwr) and I struggle with the word hundred. I mean, I can say 1 hundred easily, but if I need to put a number after that it comes out like a hunnerd and 53.
I also say rays in referring to someone's parents (the folks who rays you). "Hey, you going to visit your rays?" like that.
brian fellows is an enthusiastic young man with a 8th grade education and a lifelong love for all animals
im currently watching spinal tap for the first time in my life, i have to admit that it IS pretty god damn funny so far
@ Thundercracker
All that stuff hits true on so many levels.
One day, I saw the band Scorpions hanging out in the hotel lobby just waiting for people to recognize them.
@N8
So did you go up to them and "recognize" them like they wanted?
@ Bsu
F**k no.
It's a commonplace in LA. If you listen to the commentary of the DVD of Chappelle's Show Season 2, The Rick James episode… that's also how Dave Chappelle knew so much about Rick James' mannerisms. Chappelle would visit him regularly in the hotel lobby Rick James would hang out in.
I'm not a name-dropper, I rarely get starstruck when I meet celebrities (They would have to be HUGE influences on my character and people I HIGHLY respect like Bruce Springsteen or Stan Lee. I would have no idea what to say to those guys). So I just let them be. It was around NAMM (North American Music Merchants trade show in Anaheim) time anyway so I had already met my fill of people. Hell, I met the bassist I consider to be the best in the world that day (Vic Wooten) and Avenged Sevenfold was drinking at the same hotel bar.
@N8
Vic Wooten is an amazing player, The Ox did more for bass players overall and I don't know how the bass would be used today if it weren't for him, but Wooten really does incredible things on the bass. I still love Flea the best overall though, and RHCP would be the one band I would probably be speechless for if I ever met.
@ BSU
When talking about the time period the Who thrived in, you can't overlook Chris Squire from Yes. That dude was balls out. And of course one of the most underrated bassists of all time, John Paul Jones. The reason I say he's underrated, is because he's typically the last member of Led Zepplin people know by name.
I can't talk about this without mentioning Jaco Pastorius. Granted, he did his most impressive stuff on a stand-up, but still.
As for your statement about the Ox, Willie Dixon was before him and paved the way him.
you cant have a real conversation about bass music without mentioning the grim reaper
wyld stallyons rule