Killzone 2 and SFIV expected to lead month as industry-watcher estimates put game revenues at $659M-$710M; GTAIV: Lost and Damned sales forecasted to be $21M.
The NPD Group will release its US sales recap for the month of February this Thursday, and a trio of industry analysts can't come to an agreement on whether the results will reflect a win, lose, or draw.
;)
Pacific Crest Securities analyst Evan Wilson believes that the game industry matched its February 2008 performance, predicting software sales for the month will come in at $675 million. High-profile releases Street Fighter IV (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) and Killzone 2 (PS3) led the sales for the month, Wilson believes that Call of Duty: World at War, Guitar Hero World Tour, Rock Band 2, Wii Fit, and Wii Play are also expected to perform well.
Wilson also noted that one to watch for in February will be Wii hardware sales, given that supply appears to have finally caught up with demand. "During the month of February, Wiis were largely in stock at major retailers," commented Wilson. "This does not appear to be a reflection of increased hardware deliveries. Instead, it was likely caused by the typical postholiday deceleration in demand and the existence of few new, big February releases. February data will be interesting, because they will be an indication of ongoing Wii demand rather than ongoing supply."
Although Wilson didn't take a crack at predicting Wii hardware sales, Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter did. Pachter believes that Wii sales continued to soar in February, saying that he expects Nintendo to have sold 725,000 units on the month. That figure remains far higher than what Pachter believes Sony's or Microsoft's console mustered, with the former achieving 200,000 unit sales by his projections, and the latter logging 300,000 systems sold.
Pachter doesn't anticipate the PS3 to have seen much of a bump from the release of Guerrilla Games' highly anticipated Killzone 2, primarily due to the game's release late in the NPD's reporting period. However, Pachter does believe that the game helped drive software sales to $710 million, a 5.6 percent year-over-year climb. Other top performers during the period, as noted by Pachter, include Capcom's SFIV; Activision's Guitar Hero World Tour and Call of Duty: World at War; MTV Games' Rock Band 2; and Nintendo's Wii Fit and Wii Play.
Electronic Entertainment Design and Research analyst Jesse Divnich took the most pessimistic view of the US gaming industry's software performance. Divnich believes that software sales actually sunk during the month, a first since October 2008. According to the analyst, software came in at $659 million during February, a 2 percent year-over-year slip.
Divnich also expressed concern about the PS3's performance for the month, noting that the console is poised to log its fourth month in a row in which it saw year-over-year sales declines. Particularly, Divnich believes that Sony is losing the messaging war that the PS3 is the premier "core" gaming console.
"Case in point is Microsoft's recent announcement of a Resident Evil 5 hardware bundle, which is a deal between Microsoft, an American company, and Capcom, a Japanese company," observed Divnich. "Such a deal would have been unheard of in the last generation and its presence in this generation only reinforces the idea that even publishers are beginning to recognize the Xbox 360 as the superior console for targeting the core gaming market in North America."
Lastly, Divnich addressed the Xbox 360-exclusive Grand Theft Auto IV downloadable content, which will not be reflected in the NPD's monthly recap.
"EEDAR currently expects retail brick-and-mortar sales of Grand Theft Auto IV's Lost and Damned expansion to be under $3 million for the month--worldwide," he said. (The retail package contains a unique code that can then be used to download the game through Xbox Live.) "For digital distribution, we expect Lost and Damned to produce over $18 million in sales (worldwide). As we move forward, we expect that 6-to-1 ratio to grow even larger, as digitally distributed games don't have to succumb to retail pressures and loss of shelf space/visibility. Long-term, we expect Lost and Damned to produce up to $40 million in total worldwide revenue."
Tom Magrino has covered the games industry since 2006. He's been compared to Steve Martin by Ozzy Osbourne and Daniel Craig by Tim Schafer. His voice, heard largely on GameSpot's podcast, recalls that of Kermit the Frog. It ain't easy bein' Magreen.
forget bias; own all 3 of the big systems and sony dug this grave themselves. thier fault. over hyped, over priced. i like mine but it really doesnt much use. when one has the option of psn over live its pretty obvious which one will get used. bluray movies do look and sound pretty tho.
@ddashboy242 Noone is laughing stupid loser. You are a goddamn loser. Get a life noone thinks you are funny for telling the end to KZ2 you stupid arse. I will glasgow kiss you bro.
Ps3 is great, Re5 sold 400,000 copies on the Ps3. 360 sold 440,000 copies. Very close in sales. Playstation 3 is catching up...
ps3 just needs better marketing, nearly every game i see on tv in the uk always comes up with an xbox
@ nvfigueiredo E um prazer ver outro tuga, que nao seja um "catraio", por aqui. :) Nice to meet you, m8! :D
Olá Tsunami, Nice to have another portuguese here. :) Regarding your comment, I fail to see your point. I've been playing videogames since I was 7, and I am now 33... So I believe my opinion, in the matter of experience, is also valid. Portugal is indeed a "Sony owned" country, and I jumped into the PS bandwagon. I could have bought a Xbox360, but the RROD argument was to strong for me. If I am to spend ? 300 for a console (plus wireless controller, plus Xbox Live subscription) and another "hundreds" for games and accessories, I DEMAND quality. On top of that, all my friends were also buying or planning to buy a PS3 (except for 2 of them... who have both consoles). Still, I'm drifting. Question is, I don't think PS3 or Xbox360 are more or less hardcore. It's the games that make the difference, as allways. Killzone 2, MGS5, Warhawk, Resistance 2 ARE hardcore games, only available on the PS3. Just as Mass Effect or Gears of War are, to name a few on the Xbox360. Your point regarding multiplatform superiority is also weak, IMHO. There are multiplatform games better on the PS3, as there are some better on the Xbox360. Conclusion: both consoles have their merits. Both are as "hardcore" or casual as you make it (mind you, I love a drunk Singstar session and there's nothing like a Guitar Hero WT jam with some friends). Your other point: I too think Home was a waste of Sony's resources. As many other titles (Lair on top). But so were Too Human, You're in the movies, Viva Piñata, Halo Wars... Some bets payoff, others don't. To be honest, I even believe that the Xbox360 strongest cards are its appeal to... casual audiences: lower price (and the "hability" to run backup games... cof cof) and its large number of casual "cheap" downloadable games (including Catan and Uno). I wouldn't also trade my PS3 for a Xbox360. Hardcore gamer to hardcore gamer, I urge you not to miss Metal Gear Solid IV... I'm not even a big fan of the series, but I was amazed with it. Rest assured, I will buy a Xbox360 (or loan it from a friend), just to get my hands on Gears of War 1&2. :) Abraço, Nuno
KillZone2!! Scolar Visari's Last Words: "The Madness Begins" KZ3 in the works!! woot woot:D
@ Hvac0120: I'm 29, been playing games since I was 5, and I wouldn't trade my Xbox360 for a PS3 or Wii. I'd love to have them all, but I aint got the time and the money to play them all. And to be honest, I think you are not correct at your analisys. Let's consider my country (Portugal), where any Sony hardware is the king of sales, where the Wii and Xbox 360 together have less then 20% of the market. Here, all casual and softcore gamers buy PS3, while only the hardcore gamers play the 360. If you ask anyone what a PS is, ppl know. And most ppl look for a PS console when they want to buy a home console. I'd play Halo 3 over Killzone 2 any day (Yes, Killzone's graphics are amazing, but it's the gameplay that makes the game). Also, despite being superior on a technical lvl, the PS3 can't seem to achieve the performance level of the 360 (considering multiplatform games), as 360's graphs are, on most of the cases, better on the M$ console (you can check Eurogamer.net, as it has detailed analysis on games launched on both consoles, and 360's are, like 90% of the time, better on the technical issue). So, tbh, I believe that PS3 players "invented" that idea that the PS3 is for the hardcore gamer, because tbh, I don't see any real basis for that concept. Imo, if there is one console prefered by the hardcore gamers, that would be the Xbox 360. Also, concerning other news, how many of you think that Home is a shot in the foot by Sony? Because, imo, I think that it's a great waste of human resources and money. I mean, console gamers wanna turn on the console and play. What's the point of creating a virtual avatar to walk around a reality-like place? To stand in queue to play at virtual arcade machines? Meh... Yes, I'm a M$ fanboy (atm, at least). Used to be a PS one, but tbh, I think that Sony has made too many mistakes, while M$ and Nintendo have shown more inovation and respect for the gamers. My 2 cents... (I cant feel the PS fanboys negative reviews raining on this thread...)
I think the Sony console will end up like the XBOX last gen. It will be first in every technical category but second in games and installed base. Not too shabby, but disappointing because of the dominance of the PlayStation ever since it came out. I own one and love it, have friends that own a 360 and that is an excellent console as well. But i am glad I chose, in my mind, the better console.
My goodness people! Stop buying "Wii Play"! Save your money and just get the Wii Remote.
ps3 isnt crap...and even if it is, it still got blu-ray... i dont see the ps3 selling games that are multidisk... i wonder how many disks theyre gonna need for ff13?
I can't imagine that with games like KZ 2 and SF IV, and with fully stocked shelves of Wii, that Feb could have been anything but positive (although the late-month release of KZ 2 could have an effect). On a different note: "[Wii had] the existence of few new, big February releases." That's right! No good games because the system is lousy and is 98% shovelware! C'mon, Wii fans, the fad is over! It's not too late to switch to the PS3 and save a real gaming machine! Price cut likely in April! Blu-Ray! Hard Drive! Free online with sweet games like MGS4, LBP, and KZ 2! Now, even if you buy a 360 I couldn't blame you because it also has good games! Please just go with what's right! Haha, gonna probably get a lot of thumbs down for that but oh well :)
Who cares... It's not like Sony will end up like Sega. What's the concern here? So what if the PS3 is the worst seller out of the three. It doesn't change the fact that it has incredible exclusives, a built in blu-ray player, and lots of developer support. That's enough to make the PS3 successful in my opinion.
Who the hell says the PS3 is expensive?! I paid 289 quid for mine with 4 games: Resistance 2, LBP, Fallout 3 and... *sigh* LOST: The Game (which I sold for 13 quid). Then I bought: Mirrors Edge (15 quid), Bioshock (18 quid), GTA4 (18 quid), Dead Space (15 quid) and MGS4 (15 quid second hand). So so far I have spent 357 quid (deducting the 13 quid from selling LOST) on a PS3 with 7 excellent high scoring games. So again, who says the PS3 is expensive?!
What I don't understand is, the Wii is number one in every market, but there are very few people arguing on here that it is the best system. How does number 2 make your system the best? I have all 3 and for the last 5 months have only powered up the PS3. Your mileage may vary. Good for you.
greg thats a lie, you honestly think ps3 is the cheapest, , the console is already the most expensive its controllers cost just as much as 360s if not more, its new releases cost the same as 360s and when i got my ps3 it was 599.99 if you call that cheap, then i dont know what world youl live in , because that is not cheap, the only positive thing that came out of that deal was bluray and bc with ps1 and 2 games, and kill zone 2, every other game makes me want to throw the thing away seriously, i dont like mgs series i gave it another go with mgs 3 to my suprise it looked and played like mgs1 on the ps1,
havack not really, lets see if ms still runs the deal ok , 199.99 plus 40 dollars = 240 plus tax,, now whos to say you wanted a componant cable- thats 1999 - those 3 things add up to 260 , im rounding to nearest dollar, plus tax , so no in the long run wii is cheaper, because , theres no extra hardware needed most of that extra hardware is included with games any way so ya. except the nun chuck , and may we not care who sells the most even though i know wii is gonna be the one to sell the most this gen, do you actually believe sony and ms are going to sell wii 2 to 1 , , thats the only way theyll catch up,, world wide, japan alone wont help since 9,0 million wiis alread sold from last time we knew of, wiki is the source wii has sold 44.98 million ,, with ps3 and 360 at 28 and 22 about that, respectively
Personally i do not care which console sell's the most i have no loyalty/emtional feelings towards any of the hardware makers, they are all just coperate entities that want our money, and that's fine aslong as there product is worth the cash. I would like all three companies to make profits so they can deliver another console each next generation. I paid £425 for the PS3 when it was launched in the U.K and i have never thought it was a waste of money infact i have always seen it as a good purchase even though it's had much less use than my 360 or PC, but my thinking is all 3 systems wiill have games i really want to play over there life spans and imo there have been allot of very good games on each system well the wii is a little disapointing as it's been collecting dust since mario galaxy but thats nothing new the 64 and GC were just for playing nintendo games imo. All this fangirl nonsense has ruined the gaming forums and places like GS encourage and protect there fangirl users. I am a little worried about Sony, i see no way that they can overtake the 360 in total sales during this gen((based on the the last few years npd's) the company has to be feeling like they failed as the PS brand has dominated previous gens and it's obvious sony expected the same this gen(wiith there poor attitude leading up to the launch), i just hope they make some profits so that they continue in the gaming market as losing them would be a disaster IMO. Sony has allot of good games out and coming so with a decent price drop i see them selling some units too keep them competing with the 360 but i doubt they will be able to overtake 360 this gen as the 360 shows no signs of slowing sales.
The complaints I have about the Xbox 360 Arcade are short. (1) 256MB internal storage barely gives you enough space for the NXE, let alone room for game saves. So even if you skip demos, videos, and other DLC you still might run into problems. (2) Batteries - 8 pack of batteries runs about $5-6. Those batteries only last so long. So whether you play a lot or a little you've only got a month or two until your out. If you've already got rechargables you might be okay, but then again rechargables cost a lot and can only be recharged so many times before they no longer hold a charge. Therefore the play-n-charge kit is almost a necessity. If MS is still giving that $20 deal on 20GB HDD's, then I highly recommend spending the extra $40 on the HDD and the play-n-charge kit. That still means the Arcade is cheaper than the Wii, but it also saves you a lot of money in the long run. _
You are under the assumption everyone wants online and wireless and anything else the ps3 offers. I know a couple of people who don't even have internet and don't want it. That is where the PS3 fails. I would never say the PS3 does not have value, but value and what people need is 2 different things.
PS3 is the inferior console in the US. There is NO hype here around it. Sony really dropped the ball with the advertising going all the way back to the creepy baby commercial. Sony still has a chance in the US, a slim chance.
I cannot understand why everyone says the PS3 is expensive. I've had all 3 consoles and spent less on my PS3 than the other 2 by miles. Even at the current price an Xbox is £125 vs ps3 £290. However, Xbox doesn't come with wifi, rechargeable controller packs and at £35 / year for XBL it takes no time at all for that console to soar past the price of the PS3. (And don't even get me started about how faulty the xbox is....) The Wii is even more - so many accessories and very expensive controllers etc. Isn't it a very clear thing to see? It's a typical MS marketing scam and seems soooo obvious I don't get why people completely miss it.
I completely agree with Hvac0120. The PS3 isn't the inferior console because it doesn't have the technical merits or the fanbase. It's the price and horrible of marketing that became its downfall. And milking the PS2 as long as it could didn't help either. Sony used the PS3 as their "multimedia machine" enabling users to view Blu-Ray movies as well as access to the internet via wifi, bluetooth capabilities, free online service, included hard drive, and so forth. But because of this, they are loosing money for adding too much technology. They took too long to release the console, and because of that people went away. Length of wait + Overpriced system = users leaving to the 360. Microsoft went and focused with the hardcore gamers. They focused on giving out a console that plays the games that people want with quick loading, good graphics, and cheaper pricing. Even though the online multiplayer isn't free, people will buy it because it's not mandatory to buy. Looking at a $199 that's the base + $60 or so for a year subscription for online service is easier to swallow that the $399 mammoth. Nintendo decided to market their next gen system buy targeting not just hardcore gamers, or the techsavy people out there, but to target the whole broad of different age groups. The Wii attracts people because of its innovating controls and brings young kids to adults together to play some unique games. There are more people out there that would buy the Wii because there is a huge target audience. At around $250 price point isn't too bad either. One can argue that if the PS3 came out at the same time as the 360 with the same price, how many people would have bought it? If Sony never added so much technology to the console and made the developers lives easier, would there be a different outcome of games/exclusives? This answer we'll never know. Maybe next time Sony will just release a simple focused console. Maybe Microsoft would stop mooching as much money as they can. Maybe the Wii can improve their graphics. Maybe everyone can just shut up and play the damn games. Finally, @ariesguy23 "I see alot of fanboys that love the PS3.. May ask if you love and is dedicated to your PS3 so much why aint any of you buying it? Because surely its clear it isnt selling?" I'm confused.. they're PS3 fanboys for a reason, meaning they bought one? Sony fanboys maybe what you seek. =)
I remember not buying and buying an xbox and then later buying a PS2 as a second console when it became affordable.
why it's true that HD-DVD had shorter load times the Blu-Ray is well amazing for the amount of data it holds and as for the special features that isn't Blu-ray that falls on the movie companies and as for the price i think 300 is a reasonable price do any of you remember when the PS2 came out everybody said it was to exspensive but you paid for what it could do
fps HD-DVD was better than blu-ray. More features, better quality picture on re-released movies, and shorter load. Sounds like your argument for the PS3 but I believe HD-DVD isn't around anymore either.
MKID232 Friend that is what the forums are about. Talking about why console are a success or not. The same goes for games. I guess the hope is if you talk about it enough some one who cares will listen and in return make the changes to make better games and consoles. Keeping in mind that price in their too. JMO
The price was the biggest obstacle I faced with getting a PS3. The price is also what is holding back a LOT of people from getting a PS3. I pre-ordered my Xbox 360. PS3 has the tech, it has the games, it has the online service. What it is lacking is a price that is reasonable for the current economy. I personally play my PS3 more than Xbox360 because I can play online without the additional fee. Plus I've played GoW and Halo 3 and they just don't appeal to me more than Resistance 2, Metal Gear Online, or Killzone 2. Since the 360 exlusives have PS3 counterparts, I am happy to forgo the $50 entry fee for online multiplayer on Live for the free PSN. The Xbox360 is probably the best console for teenage and younger college gamers due to the reliance on XBL as the "superior" service. These are the people who will use all of the features to their fullest and get the most out of the experience. The Wii is for everybody that is not exclusive to hardcore games. I think it's best for "old" people (40+) and kids (13-), but everyone can enjoy the console. It's unique motion games are reminiscent of the quarky games found in an old-school arcade. The PS3 is for the technophiles, movie addicts and "mature", hardcore gamers. I range the average PS3 owner from age 21-40. It's also the best game for a dad-on-a-budget. Sure, the entry price is hard to swallow, but at least it's only a one-time fee and not a yearly subscription. Does Sony need to do something about the price? Yes. Is the console actually lacking anything? No. Sony just hasn't tapped into what made those loyal PS2 fans who continue to support the aging console or the new gamers who have only heard that XBL is "owns." _
I'm sick of the fanboy war. All we get is people who go on about the PS3 and its greatness, and everyone else going hard on it. It goes for all the Next Gen Consoles. It is annoying. I mean, I know this little comment won't stop it, or even hinder it, but it is still sickening to me. THEY'RE CONSOLES, THEY ARE MADE TO PLAY GAMES!!!!
Unfortunately, you really have to be a fanboy to get one. I would like to have one for second console but it seems like that will a long time from now. The price is no where near my price window for a second console. I think Killzone2 looks awesome.
And I am not saying the 360 has the most power. I don't pretend to be a rocket scientist.
Ariesguy23 I have to agree. What Sony and their fans need to understand, Mom and Dad don't want everything and the kitchen sink with their console. That is why Wii is eating everybody's lunch. The 360 is getting the table scrap because they are getting the hint. They are lowering the price and delivering a machine with more power. Sony is failing to understand this. They preach how the PS3 has everything to deaf ears. I love my 360 but I even thought the price was hard to swallow. Now it is near half the price. Sony needs to listen and stop preaching to sell more PS3 or except the 3rd place trophy and live with it. I don't think they are suffering in third on game sales. I don't think they can afford to lower the price more, when they are losing money already.
Exactly, you can buy the cheapest xbox360 base package that comes with the 512mb memory card out of the box and play all thease Next Gen games.. $200.. In order to play the ps3 version you have to buy a $399 dollar console. Am i missing something here? Do the math...This is why that socalled PS3 nextgen console isnt selling. I bought my PS3 to play games, and now i only use it because its the best Bluray Player out there. haha what a joke! I bet sony isnt bragging any more! I see alot of fanboys that love the PS3.. May ask if you love and is dedicated to your PS3 so much why aint any of you buying it? Because surely its clear it isnt selling?
fps. the funny thing is that you don't HAVE to buy all those extras. Focus on the base package that comes out of the box. Due to that, the 360 is indeed less expensive. That's not to argue against the VALUE of the PS3 for the dollars you spend. That's an entirely different argument.
I am glad you guys think you're experts but if it really was that simple, if this really was some big con job, they'd have been discovered a long time ago. But guess what? They're still getting paid for this and there are a lot more things to keep in mind. It may be easy for some of us in the more "hardcore" audience, but for the rest of our peers it isn't so easy to put that 2 and 2 together. So give them a little more credit, these Analysts
this one isnt rocket science...there were only 2 decent games released in Feb 09, street fighter 4 and Killzone 2, durgh! I dont think we need 'analysts' to tell us what the sales might be.
flyingdutchdog if your complaining about KZ2 characters being jocks then what does that make the Gears characters? Super jocks?
As some once said and I've said from the beginning is put all the mods on the table and it all about the same price, I love my 360 but m$ are a bunch of rip offs £35 just for a wireless head set thats total crap let alone the price of the wireless network. overall i think nintendo are the worst for the price of both control's £45 for the pair, at lest sony give it for £40 and no need to fork out more for batteries or extra bits, so with that you look a spending £55-60 to me thats more than sony and m$, I hate the sneaky after touch of this sony are the only one's with customers in mind big price good hardwear no sneaky after's that burns the wallet any head set so thank you SONY.
Yet another article where the Xbox 360 is clearly out performing the PS3. Wii sales continue to be solid but nobody plays anything on them. Not a shocker.
Wait, you mean that the two biggest, most hyped games that came out in February (KZ 2 and SF IV) are going to lead sales for the month? Really? I can't believe it!
I live in a house with all three systems (2 Wiis actually, but those get the least love right now, at least until after the Conduit shows up). I've burned out on the 360, mostly been playing my PS3 that I got recently. The 360 definitely has the largest game selection, but as far as top end titles go, Killzone 2 kills. Seriously, I like Killzone and Resistance more than Halo 3, and the PS3 doesn't have he funky "let's fill in the textures AFTER we load the rest of the graphics" thing. No fanboyism here, I do play all three systems, but just to illustrate how lame I am, I've been mostly playing Disgaea 3 and PixelJunk Monsters lately, so it shows that I'm really getting my money's worth out of all that horsepower it's packing, right? Naw, I'm just lame. :P
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