Hardware:

Xbox 360 527.8K
Wii 501K
Nintendo DS 495.8K
PlayStation Portable 284.5K
PlayStation 2 215K
PlayStation 3 119.4K
Game Boy Advance 75K

Software:

360 HALO 3 3.3M
WII PLAY W/ REMOTE 282K
NDS LEGEND OF ZELDA: PHANTOM HOURGLASS 224K
PS2 MADDEN NFL 08 205K
360 SKATE 175K
360 MADDEN NFL 08 173K
WII METROID PRIME 3: CORRUPTION 167K
360 BIOSHOCK 150K
NDS BRAIN AGE 2 141K
PS3 HEAVENLY SWORD 139K


A few possible talking points:

360 sales nearly double last month's with the release of Halo 3 following Bioshock, Madden, and a price drop in August, Wii sales figures are amazing for a non-holiday month especially considering the lack of major releases in September (Metroid was August), the PS3 numbers speak for themselves.

If Nintendo somehow avoids supply constraints they could have mind-bogglingly high numbers in November (Mario Galaxy) and December.

Is the war between the 360 and PS3 already over in America? Sony's situation looks pretty dire at this point. Looks like #2 in Europe and Japan will be the most they can hope for.

The new PSP saw sales roughly double from last month, maybe some of these people will actually buy games at some point instead of pirating or playing old games via an emulator. I couldn't tell you the last time I saw a PSP game make the charts.

Halo 3 numbers are utterly ridiculous. I've never understood all the love and hype this franchise gets but damn it if the sales aren't impressive. Compared to the install base, roughly half of 360 owners bought the game this month and that doesn't account for people who've bought replacement consoles.

PS2 Madden outsells the 360 version after the opposite was true last month, who knows when the PS2 will finally die down, it might take years.

Personally I find the Metroid sales slightly disappointing but the game still did better than the first two Metroid Prime games, and those were released in November as opposed to August. I know a lot of people on this board don't like the series all that much (omg too much scanning etc.) but this one is more action-oriented in addition to the superior aiming. Give it a shot people.

Heavenly Sword could be considered a bomb, the game was and still is heavily advertised and likely cost a pretty penny to make.

Some reactions from this article:

"Halo 3" drives September U.S. video game sales (http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyID=2007-10-18T235836Z_01_N18466980_RTRUKOC_0_US-VIDEOGAMES-SALES.xml&pageNumber=0&imageid=&cap=&sz=13&WTModLoc=NewsArt-C1-ArticlePage2)

Microsoft said "Halo 3" set the stage for a steady flow of highly anticipated games through the holidays.

"People keep asking me, is it all about 'Halo'? It's about the games. We've got a great lineup of games and it just keeps coming. A game of a month of system-sellers isn't going to hurt our business," said Microsoft spokesman David Dennis.

"The Wii went up against the self-proclaimed 'biggest entertainment launch ever' and we emerged with our best month of the year," Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of American, told Reuters.

"They fired their bullet and our gun is loaded and ready to fire throughout the holidays," Fils-Aime said.

No Sony reaction as of yet, though I'm sure the corporate spin will be as good as ever. It's the November NPDs that will matter to them now I suppose.

Yeah, this was a sony Ass-whuping. I bet people like are me (who are waiting for Mass Effect) will have a noticeable effect in November (combined with Black Friday) - the 360 looks like the clear winner.

Everyone that wants Halo already has a 360.

Everyone that wants Halo already has a 360.Er? That's why their console sales almost doubled?

That's what I call a system seller personally - they went from 276k in August to 527k in September.

That's pretty impressive imo. Plus, MS gets the money made off of Halo, right? They own it now?

Pretty impressive by Microsoft - although of course the Wii numbers are impressive especially when you consider there really wasn't a system seller.

Looking forward to hearing from Mizzou B Ball why this is great news for Sony.

Er? That's why their console sales almost doubled?


It was a dig at a Reggie Fils-Aime comment a week or so ago where he said Halo 3 wouldn't have a big effect on sales because Halo fans had already bought a 360 and were playing Bioshock and Crackdown.

Still, if it sold ~250k extra this month and the game sold 3.3m then over 90% of Halo buyers already had a 360 so he wasn't terribly wrong IMO despite the mega numbers, but yeah it moves a hell of a lot of systems regardless.

I thought Reggie's "guns and bullets" comment regarding this month's numbers was pretty good though.

Er? That's why their console sales almost doubled?

Apparently I do a fairly solid Mizzou impersonation.

Looking forward to hearing from Mizzou B Ball why this is great news for Sony.

Mercedes had already written off this month as they have their price drop coming up and knew they didn't stand a chance against Kia's Halo release or the Toyota fad so their goal was to hold steady and ride it out.

Totals through September:

USA -

360 - 6.8m
Wii - 4.5m
PS3 - 1.9m

World -

Wii - 12.1m
360 - 11.5m
PS3 - 4.7m

Ah, my sarcasm meter has been way off lately - don't mind me.

Okami confirmed for Wii (http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=85578)

First it was Resident Evil 4, now it's this. I never played the original despite the critical acclaim.

Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition kicked ass and maybe Okami could really benefit from the Wii controller but c'mon Capcom I want new games.

We Love Golf and Zack and Wiki do both sound pretty good though.

Yeah, this was a sony Ass-whuping. I bet people like are me (who are waiting for Mass Effect) will have a noticeable effect in November (combined with Black Friday) - the 360 looks like the clear winner.

For the 360 vs the PS3 - but the Wii still looks to be the winner in the end. What is a coup for the 360 is just another month for the Wii. It's still a long race though since ideally these consoles will have another 3-5 years minimum.

Oh wow, I bought Okami for the PS2 earlier this year, but never got around to playing much of it. It's going to be tough to justify buying it again, but it seems like it would be a perfect game for the Wii.

For the 360 vs the PS3 - but the Wii still looks to be the winner in the end. What is a coup for the 360 is just another month for the Wii. It's still a long race though since ideally these consoles will have another 3-5 years minimum.

That's fair - I guess in my mind, I always see the Wii as the "extra" console... which may just prove your point to begin with. :D

Are there any good games for the Wii yet?

For the 360 vs the PS3 - but the Wii still looks to be the winner in the end. What is a coup for the 360 is just another month for the Wii. It's still a long race though since ideally these consoles will have another 3-5 years minimum.

If you factor in how much money MS is generating from XBOX live it is no competition between any of the systems.

XBOX live is a cash cow for them. Every friend I have on live, has at least 4 Live Arcade games.

They link your credit card and it is so easy to buy a XBOX live arcade when you are bored.

If you factor in how much money MS is generating from XBOX live it is no competition between any of the systems.

XBOX live is a cash cow for them. Every friend I have on live, has at least 4 Live Arcade games.

They link your credit card and it is so easy to buy a XBOX live arcade when you are bored.

Microsoft needs a lot of XBLA sales to counter the billion dollars they spent to upgrade the warranty for their faulty hardware.

Are there any good games for the Wii yet?http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?p=1570340#post1570340

You got to give Sony credit though. The PS3 fought off the challenge from the Game Boy Advance and won that sales battle this month.

I'm not sure why there's so much surprise over the 360 U.S. numbers this month. MS targeted that they wanted/needed between 400-500K in sales from this month with the release of Halo. They got that plus another 20K for good measure. They needed Halo to give them this boost.

Wii just keeps on going. No surprises there. I do think that the lack of a drop in sales on the Wii despite the big 360 advance in sales shows just how independent the purchasing decisions of Wii owners are from the 360/PS3 sales market. People don't make Wii purchase decisions based on whether they own a HD console.

PS3 had dismal sales, but that was expected as well. Lair killed any chance that the PS3 had of advancing in September. Heavenly Sword sales were lackluster as well. I think those two games and the 360 boost show just how important name recognition is to games sales. New IP's face an increasingly uphill fight to get into the market over the reoccuring popular franchises in place. New games really have to make a huge impact (Bioshock was a good example) in order to engrain themselves into the market. Perfect example why 2008 is SO important for the PS3.

MS and Toshiba reportedly working on a new 360 model. I'm guessing that this box may be cheaper to make by the time it's released. Would be pretty expensive if it was released right now. Just as a FYI, this article is written in Australia..........

http://www.smarthouse.com.au/Gaming/Console/P4G5C3U2

Toshiba Working With Microsoft On New Entertainment Xbox
By David Richards | Friday | 19/10/2007


Microsoft, according to insiders at Toshiba owner of the HD DVD patents, claim that Microsoft is working on a brand new Xbox that will incorporate not only a new HD DVD drive but a large hard drive and new entertainment software that is a spin off from its struggling media centre offering.

The device is being developed in response to the PS3 driving sales of games software and Blu-ray content in several countries. A recent Sony Brand Wave study conducted in five countries including the UK, Australia, France Germany and Spain revealed that a key reason that consumers are buying a PS3 is because it includes a Blu-ray player.

Recent GFK research reveals that the recently launched Xbox 360 HD DVD attach player is not selling well. Another factor that impacted early sales of the Xbox 360 was that Microsoft failed to include a HDMI port - omitted because Microsoft wanted to cut down the costs of the console in an effort to compete up against the PS3.

The new Xbox device, while allowing for extensive gaming capability, will be positioned as an entertainment hub that includes gaming and extensive wireless networking capability as well as 1080p playback. There is also talk of it including a dual HD TV tuner and EPG capability and a docking port for an MP3 player. For Toshiba, the device is critical if it is to be successful in beating Sony and the Blu-ray promoters.

Also being discussed is the development of an open standard docking port similar to the 17 pin iPod port. This would allow all manufacturers to use the same port for docking.

A senior Toshiba executive in Singapore told SmartHouse that "An Xbox with a built in HD DVD drive is critical. They and we are working on it. It also has to be more than a gaming machine. Microsoft recognise this. A version of the device may also be sold under the Toshiba brand name".

Scott Browning, the Marketing Director of JB HiFi Australia's second largest consumer electronics retailer said, "The device is a lay down mis`ere and essential for the HD DVD camp. We are told that one is coming. The PS3 has been extremely successful for Sony in getting Blu-ray off the ground and for Microsoft, the omission of a built in HD DVD player is set to hurt sales going forward as consumers are aware that the PS3 comes with a Blu-ray player."

Both Toshiba and Microsoft have also explored the possibility of a new open standard chassis system that allows an Xbox to be slotted into a HD TV screen over 40-inch. The open standard bays will allow hard drives to be upgraded and expanded similar to the way that users can upgrade the hard drive on a PC.

Another big problem for Microsoft according to insiders is getting the heat and noise output from the current Xbox 360 under control so that the new device can run silently while a movie is being played. It is known that Toshiba has been working with Microsoft on this issue as it has extensive experience in notebooks and "quiet" drives. Currently most iPods incorporate a Toshiba drive.

Another benefit for Microsoft in moving to a new Xbox platform is that it can introduce new components that are less likely to fail. Currently the PS3 has a failure rate of under two percent. Recently Microsoft was forced to allow for a $1.3 billion charge against warranty claims following reports of up to a 30 percent failure rate of the original Xbox 360.

The new device is expected to be released late in 2008 or at the 2009 CES show in Las Vegas.

Are there any good games for the Wii yet?

yes

New game announcements:

-God of War 3 for the PS3 and Gears of War 2 for the 360 both given release date of Fall 2008.

-New version of 'Skies of Arcadia' to be released by Sega.

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3163790

Quartermann: God of War 3, Gears of War 2 in 2008
Oh, and Skies of Arcadia fans might want to pay attention.

By 1UP Staff, 10/18/2007

Another month, another batch of rumors from EGM's Quatermann. You know, even though Sony hasn't announced God of War 3, it's coming. In fact, it was already sort of announced. Anyway, the folks at SCEA Santa Monica are already hard at work at preparing Kratos' debut on PlayStation 3, which should arrive during the next holiday season, joined by a little something called Gears of War 2, as well. Oooh.

Epic Games and Microsoft haven't confirmed Gears of War 2 either, but the game's stellar sales (not to mention the cliffhanger ending) is confirmation enough.

A little out of left field, however, is news of Sega reviving Skies of Arcadia. The sky pirate RPG was criminally overlooked, despite releases on both Dreamcast and GameCube, but apparently Sega been quietly preparing a sequel to the swashbuckling adventure.
The latest issue of EGM, featuring Ninja Gaiden 2 on the cover, arrives in subscriber hands this week.

I do think that the lack of a drop in sales on the Wii despite the big 360 advance in sales shows just how independent the purchasing decisions of Wii owners are from the 360/PS3 sales market. People don't make Wii purchase decisions based on whether they own a HD console.100% accurate analysis on this point imo. If we learned nothing else from this month, I think we learned that.

Hell, Wii purchase decisions seem to be indepent of whether any games outside of Wii Sports are released - which is incredible in itself.

Are there any good games for the Wii yet?

No, I'm sorry the yearly releases of fluff like NCAA, Madden, or generic FPS's is not up to par with the other systems.

SI

Wii just keeps on going. No surprises there. I do think that the lack of a drop in sales on the Wii despite the big 360 advance in sales shows just how independent the purchasing decisions of Wii owners are from the 360/PS3 sales market. People don't make Wii purchase decisions based on whether they own a HD console.

Agreed, it's actually playing out like Reggie said at E3 a couple of years ago, saying Nintendo wanted the Wii to be everyone's second console. That's just scary since I thought he was bat $#!+ insane at the time.

SI

Agreed, it's actually playing out like Reggie said at E3 a couple of years ago, saying Nintendo wanted the Wii to be everyone's second console. That's just scary since I thought he was bat $#!+ insane at the time.

SI

Ditto. I thought banking to be the "2nd console" was just insanity.

Little did I realize that meant that PS3 AND 360 owners AND non-gamers would buy it.

I mean. With the Wii... talk about catching lightning in a bottle. There's a part of me that realizes that you can't completely strike this up to genius on the Nintendo side - there was certainly a fair amount of luck involved here and they are even surprised at the success. This is a total lightning in a bottle situation that I don't see being just duplicated by any of these companies any time soon.

My family is probably the prototypical Wii consumer base. Young kids, parents not hardcore gamers, we now own a PS2 and Wii. I'm still having a blast with NCAA 07 on the PS2, and I don't care if the graphics aren't as good or uploading videos, etc. (I don't even have the thing hooked up to the net). So I can't see myself buying a PS3 or X360 for several years. And because the PS2 is just fine for me and it sells well and Sony has to continue feeding it games to keep the money coming in, I suspect that's only going to keep me content with the system for years to come.

The Wii is more for the kids/wife. The only game I've bought for the Wii that I've really enjoyed is, oddly, Tiger Woods Golf 08. I hate golf but this game is fun, I just don't play it much because I'm too busy with my NCAA 07 dynasty. But the kids love the Wii Play/Sports games, my wife loves Marblemania, and now they even like playing the Carnival game. I think it sucks, but my 3 year old can actively participate in gaming, and that's a great way for us to do something together and have fun for 30 minutes before they go to bed. Can't beat that.

Hell, Wii purchase decisions seem to be indepent of whether any games outside of Wii Sports are released - which is incredible in itself.

I still can't find MLB Power Pros on the shelf anywhere for the Wii we bought for Christmas (to go along with our 360). May have to order online.

I still can't find MLB Power Pros on the shelf anywhere for the Wii we bought for Christmas (to go along with our 360). May have to order online.

I got my copy at Best Buy.

I still can't find MLB Power Pros on the shelf anywhere for the Wii we bought for Christmas (to go along with our 360). May have to order online.

It's in short supply here, too, although I think BB has it.

Got my copy of MLB Power Pros at EB Games, it was $10 less than at Best Buy.

Got my copy of MLB Power Pros at EB Games, it was $10 less than at Best Buy.

I swear I saw somewhere that the PS2 version was cheaper, but at EB they had the Wii version for $30 or 40, and the PS2 version for $10 more... I rented it, but maybe I should buy it too. Fun game.

I still can't find MLB Power Pros on the shelf anywhere for the Wii we bought for Christmas (to go along with our 360). May have to order online.

I was definitely exaggerating, but the main point is that software doesn't seem to have a major impact on sales. The only thing that really seems to determine whether Wii sales go up or down is supply.

I swear I saw somewhere that the PS2 version was cheaper, but at EB they had the Wii version for $30 or 40, and the PS2 version for $10 more... I rented it, but maybe I should buy it too. Fun game.

I got it for $29.99 at Gamestop for the PS2.

Apparently Jack Tretton was quoted as saying that the 40 GB PlayStation 3 didn't remove BC for cost savings purposes, but rather in an effort to "encourage buyers of the entry-level PlayStation 3 to purchase more games designed specifically for the new system."

Gotta love the honesty, even if it is couched in PR-speak.

Apparently Jack Tretton was quoted as saying that the 40 GB PlayStation 3 didn't remove BC for cost savings purposes, but rather in an effort to "encourage buyers of the entry-level PlayStation 3 to purchase more games designed specifically for the new system."

Gotta love the honesty, even if it is couched in PR-speak.

Most likely a little bit of both. For every 1M consoles sold, they save $27M. Of course, they make most of their money off the PS3 games, so they certainly want to push that as well.

But why discourage the PS2 games cash cow?

But why discourage the PS2 games cash cow?

It's a cash cow of diminishing returns. The big profit margin for Sony and the developers is on the PS3 games, not the PS2 games.

Lots of console news, mostly from Capcom's press event.........


Capcom announces Devil May Cry 4 for February '08 release on 360/PS3.

First Dark Void trailer now up...........

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/26666.html

Capcom announces Commando 3 for the PS3.........

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=85582

SCEE plans to spend 1 million pounds on TV advertisements for Ratchet and Clank: TOD.......

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/28638/Sony-pumps-1m-into-Ratchet-TV-campaign

Most likely a little bit of both. For every 1M consoles sold, they save $270M. Of course, they make most of their money off the PS3 games, so they certainly want to push that as well.

I'm sorry, you're on crack if you think the PS2 backwards compatibility costs them $270/unit.

Just absolutely on crack.

I'm sorry, you're on crack if you think the PS2 backwards compatibility costs them $270/unit.

Just absolutely on crack.

Or it could be that ***gasp*** I made a typo. :)

It's $27 a unit, not $270. I added the extra zero in error.

Or it could be that ***gasp*** I made a typo. :)

You're going to ask me to believe you've just made one typo in the last six months, then?

I'm sticking with 'on crack.' :)

You're going to ask me to believe you've just made one typo in the last six months, then?

I'm sticking with 'on crack.' :)

You've convinced me. I'll go with 'on crack' as well. :)

EA wants to take all the fun out of console fanboy wars, damn them.

EA wants 'open gaming platform' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7052420.stm)

Rival gaming systems should make way for a single open platform, a senior executive at Electronic Arts has said.

Gerhard Florin said incompatible consoles made life harder for developers and consumers.

"We want an open, standard platform which is much easier than having five which are not compatible," said EA's head of international publishing.

....

He added: "Going forward that is irrelevant. Gaming will just require potentially a £49.99 box from Tesco made in China with a hard drive, a wi-fi connection and a games engine inside.

"It's basically a boiled-down PC."

....

Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo could instead be walled garden content providers and licensors, said Mr Parker.

"There could be a Nintendo channel, a PlayStation channel and an Xbox channel on your set-top box," he added.

Seems unlikely IMO, and if there were only one console I seriously doubt it would be that affordable.

Sounds like EA thinks they'd make more money half-assing it for one console than releasing watered down shit for all of them.

Microsoft needs a lot of XBLA sales to counter the billion dollars they spent to upgrade the warranty for their faulty hardware.


I don't think Microsoft pushed Live to makeup up the losses. I believe it was part of it's plan from the beginning.

Sounds like EA thinks they'd make more money half-assing it for one console than releasing watered down shit for all of them.

*in a sing-songy tune* That's the EA way :)

SI

EA wants to take all the fun out of console fanboy wars, damn them.

EA wants 'open gaming platform' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7052420.stm)



Seems unlikely IMO, and if there were only one console I seriously doubt it would be that affordable.

I believe we have that platform. I think it goes by the name "PC".

SI

Good point.

I believe we have that platform. I think it goes by the name "PC".

SI

No we don't, because hardware manufacturers don't really have to pay that close attention to gaming standards. As long as things like Intel integrated graphics exist on the PC platform, it's not a console contender.

I got it for $29.99 at Gamestop for the PS2.

Ditto

I ended up just ordering MLB Power Pros from Circuit City. $40 for the Wii (which seems typical), shipping was free. The Wii is for Christmas, so it won't hurt waiting a bit for it.

I ended up just ordering MLB Power Pros from Circuit City. $40 for the Wii (which seems typical), shipping was free. The Wii is for Christmas, so it won't hurt waiting a bit for it.

Yeah that's the MSRP.

Such a good game, just won game seven of the World Series last night with Andruw Jones gunning down Derek Jeter at home plate as he tried to score from second.

On the down side my Success Mode player only hit about .230 :(

Hopefully 2KSports and Konami make this a yearly thing.

Are you guys playing on the middle difficulty or the hard one?

Price drops for the 360 models in Japan........

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200710220305DOWJONESDJONLINE000052_FORTUNE5.htm

Lots of gaming news...........

A nod to Marc Vaughn and his group at SI as FM 2008 is on top of all Euro sales charts for this week.

Haze demo due to be released November 16th.

'Zach and Wiki' for the Wii and 'Ratchet & Clank' for the PS3 are released this week. Both are receiving very high scores in early reviews (Z&W currently has a metacritic score of 86 and R&C currently has a metacritic score of 92). Should provide good software boosts for both consoles.

Gas Powered Games announces they are working on a console version of Supreme Commander......

http://www.pro-g.co.uk/pc/supreme_commander_forged_alliance/news-6725.html

Army of Two delayed to 2008.........

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUKN2247348720071022?rpc=44


New hardware sales figures from last week in Europe indicate a large 360 'post-Halo' drop after only two weeks, with the Wii and PS3 both outselling the 360 at a 2:1 pace. PS2 continues to sell well, thought the PS3 has passed it in sales.

DS: 171,260
Wii: 70,322
PS3: 64,087
PS2: 57,152
PSP: 54,449
360: 37,303

Let's see, 37x2=74 so 64/37 is 2 to 1. Gotcha.

Can I play poker with you sometime? Please?

Let's see, 37x2=74 so 64/37 is 2 to 1. Gotcha.

Can I play poker with you sometime? Please?

It's Europe. So, it has no effect on what happens here, IMO.

Let's see, 37x2=74 so 64/37 is 2 to 1. Gotcha.

Can I play poker with you sometime? Please?

Yes, Captain Hairsplitter. Your point is made. 1.9:1 for the Wii and 1.7:1 for the PS3. I provided the accurate numbers.

Let's see, 37x2=74 so 64/37 is 2 to 1. Gotcha.

Can I play poker with you sometime? Please?
As much as I like giving Mizzou a hard time, a little bit of rounding there doesn't seem so crazy.

It's Europe. So, it has no effect on what happens here, IMO.

So the games and sales around the world have no effect on the console market in the U.S.? I wanted to make sure that I wasn't misrepresenting your point.

So the games and sales around the world have no effect on the console market in the U.S.? I wanted to make sure that I wasn't misrepresenting your point.

If Microsoft decides that they're not selling enough consoles in Europe and Japan and they stop selling in those markets, do you think they are going to stop doing it in the US?

I am sure the other markets have an impact here, but I don't think it is as much as you do.

If Microsoft decides that they're not selling enough consoles in Europe and Japan and they stop selling in those markets, do you think they are going to stop doing it in the US?

I am sure the other markets have an impact here, but I don't think it is as much as you do.

I'll give you two reasons why the worldwide market is very important to each region and how they perform. 'Final Fantasy' and 'Metal Gear Solid'. If the 360 could sell anything more than the 4-5K/month they're currently selling in Japan and could at least hold even with the paltry numbers that the PS3 is putting up in Japan, those two franchises would likely be multiplatform and we wouldn't even be having a console war discussion. Some ask why MS even bothers selling consoles over in Japan with the low sales numbers. The number of consoles sold isn't nearly as important as maintaining the link with Japanese developers. They need those games released in the U.S. and EU to fill their catalog of games. If they stop selling in Japan, then other regions won't see nearly the number of games released on that console that they otherwise would.

Also, Europe has recently seen an influx of first and third-party developers. Those developers are going to be creating an increasing amount of games to both the European and worldwide public. They will have an effect on sales in the U.S. as well that was not seen in previous generations. The region-free aspect of the PS3 makes that even more readily available. Games in Japan are also increasingly being released with English and Japanese to cater to the other regions.

I own a PS3 (I wanted the ps2 backlog and blu-ray, as well as the FF series and a few others), and the game I've played most on it so far has been Dark Cloud 2. No BC would've been a deal killer for me and I would've gotten an XBox.

In terms of importance worldwide sales > US sales. There's actually a lot of overlap in US and European tastes. Just swap football here for soccer in Europe and vice-versa, and you almost have it.

It's a shame European numbers are so hard to come by, I wish all three territories did it like Japan where we get numbers every week, that would rock.

Yeah, great reviews for Zack and Wiki, I just doubt anyone who doesn't visit gaming sites/boards on a regular basis will buy this game. Such a bad name for a game IMO.

In terms of importance worldwide sales > US sales.
I'm not quite sure how you figure this, given that over the last 2 generations of consoles (PS2, Xbox, Gamecube, 360, Wii, PS3) the U.S. market is not only the single biggest market at 48% of overall console sales, but also outpaces non-U.S. and non-Japan sales 48% to 34%.

The US is part of the world iirc

The US is part of the world iirc
OK, I guess I just assumed that "worldwide sales > US sales" implied that you were using "worldwide" to mean regions other than the U.S. My bad.

It is impressive how many games we buy compared to the entire world though, I'll grant you that. I didn't know it was so close to 50%

It is impressive how many games we buy compared to the entire world though, I'll grant you that. I didn't know it was so close to 50%
Those numbers are console sales - not sure exactly what the breakdown is on game software, though I suspect the U.S. is close to 50% there as well.

OK, I guess I just assumed that "worldwide sales > US sales" implied that you were using "worldwide" to mean regions other than the U.S. My bad.

FYI.....I also meant the same thing when discussing worldwide sales, but probably should have been clearer. My point was not to say that overseas markets are somehow more important that the North American market, but rather to point out that each region does have an effect on the sales, game selection, etc. of the other regions. None of the market regions function without some effect from the other regions.

I'll give you two reasons why the worldwide market is very important to each region and how they perform. 'Final Fantasy' and 'Metal Gear Solid'. If the 360 could sell anything more than the 4-5K/month they're currently selling in Japan and could at least hold even with the paltry numbers that the PS3 is putting up in Japan, those two franchises would likely be multiplatform and we wouldn't even be having a console war discussion. Some ask why MS even bothers selling consoles over in Japan with the low sales numbers. The number of consoles sold isn't nearly as important as maintaining the link with Japanese developers. They need those games released in the U.S. and EU to fill their catalog of games. If they stop selling in Japan, then other regions won't see nearly the number of games released on that console that they otherwise would.

Also, Europe has recently seen an influx of first and third-party developers. Those developers are going to be creating an increasing amount of games to both the European and worldwide public. They will have an effect on sales in the U.S. as well that was not seen in previous generations. The region-free aspect of the PS3 makes that even more readily available. Games in Japan are also increasingly being released with English and Japanese to cater to the other regions.

Let me get this straight: games like Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy aren't released for the Xbox because the console isn't popular enough in Japan. Presumably the US market isn't enough to justify supporting both consoles. But if the Xbox were more popular in Japan, those games would be released on the Xbox, and their availability in the US would cause enough of a stir to effectively end the "console war"? I don't think your math works out here.

Let me get this straight: games like Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy aren't released for the Xbox because the console isn't popular enough in Japan. Presumably the US market isn't enough to justify supporting both consoles. But if the Xbox were more popular in Japan, those games would be released on the Xbox, and their availability in the US would cause enough of a stir to effectively end the "console war"? I don't think your math works out here.

Let me try it another way. If Sony was to lose the advantage in any way in Japan (could be from the PS3 sales dropping or the 360 sales rising), I have no doubt that those games would go multiplatform. Right now, you have a general stalemate with the 360 having a large installed base in NA, the PS3 having the larger following in Japan, and an even battle in Europe. If Europe or Japan tip towards the 360, FF and MGS go multi. That would be a huge move that would affect the NA market without actually being caused by any market forces in the NA market.

PS3 has just graduated to having 2 games that I want on it--both from the same developer. Insomniac's Ratchet & Clank Future is getting great reviews. I love this series. Now if Sony would just make it easy for me to get a good version of the console, they'd maybe have a new customer in the near future.

Here's IGN's review of Ratchet:

hxxp://ps3.ign.com/articles/829/829409p1.html

Yeah, I'm jonesing for the new Ratchet.

The PS2 Ratchet series was my second favorite PS2 franchise, behind Sly Cooper.

I'm hoping Sony sent it to me. Gotta check the mail soon.

Let me try it another way. If Sony was to lose the advantage in any way in Japan (could be from the PS3 sales dropping or the 360 sales rising), I have no doubt that those games would go multiplatform. Right now, you have a general stalemate with the 360 having a large installed base in NA, the PS3 having the larger following in Japan, and an even battle in Europe. If Europe or Japan tip towards the 360, FF and MGS go multi. That would be a huge move that would affect the NA market without actually being caused by any market forces in the NA market.
The U.S. market dwarfs the Japanese market. What you're leaving out of the equation here is a built-in xenophobia with Japanese developers and gamers. Excluding any money Sony is giving those developers to stay PS-exclusive, the market clearly shows they'd make more money being multi-plaftorm.

Ratchet and Clank fucking rocks. I've played and loved them all, but this one blows the others away.

The only downside is hte scaled back arena challenges. Everything else is awesome.

Yes, and if everybody in Moldova bought a console, that would have an effect on the US market as well. My issue is that you seem to be using a value relative to the game/genres popularity when assessing game sales (by way of the developers willingness to remain exclusive) but you aren't applying that same standard when you make the leap to console sales. If that makes any sense.

It seems to that...well, lets say X is some value representing the relative popularity of a series in Japan vs. the US, so that your sales in each market are going to be proportional to X. Well, then the effect that the series will have on console sales is going to be proportional to X as well. So, if Sony loses exclusivity, obviously that can effect console sales in both markets, but it's not as if you're going to get back more than you put in by targeting a particular market.

Wasn't in the mail, so I broke down and ponied up.

Oddly, I don't feel as remorseful about that as you'd think.

PS3 has just graduated to having 2 games that I want on it--both from the same developer. Insomniac's Ratchet & Clank Future is getting great reviews. I love this series. Now if Sony would just make it easy for me to get a good version of the console, they'd maybe have a new customer in the near future.

Here's IGN's review of Ratchet:

hxxp://ps3.ign.com/articles/829/829409p1.html

It's silly- IGN gave it a 9.4 and it's averaging over 90% on gamerankings but Gamespot gave it a 7.5.

SI

Nintendo released their quarterly reports.

As of 9/30/07:

Wii 13.7m, expect to ship 10.2m more in the next six months, 17.5m in the next twelve months

DS 53.6m, expect to ship 28m in the next twelve months

Wow. Wii will pass the Gamecube's lifetime totals in only 1.5 years at this rate.

Nintendo released their quarterly reports.

As of 9/30/07:

Wii 13.7m, expect to ship 10.2m more in the next six months, 17.5m in the next twelve months

DS 53.6m, expect to ship 28m in the next twelve months

Wow. Wii will pass the Gamecube's lifetime totals in only 1.5 years at this rate.

Sony released its numbers as well. 5.59M consoles shipped/sold to retailers as of 9/30/07.

Amazon.com reporting that 40 GB PS3 is sold out on pre-orders; not sure when additional units will be available.

http://news.punchjump.com/article.php?id=5017

Sony Corp.'s new 40GB Playstation 3 sold out in advanced orders at retailer Amazon.com on Tues.

The new 40GB model, which includes a Blu-ray disc drive, built-in Wi-Fi, a wireless controller, and a copy of Spider-Man 3 on Blu-ray disc, will sell for $399 on Nov. 2.

Customers can opt to receive an e-mail alert when the product returns to availability.
Amazon began offering the product over the weekend following an announcement of the new product early last week.

The latest version lacks PS2 backwards compatibility found in previous models including the 20GB, 60GB, and limited compatibility in the 80GB.

Sony last week announced the 40GB SKU in addition to a price cut of the 80GB by $100 to $499. In July it price cut the 60GB SKU to $499, where it will remain until stock is depleted.

The new retail strategy will likely spike sales of the hardware, which held demand far below Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 and Nintendo Co.'s Wii in U.S. Sept. sales.

It's silly- IGN gave it a 9.4 and it's averaging over 90% on gamerankings but Gamespot gave it a 7.5.

SI

Gamespot's message boards were getting hammered over that review. The forums went down three times yesterday and mods were pleading with people to stop posting complaints about the review.

Ubisoft has announced in its financial statements that it will be delaying 4 games currently slated for holiday release. They will be released in early 2008. No mention of the exact games that will be involved, but games like Rayman Raving Rabbids, Assassin's Creed and Haze are all currently slated for Holiday release with Ubisoft. It appears to be a financial move to hold off on release until after the holiday bump in installed base on all consoles.

Ubisoft is to delay four games until next year, possibly including heavyweights Haze, Rayman Raving Rabbids and Assassin’s Creed, the French publisher has announced.

In a financial report put out by Ubisoft, the company announced that, “As a result of the positive trends observed during the first half of the year as well as the positive outlook for the third quarter, Ubisoft has decided to postpone the release of certain games”.

For those that are curious, here's the breakdown of where the money goes when a typical $60 game is sold on the 360........

$12 - Dealer or Retailer
$12 - Microsoft royalties and production cost
$7 - Marketing
$20 - Development cost
$9 - Publisher

Source:
http://www.the-magicbox.com/gaming.htm

Or you could have just read the article in OXM that they ripped that from...

Or you could have just read the article in OXM that they ripped that from...

You're right. I could have......had I known. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Ubisoft has announced in its financial statements that it will be delaying 4 games currently slated for holiday release. They will be released in early 2008. No mention of the exact games that will be involved, but games like Rayman Raving Rabbids, Assassin's Creed and Haze are all currently slated for Holiday release with Ubisoft. It appears to be a financial move to hold off on release until after the holiday bump in installed base on all consoles.

It won't be Assassin's Creed that is delayed. The game has been announced as gone gold today and will be released for the 360 and the PS3 on November 13th:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6181699.html?action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=latestnews;title;2

So many potentially great games coming out in November that it is going to be hard to choose.

It won't be Assassin's Creed that is delayed. The game has been announced as gone gold today and will be released for the 360 and the PS3 on November 13th:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6181699.html?action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=latestnews;title;2

So many potentially great games coming out in November that it is going to be hard to choose.

I am SO looking foward to this game. Just watched some game footage and wow does it look incredibly fun.

Sony's entertainment division lost 841 million dollars in the last 3 months, more than double the previous 3 months, primarily due to the PS3. Also, Sony has announced their world sales for the last 3 months at just over 1.3 million which is far below their shipped numbers:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6181712.html

It won't be Assassin's Creed that is delayed. The game has been announced as gone gold today and will be released for the 360 and the PS3 on November 13th:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6181699.html?action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=latestnews;title;2

So many potentially great games coming out in November that it is going to be hard to choose.

Yep, it looks like Rayman and Haze are coming out on time as well. The delayed games appear to be games that aren't even announced yet, so not even sure what the point of the announcement was........

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6181552.html?sid=6181552&part=rss&subj=6181552

Sony's entertainment division lost 841 million dollars in the last 3 months, more than double the previous 3 months, primarily due to the PS3. Also, Sony has announced their world sales for the last 3 months at just over 1.3 million which is far below their shipped numbers:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6181712.html

Yeah, no big surprises there. The losses are due to console sales obviously. The price drop that is already in place is a response to those slightly lower numbers, so they appear to have addressed that situation already.

It'll be interesting to see if they are able to hit the fiscal 2007 numbers by the end of March '08 as they suggested. Recent price drop will be one sales boost with retailers reporting good sales of the 40 and 60 GB machines in Europe and pre-sales of the 40 GB in the US. MGS4 release will be the other boost.

You're right. I could have......had I known. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Sorry, I was unclear. I wasn't picking on you, more the article you quoted that was trumpeting the numbers I read last week some time...

Yep, it looks like Rayman and Haze are coming out on time as well. The delayed games appear to be games that aren't even announced yet, so not even sure what the point of the announcement was........

It was a financial announcement, which brings along all kinds of legal baggage when you are a publically traded company thanks to shareholder lawsuits. The fun part for developers is when marketing won't let you talk about a game that has been in the financial announcements for months. There are press out there that make a living over combing these things for tidbits...

Those announcements aren't targeted at gamers, they are targeted at the financial community, even if they are devoured by the community at large.

That's what the point was/is for ANY of these types of announcements from any gaming company. Don't blame the company for the rumor-mongering based on them...

Microsoft needs to release Halo games more often. They had their second profitable ($165m) quarter in the entertainment section since they entered the console business. The first time was during the release of Halo 2, this time they had the release of Halo 3.

Of course it's a very small part of their hugely profitable business overall, and the Zune is part of the gaming/entertainment division, I don't know if the Zune makes money or not though.

1.8m 360s sold to retailers last quarter, giving a total of 13.4m.

link (http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/071025/aqth132.html?.v=17)

So many potentially great games coming out in November that it is going to be hard to choose.

Yeah, I still have some games that I haven't finished yet, Super Mario Galaxy and Trauma Center: New Blood are must gets for me, there's a few other Wii games I want, I still want to get the Orange Box on PC having never played Half Life 2, plus Football Manager 08 just came out and I'll be spending a lot of time playing that. Some of these will have to wait until the new year.

I wish companies had more incentive to space releases out but everyone wants a piece of the big money months I suppose.

I know it's frustrating, there are too many games right now/coming soon. NHL 08, Power Pros, Guitar Hero III, Rock Band, Mario Galaxy, Zack & Wiki, Orange Box... I can't keep up.

Yeah, I still have some games that I haven't finished yet, Super Mario Galaxy and Trauma Center: New Blood are must gets for me, there's a few other Wii games I want, I still want to get the Orange Box on PC having never played Half Life 2, plus Football Manager 08 just came out and I'll be spending a lot of time playing that. Some of these will have to wait until the new year.

I wish companies had more incentive to space releases out but everyone wants a piece of the big money months I suppose.

Yeah, I'm going to wait until next year for quite a few of the games that I want to play. The only definite buys for November are Mass Effect and College Hoops, but Assassin's Creed is one of multiple games being released in November that will be very tempting.

Yeah, I still have some games that I haven't finished yet, Super Mario Galaxy and Trauma Center: New Blood are must gets for me, there's a few other Wii games I want, I still want to get the Orange Box on PC having never played Half Life 2, plus Football Manager 08 just came out and I'll be spending a lot of time playing that. Some of these will have to wait until the new year.

I wish companies had more incentive to space releases out but everyone wants a piece of the big money months I suppose.

The Orange Box is the best $45 I've ever spent. I had never played HL2 or the original team fortress since I never really was much of a multiplayer FPS fan. I'm having a blast in TF2, though, and I played through HL2 in 3 days. That still leaves me with episodes 1, 2, and the lost coast.

The Orange Box is the best $45 I've ever spent. I had never played HL2 or the original team fortress since I never really was much of a multiplayer FPS fan. I'm having a blast in TF2, though, and I played through HL2 in 3 days. That still leaves me with episodes 1, 2, and the lost coast.

Yeah, the game is so highly regarded that I feel as if I owe it to myself to play the game. Team Fortress 2 looks awesome as well even if I'll probably get pwned fairly regularly. I'll get the game eventually for sure.

Yeah, the game is so highly regarded that I feel as if I owe it to myself to play the game. Team Fortress 2 looks awesome as well even if I'll probably get pwned fairly regularly. I'll get the game eventually for sure.
TF2 is remarkably accessible so you shouldn't have any trouble getting into and holding your own fairly quickly.

And speaking of the Orange Box, Portal is one of the coolest games I've ever played. The level of polish Valve puts on their products is amazing. They just can't make a bad game.

Also, is anyone interested in a free copy of Half Life 2? I can send it as a "gift" through Steam since I had already bought it before Orange Box. It seems like everyone I know that plays video games already has it.

Mizzou, are you being paid by Sony or something? I just don't get it. Every month there is crappy news for Sony and you spin it like it's all part of their master plan.

I know it's frustrating, there are too many games right now/coming soon. NHL 08, Power Pros, Guitar Hero III, Rock Band, Mario Galaxy, Zack & Wiki, Orange Box... I can't keep up.

There's one problem that Sony doesn't have. Just 2 good games!

Mizzou, are you being paid by Sony or something? I just don't get it. Every month there is crappy news for Sony and you spin it like it's all part of their master plan.

All I pointed out is that a big loss in the quarter was expected. Listen, they're selling hundreds of thousands of consoles worldwide at a 150-200 dollar loss. They lost money, but it was certainly nothing that wasn't expected already. Even in their good quarters next year, they aren't going to make much money due to console losses offsetting the profits due to games. That's just the way it is for them right now.

There's one problem that Sony doesn't have. Just 2 good games!

Resistance, Warhawk, and Ratchet and Clank are three good games, but don't let something so obvious stand in your way of making a good flame. Half the games that Fidelio listed are on the PS3 as well.

It is well established that, at this juncture, games aren't a strong point for PS3. And it is Fidatelo, not Fidelio. :p

Resistance, Warhawk, and Ratchet and Clank are three good games, but don't let something so obvious stand in your way of making a good flame. Half the games that Fidelio listed are on the PS3 as well.

Warhawk is, ah, how shall we put this...

It's not the kind of thing you run in the street and go "WOOOOO! I just bought a PS3 and GODDAMN DO I LOVE WARHAWK!" over.

Good game, sure, but multiplayer-only, and fairly expensive for that.

Not the exclusive I'd have chosen to make my point.

As far as Fidatelo goes, let's look...

NHL 08, Power Pros, Guitar Hero III, Rock Band, Mario Galaxy, Zack & Wiki, Orange Box... I can't keep up.

Hrm. Zack & Wiki, Mario Galaxy, Orange Box and Power Pros (or are we counting PS2 games as a win for PS3 now, too?) are not on PlayStation 3. So what you've basically got is NHL 08, Guitar Hero III and Rock Band to hang up next to Resistance and Ratchet & Clank?

Three "me-too" titles, a multiplayer-only title, a launch game, and R&CF?

That was just a devastating comeback there, tiger.

Wow, hey, I'm sorry. Orange Box *is* coming out for PS3. Just, y'know, two months *after* the Xbox 360 got it.

Kinda like Stranglehold. And DiRT.

Oh, and evidently Blacksite: Area 51.

I'll stop now.

All I pointed out is that a big loss in the quarter was expected. Listen, they're selling hundreds of thousands of consoles worldwide at a 150-200 dollar loss. They lost money, but it was certainly nothing that wasn't expected already. Even in their good quarters next year, they aren't going to make much money due to console losses offsetting the profits due to games. That's just the way it is for them right now.


Maybe you should offer to take a pay cut to help them get back on track?

;)

Will Wright (SimCity, The Sims, Spore, etc.) had some interesting things to say about the direction gaming is going.

"With the next-generation games systems, unfortunately a lot of that CPU is pretty dedicated to graphics, so it's not like you instantly get 50 times more computing power; you get 50 times more graphic computing power, and so I think it's actually more interesting if we had 50 times more general processing that we could then apply to physics, interactivity and AI," said Wright.

...

Games are thematically very inbred right now. You know, typically they happen to be very based upon the idea of D and D, Tolkien, or alternate history, or sports, for the most part, and yet if you look at broader entertainment experiences like movies they cover all sorts of things.

Rest of the article (http://www.pro-g.co.uk/news/25-10-2007-6753.html)

As someone who likes good graphics (I mean who doesn't) but finds them to not be nearly as important as the core gameplay I agree with Wright. Not to say that every single next-gen game is all style no substance but even some of the better games do feel like the same things I played five or ten years ago with prettier colors and higher resolution.

Oh, and hurry up and release Spore kthx.

I didn't mean for my comment to turn into another pissing match. I listed games from 2 systems (Wii and 360) because those are the systems I have, and the games I like. If you split the list up by system it looks smaller, I'm surprised MBBF didn't include that in his counter arguement.

On the other hand, MBBF went back to the archives for one of his good games (Resistance), when clearly I was listing recent games. Also, some really good 360 games aren't on my list simply because I don't have time for them or they aren't my cup of tea (Halo 3, BioShock, Mass Effect).

The whole point of my post was just to say that as gamers, this is a crazy awesome time. Almost too awesome, I just don't have time for all of the games.

When I picked up my 360 a few weeks back, I was already aware that there were too many games coming for me. I had it mapped out: NHL 08, GH 3 or Rock Band, and Mario Galaxy. I figured those 3 games could take me through the winter. Hell NHL 08 could probably take me through the winter.

Then Power Pros came out of left field and I had to pick it up. Now every night I have an internal struggle over whether to play NHL 08 or Power Pros.

Then my friends introduce me to the Orange Box on the weekend, and now it has me thinking I'd like to play Portal and TF2 as well.

Then I start reading all the awesome things about Zack and Wiki, and it's killing me to not get that. I think will have to at some point, I owe it to myself as a gamer.

So now I think I probably have enough games to last me until this time next year, only I'm sure there will be other games to come along between now and then. It's just too much. And yet, it's so awesome.

Fidatelo, you are right. It is like this for me all of the time. Before I started playing WoW almost exclusively, I was buying 2 new games a month on average and only getting 2-3 weeks of play out of them before the next game came out.

I have saved myself a lot of money by playing WoW exclusively. That $15 a month makes me use all of my gaming time just for WoW. I still follow everything and I have spent $90 to play WoW since May when I would have spent $650 on games instead.

My wife appreciates the extra $$$ as well. :)

Maybe you should offer to take a pay cut to help them get back on track?

;)

What's 15% of $0? :)

Fellatio has a point.

Good game, sure, but multiplayer-only, and fairly expensive for that.

Not the exclusive I'd have chosen to make my point.

Warhawk is $40. That's not that expensive for the game. Warhawk is my game of choice currently. I play it at least 5 hours a week (usually after the baby goes to bed). I'm not even a multiplayer gamer by nature, but I love Warhawk. Our opinions just differ.

As far as Resistance: FOM, it still has legs despite being a year old. Just because a game is old does not mean it's not a good game (which is what Kodos was implying). Resistance is actually selling very well in Europe right now due to the console price drop.

Ratchet and Clank is obviously going to be a good game.

Uncharted, Singstar, Little Big Planet, Killzone 2, UT3, and Metal Gear Solid 4 are all PS3 exclusive titles that will be released in the next 4-5 months that should fill the void.

It is well established that, at this juncture, games aren't a strong point for PS3.

Had you made this statement instead of the previous one implying that there was only one good game for the PS3, I would have agreed.

Ummm. Possibly in this very thread I mentioned that Resistance and Ratchet are the two games that interest me on the PS3, so I was not attempting to imply anything bad about Resistance. I was mocking the PS3 library as a whole, but those are two games I'd love to play.

PS3 has just graduated to having 2 games that I want on it--both from the same developer. Insomniac's Ratchet & Clank Future is getting great reviews. I love this series. Now if Sony would just make it easy for me to get a good version of the console, they'd maybe have a new customer in the near future.

Here's IGN's review of Ratchet:

hxxp://ps3.ign.com/articles/829/829409p1.html


From 1 page back. The other game is obviously Resistance.

From 1 page back. The other game is obviously Resistance.

OK, so I'm splitting hairs here, but there's a difference between a game being a 'good game' and one that you're interested in. Motorstorm and Heavenly Sword are more examples. They are 'good games', but they may not be your cup of tea. I won't drag this on any further as I do understand what you point is. I just found the statement that there were only two good games to be inaccurate.

Game Informer is the first to review Mass Effect. They give it a 9.75 out of 10 which is their highest review in a very long time with the exception of Bioshock which got a 10/10 from them. It will be interesting to see if Mass Effect can better Bioshock's incredible reviews which have it at a 95% even after 82 reviews.

Game Informer is the first to review Mass Effect. They give it a 9.75 out of 10 which is their highest review in a very long time with the exception of Bioshock which got a 10/10 from them. It will be interesting to see if Mass Effect can better Bioshock's incredible reviews which have it at a 95% even after 82 reviews.

That new Game Informer is packed full of great games coming our way!

That new Game Informer is packed full of great games coming our way!

I wish the games would come out a bit more uniform instead of the majority of the games coming out in the last 4 months of the year. It would be nice to have more good titles coming out regularly throughout the year. Unfortunately, that will obviously never happen.

I wish the games would come out a bit more uniform instead of the majority of the games coming out in the last 4 months of the year. It would be nice to have more good titles coming out regularly throughout the year. Unfortunately, that will obviously never happen.

Actually, it HAS been happening more and more, as games try to avoid shipping when some other title will take their thunder. While Christmas is traditionally a busy time of the year for ALL retail, and people like to create a buzz going in to Christmas, you'll find plenty of games released outside this window. Heck, enough are just plain late to slip past it. For example, on the 360 (assuming your four months are August - December):

Oblivion: March
Guitar Hero II: April
GRAW: March
Forza 2: May
Castlevania (Arcade): March
Burnout Revenge: March
Fight Night Round 3: February
GRAW 2: March

That's 40% of the top-20 360 games (according to MetaCritic) released outside your window.

I know that "all games are released at Christmas" is a popular misconception, but it is a misconception.

Only because people don't spend money on games that come out in June.

If you started seeing people actually BUY something en masse in the first 8 months of the year, and it wasn't a game expected to be a million-seller, you might get some developers start having some different ideas.

Doesn't mean you'd see the AAA titles space out any, but you might see some of the smaller fish that normally get crowded out start showing up earlier in the year to take advantage of the visibility offered.

Think of it like the movie business. Certain times of the year are "blockbuster" weekends. Smaller movies generally either get the hell out of the way to maintain their own viability, or they get lost in the shuffle.

For some reason, the gaming industry doesn't think like that, so you get fantastic, smaller titles that get dwarfed by your GTAs or your Halos.

That's 40% of the top-20 360 games (according to MetaCritic) released outside your window.

I know that "all games are released at Christmas" is a popular misconception, but it is a misconception.

So my statement was accurate as far as the numbers you presented. I said the majority of the games are released in the holiday window. Your numbers seem to bear that out.

I've also heard that an early January release date is becoming more attractive as companies are finding that consumers get the gift cards for Christmas and usually use them during the first two weeks of January.

I don't care when they come out, I'm just happy there are so many quality games for my console.

So my statement was accurate as far as the numbers you presented. I said the majority of the games are released in the holiday window. Your numbers seem to bear that out.

Then I don't get the point of your post. Let me put it another way: plenty of good games come out throughout the year, so what's the problem again? The number is already at 40% despite most of the sales coming near Christmas, so exactly how much farther are publishers supposed to go to release games outside of the window that people prefer to buy them in?

Lots of release date info on PS3 exclusives. Haze and Unreal Tournament III will both be released in November despite previous rumors that they would not release this fall. Also, The Getaway 3 and Eight Days are both expected to have Q2 2008 release dates.

GameStop has announce that they will no longer offer any extended warranties on both used and new Xbox 360 consoles due to continuing high return rates. The company was losing money on extended warranties for the Xbox 360.

It's not the kind of thing you run in the street and go "WOOOOO! I just bought a PS3 and GODDAMN DO I LOVE WARHAWK!" over.

My friend who owns it does just that, actually, except from inside his home.

Deal of the Day on Amazon.......NBA 2K8 for the PS3 is $45.

Interesting comments from Will Wright:

He feels that the Wii is the only truly next gen console. Also, he announced that Spore will be available on the Wii as well as the PC.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6181823.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=newstop&tag=newstop;title;1

w00t!

SI

Interesting comments from Will Wright:

He feels that the Wii is the only truly next gen console. Also, he announced that Spore will be available on the Wii as well as the PC.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6181823.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=newstop&tag=newstop;title;1

Dude's got a screw loose with some of that logic, but it doesn't matter much. Perhaps having a screw loose is what allows him to make good original games. :)

Sony expects to lose more money in the rest of the fiscal year (mainly due to selling console at a loss). Stockholders didn't show much concern over the announcement. Article also discusses upcoming games..................

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071029-sony-gaming-unit-losses-to-be-worse-than-anticipated.html

Last Thursday Sony released its financial report for the first quarter in their fiscal year, and while losses in their games division totaled ¥96.7 billion ($847.6 million), the profits for the company overall were strong at ¥90.5 billion ($793.4 million). Based on its first quarter, Sony has released guidance for the remainder of the fiscal year. According to Reuters, Sony figures that its games division will double its expected losses, from ¥50 billion to ¥100 billion.

Considering that Sony has already lost the vast majority of that sum in the first quarter of the year, the game unit needs to be at break even or become profitable in the coming months if Sony hopes to avoid upping the loss estimates again. So how does Sony plan to turn things around so quickly?

Sony has already announced the launch of a lower-priced 40GB PlayStation 3 that has taken backwards compatibility out of the feature list, a move that has allowed Sony to both drop the price and the cost of the unit. As Sony continues to refine the production costs of its hardware with lower-priced components the burden of the hardware being a loss-leader will lessen.

Sony also has recently seen the launch of two high-profile games in Eye of Judgment and Ratchet and Clank Future, titles that have been well received by critics and have the bonus of being published by Sony itself. If those games, along with the future Sony-published titles Gran Turismo 5 and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, are hits, Sony could gain back some needed momentum. Sony will also enjoy the only version of Rock Band to ship with a wireless guitar, along with exclusives in Haze and Metal Gear Solid 4. Add in a strong business in full-sized downloadable titles as well, a key advantage Sony has over Microsoft when it comes to distribution, and the future looks bright.

Sony's more open online service also allows for Unreal Tournament 3 to support user-created modifications, which may cause gamers to make the PlayStation 3 the system of choice for Epic's new shooter. These games and features are all in the future though, so we're dealing with best-case scenarios at this point.

This uncertain future hasn't affected Sony's other businesses however, as the company is now estimating a 5 percent operating profit margin in their electronics division, up from the expected four percent. Sony continues to do brisk business in both high-definition televisions and digital cameras, and the profits from those products easily swallow what Sony hopes to be short-term gaming losses.

Investors don't seem worried about Sony's prospects, as last week's earnings caused stock to jump on the Tokyo Stock Exchange; Sony shares are now trading at ¥5,720, up from the sub-¥5,200 price before last Thursday.

Nice attempt at financial spin by Sony. I love how they upped their projected losses for the fiscal year from 50 to 100 billion yen, but they already lost about 100 billion yen just last quarter.

Nice attempt at financial spin by Sony. I love how they upped their projected losses for the fiscal year from 50 to 100 billion yen, but they already lost about 100 billion yen just last quarter.

LOL.....that's not spin. That's CYA. :)

Some good info from Surfer Girl about games on all consoles.............

http://softrockhallelujah.blogspot.com/2007/10/twenty-five-more-things.html

1.) The Gears of War trilogy will be finished on the Xbox 360.

2.) IO-Interactive's next Hitman game, tentatively slated for release next summer, is coming to the Wii.

3.) The Far Cry franchise is coming to the PS3 courtesy of Ubisoft Montreal.

4.) Even though the forthcoming Prince of Persia 4 will probably not be coming to the Wii, the system will receive an "alternate title" in the Prince of Persia franchise,

5.) That Resistance: Fall of Man 2 starts in Iceland and ends in Mexico.

6.) NBA Ballers 3 (not the final title) will be slam dunking on the PS3 and Xbox 360 in April.

7.) Sony Bend is working on a PS3 Syphon Filter title slated for release sometime in 2009.

8.)Neither of n-Space's two Wii titles stars a ghost. However, they are even more ambitious than that ghost game and far better. One features a temple level that looks like it was swiped out of Red Steel and the other more ambitious title features an alien reptilian creature who bares quite a resemblance to Ganondorf. I'd be surprised if either sees release before March 2009.

9.) Ubisoft will be publishing Soma, the Human Head/Mark Ecko collaboration coming to PS3 and 360 sometime before two years from now, and which I guarantee is way cooler than the overrated Prey.

10.) After great success Athens 2004, Eurocom is developing sequel2008 Beijing Olympics for Sega.

11.) That non-Metroid game Retro Studios is working on is a new IP that is not an FPS.

12.) Zoonami has a few titles that will be available through WiiWare next year.

13.) Q Entertainment is working on WiiWare title or two for release for next year.

14.) Space Michael won't be in Space Channel 5 Part 3.

15.) ChuChu Rocket! comeback for DS and/or Wii.

16.) EA's next-gen snowboarding title that may or may not have SSX in the title is coming next fall, at the same time frame as "the best snowboarding game ever" (or so I'm told numerous times) Shaun White Snowboarding (which is also shredding next-gen systems).

17.) Red Steel 2 not before May, with multiplayer and co-op.

18.) LEGO Indiana Jones is coming out after or at the same time as Indiana Jones (working title).

19.) Yet another Super Monkey Ball game is in the works.

20.) Fight Night 2008 is coming to the Wii.

21.) Fuse Games + that pink round guy that floats = their next DS title.

22.) Super Punch-Out! is coming to Virtual Console next year.

23.) Monster Games is developing another game for Nintendo, that is not an Excite Truck sequel.

24.) Wii Motor Sports Airplane is a WiiWare title.

25.) Mario Superstar Baseball Wii is sliding to home base in the summer.

Leaked photos indicate the 360's IPTV functionality will likely go live very soon with the fall update:

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/27/rumor-360s-iptv-features-spotted-in-dashboard/

Looking forward to hearing from Mizzou B Ball why this is great news for Sony.

Of course its great news for Sony - at this rate everyone in the world will own a 360 and a Wii .... at that point they might consider purchasing a PS3 if thy have spare cash lyig around ;)

11.) That non-Metroid game Retro Studios is working on is a new IP that is not an FPS.


Interesting. Their only games so far have been the three Metroid Prime games, I wonder what genre it'll be if not an FPS.

My friend who owns it does just that, actually, except from inside his home.

Yeah, but I'd be willing to bet that if it's in Texas, alcohol is involved.

Anyone planning on getting COD: Modern Warfare for 360 next week?

How many PS3's did Sony sell during the quarter where the game division lost $850 Million? Maybe 1-2 million? If they are expecting to start breaking even on the consoles soon as per the article that MBBF posted, I can't imagine they are losing that much money on each sale. Seems to me the majority of the $850 Million loss is coming from someplace else within the gaming division.

How many PS3's did Sony sell during the quarter where the game division lost $850 Million? Maybe 1-2 million? If they are expecting to start breaking even on the consoles soon as per the article that MBBF posted, I can't imagine they are losing that much money on each sale. Seems to me the majority of the $850 Million loss is coming from someplace else within the gaming division.

FYI.......Nearly half of the $850M in losses was due to a revaluation of current PS3 units held by Sony. For example, a 80 GB machine might have been built when they were selling it for $600, but it can only be sold for $500 retail now. So Sony has to account for that loss in original value that cannot be recouped. Basically, they accounted for the $100 loss on that unit before it was even sold. It will actually result in less losses in the future because they have already taken the hit on the books for a large portion of the mark-down loss on their units.

Anyone planning on getting COD: Modern Warfare for 360 next week?

Early reviews are good for both versions of the game. The 360 version has received a 90 and 100 thus far and the PS3 version has one review for 100.

Leaked photos indicate the 360's IPTV functionality will likely go live very soon with the fall update:

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/27/rumor-360s-iptv-features-spotted-in-dashboard/

I really hope that Microsoft implements IPTV as soon as possible. It may get Sony off their ass so they actually release their IPTV product in the states rather than only implement it in PAL territories.

New website will allow PS3 users to play PC games via Linux..........

http://www.itwire.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15045&Itemid=532

FYI.......Nearly half of the $850M in losses was due to a revaluation of current PS3 units held by Sony. For example, a 80 GB machine might have been built when they were selling it for $600, but it can only be sold for $500 retail now. So Sony has to account for that loss in original value that cannot be recouped. Basically, they accounted for the $100 loss on that unit before it was even sold. It will actually result in less losses in the future because they have already taken the hit on the books for a large portion of the mark-down loss on their units.

Well I obviously don't have the inside information you do. ;) :D

So if I understand correctly they basically have something like 4 million ps3's in stock that they have written off the $100 each on? That still leaves the rest of the loss and you have to assume that some stuff made a profit (like the PS2 sales) so there should still be a lot more negative balance coming from someplace else.

FTR, I'm not challenging your numbers or being critical of Sony. I just am curious about where the losses are coming from. I just couldn't imagine the PS3 being such a loss for them considering how few have been sold and the fact the report seemed to indicate that they expect to break even soon despite the price drop.

So if I understand correctly they basically have something like 4 million ps3's in stock that they have written off the $100 each on? That still leaves the rest of the loss and you have to assume that some stuff made a profit (like the PS2 sales) so there should still be a lot more negative balance coming from someplace else.

FTR, I'm not challenging your numbers or being critical of Sony. I just am curious about where the losses are coming from. I just couldn't imagine the PS3 being such a loss for them considering how few have been sold and the fact the report seemed to indicate that they expect to break even soon despite the price drop.

Here's the full financial report.

http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/IR/financial/fr/07q2_sony.pdf

From the report:

An operating loss of $841 million was recorded, a $462M deterioration year-on-year. This deterioration was primarily due to the loss arising from the strategic pricing of PS3 at points lower than its production cost and the increase in PS3-related inventory write-downs recorded during the current quarter compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

I couldn't find on that report where the rest of the loss came from, but thanks for the link.

Someone finally tore apart a 40 GB PS3. 65 nm chip and lower power consumption are in the new model. Other tech sites are reporting that a 45 nm chip is in development and could be in the PS3 as soon as next year.

http://gaming.engadget.com/2007/10/30/40gb-ps3-features-65nm-chips-lower-power-consumption/

40GB PS3 features 65nm chips, lower power consumption
Posted Oct 30th 2007 9:54AM
by Conrad Quilty-Harper

It's been revealed that the new 40GB PlayStation 3 features more than just a cut down hard disk drive. Sony has also thought to stick the 65nm version of the Cell inside the new console, reducing the power usage down to around 135 Watts (down from 200 Watts.) That means the console also runs cooler and quieter, which is always a plus for a device that usually resides in the living room. Sony also jiggled around a few other components by making the heat pipe smaller, swapping out the motherboard for a new version, and added a button battery to keep time when the system is off. Looks like potential PS3 purchasers will be looking forward to a less noticeable din then.

Anyone planning on getting COD: Modern Warfare for 360 next week?

Most definitely!

For anyone that cares, I just read that Konami announced today that Metal Gear Solid is being pushed back until Quarter 2 of 2008.

Would've been a nice holiday game for the PS3 to have.

I would assume they're tweaking their cardboard box physics engine.

For anyone that cares, I just read that Konami announced today that Metal Gear Solid is being pushed back until Quarter 2 of 2008.

Would've been a nice holiday game for the PS3 to have.

I would assume they're tweaking their cardboard box physics engine.

Here's the link. Early reports are that it will move back about a month to late April rather than late March.

http://www.konami.jp/topics/2007/1031_1/index-e.html

KONAMI announced today that "METAL GEAR SOLID 4 GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS", the latest in the METAL GEAR series, is scheduled to be released in the second quarter of 2008.

KONAMI had initially intended to release "METAL GEAR SOLID 4 GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS" this winter and has been working on the production of the title. KONAMI has decided to delay the title's release in order to make further improvements to the quality of the game and provide even greater enjoyment for more customers worldwide.

KONAMI will continue its efforts to make "METAL GEAR SOLID 4 GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS" meet everyone's expectations.

Further information regarding the release date will be announced as soon as possible.
Title: "METAL GEAR SOLID 4 GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS"
Expected Release Date: the second quarter of 2008
Genre: Action
Platform: "PLAYSTATION 3"

"PLAYSTATION" is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc

For those who live near a 'Hastings' store, they are currently offering the 60 GB PS3 with a $100 rebate. So you can get the 60 GB machine for $399.99. Great deal, but I'm sure they'll get snapped up pretty fast.

Here's a location list:

http://gohastings.findlocation.com/

And a photo of the deal:

http://www.ps3blog.net/2007/10/30/60gb-ps3-for-399/

Michael Pachter predicts price cuts for the PS3 to coincide with the MGS4/GT5/Little Big Planet releases in Spring 2008. He also believes that a Wii price cut will occur to coincide with the release of Super Smash Bros. Brawl as long as supply has caught up with demand by that point.

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7744&Itemid=2

Pachter: Hardware Momentum Rolls Through '07

By Tom Ivan

Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter predicts that the recent spike in hardware sales will continue to rise modestly through the remainder of 2007, while software sales growth will continue well into 2008.

Pachter suggests that hardware momentum triggered by previous price cuts and the release of Halo 3 is set to continue following the introduction of new PlayStation hardware, while software sales will show no signs of slowing.

“We expect the introduction of the slim PSP and the 40Gb PS3 will result in a modest increase in hardware sales over the remainder of the year.

“We continue to believe that better than expected PS2 software sales this year (down only 24% year-to-date compared to our forecast of down 32%) will drive overall growth well into next year, and we expect next generation console software sales growth to highly correlate to any increase in the rate of PS2 software sales decline.”

Pachter doesn’t expect any further hardware price cuts until early next year when he forecasts Sony will lower the price of its seven-year-old PS2. The analyst expects a Spring 2008 PS3 price cut to coincide with the release of exclusive, highly-anticipated titles. He also notes that Nintendo won’t drop the price of the Wii until supply can satisfy demand, although if it were to lower the console’s price, Pachter touts February as an opportune month.

“Sony announced a SingStar PS2 bundle for $149, and will likely cut the price for the PS2 at the beginning of next year (note that Sony recently raised its forecast for PS2 sales by 2 million this year, ending March 31, 2008).

“We expect a further price cut for the PS3 in the spring, when blockbuster games Grand Theft Auto IV and PS3 exclusives Metal Gear Solid 4, Little Big Planet and Gran Turismo 5 will launch.

“We do not expect a price cut for the Wii until supply and demand are in balance, but believe that the launch of Super Smash Brothers Brawl on February 10, 2008 presents an opportunity to adjust pricing.”

Why would Wii cut its price, especially with the release of a system selling game? PS2 went almost 17 months without a price cut and the Wii is already $50 cheaper than the PS2 at launch.

Bioware and LucasArts have announced they are working on a "ground breaking interactive entertainment project." Most websites think this means that a MMORPG version of KOTOR is going to be released. Furthermore, given the history of KOTOR on the PC/Xbox, most people think this will likely be a PC/360 exclusive. Here is a link to the story:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6181948.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=newstop&tag=newstop;title;14

Given how terrible Galaxies turned out to be, I really hope they do this one correctly (if they do an MMORPG of KOTOR).

Bioware and LucasArts have announced they are working on a "ground breaking interactive entertainment project." Most websites think this means that a MMORPG version of KOTOR is going to be released. Furthermore, given the history of KOTOR on the PC/Xbox, most people think this will likely be a PC/360 exclusive. Here is a link to the story:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6181948.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=newstop&tag=newstop;title;14

I'd be floored if it wasn't a 360 exclusive. They need an exclusive MMORPG in the pipeline badly to combat the multiple MMORPG's in the pipeline for the PS3.

Early October sales data in from Nintendo about Europe. PS3 price drop has provided a larger boost in the European market than Halo 3 did for the 360. It also appears that the Wii piggybacked on the PS3 price cut to draw in consumers for more sales. The Wii is currently outselling the 360 at a 5:1 clip, while the PS3 is outselling the 360 at a 2.7:1 pace..........

October totals thus far:

Wii - 237K
PS3 - 159K
360 - 119K

Week 1 (Halo release):

Wii - 40K
360 - 40K
PS3 - 20K

Week 2:

Wii - 32K
360 - 30K
PS3 - 20K

Week 3 (PS3 price cut):

Wii - 65K
360 - 28K
PS3 - 62K

Week 4:

Wii - 100K
360 - 21K
PS3 - 57K
Midway developer has decided to use the PS3 as the primary development console in the future, citing the ease of porting to the 360 from the PS3. Says that other industry developers are planning a similar move........

http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=144588

Mass Effect Achievement list revealed.......

http://www.destructoid.com/feast-your-eyes-on-mass-effect-s-achievements-52029.phtml#comments

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune demo scheduled for release on November 8th, one week before release of Uncharted. Also, Naughty Dog has already announced that a sequel to Uncharted is already in development.

Metal Gear Solid's delay caused a huge hit to Konami's stock as it dropped 6.8% in 24 hours.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6182128.html?action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=latestnews;title;0

EA's CEO says that games are too expensively priced and that within the next 10 years he predicts the cost of next gen games will go down drastically. He also said EA will be trying some alternate pricing in the future. Speculation is lower priced games with more advertising in the game:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6182125.html?action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=latestnews;title;1

EA's CEO says that games are too expensively priced and that within the next 10 years he predicts the cost of next gen games will go down drastically. He also said EA will be trying some alternate pricing in the future. Speculation is lower priced games with more advertising in the game:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6182125.html?action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=latestnews;title;1

EA got hammered this year for the inclusion of downloaded marketing in their games. They better make sure the advertisements are 'in the game' rather than being downloaded to avoid further bad press. Also, no one would mind paying $60 for a game if it were more than just a yearly update in the case of EA. I'm pretty sure they haven't figured that out yet.

What do you mean by downloaded marketing? If you mean something like how the boards in NHL 08 change, I think it's awesome, very realistic and a nice subtle way to pay for some dev costs.

What do you mean by downloaded marketing? If you mean something like how the boards in NHL 08 change, I think it's awesome, very realistic and a nice subtle way to pay for some dev costs.

That alone would not be an issue IMO. The problem is that the software they used in games earlier this year actually installed onto the system and monitored things like web surfing and purchasing habits to target the marketing. When they start nosing into your personal business unrelated to the game itself, I have a problem with that and judging from the outcry after they did it, I'm not the only one.

Also, I'm guessing that you didn't get any discount on the advertising in NHL 08. When the consumers start seeing lower prices as a result of the advertisements as he describes, then I'll believe it.

Ah, I wasn't aware of the snooping, that's not cool.

And I agree, I'd like to see lower prices, although if a game publisher made a claim that the game wouldn't have been made without the advertising funds to help cover the increasingly high costs of making games I probably wouldn't outright dismiss the claim.

Early October sales data in from Nintendo about Europe. PS3 price drop has provided a larger boost in the European market than Halo 3 did for the 360. It also appears that the Wii piggybacked on the PS3 price cut to draw in consumers for more sales. The Wii is currently outselling the 360 at a 5:1 clip, while the PS3 is outselling the 360 at a 2.7:1 pace..........

Jeez... the Wii just keeps rolling on.

SI

Multiple sites reporting that a new smaller version of the PS2 will be released early in 08 and that it will be cheaper. It is expected to retail for 99 dollars. Here is one source:

http://www.pro-g.co.uk/news/02-11-2007-6813.html

I'd prefer that it'd be lodged inside of a $400 PS3.

Jeez... the Wii just keeps rolling on.

SI

And any claim of "piggybacking" on the PS3 is pretty laughable right now. Ain't one person who'd say "Ooh, PS3 is only $500 now? Wait, they have a Wii in stock, fuck you, Sony!"

Either they went in looking for a PS3, or they didn't.

Analyst voices concern that EA market share faces a questionable future due to decreased game quality......

http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/ea-to-lose-market-share-as-questionable-game-quality-persists-says-analyst/18402/

EA just lost $195M in the most recent quarter and it's taking longer to sell-through channel inventories. Deutsche Bank analyst Jeetil Patel is forecasting a loss in market share.

Posted by James Brightman on Friday, November 02, 2007

The day after Electronic Arts announced its financial results for the second quarter and reorganization plan, analysts weighed in with their opinions on the leading publisher. While most seemed upbeat about EA's prospects, raising or maintaining ratings of "Buy" and "Strong Buy," Deutsche Bank analyst Jeetil Patel was most certainly not.

Deutsche Bank downgraded the stock (ERTS) to "Sell" and issued a price target of $45. Patel commented that while "Electronic Arts delivered 3Q upside... we think that the company still appears to be losing share (on a sellthrough basis) in the video game industry."

Patel added that EA's game quality is a concern: "Our investment thesis on Electronic Arts remains unchanged in that amidst solid growth industrywide, EA's game quality remains questionable, which in turn could translate into ongoing market share losses and limit operating margin expansion to historical levels (seen in the previous cycle). In our opinion, the lack of major outperformance on unit volumes among a majority of EA's titles, especially with a growing fixed R&D expense base, represents the single most important hurdle for the company."

Patel highlighted a number of "major themes" that investors should pay attention to. One is that this particular console cycle has not been as profitable and it's had a detrimental effect on EA.

"Despite the market enthusiasm for the shares, the surprise inside EA's numbers is that the company today has not achieved a similar level of profit ... compared to the same time (year 2) of the previous cycle," Patel said. "We estimate EA will generate almost $400mn in operating profit in fiscal 2008, vs. $633mn in year 2 of the last cycle (FY 2003). As the company progress into years 1-3 of the current cycle, it appears profit dollars generated will be much lower in this cycle, underperforming its previous period by an average of $165mn in profits. In other words, the previous cycle was more profitable, yet it does not make sense to us why we are paying a premium for a less profitable business."
Product building up in the channel was another important theme, as EA's titles don't seem to be selling as quickly.

"Based on our conversations with folks in the retail channel and other industry participants, it appears as though plenty of EA's titles from the June quarter still remain in the channel. Note that the company shipped in 2mn units each of Command & Conquer and Harry Potter. Assuming a 50/50 int'l./domestic mix split and 50% of C&C on the PC, it may take EA 70-100 weeks to sell-through existing channel inventories on these titles, based on current NPD sell-through vs. units in the channel," Patel explained.
"Additionally, we highlight that retail pricing for several of the next-gen versions (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii) of the two titles have been already marked down to $30-$40 within 4-6 months of release. We think this could become a more widespread problem considering lackluster product quality, weak sell-through thus far (even on major franchises), and a crowded holiday selling season that should favor a handful of titles (Call of Duty 4, Halo 3, Super Mario, Guitar Hero to name a few)."

Patel also noted that EA's business may be overly dependent on distribution, which carries 15 percent gross margins and operating margins. "Note that Rock Band, Orange Box, Hellgate: London, Crysis among others all represent these lower margin products, which are not owned by EA and cannot be counted upon year-in and year-out," Patel said.

Ultimately, Patel sees the world's biggest third-party publisher losing market share: "... we think EA will grow by ~9% in FY08 in the core video game operations. With industry growth of 15% for North America and Europe, the underlying data suggests that the company stands to lose 4-6 points of market share."

In a somewhat related note, sounds like EA Chicago got shut down today, and not in a particularly friendly way - employees coming to work to find the doors locked, etc.

In a somewhat related note, sounds like EA Chicago got shut down today, and not in a particularly friendly way - employees coming to work to find the doors locked, etc.

Yikes. What were they working on?

Yikes. What were they working on?
They had done the Def Jam Icon fighting game and were working on a Marvel tie-in fighting game. Fight Night was also one of theirs, but has been shifted to EA Vancouver.

http://kotaku.com/gaming/breaking/ea-confirms-ea-chicago-is-closing-319516.php
http://kotaku.com/gaming/rumor/fight-night-moving-to-vancouver-319588.php

It looks like even the NPD is sick of these threads: http://www.gamespot.com/news/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=26025749&sid=6182385&action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=latestnews;title;3

They had done the Def Jam Icon fighting game and were working on a Marvel tie-in fighting game. Fight Night was also one of theirs, but has been shifted to EA Vancouver.

http://kotaku.com/gaming/breaking/ea-confirms-ea-chicago-is-closing-319516.php
http://kotaku.com/gaming/rumor/fight-night-moving-to-vancouver-319588.php

EA is in a pickle right now. The NHL game was the only one that performed as was expected in regards to sales. All other games did worse than they expected. They've got to get their major franchises moving back up or we're going to see more moves like this in the near future by them.

It looks like even the NPD is sick of these threads: http://www.gamespot.com/news/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=26025749&sid=6182385&action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=latestnews;title;3

Reportedly, they're more sick about the $15,000 info being leaked on a monthly basis as soon as it hits the wire. Less people are bucking up for the data because it's so readily available within minutes of it being sent out to their paying customers. I'm not sure exactly how this is going to help, but they seem to think it will. It certainly opens the door for other console data providers to jump in and fill the void.

EA is in a pickle right now. The NHL game was the only one that performed as was expected in regards to sales. All other games did worse than they expected. They've got to get their major franchises moving back up or we're going to see more moves like this in the near future by them.

Maybe the big money exclusivity contracts, the soulless franchise games, and $50 roster updates are finally starting to catch up with them.

SI

Microsoft hints at extending life cycle for the Xbox 360. Shouldn't really be a surprise for 2 reasons.

1. Both the 360 and PS3 were released far earlier than they should have been, hindering early sales due to higher prices and viable previous-gen alternatives still being available.

2. Current price wars are cutting into early cycle profits. Lengthening the product cycle allows for more sales when the console costs are greatly reduced in the latter stages of that life cycle.

http://www.canada.com/topics/technology/games/story.html?id=3d5a618a-4960-4a29-af58-ac3b1852b904&k=37335

SAN FRANCISCO -- Microsoft Corp sees potential for its Xbox 360 video game console to stay on the market longer than the five-year lifespan that is typical for gaming hardware, an executive said Tuesday.

Asked about long-term prospects for the game industry, Mindy Mount, chief financial officer for Microsoft's entertainment division that includes the Xbox, pointed to Sony Corp's PlayStation 2, which is still going strong after 7 years on the market.

"Look at the PS2; they've gone long-time and seem to have pretty good legs on what they are doing," Mount told a BMO Capital Markets conference on interactive entertainment.

"If we were able to do that, as CFO I think that's great, because every year you draw it out you increase profitability," Mount said.

Microsoft launched the Xbox 360 in November 2005, replacing the original Xbox that debuted four years earlier to challenge Sony for dominance in a video game industry that is on track to hit $40 billion this year.

Mount said features such as high-definition graphics make new machines attractive when compared against older hardware, but hinted that she sees less need to rush out an all-new console.

"At this point from the technological perspective, there are some real advances ... that make it worth having a next-generation console," Mount said. "Right now there aren't that many things on the horizon that you think, wow, that's going to be a game-changer."


(Reporting by Scott Hillis, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)

Interesting sales data here. The release of Ace Combat 6 in Japan allowed the Xbox 360 to win the head-to-head sales battle by 1K last week in Japan. It's the first week that the 360 sold more than the PS3 in Japan since the PS3 was released last fall.

Wii : about 41k
DSL : about 80k
PS3 : about 16k
PS2 : about 11k
PSP : about 57k
360 : about 17k

Interesting sales data here. The release of Ace Combat 6 in Japan allowed the Xbox 360 to win the console sales battle by 1K last week in Japan.

:confused:

No that would be the Wii by about 25k.

Usually, lists are put in order. :)

DSL : about 80k
PSP : about 57k
Wii : about 41k
360 : about 17k
PS3 : about 16k
PS2 : about 11k

MJ4H you've forgotten that the Wii is "last gen" and doesn't count.

:confused:

No that would be the Wii by about 25k.

Corrected. Meant to put head-to-head battle. It was pretty obvious what I was comparing, but thanks anyway.

Firmware 2.0 announced for the PS3. Remote Play with the ability to turn on your PS3 with your PSP is in the new release. Changes to the XMB and parental security features are also being added.

Latest PLAYSTATION®3 System Software Update Allows PSPTM to Turn PS3TM On and Off from Internet Connection for Enhanced Remote Play

Ability to customise XMB™ and add personalised playlists for both music and photos also enabled

London, 8 November 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) announced today the availability of the latest version of the PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) system software. Version 2.00 features the ability to turn a PS3 system on and off remotely, using a PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) system via the Remote Play1 function, allowing for a truly mobile partnership between the two systems.

Building on the success and potential of the Remote Play functionality, Version 2.00 will cement the partnership between PS3 and PSP and create a truly global experience. With the ability to turn your PS3 on and off from Wi-fi connection, there is now the opportunity to listen to the music, look at the photos and watch the videos saved on the PS3 Hard Disk Drive, anywhere in the world.

To further enhance the PS3 offering, Version 2.00 allows for the creation of personalised playlists in both the music and photo sections. This simple to use function gives users an opportunity to create unlimited music playlists for all occasions, as well as sharing favourite photos in glorious high definition.

Continuing with the idea of a personalised PS3, Version 2.00 allows for customisation of the XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) menu screen. Change the colour and brightness with the greatest of ease or have something completely different by setting a custom theme. With the potential for new backgrounds to become available on PLAYSTATION®Network in the future, Version 2.00 truly opens up a whole raft of options.

A host of other enhancements includes the addition of an Information Board on XMB to keep people up to date on the latest PlayStation® news, the inclusion of a new PLAYSTATION Network category and logo for easier navigation and Trend Micro Web Security, a free2, state of the art internet security system, designed to give parents peace of mind.

Corrected. Meant to put head-to-head battle. It was pretty obvious what I was comparing, but thanks anyway.

Yes, it was pretty obvious what you were doing, indeed.

The God of War Director has quit Sony and will no longer be working on the 3rd game to be released on the PS3:

http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/11/god-of-war-dire.html

Two new Bond franchises in the works; new developer takes pot-shot at EA.........

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=30391

Kotick reveals second Bond project in development

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick has said that the company is committed to revitalising the James Bond brand - "one of the greatest videogame franchises of all time" - while revealing the publisher has two projects based on the license in development.

The publisher secured the Bond licence in 2006 after Electronic Arts ended its deal with MGM Interactive for the rights to create titles based on the James Bond films.

"Bond is one of the great videogame franchises of all time and that really was a result of Golden Eye," commented Kotick at a BMO Capital Markets conference.

"I think the key to re-energising the Bond franchise is going to be ultimately the highest possible game quality."

For Kotick, EA's Bond titles – which included GoldenEye: Rogue Agent and From Russia With Love – suffered because the publisher had too broad a portfolio, leaving the brand neglected.

"It suffered a lot because it wasn't a focal point of Electronic Arts' efforts over the past five years and they have such a broad portfolio of franchises that this one didn't get the attention it deserved," said Kotick.

"We have our best development studios working on the product, we have a second team working on another Bond product and we're putting great resources against it," he added.

Those were always fun games.

Great game deal for PS3/360 owners in Canada. Best Buy will be releasing an ad next week that will offer Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty 4 for $89.99CDN on either console.

Great game deal for PS3/360 owners in Canada. Best Buy will be releasing an ad next week that will offer Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty 4 for $89.99CDN on either console.

Well I guess I might just hold off on going in to pick up COD4 today then. Thanks for the heads up.

Really good week for gamers next week. Assassin's Creed comes out on PS3/360. Two great exclusives are also coming: Mass Effect for the 360 and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune for the PS3.

In other exclusive news, Haze for the PS3 now has a release date of December 4th.

Oh and Super Mario Galaxy is coming out next week, too. Maybe you've heard of it.

Oh and Super Mario Galaxy is coming out next week, too. Maybe you've heard of it.

Gamespot gave it a 9.5. Really looking forward to getting this for the boy. :)

Oh and Super Mario Galaxy is coming out next week, too. Maybe you've heard of it.

LOL......even if I told you I forgot that one, you wouldn't believe me. :)

Excellent week for game releases. The nice thing is that each of the games is totally different. Gamers with more than one platform have lots to choose from.

LOL......even if I told you I forgot that one, you wouldn't believe me. :)



;)

Oh and Super Mario Galaxy is coming out next week, too. Maybe you've heard of it.

FWIW, Gamespot gave Super Mario Galaxy a 9.5 which makes it one of the highest rated games this year. COD4 got a 9.0 on all platforms.

http://www.gamespot.com/wii/action/supermario128/review.html?sid=6182474

http://www.koei.com/company/pressitem.cfm?id=1B7F28B6-3048-2B9C-8E4CF7AF305440D1

I'm pretty stoked about this news actually. Koei is releasing Nobunaga's Ambtion 11 in English, this is the first version since what, 2 I think to be released here? I loved the first game, one of my favorites and I'll be picking this one up. Guess I can't throw away the 'ole PS2 quite yet.

Hopefully the local stores will have Galaxy in on Monday, or I'm going to be a very sad panda. On another board I read that a few Best Buys broke the street date so hopefully stores everywhere already have copies in the back.

Limiting the rankings to games with at least ten reviews, three of the top six games on there all came out this year which really echoes what a number of us have stated in these threads, that 2007 has kicked a lot of ass gaming wise.

1. Ocarina of Time
2. Mario Galaxy
3. Orange Box
4. Soul Calibur
5. Metroid Prime
6. COD 4

http://www.koei.com/company/pressitem.cfm?id=1B7F28B6-3048-2B9C-8E4CF7AF305440D1

I'm pretty stoked about this news actually. Koei is releasing Nobunaga's Ambtion 11 in English, this is the first version since what, 2 I think to be released here? I loved the first game, one of my favorites and I'll be picking this one up. Guess I can't throw away the 'ole PS2 quite yet.

I never thought this would happen. This is the BEST gaming news I've had in a LONG, LONG time! I still fire up my SNES emulator and play NA all the time, and I've seen screenshots of the last couple of versions and they are just out of this world.