MadonnasManOne

An absolutely amazing month for Nintendo, and videogame systems/software, across the board!

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/new...hp?story=16640

November Sees DS, Wii Swell, COD4, Mario, Assassin's Tops Charts

The NPD has released data for November U.S. video game hardware/software sales, showing a tremendous across-the-chart surge in hardware sales including over 1.5 million DSs sold, and Assassin's Creed becoming the fastest selling new IP, just under Call of Duty 4 and Super Mario Galaxy.

Overall, the entire video game market -- both hardware and software -- accounted for $2.63 billion in November, up 52% over to the year previous, with a year to date showing already up 5 percent over the entirety of 2006.

Said NPD's Anita Frazier, "Thanksgiving fell earlier in the reporting month this year than it did last which certainly helped fuel part of the incredible 52% increase over last year."

Hardware numbers were up 47% to $1.1 billion, with the DS and Wii both nearly tripling and doubling the month prior, respectively, followed by similarly impressive jumps for the Xbox 360, PSP, PlayStation 2, and then PlayStation 3. The full charts are as follows:

Nintendo DS - 1.53 million (from 458k)
Wii - 981K (from 519k)
Xbox 360 - 770K (from 366k)
PSP - 567K (from 286k)
PlayStation 2 - 496K (from 184k)
PlayStation 3 - 466K (from 121k)

Frazier noted that both the Wii and PlayStation 3 have the most reason to celebrate, with the PS3 making the biggest month-to-month leap of any console, and the Wii seeing its best-selling month so far, outselling last December by 60%. "Since there is still an evident inventory shortage at retail," she added, "it's difficult to say just how high sales could be if you took that issue out of the equation."

On the software side, sales were up 62% to $1.3 billion, with Activision's Call of Duty 4 and Nintendo's Super Mario Galaxy besting the rest, followed by Assassin's Creed, which beat Gears of War's previous record of the best selling new IP at launch.

The full rundown is as follows:

1. Call of Duty 4 (Xbox 360, Activision) - 1.57 million
2. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii, Nintendo) - 1.12 million
3. Assassin's Creed (Xbox 360, Ubisoft) - 980k
4. Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock w/guitar (PlayStation 2, Neversoft/Budcat/Activision) 967k
5. Wii Play w/remote (Wii, Nintendo) - 564k
6. Mass Effect (Xbox 360, Microsoft) - 473k
7. Call of Duty 4 (PS3, Activision) - 444k
8. Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock w/guitar (Wii, Neversoft/Vicarious Visions/Activision) - 426k
9. Halo 3 (Xbox 360, Microsoft) - 387k
10. Assassin's Creed (PS3, Ubisoft) - 377k

Frazier noted that "with only one month at retail, [Call of Duty 4] captured the 4th spot for year-to-date software sales behind Halo 3, Wii Play, and Pokemon Diamond." She also said that Guitar Hero III showed a combined 1.9 million units, selling 3.3 million year to date, just ahead of Guitar Hero II at 3.1 million.

"One of the first questions on many industry watchers' lips is: How did Rock Band do," she added. "Rock Band sold 382K units across the 360 and PS3 platforms. While some may view this as disappointing, keep in mind that initial shipments were limited, and this is the kind of title that can easily build momentum in December and beyond as word of mouth spreads."

Finally, NPD showed that game accessories were up 52% to $243 million. Said Frazier, "We get asked a lot about the performance of the 360 HD-DVD add-on. Life-to-date sales of this accessory are 269K units in the U.S., representing a 3.4% attach rate to the 360 install base."

She added, "4 of the 5 best-selling accessories for the month were Wii controllers. The Wii Zapper, which debuted in November, sold 232K units. The second-best selling accessory for the month was the PS3 wireless controller at 282K units."

MadonnasManOne

Here is a little more information on the November NPD numbers, particularly pertaining to the Nintendo Wii.

From IGN.com:

http://wii.ign.com/articles/841/841406p1.html

November Belongs to Nintendo

DS top-selling system by a landslide; Wii does nearly a million units for the month. What about software sales?

by Matt Casamassina

December 13, 2007 - Videogame software sales tracker NPD Group released November data and, unsurprisingly, Nintendo's DS handheld and Wii home console held the number-one and two spots respectively. More than 1.5 million gamers picked up the DS in November and about 981,000 players picked up a Wii, according to NPD data. Microsoft's Xbox 360 console pulled in another 770,000 gamers; PlayStation Portable 567,000; PlayStation 2 496,000 and PlayStation 3 466,000.

The top-selling game of the month was the Xbox 360 version of Call of Duty 4, with nearly 1.5 million in sales. Nintendo's anticipated platformer, Super Mario Galaxy, took the second spot with upward of 1.1 million. Other notable Wii success stories for the month include Wii Play (at number five) with more than 560,000 units sold; the Wii version of Guitar Hero III (at number eight) with more than 425,000 additional units sold (putting its LTD numbers at around 715,000), Mario and Sonic at the Olympics (at 11) with nearly 330,000 units sold, Lego Star Wars at nearly 180,000 units sold and High School Musical at roughly the same figure. Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles sold through 120,000 copies in November.

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption has sold through almost 500,000 copies in America since it released. Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure continues to struggle at retail with less than 35,000 total sales.

The Bus

That's abysmal.

Michael Corvin

Compared to what? How many HD stand-alones have been sold to date? That figure actually looks pretty good to me. It's only that percentage attach rate that makes it look dreadful.

Talk about abysmal, look at the PS3. Sure their numbers are up, but I knew Sony Japan was doing their little victory dance a little too soon. You have the two biggest games to hit the platform in November and a new $400 price and still can't make a dent in the competition. Plus this further proves America is the console leading market at this point.

Kudos to Assassin's Creed for breaking through the lukewarm reviews to sell a million copies. That's astounding.

chess

Kudos to a really boring game selling a bunch of copies?

I played Assassin's Creed at a buddy's house the other day, and it was sort of like Prince of Persia (without the fun platforming) meets Grand Theft Auto 3 (without all the fun driving).

I even played a bit of Prince of Persia: Two Thrones last night to make sure my memory wasn't serving me wrong. Nope...it's more fun than Assassin's Creed.

Fandango

Were you expecting PS3 to sell a million units or something?

Chris_D

I bet Ubisoft are happy they chose to go multi-platform on Assassins Creed. Guaranteed minimum of 2 sequels I'm sure!

Those DS sales are unbelievable.. apart from that, I'd say every console is a winner this holiday season, including PSP and PS2.

JasonF

The thing that really astounds me about the PS3 is that a year after launch, it's still being outsold by the PS2. How many Xboxes are being sold these days? Gamecubes? And what would Microsoft or Nintendo do if those systems were outsellig their current generation systems?

hail2dking

I think NPD forgot to account for GH III 360 (according to vgchartz it sold well over 500,000)

CreatureX

Wow great numbers all around for Nintendo. The Wii and DS are f'n juggernauts.

fumanstan

I wouldn't consider the reviews lukewarm... I think the game was still pretty favorable. But I do think the hype managed to surpass the lower then expected reviews.

Regarding Guitar Hero, i notice that the two listed were with guitar. I bet there's a split between the bundles with and without the guitar so it didn't make the list.

I can't believe Wii Play is that high.

Jeremy517

It always is, due to the free Wiimote. Why pay $40 for an extra Wiimote, when you can get one plus a game for $50?

The Bus

Weren't you?

Interesting that only the Wii is coming close to replicating PS2's 2nd holiday sales, where it was selling well above 1MM per month.

Tracer Bullet

I hate to speculate, but I'm going to.

If Nintendo weren't still having trouble meeting demand I'm sure the Wii would be selling well in excess of 1 million a month over the holiday period.

Michael Corvin

Considering it is priced in line with the 360 now and has a couple of killer games out this month, I don't think it is out of line to think that they should have at least kept pace with the 360 during Christmas. For someone who doesn't own a 360, the PS3 has 90% of the same third party games and a half dozen solid exclusives. Couple that with free online and next gen movie playback and you have yourself a system that should be selling. Especially to the generation that has only known the Playstation name.

Well I just got it yesterday and haven't touched it yet, but from reviews it seems that most of the groundwork work was spent on creating the world. A world that can be expanded upon in many sequels now that it's million seller status guarantees it a franchise property now.

Another vibe I got from reviews is that if you rush through the game, then yes, it will be a mediocre and redundant affair, which is how reviewers attack game reviews. Gotta get 'em done by a deadline. All the favorable reviews lean towards exploring and doing everything there is to do. I'm open minded so we'll see.

superdeluxe

almost a million wiis sold in november. thats insane.

and wow at COD4

superdeluxe

I can, its basically buying a wiimote and getting a game for 10$ more. And since the Wiis only come with one wii, most people are picking up the play as the 2nd controller.

MadonnasManOne

LOFL! Of course Nintendo isn't going to include two Wii's with every purchase! That would be quite the deal, don't you think?

I know what you meant, but, the way you typed it gives me quite the laugh!

Groucho

I can see Sony's new ad campaign now: "The PS3 -- now selling almost as well as the PS2!"

fumanstan

Oh i know, it's just funny to me that one of the Wii's best selling games is Wii Play.

shumway

I'm sure if the 360 had a game that came with a free controller it would be one of the systems top sellers as well.

Peter Skerritt

Random observations:

** Super Mario Galaxy selling over a million copies is awesome news... and that's only in November. December could be another big month for the plumber.

** As has been pointed out on NeoGAF, the Nintendo DS sold more units than the PS2, PS3, and PSP combined. That's not good for Sony.

** Good to see that Mass Effect got some love in November... but what happened to Uncharted for the PS3?

** As much as I loved Guitar Hero III (and am apparently in the minority), you have to wonder what would have happened had Rock Band been more readily available. Word is that about 300,000 units sold for the Xbox 360, while a scant 70,000 sold for the PS3. The PS2 version arrives this month.

** Wow. Call of Duty 4. At least something sold more than the Nintendo DS.

Michael Corvin

At $170, I'm going to say not much. Saw the PS3 bundle at Target last night. They're out there and not quite as hard to find as was hyped up to be. Going forward will be worse because of the widespread reports of shitty equipment for your $170.

Casual gamers aren't going to drop $170 and hardcore gamers want decent peripherals for their $170, and who may be taking a wait and see approach.

Groucho

They aren't hard to find at all. I've seen stacks of them everywhere. Mostly PS3 version, but Xbox360 as well.

Coral

Uncharted sold only 117k copies. This was a highly anticipated game that gets great reviews and has nice graphics - yet it sold poorly. PS3 games just aren't selling well. This will result in Sony losing more exclusives. Why would developers ignore the 360 when they can sell 2 or 3 times more games than the other consoles?

COD4 sold 3.5 times more on the 360 than the PS3.
Assassin's Creed sold 2.5 times more on the 360 than the PS3
Halo 3 is still in the top 10 2+ months after it's release
Mass Effect has sold nearly 1 million copies already and is a new IP.

Sony's hurtin'.