[BenSkywalker]

Saw over at Evil Avatar's that the LATimes has posted an aritcle with some sales numbers(free registration required)-

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...nes%2Dbusiness

Driving sales of games are the popularity of Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Co.'s Game Boy Advance. Sony sold nearly 533,000 consoles during the Thanksgiving week, or 60% more than in the same period last year. That brought the total number of PlayStation 2s in North America to 14.5 million, according to Sony spokeswoman Molly Smith. Sony estimated that it would see sales of 20 million PlayStation 2s by March 31.

Also moving briskly was the Game Boy Advance, which sold 1 million units in the 10 days ending Sunday. Year-to-date sales of the hand-held system are up 140%, according to Nintendo spokeswoman Perrin Kaplan.

The IEMA projection of $12 billion in total sales, which includes software and console revenue, compares with less than $10 billion last year. By comparison, Hollywood box-office receipts last year totaled $8.4 billion.

No XBox or GameCube numbers unfortunately. Sounds like a very good year for the industry as a whole. Half a million and three quarters of a million in one week is quite impressive.

[Logan Leonhart]

The gap between Sony and the rest of the guys keeps getting bigger and bigger (although they probably still did pretty good, but I´m assuming their sales weren´t impressive enough to be reported).

[Kolgar]

Yes, the industry as a whole is going to do fantastic this holiday season. But PS2... Holy cow.

This isn't scientific at all, or even representative of anything outside the store I was in - but yesterday when I went to Best Buy on my lunch break, it seemed that every person I saw in the busy checkout lanes had at least one PSOne or PS2 game or accessory in their carts. It was insane. Sony really has a grip on this market.

I DID also see one couple picking out an Xbox and several games and accessories.

But Sony's got a monster holiday season on its hands.

Kolgar

[Vince]

GBA is definitely more impressive IMHO. It's selling has surged in Japan, the US. It's definitely gained widespread acceptance and is driving gaming forward - at some level. Even if, as I suspect, the majority of sales goes to lower aged people (Very PC - I watch out for the feelings of Nintendo lovers ), they will only serve as the foundation for the future's gaming public. What company provides them with this is irrelevant, merely that they are exposed to it is a good thing for the big 3. Not so sure about society, but that’s another story....

[Kolgar]

GBA's numbers are impressive, but to me, far less impressive than those of PS2. We're comparing two products with very different price points here - the $79 GBA is a heckuva lot more accessible to the average consumer.

Similarly, I think the widespread acceptance of PS2 does more to drive gaming forward because PS2, generally speaking, attracts a more sophisticated user. GBA makes for an inexpensive kids' toy.

Kolgar

[Dr.Doom]

Long live the ps2 well till the ps3 comes out

[Teasy]

PS2, generally speaking, attracts a more sophisticated user

To be honest I really don't think you can accuse the average PS2 user of being sophisticated. From people I know personally with PS2's it seems to be the console of choice for the no nothing casual gamer. Although that's not to say that its not also the choice of some hardcore gamers too.

[archie4oz]

To be honest I really don't think you can accuse the average PS2 user of being sophisticated. From people I know personally with PS2's it seems to be the console of choice for the no nothing casual gamer.

Well any system that gains a reasonable amount of market share could be considered a choice for the know nothing casual gamer.

Likewise, how does one define what system is aimed at the "hardcore" gamer? What is a hardcore gamer? While I'm an avid gamer, I hardly consider myself "hardcore." Yet depending on your perspective (say the average "Joe") I might be considered a "hardcore" gamer. Is the casual gamer somebody who just plays a few titles? Plays only mainstream titles? Plays crap because he/she doesn't know any better (of course that gets into the realm of taste)? Someone who plays sporadically? Someone who plays a lot of titles only on one system? Somebody who plays a title or two on each system?

[Teasy]

Well any system that gains a reasonable amount of market share could be considered a choice for the know nothing casual gamer.

I agree, yeah, which is my point. Although I think its more like any console that gains a massive amount of the market share, to the point were its basically "the cool thing to have" could then be considered a choice for the know nothing casual gamer.

Just as an example, I was out with a few mates the other day, and one of them actually said this to me (I swear this is the truth):

"I'm going to get a PS2 in a few weeks, not because I want to play games, just so I can say I have one"

This bloke doesn't play games, he never has, he has allot of money (good job) and will just buy a PS2 for the sake of it, because its "the thing to have".

I'm not putting down the PS2, I'm just saying that you cannot possibly say that PS2 is generally for the sophisticated gamers out there, its just too cool for that.

[Ty]

Originally Posted by Teasy

I'm not putting down the PS2, I'm just saying that you cannot possibly say that PS2 is generally for the sophisticated gamers out there, its just too cool for that.

Not that I'm questioning you per se (as Kolgar was the one who brought this up initially) but exactly what is a sophisticated gamer anyhow? What defines sophistication?

[archie4oz]

Just as an example, I was out with a few mates the other day, and one of them actually said this to me (I swear this is the truth):

"I'm going to get a PS2 in a few weeks, not because I want to play games, just so I can say I have one"

I wholeheartedly believe you... Many people bought PS2s simply because it was the thing to buy (especially for the 2000 holiday season). Of course I happed to know several people who bought Xboxes simply because they were the "in thing to buy" as well. In fact I have a Japanese friend who bought one simply to be different. Then of course many people bought PS2s primarily for DVD playback as well (and some doing the same for Xbox). Hell I bought a Q just because I thought it was cooler than a regular GCN. Numerous people buy PSones simply because they're "so darn cute"...

I agree, yeah, which is my point. Although I think its more like any console that gains a massive amount of the market share, to the point were its basically "the cool thing to have" could then be considered a choice for the know nothing casual gamer.

I don't think that "the cool thing to have" can be solely attributed to a platform's massive market share. Often vendor marketing, brandname/mindshare, availability, software library, and market time play more significant roles. Also once a platform reaches a certain installed base, it becomes an appealing path to attracting people who fall outside the traditional gamer audiences. Using the PSX as a reference, it appealed not only to "hardcore/sophisticated" and "casual" gamers, but also to complete "non-gamers" as well. Examples can be seen with Parappa the Rapper creating a whole new genre of musical 'Simon Says' games that have brought not only musical enthusiasts who otherwise may not have bothered, but also brought a larger female representation to videogaming. The Gran Turismo series (more than any other auto racing series) has also been largely attributed to attracting automotive and racing enthusiasts who had previously been turned off by console racing games and too intimidated by costs and complexity of the more sophisticated PC racers (one can also say it tapped into the growing popularity of the sport compact tuning at the time). The same can be said for Densha de Go! with regards to train/railroad enthusiasts (not mention attracting a sizeably audience in the age 40-60 range).

Also I'd have to say that tying in certain titles with advertising campaigns targetted at specific audiences (again outside the traditional gamer realm) is also beneficial (e.g. Sony's Minna no Golf campaigns targetting the LARGE segment of avid golfers in Japan (another big 40+ audience)). Of course sports games in general appeal to pretty broad audiences anyway, but it does help to have strong advertising campaigns (I really do miss the great commercials of days when Madden and GameDay use to go toe-to-toe).

Invariably large installed base also means lots non-game licensed titles (shovelware in some cases) tend to show up in increasing numbers, attracting fans of particular franchises. Star Wars comes to mind although it's pretty much everywhere

[megadrive0088]

anyone know what the combined worldwide sales of GameCube and GBA are compared to the worldwide sales of PS2? total, from launch.

[Magnum PI]

i think we could find buyers with motives we don't approve, for each console..

[wazoo]

Originally Posted by Teasy

This bloke doesn't play games, he never has, he has allot of money (good job) and will just buy a PS2 for the sake of it, because its "the thing to have".

one of my friend bought a ps2 last christmas and a xbox this christmas. He also sold back its ps2. I asked "why did you sell your ps2 ?"

reply : " I do not need 2 DVD players"

, I think this guy is not a hardcore gamer whatever the definition of that term is

[Teasy]

Not that I'm questioning you per se (as Kolgar was the one who brought this up initially) but exactly what is a sophisticated gamer anyhow? What defines sophistication?

I would assume that sophisticated gamer would just mean someone who actually knows what he/she is talking about in this area, someone with a decent experience of games.

archie4oz

I'm not making any judgements on which consoles might be considered to be for the "sophisticated gamer" out there, I'm just saying that PS2 isn't that console IMO.

[jvd]

Originally Posted by Kolgar

Similarly, I think the widespread acceptance of PS2 does more to drive gaming forward because PS2, generally speaking, attracts a more sophisticated user. GBA makes for an inexpensive kids' toy.

Kolgar

You consider players that love games where you run around blowing up cop cars , kill old ladys and having sex in cars with hookers a more sophisticated user ? Please. The more sophisticated user has got to be the players that play sega games. It was a sad sad day when sega left the console hardware market.