All purpose Sales and Sales Rumours and Anecdotes [2019 Edition]

It would also mean that it'd be less likely for some people to hold off on buying a game slated to be released in the months to year before the next console hits. Especially now that remasters are common. If they know that what they buy now will run with next generation enhancements, they don't have to sit and wait/hope for a next gen remaster. They can just buy the game as soon as it is released knowing that once the next generation hits, they'll have access to the next gen. version of the game.

While there might be some loss in revenue from doing so, I'd imagine it could help out with smoothing the transition between generations. That is something that traditionally sees a large dip in revenue anytime a new generation comes out. It could also help with first year adoption of a console, which while supply constrained for the first few months, usually isn't constrained after that.

Speaking of supply constrained launches. That would also mean people that couldn't get a hold of a console could still buy a game for their current console knowing that when they can finally get the new console they can continue playing it with the graphical enhancements of the new console. Instead of holding off and waiting until they can get the new console to buy the game.

That continuity of gaming could be the difference between trying the competitions console and staying locked into the ecosystem of their current console.

Regards,
SB

 

Top 10 LTD Software

 

Talk about amazing tail...

 

Popularization of role-playing servers on Twitch has started another big wave of GTAV engagement.

 

Or a lot of wannabe thugs out there?

 

Xbox hardware reaching market saturation at current hardware pricepoint and as the generation winds down.

"Gaming revenue decreased $233 million or 10%. Xbox hardware revenue declined 48%, primarily due to a decrease in volume of consoles sold. Xbox software and services revenue declined 3% against a high prior year comparable from a third-party title, offset in part by subscriptions growth. "

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Investor/earnings/FY-2019-Q4/press-release-webcast

 

Why do game sales wind down? You'd think with more users than ever, software sales per annum would be at their highest. Are there just less significant titles towards the end of the generation? Anyone know how PS4 fared regards software unit sales per console over the last year?

 

Their report is not out yet. Last year it was on July 31

 

Could gamepass be skewing the figures?

 

Last quarter Xbox hardware was winding down 33% and PS4 was winding down only 10%... Software was down too but less than Xbox...

 

It's could also be a reflection of a lack of big 1st party exclusives in the FY that just ended. Were there any big 1st party exclusives in the previous FY?

Regards,
SB

 

Last quarter it was down too for Playstation at least they had Days Gone but no God of War...

 

Hmmm, MS still hasn't posted their FY ending 2019 report yet. I'm curious to dig into more details about their financial performance. Only the PR release so far.

Regards,
SB

 

Upon further inspection software sales may not be winding down but simply be the ebb and flow of the popularity of certain 3rd party games and 1st party game releases.

The Q4 fiscal qtr ran from April 1st to June 30th 2019 and the YoY decline seems to be in part a reflection of State of Decay 2 releasing in last years Q4 fiscal quarter (May 22) well as some Sea of Thieves revenue (released March 20, 11 days prior to the start of fiscal qtr).

That and in-app purchases for Fortnite down significantly compared to that 3 month fiscal qtr a year ago.

 

For the last couple of years these have been published until August.

 

https://www.resetera.com/threads/so...games-sold-fy2019-fct-down-to-15m-ps4.131914/

100 millions PS4 shipped for Sony but forecast down to 15 millions from 16 millions

 

Fastest to 100 million. I wonder if PS5 Research and development has had an impact on earnings yet?

 

Crazy and digital sales above physical sales in units

 

2015: 40 million units generated 160M software sales => 4 per unit.
2016: 60 million units generated 380M software sales => 6.33 per unit.
2017: 80 million units generated 620M software sales => 7.75 per unit.
2019: 100 million units generated 920M software sales => 9.2 per unit.

Software sales and attach ratio are increasing which is what you'd expect. With more active machines out there, more software is being sold every year. It'll be interesting to see when this drops.

 

I could say 2021 we should start to see a major decline in PS4 hardware/software sales. However, if an Ultra Slim PS4 is available this year for say $199, then PS4 has a good chance on reaching 130-135M units sold over it's lifetime. I really don't see PS5 ($499) neutering PS4 sales right after launch - not the way some think.