Japan Sales Thread

[obonicus]

Well, there's also the notion that Nintendo failed to capitalize on their success with the Wii, they failed on the upsell and 3rd parties failed to innovate on their own.

The GAF seems to think that Japan is 'over' consoles because it doesn't fit their lifestyle anymore. Which is an odd notion, since neither portables nor long commutes started in this generation and the PS2 sold quite well.

 

[obonicus]

The Go is a peculiar system. According to the retailers, Sony did not expect high sales for the device even before launch. They position it as a parallel offering to PSP-3000.

Okay, but then why ship 150k in Japan? I'd understand if they did ship it as a specialty device. Selling 3k a week when there's not that many in the channel isn't a huge deal. Selling 3k a week (and dropping!) when you have 150k... well, going a year without a need for restock doesn't seem so hot.

 

[NavNucST3]

Okay, but then why ship 150k in Japan? I'd understand if they did ship it as a specialty device. Selling 3k a week when there's not that many in the channel isn't a huge deal. Selling 3k a week (and dropping!) when you have 150k... well, going a year without a need for restock doesn't seem so hot.

I had a longer post but the bolded was my point.

 

[patsu]

Okay, but then why ship 150k in Japan? I'd understand if they did ship it as a specialty device. Selling 3k a week when there's not that many in the channel isn't a huge deal. Selling 3k a week (and dropping!) when you have 150k... well, going a year without a need for restock doesn't seem so hot.

My guess is...

The actual sales is probably even lower than their low expectation, given that they failed to allow consumers to convert their existing UMD library over. Once this situation is revealed, the PSPGo essentially lost/excluded a chunk of potential PSP upgraders. The 150K production was committed months/year earlier.

Also, there may be a minimum volume for the component price to make sense (Need enough margin).


The inability to ensure day-n-date release is yet another problem with mixing a fully digital distribution model with b&m model. Don't know what's the real deal behind that. It looks like unless all the PSP developers acquire licenses to distribute IP over both channels, Sony may have to limit DD to a separate platform.

EDIT:
To me, the mystery is not why, but why now. Sony should be pretty familiar with the day-n-date release problem because it seems to be the "same" issue plaguing Managed Copy (Why studios can't have Managed Copy for all Blu-ray movies).

OTOH, if they can solve these mixed b&m + dd issues, then they'd have a head start. I kinda doubt it though. Somehow Sony has to know the potential pitfalls. We heard PSPGo and PSP-4000 chatter before PGP Go was released.

 

[obonicus]

I had a longer post but the bolded was my point.

Well, my thoughts on the device was when it was announced, and when its price was announced. I could see a scenario in which it made sense. I'm not against pure-DD, for instance -- I sorta understand not being able to replace UMDs, that was sort of a pipedream anyway, and the Go isn't a replacement so why would they do that? But not even being guaranteed the ability to play new games?

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Well, my thoughts on the device was when it was announced, and when its price was announced. I could see a scenario in which it made sense. I'm not against pure-DD, for instance -- I sorta understand not being able to replace UMDs, that was sort of a pipedream anyway, and the Go isn't a replacement so why would they do that? But not even being guaranteed the ability to play new games?

Yeah without simultaneous release for new games, the PSP Go was pretty much doomed to failure before it even released. If you are paying the same price or more than a regular PSP with UMD, you'd expect to be able to play the same new games when they are released...

Not being able to is a slap in the face, and the Japanese would be even more offended by that. The Japanese love gadgets, but they love gadgets that allow them access to the latest and greatest. Because the Japanese love the latest and greatest.

The PSP Go, just seems like a gadget that appeals to the Japanese, but it didn't follow through...

Add to that, unless PSP Go has access to their cellular network in Japan (for downloading), it was going ot be a hard sell for DD only titles anyways. Internet Infrastructure while quite good there has less per person penetration than any other developed country.

In other words, I can't see many Japanese getting an internet connection JUST for the PSP Go...

Regards,
SB

 

[tuna]

Yeah without simultaneous release for new games, the PSP Go was pretty much doomed to failure before it even released. If you are paying the same price or more than a regular PSP with UMD, you'd expect to be able to play the same new games when they are released...

Not being able to is a slap in the face, and the Japanese would be even more offended by that. The Japanese love gadgets, but they love gadgets that allow them access to the latest and greatest. Because the Japanese love the latest and greatest.

The PSP Go, just seems like a gadget that appeals to the Japanese, but it didn't follow through...

Add to that, unless PSP Go has access to their cellular network in Japan (for downloading), it was going ot be a hard sell for DD only titles anyways. Internet Infrastructure while quite good there has less per person penetration than any other developed country.

In other words, I can't see many Japanese getting an internet connection JUST for the PSP Go...

Regards,
SB

Can't you just tether your psp from your cellphone?

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

Well, there's also the notion that Nintendo failed to capitalize on their success with the Wii, they failed on the upsell and 3rd parties failed to innovate on their own.

The GAF seems to think that Japan is 'over' consoles because it doesn't fit their lifestyle anymore. Which is an odd notion, since neither portables nor long commutes started in this generation and the PS2 sold quite well.

Maybe its a case of the current handhelds offering a more rubust gaming experience? Before you only had GBA, which has good games for sure but its still pretty much 16bit era. With DS and PSP you pretty much got all the games that are out on consoles too.

Yeah without simultaneous release for new games, the PSP Go was pretty much doomed to failure before it even released. If you are paying the same price or more than a regular PSP with UMD, you'd expect to be able to play the same new games when they are released...

Not being able to is a slap in the face, and the Japanese would be even more offended by that. The Japanese love gadgets, but they love gadgets that allow them access to the latest and greatest. Because the Japanese love the latest and greatest.

The PSP Go, just seems like a gadget that appeals to the Japanese, but it didn't follow through...

Add to that, unless PSP Go has access to their cellular network in Japan (for downloading), it was going ot be a hard sell for DD only titles anyways. Internet Infrastructure while quite good there has less per person penetration than any other developed country.

In other words, I can't see many Japanese getting an internet connection JUST for the PSP Go...

Regards,
SB

Do you have a source on that? I've never met somebody over there who didnt had internet acces at home and even at older people's houses (55+) they were always suprised if I asked for internet acces. I've never been on anything less than 20mbit. I think that households with middle aged and teen people internet acces is pretty much guaranteed. Just like in every western country.

It the same in the shops. Basically every somewhat mobile device gets sold with the option of wireless (3g) internet. Phones pretty much all come with internet acces (though mostly limited to email I believe) so I really cannot believe that the people that the PSP is aimed at dont have internet acces.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Do you have a source on that? I've never met somebody over there who didnt had internet acces at home and even at older people's houses (55+) they were always suprised if I asked for internet acces. I've never been on anything less than 20mbit. I think that households with middle aged and teen people internet acces is pretty much guaranteed. Just like in every western country.

It's perhaps changed since I was there last (winter of 2008/2009), but at the time it still hadn't changed much although penetration was increasing in households with teenagers/college age kids.

I would often bring porn for the men that I worked with (you'll get huge bonus points) as it was uncensored and while easily found on the internet still isn't common there. And for everyone I gave it to, at this particular company only one person had a home computer. I had to convert and burn everything else to DVD for everyone else.

And for that one person his computer was already 6 years old (and slow as hell).

Out of relatives and friends of relatives, again computers were few and far between, and internet connected computers were even fewer.

That said at least in workplace offices, internet connectivity is getting more common. But interestingly enough analog modems are still fairly commonplace in those settings. Surfing on the modern day internet is quite painful at anywhere between 24k - 44k bps.

And this was in Tokyo...where 100 Mbps FTTH is easy to get. In addtion to that NTT was running specials on FTTH (along with trying to convince you to convert to VOIP phone service. ).

Still this is much better than say 10 years ago, when noone I knew or worked with in Japan had a computer or knew what the internet was...

Interestingly enough, doing a quick search on the internet shows the Japanese Government reported numbers don't match my own personal experiences among the hundreds of Japanese households I've been to, nor the Japanese businesses I've been to... Nor does it mesh with the Japanese people I've talked to...weird. Seems to be a bit of a disconnect there.

Actually there are some things that might skew this now that I think about. Many Japanese apartments are furnished or partially furnished apartments. And most of them include a TV that is connected through the internet. So in theory every single renter in those apartment complexes has internet service although all it's used for is to watch TV most of the time.

Regards,
SB

 

[obonicus]

Maybe its a case of the current handhelds offering a more rubust gaming experience? Before you only had GBA, which has good games for sure but its still pretty much 16bit era. With DS and PSP you pretty much got all the games that are out on consoles too.

The DS particularly is pretty limited compared to the PS2, they hardly have the same games. The PSP fakes it better, though. That all development moved to handhelds seems born out of necessity, by developers' inability to move up to HD. I'm not even sure that devs are 100% happy about always going for DS: there have been a few games that had very good first weeks but that only got a restock months later, if at all. Given Japan's extremely-strong used market, that generally kills any legs the title might have. And I've seen indication that this sluggish restock is because Nintendo couldn't provide the carts soon enough.

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

It's perhaps changed since I was there last (winter of 2008/2009), but at the time it still hadn't changed much although penetration was increasing in households with teenagers/college age kids.

I would often bring porn for the men that I worked with (you'll get huge bonus points) as it was uncensored and while easily found on the internet still isn't common there. And for everyone I gave it to, at this particular company only one person had a home computer. I had to convert and burn everything else to DVD for everyone else.

And for that one person his computer was already 6 years old (and slow as hell).

Out of relatives and friends of relatives, again computers were few and far between, and internet connected computers were even fewer.

That said at least in workplace offices, internet connectivity is getting more common. But interestingly enough analog modems are still fairly commonplace in those settings. Surfing on the modern day internet is quite painful at anywhere between 24k - 44k bps.

And this was in Tokyo...where 100 Mbps FTTH is easy to get. In addtion to that NTT was running specials on FTTH (along with trying to convince you to convert to VOIP phone service. ).

Still this is much better than say 10 years ago, when noone I knew or worked with in Japan had a computer or knew what the internet was...

Interestingly enough, doing a quick search on the internet shows the Japanese Government reported numbers don't match my own personal experiences among the hundreds of Japanese households I've been to, nor the Japanese businesses I've been to... Nor does it mesh with the Japanese people I've talked to...weird. Seems to be a bit of a disconnect there.

Actually there are some things that might skew this now that I think about. Many Japanese apartments are furnished or partially furnished apartments. And most of them include a TV that is connected through the internet. So in theory every single renter in those apartment complexes has internet service although all it's used for is to watch TV most of the time.

Regards,
SB

Weird. Maybe you are just very ''unlucky''? I've been there this summer (first time) and everywhere I went I got internet. Also at friends places internet and often more than 1 pc (mostly laptops). And as you said, High speed internet is pretty much everywhere. I dont think they offer anything below 20mbps. Maybe in the countryside, but you can get it easily in the city. Also, if you look at the tons and tons of stores that have huge pc departments I just cannot believe internet and computer penetration is relative small compared to the west. I mean, how come every half decent store has a whole floor or more for pc stuff if they wouldnt be selling tons of them?

You just have to be a freak case

Isnt internet on the tv cable normal btw? Its still pretty populair here in Holland, internet by coax.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Weird. Maybe you are just very ''unlucky''? I've been there this summer (first time) and everywhere I went I got internet. Also at friends places internet and often more than 1 pc (mostly laptops). And as you said, High speed internet is pretty much everywhere. I dont think they offer anything below 20mbps. Maybe in the countryside, but you can get it easily in the city. Also, if you look at the tons and tons of stores that have huge pc departments I just cannot believe internet and computer penetration is relative small compared to the west. I mean, how come every half decent store has a whole floor or more for pc stuff if they wouldnt be selling tons of them?

You just have to be a freak case

Isnt internet on the tv cable normal btw? Its still pretty populair here in Holland, internet by coax.

Well you can still get regular ADSL from NTT in addition to DSL over Fiber (FTTH). ADSL up to 48 Mbps is fairly cheap but suffers from line interference during storms and speed degredation the farther you are from the switching station. FTTH is a bit more expensive, but still cheap compared to the US. (A lot easier to go fully fiber with such high population densities). I think it was only about 60-70 USD per month. At current exchange rates it's probably over 100 USD a month.

Depends where you go in Tokyo as to whether you'll see lots of PC stores or stores with large PC sections. In the "suburb" I was living in you had to drive quite a ways to get to one the last time I was there. In the past 5 years most of them had gone out of business (3 Nojima stores and a couple locally owned ones).

Anyways, going way off topic with this convo now. Curious how experiences differ so much...

Regards,
SB

 

[patsu]

Personally, the PSPGo... is interesting for a different reason. It may very well be a fumble, but I can also see a hidden agenda (The tail may be showing a little). ^_^

I'd wait for their plan -- if any -- to pan out more in 2010 before judging them.

 

[NavNucST3]

Personally, the PSPGo... is interesting for a different reason. It may very well be a fumble, but I can also see a hidden agenda (The tail may be showing a little). ^_^

I'd wait for their plan -- if any -- to pan out more in 2010 before judging them.

This is your answer for everything they do or offer.

 

[patsu]

Sorry that you have to see things this way.

Sony sometimes enters the stage by showing its butt first. The face comes out later lol. Because they take a bottom-up approach to deliver a grand vision, plus the group is consolidating, it can be hard to see the final picture (e.g., Look at Blu-ray). In this case, there is a not-so-obvious element to PSPGo. I can see how Sony may twist it. So I'm waiting for things to unroll to confirm. Feel free to form your own opinion. I am not stopping you.

OTOH, there are stuff like Rolly Polly, Sony eBook Reader, Bravia, etc. where the "play" is rather simple. In those cases, it'd be easier to gauge where they will end up.

 

[holsty101]

If you don't mind me asking Patsu, what do you think they have in mind?

 

[patsu]

What is the Playstation platform, moving forward ?

 

[holsty101]

Well IIRC in the past they have talked about things like "vertical integration", or am I thinking of "owning the chain" or something like that ... so I guess that makes the PS brand the final link in the chain (that connects to the consumer).

TBH I was hoping for a more explicit answer ... feel free to pm me if you don't want your thoughts to come back & bite you on the ass

 

[obonicus]

New Super Mario Bros Wii sold over 900k its first week.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=18779742&postcount=486

 

[NavNucST3]

New Super Mario Bros Wii sold over 900k its first week.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=18779742&postcount=486

Amazing numbers, hopefully we get a hardware leak or official announcement from Nintendo.