NPD December 2007

[AlphaWolf]

Is there a reference to back this claim up (PS2 part)?

For all I know, wii casuals are moms and grandmas.
There is casual, and there is casual.

Does it really need backing up? It's just common sense. There's plenty of overlap between what was the ps2 market and the current 360/ps3 and wii markets. While there maybe some brand loyalty I have no doubt that many former ps2 owners are now quite happily wii owners.

It would be interesting to see a study of current wii owners and their previous consoles. While I don't doubt that the wii has brought a number of first time console owners into the video game market, I still think it would be a small minority (perhaps even less than 10%) of them.

 

[betan]

Does it really need backing up? It's just common sense.

Yes it does, apparently I lack common sense.

There's plenty of overlap between what was the ps2 market and the current 360/ps3 and wii markets. While there maybe some brand loyalty I have no doubt that many former ps2 owners are now quite happily wii owners.

It would be interesting to see a study of current wii owners and their previous consoles. While I don't doubt that the wii has brought a number of first time console owners into the video game market, I still think it would be a small minority (perhaps even less than 10%) of them.

I personally don't care about brand loyalty part of the discussion.
The question to be answered is what makes casual PS2 owners buy Wiis in a way they won't be interested in PS3 (or 360).

Whatever they were playing casually on PS2 clearly is either not available or not really better on Wii.

And if they bought it for Wii Sports only, I fail to see how it effects other consoles in a significant way.

So, again I maybe lacking common sense, but it doesn't seem obvious.

ps: I'm not saying Wii is not stealing from PS3/360 which probably is (looking at "real" game sales), whether it's stealing from PS2 casuals who are potentially future PS3 casuals is another story.

 

[....]

Yes it does, apparently I lack common sense.


I personally don't care about brand loyalty part of the discussion.
The question to be answered is what makes casual PS2 owners buy Wiis in a way they won't be interested in PS3 (or 360).

Whatever they were playing casually on PS2 clearly is either not available or not really better on Wii.

And if they bought it for Wii Sports only, I fail to see how it effects other consoles in a significant way.

So, again I maybe lacking common sense, but it doesn't seem obvious.

ps: I'm not saying Wii is not stealing from PS3/360 which probably is (looking at "real" game sales), whether it's stealing from PS2 casuals who are potentially future PS3 casuals is another story.

True. What I want to see is what happens when both ps3 and 360 are at a reasonable price for casual gamers. I know the cube couldn't handle it(competition from xbox and ps2), and even further price cuts did no good for it. Both ps3 and 360 are rumored for price cuts in the first half of this year. If one takes a cut the other likely will. Many significant third party titles are available exclusively on these systems and not on wii.

 

[AlphaWolf]

I personally don't care about brand loyalty part of the discussion.The question to be answered is what makes casual PS2 owners buy Wiis in a way they won't be interested in PS3 (or 360).

Cost. Game focus. 90% of people who bought the ps2, did so for less than $300, let alone $400.

Whatever they were playing casually on PS2 clearly is either not available or not really better on Wii.

Huh? Just because someone owned X on the ps2, it doesn't necessarily follow that they want to own X2 on the ps3.

And if they bought it for Wii Sports only, I fail to see how it effects other consoles in a significant way.

The entertainment dollars are still spent. You go out and spend x dollars on a console, it just makes it that much harder to spend more money on something else. If you already owned a wii this year and GH3 comes out and you really want it, do you buy it for the wii or do you go out and buy a ps3 and GH3 for that version?

So, again I maybe lacking common sense, but it doesn't seem obvious.

You're trying to make everything cut and dried, it doesn't work that way. There was a wide demographic of ps2 owners who bought in at different price points, and used their ps2 in different ways. Most of them probably are/were not sitting there waiting for ps3.

ps: I'm not saying Wii is not stealing from PS3/360 which probably is (looking at "real" game sales), whether it's stealing from PS2 casuals who are potentially future PS3 casuals is another story.

see above. Just because someone owned a ps2, doesn't mean that they are waiting or going to wait for something. eg. You have the money, you buy something, then you no longer have the money and even if you did you have a harder time justifying another console purchase for the few titles that may interest you. That's really just a matter of simple economics. Anyone who had the potential to be a future ps3 owner who has purchased a wii then becomes less likely to make that ps3 purchase.

 

[Carl B]

It would be interesting to see a study of current wii owners and their previous consoles. While I don't doubt that the wii has brought a number of first time console owners into the video game market, I still think it would be a small minority (perhaps even less than 10%) of them.

I think the Wii appeals to a third group as well, one that I think probably plays a significant role: former video game owners. These are folk whose last system was an N64 or something, didn't partake in the last generation for whatever reason - age/other priorities mainly - and now have been drawn back in to the Wii due to Nintendo fondness/nostalgia, the relative inexpense of the system, the hype surrounding it, and/or its approachability.

I personally know three folk in that exact boat, and those three make up the entire sample size of people close to me who own the Wii. Also, of a couple of parents I know, one bought the system for their kids who own the PS2 and GameCube besides, and another bought it as the first gaming console for their family. I think that the Wii more than the others is going to be scooped up by parents who feel that the experience with the console can be a 'family' experience.

 

[wco81]

They're called lapsed gamers.

They used to game when in school but once they got jobs and started raising families they hadn't kept up. They also got intimidated by the twitchy nature of hardcore games.

Now the Wii is so easy to pick up and play.

They don't think the graphics are bad because compared to the systems they used to play, it is an advance.

 

[Carl B]

They're called lapsed gamers.

There you go then; lapsed gamers.

 

[inefficient]

Hopefully some of these lapsed gamers will actually eventually move back into the actual gamer catagory and buy a PS3 or 360 once they are sub $200.

 

[Readykilowatt]

IIRC, with every generation a new console is released there is a massive influx of new gamers and a massive exodus of older gamers, i.e. most people who buy a console do not buy its successor, i.e. most PS2 owners never owned a PSone. Therefore, this "new generation of gamers" have chosen the Wii as its console of choice. Most PS2 owners have moved on from gaming...

 

[wco81]

I don't know about most PS2 gamers quitting gaming.

PS2 is still selling well.

Handhelds are selling crazy.

Yeah it could be that we're in a low-fi period for gaming. People value convenience and simple but ugly games like those on handhelds.

 

[PARANOiA]

Hopefully some of these lapsed gamers will actually eventually move back into the actual gamer catagory and buy a PS3 or 360 once they are sub $200.

Don't let Ninzel hear you say that, or you'll be up for a hiding

 

[patsu]

IIRC, with every generation a new console is released there is a massive influx of new gamers and a massive exodus of older gamers, i.e. most people who buy a console do not buy its successor, i.e. most PS2 owners never owned a PSone. Therefore, this "new generation of gamers" have chosen the Wii as its console of choice. Most PS2 owners have moved on from gaming...

The gaming industry is expanding as a whole. Unless you have some hard numbers, I seriously doubt that most PS2 owners have moved on from gaming.

 

[betan]

Cost. Game focus. 90% of people who bought the ps2, did so for less than $300, let alone $400.

Yes, because we all know that PS2 casuals are mindless people in habit of buying consoles based on price only.

Huh? Just because someone owned X on the ps2, it doesn't necessarily follow that they want to own X2 on the ps3.

Not necessarily indeed.

The entertainment dollars are still spent. You go out and spend x dollars on a console, it just makes it that much harder to spend more money on something else.

Fortunately for them PS3 won't be $200 any time soon, since we are talking about cheap-ass casuals.

If you already owned a wii this year and GH3 comes out and you really want it, do you buy it for the wii or do you go out and buy a ps3 and GH3 for that version?

Buy PS2 version as any smart casual would do as opposed to buying Wii that is.

You're trying to make everything cut and dried, it doesn't work that way.

Maybe it seems that way, but I'm merely interested in the reasoning behind a claim that looks like nothing more than an attempt to draw pessimistic picture for PS3.

There was a wide demographic of ps2 owners who bought in at different price points, and used their ps2 in different ways. Most of them probably are/were not sitting there waiting for ps3.

I'm sure they are not.

 

[AlphaWolf]

Yes, because we all know that PS2 casuals are mindless people in habit of buying consoles based on price only.

Not necessarily indeed.

Fortunately for them PS3 won't be $200 any time soon, since we are talking about cheap-ass casuals.

Buy PS2 version as any smart casual would do as opposed to buying Wii that is.

Maybe it seems that way, but I'm merely interested in the reasoning behind a claim that looks like nothing more than an attempt to draw pessimistic picture for PS3.

I'm sure they are not.

clearly you just want to argue with yourself since all you do is take everything I said out of context and choose to completely miss the point, so I'll just leave you to do that.

 

[scooby_dooby]

They don't think the graphics are bad because compared to the systems they used to play, it is an advance.

And alot of people just have crappy little TV's.

 

[Asher]

Matt is up to some Nintendo PR again:

http://wii.ign.com/articles/847/847472p1.html

Wii Tie Ratio at 8:1 in December
Players bought eight games for every Wii sold in December. That number is better than Xbox 360 and PS3.
by Matt Casamassina

January 24, 2008 - If you're still under the impression that consumers are only buying Nintendo's new console for Wii Sports, perhaps the latest software to hardware tie ratio numbers from the NPD Group will change your mind. According to the software data tracking service, consumers purchased 8.11 games for every Wii console sold in December. This relates to 7.76 games for every Xbox 360 sold during the month and 5.04 games for every PlayStation 3 purchased in the same time frame.

Very strong sales of titles like Super Mario Galaxy, Wii Play, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, Guitar Hero III and more contributed to Wii's high tie ratio.

While Nintendo's console certainly flourished in December, perhaps signaling the beginning of solid tie ratios to come, it should be noted that Wii's life-to-date software to hardware tie ratio is at 4.64, compared to 4.26 on PlayStation 3 (despite a much smaller installed base) and 7.0 on Xbox 360, according to NPD data.

 

[Laa-Yosh]

Very nice numbers for the Wii, at last. In fact it makes me curious, what could be the reason for the sudden increase?

 

[Asher]

Very nice numbers for the Wii, at last. In fact it makes me curious, what could be the reason for the sudden increase?

I'm curious how many they could sell under the top 20. What are people buying? Oh, the humanity.

 

[valioso]

maybe he is counting each individual sport on wii sports as a different game?

 

[Skrying]

If the casual crowd flocked to the Wii this December then it's clearly because they tend to make purchases like this in big chunks. Purchase a Wii and enough games to last some time.