NPD May 2018 Results

[Shortbread]

Just so you know there is an exclusive title on the top 10 of the past 12 months list.

Super Mario Odyssey was released in October 27, 2017, and its freaking MARIO!!!!

Sony exclusives just aren't as popular as Nintendo exclusives. They tend to get onto the list pretty quickly after they come out.

I can agree with you on that. Mario and Zelda have a long legacy and history of fans and Nintendo software fanatics purchasing anything 'Nintendo' over most third-party wares.

The comment wasn't a dish against GOW (2018) but pointing out that there is a large gap between the #1 spot and the #2 spot in sales for the past 12 months. If it was something else in the #2 spot on the top 10 of 2018, I'd have made the same comment except with that title as an example.

Regards,
SB

No prob...

 

[Silent_Buddha]

People buy Nintendo systems specifically for their exclusives. That's why their biggest IPs are some of the best selling games (not just exclusives) period. People buy PS for their strong first AND second party support.

But you didn't factor in one major thing: Mario Odyssey was release nearly 6 months prior to GoW. It also went through a holiday period.

https://venturebeat.com/2018/01/18/...ds-the-hardware-pack-in-a-3-29-billion-month/

Top 10 of past 12 months

1. Call of Duty: WWII
2. NBA 2K18
3. Destiny 2*
4. Madden NFL 18
5. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild**
6. Grand Theft Auto V
7. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands
8. Star Wars: Battlefront II 2017*
9. Super Mario Odyssey**
10. Mario Kart 8**

OK, so it took SMO a couple months to get onto the top 10. GOW (2018) still has a chance to match that. Happy? If it does, then it'll do something HZD was never able to do as HZD never made the Top 10 of the past 12 months list. I think it would be Sony's first exclusive to make the list (not saying much as NPD only started publishing that data summer of 2017). During that same timeframe 3 Nintendo exclusives made the list.

But again, the point of my original post wasn't that Multiplats sell better than exclusives. It was that the gap between #1 and #2 for 2018 thus far is pretty large regardless of what title would have been in that #2 spot.

Regards,
SB

 

[BRiT]

I am amazed that State of Decay, a $30 title is at the top of the Monthly Revenue list mostly dominated by $60 games. So it must have sold twice the number of units as the other titles. On top of that, it is in the Game Pass program so one doesnt even need to buy it to be able to play it (Game Pass numbers are not included in the Monthly Revenue report).

 

[Goodtwin]

People buy Nintendo systems specifically for their exclusives. That's why their biggest IPs are some of the best selling games (not just exclusives) period. Plus their games are generally more accessible and appeal to a broader audience. People buy PS for their strong first AND second party support.

But you didn't factor in one major thing: Mario Odyssey was released nearly 6 months prior to GoW. It also went through a holiday period.

While its true that third party titles rarely enjoy the level of success Nintendo's first party titles enjoy on Nintendo hardware, it is also true that many third parties have enjoyed success on Nintendo platforms such as the DS, 3DS, and now the Switch. With Switch being a hybrid system, many of those third party games that did rather well on 3DS will naturally transition to Switch. Square Enix is dedicating multiple teams, presumably the RPG Factory, to developing Switch titles. Third party games like these would struggle to find an audience on PS/XB, but do well with Nintendo. On the flip side many of the very popular multi plat games on PS/XB have struggled to gain traction on Nintendo hardware. I wouldn't be shocked if Ubisofts Starlink Battle for Atlus does best on Switch. Indies have also thrived on Switch so far, so I think statements saying Nintendo gamers only buy first party games is inaccurate.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

djskribbles didn't say only, but specifically, the reason to buy a Nintendo console is to play the Nintendo games. If not for Nintendo's first party titles, it's unlikely they'd be selling their hardware to the same number. Or rather, the point is Nintendo's audience for its hardware is also a very dedicated audience for Nintendo's primary IPs, so when someone picks up a Switch or DS, there's a huge likelihood they'll pick up a Mario game or three. When someone buys an XB or PS, there's a decent chance they only want to play 3rd party titles like COD or FIFA or AC or Destiny etc.

Nintendo is a world to itself! That's why they often don't feature in the general conversations about gaming, because they do their own thing, somewhat in isolation, and do pretty well out of it on and off.

 

[Shortbread]

djskribbles didn't say only, but specifically, the reason to buy a Nintendo console is to play the Nintendo games. If not for Nintendo's first party titles, it's unlikely they'd be selling their hardware to the same number. Or rather, the point is Nintendo's audience for its hardware is also a very dedicated audience for Nintendo's primary IPs, so when someone picks up a Switch or DS, there's a huge likelihood they'll pick up a Mario game or three. When someone buys an XB or PS, there's a decent chance they only want to play 3rd party titles like COD or FIFA or AC or Destiny etc.

Nintendo is a world to itself! That's why they often don't feature in the general conversations about gaming, because they do their own thing, somewhat in isolation, and do pretty well out of it on and off.

And if I'm not mistake, Nintendo consistently achieves some of the highest software attach-rates, even if system sales are lagging behind.

 

[BRiT]

And if I'm not mistake, Nintendo consistently achieves some of the highest software attach-rates, even if system sales are lagging behind.

Because their entire software library is very limited on Nintendo platforms.

 

[Shortbread]

Because their entire software library is very limited on Nintendo platforms.

Well yeah, duh! I was just reiterating Nintendo's fanbase strong attachment to their IPs (games), rather than anything else on the market. I'm still perplexed by the whole Nintendo 'Amiibo' thing, and the boatloads of money being made off them. :|

 

[zed]

And if I'm not mistake, Nintendo consistently achieves some of the highest software attach-rates, even if system sales are lagging behind.

I'm sure thats wrong, the attach rates for nintendo systems typically are pretty bad

01 - Nintendo Gamecube - 21.74 - 208.57 - 9.59
02 - Wii - 101.63 - 916.15 - 9.01
03 - Famicom/NES - 61.91 - 500.01 - 8.07
04 - Super Famicom/SNES - 49.10 - 379.06 - 7.72
05 - Wii U - 13.36 - 92.35 - 6.91
06 - Nintendo 64 - 32.93 - 224.97 - 6.83
07 - Nintendo DS - 154.02 - 948.44 - 6.15
08 - Nintendo 3DS - 61.57 - 293.40 - 4.76
09 - Game Boy Advance - 81.51 - 377.42 - 4.63
10 - Game Boy/Game Boy Color - 118.69 - 501.11 - 4.22

eg to put that into perspective the ps4 attachrate (can't find its lifetime it will be lower, prolly about ~10) but for the last financial year (19 million ps4, 246.8 games = 13 attachrate)

 

[BRiT]

But you need to take into account how many different game selection goes into the pool for attach rate. Does Sony have 80 to 90 percent (or whatever percentage Nintendo is of all Swtch Software sales) of those 246.8 million games?

 

[Shortbread]

I'm sure thats wrong, the attach rates for nintendo systems typically are pretty bad

01 - Nintendo Gamecube - 21.74 - 208.57 - 9.59
02 - Wii - 101.63 - 916.15 - 9.01
03 - Famicom/NES - 61.91 - 500.01 - 8.07
04 - Super Famicom/SNES - 49.10 - 379.06 - 7.72
05 - Wii U - 13.36 - 92.35 - 6.91
06 - Nintendo 64 - 32.93 - 224.97 - 6.83
07 - Nintendo DS - 154.02 - 948.44 - 6.15
08 - Nintendo 3DS - 61.57 - 293.40 - 4.76
09 - Game Boy Advance - 81.51 - 377.42 - 4.63
10 - Game Boy/Game Boy Color - 118.69 - 501.11 - 4.22

eg to put that into perspective the ps4 attachrate (can't find its lifetime it will be lower, prolly about ~10) but for the last financial year (19 million ps4, 246.8 games = 13 attachrate)

The last reported software totals by Sony was 645 million PS4 games at the end of 2017, with an install base of 73.6 million during that time period. Given those numbers, Sony's software attach rate would be around 8.7 (less than GameCube, no better than SuperNes). Systems with smaller install bases, less total software sales... yet, has an comparative or higher attachment rate than PS4.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I'm sure thats wrong, the attach rates for nintendo systems typically are pretty bad

01 - Nintendo Gamecube - 21.74 - 208.57 - 9.59
02 - Wii - 101.63 - 916.15 - 9.01
03 - Famicom/NES - 61.91 - 500.01 - 8.07
04 - Super Famicom/SNES - 49.10 - 379.06 - 7.72
05 - Wii U - 13.36 - 92.35 - 6.91
06 - Nintendo 64 - 32.93 - 224.97 - 6.83
07 - Nintendo DS - 154.02 - 948.44 - 6.15
08 - Nintendo 3DS - 61.57 - 293.40 - 4.76
09 - Game Boy Advance - 81.51 - 377.42 - 4.63
10 - Game Boy/Game Boy Color - 118.69 - 501.11 - 4.22

eg to put that into perspective the ps4 attachrate (can't find its lifetime it will be lower, prolly about ~10) but for the last financial year (19 million ps4, 246.8 games = 13 attachrate)

They look pretty typical.
http://vgsales.wikia.com/wiki/Software_tie_ratio

PS2 - 9.81
PS3 - 8.93
XB360 - 7.5
OXB - 6.88

Only with Nintendo's consoles, they have a relatively huge percentage of that tie ratio.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

The last reported software totals by Sony was 645 million PS4 games at the end of 2017, with an install base of 73.6 million during that time period. Given those numbers, Sony's software attach rate would be around 8.7 (less than GameCube, no better than SuperNes). Systems with smaller install bases, less total software sales... yet, has equal or higher attachment rates compared to PS4.

2 out of 10 consoles doing better than PS4 doesn't exactly match

Nintendo consistently achieves some of the highest software attach-rates, even if system sales are lagging behind.

Now, you may have meant Nintendo 1st party titles consistently have a higher attach rate, in which case that'd most certainly be true. You're wording is a bit unclear, however as it could also be easily interpreted as Nintendo consoles typically achieve the highest software attach-rates. I believe that's probably how Zed interpreted it.

Regards,
SB

 

[Shortbread]

2 out of 10 consoles doing better than PS4 doesn't exactly match

I wasn't factoring or talking about their handheld systems, but rather their home consoles. And four of the six Nintendo home systems attachment rates are very comparative given their relatively smaller install base. But yes, I will concede that two out of six isn't exactly match, but it isn't exactly all that bad given their install base sizes.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

I wasn't factoring or talking about their handheld systems, but rather their home consoles. And four of the six Nintendo home systems attachment rates are very comparative given their relatively smaller install base. But yes, I will concede that two out of six isn't exactly match, but it isn't exactly all that bad given their install base sizes.

Even 2 out of 6 isn't consistent. It isn't uncommon, but it definitely isn't consistent.

Regards,
SB

 

[Shortbread]

Even 2 out of 6 isn't consistent. It isn't uncommon, but it definitely isn't consistent.

Regards,
SB

I know what you're trying to state, I know what I'm trying to state. If you take Nintendo's three best selling console systems (Wii, NES and SuperNes), and their top selling software attachment system (GameCube), their attachment rates are fairly high and consistent with units sold (install base). Even the Wii U with it's anemic install base of 13.6 million units was able to achieve an 6.9 attachment rate. The only disappointing one (from an software attachment point of view) is the N64.

 

[Shortbread]

Does anyone have the final tally of available games that were on XBOX-OG, 360, PS1, PS2, PS3, NES, SNES, N64, GameCube, Wii and Wii U? And possibly the split between first and third party games.

 

[Karamazov]

Damn who still has not his/her GTA 5 copy yet ?

 

[iroboto]

Damn who still has not his/her GTA 5 copy yet ?

Me

 

[Goodtwin]

djskribbles didn't say only, but specifically, the reason to buy a Nintendo console is to play the Nintendo games.

I know, and my argument is that this isn't as true with their handheld systems. Third parties have enjoyed more success on Nintendo handhelds compared to Nintendo home consoles, post SNES anyway. The portability is a huge factor and is a big factor for attracting consumers beyond the hardcore Nintendo fan. Even though the top sellers are dominated by first party titles, there are far more successes on Nintendo's portables for third party games, even if they aren't matching the same level of success that Nintendo's titles are. The Indie scene on Switch is very healthy, and that is dominated by third party titles. Many Indies are finding the platform even more profitable than Steam, and surpasses the success seen on PS4 and X1.

When people say third party titles don't sell on Nintendo hardware, it just isn't true, what they should be saying is that the third party titles that typically dominate the Xbox and PlayStation platform have done poorly on Nintendo home consoles. No one blinks an eye when a multitude of titles perform poorly on Xbox or PlayStation, but when titles that sell on those platforms and not on Nintendo's, the stigma is created suggesting third party games perform terribly on Nintendo hardware, and that really isn't true, the titles that do well are just different.

Bethesda has been a prominent supported of Switch so far, and while I am not sure if Doom performed all that well, Skyrim on the other hand has done very well. It still charts in the top 100 on Amazon. If a remastered game, one that released long after it did on other platforms can sell over a million copies on Switch, I think this speaks volumes on the audiences interest in titles outside of Mario and Zelda. With Square Enix ramping up their RPG Factory teams to support Switch, many of these games will also release on PlayStation, but will likely sell better on Switch. Third party games selling better on a Nintendo platform than PlayStation, lets not pretend those third party titles don't count.