PS2 outselling XBox 360

[SPM]

http://www.betanews.com/article/Xbox_360_Sales_Lag_Behind_PS2/1150211868

Hmmm. 1.7 million Xbox 360s sold in the last 6 months, and the PS2 is continuing to outsell the Xbox 360 (based on shipments I think not actual sales) except for one month (possibly a blip in shipments) when Microsoft abruptly increased shipments.

Many say the PS3 is overpriced. I wonder if the same is true for Xbox 360. Perhaps this bodes well for Nintendo.

 

[Acert93]

It would be nice to see World Wide sales seeing as MS has not only had to fill US distribution channels but also to dozens of other countries. While anecdotal I know the local Walmart in my town has been selling their received shipments of them within a couple days. They have been getting 5-10 every couple weeks and they sell out pretty quickly, typically within 24-48 hours. Of course this is just one store in one city, but at least where I live demand is still eating up supply quickly. Of course there are rumors of overstock in other countries, so not all markets are created equal.

 

[_xxx_]

PS2 has always been outselling XB360, it's mostly parents buying cheaper presents for the kids and also the buttload of popular games available as well as people replacing dead units I guess. Most people go cheap after all.

 

[zed]

3,200,000 xb360's by 03/31/06 somehow i doubt theyll reach the 5million june target or the 10milllion target before the ps3 ships as claimed by bill gates they would.
they need a system seller game desperately

 

[Gerry]

That's from 13 days ago. Didn't the Inq have an article about it? In fact I'm sure it's been discussed in another thread on here somewhere.

 

[sonyps35]

Well, the PS2 is $129.

Sony has only lost the lead in sales like 5 months in history. One of them was two months ago to the 360. The other 4 were in 2004 to the Xbox.

Will be interesting to see if Microsoft can start consistently beating the PS2 before the PS3 comes out.

Anyway, I tend to think people overly criticize 360's sales, although they have been somewhat limp, once you crunch the numbers, they really dont need stellar sales to meet all their targets. A lot of people were harsh on the 221k sales last month, and while not exemplary. it really makes little real difference than if they'd sold another 70k or something.

i doubt theyll reach the 5million june target or the 10milllion target before the ps3 ships as claimed by bill gates they would.

Oh, the 5 mil is in the bag, probably reached already (I think Moore stated this in a recent podcast interview). The ten mil is a little more of a stretch but since it probably includes everything they'll ship through the holidays they'll probably reach it.

MS doesn't make targets they dont make. I've observed them for a long time. For example, originally the June target was 4.5-5.5 million, and they actually raised it a bit to 5.0-5.5 as it got nearer.

These are all shipped numbers of course. But in the first Xbox360 qaurter they shipped 1.5m, the next 1.7m (this makes the 3.2 number) and this was back when they still had tremendous shortages! You really think with the shortages now gone they wont manage to ship at least 1.8m April-June to make the 5.0?

I've tried to work the numbers for the 10m, it's doable but the only way I see is counting a lot of shipped numbers. That's the more aggressive target, more a goal than a plan, where the 5.0 target is a done deal.

Anyways, it's also worth noting NPD probably undercounts by about 20%. For example, when Sony had claimed 40 million PS2's shipped to North America NPD had them at like 32.0 in sales to that date. There's no way 8 million were sitting on the shelves.

 

[drpepper]

It would be nice to see World Wide sales seeing as MS has not only had to fill US distribution channels but also to dozens of other countries. While anecdotal I know the local Walmart in my town has been selling their received shipments of them within a couple days. They have been getting 5-10 every couple weeks and they sell out pretty quickly, typically within 24-48 hours. Of course this is just one store in one city, but at least where I live demand is still eating up supply quickly. Of course there are rumors of overstock in other countries, so not all markets are created equal.

Interesting, you can mark Ottawa as a city with the rumoured overstock. It seems to have no gamers at all. There are just piles of 360s just sitting there (futureshop, best buy and EB games). All premium packs too. no one seems to care about the demo pods either. Since the DS came out I think it may have hurt the sales too. though you never read of buying frenzies for it.

There just doesn't seem to be compelling software out there. I only have 1 friend with a 360 and all he does is play oblivion.

Funny thing is, at my local best buy, they practiacally merged the Nintendo DS section with the 360 section, so at one point you're looking at DS games, and before you know it you're browsing the face plate section.

I know, anecdoctal at best, but that's been my impression of the last month.

 

[_xxx_]

Will be interesting to see if Microsoft can start consistently beating the PS2 before the PS3 comes out.

Taken out of context, this would be a great sig

These are all shipped numbers of course.

And as you said yourself, shipped != sold.

 

[Sis]

There just doesn't seem to be compelling software out there. I only have 1 friend with a 360 and all he does is play oblivion.

This would be true if not that Xbox 360 tends to lead in software sales with multiplatform titles, even when up against a product with ~30 times the install base.

I'm betting it's a simple matter of getting marketing ramped back up across the board. If June and July sales continue to underwhelm, then it's the price that's the inhibitor. If come Fall and MS does indeed drop the price and sales still remain underwhelming, then consumers just aren't interested.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

If June and July sales continue to underwhelm, then it's the price that's the inhibitor.

Except that June and July aren't really known for high hardware sales, and it could just be that people have better things to do with their time than play computer games...

 

[Sis]

Except that June and July aren't really known for high hardware sales, and it could just be that people have better things to do with their time than play computer games...

I meant in respect to typical soft summer sales.

 

[Titanio]

This would be true if not that Xbox 360 tends to lead in software sales with multiplatform titles, even when up against a product with ~30 times the install base.

Are you comparing software sales globally? Because that's the only place where PS2 has 30x the install base.

If you're comparing NPD data in NA, note that they rank software based on the dollar value of sales, so next-gen pricing will give 360 an advantage obviously. I don't know if anyone regularly bothers to figure out the unit sales (based on an average price), or if that is available.

 

[Sis]

Are you comparing software sales globally? Because that's the only place where PS2 has 30x the install base.

If you're comparing NPD data in NA, note that they rank software based on the dollar value of sales, so next-gen pricing will give 360 an advantage obviously. I don't know if anyone regularly bothers to figure out the unit sales (based on an average price), or if that is available.

Yes, based on limited information and based on some empirical information, such as GRAW's phenomenal success (Ubi's fastest selling software ever, correct?).

Anyway, are you suggesting that the Xbox 360's software sales are underwhelming? My point was that the software would seemingly not be the issue with Xbox 360 hardware sales.

 

[Arwin]

Interesting, you can mark Ottawa as a city with the rumoured overstock. It seems to have no gamers at all. There are just piles of 360s just sitting there (futureshop, best buy and EB games). All premium packs too. no one seems to care about the demo pods either. Since the DS came out I think it may have hurt the sales too. though you never read of buying frenzies for it.

There just doesn't seem to be compelling software out there. I only have 1 friend with a 360 and all he does is play oblivion. .

It's very similar here in the Netherlands. You can buy 360 everywhere here and have been able to since early in the year.

 

[ihamoitc2005]

Fall

It's very similar here in the Netherlands. You can buy 360 everywhere here and have been able to since early in the year.

In upstate New York also I have same experience and I have no problem with Xbox360 supplies. Also my weekend job we have many Xbox360 premium and core and only have one sale (premium) in 3 weeks. I think now no one has money to buy this and everyone has too much debt.

Also, I think fall in USA is good time for more Xbox360 sales because of new school semester and every one wants console in their dorm room.

 

[Hardknock]

The fact that a $100 console is outselling a $400 one is news folks?

If you look at it from a Revenue perspective ($400 vs. $129) and ($60 vs. $50) the Xbox 360 trumps the PS2, GC and Xbox combined.

This is really a non-issue.

 

[RancidLunchmeat]

To answer the question from the start...

yes, most definately.

$399 is simply too much for anybody to pay for a console, period.

You're talking about needing ~$500 to buy the console, buy a game, and pay tax and get out the door.

It's simply too much money. There's no reason to be surprised at all that the $149 PS2 is out selling the 360. (It's also not surprising to notice that those people who did shell out money for the $399 console are also buying more games than people who will only spend $149 console, so the 360 game sales are impressive.)

And did somebody really ask if the 360 will outsell the PS2 once the PS3 is released? Why does that matter?

The PS2 will out sell the PS3 when the PS3 is released.

I don't care what you cram into a console, how you try to hype it, what you label it, there's a price threshold that people simply won't cross.

I think some people here seem to have forgotten their very own outrage at the 360's $399 price tag because they expected to get everything the 360 offered for $299. But that sticker shock went away quick fast and in a hurry when the PS3 was announced for $200 more.

$399 is damn expensive for a console. The market for $399 consoles is extremely limited. $499 or $599 even more so.

The only reason MS hasn't dropped the price yet, is because they aren't worried about the PS2. The people who are buying PS2s right now aren't going to buy a 360 in the next 3 or 4 years anyway.. Not until t he 360 comes down to $149. So MS is positioning themselves against the PS3, and that's all they care about out selling.

 

[wco81]

Supply is definitely better out here in Silicon Valley.

Saw a palette of them at Costco where they have the Premium, extra wireless controller, the play and charge kit and PGR3 for $490 in big blister packs.

I think the X360 titles on the best-seller list could partly be a reflection of poor software sales overall in the industry. I know through the first few months of 2006, sales year over year were actually less than in 2005. Don't know if this trend has reversed itself.

 

[Titanio]

Yes, based on limited information and based on some empirical information, such as GRAW's phenomenal success (Ubi's fastest selling software ever, correct?).

GRAW and Oblivion are two we know about that have led in terms of sales on 360.

Anyway, are you suggesting that the Xbox 360's software sales are underwhelming?

Nope. I'm just not sure about generalising to all multiplatform game sales, or cautioning against doing so based on NPD, if that's what people are thinking about.

 

[Sis]

I think the X360 titles on the best-seller list could partly be a reflection of poor software sales overall in the industry. I know through the first few months of 2006, sales year over year were actually less than in 2005. Don't know if this trend has reversed itself.

I would agree with this possibility if Ubisoft didn't say that GRAW for the Xbox 360 was the fastest selling game ever for them.

Nope. I'm just not sure about generalising to all multiplatform game sales, or cautioning against doing so based on NPD, if that's what people are thinking about.

Unless you are saying that the Xbox 360 software sales are soft, this isn't relevant. I was not attempting to draw a comparison with other systems; based on the information I have, which includes software charts and NPD, I believe software sales are strong, especially for some key titles such as Call of Duty, GRAW, and Oblivion. To me, this is a good indication that software is not the issue with Xbox 360 hw sales.