Whoopy! more than 1/2 million cubes sold in 1 week!!

[Zubiac666]

Argh! Big N is back! Get this:

Nintendo GameCube sold more than half a million systems to consumers during Thanksgiving week in the US!

After rocketing up the charts the past several weeks, the Nintendo GameCube has now officially reached No. 1 -- it's America's top-selling home video game console, according to direct sales data from the nation's leading retailers.

What Nintendo hoped for has happened! Nintendo GameCube sold more than half a million systems to consumers during Thanksgiving week, easily surpassing its console competitors. Among all game devices, it trailed only Nintendo's portable Game Boy Advance, which sold almost 600,000 units to U.S. buyers during the week.

"All along, our business plan for this year was to maximize consumer interest and sales during the fourth quarter," says George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "But frankly, we're overwhelmed by how successful we've been. Our price cut of Nintendo GameCube has ignited sales to the degree that it may turn out to be the best-selling console for the entire month of November. We're tracking to sell more systems in the last eight weeks of the year than we did in the previous 10 months combined."



this really makes me glad. Alone the cube sales are insane but just think how much cash they make with GBA(600000 in 1 week)!

GO NINTENDO GO!
:D

uuhh...almost forgot the source:
http://www.cube-europe.com/news.php?nid=5816

[Darth Sensei]

I bought one at the $79 price. However, the other two will most likely drop or add extras to compete and N will be kept in either 3rd or 2nd place. It's not going to topple Sony, at least in this round.

However, I'm happy to hear the news. We games need as much competition as possible to keep prices down.

D

[Ed Oscuro]

Wow! That said, how do the totals sold compare to PS2s sold overall?

[hydr0x]

ehm the only numbers i have here right now are these:

Japanese total sales between 01/01/03 and 11/09/03 (U.S. notation):

1. PS 2 (2.282.600)
2. GBA SP (1.874.000)
3. GBA (1.102.300)
4. Gamecube (631.400)
5. Xbox (78.800) LOL
6. PS One (60.900)
7. Wonderswan Crystal (33.000)

[zmweasel]

Here are NPD's numbers, as of October '03, for cumulative installed base in North America:

PS2: 19,439,000
Xbox: 6,178,000
GCN: 4,948,000
GBA: 16,310,000

And here be hardware sales for October '03:

PS2: 300,000 [-10% over September sales]
Xbox: 176,000 [+3%]
GCN: 254,000 [+54%]
GBA: 401,000 [-2%]

Unless Microsoft does something drastic, it's very likely that the Cube will move into second place by the end of the year.

-- Z.

[Sniderman]

Hrrrrmmmm.... I'm happy that sales for the 'Cube are up and all, but it says something that they had to drop the cost more than 50% of its original selling price and to more than 50% of the price of any of the other competing systems just to move these damn things. Food for thought.

[SoulBlazer]

I always said Nintendo could be in second place. I think the sales were mostly triggered due to the new Zelda bundle, combined with sales like the one done for $79. Let's see what the December returns are. If they can keep this volume, then maybe Nintendo will wait till early 2005 to release the N5, which is a good thing -- we DON'T want that released too early!

[Raedon]

bet they show a bigger loss this quarter then last.. anyone wanna bet?

[hydr0x]

Here are NPD's numbers, as of October '03, for cumulative installed base in North America:

PS2: 19,439,000
Xbox: 6,178,000
GCN: 4,948,000
GBA: 16,310,000

And here be hardware sales for October '03:

PS2: 300,000 [-10% over September sales]
Xbox: 176,000 [+3%]
GCN: 254,000 [+54%]
GBA: 401,000 [-2%]

Unless Microsoft does something drastic, it's very likely that the Cube will move into second place by the end of the year.

-- Z.

you're absolutely right, great to see someone has the NPD numbers, couldn't find them anywhere (for free)

and adding japan and europe, the xbox has already dropped to place three

i think the november numbers will be even more dramatic for MS, it's a shame i don't know any europe sale numbers, but i'd bet that the xbox is suffering A LOT right now over here

[bensenvill]

Kudo's to nintendo. They seemed like they were teetering on the edge there for the last few months. The industry news was really scary for a while.

~Tj

[bensenvill]

Here are NPD's numbers, as of October '03, for cumulative installed base in North America:

PS2: 19,439,000
Xbox: 6,178,000
GCN: 4,948,000
GBA: 16,310,000

And here be hardware sales for October '03:

PS2: 300,000 [-10% over September sales]
Xbox: 176,000 [+3%]
GCN: 254,000 [+54%]
GBA: 401,000 [-2%]

Unless Microsoft does something drastic, it's very likely that the Cube will move into second place by the end of the year.

-- Z.


whooohh, needed to look closer to those number, so what do you think the GCN sales numbers may have been affected by (what in my opinion seems to be) GCN trying to integrate in the GBA. Seemed like a really risky stratagy to me but I had no idea the GBA was selling in those numbers.

So lets say the GCN didnt have any tie-in stuff with the GBA, do you think it would have changed those sales figures at all?

~Tj

[zmweasel]

So lets say the GCN didnt have any tie-in stuff with the GBA, do you think it would have changed those sales figures at all?

~Tj

No. GBA/GCN connectivity is a lame marketing gimmick -- we won't give you all of THIS game unless you buy THAT game, too! If connectivity was a factor, it would've kicked in much sooner than this. 'Tis the sub-$100 price point driving Cube sales right now, nothing more.

I also suspect that a huge percentage of the past week's Cube sales can be attributed to Wal-Mart's $80 Black Friday sale.

-- Z.

[Flack]

That's why I bought one.

While I loved the SNES, the N64 never clicked with me, and the Gamecube seemed to be the N64 all over again. I have a PS2 with "more than a few" games and had planned on picking up an xBox after Christmas.

I bought a Gamecube (a console I'll most likely hate) because it was $79. I imagine a lot of other people did too, for that reason alone. I'll give it a try, and if I don't like it, I'll give it to my son. He's 2.

[Mayhem]

Hrrrrmmmm.... I'm happy that sales for the 'Cube are up and all, but it says something that they had to drop the cost more than 50% of its original selling price and to more than 50% of the price of any of the other competing systems just to move these damn things. Food for thought.

You obviously haven't seen what Microsoft have done in Japan to shift the Xbox. For just over $100 you can get the machine, DVD remote, Xbox Live setup AND Halo and one other game. Talk about trying to shift units...

[Captain Wrong]

Hrrrrmmmm.... I'm happy that sales for the 'Cube are up and all, but it says something that they had to drop the cost more than 50% of its original selling price and to more than 50% of the price of any of the other competing systems just to move these damn things. Food for thought.

Not only that, but moving up to second place in the cumulative installed base would still put them at having sold total about a third what the PS2 has sold, unless the PS2 totally staginates this season and the GC really moves. Hell, they could be in #2 and still be 10,000,000 units behind their own GBA. THAT is some real food for thought.

[zmweasel]

You obviously haven't seen what Microsoft have done in Japan to shift the Xbox. For just over $100 you can get the machine, DVD remote, Xbox Live setup AND Halo and one other game. Talk about trying to shift units...

It's working, albeit nowhere near as well as Nintendo's North American price drop. Here's a list of Japanese hardware sales from Nov. 17-23:

PlayStation 2: 53,500
GameBoy Advance SP: 21,200
GameCube: 19,600
Xbox: 7,500

The week before, Microsoft moved only 310 units. Oof.

-- Z.

[Nature Boy]

Goes to show that price *does* talk. In the end we all win here - the cheaper things cost, the more of 'em we can get :D

[Sylentwulf]

Number of third party GC games sold in that same period? 7.

:)

[GameGuru]

I will always own a Nintendo system for Mario Kart, Metroid and Zelda. I own the X-Box because I also want the absolute best graphics (and emulation) and I own a PS2 because of the amount of games. I wouldn't ever want to just have a Nintendo system but I can't go without those three games listed above!

[Zubiac666]

It's working, albeit nowhere near as well as Nintendo's North American price drop. Here's a list of Japanese hardware sales from Nov. 17-23:

PlayStation 2: 53,500
GameBoy Advance SP: 21,200
GameCube: 19,600
Xbox: 7,500

The week before, Microsoft moved only 310 units. Oof.

-- Z.

Nah...it's not really working .
these are japanese sales for the week ending nov. 30th:

1. PlayStation 2- 58,978
2. Gameboy Advance SP- 24,510
3. Gamecube- 22,861
4. Gameboy Advance- 4,321
5. Xbox- 732
6. SwanCrystal-350
7. PSone- 328

source:
http://www.cube-europe.com/news.php?nid=5811

at least x-box sells better than the Wonderswan-thingy and PS1 now.....
:roll:

[Dahne]

I wonder how the numbers of systems sold compares from Japan to the US. I'd like to know just how big the Japanese market is in comparison to ours.

[zmweasel]

Nah...it's not really working

Hmmm. Wonder what caused the one-week surge. A national fit of temporary insanity?

-- Z.

[zmweasel]

I wonder how the numbers of systems sold compares from Japan to the US. I'd like to know just how big the Japanese market is in comparison to ours.

When Sony reached 60 million PS2s sold in early September 2003, here's how that figure broke down:

Japan (including Asia)
14.17 million units (launch date: March 4, 2000)

North America
26.42 million units (launch date: October 26, 2000)

Europe/PAL
19.44 million units (launch date: November 24, 2000)

Microsoft's region percentages are wildly different, as the Xbox doesn't sell at all in Japan, sometimes ranking below the PSone and the WonderSwan in weekly sales.

-- Z.

[Zubiac666]

Hmmm. Wonder what caused the one-week surge. A national fit of temporary insanity?

-- Z.

LOL

maybe someone should tell 'em that it isn't a cell-phone included:
http://www.sidetalkin.com/images/talkin-42.jpg

btw (off-topic) : dozens of new pics.....funny as hell:
http://www.sidetalkin.com/

ROFL

[ReaXan]

I recently bought at Gamecube of Ebay for 36.00 dollars,which was a steal even though the first controller port doesnt work because I mainly play sports games even though I wish it would work sometimes because I love the Resident Evil series as well

[punkoffgirl]

http://www.sidetalkin.com/images/talkin-28.jpg

Someone shoulda told this guy to put a shirt on first!

[hydr0x]

North America
26.42 million units (launch date: October 26, 2000)

-- Z.

LOL NPD says 19 million , are the 8 million difference lying around in stores???

[zmweasel]

North America
26.42 million units (launch date: October 26, 2000)

-- Z.

LOL NPD says 19 million , are the 8 million difference lying around in stores???

Yes. Sony was touting 60 million PS2s sold into retail; NPD counts the number of PS2s sold through to consumers.

-- Z.

[Parodius]

For some reason I seem to recall that Wal-Mart isn't included in NPD figures.

With them being the biggest videogame retailer in the country should throw the figures off a bit.

[zmweasel]

For some reason I seem to recall that Wal-Mart isn't included in NPD figures.

With them being the biggest videogame retailer in the country should throw the figures off a bit.

NPD estimates Wal-Mart sales figures and rolls that estimate into its numbers. Not as good as actual data, of course, but acceptable.

-- Z.

[lendelin]

The price drop of the GC was a success because N achieved it's goal, namely to interrupt the devastating cycle less consoles sold, which leads to less games of third party developers, which leads to fewer consoles sold; but the temporary success doesn't hide the fact that the price drop was a result of severe problems of N with the GC, Sony doesn't have (yet) to drop the price to such a low level which means clearly bigger red numbers of hardware sales.

The overall marketshares worldwide and regionally are only marginally affected by the recent sale figures. With roughly three to four times more PS2s out there than GCs, and roughly the same numbers of GCs and XBox', the console war is over for this console gen.

The true interesting news is that MS does still so badly in Japan despite the price drop of the XBox. Consumers are overall very rational as seen how they reacted to the price drop of the GC in the US. The same didn't happen in Japan for the XBox, which means there are indeed cultural stereotypes and a "bad" image to overcome for MS; but with a couple of successful games exclusive for the Xbox in Japan, the bad sale figures for the XBox will pick up, and the future XBox2 will be competitive in Japan.