U.S. October Sales Stats for Gaming Consoles

[theaveng]

PS2 - 535,000 (+0%)
GBA - 315,000 (+12%)
XBX - 239,000 (+38%)
GCN - 169,000 (+0%)
PS1 - 134,000 (+43%)



Most Surprising Stat:
"Year-to-date, PlayStation One sales are actually ahead of GameCube (1.45 million versus 1.26 million)."



Another Surprising Stat:
"Microsoft's home and entertainment division--which consists of its Xbox, PC games, consumer software, and TV groups--accounted for a loss of $177 million for the period of July 1 through September 30... the high costs involved in marketing Xbox products were cited as the primary factor behind the division's increased losses."

[theaveng]

The article:




Global
Equity
Research
November 15, 2002 Consumer Software United States
Video Games: Good October NPD Data
Summary

First, a disclaimer. NPD measures approximately 60% of retail sales in the U.S.
and projects for the rest of the market. International sales are not reflected. We
find that NPD is a good measure for market share, but dollar and unit numbers
are often understated. This is a benchmark, nothing more. Now, on to the
numbers…


NPD data for the month of October were good, as expected. Total industry sales
were up 57% year over year, with software dollar sales up 74% year over year
and hardware dollar sales up 35% year over year.

Driving the software growth was the strong debut of Take-Two’s Grand Theft
Auto: Vice City. With five days of sales included in the October data (NPD data
reflects retail sales from October 6-November 2), the title sold through 1.4
million units at retail. Other top titles included NBA Live 2003 (ERTS), Kingdom
Hearts (Square/ERTS), Madden 2003 (ERTS), Hitman 2 (Eidos), Yu-Gi-Oh
(Konami), and Tony Hawk 4 (ATVI).


Game hardware unit sales were up 51% year over year (Xbox and GameCube
were not available in the year-ago period). PS2 hardware remained strong, as unit
sales (535,000) were flat from September and up 61% from last year (we note
that NPD revised up September PS2 sales to 535,000 from 502,000). Sales of
Xbox hardware (239,000 units) were up 38% month over month, as the Sega
bundle clearly had a positive impact on sales. GameCube hardware sales
(169,000 units) were disappointing; flat from September, as new Nintendo
Software (StarFox, Mario Party 4) did not spur consumers to buy hardware.
Game Boy Advance hardware (315,000 units) grew 12% month over month and
8% year over year. Probably offsetting GBA is the fact that PlayStation One sales
continue to be inexplicably strong. The system, which sells for $50, saw its
hardware unit sales increase 43% to 134,000 units in October. Year-to-date,
PlayStation One sales are actually ahead of GameCube (1.45 million versus 1.26
million).


Of the publishers under our coverage, Electronic Arts and Take-Two posted the
strongest results. EA’s sales (combined with Square/EA) were up 133% year
over year, and 16% month over month, as it had five titles among the top 10.
Take-Two was up an impressive 366% year over year, and 599% month over
month, as a Vice City’s pre-orders were huge. THQ and Activision also had
decent sales. THQ was up 39% year over year, and up 26% month over month.
Activision was up 17% year over year, and 26% month over month. Tony Hawk
4 is posting solid sales (236,000 across five platforms), and since the company
did not put the title out until late in the month, units will likely improve in
November. Acclaim and Midway each had weak October sales. Acclaim was
down 2% year over year, and down 52% year over year. Midway was down 22%
year over year, and down 29% month over month.



The strong industry numbers should bode well for the quarterly results of the game specialty retailers, GameStop and
Electronics Boutique. GameStop reports its October quarter on Monday, November 18, and Electronics Boutique reports
on Thursday, November 21.
Action


These numbers are not surprising and do not change our outlook. Keep in mind that this is for the month of October, which
has already been talked about off of quarterly results by companies in late October. The only real takeaway is that these
numbers confirm an improvement in Xbox sales from the bundle. The good software growth is more important than
hardware numbers. Vice City took most of the business the last week of October, so unit numbers for other games likely
took a hit the final week. Games like Lord of the Rings and Tony Hawk should continue to build in November. Games like
Metroid, Harry Potter, Splinter Cell, WWE, and Mortal Kombat are out this month and should change the top 10 list. We
still like Electronic Arts, Activision, THQ, Midway, and GameStop as investments.

Additional Information


We provide detailed hardware and software sales data for October 2002 below:
Table 1: Video Game Hardware Monthly Sales, August - October 2002 (units in 000’s)
Hardware August
'02
m/m y/y September
'02
m/m y/y October
'02
PS2 454 18% 56% 535 0% 61% 535
Xbox 137 26% NM 173 38% NM 239
GameCube 128 30% NM 167 1% NM 169
Game Boy Advance 268 5% -15% 281 12% 8% 315
Table 2: Video Game Software Monthly Sales, Top 10 Publishers by Dollar Sales, October 2002
Rank Company OCT'02 Share y/y m/m
Total $416,165,000 100% 74% 18%

1 ELECTRONIC ARTS & SQUARE/EA $ 88,885,720 21.4% 133% 16%
2 TAKE 2 INTERACTIVE $ 79,413,720 19.1% 366% 599%
3 ACTIVISION $ 27,327,620 6.6% 17% 26%
4 NINTENDO OF AMERICA $ 26,693,460 6.4% 13% -37%
5 EIDOS INTERACTIVE $ 25,126,610 6.0% 670% 271%
6 THQ $ 18,374,940 4.4% 39% 26%
7 SONY $ 18,335,310 4.4% -1% -41%
8 KONAMI OF AMERICA $ 18,083,320 4.3% 111% 65%
9 SEGA OF AMERICA $ 17,466,970 4.2% 62% 25%
10 NAMCO $ 12,318,290 3.0% 20% -39%
Source: NPD Funworld


Table 3: Video Game Software Monthly Sales, Top 10 Titles (Multi-Platform), October 2002
Rank Title Publisher Platform Units
1 GRAND THEFT AUTO:VICE Take-Two PS2 1,412,429
2 NBA LIVE 2003 Electronic Arts PS2,XB,GC,PSX 340,033
3 MADDEN NFL 2003 Electronic Arts PS2,XB,GC,GBA,PSX 286,333
4 HITMAN 2: ASSASSIN Eidos PS2,XB 283,611
5 TONY HAWKS PRO SKATR4 Activision PS2,XB,GC,GBA,PSX 236,461
6 KINGDOM HEARTS Square/EA PS2 219,962
7 NEED SPEED: PURSUIT 2 Electronic Arts PS2,XB,GC 191,172
8 YU-GI-OH! ETERNAL Konami GBA 177,333
9 PS2 TIMESPLITTERS 2 Eidos PS2,XB,GC 168,605
[/b]10 PS2 NBA 2K3 Sega PS2,XB,GC 160,019[/b]
Source: NPD Funworld

Table 4: Video Game Software Monthly Sales, Top 10 Individual Titles, October 2002
Rank Title Publisher Platform Units
1 GRAND THEFT AUTO:VICE Take-Two PS2 1,412,429
2 NBA LIVE 2003 Electronic Arts PS2 261,514
3 KINGDOM HEARTS Square/EA PS2 219,962
4 MADDEN NFL 2003 Electronic Arts PS2 192,380
5 HITMAN 2: ASSASSIN Eidos PS2 183,100
6 YU-GI-OH! ETERNAL Konami GBA 177,333
7 TONY HAWKS PRO SKATR4 Activision PS2 165,281
8 LORD OF RINGS: TOWERS Electronic Arts PS2 148,863
9 NEED SPEED: PURSUIT 2 Electronic Arts PS2 135,179
10 TEKKEN 4 Namco PS2 126,909
Source: NPD Funworld

Table 5: Video Game Software Monthly Sales, October 2002 (Publishers under coverage)
(Software dollars) y/y m/m
Total 74% 18%
ACCLAIM ENTERTAINMENT -2% -52%
ACTIVISION 17% 26%
ELECTRONIC ARTS (with Square/EA) 133% 16%
MIDWAY -22% -29%
TAKE 2 INTERACTIVE 366% 599%
THQ 39% 26%
Source: NPD Funworld


Table 6: Key Upcoming Titles
Title Publisher Platform Genre Release Date
WWE: Smackdown! Shut Your Mouth THQ PS2 Wrestling 11/13/02
Bond 007: Nightfire Electronic Arts PS2,XB,GC,PC First-person shooter 11/18/02
Metroid Prime Nintendo GC First-person shooter 11/18/02
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance Midway PS2,XB,GC,GBA Fighting 11/18/02
Splinter Cell Ubi Soft XB Shooter/adventure 11/18/02
The Sims Online Electronic Arts PC People simulation December
Source: UBS Warburg

[buttasuperb]

i dont know about you, but i dont care about what the systems sell. as long as good games continue to be released for all systems, nothing else matters.

[Sylentwulf]

The only time I think the numbers are funny, is when people stick up for the xbox.

[Stark]

SONY is the King and will continue to be because by the time Microsoft and Nintendo catch up we should see the PS3. Maybe.

PS1 beats GC is funny if the numbers are accurate.

Its all about the games now a days anyways and those companies that brag to be the leader in total system sales or that their system is more powerful are living in the past. Sony isn't bragging.
In my opinion the PS2 is ahead because of its backwards capability then add in the DVD function and you have a sure thing.

[Sylentwulf]

The thing is, the gamecube is beating the xbox. So if the PS1 beat gamecube, it's beating the Xbox by even MORE.

I think one of the reasons the playstation is going strong, MIGHT be due to kids asking "for a playstation" (Meaning a PS2) and the parents see a playstation for $50 and think "yay!"

Hope there aren't TOO many disappointed kids on Xmas day getting a PS1 instead of a PS2....

[kainemaxwell]

Numbers means nothing- it's the quality of games that are relased for the system that determine it's lifespan.

But it is intresting to see that the gamecube and even PSX is beating the XBox :twisted:

[Sylentwulf]

The problem with everyones "Numbers don't mean anything" is that, you're wrong.

If game producers see that the PS2 is outselling everything by THAT MUCH, they're going to want their game or their better port to be released on that system.

If you were making a game that 1 out of every 500 people would buy, would YOU put it out on the system with the smallest number of sales?

If you were porting a game, would you spend more time and money making sure it was better on the system that was likely to sell more copies of it?

OF COURSE you would! You're a money-grubbing corporation that wants to make MORE money! You don't care if the graphics are going to look better on the X-box, you're going to care that there are more PS2's out there than anything else. Plain and simple, bottom line.

Even if the PS2 stopped selling hardware right NOW, their games would continue to outsell xbox and gamecube for at LEAST another year simply because of the installed base.

[Achika]

Sylentwulf--I think he possibly means the system spec numbers, not X amount of units sold.

[Raedon]

This wont change the fact that I shall one day own all these systems

[congobongo]

Hey theaveng what modern systems do you own? Just curious. BTW I don't give a shit about these stats. A lot of the older systems I really like would have had bad sales stats in their day too but it really doesn't matter.

[Sylentwulf]

Don't get me wrong, I don't overly care for numbers either, Jaguar was one of my favorite systems for chrisakes.. I'm just saying, that it DOES matter to the people who put the games out, which, in turn affects us (the gamers) a LOT.

[theaveng]

I own the Best-Selling System because it gets all the best games. And yes, numbers DO matter. It's not GameCube or X-box that got Vice City...or Final Fantasy 10.2... or Gran Turismo 4... it was the PS2. Reason: Because it has the highest *numbers* of users.

Yeah, GameCube or X-Box may have slightly better graphics due to being a year more advanced in technology, but that doesn't matter when your software options are sparse. Just ask a N64 or DC owner for confirmation.

[NvrMore]

I own the Best-Selling System because it gets all the best games. And yes, numbers DO matter. It's not GameCube or X-box that got Vice City...or Final Fantasy 10.2... or Gran Turismo 4... it was the PS2. Reason: Because it has the highest *numbers* of users.

What a absolute load of crap LOL

The PS2 may have a large software library but it certainly doesn't get the best games, it's following the PS1's method of quantity over quality.. Indeed despite it's large library there are only a very small number of games which I would actually want to play.

Most of the best games released so far and upcoming for the new console generation are on the other platforms, which is really quite sad considering the head start the PS2 had over them.

[kainemaxwell]

Even though the DC and N64 failed, it did have a good # of quality titles to play and own- the DC had more which were overlooked since Sega axed the system early before its time.

[kevincure]

Nvr...I keep a list of games I want to check out, mainly games that were reviewed well and look interesting. As of now, PS2 has 61, Xbox 12 and Gamecube 15 games on my list. Sure, the ratio may be better on some other systems, but there's absolutely no other modern system that has better games from more genres than the PS2.

Though I'll still be playing Halo and Monkey Ball like a fiend.

KEvs

[NvrMore]

but there's absolutely no other modern system that has better games from more genres than the PS2.

I couldn't disagree more, even when disregarding ratio, the PS2 has very few titles that are actually of any real quality mainly because it's pace of producing such titles is terribly slow, a problem made worse by the fact that it's lineup of games for the future is sadly growing weaker.

[buttasuperb]

the PS2 has very few titles that are actually of any real quality

haha, yea ok. :roll:

im sorry but the ps2 has by far the most games that i want to play. that being said, im now getting into pso on the gc, and i cant wait to play metroid prime.

[asharru]

Business practice wise I don't like Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo... Oh Sega, how I will me thee!
/me pets dreamcast
:cry: