Last Week's PSP sales vs DS Sales in Japan

[Griking]

Which do you think is selling better?

Click here (http://next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=256&Itemid=2) to fund out.

[Damion]

I gotta admit I'm suprised. Though Nintendogs is supposed to be awsome and life consumer to the orgasm degree. So I can see how thats possiable.

[SRC]

"Romancing Gaga: Minstrel Song was the best seling console title. PS2 shifted 178,000 hardware units, followed by Gamecube with 20,000. Xbox managed 1,500."

Heh, Xbox does really horrible in Japan.

PSP isn't going to go anywhere without a big hit.

[kainemaxwell]

Kinda surprising really seeing how some thought the PSP would outshine the DS at first. I guess time will tell...

[GarrettCRW]

PSP isn't going to go anywhere without a big hit.

A winner is you, Young Padawan.

[Brisco]

Maybe it's just me, but until Sony stops releasing games that are either remakes & updates to old PS2 games, not to mention a ton of sports games, the PSP is going to be a really cool looking gimmick. They really need to get that game the PSP can call its own very soon.

I bought my PSP on launch day, played it a lot the first 2-3 weeks(even took it to Japan with me for the plane ride), but except for Lumines, I pretty much only played with the DS since mid-April. The games coming out in the future for it seem to be a more interesting lot, such as Trauma Center, Nintendogs(obviously), Lunar: Dragon Song, Lost in Blue, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, etc. etc.

The PSP has a few exclusive games coming out, like Coded Arms, & Death Jr. which look fun, but, like I said before, these games just don't seem to be bringing anything new to the table.

I'm not bashing the PSP, I just want some good games to come out for it, instead of seeing 5 old movies released per week that I'm not going to spend $20-25 on. New games would be nice.

[FantasiaWHT]

At first I thought the DS was doomed... it had crap for games, and PSP, while maybe not having one killer app, at least had a large variety of games that were of good, playable quality.

But now with about 3X as many videos as games coming out recently for the PSP... bleh it's going to be a while heh

[Griking]

Maybe it's just me, but until Sony stops releasing games that are either remakes & updates to old PS2 games, not to mention a ton of sports games, the PSP is going to be a really cool looking gimmick.

But the PSP can play movies! You don't get all the extras that the DVD has and the image quality is a little worse but hey, it's only like $10 more then the DVD version. How can it not be a hit?

Honestly, all kidding aside. I had absolutely no interest in the PSP when it was first announced or released and it has nothing to do with hating Sony or anything like that. I'm just not a big portable game player. But I'm really seriously thinking about picking one up since all of these emulators are being released for it. I've got to believe this is contributing to the fact that PSP games aren't selling. Everyone's playing older 16 bit games on their PSP instead of buying retail games.

[qbertandernie]

i would imagine the popularity of nintendogs/the DS has something to do with the population density. anyone living in a small apaprtment in a large complex cant have a dog, so the kids get the digital version. remember how those keychain pet things took off a 5 years back?

[zmweasel]

I've got to believe this is contributing to the fact that PSP games aren't selling. Everyone's playing older 16 bit games on their PSP instead of buying retail games.

Nope. The process is still too complicated (it's not Xbox-braindead just yet), and it's only in the last couple of weeks that emus became playable for North American 1.5 users.

Also, PSP games are selling okay in America. The NextGen news bit refers to the Japanese market, where Nintendogs plays directly into Japan's disturbing obsession with virtual pets (Tamagotchi, Aibo, et cetera). Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee sold 50,000+ copies in NA last month.

-- Z.

[XxMe2NiKxX]

i would imagine the popularity of nintendogs/the DS has something to do with the population density. anyone living in a small apaprtment in a large complex cant have a dog, so the kids get the digital version. remember how those keychain pet things took off a 5 years back?I think the word you're looking for is tomagochi.

I now have both a PSP and a DS. I didn't buy a PSP for its retail games, I'm not exactly interested in any of them; I bought it for one purpose. EMULATION. The PSP's easy hackibility is, in my opinion, why they're not selling, because people simply don't need the retail games that are out OR the crappy movies.
It's not really any better on the DS side either. While the DS lacks in the homebrew scene, it DOES have games (albeit less games then the PSP in the American market -- Go ahead, count 'em up), though the majority of them either fall into the incredibly quirky platformer category, which isn't a bad thing, but it simply means that the machine lacks variety for me, at least, to remain interested.

ADD: It's this quirkiness that is most definately appealing to the Japanese market that is causing the DS' very robust sales (Take that, everyone who called the console a failure... and such). Nintendogs might not sell as well in the US, or, hell, it could be the next pokémon and the DS could blow the PSP completely out of the water. I don't think early sales figures are very accurate, both of the portables are simply picking up steam at this point, releasing the titles that will later make the numbers that matter. Look at the Dreamcast's numbers; in its early life, those numbers were amazing, but face it, the console failed (as much as it pains me to admit it). The numbers will start counting when both consoles have their boon in late fall.

I'd also like to add that once a nintendo/sony fanboy comes running in, this thread'll go to hell.

[anagrama]

You can't tell shit from a single week's sales figures, other than how many games were sold in that particular week.
It's impossible to try and draw wider conclusions about which system is doing better (which I'm sure was the poster's unstated intention) since there are many other factors which can affect sales in a single week.

[Yamazaki]

Isn't Resident Evil 5 gonna an exclusive PSP-title?

Have my PSP for 3 month now, but I'm still waiting for some real blockbuster-action! Like Brisco said, unless Sony comes with a few really awesome titles, nothings gonna happen soon.

[goatdan]

You can't tell shit from a single week's sales figures, other than how many games were sold in that particular week.
It's impossible to try and draw wider conclusions about which system is doing better (which I'm sure was the poster's unstated intention) since there are many other factors which can affect sales in a single week.

Thank you, although I'm sure that someone will come running in here and state that it is so obvious that Nintendo is totally dominating the 'war' because of this, just like the Sony people did when the PSP was outselling the DS early in the year.

I don't think that Sony is too concerned about it yet. The only things I would be worried about if I were Sony was that Nintendogs has been out for a while now and is still selling very strongly (and moving systems too, it seems) while Sony doesn't have anything as a top seller for the PSP. It isn't time to panic yet, but Sony needs to start getting quality releases together, because otherwise the slow start that Nintendo had with the DS is going to be completely overshadowed by the bunches of popular games about to be released.

And yes, this is only the Japanese market. It seems like in the US, much of the market is abandoning the DS, although it seems that the PSP hasn't made great strides gaining new people since release... Just wait until GTA:PSP though...

[JJNova]

...while Sony doesn't have anything as a top seller for the PSP. It isn't time to panic yet, but Sony needs to start getting quality releases together, because otherwise the slow start that Nintendo had with the DS is going to be completely overshadowed by the bunches of popular games about to be released.

That's the main advantage that Nintendo has.....they are a Developer also.

Sony has nothing for titles. Regardless. We use this vague description of Sony and Nintendo, but when in actuality, they are both two seperate parts of gaming. Hardware and Software developers. Nintendo HAS games. There are game you are gauranteed will be on a Nintendo system, with a specific quality. Why? Because a game that says Nintendo has been been tested and proven to reach their level of quality. Meanwhile, Sony has depened on 3rd party characters for all their lead characters.

Crash Bandicoot was supposed to be their mascot, but when the contract was up with Naughty Dog, they left.

Lara Croft was supposed to be their mascot, but... well... her adventures have failed. Also not a Sony game though.

Looking at them as divided parts of the industry, clear things up a lot. Nintendo is a very successful software developers, with titles that provide the controls, textures, and design that you know and expect. Meanwhile Sony doesn't have a star franchise. At all. They do have an exclusive deal with GTA, but until Rockstar gets that game together, Sony cant put anything out in it's place. Because they have nothing.

The Sony hardware will just have to wait for titles, because the Sony Software side has no solid franchises. Perhaps they will someday, but that time hasn't come yet.

Mabe hiring all those Monolith employees will help change Sony Online Entertainment games.

[zmweasel]

The Sony hardware will just have to wait for titles, because the Sony Software side has no solid franchises. Perhaps they will someday, but that time hasn't come yet.

Sony of America has brought several established first-party franchises to the PSP: WipEout, Twisted Metal, and ATV Offroad Fury. None of these are killer apps or system sellers in Japan, but they're all doing well in NA.

Sony of Japan is a different topic (discussed in this month's OPM by the always-great Andrew Vestal). Other than Hot Shots Golf/Minna no Golf, they've got nothin' right now.

-- Z.

[RCM]

I read somewhere that Sony is cutting something, production, worldwide shipments, something of that matter from 18 million to 12.

The PSP is a great little system. But it must be a little troubling at Sony that the PS brand isn't quite as hot as it used to be. The PSX was a failure, the HD was a failure, and the PSP is the first Sony system not to sell out on launch day/weekend in the States. PS sold 100,000 units first weekend, PS2 sold out 500,000.

The PSP still did really well, just not as well as some thought it would. The notion that throwing in an HD on the PSP will elevate it to white hot orgasmic sales status is pretty laughable. Jack of all trades machines are fine, but it won't replace my Ipod.

THE ONE, THE ONLY- RCM

[Raedon]

The price point on the PSP is just silly. I don't care what it can do. You can get a used 1ghz notebook with a DVD player for that.

[Jumpman Jr.]

Nintendo has an enourmous fan-base in Japan.
I think every week, they sell out the PSP. Its all because Nintendo is liked more over there.

[nate1749]

i retract my comment =)

[sharp]

I've got to believe this is contributing to the fact that PSP games aren't selling. Everyone's playing older 16 bit games on their PSP instead of buying retail games.

Nope. The process is still too complicated (it's not Xbox-braindead just yet), and it's only in the last couple of weeks that emus became playable for North American 1.5 users.

Also, PSP games are selling okay in America. The NextGen news bit refers to the Japanese market, where Nintendogs plays directly into Japan's disturbing obsession with virtual pets (Tamagotchi, Aibo, et cetera). Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee sold 50,000+ copies in NA last month.

-- Z.

For emulation my GP32 is still fine :D

[goatdan]

The PSP still did really well, just not as well as some thought it would. The notion that throwing in an HD on the PSP will elevate it to white hot orgasmic sales status is pretty laughable. Jack of all trades machines are fine, but it won't replace my Ipod.

The PSP's launch was one of the most impressive console launches ever, if it weren't for the fact that Sony guaranteed that they would sell out of systems on the first day, and then there were still stacks of them at stores. They sold something like 500,000 in a day. That's amazing. But Sony has to cover it up because they didn't sell a million like they claimed would be so easy.


Nintendo has an enourmous fan-base in Japan.
I think every week, they sell out the PSP. Its all because Nintendo is liked more over there.

I think that you meant that every week they out sell the PSP, which actually isn't true. And to think that the Nintendo fan-base is bigger than the Sony fan-base in Japan is strange. The PS2 absolutely crushes the GameCube week in and week out, and the N64 did absolutely horribly in Japan, while almost being sorta a success in North America. If anything, Japan is one of the harder markets to win, and the DS is starting to gain a LOT more ground.

[Mitch_Naz]

Well this is just one week of sales. As an owner of both PSP and DS, it just proves that "horsepower" isnt everything and IMO - innovation is more appealing.

I love the DS and keep up the good work, just keep bringing us games like Kirby Canvas curse, meteos and ONLINE.....

[Poofta!]

screw ds/psp. the ps2 outsold the gamecube by like 800%. LOL

[FantasiaWHT]

screw ds/psp. the ps2 outsold the gamecube by like 800%. LOL

Only because people keep buying new units to replace the ones that crap out for no reason LOL LOL

jk jk, had to get that in there. Sony deserves the title of #1 that they earned.

[slownerveaction]

screw ds/psp. the ps2 outsold the gamecube by like 800%. LOL

And the GameCube still consistently outsells the Xbox by 10:1 in Japan.