Topic: Wii demand slowing? Or is Gamespot full of crap?

[GoldenPhoenix]

Gamespot recently posted this

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Now, though, it appears sales of Sony's new console have slowed across the Pacific. According to the latest numbers from Media-Create, only 25,531 PS3s were sold during the week that ended on January 14. That's the lowest amount sold since the console went on the market in the country on November 11, 2006, when more than 372,000 Wiis were sold in just 2 days. PS3 software sales were also sluggish, with the most popular game for the platform, Resistance: Fall of Man, coming in at number 40 on the console chart.

During the same week, the Wii, which hasn't suffered the same manufacturing problems as the PS3, sold 93,708 units. Ironically, that was a bad week for Nintendo's upstart console--the second worst since it went on sale in Japan on December 2, 2006, according to Media-Create. It was unclear if the drops in Wii and PS3 sales were due to supply constraints or declining consumer demand.

Though slowing PS3 and Wii sales will trouble Sony and Nintendo executives, respectively, it could have been worse. Despite heavy promotion from Microsoft following its 2005 launch, just 9,035 Xbox 360s were sold in Japan during the week, placing it in a distant third place. The figure was also a decline for the console, which had received a slight sales bump following its bundling with Hironobu Sakaguchi's Final Fantasy-esque, 360-exclusive role-playing-game, Blue Dragon, last fall.

A funny response to his is from Christ Kohler

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GameSpot's news desk is "unclear" on some stuff concerning the recent Japanese game sales figures, so in the interest of brotherhood I am gonna step in and help out:

   It was unclear if the drops in Wii and PS3 sales were due to supply constraints or declining consumer demand.

The drop in PS3 sales was due to declining consumer demand. The drop in Wii sales was due to supply constraints following a sell-out launch. You're welcome!

So should Nintendo executives be concerned like Gamespot suggested? Or are they being ignorant or intentionally trying to stifle the Nintendo Wii hype? I'm not sure!

[ShyGuy]

Media Bias. Wii was the number one selling console in Japan that week. Actually, this means Nintendo is doomed and should go 3rd party

[Artimus]

Ugh. Why does ANYONE read GameSpot? They're like IGN only their Nintendo editors are worthless as well as the rest.

It's obvious to anyone who actually follows Japanese sales that the Wii sold all it could this week. You don't beat the fastest selling system of all time (DS) six weeks after launch with no new game releases if you're doing badly. GameSpot is unqualified to cover these charts.

[Mario]

Jesus christ.

[BlkPaladin]

My guess is that it is supply constraints. They launched in all three major territories plus a few others within 30 days of the first launch not expecting that their virtually silent viral marketing campaign harvested that much interest that the supply chain would be out striped.

And I also agree with the that commenter, the PS3 has caught up with its demand at least at the price it is being offered at. Wal-Marts in my area don't have them but Gamestop has had their PS3's are here today for the past week and Best Buy has a pile of them in the main walk way. (At least 15 or more) Wiis are selling out almost as soon as they get shipped. And I also suspect that the reason we don't see very many is because the major chain had been hoarding them to do a Re-Release. (Which is also what I suspect Wal-Mart is doing with both the PS3 and Wii, especially the Wiis they probally know how many of those rain checks they sould and want to get enough per store that they don't instantly run out.)

[Edfishy]

I have conistantly been able to spot unsold PS3's in stores all the time, I have yet to find a DS Lite or a Wii since I began looking in December.  Although I love the success Nintendo is getting, I kinda wish GameSpot was correct, I'd like to have a Wii thank you very much.

[Viewtiful mario]

It's BS, Gamespot said that the Wii had a bad launch in austrailia then next thing you know it's reported that the wii had the best system launch in Australian History.

It was since then that I knew Gamespot would stoop so low as to make up stories.

Here's proof: Gamespot said this when This is what happened.

[Crimm]

If they weren't selling out in Japan Nintendo would have shifted product lines.  They're still selling out in the other regions.  Apparently they're quite capable of doing it on the fly (something we saw with the DS Lite).

[GoldenPhoenix]

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Originally posted by: Viewtiful mario
It's BS, Gamespot said that the Wii had a bad launch in austrailia then next thing you know it's reported that the wii had the best system launch in Australian History.

It was since then that I knew Gamespot would stoop so low as to make up stories.

Here's proof: Gamespot said this when This is what happened.

Wow, I guess you are right about Gamespot making up stories. Seems like some of the worse journalism I've seen on a gaming site.

[ViewtifulJoe]

I stopped listening to gamestop when they gave warioware smooth moves a higher grade that ZELDA...WTF

[utarefsoN]

Wario ware better than Zelda!!!

I never played wario ware but just by looking at it i can tell than Zelda Sh its all over that game. I never go to Gamespot but this assure my never going there.

BTW i have never seen a Rev at a store. The only ones i have seen were the 12 at GameSTOP on launch day (preorders). 3 months later still none others in sight.

[MorningStar]

I went into Gamestop the other day to check out some games and got into a conversation with the manager there. Supposedly Sony has opened up a new production factory (or something like that) here in California. He said he didn't understand though because according to him all of the PS3's they get sit on the shelf for about 2-3 days while the Wii "sells out within 10 minutes".

I know this isn't a thread about PS3 sales vs Wii sales, but can anybody confirm the new Sony factory opening?

[SOAD is the best]

Best Buys are going to sell them this sunday. Its because they held them for their ad. Well at least the ones in Las Vegas well be.

[Edfishy]

My local Meijer store manager says that the rumor she got was that a large shipment of Wii's will be arriving this Monday or Tuesday, but the Meijer stores only receive any of their shipments on Mondays and Tuesdays due to UPS shipping delays.  Could other stores have already received their supplies in preperation for edit: Sunday?

My brother asked around at Best Buy, CompUSA and Circuit City, they all "have no idea" when the next shipments will arrive.

That's my report from Grand Rapids, Michigan.  

[NeoThunder]

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Originally posted by: MorningStar
I went into Gamestop the other day to check out some games and got into a conversation with the manager there. Supposedly Sony has opened up a new production factory (or something like that) here in California. He said he didn't understand though because according to him all of the PS3's they get sit on the shelf for about 2-3 days while the Wii "sells out within 10 minutes".

I know this isn't a thread about PS3 sales vs Wii sales, but can anybody confirm the new Sony factory opening?

I don't know, i find that really hard that they opened a factory here in the states, cause that would mean a greater cost of production.  With a PS3 costing as much as it does i really doubt they opened up a new factory here in the states.  Lets face facts!!!!! The reason PS3 are still on shelves, is because all the people who wanted to buy one has, and nobody else wants to buy it, period.

microsoft bragged that their original xbox was the only game console made in north america, but it wasn't made in the states, it was made in mexico.....cause it's cheaper.

[Terranigma Freak]

Gamespot's full of crap. I don't even know why you guys even bother reading them. I could careless about Gamespot's reviews even if they were good.

[wandering]

You all are blinded by the pro-Nintendo mainstream media. Gamespot reported that wii sales had slowed, and then let YOU DECIDE if it was due to supply problems or lower demand. That's called being FAIR and BALANCED.

[Blue Plant]

Gamespot = Faux News

[NWR_pap64]

Well, its a proven fact that demand for a console will die down once the hype behind it dies or the system becomes easier to find. Even if a system ends up becoming one of the most popular consoles out there the demand for it won't be as high as it was when it was first released.

The only thing that will ramp up demand is a really popular, sought out game (kinda like what happens whenever a really popular DS game is released in Japan).

So there's nothing to worry about here.

[GoldenPhoenix]

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Originally posted by: wandering
You all are blinded by the pro-Nintendo mainstream media. Gamespot reported that wii sales had slowed, and then let YOU DECIDE if it was due to supply problems or lower demand. That's called being FAIR and BALANCED.

Maybe they should actually do their homework on what is the cause? Gamespot has always been pretty anti-Nintendo, as show by an example listed here with the Austrailian launch. BTW a slowdown of sales is just that, a slowdown of sales when supply is there but no one is buying. Yes you are right Gamespot briefly mentioned that it may be supply or lower demand, but the overall theme of the news was in fact biased. Anytime you use statements like it being the 2nd worse week for Wii and that Nintendo executives are concerned.

[NeoThunder]

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Originally posted by: pap64
Well, its a proven fact that demand for a console will die down once the hype behind it dies or the system becomes easier to find. Even if a system ends up becoming one of the most popular consoles out there the demand for it won't be as high as it was when it was first released.

Kinda like a Playstation 3 huh

[Arbok]

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Originally posted by: GoldenPhoenix
Yes you are right Gamespot briefly mentioned that it may be supply or lower demand, but the overall theme of the news was in fact biased. Anytime you use statements like it being the 2nd worse week for Wii and that Nintendo executives are concerned.

Exactly, there are so many attempts by them to spin the number as a poor sign for Nintendo that it would be impossible to read the news as otherwise unless you were familiar with the Media-Create figures. I mean, it's spelled out in the article: "...that was a bad week for Nintendo's upstart console...", it's clear where they were trying to lead the reader, with everything from the picture of a guy dressed as a Wiimote with the text "Help us Obi-Wii Kenobi! You're our only hope!" below it.

I sent in a e-mail to them, asking why they referenced the slow PS3 sales with Resistance, while they failed to mention that the Wii took #1 for both the hardware and software charts for that week... but that was days ago, and I doubt I will get a reply.

It's also sad to read some of the user comments for that article, like:

"Could it be the gaming crash that that dude talked about"
"I'm not surprised,all their fanboys got what they wanted."
"Sony and nintendo are pathetic! there complaining they aren't selling enough consoles."
"Interesting what somebody said about the new wii remote being a 'gimmick'. You are right about this. It is about time more people realised this too. The wii remote is an 'add-on'."
"If anything, the 360 sales really didnt drop like the ps3 and wii. You could say the 360 is selling at the same pace no matter what week. It is the only console to stay somewhat consistant in a week to week flow." (Bahaha...)

Ah well, some laughs to be had all around I suppose, although I forgot how sad it was to read the comments part from that site...

[Ian Sane]

Well I'm not in Japan so I can't say for sure what's happening there but here there is a very easy way to determine the cause of low sales.  I see PS3s in stores.  I don't see Wiis.  Obviously there is still demand for the Wii or else I would see it on store shelves.  The fact that it disappears the second it arrives at a store indicates that their is still demand.

[Smash_Brother]

This doesn't matter.

These people can plug their ears and scream "NAAA NAAA NAAA NAAA!" all they want and it doesn't change the fact that the Wii is kicking ass and taking names.

[Rancid Planet]

Of course the demand for the Wii is down. It's after Christmas. The demand for everything (including a good way to get rid of my Christmas tree in a legal fashion that doesn't involve the words "gasoline" or "Grandma's house") is going down. Mostly because of the fact that everyone is broke now (and because I figure it looks good sitting in the back yard turning brown next to a garbage can that is oddly enough rusting to the exact same shade of brown).

At the end of the day though it's about how much the Wii is dipping in demand and if that amount is justifiable. Which I think, by the way, it is. But to expect the Wii to be on demand like it was pre-January would be as ludacris as fried chicken and beer. The whole gaming world is on fire with hot sales during that part of the last quarter of the year.

- That's the time of year that hardware and software developers and publishers make all of the money back from the other ten months of their huge, miscalculated failures.

The rest of the year just can't be as nice.