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Nintendo Working on Xenoblade Chronicles Stock

by Karlie Yeung - September 9, 2011, 9:00 am EDT
Total comments: 55

More copies of the game are on the way this fall to resolve unexpected shortages.

Nintendo UK are working on resolving the Xenoblade Chronicles stock shortage situation and will have more copies in stores this season.

Following reports online and from our readers that it is difficult to get hold of the game, and online stores including Amazon, Asda, GAME, and others listing the game as unavailable, it is thought that the shortages are caused by unexpected high demand.

Nintendo UK confirmed to us, "We are doing everything we can to get more stock of Xenoblade Chronicles into UK shops this autumn. We know how frustrating stock shortages can be for people, and we are disappointed when even one customer cannot get hold of one of our products."

Talkback

CericSeptember 09, 2011

And thus we can imply that Xenoblade exceeded there Sales expectation.

From what I heard in the impressions thread this game sounds rock solid.  Wonder when we'll get a review here...

xcwarriorSeptember 09, 2011

Wow, amazing how it's sold out both in Europe and here in America. I can't find a copy anywhere.

...oh wait, that's because Nintendo of America is run by Reggie who doesn't have a clue what games will sell and what ones won't.

I hope next week we get an announcement at TGS that NOA is stupid and they are going to in fact release this game in the US.

ejamerSeptember 09, 2011

Good thing NoA didn't bring the game out here. Stock shortages aren't an issue at all in North America.


Edit: Meant as sarcasm more than bitterness... could pass for either though.

Indeed, they really dodged that bullet.

Chocobo_RiderSeptember 09, 2011

Now, I heard initial sales in Europe were terrible.

Is that simply because they never made enough copies to sell better than terrible???

... I feel like that happens with third party Wii games rather consistently.

That's why most people don't even know about quality 3rd party Wii games - they're never on the shelves!

Bman87301September 09, 2011

Quote from: xcwarrior

Wow, amazing how it's sold out both in Europe and here in America. I can't find a copy anywhere.

...oh wait, that's because Nintendo of America is run by Reggie who doesn't have a clue what games will sell and what ones won't.

I hope next week we get an announcement at TGS that NOA is stupid and they are going to in fact release this game in the US.

To be fair, NOA never said they weren't going to release it. Everyone seems to have automatically assumed that "we have no plans at this time" was their politically correct way of saying 'no'. While I certainly don't blame people for preparing for the worst, I think it's more likely that what it really meant was "we're teetering on the idea, we just aren't ready to commit to setting an official release date until we see Europe's sales first".

I believe they were always heavily considering releasing it, and probably even had a finalized box design, manual, etc. already completed and ready months ago and were just waiting on the numbers from Europe.

I have a very strong feeling now that it apparently is a hit in Europe, that we'll get a release date in the upcoming weeks and it might even make it out in time for the holiday season.

Bman87301September 09, 2011

Quote from: NinSage

Now, I heard initial sales in Europe were terrible.

Is that simply because they never made enough copies to sell better than terrible???

... I feel like that happens with third party Wii games rather consistently.

That's why most people don't even know about quality 3rd party Wii games - they're never on the shelves!

Um, Xenoblade Chronicles is a 1st party game... Since you already got one fact wrong, you might want to double-check where you heard initial sales were terrible.

BlackNMild2k1September 09, 2011

Quote from: Bman87301

Quote from: NinSage

Now, I heard initial sales in Europe were terrible.

Is that simply because they never made enough copies to sell better than terrible???

... I feel like that happens with third party Wii games rather consistently.

That's why most people don't even know about quality 3rd party Wii games - they're never on the shelves!

Um, Xenoblade Chronicles is a 1st party game... Since you already got one fact wrong, you might want to double-check where you heard initial sales were terrible.

Maybe I missed something, but where did NinSage say that it wasn't a 1st party title?

I see him making a comparison to 3rd party titles, but never saying Xeno was not a 1st party title.

Bman87301September 09, 2011

Quote from: BlackNMild2k1

Maybe I missed something, but where did NinSage say that it wasn't a 1st party title?

I see him making a comparison to 3rd party titles, but never saying Xeno was not a 1st party title.

Maybe not, but he certainly seemed to be implying it to me.

broodwarsSeptember 09, 2011

I'm suddenly reminded of the tagline from Field of Dreams: "If you build it, they will come."

Mop it upSeptember 09, 2011

Interesting how they specifically mention online retailers being sold out... I wonder if that's indicative of the number of people who imported the game.

Nobody specifically mentioned online retailers. As the article states, it's both physical and online.

Mop it upSeptember 09, 2011

The article mentioned three online retailers, though I don't know if those latter two have physical stores.

Chocobo_RiderSeptember 09, 2011

@Bman87301 / BlackNMild2k1yea, sorry that was a bit confusing.  I was sort of using one point to make another.

however, the fact remains, companies cannot be disappointed in poor sales when they don't even make high sales possible.

as for my source, does anyone have any concrete information on current Xenoblade sales?

that Baby guySeptember 10, 2011

The problem here is that Nintendo's publishing facilities have been so over-burdened as of late. They just can't handle producing enough of their catalog of new games this year. Give them some time. They'll manage it right after they finish their runs of all those games they've released as of late.

Bman87301September 10, 2011

Quote from: NinSage

@Bman87301 / BlackNMild2k1yea, sorry that was a bit confusing.  I was sort of using one point to make another.

however, the fact remains, companies cannot be disappointed in poor sales when they don't even make high sales possible.

as for my source, does anyone have any concrete information on current Xenoblade sales?

Um, how about this very article? The fact that all stock is sold out seems pretty concrete. Even if we were to assume the initial supply was extremely limited, getting sold out still means it exceeded expectations.

In contrast, we have an entirely unsourced claim that initials sales were terrible... which is pretty much an impossible claim in the first place, since how well an item sells is entirely relative to total amount of units shipped in the first place.

CericSeptember 10, 2011

Go go percentages for equalization.

BlackNMild2k1September 10, 2011

I think that's kinda his point though.

The game may have sold past expectation, but since they likely shipped much less than Nintendo would hope a game like this would sell, then it is of course going to be disappointing regardless.

Lots of 3rd parties do the exact same thing. Make a game with a big budget, lower expectations at the last minute, severely undership a product, don't even bother to advertise it and then act surprised when it didn't make the Top 10 sales and not even come close to meeting the revised expectations.

broodwarsSeptember 10, 2011

Quote from: thatguy

The problem here is that Nintendo's publishing facilities have been so over-burdened as of late. They just can't handle producing enough of their catalog of new games this year. Give them some time. They'll manage it right after they finish their runs of all those games they've released as of late.

Ah, that's some finely-aged sarcasm there.

CericSeptember 10, 2011

I also love when companies think Demand is something that exist uniformly.  I mean if we all got are Nintendo game direct from Nintendo then yeah it all come from one source but the distribution channel we receive the games from is really more diverse then that and it is rarely taken into account.  Thats why to this day you can luck out on Super Princess Peach in a B&M TRU for the regular price when its been sold out online forever.

Chocobo_RiderSeptember 10, 2011

@Bman87301

The source I used was VGChartz.  I didn't want to mention that because I know as soon as someone says they sought information from vgchartz then every other gamer throws up their arms and goes "oh geez, not that fairy tale?!"

But, yes, I use VGChartz, ya know why? Because they are the best source of sales information we have access to!!  Are they entirely accurate? No.  Is NPD entirely accurate? No... they don't even count online retailers like Amazon.  However, as a readily available guesstimation? I am very willing to use them as some kind of benchmark.

With that out of the way, please don't think I'm trying to make the case that Xenoblade is a failure because I'm one of THOSE people.  Trust me, I want Xenoblade to be a wild success and I want it to come to the states so that I don't have to go through the trouble of importing it!

But, that was the info I saw.

And yea, exceeding expectations is great, but IF they set the bar on the ground it's still not saying much when you clear it, right?

@BlackNMild2k1

Precisely.  It is a vicious cycle of suckitude.

YmeegodSeptember 11, 2011

Saleswise the numbers isn't all impressive, sold out yes but that's mainly because they only shipped 38K units and that's not just supply the EU market but all those that imported the game like myself.

Need more copies :( .  I had to reorder myself since my copy went MIA.  Now I have to wait an month+ just to get it shipped and than another week on top of that for Royal Mail.  Good news is I got a 5 pound coupon for bitching which I used to get the Hotel Dusk sequel that was never released stateside too.

broodwarsSeptember 11, 2011

I know it's annoying dealing with shortages like this, but really this is probably the best way these games could be released.  It's the Atlus strategy: take a niche product, market hard at your core base, and sell your product in limited quantities out of the gate.  If sales prove favorable, you can boast about how it sold out and then make/ship more copies until the sales stop increasing.  You take a niche product, and you sell what you know you can sell without wasting money on what you can't.  Months ago, many of us were saying that's exactly how Nintendo of America could have sold these games in North America.  NoE could have shipped more units at launch, but I'd rather they make too few and have to make more than make too many and then complain about how it didn't move units.

that Baby guySeptember 11, 2011

Quote from: broodwars

I know it's annoying dealing with shortages like this, but really this is probably the best way these games could be released.  It's the Atlus strategy: take a niche product, market hard at your core base, and sell your product in limited quantities out of the gate.  If sales prove favorable, you can boast about how it sold out and then make/ship more copies until the sales stop increasing.  You take a niche product, and you sell what you know you can sell without wasting money on what you can't.  Months ago, many of us were saying that's exactly how Nintendo of America could have sold these games in North America.

As sarcastic as I was before, this is my actual opinion. I have no objection to game companies less copies than they perceive there is demand if the alternative is no retail release for said game.

KDR_11kSeptember 11, 2011

Supposedly their shipments were focused on major brick & mortar chains so online retailers had much less stock than e.g. Media Markt.

Quote from: NinSage

But, yes, I use VGChartz, ya know why? Because they are the best source of sales information we have access to!!

The problem is that VGChartz doesn't have more information than we do. If we don't know the number then they don't either but they won't tell you "we don't know", they make up something instead.

So the number ion VGChartz is exactly as reliable as me saying the game sold two million copies across Europe.

Chocobo_RiderSeptember 11, 2011

KDR-

Fair enough.  When a better database of sales becomes available I will use that one.

Otherwise, even the smallest bit of information is better than none.

I wouldn't necessarily agree that unreliable data is better than no data. Maybe in some ways, but in others it's worse.

Mop it upSeptember 11, 2011

I'm pretty sure that VGChartz have methods which they use to guesstimate sales, but since they don't share them, people doubt that which they can't see.

Regardless of their methods, they are often significantly off from the actual numbers. Drawing conclusions from numbers that have a decent chance of being completely wrong is just dumb.

KDR_11kSeptember 11, 2011

You trust them to be better than nothing purely because they store their data in a database? They know exactly as much as we do, they guess numbers based on that knowledge. When we don't know the numbers then theirs are 100% made up. There is absolutely no new information to be gained from VGChartz but you cited them for the claim that Xenoblade sold badly. Your claim there is based on absolutely nothing and merely baseless speculation.

broodwarsSeptember 11, 2011

Quote from: Mop

I'm pretty sure that VGChartz have methods which they use to guesstimate sales, but since they don't share them, people doubt that which they can't see.

I've seen a post or two in the past on that site from the Admins stating that they have contacts in gaming stores around the world, and that's how they get the numbers they use for their estimates.  The thing is, I don't really buy that.  That's too massive an operation to be believable for a grassroots site like this.

This whole situation, though, once again raises the (I believe) important question: why is NPD the only service that has concrete data on game sales, which you have to pay a large amount of cash to see?  You don't see this issue in movies, where we know the box office returns on even the extremely-poorly selling films?  We have the Nielson ratings for TV that is public knowledge, though their data-collection is extremely limited and antiquated in this day and age.  But in gaming, we only know how much a game sells if the publisher releases the numbers in a press release or if NPD deigns to inform us via their Top 10 multi-console sales.

SundoulosSeptember 11, 2011

I've been hesitant to import the game because I was hoping that NOA might actually change their minds; if they haven't made some sort of announcement by the end of the year, I will probably finally go import route.

Still, this is great news for NOE; I hope the game continues to sell well and that their investment in the localization of this game ultimately pay off.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go back to not playing anything on my Wii.

GoldenPhoenixSeptember 11, 2011

Quote from: KDR_11k

Supposedly their shipments were focused on major brick & mortar chains so online retailers had much less stock than e.g. Media Markt.

Quote from: NinSage

But, yes, I use VGChartz, ya know why? Because they are the best source of sales information we have access to!!

The problem is that VGChartz doesn't have more information than we do. If we don't know the number then they don't either but they won't tell you "we don't know", they make up something instead.

So the number ion VGChartz is exactly as reliable as me saying the game sold two million copies across Europe.

The one area VGchartz is more reliable in then Joe Schmo is taking official numbers from Japan and America (well more so before NPD restricted that data) and just keeping a running total. But that is something anyone could do, but most don't.  More fringe games sales wise, especially those of which are seldom in the NPD top 10 are more suspect, but even then if there are official numbers one could estimate the percentage drop off based on history and previous official drops from month to month.

CericSeptember 11, 2011

Quote from: broodwars

  You don't see this issue in movies, where we know the box office returns on even the extremely-poorly selling films?  We have the Nielson ratings for TV that is public knowledge, though their data-collection is extremely limited and antiquated in this day and age.

Audience.
Plain and simply.  Movie/news industry is willing to fit those bill for movie numbers because the grab readers/viewers in the mainstream.  Nielson is about differentiating yourself in a market.

Game sales.  Well most people in the mainstream just don't care.  There isn't a IGDB that tells the voice actors, producers, etc. for game.  No truly national push.  What was the last game you saw a media push for?  Shoot, I'm a regular here, a 3DS early adopter, aka Target Demographic material for games and I haven't seen a game advertisement in any media for portables and consoles in about a month maybe two.  Whatever the week after opening week for Green Lantern was.

Anyways the point is that this is specific information that only a limited demographic cares about and it is costed accordingly.  There is a lot of this type of data available to the right parties at the right price.

UltimatePartyBearSeptember 11, 2011

Quote from: Ceric

There isn't a IGDB that tells the voice actors, producers, etc. for game.

It's beside the point, but Moby Games is like an IMDB for video games.  The IMDB itself stores video game credits, too.

I guess Atlus got around to another batch of Radiant Historia. I'm not sure I would have ever found it if I had not reviewed it. I remember when 999 came out I was cursing Aksys for not making more copies. The only copy I saw is the one I bought until months after I beat it.

Chocobo_RiderSeptember 12, 2011

I don't know how many more ways to say it ...

When someone finds a better means of charting game sales, we'll all use it.  Until then, vgchartz is the best we've got.

As I said before, even the almighty NPD apparently doesn't account for many major online retailers such as Amazon.  So, what, we toss that out completely too?

KDR_11kSeptember 12, 2011

It does not matter how many times you say it because it is stupid. VGChartz is fabricating numbers with no basis in reality. It's not the best we've got, the best we've got is admitting we have no clue. NPD is better than that because they actually research things but replacing "we don't know" with complete bullshit is a step backwards. It's less knowledge than you had before. Not only do you gain no knowledge from these fake numbers you lose the knowledge that you don't know the real numbers.

VGChartz is pure, unadulterated misinformation and lies.

BlackNMild2k1September 12, 2011

General rule of the forums.

If you quote VGChartz, be prepared for this reaction.

VGChartz has on numerous occasions been caught adjusting their "sourced" number to something radically different and more accurate once official numbers were made public. The founder of the site has been asked to source his info or or explain the inaccuracies and everytime it was met with more BS shoveled ontop of more BS.

If you are trying to have a serious discussion on sales figures, it's just best to not bring up anything that has anything to do with VGCz, as it should come with a disclaimer that "VGChartz is for entertainment purposes only. We can not and will not guarantee the accuracy of any of the information that we provide."

I don't make a habit out of agreeing with KDR, but on this point I will: VGChartz is worse than nothing. I wish I could manipulate the filter like Crimm so I could make it so VGChartz is automatically converted to something more fittingly offensive.

http://gamejournos.com/post/10131327730/vgchartz-week-day-one-the-advertorials

Now let us never talk of that site again.

Chocobo_RiderSeptember 12, 2011

Alrighty...

1. Never said the folks at VGC were boy-scouts.  That article only makes them on par with every major video game media outlet in terms of ethics.  Aside from NWR, someone name a gaming news website that shows any priority of ethics and accuracy over traffic, pandering and baiting?

Kotaku? D-toid? GameTrailers? Joystiq? No, no, no and no.  So please, let's hear 'em...

Hell, I've been banned from Kotaku twice.... once for asking why a story about a toddler wearing wiimote sleeves as slippers was "newsworthy" and again for pointing out Brain Ashcraft's misinterpretation of a quote from Iwata.

They're (one of, if not the) biggest player in game journalism and they're, as that article puts it, morally bankrupt.  So again, show me the better site and I'll use it.

2. If there truly aren't any even remotely accurate sources for game sales (NPD, VGC, game journalists) how do people all over the internet (both journalists and users) go around spouting off about "this game sold better than that game by a margin of ____" ?

Seems like everyone is fine with having their own (apparently) baseless opinion, or gulping down the equally baseless opinion of journalists, but the problem arises when other people try to do it.

Have I missed anything?

PS - as reference for myself, I have a BA in Comm/Journalism, an MA in TV,Radio&Film and am working on a PhD dissertation regarding video game culture.  Both of my parents are college professors in Communication.

... I know media ethics, I know journalistic integrity.

Concerning any game-sales conversation that might take place, I will concede VGC isn't valuable.  But I still stand by my original sentiment... either someone names a better source for sales data, or I guess no one should discuss it anymore...?

Thoughts on that?

broodwarsSeptember 12, 2011

Quote from: NinSage

Kotaku? D-toid? GameTrailers? Joystiq? No, no, no and no.  So please, let's hear 'em...

You are aware that Kotaku, Destructoid, and Joystiq are all enthusiast blogs, right?  Blogs aren't supposed to be "Teh Journalizm!" as we would sites for news reporting like CNN; Fox News; MSNBC; etc.  They're opinion websites run by and for enthusiasts.  And you're aware that GameTrailers is a multimedia site that mostly just hosts videos?  And what's your problem with Gametrailers, anyway?  They're a great site with probably the best multimedia coverage on the widest variety of games on the internet, not to mention their original video features.

OblivionSeptember 12, 2011

@NinSage: IGN?

Chocobo_RiderSeptember 12, 2011

Quote from: broodwars

You are aware that Kotaku, Destructoid, and Joystiq are all enthusiast blogs, right?  Blogs aren't supposed to be "Teh Journalizm!" as we would sites for news reporting like CNN; Fox News; MSNBC; etc.  They're opinion websites run by and for enthusiasts.  And you're aware that GameTrailers is a multimedia site that mostly just hosts videos?  And what's your problem with Gametrailers, anyway?  They're a great site with probably the best multimedia coverage on the widest variety of games on the internet, not to mention their original video features.

Yea, I've heard that excuse before.  You might have a point if they didn't act as news outlets and have no problem getting (and counting on) the site traffic that comes with it.

Every non-journalistic item GT provides is stellar.  It is their coverage I take issue with.  Geoff and Pachter lead a three-ring circus of moronic predictions and hardcore pandering that rival the audience itself in terms of (lack of) quality.

In other words, you can't open a business performing surgeries, botch the procedure and then say "whoa, can't blame me, I never said I was a doctor."  Which is what that explanation boils down to.

@Oblivion

I have actually rarely visited them because the users over at GoNintendo always talk about IGN as some of the worst of the worst.

What should I (and those GN users) be made aware of?

OblivionSeptember 12, 2011

Oh, I don't know, actually. I don't visit IGN either. I suggested them simply because you hadn't mentioned them. I usually visit around four difference sites to get my full news coverage. Having idiotic predictions from Kotaku and G4 are pretty much expected. I simply ignore them. That's why I like Nintendo-centric fan sites like NWR.

Chocobo_RiderSeptember 12, 2011

Quote from: Oblivion

Having idiotic predictions from Kotaku and G4 are pretty much expected. I simply ignore them. That's why I like Nintendo-centric fan sites like NWR.

Precisely.  And that's a real shame.

KDR_11kSeptember 14, 2011

If you wonder why journalists talk about what sold well that's because their publications usually subscribe to the NPD report so they have the full numbers available. They are not allowed to release the numbers, of course.

Actually, NPD stopped giving out full numbers a few months ago.

It's much more overview stuff now, which is great... except it isn't actually that great.

KDR_11kSeptember 14, 2011

NPD stopped giving out numbers for free but IGN, for example, pays for the full report.


Fun fact: NPD is also the acronym of the biggest neo-nazi party in Germany.

If they do, I imagine the agreement stipulates that they cannot release the numbers.

We should set up some kind of forum script where if a post mentions VGChartz any numbers in that post are replaced with numbers provided by a random number generator.

KDR_11kSeptember 15, 2011

Quote from: MegaByte

If they do, I imagine the agreement stipulates that they cannot release the numbers.

Yes but they can talk about things like "game X sold well" and vague stuff like that.

Well, we still get the vague stuff.

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