Topic: Official Sales Thread

[Caliban]

I want that One Piece game.

It's good to see that Mafia 2 might (since no numbers are given) be doing quite well overall. I'm really happy with how the game turned out.

[KDR_11k]

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is still number one in Italy, and that looks like its the only place in Europe where that is still the case. Of course, Mario is an Italian character, so that may have something to do with that.

But then again, isn't the Mafia II game about Italians as well? Maybe Italians were offended by the stereotypes and violence and such.

Or maybe Italians enjoy 3D platforming more than half-assed GTA wannabes.

[Chozo Ghost]

Well, maybe that's for the best; it might mean Nintendo will give up on trying to win over the Japanese and make Metroid games for the Western audiences that actually buy them, at least for a while.

Well, either that or revamp their efforts 10 fold by turning Metroid into a monster collecting dating simulator, where Samus captures the monsters she defeats in battle and then trains them, until they are suitable for her to date.

[KDR_11k]

That sounds like an improvement over Other M.

[that Baby guy]

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is still number one in Italy, and that looks like its the only place in Europe where that is still the case. Of course, Mario is an Italian character, so that may have something to do with that.

But then again, isn't the Mafia II game about Italians as well? Maybe Italians were offended by the stereotypes and violence and such.

Or maybe Italians enjoy 3D platforming more than half-assed GTA wannabes.

It's really the plumbing aspect.  Look at Naples!

[NWR_insanolord]

Well, maybe that's for the best; it might mean Nintendo will give up on trying to win over the Japanese and make Metroid games for the Western audiences that actually buy them, at least for a while.

Well, either that or revamp their efforts 10 fold by turning Metroid into a monster collecting dating simulator, where Samus captures the monsters she defeats in battle and then trains them, until they are suitable for her to date.

At least that game, unlike Other M, would probably sell well in Japan.

[Louieturkey]

Wow, PS3 has now outsold the Wii for 2010.  It's on its way.

[Chozo Ghost]

Wow, PS3 has now outsold the Wii for 2010.  It's on its way.

When the PS3 first started outselling the Wii I said it was alarming, but everyone dismissed it and said it didn't matter. Well, it matters because it wasn't just a weekly or monthly thing, its now a yearly thing and that's not good...

[TJ Spyke]

The Wii is already owned by almost twice as many PS3 owners though, so there are more potential people to sell a PS3 to than a Wii too (especially some existing PS3 owners who are deciding to upgrade to the slim model).

[NWR_insanolord]

I'd bet that Nintendo will still win that battle when it's all said and done, as I think they're likely to have much better sales numbers than Sony during the holiday season.

[KDR_11k]

Wow, PS3 has now outsold the Wii for 2010.  It's on its way.

When the PS3 first started outselling the Wii I said it was alarming, but everyone dismissed it and said it didn't matter. Well, it matters because it wasn't just a weekly or monthly thing, its now a yearly thing and that's not good...

It still does not matter. Nintendo's goal is not to be first, Nintendo's goal is to keep selling. They don't care at all if some other console sells more.

[Mop it up]

Can anyone offer some insight as to what it is about Metroid that it has never been popular in Japan? Is it because of the exploration, or the shooting, or that it stars a female, or the strange title, or what?

[Chozo Ghost]

Can anyone offer some insight as to what it is about Metroid that it has never been popular in Japan? Is it because of the exploration, or the shooting, or that it stars a female, or the strange title, or what?

It is kinda weird, because Gunpei Yokoi, Sakamoto, and most of the others involved in the creation of the franchise are Japanese... yet even though the creators are Japanese the franchise is poorly received in their native land.

I know for a fact that FP(S) games like Doom and Halo and all that are very unpopular in Japan, so that right there pretty much guarantees that the Prime games weren't going to be successful there no matter what. But that's only for the Prime games, and doesn't explain the lackluster reception for the rest of the franchise. Other M seemed to do okay, but it has since dropped like a stone... but to be fair Other M is a fairly mediocre game by Metroid standards, so its not an A+ epic title or anything like that. So what does that leave? The original old school Metroid games were probably poorly advertised in Japan so the consumer recognition just wasn't there. That might be the reason.

Whatever the reason, clearly more effort needs to be made to get Japan to convert over to the Metroid system.

[KDR_11k]

Whatever the reason, clearly more effort needs to be made to get Japan to convert over to the Metroid system.

Only if it's advertising effort. The franchise couldn't withstand another Japanization.

[Peachylala]

Whatever the reason, clearly more effort needs to be made to get Japan to convert over to the Metroid system.

Only if it's advertising effort. The franchise couldn't withstand another Sakamoto ass-raping.

[Caterkiller]

http://www.n-europe.com/news.php?nid=14336
 

Pokémon Black & White enjoys Japan's largest ever opening...
 
Who says the Japanese industry is dead? Preliminary figures for Pokémon Black & White show that combined sales for the titles surpassed 2.6 million in its opening week - managing the feat in just two days. Not only does it make for the biggest ever opening in Japan, but it managed the sum in half the time of the previous record-holder, Final Fantasy VIII.
Pokémon Black & White marks the fifth official generation of Pokémon titles, and the second to be released in DS. The games were the first in the franchise to be awarded a perfect 40/40 score in Famitsu.
 
Pokémon Black & White is due for release in western territories in the spring of next year.

[Caliban]

I'm sure Inafune knows that the handheld market isn't dying. I think his remarks are in regards to the home console market, and the video games targeted towards an older market.

[noname2200]

I'm sure Inafune knows that the handheld market isn't dying. I think his remarks are in regards to the home console market, and the video games targeted towards an older market.

Seems odd that he or any other developer would wring his hands that the market is gravitating towards the games that are cheaper and quicker to make.  If true, ego is the only way I could explain it.  And correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that adults flock to plenty of handheld games; Brain Age springs to mind.

[Retro Deckades]

Can anyone offer some insight as to what it is about Metroid that it has never been popular in Japan? Is it because of the exploration, or the shooting, or that it stars a female, or the strange title, or what?

It might be easier to narrow down a possible explanation if we look at how the more recent Castlevania games have performed in Japan. If good, then we can probably rule out the exploration and, in the case of Order of Ecclesia, the female lead aspect.

I think it might be the sci-fi element, which I would consider to have more of a western association.

[broodwars]

I think it might be the sci-fi element, which I would consider to have more of a western association.

I don't think it's the sci-fi element.  JRPGs have been steadily drifting towards Sci-Fi over the years (Final Fantasy, Star Ocean, etc.), and they have been doing fine.  And although Order of Ecclesia has a female lead, considering she has her entire personality obliterated in the opening moments of that game and becomes a barely-sentient doll under the control of a man (yeah, suffice it to say I have issues with how that game treated Shanoa)...well, that wasn't the best example.  FF XIII had a strong-ish female lead (sort of), and it did ok.
 
Honestly, I think it's more a combination of factors: Japan's always been male-dominated, it's more complicated than many of Nintendo's other franchises, they like very traditional-style games, etc.  Plus, the very fact that the series has been so popular in the West may be a mental block to such a nationalistic society (in their anime, the United States is almost always depicted as dim; foolish; and arrogant.  I could see the general culture perceiving anything we like more than them to be a bad influence).  The fact that the Metroid series has been a 1st person experience (and that Other M has a 1st person mode) that the Japanese typically don't like for 4 games now (the 3 Primes and Hunters) probably didn't help things, either.

[Retro Deckades]

JRPGs have been steadily drifting towards Sci-Fi over the years (Final Fantasy, Star Ocean, etc.), and they have been doing fine.

I just don't think Metroid is the type of sci-fi Japan is generally interested in, at least when I think about the other sci-fi related things I have seen come out of Japan. But perhaps they like it more than I realize.

The second half of your post is very intriguing...

[SalesBot]

Media Create: 9/13 - 9/19

01.   /   00.    [NDS]   Pokemon Black / White   (Pokemon Co.)    - 2.557.779    / NEW   
02.   /   00.    [PS3]   Front Mission: Evolved   (Square Enix)    - 51.084    / NEW   
03.   /   00.    [PSP]   Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Tag Force 5   (Konami)    - 45.879    / NEW   
04.   /   00.    [360]   Halo: Reach   (Microsoft Game Studios)    - 44.413    / NEW   
05.   /   03.    [WII]   Wii Party   (Nintendo)    - 36.547    / 997.025    (-19%)   
06.   /   02.    [PSP]   Monster Hunter Diary: Pokapoka Ailu Village   (Capcom)    - 28.627    / 428.677    (-48%)   
07.   /   01.    [NDS]   One Piece: Gigant Battle   (Bandai Namco)    - 28.123    / 159.977    (-79%)   
08.   /   00.    [PSP]   Blue Roses: Yousei to Aoi Hitomi no Senshitachi   (Nippon Ichi Software)    - 9.846    / NEW   
09.   /   13.    [NDS]   Taiko Drum Master DS: Dororon! Battle With the Ghouls!!   (Bandai Namco)    - 8.729    / 215.513    (+27%)   
10.   /   06.    [WII]   Super Mario Galaxy 2   (Nintendo)    - 8.178    / 825.541    (-17%)   
11.   /   09.    [NDS]   Inazuma Eleven 3: World Challenge!! Spark / Bomber   (Level 5)    - 7.977    / 836.356    (+4%)   
12.   /   00.    [360]   Front Mission: Evolved   (Square Enix)    - 7.792    / NEW   
13.   /   04.    [PSP]   Ace Combat X2: Joint Assault   (Bandai Namco)    - 7.405    / 105.416    (-42%)   
14.   /   00.    [PSP]   Trick x Logic: Season 2   (SCE)    - 7.250    / NEW   
15.   /   11.    [PSP]   Monster Hunter Freedom Unite [PSP the Best Reprint]   (Capcom)    - 7.114    / 422.777    (-3%)   
16.   /   12.    [WII]   Wii Fit Plus   (Nintendo)    - 6.933    / 2.067.014    (+0%)   
17.   /   07.    [NDS]   Art Academy   (Nintendo)    - 6.538    / 173.717    (-20%)   
18.   /   17.    [NDS]   Friend Collection   (Nintendo)    - 6.516    / 3.418.871    (+1%)   
19.   /   14.    [PS3]   Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 [Reprint]   (Square Enix)    - 5.576    / 21.518    (-18%)   
20.   /   18.    [WII]   Mario Kart Wii   (Nintendo)    - 5.347    / 3.931.548    (-3%)   


NDS - 6
PSP - 6
WII - 4
PS3 - 2
360 - 2
PS2 - 0

Code: [Select]

__________________________________________________________________
|System |  This Week  |  Last Week  |        YTD  |         LTD  |
------------------------------------------------------------------
|  NDS  |     85.770  |     39.749  |  1.723.117  |  31.002.197  |
|  PSP  |     30.729  |     31.570  |  1.483.978  |  15.227.066  |
|  PS3  |     21.096  |     19.907  |  1.038.190  |   5.539.557  |
|  WII  |     14.833  |     15.031  |  1.030.306  |  10.635.505  |
|  360  |      5.804  |      2.915  |    159.368  |   1.369.040  |
|  PS2  |      1.390  |      1.363  |     61.402  |  21.671.579  |
------------------------------------------------------------------
| DSiLL |     31.254  |     19.076  |    888.614  |   1.395.521  |
|  DSi  |     47.379  |     16.345  |    666.156  |   5.005.102  |
|  DSL  |      7.137  |      4.328  |    168.347  |  18.016.103  |
------------------------------------------------------------------
|  PSP  |     29.866  |     30.761  |  1.437.026  |  15.104.359  |
| PSPgo |        863  |        809  |     46.952  |     122.707  |
------------------------------------------------------------------

[Luigi Dude]

I just don't think Metroid is the type of sci-fi Japan is generally interested in, at least when I think about the other sci-fi related things I have seen come out of Japan.

This is the correct answer.  Metroid is more of a western sci-fi that rely more on gritty realism for the setting, which is understandable since Sakamoto based the frachise off the Alien movie series.

The thing is though, the mainstream Japanese audience doesn't like gritty realism in their stories.  I remember reading an article a few years ago when The Dark Knight bomb in Japan and people were wondering why since you'd think the Japanese love superheros.  Well according to article the Japanese love to see their superhero movies to be over the top with lots of ridiculus effects and a more happier tone with brighter colors.  This is why Spider-Man and Iron Man were both big hits over their while The Dark Knight was a failure.

If you look at the Metroid series, it fits more into the tone of Batman then Spider-Man.  Even in Other M, the setting and feel of the game still have more of a realistic western vibe too it, then a crazy Japanese vibe.  Maybe if Samus was to pilot a gaint robot with Adam (who's now a bishounen) in the next game and yell out long engrish attacks while fighting a cyborg space walrus that's the size of the sun with the latest J-Pop hit playing in the background, then the Japanese would enjoy it.  But until then, it's still too western for the their taste.

[SalesBot]

Famitsu as of 9/19/10:   

Code: [Select]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|    | [NGB] Pokemon G/S | [GBA] Pokemon R/S | [NDS] Pokemon D/P | [NDS] Pokemon B/W |
|    | (Sunday 11/21/99) |(Thursday 11/21/02)|(Thursday 9/28/06)|(Saturday 9/18/10)|
|----|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
|Week|  Weekly |   LTD   |  Weekly |   LTD   |  Weekly |   LTD   |  Weekly |   LTD   |
|----|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
|  1 |1.425.768|1.425.768|1.245.003|1.245.003|1.586.360|1.586.360|2.637.285|2.637.285|
|  2 |  438.280|1.864.049|  471.538|1.716.541|  433.793|2.020.153|         |         |
|  3 |  453.500|2.317.549|  321.408|2.037.949|  291.178|2.311.331|         |         |
|  4 |  301.003|2.618.551|  336.847|2.374.796|  231.627|2.542.958|         |         |
|  5 |  436.828|3.055.379|  437.352|2.812.148|  209.288|2.752.246|         |         |
|  6 |  573.247|3.628.627|  385.614|3.197.762|  183.048|2.935.294|         |         |
|  7 |  477.507|4.106.134|  408.831|3.606.593|  124.738|3.060.032|         |         |
|  8 |  258.734|4.364.868|  126.398|3.732.991|  101.113|3.161.145|         |         |
|  9 |  145.778|4.510.646|  105.173|3.838.164|  110.946|3.272.091|         |         |
| 10 |  144.733|4.655.379|   66.054|3.904.218|  100.215|3.372.306|         |         |
| 11 |  120.138|4.775.517|   56.075|3.960.293|  151.036|3.523.342|         |         |
| 12 |   98.055|4.873.571|   40.764|4.001.057|  225.228|3.748.570|         |         |
| 13 |   76.713|4.950.284|   44.240|4.045.297|  429.017|4.177.587|         |         |
| 14 |   50.421|5.000.705|   34.871|4.080.168|  125.228|4.302.815|         |         |
| 15 |   48.587|5.049.292|   31.434|4.111.602|  214.274|4.517.089|         |         |
| 16 |   47.512|5.096.804|   28.464|4.140.066|   58.725|4.575.814|         |         |
| 17 |   43.827|5.140.631|   28.840|4.168.906|   49.050|4.624.864|         |         |
| 18 |   34.957|5.175.589|   35.536|4.204.442|   48.783|4.673.647|         |         |
| 19 |   33.367|5.208.956|   39.467|4.243.909|   45.467|4.719.114|         |         |
| 20 |   29.743|5.238.698|   38.913|4.282.822|   43.947|4.763.061|         |         |
| 21 |   21.582|5.260.280|   26.116|4.308.938|   39.553|4.802.614|         |         |
| 22 |   15.788|5.276.068|   22.340|4.331.278|   33.444|4.836.058|         |         |
| 23 |   14.204|5.290.272|   24.291|4.355.569|   33.470|4.869.528|         |         |
| 24 |        -|        -|   39.814|4.395.383|   28.774|4.898.302|         |         |
| 25 |        -|5.332.897|   24.120|4.419.503|   24.119|4.922.421|         |         |
| 26 |    9.987|5.342.884|   14.681|4.434.184|   27.440|4.949.861|         |         |
| 27 |    7.308|5.350.193|   16.389|4.450.573|   24.641|4.974.502|         |         |
| 28 |    7.879|5.358.072|   17.160|4.467.733|   22.012|4.996.514|         |         |
| 29 |    7.597|5.365.669|   13.554|4.481.287|   18.874|5.015.388|         |         |
| 30 |    7.040|5.372.709|   12.887|4.494.174|   20.342|5.035.730|         |         |
| 31 |    7.722|5.380.430|   12.582|4.506.756|   23.988|5.059.718|         |         |
| 32 |    7.657|5.388.087|   14.679|4.521.435|   37.052|5.096.770|         |         |
| 33 |    7.575|5.395.662|   14.355|4.535.790|   13.069|5.109.839|         |         |
| 34 |    6.449|5.402.111|   14.520|4.550.310|   12.465|5.122.304|         |         |
| 35 |    7.120|5.409.231|   18.720|4.569.030|   14.740|5.137.044|         |         |
| 36 |    8.127|5.417.358|   17.725|4.586.755|   13.798|5.150.842|         |         |
| 37 |    8.796|5.426.154|   16.098|4.602.853|   12.429|5.163.271|         |         |
| 38 |        -|        -|   14.831|4.617.684|   10.612|5.173.883|         |         |
| 39 |        -|        -|   18.622|4.636.306|   11.212|5.185.095|         |         |
| 40 |   10.588|5.451.223|    9.550|4.645.856|   11.463|5.196.558|         |         |
| 41 |    5.995|5.457.218|   10.595|4.656.451|   12.874|5.209.432|         |         |
| 42 |    7.940|5.465.158|    8.239|4.664.690|   16.073|5.225.505|         |         |
| 43 |    3.646|5.468.804|    8.036|4.672.726|   16.010|5.241.515|         |         |
| 44 |    4.704|5.473.508|    9.215|4.681.941|   13.102|5.254.617|         |         |
| 45 |    5.002|5.478.510|    7.881|4.689.822|    9.963|5.264.580|         |         |
|----|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
|Year|   YTD   |   LTD   |   YTD   |   LTD   |   YTD   |   LTD   |   YTD   |   LTD   |
|----|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
|  1 |3.628.627|3.628.627|3.197.762|3.197.762|4.302.815|4.302.815|2.637.285|2.637.285|
|  2 |2.383.096|6.011.723|1.704.458|4.902.220|1.094.389|5.397.204|         |         |
|  3 |   76.421|6.088.144|  287.026|5.189.246|  227.226|5.624.430|         |         |
|  4 |        -|        -|  113.430|5.302.676|  127.567|5.751.997|         |         |
|  5 |        -|        -|   34.369|5.337.045|   15.286|5.767.283|         |         |
|----|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
| LTD|        -|6.089.503|        -|5.337.045|        -|5.767.283|        -|2.637.285|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1. [NGB] Pokemon Red / Green / Blue (Nintendo) - 140.074 / 7.783.101
2. [NGB] Pokemon Gold / Silver (Nintendo) - 1.425.768 /   6.089.503
3. [NDS] Pokemon Diamond / Pearl (Pokemon Co.) - 1.586.360 / 5.767.283
4. [GBA] Pokemon Ruby / Sapphire (Pokemon Co.) - 1.245.003 / 5.337.045
5. [NDS] Pokemon Black / White (Pokemon Co.) - 2.637.285 / 2.637.285

[TJ Spyke]

I remember reading an article a few years ago when The Dark Knight bomb in Japan and people were wondering why since you'd think the Japanese love superheros. Well according to article the Japanese love to see their superhero movies to be over the top with lots of ridiculus effects and a more happier tone with brighter colors. This is why Spider-Man and Iron Man were both big hits over their while The Dark Knight was a failure.

Who said The Dark Knight was a bomb in Japan? It made about $14.5 million there (9th largest country for the movie). That is more than Iron Man 2 did (about $12 million) or Iron Man did there (about $8.6 million). I will give you Spider-Man though, somehow Spider-Man 3 made $58.3 million in Japan.