Topic: Theory about third party support

[Flames_of_chaos]

For example, if BioWare put out Mass Effect on Wii, I don't think it would even matter because nobody would buy it.

Looks like BioWare was listening to me.

http://ds.ign.com/articles/897/897443p1.html

Well Silks, I'm sure Microsoft wouldn't be pleased if Mass Effect lands on Wii or PS3 since Mass Effect did start off as a Microsoft published game so it will likely stay on the 360 and PC. The DS is neutral territory because a bunch of Microsoft properties were released on the GBA and DS such as Banjo, It's Mr Pants, Saberwulf, Age of Empires, Mech Assault, Viva Pinata. DS doesn't directly compete with the 360 and it still gives Microsoft some profit margin and can indirectly stick it to Sony's PSP.

[NWR_Lindy]

hahaha.  Just stirring up the hornet's nest.

[Bill Aurion]

More like you're the hornet buzzing around our heads... >=/

[NWR_insanolord]

Mass Effect coming to the DS? It's happening again, my reasons for buying a 360 are disappearing.

[Flames_of_chaos]

We recently posted a story discussing the state of third-party software sales on Wii, which included a chart from Nintendo that inconveniently also lumped in first-party sales. Well, now we've obtained the proper third-party only sales chart (see below), which does bear out what Nintendo of America has been telling us all along: games from third parties are selling on the Wii.

In fact, when GameDaily BIZ contacted The NPD Group for more data, we discovered that for the first 20 months on the market for each console the Wii comparatively sold several million more units of third-party software in the U.S. than either the Xbox 360 or PS3. More specifically, the Wii sold 33 million units of third-party software in its first 20 months, while the Xbox 360 sold 29 million units and the PS3 sold 20 million units.




"I actually think that given the number of comments made from industry executives at E3 (or thereabouts) about how they didn't put enough resources against development of Wii games that the industry has realized that the old adage of 'only first-party games sell on Nintendo systems' is absolutely incorrect. I think you're right that the data will cause a few eyebrows to lift," NPD industry analyst Anita Frazier commented.

So where does the perception that third-party games don't sell on Wii come from? Most likely it stems from the respective sales ratios for the three consoles. While third-party software sales comprise well over 80 percent of total game sales on both the Xbox 360 and PS3, on the Wii that number dips all the way down to 56 percent. On the whole, however, because total Wii software sales are so high, even 50-something percent of a huge chunk yields a larger total for third-party sales. But there's still no doubt that Nintendo's incredible first-party success leaves a smaller part of the Wii software market for third parties to fight over. The key, however, as Nintendo has said, is to expand that market so all can benefit. So far, so good.

[Ceric]

The Wii third party sales seem spikey on that chart.

[Flames_of_chaos]

    *  Wii: 60 million software units total, 56% are third-party units or 33 million (Nov. '06 through June '08)
    * Xbox 360: 35 million software units, 84% third-party or 29 million (Nov. '05 through June '07)
    * PS3: 25 million software units, 82% third-party or 20 million (Nov. '06 through June '08)


That's the numbers. Well 3rd parties did spike because the summer was relatively slow but then Guitar Hero 3 came in and stormed, after November a lot of Wii versions of Multiplatform games took were top sellers.

And those numbers also prove that Nintendo can survive if 3rd party interests were low on the Wii while the 360 and PS3 relies on 3rd party sales to stay afloat. While Nintendo is a strong first party, 3rd parties on the Wii still has a big chunk of cumulative software sales so there is still a healthy balance between Nintendo vs 3rd party sales.

As of now the chart is a little inconclusive considering that the 360 sales chart depicted doesn't extend to June of 2008 since the point of the chart is to compare the first 20 months of each console's life cycle.

[Ceric]

Though the sales numbers and the N64 and Cube lifetimes already established that Nintendo could hold there own.  From Nintendo's perspective 56% is a great ratio but I think as a platform as a whole I believe 75% probably be better.  That would allow for a few more big players.  Now on the flipside the user base is so much larger then the others that by units sold its sort of a moot point.

[DAaaMan64]

The Wii third party sales seem spikey on that chart.

I'm telling you people, CARNIVAL GAMES.

[BranDonk Kong]

Yeah, Carnival Games sold a ****-ton of units, even though it sucks. If Nintendo made a Carnival game (Wii Sport-esque), it would be awesome.

[KDR_11k]

Though the sales numbers and the N64 and Cube lifetimes already established that Nintendo could hold there own.  From Nintendo's perspective 56% is a great ratio but I think as a platform as a whole I believe 75% probably be better.  That would allow for a few more big players.  Now on the flipside the user base is so much larger then the others that by units sold its sort of a moot point.

Considering the garbage most third parties throw at the system it's really no surprise.