Nintendo’s Wii software sales are No. 1 for December
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008 at 10:46am by Jack
Is the tide turning? Was I actually right for once with one of my now infamous pro-Nintendo Infendo rants?
I only ask because this morning I read something that was borderline Bible end-of-the-world Revelations territory: Wii software sales for December were officially higher than the market leader, Xbox 360.
This spectacular feat actually occurred last month in the wake of the annual video game software sales Mecca, the “holidays,” and it’s been confirmed by the bastion of video game bloggers’ stats everywhere, NPD.
I wonder… how will the naysayers spin this one?
Game|Life (citing a Matt C. IGN podcast):
Let’s kick it off like this. Matt Cassamassina over at IGN has access to the full set of NPD data, not just the top tens, and he said something very interesting on their last podcast: Wii software actually outsold Xbox 360 software this month. I’ve contacted NPD for confirmation, but so far all they’ve told me is that on the list of Top 100 software titles for December, 20 Wii games charted, versus 18 Xbox 360 games.
Even more importantly, only 5 of those 20 games were from Nintendo.
Adding credence to this claim is the fact that Microsoft didn’t say, in their aforementioned press release detailing Xbox 360’s performance, that it sold more software. This is what it said: “NPD data released today confirms consumers spent more dollars on Xbox 360 in 2007, with more than $13.7 billion in total consumer spending.”
That sounds really awesome, until you break down what they’re actually saying: “Our stuff is really expensive.”
Now, as a counterpoint the other two Wired Game|Life bloggers seem to think Nintendo’s big December software coup is because of grandmas picking up whatever they stumble across at Toys R Us, but that argument got sillier and sillier the more I re-read it, and seems sillier still now that I’ve actually taken time out of the day to write it myself. It reeks of denial and smells of the same disbelief that surrounded the poor DS Phat when it arrived on the scene.
Why is it silly? Simple: Do you get more of what you ask for for Christmas, or do you get more random gifts from senile grandparents? (on average, people, I realize we’ve all had “one of those” holidays) If you’re like me, then you know you’ll always get that one zany gift from an extended family member, but the pile of great gifts is two times larger (or more for you Nantucket Martha’s Vineyard types).
Nintendo’s success may be due to an expansion of the video games audience, but that shouldn’t be confused with the ludicrous idea that Nintendo’s software numbers for December are due to some confused relative stumbling about a GameStop. If anything, our elders are MORE educated about video games today than they were even last year, all thanks to Nintendo. In fact, I think it’s pretty logical to say that a game — it’s overall quality be damned — ends up on a top 100 list because someone wants to buy it. What they do with it afterwards, after they play it and find out it’s a mess, well, that’s not relevant to this particular argument.
It’s classic Long Tail theory success: Xbox 360 wins the big blockbuster battle hands down. Its titles are epic and sell millions of copies, but they’re all “the same.” The Nintendo Wii, on the other hand, literally has something for everyone. It has blockbusters (Galaxy), puzzles (Puzzle Quest), FPS (WW2 FPS, Metroid), even some mediocre sports titles, and of course plenty of crap. Oh, and it all cost less to produce that a single blockbuster title, combined. It’s similar to iTunes, where as of 2007 every single track on iTunes had sold at least once. Sure, 50 Cent sold 5 million albums in 2006, and maybe he didn’t want that album on iTunes (I didn’t confirm that, I’m just using a theoretical example here), but iTunes sold millions upon millions of individual tracks from Celtic music to Jazz to everything else in between. Who do you think made more money and, therefore, will get more attention from future artists (read: video game developers).
On another note, it would again seem as though people want it both ways. On one had Wii detractors claim there’s no marketing, and that people aren’t buying games because of that. Then, on the other, when software sales go through the roof they argue grandma is being blindsided by movie licenses and familiar names, and is forced to buy schlock for her relatives and therefore drive up Nintendo’s December software sales. Rubbish.
With each passing month, more facts are laid to bear that this Wii thing, like that DS thing, is the real deal. It starts with crap, and then when that sells we get more crap, but eventually the inevitable cream rises to the top, as it always does and always will, and the console hits its stride. Zack & Wiki, while not a commercial success, is indicative of what will soon be mainstream for the console. In that sense, consider Z&W the first Wii martyr. It’s sad, but a necessary sacrifice. And, who knows, there’s always the Wii Classics Series: Zack & Wiki we’ll inevitably see in a couple of years.
What’s amazing is that developers and journalists are still content to ignore trends and history and do what they did last generation all over again; and then play catch up as they are right now with the DS. I simply don’t understand anymore.
I said earlier this week that developers should either put up or shut up in regards to the Wii (as they did with the DS — I can’t say it enough!). Today, I think, video games journalists should take that advice too.
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:39 am
Exactly. When you look at ALL the sales, you get a bigger picture.
Wonder why DS sells so much, but only Brain Age 2 charted?
Because instead of one or two games hogging all the glory and charting very high numbers, we have dozens of titles performing at mid to high levels. While not noticeable, everyone is winning.
Drawn to Life, for example, hasn’t charted a single time, but Matt pointed out that it has sold through 300K+ two months into it’s life.
Most people would assume the title underperformed, if they assumed that only Nintendo games sell on the DS, and it didn’t chart in the top NPD at any time.
I think the main reason why the Wii has more detractors than the DS did is because the 360 has been out a year longer. When the DS came out, it’s detractors were talking about the future PSP dominating.
In the case of the Wii, the 360 has already established itself, and it detractors have more to throw at the Wii for comparisons.
Either way, good to see the truth coming out.
If trend follows, the number of Wii detractors should settle down early 2009, as Wii defies their logic, once again, in 2008.
Just look at the DS.
January 22nd, 2008 at 1:23 pm
@Jack
I enjoy your rants. They are always entertaining and thought provoking. Keep on ranting.
January 22nd, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Another reason why the “NIntendo only sold software because of senile grandmas” meme is ridiculous is that, guess what, senile grandmas don’t buy Wii software for people with 360s, they buy 360 software! Wii doesn’t have a monopoly on the senile grandma $$. If their grandson has a 360, that same senile grandma will be buying you a copy of some shitty 360 game.
Secondly, why should developers even care who buys their games? A grandmas money is just as good as yours or mine. Don’t kid yourself into thinking that publishers give too shits why their game makes it into a top 100 list, as long as it does.
As for this comment, “What’s amazing is that developers and journalists are still content to ignore trends and history and do what they did last generation all over again; and then play catch up as they are right now with the DS. I simply don’t understand anymore.”
They are not so much ignoring trends. Its that they are not predicting what they THINK will happen, they are predicting what they HOPE will happen. The wii is baffling to the industry veterans who are simply looking forward to the next graphical update for another FPS. These are the people who are often afraid of change. Just try messing with their control scheme and watch them panic. They are predicting against their fears, an industry that makes them less relevant.
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:34 pm
I just wish that publishers and developers shared the same enthusiasm as yourself. But it’s hard to see Big Fat Salary Men enjoying the thought that “yes Nintendo sell more software, but our game can still only break 100,000 copies”
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Sorry, Rob, that kind of thinking is the type that reeks of the “Blockbusters are the only type of games that are successful” talk that has dominated this industry for far too long.
How about this real-world example:
Cloverfield, a pretty recent film, cost something like $40 million to produce. It was a niche product with a low budget that made its costs back in basically the opening week. It was well made, had a goal in mind (recreate the monster movie genre with a modern day YouTube look and feel), and made money. You can bet JJ Abrams, the producer, could care less that fewer people saw it than a movie like 300, for example, because he made a greater profit on it and then some. Same thing with the Wii/DS.
I imagine there are plenty of Big Fat Salary Men out there would would jump at the chance to make many inexpensive, well made games and turn a profit, as opposed to heavily investing in just one blockbuster game with tons of marketing only to see it fail (see also: Lair). Keep in mind when I say that I’m not talking about neutered games, or mini-game compilations or ports, either. I’m talking legitimate, inexpensive games that hum (see: Z&W). People using that mini-game argument/insult should join the rest of us in 2008.
When you look at it that way, it’s not enthusiasm I’m expressing, it’s common sense.
January 22nd, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Industry = dumb.
I really don’t get all this bitching and moaning from developers and publishers. Their “only Nintendo wins” argument (here’s to you, Suda 51) is so obviously flawed. SONY and Microsoft expect developers to throw huge sums of money into a few projects and depend on most (if not all) of those titles being blockbusters. That’s a terrible business model, and doesn’t create long term profits. It is also a model that stifles creativity in an industry that is begging for new ideas. And then the only winners are the few publishers and developers whose games “win” by reaching that coveted blockbuster status. Did Factor 5 “win” with the PS3? Bungie wins. EA wins. Activision wins. But there are the little guys, too.
With Nintendo, developers can make inexpensive, quality games, make more games, and make a profit on every one. It is a business model based on more profit with less overhead, more product for an audience full of vastly different demographics, and less risk with increased creativity. With Nintendo, everyone wins.
The only thing keeping this from happening is consumer perception. And that is up to developers and publishers. Quite simply, the industry has yet to embrace the Wii as a strong third party platform. When they do, consumers will follow. It’s that simple. Start making Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, and GTA games for the Wii and people will buy them. Consumers need to see a strong turnout from them, and it needs to (and it can) change their mind about the way they perceive Nintendo systems. It’s cheap, make games for it. It’s online, so use it. And for Christ’s sake, it’s selling like hotcakes, cash in on it.
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Or, they can continue to ignore the market leader and let Nintendo just make all the money this generation.
If the third parties are afraid of a strong Nintendo, they had best get onto the Wii ASAP and ablate Nintendo’s profits. Because otherwise, Nintendo will just bank all the cash and they’ll be at an even greater advantage over the third parties in the future.
January 22nd, 2008 at 7:02 pm
“otherwise, Nintendo will just bank all the cash and they’ll be at an even greater advantage over the third parties in the future.”
Sounds a lot like the gamecube. Now the 3rd parties that ignored that platform are struggling to get the audiences attention on the Wii. Its never a good idea to ignore a solid platform. That goes for the Wii/360 and PS3. If developers ignore the PS3 this gen simply because its not the throned champion any longer, and pile solely on the Wii, then if the PS4 hits a homerun in a few years, they will be doing the same thing in the opposite direction. You’ve got to diversify and hopefully 3rd parties are learning that now.
January 22nd, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Not necessarily, used cisco. Sony’s not running a very profitable venture for third parties. And Sony’s not doing very well for themselves in the videogame space either, so their profit advantage has been shrinking.
And in actuality, the 3rd parties make the most money when they focus on just one platform. Extreme multiplatform has led companies to this current mindset that they have to “type” consoles instead of just make games and sell them to userbases for profit. They have to get the “right game” for the “right platform” which is just rubbish, period. This is reflected in the fact that the combined profit for last quarter for the top 15 3rd parties was -$458 million.
Simply put, diversification just isn’t working.
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:10 pm
The main people that don’t like the Wii in the development circles are the guys that only want to work with normal maps and other shaders. I can understand why yet I think the gaming community is slowly getting use to these new feature. People are starting to see past the graphics. HD is becoming more of a fad now than the Wii it seems. People want good graphics but they are just not willing to senp HDtv cash and the cost of a console with games you know you are going to trade in after 4 weeks. People love being addicted to game play and witnessing their skills increase. GTH is a good example of this.
The publishers just knew we would go all special effect happy over a system with all of those effects. Yet they never really though how we where going to afford these systems and games. I mean back in the day every one wanted a Neo Geo, but few actually got one. Even with the games costing $200 we still wanted one. Yet few bought one. The only time I’ve seen an $300-400 dollar system sale was the PS2 in the first year. We all know that was because of the DVD player crazy.
Also you have to look at why the PS was even king in the first place. It was the only place to get new franchises and sequels. No one got a PS because the PS1 was so good. They all got one for the games and of course the dvd player because gamers are cheap! The fan boy thing is mostly an internet thing. If FPS started poping up on the Wii left and right then you would see FPS fans on it, yet they would have to get as masculine black Wii or some thing.
The simple fact that nintendo operates off of is that people buy games not systems. The system is almost transparent when marketing is done correctly.It becomes more of a door rather than a way to hype future games. New comers are not buying a Wii they are buying Wii sports and what ever else they want. The Wii is sold in a totally opposite way than PCs and the current HD systems are sold.
No one bought a PS2 because of it’s power, well a few uninformed did. If that was true then the xbox and GC would have sold better. Once those numbers for the PS2 sales came in development money got ear marked. The same happened to the DS. The same is going to happen with the Wii if not sooner. Almost 20 million the first year is unheard of!
January 23rd, 2008 at 3:22 am
Jake, Zack & Wiki and No More Heroes are two games that spring to mind.
Capcom have publicly stated that their sales are below what they had hoped. Suda 51 have also had a few words about their low sales over in Japan for No More Heroes (obviously this excludes America sales as it has just come out over there).
What I’m saying is that you’ve pointed out the Wii Software sales were more then other consoles, I just hope that despite lower then hoped sales of fantastic games like the above, the publishers/devoplers share your view expressed here and continue to make great games.
January 23rd, 2008 at 6:31 pm
@jeff,
I’m talking about the transition to a new generation. Specializing only makes you money today (maybe), but it risks huge losses in potential revenue in the future. If companies had been well known on the cube for having good games, I think more of the Wii audience would take risks with their titles. As it stands now, many developers who ignored the cube are having to re-acquaint themselves with the Nintendo demographic, and so far, they are really struggling.